Then and Now

I've posted some of these pictures before but I'm a little in awe.  It makes me realize why traditions start and why they matter so much.

Well...sometimes new traditions have to start also.  =P

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun

I had fears that I would be a two-dress bride, sure that I would be a two-shoe bride (still working on the second shoe part), but I never thought I'd be a two reception bride.  I've mentioned before how I was looking forward to certain aspects of having a Chinese reception - mainly the tea ceremony.  Boston Chinatown is pretty small compared to other Chinatowns and there are only 3 main "true" dimsum restaurants.  (FYI: Windsor is a great alternative for dim sum if you don't mind not having the traditional carts).

Most of the places in Boston Chinatown are pretty old so I knew right away I wanted to hold our Chinese reception at Hei La Moon, which was recently renovated.  Also, they were the only place that had a website that posted their full wedding menu only - score for the twinkie girl with a Canto vocab of a 5 year old!  I was able to email the link to my Mom to show her the different menu options.  At this point, Brian and I had assumed we would be paying for this reception with some help with my parents.  Therefore we looked at the cheapest option, saw that it was still 10 courses, and called it good to go.

Well...not so much.  My Mom arrived a week later in Boston and immediately put down the deposit for the most expensive menu option because it had a small roast pig for each table.  o_0 ???  Individual table roast pigs?  Apparently it's not a Chinese wedding if there's no piggie.  Stuff I never knew...

I have no illusions - this is my Mom's wedding that she never really had.  For her own wedding, there was no money and she had to make do with very little.  This is a chance for her to make up for all that she never had.  I understand that and that is why I'm letting her do all this.  She has booked the photographer and videographer for the day and she has booked the transportation and emcee.  She has done more for this day than I have for my own wedding.  I feel slightly guilty about her paying for all this since she works so hard to save money and she has insisted on paying for everything herself.  I'm sure I'll contribute some but with the other wedding reception, it'll be hard.  And it's a compromise for both of us - my Mom dislikes many aspects of the Western wedding decisions I've made (dress, colors, etc) and I'm sure I'll feel very mulish about the "hokey" stuff she wants for the Chinese reception.  But I tell myself it's about a day of love and it'll be fun...if we can both survive the planning process.  =P

Venue Location - Final Part (Or Is It....)

I loved loved loved The Charles Hotel.  However, it was just a little too much than our budget allowed.  Even after looking at our budget multiple times and trying to reallocate funds, it just didn't seem to work.  I tried to reconcile myself to the Multicultural Center - which I did like.  However, it just didn't speak to me as much as The Regatta Bar did.

When Brian and I were visiting my parents over Thanksgiving, my mom expressed a LOT of interest in holding a Chinese reception as well.  This was something I had thought about briefly because I did want to pay tribute to my heritage.  Also, growing up watching Chinese dramas, I had always imagined myself layered in gold like a princess and who am I to deny my inner princess?  :-P

I had originally thought we could hold the Chinese reception as part of our rehearsal dinner.  But then my cousins let me know that my mom was disappointed that a lot of her friends weren't invited so Brian and I thought about holding the Chinese reception on its own - AFTER our Western wedding.  That way my mom could invite all her friends and we could shift some of the people we had allocated to the Western wedding to the Chinese reception.  By doing so, we reduced about 25 people from the wedding at The Charles - which significantly brought down our costs at The Charles.

My mother has offered to help pay for the Chinese ceremony so even though overall we are adding some unexpected costs, it has allowed us to pick The Charles Hotel for our wedding - EEEEK!!!!!!  *^___^*

Here are some pics of my mom and dad on their wedding day.  My parents are in the middle holding hands (so cute!).  Plus, in case you didn't know who the bride/groom were, they're wearing the nifty red tags with the word "bride" and "groom" on it.  I can't wait to make Brian wear it (he has no idea!).   I am sure I will somehow "lose" mine before the reception....oops!  :)

The tea ceremony.  I am truly excited about this part because 1. I like tea and 2. I will get to honor my parents and family during the ceremony.  Red packets aren't bad either.

I love how  my dad is looking at my mom in this picture.  My mom has been saving the necklace in the picture for me ever since I've been born.  I can't wait to finally wear it.  And in her words, she's glad she finally gets to gift it because she was worried I was never going to get married.  Oh, Mom....I love you...you're so Asian.  :)