Manten Info #5: Wedding Tips from the Pro

This video will be somehow helpful, especially for people who never got married. It's in the case of an American wedding, but I personally think that planning a wedding is the same anywhere you live. So, hope it helps. Enjoy.

Manten Intermezzo: The Loro Blonyo

I've always loved Javanese culture and its heritage, especially Javanese weddings. A Javanese wedding is highly complicated and full of numerous traditional processions. The wedding would take a whole week with one-day full ceremony in every single day.

The one thing people might notice in a Javanese wedding is a Javanese couple figure that is commonly used as decoration, especially in the bridal room. The couple wear traditional Javanese wedding costumes with traditional Javanese hairdo called the Paes Ageng (royal Paes).



Loro Blonyo, which the statue is aptly named, symbolizes the presence of Dewi Sri, the goddess of prosperity and her consort, Sadono. Loro Blonyo means "two become one". By putting this statue in the bedroom, Loro Blonyo is believed to give prosperity to the family, let alone to the wedded couple. Besides prosperity, Loro Blonyo in weddings represents faithfulness that last ever after. It is hoped that the couple would stay wedded for as long as they live.

In modern times, the Loro Blonyo statue is losing its popularity. The statue also depicts a modern look rather than traditional sitting Javanese bride and groom. I am forever hoping that this heritage would still be cherished and not forgotten.

Manten Tips #7: Wedding @ Home

I always feel challenged and excited to hear when my clients want to host their wedding at home. Why is it so odd about throwing a wedding reception at your own house? I love having my own wedding at home. It's private, it's make you feel closer to your guests, it's homey.

When planning a wedding at home, you've got to have space. This is why people often avoid to have their wedding at home because they don't have enough space. However, it doesn't mean that you have to have a mansion to throw a wedding, but space is indeed a priority.

A client of mine is planning to have her wedding at her home this June. She does not actually have a big house, in fact, her house is tiny and almost impossible to fit 20 people in the living room. But guess how many guests she's inviting? ... ... ... (drum roll please) ... ... ... 1,200 people. Yes, thousands of people. Crazy? Probably. Is it feasible? A big yes.

Let me give you several tips for having a wedding at home.

Tip #1: Carefully plan your head count of the guests

My personal advice is not more than 500 guests (250 valid-for-two invitations). However, it also needs to be adjusted with how big the space you have. If you have a tiny home, 500 is just way too much. 1,200 is just too extreme and very impractical. Home wedding should be private and limited. If you're going to invite more than 500 guests, spare your time to find a venue that can accommodate your guests but still feels homey. There are several selections of venues in Jakarta, Rumah Maroko, Rumah Kartanegara, Bellarossa Kemang, etc. It is to bring the closest persons in our lives closer than ever and to share the happiness of the union.

Tip #2: Carefully plan the layout of the reception

This is the trickiest part of having a wedding at home. There are many things to consider for a home wedding, such as, buffet table, cocktail table, air conditioner, wedding decoration, music and entertainment area, etc. The key is to arrange all the necessary equipment in the right place and not make it seems stuffing.

Consult the layout with your decorator. If you decide to do the decoration by yourself, ask for other opinion from someone more professional in dealing with spaces.

Tip #3: Choose your wedding menu wisely

Avoid food stations. Wedding at home should be simple with not too many food selection. Appetizers, main courses and desserts are all you need. Do not ever try to serve the food by yourself. There are a lot of selection for catering service, because you don't have any helping hands to deal with dirty dishes.

Tip #4: Provide lots of bins and dirty dish stations

Make sure you provide enough waste bins in the reception area. You don't want your guests to litter, do you? Inform the catering to provide dirty dish stations to make sure that your guests do not carelessly put dirty plates and glasses all over the premise.

Manten Sketch #1

I was inspired by my friend who suddenly said that she somehow got into a trance and she saw herself in a church with a flowing wedding dress, but (of course) with a groom whose face is still blur.

Color
Off white

Fabric
Silk satin, silk chiffon, lace

Silhouette
Tight in the bodice with low V neckline layered with lace and beading. Flowing silk satin skirt layered with silk chiffon with lace pattern on the trim.

Details
Crystal and beads on the lace. Uneven lines of sequins from the waist down.

Manten Tips #6: Shoes to Die For

Finding the perfect shoes for your wedding is as hard as finding the right dress. It has to fit, durable and comfortable to wear during the long blissful day. I went to a shoe boutique where they make custom handmade shoes for weddings and parties, and I have to be honest, it was an amazing experience to be surrounded by beautiful shoes that show real craftsmanship. It was like I died and went to shoe heaven.

I remembered one time when I was watching Sex and the City and how Carrie Bradshaw had this whole collection of Manolos, Jimmy Choos and Chritian Louboutin, finding the perfect shoes for a wedding is also one of the most important issues to be prepared long before your wedding takes place. I can give you several tips in your search of the amazing bridal footwear.

Tip #1: Custom-made shoes are more preferable than ready-to-wear products

Since you will spend almost 18 hours standing, mingling, walking around, and dancing on your wedding day, you'll be needing shoes that are strong, durable and comfortable; therefore, custom-made shoes are the answer for your problem. Not only because they are made exactly according to your feet measurement, you also can request a custom design. Before you meet a shoemaker, I suggest you to find inspirations for the design. Consult the design with the shoemaker and he/she will give you further advices should the design is suitable or not for your feet form and characteristics.

Tip #2: A good shoe maker usually provides fittings in the making process

After you place your order to a shoemaker, always ask them if there is a fitting process during the production time. Fitting assures you that the shoes really fit your feet form and whether the design matches the one you have in mind. Some shoemakers charge a fitting fee, and others have included the fee in the price that you have agreed to.

Tip #3: Discuss all technical details with the shoemaker

Always ask your shoemaker about the material they will used for your custom-made shoes. I always suggest to always use leather lining in the inner part since it is stronger and more comfortable to wear. Leather materials are easier to clean than fabrics or synthetic plastic. If you wish to wear your shoes more than once (not only for your wedding), it is better to use leather than satin or plastic. Always make sure that the shoemaker puts rubber patch underneath the sole, so the shoes won't get slippery. Exotic leathers, such as crocodile leather, snakeskin, feathers are a lot more expensive than just leather, so take that into consideration if you have a limited budget.

Tip #4: Never compromise with budget

Custom-made shoes are definitely more expensive than ready-to-wear, but they are made-to-measure so that they fit your feet perfectly. Material is also another factor in determining the cost of the shoes. Never compromise when it comes to materials, such as replacing leather lining with plastic lining because you won't get optimal result.

Manten Intermezzo: Carolyn Bessette Wedding Dress

My recent colleague asked me about my style in wedding fashions. I told her that I really liked Amsale and her sophisticated looks she always sends to the runway. I love clean lines, not too many laces, sequins or beading. She then suggested me to google for Carolyn Bessette's wedding dress, and I did.

I've always loved this wedding dress ever since. It was by Narciso Rodriguez. At first, I thought it was Calvin Klein due to its casual look. However, I was mistaken and then corrected after several researches.

It's modern, simple, clean, elegant, casual-looking, but still proper and extravagant for a wedding. Not all women can pull off this dress, of course. But still, it's a breathtakingly beautiful dress. It made me remember one of the contestants in Project Runway season 2, Kara Janx, who said "Simplicity has it own voice". And I totally 100% agree with her in the case of this Carolyn dress.

Manten Tips #5: It's All about the Ambiance

For this post, I am going to give you several tips on how to create an atmosphere that you want for your wedding day. One of the most crucial aspects in a wedding is to determine the decoration concept for the venue. Decoration plays a significant part in making your wedding a success because it conveys a literal message that you want to share with your guests. If you want to create a classic romantic ambiance, go for romantic colors such as red, pink, beige, etc. If you want to create an edgier atmosphere, go for bold colors such as purple, yellow, orange, etc.

The first thing that you need to do on how to create a certain atmosphere for your wedding reception is to consult it with your decorator. Decorators have more knowledge and experience in creating certain atmosphere that can bring out the 'special' feel of your wedding. Shortly, a good decorator can do magic to a boring and dull space. Before we continue with the details, let's take a look on what is traditionally happening in a wedding reception, esp. in Indonesia.

The main focus of a modern Indonesian wedding is the Pelaminan or the wedding stage. This is because the concept of event is that the guests would make a line to the stage to congratulate the happy couple as well as their parents. After they give their wishes, they would step down the stage to the reception area and start to make another line at the buffet table. This is a common process or more of a system in a modern reception and this is why the main focus of the decorator is generally the Pelaminan.

Dekorasi Pelaminan or stage decoration is growing in an unimaginable pace. Decorators are becoming more and more creative in creating exuberant designs to beautify the wedding stage on which the happy couple would stand and stay while receiving happy wishes from the guests. However, personally, it would be too generic for me to give you tips on how to create a lovely Pelaminan, instead I am going to talk about decoration from a different point of view.

Tip #1: Bring a clear theme and ideas to your decorator

As a decorator, my toughest job is to realize the visions of my clients. Therefore, I have to extract as many ideas as possible from them. Sometimes, a client comes to me with a very raw idea or simply a theme. It would be very helpful for a decorator if he/she is provided with an idea, even though the idea is too raw to be interpreted. A theme would determine the color palette and the mood of the decoration.

Tip #2: More flowers does not necessarily mean better decoration

Many decorators use flowers as their main weapon in decorating a venue. Flowers are nice and they are one of the most important tools in decorating. However, keep in mind that flowers are expensive and some themes would not require flowers. Let's say the theme of the wedding is 'The Beach', if your decorator suggests to use a lot flowers for the decoration, it's a sign that you should find a new decorator. Personally, I would stay away from using artificial flowers. Although artificial flowers are cheap and look like the real ones, it's still artificial and you certainly don't wanna have false pretentious things in your wedding.

Tip #3: Focus on the overall look and ambiance of the venue, not just the Pelaminan

The main goal of a decorator is to create a certain ambiance in the venue and to create this ambiance, you, as clients, need to help him/her project your idea on what kind of ambiance you want to have for your wedding. You would think that decorating the whole space is expensive. In fact, it probably would take more budget, but rest assured that the result would be more fabulous. Concentrate on little details that makes your wedding, not just the Pelaminan, such as centerpieces or the flower standings.

Tip #4: Allocate a certain budget for decoration post

Decoration is not always necessarily expensive. However, the bigger the venue, the more space to be decorated, the more expensive it becomes; therefore, you need to consult which spaces to be decorated with your decorator. Don't hesitate to use unconventional materials such as balloons because not only they are cheaper, but they also can be a fabulous detail for the decoration. Avoid covering the reception venue with fabrics, because it would be more expensive. Instead, look around and see what potential looks does the venue have so that you don't have to cover all of the walls.

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A great decoration does not always mean flowers, fabrics, or gorgeous decorative things. A great decoration means that it is cohesive with the concept of the event and it emits a certain ambiance that makes the guest feel comfortable and welcomed.