Renovation Ideas: Floor and Fittings

Now we have decided on themes for our new home.

Accordingly, we went to a showroom and looked for warm-looking bright wooden floor and bright wooden fittings.

"Bright, Natural, and Cute" is what I want for my new home!!!

BTW, the color of my kitchen is going to be honey white with cute handles (left bottom image). I double checked the color with the floor sample.

We still have to visit few more showrooms to decide our equipments to install...

The high recently is around 68F (20C), but it is cold in the evening. We might need overcoat soon.

This afternoon, I have a physical checkup which takes for more than 3 hours!!! Once a year but it is a pain...

Bye for now!

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Our Photo Montage Video Presentations

Yes! We did it!!!

I think this was the heaviest task we had in our wedding preparations!

As I wrote before, a childhood photo montage video presentation is the highlight of entertainment for the guests at the wedding reception in Japan. Therefore, we planned to play our original video during our reception. First, it was tiring to look for the software that works on our PC. Believe it or not, we went back and forth the electronics retail stores for many times to exchange the software (for many reasons)... Then another tiring part was the creation! Since it was a project of our two, we had to go over the video together and edit. Needless to say, there is no peace. I don't remember how many times I argued with my darling...

It was hell in many ways, but I'm glad everyone liked it! We also played an end-title roll video in the end of the reception to thank everyone who attended and contributed to our wedding.

Now I uploaded those two videos on my YouTube account. Sorry, they are set as private, so please feel free to send me a request if you want to take a look ;)

Childhood Photo Montage Video Presentation

Combined with our favorite music, from childhood photos to dating and engagement photos, this video is a special reflection on our past to tell the story of us, who eventually meet and fall in love.




End-Title Roll

Credits combined with our favorite music and photos. We listed names of our guests and people who contributed to our wedding.




Hope you enjoy them :D

※結婚式に使ったプロフィールビデオとエンドロールです。ソフトはPhoto Movie Studio 5 Weddingを使用。YouTubeに限定公開していますので見たい方はリクエストメッセージを下さい☆

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Welcome Board Idea

A welcome board is a board displayed at the entrance to a wedding venue.

At first, we had no idea, but while in NY (this summer), without expectation, we looked for a street artist in Times Square who can draw something for us. After looking for a while, we found a Chinese guy who drew something we want!!! His drawing was worth the money - using colors cost 25 bucks.

However, lastly, he suggested us to get a frame which cost us an additional 20 bucks! Is he a rip-off?! We thought for a while but we decided to get it because he was a nice guy. Also, we thought we need some kind of frame later anyway.

But he was right! The tool he used was charcoal so the drawing can smudge easily!!! I once tried to take it out from the frame but it smudged, so I realized it. I see some people who roll up their drawings, but I don't think they can take home as is.

Anyway, it's pretty fun to have your portrait drawn by a street artist for your wedding ;)

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Disposable Camera

Another wedding idea here!

We set each guest table with a disposable camera for fun! Luckily, I found a perfect disposable camera for our wedding theme. You see, this Hello Kitty holds an apple in her hand = The Big Apple!!!

The quality of the photos are not perfect as compared to digital camera, but they have certain nostalgic output :) Now you can develop them on a CD, which is very convenient to browse! 189 photos came out successful. BTW, some people have forgotten how to use the disposable camera. You have to keep 1m distance between the camera and the object. he-he!!!

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Our Wedding Reception Foods

Back to our wedding story again.

Without question, we catered chef Wakiya's fancy and healthy Chinese cuisine from "トゥーランドット遊仙境 - Turandot Yusenkyo" restaurant in Akasaka. They offer a new style of Chinese cooking inspired by the traditional food of Shanghai, Szechuan, Canton and Beijing. All dishes come with fresh vegetables. Very healthy and delicious! We once had his dishes at Turandot restaurant in Yokohama and fascinated by their fabulous presentation.

Our favorite dish is their fancy appetizer called "Nine Happiness"! Each is served with seasonal fresh vegetables and unique ingredients.

Their casual but fancy Chinese food just fit our wedding in the Park!!!

I'm glad everyone enjoyed :)

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What Is Your Ideal Home?

In June, we signed the purchasing contract for a condo which will be delivered next January, so now it is time to decide our renovation specifications!

At first, I was for cool-looking home (top images), but my darling said we have to imagine living there starting a family...

Last night, I therefore wrote down some themes for our new home:

- loving home
- cozy home
- relaxing home
- children-friendly home
- caring family
- happy family
- warm sunshine
- warmth of nature
- bright and roomy

A warm-looking home with bright wooden floor and bright wooden fittings might be the one (bottom images)! Will see...

What Is Your Ideal Home?

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Wedding Dress-Up

I don't remember how many times I played wedding dress-up...
We visited 2 different shops. However, without question, we rented all our wedding costumes (including New York photo wedding) at JOYFUL ELI.

There we found really nice dresses and tuxedos at a great rental value! Actually, we made a snap decision because all dresses were my taste!!! Also, as I wrote before, the lady who assisted my fitting used to live in Harrison (New York), which was a fateful encounter!!!

Limited to my friends, I posted some of the dresses I tried on my Facebook album!!!

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Our Wedding Photos - from Guests

Yay! My parents, my friends, and my wedding team gave us some pics from our wedding. I posted few of them on my Facebook album. Limited to my friends only. Please check them out ;)

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Wedding Nails

Because I cook every day, I didn't have a plan to do my nails until the last moment, but I did, and that was a right decision!!!

As you know by now, our wedding theme was "Heart Full NY Central Park", so I decorated my nails with glittering hearts! To make them look neat, those hearts are placed on top of french nails. Thus, my nails matched both white and pink dresses!!!

I chose gel nails (Calgel) because they are said to promote nail health. It won't lift, peel, chip, go rubbery or damage your own nails. My gems are embedded in gel as a silky smooth nail overlay which are easy to handle ;)

They last for a month, so I'm going to enjoy them for a while :)

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Our Wedding - 2010.10.10

Our wedding became the largest event in my life.

Being celebrated by our family, relatives, coworkers, and friends, we became happier than ever. I am glad that we planned to have our wedding and I really appreciate everyone who attended our wedding on this day.

We met our wedding planner Natsu at Julia's rose last December while looking for our wedding hall. We attended a lot of wedding events, but her's was special. She said she can help us hold an original wedding filled with flowers.

Our wedding theme was "Heart Full NY Central Park". LA COLLEZIONE was the perfect place for that theme. (Btw, this is why we sealed our invitations with apple stickers = BIG APPLE!!!)

GOTO FLORIST did their best to meet our expectations. They grew a lawn beside the guest tables and created the Central Park! To make it look more natural, they added some trees and rocks. You can find birds and squirrels in the park, too! In the park, there is a table where you can have a break ;) In contrast, all guest tables were decorated with heart-shaped flower arrangements. Hearts hanging from the ceiling created shadowgraph of hearts. Then last but not least, we accented the park with a huge heart :)

Speaking of foods, we catered our favorite Chinese food from Turandot. We rented a huge wedding cake, which was my dream! Then last but not least, I served my pink brownies along with recipe cards!!! I was really happy to see everyone enjoying their meals :)

Happy time passes quickly. After the wedding, our hall was cleaned up in a second and went back the way it was.

It was our happiest day, at the same time I felt lonely saying goodbye to all our guests, Natsu, and those who helped us for about a year to make them all come true! How sad it ends in few hours!!!

But yes! Our wedding forever engraved in our hearts. It made our love even stronger :)

We will never ever forget this day!!!

P.S.
I will show you the professional pics later when ready!

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BVLGARI - Band Ring

These are our wedding rings!!!

BVLGARI - Band Ring is made of 18K white gold using 0.04 carat diamond. We are not great fans of BVLGARI, but somehow we both liked BVLGARI style. We carved our names and the date of our reception: 20101010. I don't know if you remember it or not but my engagement ring is BVLGARI, too :)

Today I wrote few other wedding related posts because I couldn't post them all in one :P

I will see you guys after the wedding.

Good luck to us!!!

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Civil Wedding Ceremony (人前式 - Jinzen Shiki)

What's Your Wedding Style?

We wanted our wedding to have a real homey feel, so we chose Civil Wedding Ceremony (人前式 - Jinzen Shiki). It is a nonreligious wedding ceremony which bride and groom read out their own vows in front of those present, implore them to validate the marriage. Believe it or not, this wedding style is not a new style but is a traditional wedding style from Edo era even before the Japanese wedding ceremony become popular in Meiji era!

Our marriage vows are now completed!
We have to practice reading them out nicely without making a mistake :P

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Taurine

We only have 3 more days left till our wedding reception.
What I could do the rest of the days is to manage my fatigue!!!
I know it is not good to depend on energy drinks, but I am depending on them these few days.

I am trying out cute packaged ones. He-he!!!
It seems like Taurine makes me energetic :D

Taurine is an amino acid that supports neurological development and helps regulate the level of water and mineral salts in the blood. Up to 3,000mg a day of supplemental taurine is considered safe. Any excess taurine is simply excreted.

For me, the energy drinks that contain 500mg of Taurine is enough to recover!!!

But the review published in 2008 found that "the amounts of guarana, taurine, and ginseng found in popular energy drinks are far below the amounts expected to deliver therapeutic benefits".

Hmm... What do you think?!
Placebo or whatever, I am sure that Taurine makes me energetic!!!

I just finished my first draft of the letter to my parents and my speeches. Whew...

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My Accomplishments

Again, it is time to list my accomplishments!

On 9/7, my Olive Oil and Soy Sauce Marinated Spinach and Bacon was introduced on the campaign site at Cookpad. My recipe was posted as an example using Cielo's olive oil.


On 9/10, my Healthy Black Smoothie won the award for excellence. I used black ingredients such as black sesame seeds, black vinegar and black beans!


On 9/13, my Healthy Pan-Fried Minced Cutlet received the 100th report! Also, my Western Style Sweet and Sour Crab Omelet received the 10th report :D

On 9/14, I won a box of pear at the 35th anniversary campaign of Save the Earth Group. I was the 350th follower of their tweets, so that's why! I never thought of winning something on twitter!!!

Last but not least, my biggest award in September was the special award at Jambalaya Original Recipe Contest 2010! My darling and I are going to use the prize (dinner coupon) on our first marriage anniversary on 11/22!!!

I will be busy again this month but I'll always do my best.

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Weather Forecast For Our Wedding Day...

The weather forecast for our wedding day (10/10/2010) is highs in the upper 60Fs (20Cs), with 50% chance of precipitation :(



We are not the rain bringers, so I hope the weather clears up!!!

BTW, in Japan, we make "teru teru bouzu" (literally means shiny-shiny Buddhist priest) a little traditional hand-made doll made of white paper or cloth and hang outside of the window with a string. The doll supposed to have magical powers to bring good weather and to stop or prevent a rainy day. It was started by Japanese farmers long ago.

Do you have any charm to prevent rain in your tradition?

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