Planning a mixed culture wedding

Happy 2013 and Happy year of the Snake!

It's been almost two months since Dan popped the question in Rome and we announced it with two embarrassingly-huge-photos on facebook, nothing much have happened since I have to admit! Well I guess that's not completely true, we have had a chillaxing Christmas at home (with a flu, like we always do) as fiance and fiancee; we have celebrated new years eve with a bottle of bubbly, counting down with big ben on TV and dancing to Brit-pop; and we have survived the first snow fall of 2013!

It took me about a month to understand the difference between engagement and marriage (as you know I have a  biased view towards the latter) and then all of a sudden there is a project to plan, research to do, venues to vist; many decisions to make and different people from around the world to organise/please...everyone keeps saying "just focus on what you want", hmm what do I want? I think I have left the dreaming bit too late! Let's start with what we don't want, neither of us want a big traditional wedding so church and big banquets are no nos. We will try to include elements from our traditions (English, Irish and Chinese!) and our interests to make it our day.

Disgarded colour theme - Dan doesn't like grey (sad face)

 

So far I have found some useful resources, websites and apps. Next step is to decide on a venue, apparently everything will work themselves out afterwards!

• Wedding Ideas magazine - very good starter with lists of questions to ask your venue, photographer and bridal shops. They even have free planning tools for download on their website.
• Pinterest - I must have pinned over 200 photos within the last month and Oprah "Wynfrey" has started following me.
• Rock My Wedding - blog for beautiful real weddings in UK
• Carmen weddings - wedding planner specialised in mixed culture weddings
• iweddingclub.com - for traditional Chinese wedding advise
• Moneysavingexpert - wedding insurance advise and tips on ways to save money 

Andriod Apps

Chinese calendar app - for choosing anauspicious wedding date. Chinese tradition is to avoid really “disastrous” dates on the calendar when no weddings should take place.

Wedding Plandroid app - a preset list of tasks per month and budget planner on the move 

Evernote app - take your bookmarks and website clippings with you on the move 

Are you proactive or reactive?

It's true that we often justify our lifes..."I am what other people have made of me. I am what my past has made of me. I am what's happening to me from around today...." And then not to take responsibility.
How about we be proactive and create our own future? "Life is a product of your values (decisions) not your feelings (emotions and surroundings)
- from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Shark found on Brighton beach!

On 7th January 2012:

 

Oscar was enjoying a night time walkie on the beach. We were learning to trust him and letting him  off the lead  when no dogs are around. We soon realised that whenever we stop walking, he would stop and look round to double check on us! 

Though soon enough he started running away from us and we thought he's seen another dog. But he just sat in a distance, in his guarding position that he always do with his treats. And this was what he found:

"Good boy Oscar!"

I think Oscar was disappointed that we didn't bring his trophy home so that he can hide under our bed and for it to go all rotten...