Holy cow, it has been a good 5 months since I have updated anything on this page. If there are readers out there, don't worry,
I didn't die. Its just that honestly, since my
last update of booking Colossal Weddings as our photographers, absolutely
nothing has progressed.
My parents and I have been briefly throwing ideas around for the nikah venue and arrangements since the start of the year. As you all know, there are 3 events in totality for the wedding - the nikah on Friday, my side's sanding reception on Saturday and my man's side sanding reception on Sunday. This would be my first entry on the nikah itself as all this time we've been researching more on the Saturday event given that it is bigger and more difficult to manage. In selecting our nikah arrangements, we had to be very clear on what our specifications for the event were - timing, budget, guest list, etc.
My man and I wanted to nikah on the weekend of 27 October (Friday), specifically because it means something to us. It would be our 100th month together and we think that it is important that the date holds a special meaning in our hearts. However, having a nikah on a Friday does pose some logistical limitations. Firstly, it being a weekday, the event has to be an evening one seeing as everyone's gonna be working. Why is this an issue? Because, my family is not open to having it at my house due to the relatively large number of guests that we are expecting for the nikah itself - about 120 or so. So if we can't have it at my house, we are only left with 2 other options which is at a mosque or at a separate function hall altogether.
Initially, I was so on board with doing it at the mosque really. I love the narrative starting to bina masjid in a masjid itself yknow? Like where better to start building your paradise than in the home of God himself. And here comes the big BUT, we have to consider that the masjid is and ultimately will always be first and foremost for the purposes of supplication and that we are not the only ones using it. Having it in the evening would mean it would tend to clash with either the maghrib or isha' prayers - unless we have it between the 2 times which only leaves us about less than half an hour. My dad and I agreed that squeezing it in the short time frame was not something that we wanted, because the nikah is what means the most to us. Furthermore, we have an obligation to our guests to serve and feed them decently which I do not think we can fulfill in that short time frame.
So, all in all, after the long story, I guess you'd be able to conclude that I've got to find a whole new hall or function room for my nikah event. My dad has always wanted my nikah event to be in a small room in a hotel - something quite exclusive and intimate I suppose? So he suggested that I take a look at the
Balmoral Hall at Royal Plaza on Scotts. And as usual,
as with all BTBs, we are so busy that we often subconsciously leave all wedding planning tasks to the bottom of our to-do lists. But luckily, it was so coincidental that a couple of weeks after my dad brought this venue up, RP on Scotts was having a wedding showcase and I got their mailer invite!
It was a sign.
So I told my man that we have to go and check this out, and got us registered. Eventually the weekend came for us to check it out.
And oh my god, was I floored or was I floored?!
Look at those gorgeous floor to ceiling windows all round! And the decorations that come with it (either purple and silver on top, or white and gold below) are so pretty and girly just like what I love?! I also love how the decorations on the walls and the dais area is not too gaudy and kept simple. Below are some images to show you what the hall itself looks like without the full on decorations and the adjacent poolside. (This is so good for the makciks and aunties who love to linger around!)
To be honest the hall is not very big. It would probably only be able to accommodate about 10 round tables including the dais. But having that wall of clear glass windows really just opens up the entire space! They did have some food from the menu for us to sample as well, but I didn't take any photos. All I can say is that, the price is steep, BUT for the amount you are paying per pax,
it is worth it. For the view, the poolside, the hotel room that comes with it, the doorgifts and invites, the
extensive menu and central location - I think it is a reasonable price tag. Of course if it is within appropriate means based on your own budgetting lah.
So after months of negotiation, back and forth on the proposed packages. Removing and adding this and that, working out logistics and number of pax. and exhausting other potential possibilities, we have decided on
Balmoral Hall @ Royal Plaza on Scotts as our solemnization venue! I cannot even express how relieved I am to finally have one of our venues decided on. Even better, because this comes as a package, it kills many birds with one stone - caterer, decoration, etc. In fact, I have pretty much
nothing left to worry about for my nikah except the invitations and doorgifts. (Oh and the kadi booking of course! Haha,)
Through these past 2 months, any time I meet up with my girl friends and they check in on my wedding planning progress, they are more panicked than I am that my venue is not booked when we are just a few months away from the 1 year mark. In fact, for a couple that's getting married next year, we are really quite far behind in terms of planning. My man suggested that once Ramadhan is over, we could really set aside a few hours every weekend with our laptops and devote that to wedding planning, and I could not agree more really.
So that's that then. I have arranged the meeting to be next week, with RP on Scotts to secure the venue and put down my deposit. InsyaAllah, all will go smoothly and this will be another step closer to getting our big day(s) put together!
Till next time, Ramadhan Kareem my sisters and brothers!
Love,
Z
