Wedding Check List

It's been over a year since last time I and Mas Adi decided to get married. Time flies so fast that I didn't realize within 1 month that day will come.

I think I must make a check list to check which one has been done and which one hasn't. Let me capture one by one...

First - Marriage Date

It's the first thing we had to know before starting any kind of wedding preparation. We called mami (Adi's mother) in Jogja and asked her to make traditional calculation to get good date for our marriage. Mami used "primbon Jawa", Java traditional book, that usually used as a guide line for such purpose. The parameter needed for the calculation are: our name, birth date and time, "hari pasaran Jawa" (day based on Java calendar), and zodiac.

After around 2 weeks, mami gave us the result. She said, good date for our marriage should be on:

a. Sabtu Legi (Saturday Legi) Year 2007
"Legi" is a day in Java calendar. Year 2007 is believed will bring lot of fortune for both of us

b. One month after Islam New Year
Islam New Year or "Hijriyah New Year" came on 20 Jan 2007 until 20 Feb 2007. In Java, the month is called "Suro". Based on Java belief, it's a bad month for marriage or building house. To avoid "the curse", we should get married before or after, but better after the month.

We match the guide line with lunar calendar and get xx March 2007 as the right date :)

Second - Building

After getting the date, the next step was picking up the building. There are some options: Gedung Pewayangan TMII, Balai Kartini Sudirman, Balai Komando Cijantung. We actually never observed the first 2 buildings but we ever attended friend's marriage at those places. According to us, those buildings are not suitable enough. First, they are quite far from my parents' and relatives' residence. Second, the volume of those buildings are smaller compared to the third building. So, we decided to choose the third one.

My parents meet the building manager to book the place. When they looked at the booking book, there were so many dates available. It means we were too early to book the place. But since we already knew the marriage date and according to some people experience, we better book the place long time before. So, though the building manager said we still be able to book the place 1 or 2 months later, my parents insist to book it that time.

My parent's intuition seemed to be right because around 5 minutes after they left the place, 5 other couples wanted to book the same date. We were so lucky because we were 5 minutes earlier than them. The situation would be the opposite if we followed the manager's suggestion to book 1 or 2 months later, rite? ;)

Third - Catering

After we booked the place, we got some references of caterer from the building manager. There are some references, but the most wanted is Tidar Catering. The building manager invited us to attend one marriage and had a test food. We also could see the decoration that was already included in a catering package.

We were satisfied with the test food result. The decoration was also magnificiant, very elegant and could represent Java wedding tradition. Finally, we agreed to choose Tidar Catering. We visit Tidar Catering that is located in Tebet. We choosed package for 800 people (later on it was added into 1000 more people). The package included decoration, make up, photo, and MC. But we didn't use make up and photo from the package. We prefered to choose other vendor that has specialist in make up and photo.

Fourth - Make Up

Got Liza Salon name from my aunties. Both of my aunties used this vendor on their wedding. And I liked the result. They looked georgeous, beautiful, "manglingin" (Javanesse said, means looked different from usual/daily). Liza Salon also has so many beautiful of "kebaya" collection ("kebaya" is women traditional dress from Java).

But those kebaya are mostly for small-size-bride. They didn't fit me :(. I had to make new one to be suitable for my size. So, I order 1 kebaya, but then I will give it back to Liza, because to own it will cost higher price. And it will be useless, because kebaya for wedding is very glamour and will be used only once in a life time (unless you are planning to get married again. but in my case, I don't expect it, hehe).

Fifth - Administration

For some friends who continually reading my blog, they know how difficult to process marriage administration in Indonesia. First, according to law in Indonesia, marriage with different religion is illegal. Since Mas Adi is Christian and I'm Muslim, our marriage couldn't be legalized easily here. We could marriage in two ways (Christian in Church then Muslim in Mosque), but it will spend lot of money and time and energy. To make everything efficient, we agreed to get married in Muslim way.

I won't explain the process because, believe me, it's very tiring and boring. I can only say that everything is done now. We already registered our marriage and got "Penghulu" (person in muslim to marry couple, it's like priest in Christian) to marry us. Thanks God for all ease we faced when we processed this part :)

Sixth - Photo

We choosed Le Sae Photography because they were proven good when we used them for our pre-wedding picture session. We liked the result of our prewedding picture. And we have no doubt that they will do much better on our wedding ;)

Seventh - Ring

We just went to Pasar Cikini. Looking at 1 model and liked it. The model is from platinum, but we want gold (because our theme is golden). Each of them has 1 diamond around a half piece of heart, that when we united both of them, they will looked like 2 diamonds around 1 full heart in the middle. We called them: Ring of Love (I ever post the picture here).

Mine has "Adi - xx.03.2007" printed behind. And Mas Adi's has "Susy - xx.03.2007" printed behind.

Eight - Invitation Card

We didn't have any idea for this one. We also didn't have any reference. We ever seen some friends' cards and liked them, but of course our's should be different. We had golden theme for our wedding, so we thought the card should has same theme too.

Based on those clues, we visited Wedding Exhibition in JHCC on Dec 2006. After roaming around, finally we were interested in 1 card's design from SC Card. First, Mas Adi had different taste with me. But then, after we came again to SC Card's office that is located in Teluk Gong, we agreed to choose my design.

There was one little problem when we designed the content of the card. My mother wanted it to be in muslim's version that has some Arabic's letter. Mas Adi and I wanted it to be universal and has 2 languages: Indonesia and English. Because I had some friends from India and some other countries, I need to make it in English version. But 3 version would not be fit in one card! My card will looked very full and not pretty.

Fortunatelly, we had solution for this problem. We made two designs: one is Indonesian muslim, second is Indonesian-English universal. These versions will please everyone ;)

Ninth - Souvenir

Nothing to say because it's still a surprise ;)

Tenth - People in Charge

Overal, our wedding will have 4 functions in order: Pengajian (praying to God), Akad Nikah (religion marriage), Adat Panggih (Java traditional custom), Reception.

Pengajian will be held 2 days before marriage. The place will be in our house. People in charge for this function are ladies of my parents' neighborhood. The function will be attended by around 20-30 people (most are ladies). The purpose of this function is to get blessing from God for our house and life after marriage.

Akad Nikah will be held at 8 am in the morning at the D-day. The place will be in the building. People in charge for this function are some of my uncles and gentlemen of my parents' neighborhood. Their duties are picking up and send "Penghulu" back to his place and being witness of the marriage.

Adat Panggih will be held at 8.30 am at the same day. It's part of Java traditional custom. Actually, Java has a very complicated custom for marriage, but we cut most of them for efficiency.

Original function will have:

a. Siraman and Malam Midodareni

Night before marriage, bride and groom will be bathed by their parents. For girl, she will have last treatment like spa, body scrub and peeling, facial, deep conditioning hair bath, etc.

b. Panggih

Welcoming the groom and his family. Symbolic event of releasing a girl from her parents, accepting groom as a member of family, and showing how a wife should serve a husband and a husband should take care a wife. Our marriage will have this function only. People in Charge for this function are our parents, my uncles and aunties, and Mas Adi's brothers and sisters.

c. Ngunduh Mantu

Reception in groom's side. Usually reception is held in bride's place. But groom's family can also have reception after it, called "Ngunduh Mantu".

Reception will be held at 11.00 am, still at the same day. People in Charge for this function are families, building manager, vendors from catering, photography, MC, entertainer. We also appoint some people for security, food supervisor, gift and money supervisor, and guest supervisor.

We request some friends and families to be "Pager Bagus" and "Pager Ayu" (8 boys and 8 girls who will stand and welcome the guests) and "Penerima Tamu" (4 girls to ask guests to fill the guest book and to give souvenir to the guests. those girls will sit behind reception desk ).

Eleventh - Uniform for families

My mother hunted uniform for families in Pasar Tanah Abang. She choosed orange theme for Mas Adi's family, and yellow theme for my family.

We copied "kebaya" model for ladies from magazine. We gave "batik" (Java traditional shirt for men) with same color and print for gentlemen.

Twelveth - Hotel and transportation

Mas Adi's family will come from outside Jakarta. We had arranged hotel and transportation for them to stay and mobile. The hotel is located in Wisma Pertanian, Pasar Minggu. It is near the building. We also had rented 1 car to be used full day in the D-day.

Thirdteenth - Entertainment

To entertain guests, we will present 1 keyboardist and 3 singers (3 or 2? I forgot). The whole wedding function will be lead by 1 MC from Tidar.

We have not given the song list, but we will make sure everybody will be cheered up ;).

Fourteenth - Prewedding Treatment

After above things are confirmed, it's time for myself to have fun. To make my mind and body relax, I choose pre-wedding treatment package from Salon Martha Tilaar.

I have massage, spa, body scrub and peeling, facial, creambath, menicure and pedicure every week for 8 times. Body treatment before marriage is believed will make us looked shiny on the D-day. And to look perfect, I also do regular practise in gym 3 times a week and fasting every twice a week (Monday and Thursday).

Hopefully, those treatments will make me looked like princess on my marriage ;)

Fifteenth - Honeymoon

We could only think this part when everything is done. But we also couldn't book everything after our marriage. So, we started looking for some honeymoon package in www.Weddingku.com. We also asked some friends who already had romantic honeymoon. In this part, Natalie, has given lot of contribution by sharing her honeymoon experience in Bali. And also Angela, has introduced me to some of her friends who has given reference of some romantic places in Bali.

Why Bali? Not other places outside Indonesia? There are some reasons: first, I never been gone to Bali since my first trip to there. It was 15 years ago. Second, Bali is always famoust by its romantic venue and exotic beach. Third, we love our country, so we love Bali. If people outside Indonesia come to visit Bali and adore the place, why don't we? ;)

Ugggh, finally I can finish this post. Maybe there are some lists still missed here. Those aboves are all I can remember so far.

After reading the list, do you feel tired? Of course. Now you can imagine me, the one who write and have the experience directly. Maybe some of you will understand why I always missed having fun on weekend with you. There are so many things to do but so little times are available :)