How far are you willing to go for your wedding?

People spend thousands of dollars for that one special day. A day many of us have dreamed of since we were kids. Of course, the perfect wedding plan continuously changes as we learn of newer things, as the trends change and our likings evolve.

So for all the trouble of planning of the perfect wedding, is it now worth while to spend all the money we've saved just for the wedding or not keep it out of proportion?

All weddings are costly, be it a church wedding, a temple wedding, a home, hall or a hotel reception. For those who can spend much more, they fly in their guests to a private island for a small ceremony. It all depends on one's perception of affordability.

I can only shed some light on the amount of money, families are willing to spend just to welcome a new person and this is because, it's being blown so out of proportion that weddings nowadays don't only equal being welcoming, but also a way to show wealth, prosperity and status in the society. Not to forget, people's expectation of how the ceremony is going to be.

Malay wedding

Nikah: 
Bride and Groom's attire.
-Rental obviously is a better option for those who are easy on their budget . Now, there are wedding packages which offer tailoring according to the bride and groom's sizes with the added option of having to return it to the 'mak andam' after the occasion.

The 'Pelamin'
- Done by the mak andam also. You can get cheaper ones, but most of the time it does not equal quality. They might send items with unsatisfactory finish.

The Hantaran
- The decorations using fresh flowers would cost more which I in the first place do not see the point. $$ spent depends on the amount of trays needed to be decorated and seeing as the deco is usually done the night before, one has to continually check on & maintain the freshness of the flowers by contonually watering it to ensure it stays fresh for the occasion and for photography sessions. However, with the popularity of DSLR cameras nowadays, it's very difficult to "cheat" in pictures if the flowers are no longer fresh.
The trays itself have different price ranges. It can range from RM15 to RM100 per tray depending how classy you want the moment to be remembered.
On top of that, is the hantaran things, which are put on the tray- Eg: GPS, DSLR, a watch, a pair of shoes, the Holy Quran.

The Food
- Always overestimate. Never assume if the invitation is for husband and wife, then only 2 people will be coming. Yes, even if it is a seated dinner. Yes, even if it is in a hotel. If you are planning for 800 guests, order food for 1300 guests
- Of course when people attend the wedding the talk about how pretty the bride is, how fantastic the deco is, but the men that come can only appreciate good food :).
- The biggest allocation for the wedding should be for food, so everybody goes home happy.

The Doorgifts
- Assignments for the door gifts- main table, VVIP, VIP, Boy's side, family, and the other guests. Again, depends on how much of a statement you are willing to make.

The Photographer/ Videographer
- Being in KL is a plus, as most of the talented people are concentrated there. The problem comes when you want to import good talent to outside Klang Valley, then additional charges for travelling or hotel accomodations has to be included in their fee.
- Most of them advertise packages, and then additional services are added with a fee ie: extra photographers, a special photo booth, videography that needs to be completed overnight for the reception, hard cover albums, etc.

The Family's 'Uniform'
Some would also want a colour theme for the whole family,so guests can identify who is family. Some do it for purposes of photography and to who's who, and how big the family is. Fame and beauty put aside, for practicality purposes, it helps guests identify family to enquire abt directions, food or to remind about doorgifts. So i feel, extra expenditure to get the same material is unnecessary.

The PA system
Mostly for the ' Saya terima nikahnya .....mas kahwin....tunai '. Additional music can be played during the 'makan' and photo session.

The Bride's Bedroom
The Malaysian culture is in a way a busybody culture. Not just they want to see the bride and groom, they would wanna see the pelamin, then the rooms downstairs. Old timers would not leave the house before going to the see 'bilik pengantin'. Again, it is up to u, whether to redo the whole room or just add up a few things bought or DIYed to glam up the place. After all , the bride and groom will not be staying there. I am sure most couples will be staying in their own house.

Reception:
Bride and Groom's attire

The 'pelamin'

The Food

The Doorgifts

The Photographer/ Videographer

The PA system

The Hall / Tent Rental
Do not forget to book ahead, especially if you have chosen a really good date as most couples would also have the same idea to marry on the same day.
Halls will need book up to even a year. As for tents, you should not find for the cheapest, but for the best set up, the material they use, if it comes with fans, and early can they prepare.
Not to forget the types of tents that u prefer, that will depend on the space available, how high of a ceiling u want, if u want chandeliers, or sparkly lights.

The Wedding Cake
Some caterers thrown in a cake or two in their package, some do not. Couples also would prefer to choose their own cake for exclusivity. A 3 tier wedding cake on average costs about RM350.

The Decorations
If you get a caterer, everything would be just in place. If you dont, either hire a wedding hall decorator or organise ur own team and DIY.

(Copyright © 2012 Gorgeously Flawless Solutions All rights reserved. Editing by V & P)