Just after midnite.... and we just got home from the Beitou Hotspings where we were treated by Lyn and Shaun for helping out their FINAL WEDDING RECEPTION Banquet.... Am pretty positive we are all in agreeament in being GLAD is is all Finally over... really over.... LOLS!!!!
Reception Photos Here!
yep, yep.... the event we were making all those truffles for.... the one that got me busy with flowers pretty much all day yesterday.... Lyn & Shaun's wedding reception is TODAY!!!
This is the third (and last!), reception for the weeding.... mostly for the couples Taipei colleagues who were not able to come to the Nantou and Kahsiung receptions.... what was supposed to be about 50 people, quickly went up to 100, then 150... at last count, it will be 17 tables of 10... so 179!!! YIKES!!!
anyway, it will be at 12 noon today, Sat the 28th.... but of course, we need to be there at least by 10AM to get all the decor out.... which means, we will be pretty much, all too occupied, today....
This morning was spent at the Taipei Floral Market.... we spent a good couple of hours picking out flowers for tomorrow's wedding lunch reception -- yep, still Lyn & Shaun's... I was recruited at the last minute to do the floral arrangements...
and what do I know of floral arranging for wedding receptions???
GOD Help Them! GOD, help Me!! hahahahahahaha
(Fresh Daily... oh yeah, the flowers, too!)HAPPY WEEKEND Everyone!!!
The whole 3 day event was soooo overwhelming for me - not only witnessing, but being a part of my very first Chinese Wedding... which is weird having grown up in San Francisco where many of my Chinese friends did marry -- but alas, Western style so it did not prepare me for what was to come....
Nothing so earth shattering though, it was just one ritual after another -- and for a while there, it seemed like it was never ending... amd from talking with the Bride and Groom in between it all, they too, could not wait for the whole thing to be over with...
Wondering how I was going to BLOG this - not wanting for it too be as long as the wedding itself, I thought, the BEST way was to just do the PHOTO ESSAY for the events... so pls follow each links to the various albums - uploaded sequentially and here;'s hoping you will feel that you were witnessing it all in person - just as I was for the first time...
WEDDING ALBUM #1
The Groom arrives in Kaohsiung to take the Bride from her parents' home to his home in Nantou. The Groom offers his gifts to the parents, the parents give their blessing and dowry to the Bride & Groom...
WEDDING ALBUM #2
The Bride arrives in Nantou, the Groom's home... is welcomed by the Groom's family with some rituals, offerings, and blessings... The ACTUAL WEDDING and EXCHANGING of VOWS takes place...
WEDDING ALBUM #3
A Couple of Hours Break - spent at the Nantou Museum for a bit of relaxation and Photo Shooting.
WEDDING ALBUM #4
Reception Dinner in Nantou - given by the Groom''s family, and attended mostly by the Groom's family and friends...
WEDDING ALBUM #5
Back In Kaohsiung for the BIG EVENT, given by the Bride's family. Over 400 guests, mostly the Bride's family and friends -- the party is almost a whole day's event.
In between Wedding Rituals... took a bit of a couple of hours break and headed up the hills from Shaun's home, to one of Nantou's Museums, Bair Tsang - I, for some photo shooting...
The museum is dedicated to local artists who sculpts using local products such as wood and metal... the Museum pieces had toured worldwide and is one of the city's pride and joy...
The founder and curator, and artist himself, was kind enough to open up for us privately for some photo shooting as the place is just grand and surrounded by beautiful sceneries -- perfect for some really beautiful wedding shots... oka, okay, by a professional anyway... the ones in the ALBUM are just the ones I snapped....
It was a great way to spend a 2 Hour break before the Exchanging of the Vows commenced....
Click Here for More Photos
Tonite around midnite, we drive to Kaohsiung -- wedding gowns, decorations, Bride & Groom, etc., in tow... It will be a 3 day weekend long exchanging of vows and Chinese Rituals... as the schedule stands, Thurs will be filled with last minute preparations... Friday is for Exchanging of Vows in Nantou -- Shaun's familial place... Saturday is the biiiig event in Kaohsiung (with over 400 Guests!!!) -- Lyn's family home... and Sunday, the rest of the Rituals... again, that is how the schedule stands -- who knows what will actually happen when the time comes... Exciting and Nerve Wracking, if you ask me... and am not even the Groom nor the Bride... LOLs!!!
So that is our upcoming weekend schedule -- Hope you are all having a GREAT start of the New Year!!!
One of the many photos taken for the Wedding Invitations
Last nite was spent helping Shaun cover up his white hair, while David makes us LASAGNA for dinner -- still in preparations for the wedding...
I have not done this in quite some time now.... not even with my own hair.. so it was quite funny... took me back to my High School / College days when friends and I would get together once a month and do an all niter session of coloring hair each other's hair...
Okay, so that's another thing to check off my list, of things I can do to help with the wedding...
Wednesday the 17th was spent shopping for - I LOVE THIS PART - COOKIES!!!
Over the years living in Taiwan, I would sometimes be surprised with cookies delivered in some of the fanciest packaging ever... all sorts of shapes, colors, designs, and material... most of the time, the packaging are a whole lot better than the cookies in them... I have come to know that this is a custom for the Chinese that the bride to be's closest friends will be given these Western Style cookies... and this past Wednesday, I had the pleasure accompanying Lyn and Shaun in search of the perfect ones to give away to Lyn's closest friends...
We headed on to Wen Li St in the Shilin District of Taipei - a long street that is really cookie heaven... Shop after shop devoted to catering to the bride to be's cookie needs... and I have come to realized, it is quite a big industry this whole thing is...
I so enjoyed all the choices... was sooo hard to really choose as I was excited by sooo many of them... Louis Vuitton looking bags.... apple shaped containers.... antique style Chinese carrying case... etc.... if I could have it my way, I would have opted for an assortment of choices -- a different one for each different friend... but of course, as we all know far too well, in business quantity dictates the purchase price... and I suppose, it is BEST that everyone gets the same one so as there is no jealousy whatsoever...
So we are now down to two styles to choose from, now it is up to the final pricing from a couple of places to make the final decision... I cannot wait to see as for sure, I will be getting one... LOLs!!!
Fell in love with this cookie jar, Limited Release to welcome the upcoming Year of the Ox! Another MUST HAVE!!! More Photos Here: COOKIES!
Mirror, Mirror on the wall.. which 2 wedding dresses and 5 gowns are the Fairest of the all??? Pictured are some of the BEST Choices.... 
Lyn in Various Choices...
The morning was spent shopping for "this and that" - things needed for the wedding... a quickie lunch @ MOS Burger, and then off to pick out gowns for Lyn...I must say, as exciting as it is to go through countless of gowns - both wedding and evening gowns - to pick the right ones (we needed 2 White Wedding Gowns and 5 Evening Gowns), it is just as tiring and frustrating...
The Wu Siblings shop for NEIKU (undies)!!
A tired Bride to be, a frustrated Groom to be, and Director brother.
Of course, it was a lot of fun for David, Liya and I - as we just need to pull gowns after gowns for Lyn to try on... but for Lyn and Shaun - it must have been really trying as they just do not have that much time to spare... Good thing we were actually all in agreement for the most part... so 4 hours later and numerous gown changes we chose what Lyn will be wearing for the pre wedding photoshoot (very romantic clooks), and for the actual wedding (sexy and glitz galore!)...
Liya & I even found time to goof around in between gowns.
As a THANK YOU and a SURPRISE for us helping through the day -- Shaun took us all to see the MAYDAY's concert -- one of Taiwan's Premier College Bands... a nice way to end a very tiring day...
-SHOPPING PHOTO ALBUM
Last nite, I accompanied Lyn & Shaun check out a couple of places for the wedding ensembles.... I never knew how time consuming and frustrating something like this is... I thought, you go in, you talk price, agree, and then the fun begins -- you try on the clothes... WRONG!!!
First place we went to, the negotiations went on for over 4 hrs... and still came to no fruition... at least, the 2nd place, armed with what we already know from the previous pone, went smoother and faster.. It helped that Lyn's colleagues used them for their own wedding a couple of years ago... with that accomplished, we go back in this afternoon to start trying on dresses and hopefully pick them out -- a wedding gown plus 3 other wardrobe changes...
Today we will be joined by David and Liya, who is back from England for a couple of months... 4 differing opinions at play -- this should be a fun afternoon... LOLS!!!!
So most Catholic and Western people I know whose marriage is dampen by a Death in the Family has to CANCEL or MOVE their wedding to a different, later date... but for the Chinese, the Belief is that a couple must be married within 100 days of a family member's death... As Shaun's father very recently passed away, the countdown begins for his wedding with Lyn (David's sister)-- couple this with the belief that The Year of the OX is not a good time for marriages (seems it is considered an unlucky year to get married)-- what usually takes a year in planning will have to be done before the Chinese NY (3rd week of JAN)! Hence, all the craziness and excitement going on in our household at this time....
This will be an AMAZING feat to accomplish as basically it will be three celebrations: one in Nantou (Shaun's familial home); Kaohsiung (Lyn's); & Taipei - where they both now resides and most of their colleagues and friends are....Now factor in the Feng Shuei part of the whole thing - where one needs to consult with the fortune tellers to see which dates in that little time frame, are good for each of the rituals: family engagement, wedding ceremonies/banquet in the three places, etc... and all the running about trying to get everything accomplish and done: wedding gowns, photo shoots, catering, etc... Let's not forget WORKING throughout all these preparations...
I myself, would just run to the nearest CITY HALL and get it over with -- but if anyone can make this HAPPEN, I know THEY CAN!!! They are two of the KINDEST & SMARTEST people I know... and Lyn is one of the most AMAZING women I have ever met -- very Dedicated, Diligent, and most of all, ORGANIZED... if you meet her you will be able to tell right away that she is totally one of those POWER WOMEN who knows how to take charge and be in control - FAIRLY, mind you...
For our part, David & I, are here to lend support... in any way we can... first up for me is to go WEDDING GOWN shopping this weekend... that should be FUN! This is actually my FIRST REAL CHINESE WEDDING to ATTEND - you know am EXCITED!!!!
LOTSA LUCK & LOTSA LUV Shaun & Lyn!!!!
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