虽然听起来有点没出息，可是坦白说，我是从小学就很憧憬穿婚纱的。那时候看电视或去参加人家的婚礼，看见新娘身穿白白蓬蓬的婚纱，头戴碎钻小皇冠和长长的头纱，手套，还有晚宴时穿的像卡通里公主们穿的蓬蓬晚装，我总有一股冲动去摸摸（没得穿，摸摸也好）。每次在废纸上涂鸦，总会绘出我未来想穿的婚纱图样，幻想有一天终于像公主一样穿上长得拖在地上的婚纱，让我的王子替我掀开我的头纱。

Maybe it sounds like I’m hopeless, but frankly, I’ve been longing to wear wedding gown since I was in primary school. When I watched TV or attended weddings, the brides’ white wedding gowns, diamond crowns, long veils, glove, and fluffy evening gowns had always make me feel exited and wanted to touch them. I used to draft my future wedding gown on papers, imagined that one day I will wear a long long wedding gown like a princess and let my price to lift my veil.

20年后的今天，我终于把婚纱穿上身啦！虽然只是试拍照用的婚纱，也已经足够让我兴奋好几天了。Keep Gallery的婚纱和晚装款式和数量虽然真的比其他的婚纱店来得少，可是我终于也选到令我非常满意的裙子。谢谢我的服务员Bobo还有特地骗病假来替我帮眼的表妹！照片不多，因为只能拍最终选择的婚纱。

And today after 20 years, my fantasy has finally turned real! Even though it was just a gown fitting session for my bridal photos, I’ve felt exited enough. The designs and amount of gowns at Keep Gallery is not as much as other bridal shops, but I still managed to choose satisfied gowns. Thanks to my Service Assistant Bobo and my cousin sis who purposely took MC to help me! I didn’t take much photos because we are allowed to snap only our selected gown.

比较活泼的款式。
A more playful design.

比较斯文的款式。
A more gentle design.

好喜欢这件晚装的颜色。
I love the colour of this evening gown.

本来想选这件来配运动鞋，可是我穿短婚纱好像很难看。放弃。
Initially wanted to choose match this gown with sneakers, but I don’t look nice in short wedding gown. Give up.

实在是不可原谅！Wordpress email来我的部落格2010年总结：竟然只写了4篇文！

虽说我的部落格不是什么明星部落格，没什么人关注，可是一年只写4篇文还真是懒了点，比那些中途放弃的好不了多少。

言归正传。此时此刻，我的婚礼已经结束将近三个月了。既然前一篇刚好写到关于大妗姐，我就顺便分享下我聘用大妗姐过后的结论吧。

That’s so unforgivable! WordPress emailed me the summary of my blog for 2010: I’ve written 4 articles only!

Even though my blog is not celebrity blog and no one borders to follow, but it still consider too lazy with only 4 articles in a year.

Okay, back to the topic. At this moment, my wedding has over for almost 3 months. Since I’ve just written about the Tai Kam Jie in my previous article, let me just share some conclusion after my experience of engaging a Tai Kam Jie.

1. 只要早上还是一整天？

除非你需要大妗在晚宴上替你主持为其他长辈敬茶，不然真的不需要浪费那笔钱。通常大妗会在晚宴扮演司仪角色，宣布新人入场，主持切蛋糕开香槟（虽然我们都知道那只是有气葡萄汁，只有我老公以为那是酒）和敬酒 – 这是新一派的大妗啦。要知道，2010年11月为止，大妗的市价是早上RM450左右，一整天RM600左右。既然这些工作酒楼方面都会包办了，RM150就省了吧。

1. Morning only or full-day?

Unless you need a Tai Kam Jie to coordinate another tea ceremony during dinner, else it really  doesn’t worth it to spend that money. Usually a Tai Kam Jie will be the emcee during dinner to announce bride & bridegroom’s march in, coordinating the cake cutting, “champagne” opening (ya, we all know that is sparkling grape juice, only KM thought that is wine) and the “yum sing” session – of course, this is the modern Tai Kam Jie style. But you should know, as of 2010 November, the market price of Tai Kam Jie is about RM450 for morning session only, and about RM600 for full-day. Since the restaurant will include emcee for dinner, we can just happily save the RM150.

2. 谈清楚大妗的工作内容

如果你不要大妗在你结婚当天ka ka cau cau，最好事先谈清楚你需要他/她做的事。我请的这个大妗姐抢着切烧猪，整只烧猪只切了一小块留给女家，最后我母亲只能够分发每个亲戚每家一小块的烧肉。我离开女家之前，她又向我母亲要一些米和茶叶，我母亲问她是要来干嘛的，她说是要来撒在门口，不让新娘把娘家的福气带走。结果被我母亲骂。

2. Clear cut of service content

If you do not want the Tai Kum Jie to be ka ka cau cau during your wedding, you better make yourself clear on what are the services he/she will be providing. The Tai Kam Jie that I engaged took over the roast pig cutting work, and only keep a small portion for us bride’s family out of the whole roast pig. My mom can only give a real small piece of roast pork to each relative’s family. Before I left my brother’s house to the bridegroom’s house, she asked some rice and tea leaves from my mom, my mom asked her for what purpose it is and was told that she wants to sprinkle those at the door so that the bride won’t bring away any luck from her family. She ended up being scolded by my mom.

3. 不要给多余的红包

喂，我给了你几百块钱就是要你来帮我支持这些仪式的，我为什么要另外包红包给你？我化好妆后，父母自行替我掩上头纱，大妗姐一来，硬是要我回去房间坐好让她再正式的主持掩头纱仪式。这个不用紧，重点是她主持完就要求我妈妈给她一个红包。之前我说她抢着切烧猪吧？切完烧猪就把上面的红包拿走了，明明那两个红包是准备给抬烧猪的朋友的。我表妹的大妗姐更过分，每一个步骤都要求一定要给红包。不过，要不要另给红包是个人喜好，如果认为意头一定不能少，那就给吧。

3. No extra Angpow

Halo, I paid you few hundred bucks to coordinate these ceremonies, so why should I give you extra angpow? After I finished make up, my parents covered the veil for me. When the Tai Kam Jie arrived, she insist me to go back to the room to let her help me to go through the “veil covering” ceremony again. Fine. Main point is, she request my mom to give her an angpow right after the ceremony. Did I mention she took over roast pig cutting work? She took away the angpow right after that which suppose to be given to thetwo guys who carry the roast pig. My cousin sister’s Tai Kam Jie was even better, she request for angpow for every single steps. However, giving extra angpow is totally personal preference. If you think that this is a good implication, then just give.

4. 叫他/她不要打扰姐妹玩兄弟

这个蛮重要的。事先跟大妗说好玩游戏的时间，请大妗帮忙提醒，不要死命催促开门。还有，可以先告诉大妗那些凶残的游戏是为兄弟们而设的，不必像母鸡带小鸡那样保护着新郎，担心姐妹们会把新郎弄死了。不过前提是姐妹也要注意玩游戏的时间啦，不要玩疯了。

4. Do not disturb the gaming session

This is quite important to me. You may tell the Tai Kam Jie about gaming time before hand and ask him/her to help remind instead of keep on commanding the Ji Muis open door. And you may also tell the Tai Kam Jie that these unmerciful games are designed for the Heng Tais, not the bridegroom, so she doesn’t need to protect the bridegroom like a hen protecting its chick. But first of all, the Ji Muis must make sure they are cautious about timing, don’t over play lar.

大妗，我觉得他们好像挣扎在这个矛盾的时代。年轻一代主张西式的花园婚礼，大妗已经少了存在价值；可是就是因为什么都年轻化，已经没有多少人记得几十年前的上一代的结婚步骤，又托不少长辈坚持要孩子行传统华人婚礼之福，大妗这个行业总算还有得做。既然选择传统婚礼，把一对新人好好的带入家门、拜神拜祖先、斟茶、 送入洞房之类的步骤谁敢出错？不想以后会有“婚礼步骤搞错了”这样荒唐的籍口离婚，最好找个专业的顾问：当然是大妗！

I think that the Tai Kum (Chaperon) is a struggling job in this era. The young generation generally prefer western style garden wedding ceremony and do not need Tai Kum. Having said that, there are still many elders insist their kids to have Chinese traditional wedding ceremony, the Tai Kum is still surviving. Since traditional ceremony is selected, nobody will ever want to make mistake in the steps – fetching bride, prayers, tea ceremony, etc. To avoid “wrong steps during wedding” is being used as excuse for divorce in the future, we should seek for a professional advisor, which is, Tai Kum!

对于大妗姐的恐惧感，是在三年前开始的。话说，那次表妹结婚，男家因为不熟悉华人传统婚礼习俗所以请了个大妗姐。新娘车回到男家，身为伴娘的本人马上很尽责的替表妹捧着裙摆进屋。可是来送嫁的新娘父母和亲戚竟然被那个很巴闭的大妗姐下旨禁止入屋，也不准男家任何人出去招呼客人。没有人敢犯禁，只好照大妗姐的吩咐做。那个大妗姐俨然自己最有地位了，不但没有好面色，说话也不顾人家感受，双方家人合照时还特地对着录影机强调：（指着男家）“这是上家”，（指着女家）“这是下家”。混帐！什么上家下家？我表妹现在在高攀她老公家哦！？

那一刻，我发誓，到我结婚时一定不要请大妗姐！

偏偏，人生就是：想到流口水的从来不会发生；想要摆脱的却肯定会找上门。KM家竟然说不熟悉结婚习俗，要请大妗！我反对了好久，还是逃不过命运的摆布，只为了三个字：长辈要。好吧，既然逃不过，只好由我亲自挑选，确定找到的大妗姐不会巴闭的。

自从订好酒席和婚纱配套后，我就全心全意等着拍照，到我终于如梦初醒应该找大妗姐时，已经距离婚期只剩八个月了。

“我表姐结婚请了个大妗哥，叫做劲哥，很劲一下的，好玩又随和，你联络他。”表妹介绍。电话打去，已经被人订走了。

“我替你找到一个师父级的大妗姐，叫‘英姑’”劲哥介绍给我。

“吓，会不会巴闭的？我不要她kacau我的姐妹玩兄弟的喔”师父级喔！

“阿Chloe我跟你说，你请她你就是老板，你可以跟她说你的要求的。”也对，于是就约了见面。

果然是师父级，英姐（英姑叫起来怪怪的，叫英姐比较好）是拜过师，有十多年大妗经验，上过报纸的。还很专业，一坐下来互相介绍后就直接开始跟我们解说过大礼要准备什么，结婚当天她会怎样帮忙之类的。虽然说话太大声也太喋喋不休，基本上我们还是挺满意的，反正其他细节可以迟些再见面谈，我是老板嘛。唯一让我介意的是她要我的姐妹开门让新郎和兄弟们进屋玩游戏，寓意富贵进门来。

那还得了？兄弟一进门就什么游戏都不用玩了。

My TaiKum-phobia was built since my cousin sister’s wedding three years ago. The groom’s family hired a tai kum jie (female chaperon) as they were totally unfamiliar with Chinese traditional wedding. When we reached at the groom’s house, as a bridemaid, I went into the house with the bride, but the unlucky parents and relatives of the bride were prohibited to enter the house, as instructed by the tai kum jie. Neither do anyone from the groom’s family is allowed to step out to serve their guests. Nobody dared to break the rule. The tai kum jie behaved like she has the highest status on the day, unfriendly to the max and never conderate about people’s feeling when she talks.

At that moment, I swore that I WILL NOT ENGAGE A TAI KUM JIE in my wedding.

BUT, it appeared that KM’s family wanted to hire a tai kum jie because they are unfamiliar with Chinese traditional wedding! I opposed for so long yet I was unable to change KM’s mind, merely because: it’s the elder’s requirement. Well, that’s life. The only thing I can do is to look for tai kum jie by myself to ensure I don’t get an arrogant one.

This thing had been dragging for months, until 8 months before my wedding when I suddenly realized it.

“You may contact this Gengko, he is a male tai kum, my cousins sister hired him and he is quite fun and friendly” my cousin sister introduced. But he was booked when I contacted him. He managed to introduce me another tai kum jie for me, Madam Ying. She is a master level tai kum jie according to Gengko.

“Huh, is she arrogant? I don’t want her to disturb my jimui’s game session.”

“Ah Chloe I tell you what, you are the boss, you can tell her your requirements.” Gengko told me. That’s very true, so we made appoitnment with this Ying Jie.

Ying Jie is really a master level! She learned tai kum from other master and has more than 10 years experience and was even interviewed and published on newspaper. She was quite professional that after introduce each other, she started to explain what need to be prepared during Guo Dai Lai, how she will help during wedding, even before we start asking. Basically, we were quite satisfy with her despite speaking too loud and non-stop, afterall, we can discuss about other details later, I am the boss, I remind myself. The only thing that I mind was that she suggested to let the groom and his friends to enter my house for game session, which implies “bring in wealthy”.

How can! The heng dai will not play game anymore if we let them in.

公主彷徨无助，她很想逃离被困的城堡；可是王子无能为力，他没办法带公主逃脱。厚厚的城墙是公主的恐惧，冰冷的铁链是命运的枷锁。一辈子无法摆脱一次又一次的妥协，像梦魇一样追随着公主。是公主选择把自己一辈子困在寂寞的空房里，对着冰冷的空气只跟自己对话。既然喋喋不休的抗议只是换来无言以对，倒不如，沉默着面对命运的安排。

注意：上面的图片是Johnny Depp主演电影Alice in Wonderland的海报。
警告：如果刚吃饱，敬请不要看下面的图片，怕你立刻呕出来。由于太恐怖，迟一点我会删除。可是如果阁下喜欢，尽管储存。

Note: The upper picture is poster from Jonny Depp’s “Alice in Wonderland”.
Caution: If you’ve just eaten, please do not look at the lower picture, I worry you’ll immediately vomit. Because it is too disgusting, I will remove it after a while. But if you like it, feel free to right-click and save.

哇咧！！七早八早开车上班看见这个恐怖的广告板，吓到驾驶盘都差点抓不稳！
Wa leh!! Early morning saw this scary advertisement board when I drive to work, shocked until my car almost lost control!

哇咧！！七早八早走进office看见这个恐怖的虎姑婆，恶心到隔夜饭都差点呕出来！
Wa leh!! Early morning saw this scary woman when I walked into office, disgusting until my last-night dinner in stomach almost vomit out!

我本人认为，写blog不应该是三分钟热度的。我可以接受任何理由再也不写blog，可是绝对接受不了因为“懒惰”而不想再写blog。所以，有史以来，我的blog第一次skip了一个月没更新过，我觉得自己非常对不起我的blog。于是马上在我的旧照片里搜寻，看有什么材料可以写。

I personally think that blogging shouldn’t be short term. I can accept whatever reason to stop blogging, but can never accept the reason to be “lazy”. That’s why, I felt so guilty for not updating my blog for one month. I immediately search through my old photos for some material to blog about.

搜索结果：一品三味海鲜餐馆。日期：2009年8月2日，有些细节不太记得了。

And the result: Erm… Yat Pan Sam Mei Seafood Restaurant (not sure about the restaurant’s name in English). Date: 2nd August 2009, that’s why I forgot some of the details.

据说，这个餐馆的老板（也是厨师）很“巴闭”的，脾气也暴躁，曾经骂走过他的伙计，所以那天我们只看到他的家人在餐馆帮忙。因为缺乏人手（也可能是做菜很讲究），出菜出得慢时，如果客人投诉，他随时会叫客人不想等就滚蛋，所以那天我们也只看到餐馆只有不超过五张桌子。幸好，因为KM的父亲以前曾介绍很多客人给这个老板，所以他对我们还挺好招呼的。

Heard that the owner (also the chef) of this restaurant is quite “ba bai” and bad tempered. He scolded his staff until they ran away, so that day we only saw his family helping him in his restaurant. And due to lack of man-power (or perhaps very particular in making good food), when customer complain him being slow, he might ask the customer to leave if cannot wait. That day we saw not more than 5 tables in total in the restaurant. Luckily, KM’s father introduced a lot of customers to this owner, that’s why he served us quite well.

我们的石斑鱼和虾是自己带过去的，如果要在餐馆买新鲜的石斑鱼价钱挺贵，好像要每100克十多块钱。所谓“一品三味”，是说老板会用同一条鱼煮出三种不同口味。不要叫我形容食物口感和味道如何，我只能总结一句：全都好好好好吃。

We brought our own garoupa fish and shrimp. If you are to buy fresh garoupa in the restaurant, it is quite expensive, if not mistaken, about RM10++ for 100 grams. “Yat Pan Sam Mei” means that the chef will cook a same fish into three different tastes. Don’t ask me how does the food taste like, I can only conclude that: all food are very very very nice.

第一味：粥。用鱼片和虾熬的。
First taste: porridge. Cooked with fish slices and shrimp.

醉酒虾（？）不太记得了。
Alcohol shrimp? Not too remember.

竹筒饭。是白饭，不是糯米饭。我没吃，所以不知道味道如何。
Rice in bamboo. It’s steamed rice, not sticky rice. I didn’t eat this, so I don’t know how it taste.

东坡肉。
Dong Bo meat.

第二味：东炎鱼。不过吃到最后，番茄的甜味全熬出来，变得有点太甜了。
Second taste: Tom Yum fish. But when we were about to finish this dish, it has became too sweet because of the tomatoes.

第三味：雪糕鱼。可惜我们带去的鱼不够大，不然，炸鱼肉放在水果雪糕拼盘中间一起吃，一定别有一番滋味。
Third taste: Ice-cream fish. Unfortunately the fish we brought is not big enough, if not, it must be very special to eat the deep-fried fish with ice-cream and fruits.

埋单，九个成人总共RM140++如果没记错。不过我们的鱼虾是自己带去的哦。
For the bill, it was about RM140++ for 9 adults, if not mistaken. But bear in mind, that was not including fish and shrimp.

注册搞定了，结婚日子选好了，酒席订了，连婚纱店都选好了，怎么我一直觉得好像遗漏了什么没做似的？想了好几天，才知道我忘了女家的酒席。

I’ve done with my ROM, chosen my wedding date, booked a restaurant, and even selected my preferred bridal shop, but how come I still feel that I’ve omitted something. After thinking for few days, I finally remembered that I’ve forgotten my banquet (bride’s side).

由于亲戚朋友一些在芙蓉，一些在howetown，一些在南部，其他大部分在吉隆坡，最好的选择就是像哥哥和妹妹一样，在芙蓉摆喜筵。

“你最好快点去订酒楼哦，迟点就被人抢先订走了。”在芙蓉的旧同事告诉我。

哈？芙蓉也变成酱kiasu了咩？还有一年时间喔。

我所知道可以摆喜筵的酒楼就只是那几间：喜来登、统一、名阁、龙凤殿、大好运。我知道我的酒席不会多，大概20席左右，为了不要跟人共享一个宴客厅听隔壁人家唱卡拉OK，首先我扣除了名阁和大好运。喜来登说明年11月要装修，不接我生意。剩下的只有统一和龙凤殿了。虽然统一的装潢挺不错，可是大有可能也要我跟人共享一个宴客厅，最后，虽然我不太想在龙凤殿摆酒席（因为去年哥哥和妹妹的喜筵也是在那儿），可是还是选择了它。

酒席少又还要挑剔就是酱的了。不过不要紧啦，只要服务好就谢天谢地了。

Since some of my relatives and friends are in Seremban, some in hometown, some in southern Malaysia, and most of others in KL, the best choice is to have my wedding banquet in Seremban, like what my brother and sister did.

“You better book your restaurant earlier else people might have booked it.” My old colleagues in Seremban told me.

Huh? Since when Seremban has became so kiasu? There is still another one year to go.

The only few restaurants I know that are doing wedding banquet quite well: Hee Loi Tang, Tong Yat, Ming Kok, Dragon Palace, and Lucky. I know that my wedding banquet will be a small one at around 20 tables, to avoid sharing a banquet hall with other people and listen to karaoke from next ‘door’, I first filtered out Ming Kok and Lucky. Then Hee Loi Tang rejected my booking, as they will be having renovation in November next year. Now I have only Tong Yat and Dragon Palace to choose from. Tong Yat’s banquet hall seem nice, but most probably they will arrange me to share a hall with other people also. At last, I booked Dragon Palace even though it is not really my choice because my brother and sister had their wedding banquet there last year.

That’s the consequence of having only small banquet yet so picky. But never mind, as long as the restaurant can give me good service.

哟，2009年过得好像特别快。又是回顾和展望的时候了。来，先看看去年的展望，再看看完成了多少。

Yo, 2009 is passing extra-ordinary fast. It’s time to review and forecast again. Let’s see what were my last year forecast and how much I’ve achieved.

工作：终于换到一份marketing的工作啦，价钱还挺满意的。

消闲：也算是已经尽量没花太多钱了。今年才买了几件衣而已，唯一花最多钱的就是我的Lexus Myvi，阿金被偷走也不是我想要的啊。至于出国旅行，说过了，没能力也不要紧，

兴趣：正在学着第七级钢琴practical，theory就放弃了。

个人：健康指数不错，没什么大病。

家庭：家人都身体健康，出入平安，侄女也正健康快乐的长大。然后，原理上，我是终于嫁人了。

Work: Ya, I’ve got a marketing job, and the pay is quite satisfying.

Leisure: I’ve really not spending too much. This year I’ve only bought a few clothes. The only thing cost me most is my Lexus Myvi. But what to do since my Ah Kim is stolen. It doesn’t matter that I can’t afford an oversea vacation.

Interest: Currently learning Grade 7 piano practical and have given up theory.

Personnal: Hm.. quite healthy this year.

Family: Ya, my family is healthy and stay safe, my niece is also growing up healthy and happily. Theoretically, I am married finally.

明年嘛：

For next year:

工作：希望公司可以尽快confirm我，工作上可以有些学习和发挥。

消闲：Budget很紧啊，要准备钱结婚，还是尽量少花钱比较好。屋友说一月底要搬走了，希望可以找到人来租房，挨到九月，我也不用再每个月花几百块钱替人供屋了。

兴趣：要在结婚前把我的第七级钢琴practical考好。

个人：还是健康最重要。希望我的婚礼可以搞好。

家庭：还是希望家人都身体健康，出入平安，侄女也依然健康快乐的长大。希望婚礼搞定后，可以尽快买到我们自己的家。

Work: Hope the company can confirm me soonest possible, and I will be able to learn and perform at my work.

Leisure: Budget is very tight, need to prepare some money for my wedding, so it is better not to spend too much. My housemate will move out end of January, hope can get a new housemate asap. After September, I don’t need to pay few hundred bucks for people’s house anymore.

Interest: Gotta pass my grade 7 piano practical exam before wedding.

Personnal: Still hope to stay healthy and hope my wedding can turn up well-prepared.

Family: Still hoping my family stay healthy and safe and my niece grows up healthy and happily. Hope we can get our own house soonest after wedding.

2009年11月27日，趁着哈芝节的假期，我们逛到雪邦黄金海岸去了。
It was Haji Day on 27/11/2009. We went to Sepang Gold Coast.

先去到Tanjung Sepat的一个新村吃海南包。
Went to a Kampung Baru in Tanjung Sepat for Hai Nan Bao.

著名的是他们的梅菜包。其实，本人觉得除了用梅菜作馅料比较特别之外，包子本身并没有特别松软好吃。
Their famous Mui-Choy Bao. Actually, I personally think that the only special thing is they use Mui-Choy as filling, the Bao itself is nothing special.

这里就是雪邦黄金海岸。热到半命。
This is Sepang Gold Coast. Freaking HOT.

在草地上邂逅了一只蚱蜢。
Met a grasshopper.

记得外婆刚去世不久，有一天半夜我们从外面回家时，KM的车子挡风镜上出现一只比这个更大只，看起来更老的蚱蜢，刚好就对着司机位旁的乘客，也就是我。

“哇，真少见，KL还有蚱蜢哦，还这么大只。”我说。
“你的外婆来看你哦。”坐在后面的朋友说。
“少迷信了。”我说。

到家时，我叫KM用扫雨器把它赶走。
“你的外婆来的喔。”朋友又说。
“算了，让它留在那儿吧。”我说。

第二天，我特地跑去看它还在不在。它已经走掉了。在雪邦黄金海岸看到的那只蚱蜢可能是外婆派来的管家，看看我好不好。

I remembered at a mid-night not long after my grandma passed away, I saw a bigger and looks older grasshopper on windscreen of KM’s car. It was facing the passenger seat next to driver, which was me.

“Wow, it is so rare to see such a big grasshopper in KL.” I said.
“Your grandma comes to see you.” A friend sitting behind said.
“Don’t be superstition ok.” I said

When arrived home, I asked KM to chase it away with wiper.
“But it’s your grandma you know.” My friend said again.
“Okay then, leave it there.” I said.

The next day, I purposely went to check if it was still there. But it has gone. The grasshopper I met at Sepang Gold Coast could be a housekeeper sent by grandma, to see if I am fine.

拍婚纱照，真的是很个人的事。有人认为反正笨重的相簿最终都是被藏在衣橱顶或床底下，于是选择比较便宜也比较大众化的婚纱配套，宁愿省下钱去度蜜月或买屋子；也有人（通常是女人的主意）觉得一辈子一次，所以不惜投资一笔钱来拍婚纱照也在所不惜，务求自己的婚纱照会令每个看过的人都惊叹（是惊吓又叹气还是惊喜又叹赏也是很个人的事）。本人，身为普罗大众，则希望可以“付少少，得多多”。

Taking bridal photos is really subject to personal preference. Some think that after all, the heavy albums will be thrown under bed or top of wardrobe, should better choose a cheaper and ordinary bridal package and keep the money for honeymoon or new house; some (especially women) think that this could be once in a lifetime, thus they do not mind to invest in bridal photos in order to get a wonderful outcome. Me, like most others people, hope to “pay less, gain most”.

去年，为了陪妹妹找适合的婚纱配套，我们几乎走遍SS2所有的婚纱店。那时的我没做过任何research，不知道一般配套包括些什么，只是跑进人家的店，问了人家的价钱，再回去慢慢比较。那时的我也不知道原来人家写下的quotation是不让我们带走的，所以一天下来，跑了整十间婚纱店，最后已经把一些配套搞混淆了，只大概记得哪间不错哪间不行。

一年多后的今天，轮到自己找婚纱店了，于是上网research过选择婚纱店的条件：服务、婚纱、照片等等。也问过在准备结婚的同事的意见，知道该怎么跟婚纱店杀价，用最低价钱换取最多婚纱和晚装、捧花、襟花、相簿、床头照、娘家照、包录像、包结婚日化妆、等等，连清单都印好了。而且，大家都建议先看上门看过的婚纱漂不漂亮，等到婚纱展时再去跟人杀价。如果会杀价的话，RM2000多就可以拿到一个很“包罗万有”的配套了。一切准备就绪，某个周末我和KM去到SS2吃午餐，顺便跑进了SS2其中一间最大的婚纱店。

一进门，他们的服务员就过来招呼我们。我告诉她我想先看看婚纱和晚装，她带我们去看了设计师礼服（通常是要另加费的），又带我们上楼看他们的一般礼服。无可否认，一袭袭漂亮而且看起来还挺崭新的礼服真的让我很心动，我甚至想问可不可以让我当场试穿几件。看完礼服，再看相簿，总算让我冷静下来一点了。不是说他们拍的照片不美，确实是不错，很清晰，很有色彩，也挺有技巧，只不过，太“商业化”了点。虽然每本相簿都是不同的人不同的地方还可能是不同的摄影师，可是就是感觉所有的相片都没太大的分别。而且那个服务员太“硬销”，终于把我们吓跑，去了隔壁另一间婚纱店随便看看就回家了。

我在网上看过，也有些朋友选择了专业影楼替他们拍结婚照，出来的效果实在“很有感觉”。可专业影楼不便宜，拍一天至少要RM3000多，婚纱礼服还要自行到婚纱店租借（嫌钱多也可以自己去买）。我想找个配套，既有婚纱礼服相簿等等，也要有“艺术又自然又生动又开心”的照片。对了，就是“传神”，捕捉瞬间。

后来我在网上发现一间规模不大的婚纱店，可是他们拍的婚纱照很对我胃口。两个星期后的婚纱展我们终究没有去到，因为我们去了看中的那一间婚纱店，当天就签了他们的婚纱配套。总共，我们只看了三间婚纱店。虽然我签的配套价钱远超我预算的RM2000多，可是我觉得挺值得的。都说了，拍婚纱照是很个人的事，感觉对了就是了。

Last year, to help my sister in choosing the right bridal package, we visited almost all bridal shops in SS2. During that time, I didn’t do any research, didn’t know what are inclusive in a usual package. We only visited the shops, asked the price and made comparison after gone home. That time I also didn’t know the quotations were not allowed to be taken home, so we ended up confused with all the packages after visited about 10 bridal shops. We only had a vague impression on the seems-good and looks-bad bridal shops.

Today, after a year, it’s my turn to choose a bridal shop. I did reasearches on criterias to choose a bridal shop: the services, gowns, photos, etc. And asked suggestions from colleagues who are currently preparing their marriage, got to know how to negotiate with bridal shops, how to pay least in exchange of most gowns, flowers, albums, photos, videographer, wedding day make over, etc. I had even printed the checklist. Most of the people suggested me to visit the bridal shops to see if their gowns are nice, then only negotiate with our targetted shops during wedding expo. If you know how to negotiate, usually you can get a very comprehensive package at RM2000 plus. Ok, everything is well-prepared, KM and I went to SS2 for lunch on a weekend and then visited one of the biggest bridal shop in SS2.

When we entered the shop, the service assistant serve us at once. I told her I want to browse through their gowns, she showed us the designer gowns (which will usually charged extra) and later she brought us to upstair to see the ordinary gowns. Those nice and new gowns really amazed me and created much fantasy, how I wished to try them on the spot. Afer viewing the gowns, we flipped through the albums, and finally that cool me down. I didn’t say their photos were not nice. They were nice, very clear, colourful and the photographers were quite skillful actually, just that they are too “commercial” in my thought. Eventhough each album has different couple, different venue and probably different photographers, but I just felt that there were not much difference in all the photos. And the service assistant was too hard-sell to scare us away. We went home after visited another bridal shop at next door.

I’ve seen some professional studio on the internet, and some friends also choose professional studios to take their wedding photos, and the outcome really “got that feel”. But heard that professional studio is not cheap, at least RM3000 plus for a whole day session, and that doesn’t include gowns. You have to rent from bridal shops (or to buy one or custom make one if you have extra money). I want a package that includes gowns and albums, while having “artistic and natural and lively and happy” photos. Hm… don’t how to describe in one English word though. It’s “catching the moment”.

Soon after, I came accross a small-size bridal shop on intranet, their wedding photos fit my preference. I didn’t go to wedding expo two weeks later because I visited the spotted bridal shops and signed their package on the same day. We only visited 3 bridal shops in totoal. Eventhough the package I signed is over-budget by RM2000, eventhough their gowns options are quite limited, but I felt it’s worth. Like I said, taking bridal photos is really subject to personal preference. You got the feel, there you go.

1月31日2011年 注：
我没说我选择了哪间婚纱店吧？就是这间。

31st January 2011 Note:
I didn’t say which bridal shop I choose? This is the one.