Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Photoshoot at Thistle Port Dickson and DIY Ideas

A few months ago we did two photoshoots for The Wedding Book, Vol. 4 that came out on the stands in February this year. The photoshoots were as different as can be - one was an outdoor beach wedding at Thistle Port Dickson using exotic blooms, the other was an indoor shoot in a 5-star hotel in the city with air-conditioning, which we will do post on a little later.

In spite of the different locations, themes and colors, both set-ups share some similarities. For one, they are simply chic without breaking the budget, and both feature DIY projects you can do on your own or with friends and family that don't take up a tremendous amount of time and effort. There's a little bonus for brides who want to do their bit for the environment - continue reading to find out how you can use recycled and recyclable materials in your wedding decor!

Photos by Andrew Oi of Absolute Art Studio.

Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings
Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings

The ceremonial area is decked in refreshing lime green and white - it is always a great combination whether indoors or outdoors, which makes this a very versatile color theme. Romantic or whimsical, classic or contemporary... the choice is really up to you! Here, we've decided to keep it chic and minimal but lush with thick garlands and lots of blooms. We'd like to think you can keep your flower arrangements in a minimalist style but lush as well.

For this theme we used white roses, white phalaenopsis orchids, white and green dendrobium orchids, lime green spider mums (of the chrysanthemum family), green chrysanthemum pompoms and echeveria succulents.

Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings
Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings

To balance out the large flowers on the furniture, we used smaller, delicate-looking blooms in vases on tables, wrapped around trees and draped on other props in the environment. Here, we used dendrobium orchids and Dancing Lady orchids.

The cocktail reception after the ceremony features a burst of vibrant colors to help change the mood, to transition from the "serious" part of your wedding to the fun, beach party that you always wanted. This is where we have done some DIY projects with recycled and recyclable materials. Understandably, not everyone gets excited about these projects because they take up time and effort, and you may not always be able to recruit friends and family to help. But these projects are ridiculously easy to do, and best of all, you can do it all on your own if you're up for it!

Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings
Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings

See those colorful eggshells and vases with colored wires? They are so easy to do we probably don't need to get into the details with you,

Okay, maybe just a little bit. If you are planning to do DIY projects for your big day and want to be environmentally friendly, you should start a few months ahead of time to collect enough eggshells and bottles. We used six dozen eggs here, give or take. Remember to make extra in case your eggshells don't survive the trip to the beach.

Just because we used wine bottles for our DIY project it doesn't mean you have to. You can use any kind of glass bottle for this project, whatever the shape, size or color. Consider olive oil bottles, designer water bottles and liquor bottles. You can also go with a more structured theme by using just one color of wire or the same color glass, etc.

While we're still on the subject of glassware - how about saving or collecting unwanted glass jars and mugs for vases and candle holders as well? If you're the kind of person who saves used glassware to begin with, we can't think of a better way to make space in your cabinets (for your friends and family too) and to show your support for Mother Nature. Put them on tables, along walkways, by the pool, in the sand, or strung up in trees and umbrella stands...there are so many wonderful possibilities!

Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings
Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings

Don't worry if there aren't any sansevieria plants to stick on your eggshells on. You can use branches and twigs (in bottles and jars full of sand) or arrange them on decorative plates, around tableware, or pile them together with pretty stones and pebbles in neat (or messy)  heaps.

Although we have painted our eggshells different colors, feel free to paint them all in one color if that's what you like. You can paint them to match the theme of your party either in its theme's colors or designs and patterns.

Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings
Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings

For a little mood lighting, how about some candlelight in a cup? You can buy these cheaply (if you're buying, go with paper) or save all those plastic cups from your stag and hen nights, bridal showers or parties for this very easy-to-do DIY project. You can use clear or opaque cups, even colored ones. The glow from the candlelight will do the rest. Just fill these cups with sand for weight, wrap with ribbons, drop a tealight into each cup, light it up, and you're good to go!

Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings Thistle,DIY ideas,weddings

Just look at those lights, what a beautiful glow! If you don't like the look of a plain plastic or paper cup, simply wrap them up with paper doilies or colored paper and secure with ribbons or twine. Easy peasy :)

We hope we have inspired you with these very easy and very effective DIY projects to do for your wedding. If your wedding was inspired by handcrafted decor and other DIY projects, we would be so happy if you would share them with us at the Wishing Tree Blog. Till next time!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Wishing Tree in 'The Wedding Book, Vol. 4'

Our partners at weddingsbyEternal.com have released the 4th edition of its popular weddings publication, The Wedding Book. Wishing Tree is proud to be a part of this project since its debut four years ago. This is the ultimate guide for brides (and grooms) who are planning their wedding, and especially if they are doing it themselves!

The Wedding Book cover

In addition to providing comprehensive guides, charts and forms for everything you need to know and do for your big day, as well as useful articles filled with valuable advice, knowledge and know-how, The Wedding Book also serves as a collection or directory of Malaysia's top wedding vendors, compiled through research, first-hand experiences and word-of-mouth recommendations. What an amazing time-saver, right?

Do check out our two-page Q&A as well as a couple of wedding themes that we created especially for this publication.

For brides and grooms who enjoy the best things in life and require luxury and inspiration for the biggest celebration of their lives, weddingsbyEternal.com also publishes Signature Weddings. This 2nd edition (Jan-Jun 2010), is filled with beautiful pictorials, inspiring weddings and breathtaking wedding and honeymoon destinations, as well as candid interviews with some of the most esteemed weddings and events industry professionals.

Signature Weddings cover

In Malaysia, you can get both publications for just RM29! Get your copies today at all major bookstores (MPH, Borders, Kinokuniya, etc) and newsstands... yes, even at your neighbourhood newspaper and magazine stand!

Get inspired today!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Real Wedding: Christina and Chun Hou

Congratulations to our bride Christina and her husband, Chun Hou, who were married towards the end of last year. They held their wedding reception at Carcosa Seri Negara in Kuala Lumpur, which Christina planned all the way from London, and without the help of a wedding planner! Well done, Christina!

We have a few photos to share from the evening wedding reception; many thanks to Zung of The Photoz.

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This is the second white-and-green themed wedding reception we are featuring in a row. In the previous post, we have Paula and Andy's wedding held at Bankers Club in Kuala Lumpur. While Paula and Andy's wedding was done up in a more contemporary style, Christina and Chun Hou went for a classically romantic evening, with full, white blooms, warm lighting and romantic candles.

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White roses, white chrysanthemum pom poms, green apples and pearl accents for the guest registration area.

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The main table is magnificent with a lush centerpiece that is not overly done. Pillar candles and round candles together with flower balls placed around the centerpiece for an ornate feel, while lighting from the chandelier and the multitude of candles casts a magically romantic mood on the wedding reception.

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A close-up of the centerpiece, arranged with lots of big, white roses and majestic phalaenopsis orchids... with green apples and strings of glittering crystals, of course!

We received a note from our dear bride and groom, which we are so proud and excited to share:

Dear Lily and the whole team at Wishing Tree,
Thank you so much for decorating our wedding at Carcosa Seri Negara, we had a wonderful evening and enjoyed every minute of it. The flowers were absolutely gorgeous, elegant, and we LOVE them all!
It was a pleasure working with you to create the ambiance we wanted for our special day. Planning our wedding in Malaysia from London was not an easy task but you made me feel calm and relaxed, knowing that we were in professional hands. The attention to detail was amazing, service unparalleled, and your lovely team was exceptionally talented.
Lily, you are the most wonderful wedding vendor I've worked with in KL, from the start of the process until the end. I have found not just a talented, creative and thoughtful vendor, but also a friend - what a great bonus!
You captured the essence of what we wanted our wedding to be, and with floral arrangements that was best suited for the Grand Marquee - what a wonderful, breathtaking experience. Thank you again for the hard work and for creating for us a magical and truly memorable wedding in KL.
With much gratitude,
Christina and Chun Hou

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Real Wedding: Paula and Andy

Hi everyone! Happy New Year 2010!!! We can't believe another year as gone by. That means the Wishing Tree Blog has been up and running for a year already! We want to thank all our readers, friends and clients who have been dropping by and letting us know how much you love our blog - it means so much to us. We've had a very busy few months, as it is peak weddings season in Malaysia, and, with Valentine's Day and the first day of Chinese New Year falling on the same day this year, it is definitely an interesting time in our studio.

We also have a line-up of weddings to blog about, and first on our list is Paula and Andy's wedding, held at Bankers Club in Kuala Lumpur. Special thanks to weddings and events planner, Natasha of The Peak Xperience, and to Sam Leong of Keep Gallery for the photos!


Paula at Bankers Club

For our lovely bride, we created an elegantly chic bouquet of green cymbidiums, white tuberoses and green eustoma.

Paula and Andy, both from Kuala Lumpur, wanted something refreshing and simple, yet elegant and classic. Since Paula loves green apples and wanted to give them away to guests at the ceremony, the colour palette of green and white seemed to be the perfect choice for our modern couple.

Paula at Bankers ClubPhotobucket

Paula loved her bouquet very much, as do we! Green apples for their 180 guests add a touch of whimsy that is both decorative and edible - extra points for double duty props!

Paula at Bankers Club

For the reception table, a centerpiece with green hydrangea, white eustoma, green helicopter stems and white dendrobium.


Paula at Bankers Club
Paula at Bankers Club

In the foyer, a table arrangement consisting of white roses, green eustoma and green dendrobium.

One of the things that stood out the most to Andy and Paula was the staircase that connected the two floors of the penthouse unit where Bankers Club is located. Paula tells us, "The first thing that caught our eyes was the amazing staircase. Andy stood there and admired it for a while!"

Paula at Bankers Club
Paula at Bankers Club Paula at Bankers Club
Paula at Bankers Club Paula at Bankers Club

For the staircase, we used green hydrangea, white satin ribbons and thick garlands of dendrodium orchids. The same theme is used throughout the wedding decor, for the chairs as well as the flowergirl's flower ball.

Thank you, Paula and Andy, for letting us be a part of your big day and for sharing your wedding with our readers! Also, we enjoyed the three bottles of wine, courtesy of our lovely couple - thank you so much :)

Monday, November 23, 2009

Real Wedding: Siok Chin and Kevin

As busy doctors living and working in Singapore, with very little time to plan their big day, it was extremely important for Siok Chin and Kevin's wedding planner Michelle (of Michelle Wedding Consultants) and us to get everything right.

We can't emphasize enough how exceedingly grateful we are for the Internet, to be able to plan a wedding through e-mail correspondence. Our couple, despite their hectic schedules at the hospital, were quick and decisive, which made a huge difference. It was also incredibly helpful as well to have Siok Chin's dear mum in KL to oversee the details and planning.

And so, here we are, with treasured memories of Siok Chin and Kevin's wedding, snapped by Zung of The Photoz. Congrats on your wedding and thanks for sharing with all of us at the Wishing Tree Blog!

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Pink, white and green made up the colour palette for the wedding ceremony at Wesley Methodist Church in KL. Our beautiful bride carried a sweet, elegant bouquet of pink hydrangea, white tulips, Lady Pink roses and green amaranthus, tied together with white lace and white feathers.

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For her bridesmaids, pretty bunches of white and dusty pink roses.

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One of the decor highlights of the church wedding was this floral doorway arch that framed Siok Chin's grand entrance and provided for many great shots by Zung. We used plenty of white dendrobiums and Lucy pink orchids, white feathers, white ribbons and shiny bell!

The wedding dinner reception was held at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. From the soft, sweet colours for the daytime, we take on a dramatic turn for the evening with pink, purple and blue.

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We used lots of flowers for this look! On the main table, the arrangement featured blue hyndrangea, lilac roses, purple eustoma, pink cymbidium orchids, Lucy pink orchids, with lace, light pink candles and strings of crystals. How lush!

To think, 10 years ago you couldn't order any of these flowers here...oh, how times have changed :)

Thanks again, Siok Chin and Kevin, for letting us be a part of your big day and for being so awesome with the planning!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Real Wedding: Angie and David, Part II

Angie and David's evening reception was also held at Cyberview Lodge where their tropical garden wedding ceremony took place. Thanks again to The Photoz for the pictures!

The Chinese-style wedding banquet was done up in the beautiful, vibrant colours of Spain - in red, orange and yellow, with lots of fresh lemons in the arrangements.

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Of course, plenty of candles for a warm, romantic glow!

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More Baby's Breath, but this time to complement the bright red, orange and yellow colours.

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We really enjoyed working with this theme, and it isn't often that we get to combine these strong, vibrant colours. We hope this inspires  you to get colourful, creative and adventurous with your wedding . Thank you so much, Angie and David, for sharing your big day with us!

A message from Angie and David that we received recently:

Dear Michelle,

our wedding was the most exciting and wonderful moment Angie & I have experienced together. We were extremely happy to see our relatives and dearest friends sharing this moment with us. And this wouldn't have been possible without the magnificent work you've done. Everything worked better than a Swiss watch, which allowed us to really enjoy that magic moment. I sincerely thank you for having prepared so well the most beautiful and emotional wedding we ever attended.

At the beginning I was reluctant to hire a wedding planner but you have proven how wrong I was beecause having you as our wedding planner was the right decision, for your services, as well as Wishing Tree, The Phötoz and Cyberview Lodge were the highest level and have more than fulfilled our expectations.

For Wishing Tree, we are especially grateful to deal directly with Lily, who immediately captured the essence, elegance and harmony we were looking for.

This was a fantastic experience we will never forget. Thanks again for making it possible.

Hopefully we will meet again soon. Until then please receive our warmest regards,

Angie & David

Real Wedding: Angie and David, Part I

Dear readers.... We have a new blog post, and it's about time! Today we bring you the wedding of Angie and David in Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa. Thank you, Zung of The Photoz for the pictures!

Our Malaysian Chinese bride and her Spanish husband live abroad so most of the planning was done via e-mail, handled expertly by our friend Michelle of Michelle Wedding Consultants. Our couple live and work in the city and travel often for work, which inspired their decision for a tropical garden wedding in a relaxing, resort atmosphere, away from the city's bustle.

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We love that Angie and David incorporated elements of their Malaysian Chinese and Spanish cultures into their wedding, from decor to programs and ceremonies. Cyberview Lodge provide the lush, tropical garden ambiance of Malaysia - perfect for a touch of rustic charm, using the delicate Baby's Breath. This was a great opportunity to use Baby's Breath as primary flowers instead of as fillers.

For the wedding ceremony, we used a simple and cheerful palette of white and yellow - which represents the lemon, which is one of Spain's biggest exports.

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Baby's Breath is very versatile to work with, it holds up well in the heat and humidity of our weather, is available all year round AND goes with virtually any color palette. We also adore it for its sense of femininity in a rustic, romantic way.

Next, we have Part II of Angie and David's evening wedding reception!

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