When your guests flock
to the bathroom, make it a memorable experience with some posh hand wash and lotion (don’t laugh—it scores big points). We love Cochine’s white jasmine and gardenia scented hand soap. While you’re at it, fill a box with hairspray, a comb, breath mints, band-aids (for blistered feet in high heels), plus a few other toiletries, and your girlfriends will love you forever.
Cost: Cochine hand wash: $210; hand lotion: $220 from various outlets including Indigo Living, 216-218, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Rd., Central, 2523-5561.
For a guest, there’s nothing more frustrating than being at an event with lots of different components and not knowing what’s coming next. People love to be told where to go and when things are happening, so do them a favor and print a program, telling them what’s happening on the day and when, and get a friend to hand them to guests as they arrive.
Cost: Time Studio (280 Queen’s Rd. Central, Sheung Wan, 2543-2200, timestudio@ymail.com) will do 100 A5 programs for around $650.
If the drinks are flowing freely, chances are you’ll have a few people worse for wear at the end of the night. Pre-empt the carnage by ordering some carb-heavy snacks for around 11pm. If your venue won’t provide them, try ordering some curries from Bombay Dreams (www.foodbyweb.com.hk)—trust us, it’ll be welcomed like sweet manna from heaven. Also, a couple bottles of water for inebriated guests to go home with would be much appreciated. Even if they don’t remember, their spouses will.
Cost: $600 should get you enough curries to feed the stragglers. Evian costs $11.90 per 500ml bottle from Park N Shop.
Better for the environment than confetti, bubbles add a touch of fun to proceedings. Hand them out to younger guests to play with during your ceremony.
Cost: $8.90 per 4oz bottle from Toys R Us, Man Yee Building, 60-60 Des Voeux Rd., Central, 2259-9155, www.toyrus.com.hk.
With people Facebooking and Twittering their every move, why not create a Flickr site (www.flickr.com) where everyone can upload their iPhone photos in real time? Just email everyone the link and password beforehand (or print it on your program), and you’ll get an instant album of awesome photos taken from the perspectives of your friends.
Cost: Free!
H&M (68 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2110-9546) is a great place to look for dresses for your attendants—they come in lots of sizes, they’re stylish rather than frumpy, and most of all: they’re affordable. The red dress is perfect for a winter wedding at $399 and the white one is a snip at $299.
Don’t: Buy nasty Temple Street cheongsams for them to wear, unless your theme is “prostitute.”
Forget spending a small fortune on hundreds of tiny porcelain boxes; Wing Tai Plastic Bags Factory (107 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2850-4868) does chiffon favor pouches in every color under the sun at $60 for 100 bags. Fill with candy for an easy-peasy gift favor.
Don’t: Spend loads of money on favors if you’re
on a budget; most people lose them on the way
home anyway.
Don’t let anyone convince you that you have to spend $10,000 on a wedding cake if you don’t have the cash. We like the idea of stacking a bunch of Mrs. Fields brownies ($1,750 for 150) into a pyramid and serving them to your guests instead. Order enquiries: 2609-4363, marketing@mrsfields.com.hk.
Don’t: Serve defrosted Sara Lee.
You don’t need designer
heels to offset your outfit—DYOS at Avenues House of Heels (G/F, 59 Des Voeux Rd. Central, www.avenues.com.hk) offers a beautiful range of ready-to-wear occasion shoes starting at $800 a pair.
Don’t: Assume that no one will see your shoes as they’re hidden under your dress. So even if they’re not expensive, make sure you like ‘em.
