Guest Hospitality Management

We just completed our first full-scale Guest Hospitality Management assignment over in Siem Reap, Cambodia. And much like our associate partner Nupts & Such, GHM is something we offer to our clients - especially clients who are doing destination weddings over in Indochina.

Do CLICK HERE for more information about what GHM entails. But in a nutshell :

GHM Workscope includes :

- Handling guest RSVPs after your invitations have been sent out
- Sorting out guests’ accommodation at the destination
- Organising guests’ transportation and logistics – this could be their flights to and from the destination, including airport transfers, as well as transfers from accommodation to wedding venue for guests who aren’t staying at the wedding venue
- Answering any guests’ enquiries regarding the wedding in terms of itinerary/schedule, dress code, do’s and don’ts
- Managing any other guests’ requirements eg. travel and tour bookings, hair and make-up arrangements for guests, obtaining local SIM cards, etc.

We have to say that whilst GHM entails logistics (and managing these logistics in the most effective and efficient manner), the end objective of GHM is to ensure that all your guests are happy campers. The GHM team is on board to ensure that all your guests' needs are taken care of and help is extended to them in every ways possible.

Over in Siem Reap, we had the nicest guests ever and some of them were such darlings that on the day we departed, they came to say Thank You to us, bearing gifts and pressies. Awww.... that's so sweet. And that just makes our day!

If you'd like to enquire about GHM with us, do drop us a line!
_________________________

The TWP GHM Team in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Expatriates On The Team eases communication barriers

Sorting out Guest Welcome Notes

Airport Pick-Ups for All Guests

Organizing Tours for Guests

GHM Desk to assist in Guests Enquiries

Two Minutes with Wedding Stationeries Provider | Debra Char from Acadia Cards

Established since 2002, Acadia specializes in producing simple, elegant and stylish personalized wedding invitation to match your event themes and colour. Inline with their corporate strategy to streamline and focus their businesses by division, they re-branded their wedding stationery business to Acadia Card in January 2009. Other than personalized invitations, they also cater for other wedding stationeries such as ceremony booklets, reply cards, dinner menus, escort and place cards, save-the-dates, wedding wishes and thank you cards. Acadia expands its services to Cambodia via The Wedding Planners - for clients who are looking at more unique, personalized and customized wedding stationeries.

We take time speaking to Debra Char about her thoughts and creativity behind Acadia Cards.

The beautiful Ms Debra Char....

How long have you been in the business of making pretty stationeries for bride and grooms?

We started in 2002 and it was by coincidence that one of our corporate clients was not able to find someone to customize her wedding invitation cards so we offered our services. Since then, we started making personalized wedding invitations and it slowly expanded to other wedding stationeries.

Do share with us, what is your area of stationeries specialty? 

We do provide consultation to our clients, discussing their requirements, from colour theme, design concept, material selection right to the finishing treatment of the stationeries.

What do you think are the current wedding invitations / stationeries trends for wedding clients?

Every couple wants to have a unique and personalized wedding invitation. So, we do provide suggestions to meet their requirements and at the same time, we also provide advise regarding tradition and custom. Currently bright coloured cards are back in demand and besides that, the warm and earthy toned coloured cards are still popular.

We’ve heard that you do sometimes provide stationeries for brides who are based overseas.  How does this work actually? All through email?

Yes! If a couple have engaged a wedding planner, we will liaise with the wedding planner. But if not, generally we would deal with them through emails. It's all very convenient actually.

Do you think culture and tradition play a big role in how the wedding couple wants their wedding stationeries done?

Absolutely! As most Asian couples are brought up in such a way where they will need to consult parents and/or family before deciding on their wedding invitation design and wordings. As you may well know, in Asia, a wedding is not just about the couple. It is a family matter too. But then again, sometimes, it all boils down to who is paying for the wedding. That would be the decision-maker, really. You see a lot of the couples in Malaysia and Singapore are now paying for their own weddings so the style of the cards are becoming more modernized.

You have traveled to Cambodia. What is your perception of this country?

Cambodia is a really a new market for us and most of the couples that I met during the two bridal fairs that we attended would like to have unique and personalized wedding invitations as compared to their traditional stationeries. However, the colours / colour themes of the cards are still their main concern. For example the stationeries set that we customized for Chris & Pisey's wedding, despite it being a modernized design, there is still bright colours used for it.

Oh yes. I agree. So do you think wedding stationeries like yours will have a market here in Cambodia?

I think so, of course but as our products are still new to the Cambodian couple, it will take sometime for them to explore and understand how personalized invitations or wedding stationeries can be part of their wedding themes.

I agree. But this trend is slowly changing already as we speak. You can see some couples asking for personalized designs for the wedding stationeries too. Anyway, before we part – can you share 5 Top Tips for the bride and groom when choosing their Wedding Stationeries?

An invitation is the first impression of your wedding arrangements to your guests, so make it impressionable!

Order your cards at least 6 months in advance to your big day to avoid last minute rushing

Know what you want and what you need

Always make provision for additional cards

Do consult parents or family members on appropriate invitation wordings as these things can be rather sensitive

Thank you so much Debra for your time!

Meanwhile - have a look at some of the personalized stationeries for weddings courtesy of Acadia Cards below!

_____

Two Minutes with Wedding Planner | Shirlyn Peh from Elysium Weddings

Shirlyn Peh from Elysium Weddings

This week, we spend some time with Malaysian wedding planners for some insights into wedding planning outside of Cambodia. Shirlyn Peh, director of Elysium Weddings have been planning weddings for the past five years and today, she shares with us her candid take on weddings and brides and all things nice.

Tell us more about wedding planning in Malaysia. When did it start, how did it grow, etc.. ?

There's always been people planning weddings but for professional wedding planners, this trend probably started about 15 - 20 years ago. Weddings in Malaysia have steadily been growing more creative, more westernized, more modern and wedding planners as a necessity rather than a luxury probably gained foothold in the market in the last 7 years.

Share with us more about your working style. What is your working process from A-Z?

It's actually very simple step-by-step process.
1) Getting started : Discuss, Develop, Design
2) Wedding vendors : Source, Compare, Build ideas
3) The nitty gritty : Coordinate, Assist 
4) Bridal party : Coordinate, Assist, Guide
5) D-Day : Coordinate, Liaise, Organize 

So, to date, what has been your most challenging wedding?

I will never forget - the wedding at Pulau Mabul. We had to transfer everything from the small town off-island including tables, chairs, table linens, wedding cake, flowers, cutleries, plates and a CHEF to the island. It's funny, thinking back now, but not so funny then!  

Haha! I heard about that wedding *smile*. So, tell us, what do you think about the Malaysian’s acceptance of wedding planners these days as compared to, say, 10 years ago? 

As I mentioned earlier, planners are more a necessity these days than a luxury. People are aware of the importance of engaging a wedding planner to ensure that their wedding day is perfect. Also, a lot of the modern couples and families now realize that a hassle-free wedding where they can enjoy the planning process as well as the wedding day itself is important.

 

Why do you think there is a difference between now and 10 years ago? 

Well, for starters, people's mindset changes as everyday, we are exposed to new things and we are exposed to the TV, to news, to magazines, etc. As such, couples these days are more willing to spend for their wedding in order to get the wedding of their dreams. They are also more knowledgeable about styles, trends and gone are the days of cookie-cutter weddings. People want a wedding that is unique and personalized.

The other thing is that we are in Asia - it is important for the wedding to look good and as such, couples these days also place very high importance on quality. They are willing to pay for the quality - quality of flowers, quality of fabric, linens, photography, gowns, etc.

 What is your hope for the wedding industry in Malaysia? What do you wish to see more of?

I'd surely like to see there being more options for creativity and style and I hope Malaysian vendors will look at creating their own styles, designs, products and not just copy them from overseas.  

In a market where the consumers are becoming more and more affluent and exposed, where do you see your creativity and styles coming in? How? 

Based on past experiences, we learn, change and create. We need to have a willingness to listen - listen to the couple's request, to opinions, to new ideas, new ways of doing something....  

So then, what is your idea of the perfect wedding couple?

Oh. A couple who knows what they need and want. A couple who makes decisions without second-guessing their own decision. A couple who is realistic - meaning understands quality comes with a price.  

Everyone wants every client to be the perfect client, right? Wishful thinking! Ok, before we part – can you share 5 Top Tips for the couple when choosing their Wedding Planner?

Good Knowledge.  A good planner is knowledgeable about putting together every detail of a wedding from the invitations down to the flowers. 

Comes highly recommended. This is key to finding the best wedding planner. If a planner doesn’t have a track record, previous satisfied clients and a fair amount of experience, the person may not possess  the skills to take care of all the details from A-Z. Be careful  of wedding planners without good references.

Willing to take on as much or as little as asked. Some couples ask wedding planners to take care  every step in the process, from selection of  music to booking the reception hall. Other couples only want their planners to handle a few major details. Good planners, however, can accept as many or as few of the details as you want them to take care.

A person you can work with. If you and your partner are not comfortable with the person, find someone else. It is most likely you will need to work closely with the wedding planner in the months, weeks and especially days leading up to the ceremony. If the person does not feel right to you, do not sign a contract!

Aye to that! And thank you for your time, Shirlyn! _______

Remember, a planner is someone you need to be able to work with
for the months, weeks and days leading up to YOUR big day.
So, you need to feel comfortable with her and TRUST her !

Two Minutes with Wedding Venue | Gregory Tugendhat from Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra

The magnificent facade of The Sofitel PP Phokeethra

Set amongst landscaped gardens in the old quarter of the city lies the colonial-styled Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra. With the Grand Ballroom that can fit up to 1,100 pax for banquet events and weddings, perhaps, it is time to consider this luxurious hotel for your indoor weddings - come rain, sun or shine!

We catch up with the new Director of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Gregory Tugendhat to talk about all things weddings at The Sofitel, who is part of the Accor Hotels Group.

Good Morning, Greg! With only 2 minutes to spare, we'll just launch into it! *grin* Do tell us more about the weddings at Sofitel, Phnom Penh.

Sofitel Luxury Hotels are all about ‘Magnifique moments’ Wedding celebrations are all about memorable moments and the combination of the two with Sofitel at the helm make for a sensational experience.

So then, what makes the weddings at Sofitel unique?

When you come to Sofitel Luxury Hotels for wedding celebrations, you are entering into a world of luxury hospitality that is recreated but never repeated. All of our events are unique and guided under the watchful eye of our InspiredEvents planner. The venue that is offered in the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra is the largest in Phnom Penh and the most opulent in Cambodia and therefore in itself, it is unique. There are silk lined walls, magnificent chandeliers and the capacity to hold and entertain over 1000 people.  Every detail is considered and presented to ensure expectations are exceeded and the happy couple’s day is as perfect as it can be.

What do you think are the challenges faced by the hotel, maybe not just at Sofitel, but all hotels when it comes to hosting weddings for clients?

Creating a feeling of intimacy and conviviality amongst what is otherwise a rather imposing location. At the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, every  attention and detail whether it be the lighting, the music or simply the manner in which the tables are decorated come together to ensure an intimate surrounding and a presentation that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Is Sofitel aiming to change the wedding trends in this market and lift the wedding standards for Cambodians?

When the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hosted the ‘Wedding Fair’earlier this year the bar was raised regionally in terms of what should be expected from the more discerning couples looking to create an event for their guests will talk about for months after and the memories of which will last decades. The Sofitel Phnom Penh approaches every request with a fresh eye and an experienced manner to ensure that the day is not only a success but also completely in line with what was hoping to be achieved.

What is your opinion about the wedding industry in Cambodia? Do you think there is a great potential for the wedding industry in Cambodia to grow?  

Cambodia has a very conservative approach to weddings and as such there is still great demand for the community, family and friends to come together to celebrate a happy union between families. Traditionally, weddings were held in the winter months to get away from the risk of rain but with the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, it is possible to get married at any time of year. The possibilities are endless in terms of designs and choreography and so I see a very bright future for this most wonderful of traditions.

What is the biggest hurdle the industry has to cross? How can we work towards crossing that?

I see no hurdles to the industry but then again, I would prefer to use the word ‘institution’ as opposed to industry. Providing quality and value to the guests is one aspect but the main purpose and goal of a wedding is to show to the world the choices made and with a venue like Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, there is no doubt that a statement about the couple is also that they are discerning and have exceptional taste.

Before we part – can you share 5 Top Tips for the couple when choosing their Wedding Venue?

I feel I should address myself directly to the couple having had the wonderful experience of getting married myself.

Firstly, the venue has to be large enough to cater for the number you wish to have. If the venue is too large for the number you were thinking, invite more people!

With so many people, where are they going to park their cars? There need to be sufficient parking areas and with over a hectare of parking as well as covered parking the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra can certainly meet the demands of a large number of guests.

When imagining all of your friends, family and guests arriving at the venue, is it going to be possible to move around without having to mingle with people who are not part of the gathering for example in the lobby of a hotel (the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra has its own entrance to the wedding venue ensuring privacy and an added sense of prestige and enabling personalized decoration

When you have finished the wedding ceremony, where are you going to go? The suites of the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra are some of the smartest, comfortable and newest in South East Asia. Where better to spend the first night of honeymoon than in a rose petal covered bed over looking Phnom Penh at night with luxury Hermes bathroom amenities to relax, soak and enjoy your first night of married life together.

Finally and most importantly, the venue speaks of you as a couple. What do you want your guests to say about your choice of venue ? With a wedding at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, you are guaranteed to have your guests speaking of your wedding for months on end and ultimately, you yourselves will never forget the occasion.

Wow, Greg! Thanks for the very detailed tips! And definitely thank you for your time! Here's looking forward to a great wedding season ahead!

The Grand Ballroom

Two Minutes with Wedding Florist | Mr. Pangha from Udaya Decorations Cambodia

Pretty ladies : The team heading Udaya Decoration....

A local florist and decoration company borne from the passion of a group of talented young Khmers, Udaya Decorations serves up floral arrangements and light decorations for all sorts of events, ranging from weddings to birthday parties. They are not short of ideas for your wedding and would certainly help you personalize your wedding in many-a-ways!

We catch up with Mr. Pangha, partner and co-founder at Udaya for a 2-minute chat to talk about flowers, weddings and Cambodia.

How long have you been in the business of designing flowers for weddings and special occasions?

We have been established for close to 3 years in the wedding industry in Cambodia.

Tell us more about your area of specialty in terms of your floral arrangement styles. 

Our style is simple, sweet and attractive. We always try our best to create new styles for every client using our own accessories

What are usually the standard arrangements that are requested by clients for their wedding decoration?  

When clients request for flowers & decoration for their weddings, generally it'll be set-up for the traditional ceremonies at the bride's house and the standard items here would be the backdrop. For the evening reception, the standard requests that we get would be the stage decoration, aisle and table arrangements.

Share with us more about your working style. What is your working process from A-Z?

As an independent & innovative event decorator, our process is specifically tailored for each client. However, generally it entails the following steps :

First, we would describe our services in detail to the client and understanding the client's full requirements for their event. This will also include showing the portfolio of our previous work to clients to let them have a feel of what they can do with their theme colours, styles, type of flowers, etc.

We will always ask for a budget from the clients and then from here, we will work out a proposal and the quotation. After the quotation is approved and deposit paid, we will lock in the date of the client's event and start our own internal planning, for example, purchase orders of flowers, accessories, etc.

Being in Cambodia, we understand that sometimes, flower stock is a major problem and certain types of flowers are not easily obtainable. Why do you think this happens?

This is a major problem that we face here in Cambodia. Cambodia doesn’t grow much of our own flowers  so the wholesalers need to import from neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam to meet market demands. But you see, the wholesalers only import the most popular types of flower so for most of us in the flower business, we just have to rely on the wholesaler in terms of what they can offer. When clients request for a specific kind of flower, we need to make a special order with the wholesaler, but the worse part is that they cannot guarantee if they can get it in for us or not. That's when we would have to go Thailand or Vietnam to get the specific flowers requested.

In your opinion, what do you think about the wedding industry of Cambodia in general? Do you think there is a great potential for the wedding industry in Cambodia to grow?

The wedding industry in Cambodia is definitely growing. Nowadays, we see more and more modern styles and creativity being requested as compared to previous years. Most of the clients are willing to spend their budget when it comes to flowers and decoration because they want to create something that is "wow" and memorable to their guests as well. 

So, strictly from a point-of-view of a florist and decorator, yes, the potential is huge in Cambodia. It is just really about giving time for the Cambodian people to accept new concepts, new styles, new trends, new designs. Even concept like a wedding planner is rare right now. But soon, the Cambodians will start using wedding planners and trusting them to plan their weddings as well.

Very soon, Cambodia will be just like any of the modernized countries, like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand *smile* It'll happen once there is market demand for modernized and personalized weddings. Of course, on our part, we need to educate the market too !

Oh, I definitely agree with you! We need to let the market know that there are other styles to consider, other colours, other materials, other flowers. Right? Anyway, what do you think is the biggest hurdle for the local wedding industry to overcome?

The biggest hurdle for local wedding industry to overcome is the sourcing of flowers. When flowers need to be imported they may not arrive fresh because sometimes, the suppliers do not know how to handle the flowers. When we use these flowers that don't look too fresh, our clients complain.
I just hope that in the future, Cambodia will start growing our own flowers to satisfy the market demands.

I wish and hope for the same thing too *smile* Before we part – can you share 5 Top Tips for the couple when choosing their Wedding Flowers?

- Allocate the correct budget for your expectations
- Think about personalizing your styles for your wedding. What is your favourite colours?

 - Share with your chosen florist what you really dream of but be mindful that sometimes, resources may be limited but work with your florist to achieve the best desired outcome

- Think of colour combos that complement one another.

- Again - budget planning! So important!

Yes, yes. Budget planning is so important! Well, thank you so much for your time, Mr Pangha! Orkun Charan and here's looking forward to working more with you for future!

______

Some of Udaya's work....

Creative Backdrop for the stage - certainly a step into more
unique designs and creations for wedding decorations

Pretty Table Centrepieces : Wedding Planning by
The Wedding Planners

Table Centrepieces doesn't have to be uniformed. Wedding Planning
by The Wedding Planners. Photography by 1am Studio Malaysia

Two Minutes with Wedding Videographer | Ratha Peng from iFriends Studio Cambodia

Mr. Ratha Peng doing what he does best....

i-Friend Studio is a multimedia and video production company based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Founded by the mild-mannered Mr. Ratha Peng, their services include film & music production, post-production and of course, wedding videography work. They also provide live feeds for their wedding videography during filming. Putting together a band of Remote Production staff which are highly experienced camera crea, audio techs and sound engineers in the business, Mr. Ratha is set for bigger things in Phnom Penh.

We of course catch hold of the busy man for two minutes to dig into his thoughts about weddings in Cambodia.

How long have you been in the business of producing wedding videography for bride & groom?

I started iFriend Studio since 2007 so... it would be 4 years now.

Tell us more about your area of specialty in terms of your wedding video styles. 

I think our styles are are slightly more modernized in terms of the creativity. We feel that sometimes, we need to capture the essence and the moment of the wedding and not just setting the video into aut0-mode. There is angling involved, but mostly for a video, the most important part is the editing. How you edit the video tells a different story.

Share with us more about your working style. What is your working process from A-Z?

Because there is only 2 minutes for you, I will make my answer short *laugh*

Once a client confirms the project with us and upon payment of deposit, usually a 50% deposit payment, we will block off the wedding date in our work calendar. We would also usually discuss with the clients if there are any special requirements they want, what would they like to have exactly, how much creative freedom do we have, etc... so that we ensure that we deliver what the client wants and sometimes more.

One the day of the wedding, we would usually follow the wedding planner's itinerary. Usually it will be 3 hours ahead to set-up equipments and co-ordinate ourselves as a team. If there are no planners, we just inform the client that we will show up at X time to do our set-up. Of course, even before the wedding day, we would have done a site recce so that we are familiar with the lay of the ground prior.

Do you think technology in Cambodia is sometimes and issue for local vendors to produce work that is of better quality? How do you overcome this for yourself?

We know that  Cambodia is the least developed country in terms of both of human resources and technology. For a photographer, example, a simple matter of buying the newest technology or equipment for their business can become very complicated. This is due to the fact that number 1, it is not easy to access the latest technology in my country. Number 2, local photographers here do not earn very much. So the income that they are earning from doing a photoshoot job sometimes does not justify buying a say, USD5,000 lens. Do you know what I mean?

But for me, I'm luckier. I already have a large network and connection and to get technological equipments and supplies is not that much of a problem for me. I also work with a lot of consultants and have both local and foreign partners to assist us.

For me, the real problem is market demand. Like I said, weddings in Cambodia, it is not like Malaysia or Singapore or Thailand even.  The clients haven't yet evolved that way. They are still keeping to their old traditions, old habits and some are too afraid to try new styles or creativity and these affect their decision-making. So sometimes, using the newest or latest technology may not be of a demand by these types of clients. In order for us to survive, we succumb to the client's demands. 
Of course, I definitely understand where you are coming from! I feel the same way! *smile* In your opinion, what do you think about the wedding industry of Cambodia in general?

For Cambodians, our old civilization, tradition and culture are deeply rooted into our hearts. For weddings, it is a lot of these old traditions and culture that seems to make all weddings appear the same. But of course, over the last couple of years, there is a strange change of pace in Cambodia. The Western influence and modern styles are slowly being introduced to weddings. Also because of technology such as iPhone and 3G, it has opened up the country to a score of online information via information sharing on social media. This is a new trend. Maybe strange to a lot of people for now, but it is certainly taking shape and people start changing their mindset. So this should be the direction we look into. We hope that people like you will help the local industry keep up with the trends as well because you have done it before. People like us would need to constantly upgrade ourselves and our knowledge as well. Correct?

Correct! So you think there is a great potential for the wedding industry in Cambodia to grow then?

Yes, I definitely think so. Every country has to grow. I think this is the time for local and international investors to consider investing into the wedding business because only with a group of like-minded people can we move forward to grow the industry. BUT, they need to keep in mind, especially for the foreign investors that they should not forget our Khmer culture & traditions.  

I totally agree with you. I think it is not so much about changing the culture but uplifting it. What then do you think is the biggest hurdle for the local wedding industry to overcome?

First of all, we all need to keep an open-mind. Second of all, I think one of the biggest hurdle will be professional services. Right now, every company compete based on price. Nobody competes based on professional service. I mean, like I explain above, everytime I need to do something cheap, I cannot improve my technology. And as such, the quality is to the best that I can deliver based on the fee that I am getting. This is a two-way thing. Clients need to also be involved in the process same with us to learn and to grow and to ask for the best only.

Wow, Mr. Ratha, I love your points. Anyway, before we part – can you share 5 Top Tips for the couple when choosing their Wedding Videographer?

Make sure you have good communications with the videographer and the team
Make sure you check their contract and what they will deliver to you at the end of the day
Make sure you give them as much information as possible about what you want
Make sure you trust that they are creative people with creative inputs too
Be adventurous - try something new and creative and stylish

I had really enjoyed the interview with you, Mr Ratha! Thank you again for all the superb points you gave. Here's to working together more for the future of the wedding industry in Cambodia!
_________________________

Some of iFriend Studio Behind The Scene photo

Winner's Tale : Creative Couple Photography Contest

The winner of our Creative Couple Photography Contest held last year has written something as a run-up to their pre-wedding portrait session and stay at The Nam Hai with Eden Images. Here's the bride's personal take on it.

Our Hearts Are Set On The Nam Hai

Sugeetha & Kaneson's Winning Entry
Judges Comments : "Creative, Fun, Thoughtful"

As cliché as it sounds, it was truly a dream come true winning the Creative Couple’s Photo Contest organised by The Wedding Planners and Eden Images. Kaneson and I were never the ones to enter competitions, but this time around, there was something magical about the prize. The Nam Hai, from what I saw on the net, is truly a beautiful, wondrous and romantic place. I had the same feeling of awe and wonder when I was looking through the amazing pictures taken by the photographers at Eden Images (and I know that Aidan Dockery will be the photographer for our shoot there!)

It was a prize too good to let go. I wanted to win badly. Something that evokes such strong feelings and emotions was not something I could ignore. So, a plan was hatched. Out came my crafty side and with a pair of scissors in hand, I set out to show how much I ♥ the prize.  

I was so excited; I called Kaneson at work and told him he just had to get back early that day. He of course was wondering what in the world I was up to. Quickly bringing him up to date on my master plan, he promised to get back as soon as he could. Kaneson you see, is pretty well-versed already with my sometimes (ok, most of the time) insane plans and enthusiasm.  

I got my inspiration from a blog site I often visited but took the idea a notch or two up, ensuring my own take was put on it. It was a mess of paper hearts on the floor once I was done with my scissors. I stuck the hearts on the wall and when Kaneson came back home, it was all systems go!

We took pictures this way and that way and all sorts of other ways (all decent shots, ok!) and finally picked the one we both liked the best. It was such a fun thing for us to do together; we were laughing and joking all the way. (If all else fails, at least the contest enabled couples to have loads of fun creating their entries!)

Finally, we posted our photo and hoped for the best. I must say it was an exhilarating wait, checking Facebook everyday, seeing what pictures other couples were posting, wondering if ours was going to be the most creative of them all.

Our friends, family and even colleagues got into the act. They were quick to support us in this competition by clicking ‘like’ on our picture. Everyday Kaneson and I would update each other on how many ‘likes’ we received and we truly felt ♥ reading all the messages wishing us good luck.

We were at one point head to head with another couple on the number of ‘likes’. The day before the competition ended, they managed to surpass us. I felt a knot in my stomach, but still kept faith that we could win.

I was at work when the winner was announced. Access to Facebook is not permitted in my company so I had friends and family calling me and sending me text messages to let me know that Kaneson and I won the competition. I quickly called Kaneson to share the good news with him. We were both over the moon. It was such exciting news for us and the judges’ comments about our picture made the win much sweeter.

Our trip is almost here. In two month’s time, our feet will touch the soft sands of Hoi An’s beaches, experience the majestic Nam Hai and our love, captured in beautiful pictures by Eden Images.

Thank you to The Wedding Planners, The Nam Hai and Eden Images for this opportunity. We ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ you.

Ed : We love you too and CoNGraTuLations again! Have fun and let your hair down!

A Ticket For The Cake?

Throughout the course of planning our clients' weddings, we have - a fair few times - had to transport the cake from a local destination to the wedding destination or vice-versa. We're not talking about cake transportation within the same locale. We're talking about inter-state and inter-country transportation.

As wedding planners, we always tell clients that there is a risk in transporting the wedding cakes, whether it be by land or by flight. I mean - anything can happen during the journey - like the time we had to travel 9 hours by car to the wedding destination and all of us had one box of cupcakes on our laps each - and we nearly got into a very bad accident (thanks to the quick reflexes of the driver - Edmund Tham - we are still alive - and the cupcakes were intact.) You can imagine the stress for the planners when the first question asked after the brush with near-death wasn't "Is everyone alright?" but instead "Check the cakes!!!!"
What about the time the fabulous sugee cake from Angelina was flown-in from KL to Phnom Penh? A very stressful flight indeed. Luckily, the flight wasn't full and the cake had a seat of its own. Still, it requires the planner(s) to check on the cake every few minutes - if only just for our own peace of mind.

At the end of the day - is it worth it, though?

The wedding cake plays a symbolical role in all weddings. A tradition dating back to the ancient Roman empire, the modern wedding cake now plays a role in symbolizing the couple's first task together as man and wife when the bride cuts into the cake, aided by the groom. The gesture of feeding the cake to each other is another symbol of their commitment to provide for each other.

With destination weddings being a more intimate celebration - couples are able to spend on a cake which will be served to all their guests at the reception as opposed to the 1,000 pax banquet in town (one would need an extremely large cake to serve!). As such, the trend has become more and more popular for brides and grooms alike to choose and select their cake with the same gusto as they would their decor.

Many a couples - mostly brides :) - would already have their favourite cake (comfort food) in mind and therefore, come what may, they want THAT cake and THAT particular cake-maker and they are willing to go to the extend of transporting the wedding cake from destination to destination. Hey - it is after all your wedding, you know :) But bear in mind - there are risks! (read above :P)

As for me - I can be pretty fussy when it comes to cakes that goes into my tummy and I do have a selection of my favourite cakes, but I did not want the stress of cake transportation - considering that the route for me was Phnom Penh - KL - Bali. And because I did not want my wedding to feel like "work" to me, I left the cake and cake design in the good hands of the pastry chef from Kayumanis Nusa Dua. I told them "Surprise Me." I'm sure they were under slight duress too. But hey - it's my wedding. And I was pleasantly surprised.

Leticia will also be having her wedding in Bali this coming October and she isn't going to have any of that cake-transportation stress either. In fact - she's already done her cake-tasting when I had my wedding last year :) So we know the cake WILL be good. (Tip : If you do not want to fly your wedding cake anywhere - be sure to check out what is available locally and do a round of tastings - there will  bound to be something that will appease your cake-buds).

However - recently, right here in Phnom Penh, I've had the privilege to get to know a renowned pastry chef from Honolulu, Hawai'i - Chef Leigh Ann Seto (whom I simply call - "Chef"). Chef has more than 20 years experience as a pastry chef spanning across Asia as well as back in her home country. Some of the well-known chains she has worked for included the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, The Kahala Hotel & Resort in Hawai'i and the Grand Wailea Resort, Maui (which hosts an average of four weddings per day! And kept Chef super-busy).

Her cakes? For a cake fanatic like myself - they are to-die-for - especially her Devil's Chocolate Cake (real chocolate with a hint of peanut butter!). Trust me - IF I had known Chef earlier - this cake together with whatever designs she's creating (Chef's experiences with weddings in Hawai'i has also helped Chef create magnificent designs for wedding cakes) - would be MY wedding cake. I wouldn't care if I am doing the PP-KL-Bali route. The cake WILL come with me and the cake WILL have a seat of its own. It is what I call a slice of heaven. Particularly so when chocolate is Chef's favourite ingredient to use and I am every bit a chocolate chick.

And she's right here in Cambodia. Any orders? :) And oh - if you're going to be asking for cakes with "grand staircases" or cakes with "standing tiers" - Chef will knock you on the head.

** Photo of Wedding Cupcakes provided by La Flaire / Photography by Arden Khoo

A Price To Pay

Recently, we had an enquiry for a wedding in Cambodia from an Australian-born Cambodian. She wishes to come home to her roots to tie the marital knot. After an exchange of about 5 - 6 emails, she finally came back saying that our fees were too expensive and that she will find a way to plan her own wedding (and as Leticia rightly put it - very ambitious).

Needless to say, I was a little cheesed-off. In this time and day, people are still not finding it in their mental abilities to respect and value the service industry. Admittedly, the local market in Indochina (TWP is only active in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos), particularly in Cambodia lacks the exposure and understanding of the value of service, I had assumed that someone who was born and bred in Australia would certainly appreciate paying a professional fee to a service provider.

I emailed back, trying to seek an understanding as to what she constituted as "cheap" and what were her expectations should it be "cheap" - and asked if she understood that our fees were paid for an entire team to handle her wedding and not as a person's starting salary per month. Today is four days later from the day I sent that email. I guess, she didn't take to my email very well.

I believe this issue doesn't just affect us here in Indochina (although, I would say, more so than elsewhere). Our businesses in Malaysia suffer the same problems - of clients who deem a particular service "too expensive".  I do have some questions, and I hope some of the wise-ones out there could enlighten us.

1) What do clients expect when they pay for "cheap" services?
2) How much would one actually be willing to pay for the services of a professional? Whether it be wedding planner, photographer, designer, etc?

For some reason, particularly that of those providing intangible services - clients seem to put in a cheaper value - even though our workscope probably doubles most of the other service providers. No offence to photographers (and I do highly respect and appreciate your creativity and skills as I have no photography talent whatsoever!) - but do you really think your hired photographer would be helping you make sure your cake is arriving on time? Or do you think your gown designer would be helping you tie your chair sashes x 300 chairs? Or do you think your florist is going to ensure you are ordering the correct amount of wines for the occasion? Point made.

You know, I once went into a salon and saw that the price for the 'Creative Director' to cut my hair was "starting from RM155" so I decided to go for the mid-cheaper range - the Junior Stylist instead "starting from RM50". I hated my hair cut that day. Firstly, he talked more than he styled. And then, it was just soooo s-l-o-o-o-w.... I mean, granted, I didn't look like a cat out from the dryer, but all in all, it wasn't a very pleasant experience for me. But did I make a big hoo-ha about it? No, I didn't. Why? Because I understood fully - the risk I was taking - when I wanted to be a cheapskate and only paid for a Junior Stylist. (By the way, henceforth, it was always Senior Stylist and above for me!!).

I mean - would you actually go to a hair salon and demand the 'Creative Director' style your hair for the fee of a Junior Stylist? Or would you pay the Junior Stylist and demand he/she style your hair as a 'Creative Director' would?

Once again - Point Made.

** Photo of wedding by The Photoz

The Wedding Planners

Now when Eileen and I were talking (yes one of our lover’s talk) about weddings , how tired we were and how we wanted to retire in luxury. The conversation quickly went to the wedding industry , then to how when we first started 9 -10 years ago we were the only wedding planners in town and now there are more and more sprouting out. We decided we needed a change of scenery and then the idea for The Wedding Planners, Cambodia came up (and our idea of retiring and being tired of the industry went down the drain).

Starting up in Cambodia has been challenging, come this August we are 1 year old and its been a really exciting year. The local wedding community in Cambodia had to be educated on our style of weddings, but the luxury market has proved to be supportive in our efforts.

Our next step (yes retiring has definitely been buried) is to expand throughout the Indochina region. Now one will say why Indochina? But to us we need the challenge, planning destination and ballroom weddings are great but predictable. We want the unknown, it may slap us in the face but I believe with out perseverance we should at least reap some seeds if not fruits.

**TWP Launch Photo taken by Bonnie Yap

Joining Forces

Leticia & I first met back in early 2005. It was thanks to Kris, another industry friend and partner-in-crime who made this 'meeting' happen. He got us both on a radio interview together.

We've heard how bitchy the industry can get - but the two of us simply hit it off quite well from the get-go. Sometimes, it's difficult to say why or how. It's just good vibes. And likely - smart thinking from both parties.

I guess it was at this point, we were feeling that perhaps individually, it would be difficult for us to conquer the world. Hmmm...It was just a matter of the stars being aligned *eyelash batting*. In any case, we didn't waste time with the new-found friendship. It very quickly materialized into an "online love affair" - we exchanged trade secrets, we shared information about good vendors, bad vendors and the plain nasty ones, we passed on clients to one another when our dates were booked, we warned one another about potentially "psycho" clients... and really..... that "online love affair" of ours still exists right up till today - it must say something when I exchange more emails with Leticia than I do with my real lover.. and vice-versa!

We kept our own businesses running and even though we were supposedly competition - we actually didn't really see it that way. Simply because our working styles were quite different. They still are. Naturally, the types of clients we attract are very different too. She's the feminine, girly-girly type.... whilst I am more athletic and outdoorsy. As such, herein lie the differences between our portfolios - she features prim-and-proper weddings whereas I feature the breezy destination weddings which are usually outdoors. We are even bitchy in our own different ways! (That's right - we admit that we are. Plain and simple - you don't run your own businesses by being a push-over).

Where we synergize is through our "let's go get it" attitude and our very head-strong characters. We are both the types who would twitch with anxiety when the work platter is empty. And even if it was full, we would still be coming up with fantastic ideas and saying "Do you want to do it??" and the next thing you know - we're working ourselves halfway through a whole full platter of work. We don't give up easily and we are simply said - pretty damn strong. Not just "head-strong", but physically and mentally strong too. And you know what? We deliver.

So, believing that since two stubbornly head-strong characters could combine their efforts to make it work very well for their businesses, and having been encouraged by Tourism Malaysia, we sat down for coffee one day, and decided we were going to start an Association. Thinking (stupidly!) that the entire wedding industry, like us - also believes in the "United We Stand" concept. And thus - the birth of Association of Wedding Professionals (AWP) Malaysia in September 2008. The Association was the first venture that Leticia and I worked together on - and I have to say - even I was surprised at how well we worked together!

We're still working very hard on the Association and trying to sign-up more "believers". We are grateful and thankful of course, to those who had supported us in this endeavour. You could go to AWP's website to see all the good stuff that we had done for the Association and the members thus far.

We had not looked back since the founding of AWP. We've worked on numerous projects together and it was only a matter of time before we really joined forces - this time, to take on the Indochina market with The Wedding Planners. And there are numerous more projects in the pipeline that we are looking forward to doing together.

Because - one thing's for sure - why settle for one of the best when you can have two of the best?

**Photo taken at the AWP Launch on 4th September 2008