In total, we just had to go through 2 and a half months of preparation to do a wedding and it was all fun and quarrels in between. A modest homey wedding and intimate reception was all we wanted, and Alhamdulillah it turned out way more than I had ever expected.

So as you may have known and read about our story here, Firzi and I have decided to go serious with each other since the very beginning after we met. My husband (lol omg, this is still very new to me), has always been a committed person and only needed a little push and a few months to finally go to my parents and asked for their blessings.

It was that quick. End of December, Firzi asked for my father's blessing, January our parents meets and told their intention, and finally April 14, 2019 was set to date of our elopement and wedding. MashaAllah.

After that whole meeting, my family and I started to survey a lot of different vendors, decors, catering, location and many others.
Setelah memilah-milah dan mencari berbagai macam opsi, akhirnya pilihan diputuskan pada sanggar Diamond Wedding Services. Dengan bantuan marketing, Ibu Retno, we decided we will use their all-round services. Service tersebut termasuk catering, decor, fotografer, MC, sewa baju akad dan resepsi, sewa baju orang tua, sewa baju among tamu dan keluarga, serta make up keluarga pun sudah termasuk. It was an all-in-one service that's perfect for us that only has less than 3 months to plan a wedding. We were welcome to customize each services, jadi misal kalau kita tidak ingin menggunakan make up artist dari sanggar, atau kita sudah memiliki fotografer pilihan, we can adjust the remaining budget to put it elsewhere. Sebagai contoh, saya memilih untuk menggunakan make up artist dari luar, bukan pilihan dari Diamond, jadi budget yang tidak terpakai untuk make up artist Diamond, saya alokasikan untuk menambah porsi catering.

Here's several detail about Fida and Firzi's wedding:

1. Location

I've always wanted to have my akad nikah at home, because my dad has specifically made our Musholla the way it was, so one day they will be able to have their kids' wedding and send them off there, at home. Beberapa tahun lalu, kakak sayapun mendapatkan kesempatan yang sama untuk dinikahkan di rumah, so I want it to be just as special.
Another thing I always wanted for my wedding was a small intimate gathering in an open space, where guests can enjoy themselves without wary. Setelah menghitung-hitung budget dan pengeluaran, we decided to just have the reception at home as well. Alhamdulillah that our parents own a house with quite large garden, so I never doubt it could turn out to be a beautiful wedding setting. Just a little note, melaksanakan pernikahan di rumah dan di gedung ada plus dan minusnya. Jika dilakukan di rumah, banyak cost yang tentunya tetap perlu dipertimbangkan dibandingkan di gedung/public space. Tenda, listrik, sewa AC & kipas, perbaikan rumah (cat, dll), serta SDM yang mumpuni, yang rela dan dapat membantu setidaknya dari H-2. Mungkin secara cost-wise dan untuk yang tidak mau ribet akan memilih langsung di gedung, but being at home, you can have your own timing where guests can take their time to chill and hang out with the bride and groom and family. And that was the intimacy I ever wanted to have on my wedding day.

2. Decoration

Kudos to Mba Fatimah dari Diamond who have literally translated all my wants and needs for this wedding and made it far more than what I've imagined. It all started by eyeing on the infamous rattan chair yang lagi hits di Instagram. With my obsession of GoT, I feel I kind of want that #ForTheThrone feel in my wedding (lol). I also wanted to have a garden party feel, so picnic chair and table was also on my idea. Saya menunjukkan ke mba Fatimah kursi rotan yang super mewah cantik itu dan bilang "aku mau kursi kyk gini. ada ga?". Yang paling saya sukai dari mba Fatimah adalah kegigihannya dalam memberikan kepuasan pada clientnya. Hampir setiap permintaan yang saya minta sama dia, dia hanya bilang "oke, bisa diatur. Tenang aja mba, aman." My doubts faded. Even though at first she said Diamond doesnt have that chair, but she told me she'll talk to her boss and will make it happen for me. Which she did.
After talking about what I wanted my akad and reception would look like, she provided me with detailed layout of where things are going to be placed and D-1 all her decor crews came to set up. I was so worried in the beginning because Mba Fatimah said her crews will come after Isya prayers which was around 7:30, but they didn't come until after 10pm. My family and the Diamond wedding team assured me that it's all going to be fine and I should get some sleep for the big day the next day. I went to sleep hesitantly and woke up the next morning at 3am, shocked dan terharu. Everything was set up so beautifully and I had to walk all around the house to see it all together. MasyaAllah.

3. Tenda

One of the most "saya pasrah aja deh" moment adalah memilih tenda yang akan dipasang di rumah untuk acara. Kelabilan libra gal ini adalah termasuk tidak bisa memilih satu atau dua warna saja utk dipasang di tenda. So I chose 3. Warnanya pun cuma pakai feeling aja karena tidak ada bayangan akan seperti apa tendanya. Feeling itu, yang kira-kira akan match with the whole decor, which was a bad idea. I added pink to the option, which when it was set up with grey and creme, it looks pretty wrong! Jadi H-2 masih ngambek-ngambek lucu sama ibu dan pak Pepen, mau ganti warna tenda yang pink jadi putih aja. Dan Alhamdulillah, Pak Pepen yang sebelumnya sudah pernah pegang tenda kawinan kakak saya dan udah klop saya ibu saya membolehkan keinginan saya merubah warna tenda tersebut.
Another beautiful part of the house yang di tendain adalah tempat pelaminan. Bagus banget! Pak Pepen memberikan ide untuk dibuat tenda yang gelembung-gelembung dan tambahan daun supaya dapat kesan "rustic" nya. I had no idea what I was getting, but it truly turned out beyond my expectation. Pak Pepen dan tim juga hadir untuk pemasangan tenda dari H-5, dan sigap memantau apabila ada bagian-bagian yang bocor. Amazing team work!

4. Make Up

Even before I had a partner or partner for life, I've always loved looking at different MUAs on Instagram. Mulai dari yang followersnya ratusan ribu, belasan ribu sampe cm beberapa ribu, saya juga suka liatin. Kadang suka menemukannya lewat teman atau orang yang menaruhkan detail weddingnya di Instagram, lalu saya cek. I always wanted a make up that would still look natural but pretty. I don't want my face to change from the make up, just an enhancement. Dan pastinya saya mau make up artist yang affordable and ga berlebihan sampe puluhan juta seperti kebanyak MUA jaman now di Jakarta. Berlebihan. So my final decision was from several options, yang menurut saya make up pengantinnya natural. Sidiyanti, Hepidavid, Jasmine Lishava, Rozana Julani dan Olis Herawati. Literally best of the best and most senior MUAs for weddings I ever found. Tanya dong, pricelist satu-satu. Haha, ketawa aja deh sambil mules-mules mikirin harganya yang lumayan sekali! But then to my great luck, Mba Sissy Sidiyanti has one of the most reasonable pricelist and I booked her straight away! <3 dan alhamdulillah, cocok banget! I still recognize my face in the miror, yet I still look flawless in both photos and real life. Thank you mba Sissy for being a gem and humor disaat saya lagi nervous nungguin momen sakral!

5. Sanggar Baju dan Gaun

Mudah dan enaknya one stop service dari Diamond Wedding adalah baju dan gaun yang diinginkan tinggal dipilih! Ada ratusan, mungkin ribuan gaun, kebaya, kain dan lainnya di sanggar ini, dan disaat sudah deal mau memakai servicenya, saya tinggal memilih gaun yang saya inginkan. I didn't want a dress too lebay for my reception, we are doing it at home anyway, jadi dress panjang putih yang tidak terlalu ada ekor panjang menjadi pilihan saya. It was so majestic with all the embroideries yet simple. The whole choosing a dress and fitting pada saat itu dibantu oleh Mba Tri. MashaAllah, I couldn't find another sweet and patient human being ever. Mba Tri dulu pernah berurusan dengan salah satu sahabat saya yang menikah di Jogja and I was there to make appointments with. This time, dia turut bahagia sama saya karena akhirnya dia bisa pegang saya menikah juga. Hand bouquet juga disiapkan dari sanggar Diamond, dan saya request khusus ingin bunga seperti apa oleh mba Tri. And she totally made it happen! I was extremely satisfied :)

Salah satu teman saya pernah bilang, "kalau lo married, harus banget deh pake baju adat. Sekali seumur hidup aja soalnya. Pasti lo akan merasa cantik!" so I did. I've always loved traditions and culture, and I am so thankful that my roots are from the West Sumatra, yang pilihan baju adatnya, terutama untuk pernikahan adalah salah satu baju adat yang sangat indah dan mewah. Pilihan saya jatuh kepada baju adat Koto Gadang, yang alhamdulillah Diamond sudah memiliki juga partner sanggar khusus baju minang, Sanggar Azzura. Sanggar Azzura memiliki warna baju adat Koto Gadang yang terbatas, setelah berkali-kali galau memilih warna apa, akhirnya saya tetap memilih warna merah sebagai warna umum baju adat khas Minang. Uni Eka dan timnya sangatlah sabar dengan pilihan saya yang berubah-ubah, dan pada saat acara they've done their job so patiently to made me a beautiful Koto Gadang bride <3

6. Wedding Organizer

WO paling krusial lah and I'm so thankful I got the best at it. An old friend of mine, a mutual friend from college has a wedding organizer business for a while. Andrika, dengan Promessa Wedding Organizer nya sudah berperan menjadi WO kakak saya di pernikahannya tahun 2015 lalu. This time, I asked for her new pricelist dan dia men-suggest sister company nya Promessa, yaitu Narabudaya. A more reasonably-priced WO service for intimate weddings. Karena di rumah dengan kawasan parkir yang sulit, saya juga konsultasi dengan Andrika untuk menyiapkan Valet untuk membantu parkir di area komplek. And she continues to perform finding the best valet service sesuai budget in only 10 seconds! Seharusnya, Narabudaya bergerak hanya dengan salah satu owner dan teman-teman yang membantu pada hari H. Tapi alhamdulillah, sis Andrika yang super generous dan baik hati sangat memperhatikan detail dan kelangsungan wedding ini dengan amat sangat baik, jadi diapun menggerakkan dirinya dan 1 co-owner Promessa & Narabudaya khusus terlibat pada #FidaTravelstoFirzi. Jadilah co-captains Andrika dan kak Meta bergerak memberikan ketenangan, instruksi yang baik terhadap seluruh vendor H-30, serta menjalankan tugas-tugasnya with excellency selama hari H dengan teman-temannya.
Tim mereka ada yang stand by di hotel untuk CPP (Firzi) bertugas untuk membangunkan Firzi dan menyiapkan CPP dengan baik. Firzi yang waktu itu baru tidur jam 3 pagi dan harus siap-siap lagi jam 6 sangat diurus dengan baik, bahkan Firzi sampai cerita ke saya kalau "WOnya sampe ngelipet-lipetin celana dalem aku trs di masukin ke koper! Malu banget aku!" Really shows how attention to detail and assertive their team was. And don't get me started on how their team was always 100% ready with tissues after all the crying and make up luntur di baju Bapak saya during Akad Nikah. They were a wonderful team, their energy, detail and put together service, I couldn't ask for a better wedding organizer! <3
For future bride-to-be's, I hope you don't have to go through all the stress in planning a wedding. Do it just as you wish, but stay hopeful with the results. Most importantly, remember what your main purpose is. Afterall, it's the marriage, not the wedding. Good luck!

Untuk meringkas semua vendor yang saya pakai, here are the contacts:

• Sanggar: @diamond_weddings - Ibu Retno (Marketing) - +62 812-8766-7224 (psst, tell her you got her contact from Fida Firzi wedding, and you may get a discount!)
• Koto Gadang: @sanggar_azzura 
• Make Up: @sidiyanti
• Photography: @divo_photo from Diamond Weddings
• Tenda: Pak Pepen - +62 878-8015-6660
• Bridal shoes: @marryme_id
• Tux Boutonniere: @roseforyou_
• Wedding Organizer: @narabudaya