My Dream Wedding

Dream wedding, like fairy tales, are something that little girls believe in all their lives. We all know the tale of Cinderella, who danced at the ball with a handsome prince, lost her slipper and The Prince later finds her by going door to door to find the beautiful girl who fit the shoe. It shows how dreams do come true and how every girl wants to be rescued. I have pictured myself and dreamed about being swept by my prince charming and then live happily every after, just like Cinderella. Though now i am all grown up, my dream of having a Fairy Tale wedding did not diminish. There are many types of weddings, be it on top of a mountain, by the beach during the sunset, in the garden or just a simple closed ceremony in a hall. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamt of a big lavish fairytale wedding with a big poofy white gown, walking on rose petals, having a beautiful 3-tier cake, colorful fresh flowers, swans, ice sculptures, white doves, tons of guests, classical songs playing in the background and last but not least; dancing with my prince charming. As I grew older, I never stopped believing in my fairytale. Nothing much has changed except the part about having tons of guests over.

As I grew older, I realized that to create a magical and beautiful wedding, all you need is: the person you want to spend your life with, your family and your closed friends. Unlike when I was a little girl, planning a huge "no budget" wedding is completely different. Where as now, my wedding have to be budget friendly. Along the process of planning a beautiful wedding, bit-by-bit I'm starting to find myself and understand what truly makes me feel happy. I want the day to be real and meaningful and be filled with love and honor.

My dream wedding includes a quaint solemnization ceremony at home followed by an outdoor reception on the following day. Talk about an outdoor reception, I just want something simple or in other words; just like a breath of fresh air! My taste could be different from others as I want something that is a little different and unique. Bright and cheery colors always have a way of making me smile. I'm a big fan of the color yellow because it is so fun and classy. It just radiates such happy energy and there is simply no denying the impact it has. I just love all the fun ways you can infuse yellow into your big day. Pairing yellow with fun colors like apple green, aqua, orange and a touch of gray is a recipe that just burst with personality. The combination of these colors is full of sunshine and packed full of personality. I love how these colors balance one another.

SAVE THE DATE

For a start, I plan to send out Save The Date cards to family and closed friends so that they are well aware of the date. The card would be in Orange, White and Aqua. The color combination is so refreshing.

INVITATION CARD

For the wedding invitation, each guest will receive a lovely letterpress invitations printed in either orange ink or aqua ink with cute ribbons.

BRIDE

I would love to have a classy yet beautiful wedding gown. It can be a traditional old-fashioned fit-n-flare lacey dress or a simple ball gown with details.

THE HAIRSTYLE & HAND BOUQUET

It's either the vintage style birdcage veil which has accented with a gorgeous and whimsical flower or just a simple veil to blend with the dress.

I just love how the use of just one type of flower in bouquets makes for such a bold statement. To coordinate, I plan to tie up my hair into a bun and wear a single flower in my hair. It will look unique and sweet at the same time.

GROOM

My prince charming will be wearing a dark gray tuxedo with a cute bow. :)

Groomsmen will be dressed in lighter gray tuxedos and green stripped/orange polka dots neckties on to match which will make the guys look both handsome and fun.

BRIDESMAIDS

I am planning to dress the bridesmaids in lime green or orange gowns that have sort of casual elegance to them. Each bridesmaid will wear a unique style which will make the bridal look both fun and unique. To accent their attire, I suggest each of them to wear strappy green or orange shoes depending on the color of their dress.

To add a little elegance, broaches will be attach. The ladies will be carrying bouquets of orange & green and centerpiece designed to coordinate. Bouquets are hand tied with satin ribbon and will be made for a nice contrast to the dress color.

THE DETAILS

Charming details like fresh flowers in every corner, balloons, bubble machine and photo booth will set the tone for this casual and fun affair.

THE NEWLYWEDS AISLE, ENTRANCE

The whole reception will be dressed up with paper lanterns and the trees will twinkle with the glow of candle light. Other details that stand out to me will be the rose petals covered aisle as a replacement for red carpet.

CENTERPIECES

For a unique spin on centerpieces, simple arrangements of flowers are placed on each table.

WEDDING CAKE

For a wedding cake, I don't mind getting something extraordinary with creative touches.

TABLE & CHAIRS

To add some flair to the wedding reception, unique & creative table numbers will be designed in elegant fonts. Tables will be dressed in a light aqua blue linen and floral table runners layered to add both visual interest and texture. Tied to the chairs are blue and orange cascading ribbons which will add both a touch of fun and a touch of whimsy.

GUESTS

Guests will be treated to an array of treats both salty and sweet. In addition, as favors to my guest, there will also be some gourmet popcorn and guests are encouraged to treat themselves to a bag full.

There will also be cupcakes, macaroons & chocolates for people with sweet tooth.

Guest will also be treated to sweet tea served in mason jars with homemade cookies.

Creative packaging of personalized chocolate bar/mints and a thank you note will be made for the guest to bring home.

THE GOODBYES

As the night come to an end, the newlyweds will hop on a bicycle built for two with a sign attached to the back that read "Just Married" or "..and they lived happily ever after".

The casual vibe of this wedding is one that guests will truly appreciate and would remember for years to come.

InsyaAllah.

Fairy tales are stories and are made up, but dream weddings can come true. Dreams Do Come True If Only We Wish Hard Enough.

Credits:

//Photos taken from Google Images and private collection.

Thanks to:

Beautiful & Colorful Photos to Brighten Up Your Day

♡ Sweet love notes at random places ♡

♡ Colorful & chic clothes ♡


♡ Lazying under the blanket on a cold day ♡

♡ Being sweet ♡

♡ Romantic camping outing ♡

♡ Spread love ♡

Food for Thoughts

How To Get Out of a Rut in a Relationship

"I love you, but I'm not in love with you anymore"

Ask yourself:
Has your partner dropped this emotional nuclear bomb on you after dating for several years?

Do you ever feel like the one you love just doesn't understand you anymore and you don't know how to fix a relationship for the better?

Are you in a relationship that is stagnant - a relationship that is not going anywhere?

What do you do after the honeymoon stage of a relationship has passed?

I'm sure some of you had this problem before. Two people in love should grow together through these experiences. Many relationships start out wonderfully with excitement and joy. Then before long, many begin to wonder where the love has gone. Life is full of ups and downs. Couples fight all the time, whether you are on the verge of ending a long term relationship or it's because of a small misunderstanding. Even though it seems that the crisis appears suddenly and out of nowhere, in many cases it does not. A relationship crisis usually builds slowly over time with one person caught completely off guard, and the other claiming that they are tired of trying to be Ms/Mr Fix It without any sign of change. Thus, many are shocked when they find themselves in this situation, wondering what went wrong and what can they possibly do to save their relationship.

In relationship, there's always a point of getting tired, especially when that person is unintentionally making you feel worthless.

Stop a moment and think about it. Do you just let it fail without even trying? After a fight, some grow closer but some grow further apart. Relationships need regular maintenance, or they'll break down. If you find yourself in a relationship that is going nowhere, it is time for you to evaluate. Try to make some changes before it's too late. If you don't, nothing changes. Then you are just wasting time and hurting yourself. After it gets worst, you start thinking about leaving and not trying to mend the broken pieces.

Remember that many relationships are repairable. You have to identify the problem in order to find the solution. A relationship is a job that you can't ever retire from. Once you stop working, it stops working. A relationship rut is when as a couple, you begin to feel as if you are stuck, sort of going through the motions and not getting anywhere. These are some of the examples:

• Doing the same thing over & over again and it not being enjoyable
• Arguing and finding faults just for something to do
• Having the same conversation over and over again
• Ignoring the problem and trying to avoid talking about it
• Having that strange sense of "relationship deja vu" - we've been here before

To find the solution, couples need to talk things out and identify the problem. Be honest and open up so that both of you know where the problem lies. It is possible that one of you may not be willing to work on solutions. Your partner may not even feel there is a problem and is comfortable with things the way they are. The problem may lie within you and not the relationship itself. Often people feel disappointed when their partner stops sharing their interest. But sometimes, it's not about sharing activities together, but resentment, emotions, breakdown in communications and feeling taken for granted.

The way to get out of the rut is by:

• Remembering what it was that first attracted you to this person in the first place
• Focus on each others needs and put in the necessary time and effort.
• Make a list of all the things you like to do for fun. Then pick one that you may not have done in a very long time.
• Use your creativity! One way to do this would be to brainstorm all the crazy, absurd, and ridiculous ideas you can think of, that you would never do.
  
• Spend quality time alone doing the things you enjoy
• Do some of the things you may have enjoyed as a child: buy a coloring book, some play dough, put on some roller skates, etc.

Ladies, whatever you plan to do, just don't act without thinking. This includes taking this dangerous steps:

• Telling him that you’ll change to save a relationship
  (Let him do it, action speaks louder than words)
  
• Saying that you love him to save a relationship
  (Do not force, it's attraction)
  
• Trying to change him to save a relationship
  (Make him want to change by himself)
  
• Acting out of desperation to save a relationship
  (Show him that you have high self esteem and you're confident!)
  .....The last thing you should be doing is . .
  
• To make him see how much you value and appreciate him
  (Make him think hard about the value of your love)
  
  

I believe that every problem has a solution. If you think that your relationship is worth the time and effort, don't wait for your partner to change. It might take ages. Try changing the way things are. Don't let all that you have worked so hard for in the past, disappear before your eyes. Getting your relationship back to the way it needs to be will take some work and the knowledge to achieve it, is in the grasp of your hand. Here are a few suggestions:

• Sacrifice and throw away your ego.
• Don't give up hope, if all you feel is hopelessness.
• Make your partner fall in love with you again and take back your relationship, the way it was intended to be.
• Let him feel as though he is not doing anything to save the relationship and you on the other hand is doing all you can to make it happen.
  
• Stop being too needy and clingy. Give him the opportunity to miss you. That way when he finally realize the changes, it will bring him closer to you.
  
• Learn to survive the never ending wind of change. It can determine your longevity and love that you have for one another.
  
• Patience will certainly be a virtue in this because even though you are making forward progress, it will sometimes come in baby steps.
• Think long and hard about what you've done recently that may have caused him to pull back from you.

What if .. you could save your relationship by getting your partner to fall hopelessly in love with you, all over again?

What if .. you could save your relationship and create a long-lasting bond that would make him commit to you forever?

"One of the hardest things in life is figuring out when it is time to stop,
and when it is time to try harder"

"Waiting has its limits, so don't make people wait just because you know they will"

"Unspoken thought gets you no where. Speak it out.
Silence isn't always golden,sometimes it can be a burden"

Sometimes it's the little things in life that matter the most.

"You might not think the little things really matter, but in reality; the little things are everything"

Sometimes, we are so concerned about the big things in life that we often miss the little ones that makes us all different from other people. It is those daily occurrences that really make our lives go around. Life is a series of ups and downs. As we are busy looking for the perfect job, partner or amount of money that we think will bring us happiness, we often forget the little things in life that truly makes us happy. Those are the things that help us through the hard times. Nevertheless, some people take things and their loved ones for granted. It is very difficult to explain yourself what actually makes life worth living. Sure, that a luxurious spa treatment or a shopping spree could make us feel good for a while but what about the next day or the day after that? Do you think spending everyday could make you feel good at the end of the day? None of these things will make you happy, yup, they are nice but they are not long lasting deep fulfillment. Not only it is important to recognize and appreciate every moment that brings you joy, but it is also important to remember those moments.

What were the moments that you felt happy and pleasant for in a day? Was it a phone call from your best friend or just walking by the river with a flower in your hair? Writing down your happiest moments in a memory book is an excellent way to access whenever you need a happiness boost. Trust me, it helps. Happiness is hidden in almost every aspect of our lives and we just need to look for it and trigger it more often.

Here is the list of my happy moments. If you'd like to share yours, please submit in the comment box.

• Watching a beautiful sunset
• Freedom to go places
• Knowing that somebody loves me
• When I feel free to be myself
• A nice cozy house to live in
• Being healthy and having the energy to do things
• The miracle of the internet
• Reading beautiful quotes on Twitter
• Getting comments on my blog from people I don't even know
• Buying a gift for someone who does not expect it
• Spending time looking for greeting cards in the card section
• Catching up with an old friend I haven't heard from in a long time
• Hot soup on a cold day
• Good supermarkets to shop in
• The ability to write
• The soft skin of a brand new baby
• Plenty of clothes and shoes to wear
• Traveling to different places to see different things and different people
• Laughing so hard it hurts
• Buying an outfit I know I look good in
• Star gazing
• Winning an argument
• Random acts of kindness
• Getting a package delivered to me
• The feeling I get after exercising
• Finding that “perfect gift” for someone
• Drawing and coloring
  
• The smell of baked cookies
  
• Painting on a rainy day
• Friends who know everything about you, and like you anyway
• Flavored frozen yogurt
  
• The receiver's face when opening presents
• Excellent quotes
• Meeting people from foreign countries
• Surprises
• Doing charitable things
• Making other people smile
• Baking
• Rainbows
• Jumping out from behind corners and scaring people
• London
• Decorating for parties
• Making sandcastles
• Being given bunches of flowers
• Candlelight
• Wrapping presents
• Candlelit bubble baths
• Blowing bubbles
• Desserts
• Getting dressed up
• Cuddles
• Playing hide and seek in shops
• Chocolate souffles
• Going to cinema
• The people around me being happy
• Shiny things
  
• Watching the clouds
• Hand written letters
• Tea parties
• Going new places
• Have a good workout
• Old classic Disney movies
• Reading a good book
• Something to look forward to
• Taking pictures
• Forgiveness
• Hearing songs that I used to love but forgot about
• Being a shoulder to cry on
• Watching people be strong when it seems like it would be hard
• Finding old pictures/notes/journal entries
• Adrenaline rushes
• Remembering dreams
• Feeling needed and loved
• Being photographed
• Crawling into freshly clean sheets and quilt
  
• Feeling like I have endless possibilities
  
• Dreaming about getting married
• Beautiful fresh flowers
• Making wall arts
• Spending time on artsy fartsy stuff
• Cotton candy
• Fridge full of groceries
• Doing grocery shopping alone
• Warm breezy days
• Bakeries
• Balloons
• Having full tank of gas
• Reminiscing on childhood memories
• Pillow talks
• Singing in the shower
• Smiles from strangers
• A good jog in the evening
• Road trips with no apparent destinations
• Making pictures in my head out of the clouds
• People watching at the mall
• Korean dramas reruns
• Late night phone calls
• Listening to the sounds of nature
• Surprise packages in the mail
• Spending time with my grandparents
• Keeping my planner organized
• Having a whole day to do absolutely nothing with my sister
• Having my own apartment
• Long, hot showers
• Laughing with friends during fish spa
• Watching videos that make me cry
  
• Pretending the music I am listening is like part of the soundtrack to a movie about me
• Having late night pancakes
• Winning at pokies machine
• Being silly in the photo booth
  
• Feeling the breeze on my face
• Laying on the beach
• Making people laugh
• Getting kisses from loved ones
  

Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

Hello friends,

After all the busy weeks selling my things, packing, running errands and many more, finally I'm back for good in Penang and that means it's a whole new chapter in life. I am not really looking forward to working life but I guess change is good. Right? I am missing Melbourne already. My friends, my house and the life there. Currently I feel like I'm on holiday and will be going back to Melbourne soon. Oh snap back to reality, Feesha! Anyways, I just want to take this opportunity to wish everyone Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan and happy fasting. It is a time for contemplation spirituality and brotherhood.

May Allah grant us strength and health during this month, shower His blessings and grant us forgiveness. Amen.

“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

.x.o.x.o.