Lifestyle deflation! Deflate like a balloon!

"I ask two things from you, Lord. Don't refuse me before I die. Keep me from lying and being dishonest. And don't make me either rich or poor; just give me enough food for each day. 9 If I have too much, I might reject you and say, 'I don't know the Lord.' If I am poor, I might steal and disgrace the name of my God" - Proverbs 30: 7-9

For the past 1 year of my working life, I’ve been exposed to the idea of lifestyle inflation rather frequently. 

Lifestyle inflation refers to an increase in spending when an individual’s income goes up. It tends to become greater every time an individual gets a raise/bonus and can make it difficult to get out of debt, save for retirement or meet other financial needs. Examples of lifestyle inflation would be getting that first branded bag. Branded watch, luxurious travel and even more frequent fine dining experience. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that all these are evil and should be avoided at all cost. What I’m saying is that these little wants start to creep in rather unconsciously into our lives and before we know it, that $x amount of pay cheque doesn’t seem to be able to support our lifestyle anymore. 

Was I a victim of lifestyle inflation? Hell yes! Some foolish mistakes I made was to immediately sign up for a facial package after I barely starting working for a few months and subsequently signed up for a gym membership T.T. AND a few months after, I went to get a new iPhone 11… so you kinda know what I mean. What went through my mine prior to signing was “since I’m working, I should be able to afford it! Its only about $100 plus per month mah.” Little did I know a few months down the road that I’ve unknowingly welcomed lifestyle inflation into my life. But what’s done is done and there is no point beating myself up over financial mistakes. However, I can always learn from my mistakes and not to make them again. 

So instead of lifestyle inflation, let’s go for lifestyle deflation instead! 

Lifestyle deflation is an active choice of deliberately choosing financial choices below your means AKA living below your means. This is especially important as one will never know when they next recession or retrenchment would hit you. As the saying goes, when it rain, it pours - it’s always good to live below your means so that should anything bad happen, you would still be able to weather the storm :) 

Here are some tips I use to remind myself to not succumb to the new crazy 

1. Stop chasing after the next fad 

You see, Apple is always gonna launch the latest iphone anyways. 

Until unless you realise that it is a never ending cycle, you are always going to chase after the next best thing, but at what cost? The market is always evolving and constant coming up with the latest gadgets to get consumers money. This means that within a few months, your ‘latest’ phone, EarPods etc wouldn’t be the ‘best’ out there anymore. Get off the race and buy only when you need to. 

2. Don’t compare with others. 

One of the things that drove me to buying more things, spending more on dining experiences previously was my comparison with my peers. I often see my peers having the 'time of their lives' whenever they post about their latest travel, finest food, cars etc on instagram. 

It makes me feel envious and kinda makes me wanna have those kind of experiences too. However, how i reminded myself is to never compare with others because firstly, our financial situation is different and secondly, looking rich doesn’t mean you are rich. You don’t have to keep keeping up with the Joneses :)

3. Choose the more affordable option 

Between Starbucks and kopitiam coffee? Choose the latter if you just need the caffeine kick. I’m not saying that we should restrain ourselves from all forms of ‘luxury’ and ‘comfort’ nor am I suggesting to choose the cheapest option of it all, but I think we should always choose to be prudent. 

Cafe brunch or hawker centre breakfast? Choosing the former could easily set us back about $22! That could buy me about 5 bowls of fishball noodles or 4 plates of caifan! 

4. Be grateful and contented

Being thankful and counting my blessings remind me that less is more. How much could I really need to be happy? Not much. 

This ties in nicely with the notion of being contented. When I am contented with what I already have, I find myself having less desire to purchase the next piece of fashionable clothing etc. 

Thus, the next time you find yourself coveting the latest iphone, ask yourself if could potentially make you happy or it is just a momentarily euphoria. 

Remember, you really don’t need a lot to be happy :) 

*image taken from google images*

You don't really need a gym membership ...

It’s kind of a bittersweet experience that my gym membership at Anytime Fitness will come to end this month. It was a place where my habit and routine of exercising developed but somehow along the way, I felt that it was not exactly necessary for me. Let me explain:

I signed up for the gym membership a few months into my work because I felt that using the SGactive gym was a little too troublesome… The public gyms were often crowded, and this meant that I had to wait around to use the weights etc. It made sense for me to sign up for a gym membership if I were to use it regularly and cut down on the sharing time. So I signed up at ATF under the healthcare heroes promo and got a rather affordable rate for 1 year. 

Initially, things were fun and diversified. There were classes for me to join and there was gym equipment for me to use. I didn’t have to ‘force’ myself to any routine and exercising was fun! I remember I could choose to attend kickboxing classes, yoga or HIIT classes whenever I did not feel like doing a ‘normal’ gym workout. 

Unfortunately, all these group classes grinded to a stop due to COVID-19 and I only had the choice to do the normal workouts myself or use the track mill. As my goal of going to the gym is not really to lift a 120 kg of weight etc, it became somewhat a chore to me to head down to the gym almost 3-4 times a week out of obligation as I didn’t want to ‘waste’ my membership. This continued till Circuit breaker this year when all gyms were closed. Initially I was a little frantic because it was obviously a disruption to my weekly routine. What if I became weaker after a month?! Well, dengue happened so it didn’t really matter haha. 

Even after I recovered from dengue, the gyms weren’t allowed to open yet! Thus, I reverted back to basics: HIIT and running outdoors. I found different YouTube channels which provided free workouts including HIIT, Pilates, yoga and weights workout. On days where the weather was cooling, I would go for a short run. These made me realize that hey! I do not actually need a gym to be healthy and fit! And to be honest, I was really getting bored of heading to the gym aimlessly for 3-4 times a week (ok, I still did proper workouts but just not as motivated before).

While going back to basics may take some time for me to grow accustom to, I’m confident that I’ll be able to enjoy those free youtube workouts in no time just at the comforts of my home. T&I also ordered a combined 105kg paired dumbbell set so that we can exercise at home as well. Well, I’m actually glad cb happened as it showed me the things which I could possibly live without and gym is probably one of them. Cheers to ~$1000k ++ savings per year from now on!  

Questions to ask yourself when you are considering a gym membership:

1. Would you utilize it often enough such that the cost per visit is justified? 

a. For me, each visit turned out to be around $7-$10 depending on the frequency I visited the gym. It was worthwhile when there were lessons because it was one of the main pull factors that got me signed up. However, with group classes put on indefinite halt, I don’t think $7-$10 for a normal gym work out (mostly dumbbell, machines and the track mill) is worth it for me. 

2. Is the gym accessible? 

a. IMO, I think the gym should be close to your house to save you some travelling time. If it takes an hour for you to travel, you might end up going to the gym less and less when life hits you. 

3. Do you need the fancy equipment? 

a. After trying out lifting and the squatting rack, I realized that I really have no passion to be those heavy weightlifters. Sure, they are really impressive, but I’m really not game for it haha. 

b. If you are just like me, perhaps it would be less stressful and more cost effective to invest in a yoga mat and a set of dumbbells for home workout 

If you are interested where I got my weights from, I got it from ezbuy: https://m.ezbuy.sg/product/51000600897119.html

I have not received it yet but so far the reviews are good! Will update once I receive it :> 

The paradox of choice – How I chose my wedding banquet

Remember that I said I was flustered and almost angsty because I couldn’t decide on the venue? Tada, I have fallen into the trap of the paradox of choice. Like many kiasu Singaporean out there, I couldn’t make a decision unless I have done my research and made enough comparison right?? It’s the fear of missing out on the best deal! To a certain extent yes. I still believe in having a selection of choice and making an informed decision. However, what happens when there are too many options to choose from and I just can’t choose? 

The idea of ‘less is more’ is popular among the minimalist. Therefore, they question themselves if they need so many things in their life that clutters not only their physical space but also their mental clarity. 

Rolf Dobelli highlighted the illusion of choice very clearly in his book “The art of thinking clearly” where he mentioned that too many choices leads to inner paralysis. This in turn leads to poorer decision quality and frustration. He listed an example where her sister had TOO many selections of tiles to choose from for her new house that she just couldn’t decide on which one. This was because she was afraid that she would make the ‘wrong’ choice and wants to make the ‘best’ decision. However, there is simply so such thing as a perfect decision. 

This reminder helped me focus a little more when I was about to go deeper into the selection frenzy. When I was frustrated and could not make a decision, I wanted to look for more choices for comparison as I thought it would help me in making a better choice. Nope. So what I have learnt from the book is that when there are a wide selection of choices, I have to: 

1. List down what I want – which was what I did in my previous blog post. 

2. Write it down and follow it rigidly – following it rigidly was tough 

3. Learn to love the ‘good choice’.  

Ultimately, we have to be gentle with ourselves and understand that we will never make a perfect decision. Sometimes we may have judgment errors but hey that’s ok because life is about continuous learning journey right? ☺

Therefore, for my wedding gown selection, I have decided to narrow down into my top 3 bridal boutiques before going down 👍

Banquet site viewing - part II

Next up, let’s talk about the last 3 hotels which we crammed visited on Saturday. 

Regent Hotel 

First up we have regent hotel. I was really excited to visit this place as the food on the menu looked great! Let’s find out more below. 

1. Price 3/5 stars 

Really off our budget. However, comparing with 2019 and 2018 rates, their rates for this year actually decreased by quite a bit. I guess it’s probably due to COVID-19. For BTB who has a bigger budget, I think this is a good deal! 

2. Food 5/5 stars

One Michelin star restaurant! The food would probably be great?!

3. Capacity 4/5 stars 

For both Nassim and Paterson room, they require a minimum 100 pax and they charge by a table of 10. This means that if you have a turn up rate of 90, you will still be charged for 100 pax. But this is a rare time where they allow 100 pax and its ‘thanks’ to covid again!

4. Layout 5/5 stars 

I fell in love with the hotel the moment I stepped into it!! Although the exterior of the hotel looked old, the interiors were well furbished and grand. It felt rather majestic when I stepped into the lobby. The layout of Nassim room is elongated and the floral arrangements are great. The windows are a plus point as the natural sunlight would allow for great pictures during AD. For Paterson room, it is more rectangular, and every table would be able to have a better view of the stage compared to Nassim room. 

5. Location 3/5 stars 

It takes about 10-15 minutes for you to walk from orchard station. Alternatively, you could take bus 36 (it’s a loop) in front of the Thai embassy and it drops you off directly outside regent hotel. It is not the most convenient compared to the rest of the venues, but I think it’s still easier to find than some other hotels like Fort canning lol. 

6. Miscellaneous perks 4/5 stars 

They are offering quite a bit of perks this time round: 1 night of bridal suite, 20L of beer, 1 bottle of wine per confirmed table of 10, tea ceremony room etc. What made them stand out was the Loccitane hand cream as their wedding favor. 

7. Communication 3.5/5 stars 

I think the sales manager assigned to us was professional throughout from emails, whatsapp to face to face meetups. However, just like what other previous brides mentioned on the forums, it was rather difficult to negotiate for cash rebates/discounts or perks. We did manage to negotiate for slightly more perks on top of the standard ones proposed, but she suddenly told us that we have to upgrade our menu to the higher tier one because it was “a popular date”. T & I were almost ready to sign with them even though the price was about 2k off our initial budget and less than ideal negotiation. However, the deal fell apart when she sent us an email telling us that we have to upgrade to the higher tier menu when it was not mentioned previously at all even during our soft booking. While the difference in the cost was not significant but what we felt was that the mandatory upgrade to the expensive menu was just a way to make us ‘pay’ for the additional 1-2 perks which we negotiated for… Let’s calculate: the difference between the higher tier menu and the normal menu is about $200 plus. An additional night stay at the bridal suite which we managed to negotiate for would also cost around the same. Thus, T felt that we should still head to Hilton which provided better perks, offers good cost savings and most importantly the sales manager was very friendly.

TBH, I was rather disappointed because I really liked the venue  But I gotta remind myself that it is just a single event which will probably fade off with time. Indeed, it is a once in a lifetime event but perhaps better memories could be created in a venue with friendlier staff and the cost savings could be used for our honeymoon instead.

Ultimately, this little frustration created an opportunity for me to remind myself that marriage is a journey, and the venue shouldn’t play such a significant contribution to the level of happiness. It also served as an opportunity to learn how to submit to the headship of the family when we are unable to make a decision. 

Overall stars: 3.9/5 stars. 

Did not choose this venue because of point 5. 

Sheraton Towers 

1. Price 5/5 stars 

Sheraton Towers was having their annual wedding fair on 14 November and was offering cash rebates of $111+++ per table of 10. That would mean that it is <$150 per pax which is within budget 

2. Food 5/5 stars 

Li Bai restaurant is well known for their Chinese food and we were not too worried about it. 

3. Capacity 5/5 stars 

The venue allowed a minimum accommodation of 100 guests which is what we are planning for. 

4. Layout 3/5 stars 

It was a rectangular shaped room with the stage being in the center of the room. This mean that the march in was only about 10 m or less. Besides that, the room had rather bulky pillars present and guests on either side of the pillar would not be able to see the march in. Since the stage is in the middle, the view of the stage shouldn’t be obstructed. However, it wasn’t really to my liking due to the lack of windows, short march in and a low ceiling height. It made the area rather Claus trophic. However, if BTB has a minimum table of 22, you guys can consider their grand ballroom which has a high ceiling and a L shape layout. I would definitely consider Sheraton if not for the crammed room because the atmosphere of the hotel is just great!

5. Location 5/5 stars 

Right smack beside the Newton MRT station. What more can I ask for?! 

6. Miscellaneous perks 5/5 stars 

They were offering almost free flow of wine (about 8 bottles for the Topaz room) and also a complimentary day use of the hotel room from 10-4 pm for the wedding helpers. The complimentary usage of room was not offered by the previous hotels we went so this came as a surprise to us. They also offered to set up the tea ceremony for us at a separate room. Overall I felt that they were really sincere in extending this offer to us. Oh yes before I forget, they even gave us a door gift which consisted of cakes and macarons!! YUMZ  

7. Communication 4/5 stars 

The initial sales rep who was allocated to us was busy with another couple so another lady came to serve us. She was polite and went through the perks of the package with us. She wasn’t pushy and was generally sincere. Email correspondence was a little slow but overall I think it’s ok. 

Overall stars: 4.5/5 stars. 

Didn’t choose them due to the layout of the room  HOWEVER I would be back for their high tea! Owners of the Standard chartered credit cards would be able to enjoy 1-1 high tea set at Sheraton Towers from now till 31 march 21. Don’t say bojio! 

Hilton 

Our last stop was Hilton which was beside Hung’s Jewellery/Jann Paul. And of course I dragged T there before our appointment at Hilton just to check the prices out Heh. Will blog about the different places we went to compare wedding bands in another post. 

1. Price 5/5 stars 

Initially we thought that the offer of ‘for every 10 paying, 1 guest free’ offer would be extended to us, thus we were thrilled at the potential cost savings. Unfortunately, that only applies if we choose to get hitched before September 21 but that would be a little too fast and furious haha. Nonetheless, the price for Sunday Lunch banquet still fall well within our budget of <$150. 

2. Food 5/5 stars 

What caught my attention was the option of having live stations which consist of suckling pig, peking duck crepe and liquid nitrogen sakura meringue. Doesn’t it sound amazing?!?!?! While they do not boast of any Michelin star standard like Regent, they do have mouth watering dishes like chilli crab claws, braised lobster soup and orange honey pork ribs. I guess I’m already sold. Plus, review on wedding forums have mentioned that their food standard remains even on actual day – which is a difficult task given that they have to do mass cooking. 

3. Capacity 4.5/5 stars 

Vista room is able to accommodate a minimum of 100 guests while Panorama room needs a minimum of 140 guests. A drop in 0.5 stars because I’m not able to book Panorama room cos I won’t have enough minimum pax haha.

4. Layout 5/5 stars 

Panorama room was my initial favourite due to the long span windows and high ceiling. This would mean my AD photos could turn out gorgeous! However, I think it’s a bit pointless to try to squeeze 140 people from the list just to book this room lol. Vista room on the other hand has a shorter ceiling height and is rectangular in shape. There are windows as well but the poor hotel people would have to remove all the storage from the window area before our wedding according to the sales rep if we want the windows drawn>.< Overall I think vista room is not too bad as it fulfils my criteria of having windows (natural light), suitable length of march in and most importantly, a minimum pax of 100. 

5. Location 5/5 stars 

It’s walkable from orchard mrt station and directly opposite the Thai embassy (very safe lol). Just kidding. There is also an open-air carpark opposite wheelock or behind far east shopping mall which can accommodate guests  Guests can go kai kai before the wedding or after at orchard road, so I think the location is pretty great!

6. Miscellaneous perks 5/5 stars 

We managed to negotiate for 2 night’s stay at the bridal suite (an upgrade from 1 night stage at bridal suite + 1 night stay at deluxe room). On top of that, they offered free flow wine throughout the banquet starting from reception! WOWz, not many hotels offer free flow alcohol so I think this is one of the perks that made them stand out. Also, the sales rep was rather forthcoming stating that while only 15% of carpark attendance is guaranteed, she would try her best to offer more should our guest need it. Another add on they offered was also pre-wedding reception should covid situation approves. All in all, Hilton is the most forthcoming and sincere in offering couples perks and they make me feel that they would really put in their 100% effort in making sure my big day is a success. 

7. Communication 5/5 stars 

Communication with the lady was efficient. As we were trying coordinate the church and the banquet dates, we were a bit flustered and needed an urgent reply from her. However, she replied rather promptly when I texted her when there was some delay in her reply on email. Although she was on course then and could not check on the date’s availability, she got managed to get her colleague to send us the available dates within an hour! On top of that, I felt that even though Hilton is also a 5 star hotel, they didn’t give off the vibes where they “if you cannot afford then don’t come”; “don’t nego for too many perks” “we already giving you the best perks” kinda vibes. 

Overall: 4.9/5 stars. 

Overall winner is Hilton! <3 Will share on another separate post about my irrational struggle when deciding among the top 3 picks despite Hilton being the obvious winner. Stay tune! 

Banquet site viewing - part I

This the overall summary of the places we eventually visited (by order): 

1. Marriott Tang 

2. Pan Pacific Hai Tien Lo 

3. Grand Hyatt 

4. Regent Hotel 

5. Sheraton Towers 

6. Hilton 

Marriott Tang 

We were actually very excited to visit this hotel because of the menu we saw as well as the attractive price point. While the perks weren’t great, we were nonetheless looking forward to our first site viewing. 

Let’s review it based on the 7 criteria we’ve set for ourselves: 

1. Price – 5/5 stars Within our budget 

2. Capacity - 3/5 stars 

Only able to accommodate up to 90 pax even with relaxation of Covid measure. TBH, I’m not very sure because I couldn’t really understand what she was saying (see point 7). 

3. Food - 4/5 stars 

Seems great! The menu looks appetizing. 

4. Layout – 3/5 stars 

L- shaped room and able to provide a private room for tea ceremony. Enclosed area with one wedding on that floor only. Hence we wouldn’t be afraid that there would be random people in our wedding haha. However due to the L shape design, guests seated at the end of the ‘L’ would not be able to see me march in because it would be blocked. Otherwise we are very pleased with the decoration and the overall ambience of the hotel. 

5. Location – 5/5 stars 

Fantastic! Right outside Orchard Mrt station and road idiots like me would be able to find the hotel easily :) It is also right beside Tangs so guests could always hang out at Orchard after the wedding ends. I guess parking would be relatively easy to find since it is in town area too! 

6. Miscellaneous perks - 3/5 stars 

Provides a one-night stay in the Deluxe room with complimentary breakfast (T is just concerned about the morning breakfast. It’s more important to him than the banquet LOL). Free flower arrangements and wedding favours to guests. 

7. Communication - 2/5 stars 

Hmmmmm. We started with email correspondence and we liked how it was rather efficient. Available dates/waitlisted dates were clearly communicated via the email so we were looking forward to meeting her face to face. In person communication was really not fantastic and we really expected more from a 5 star hotel. That being said, the sales manager could be just having a bad day. But overall, we did not really feel welcome and we had a hard time understanding the banquet arrangements because she was rattling off. I think I still don’t understand how many people could fit into the room. We decided against this hotel because of this factor  😞

Overall stars: 3.5/5 stars. Failed because of communication 

Pan Pacific Hai Tien Lo 

     *didn't take a photo so this photo is taken off google images* 

Before I review this hotel, let me tell you how dumb I was. SO I was 100% sure that Pan Pacific Hotel was located at Arab street and behind Park Royal Beach Road. I happily planned the day with T and had a great dinner at Bugis. We headed down to Pan Pacific around the appointment time and was wondering why the hotel had such a weird entrance. We then enquired with the front desk staff and was told that it was the service suites/apartment and not the hotel itself zzzzzz ._____________________. The staff said the hotel is at marina square TT and it was already near our appointment time. Luckily T didn’t get angry, maybe cos just used to me being blur. And also I had $5 grab voucher from my AIA vitality so the grab trip down to Pan Pac Hotel from Park Royal was only $1 ✌

1. Price – 3/5 stars 

Slightly above our budget after GST and service charge but considering the food, we thought it was worth a go! 

2. Capacity – 5/5 stars 

Able to accommodate a small wedding of around 100 pax. However, we were told that should COVID persists and measures cannot be relaxed, 100 pax means that we have to utilize the entire restaurant. On normal days, the function room is able to accommodate even up to 120 pax. 

3. Food – 5/5 stars HTL is famous for their food! The manager says that the quality of the food is guaranteed because the chef would personally cook all the dishes and won’t let his kar kia do it. Sounds great! Another plus point is that the kitchen is in the restaurant unlike ballrooms and this means that guests would be served with piping hot food! Think all the oldies would love that. 

4. Layout – 2/5 stars 

I really like the oriental design to the restaurant. The entrance has a statue that looks really oriental and I love it! They also have those ancient Chinese chairs as a decoration, but you won’t be able to use it as it is only for display. The manager of the restaurant arranged the meeting so that we could see a live wedding – didn’t take photos as it would be rude. It looked rather crammed even though it was running below its normal capacity due to COVID. Assuming COVID persists and we have to utilize the entire restaurant, guests outside of the main function room wouldn’t be able to see what’s happening inside. To mitigate this issue, we had to top up $3k for 2 projector screens to be arranged. Furthermore, we also felt that the lighting isn’t great due to the lack of natural light. 5. Location – 5/5 stars 5-10 minutes walk from Esplanade Station or Marina Square shopping mall. Road idiots able to see the hotel from far so very unlikely to get lost. Plenty of parking lots be it in Marina Square or the hotel itself. 

6. Miscellaneous perks – 4/5 stars 

Deluxe room is provided for the basic menu and if we want to enjoy a bridal suite, we will have to go for a more premium menu. Generally similar perks compared to the other hotels we went for but at this price, I think other hotel packages might stand out more. 

7. Communication – 5/5 stars 

William was great 💪. He was responsive, understanding and eager to help us. As this was our second viewing, T was almost ready to jump and book the venue already due to William’s hospitality. If not for the layout, I think we would have gone for this venue. 

Overall stars – 3.4/5 stars. Failed due to layout 😕

Grand Hyatt 

We went to Grand Hyatt the next day after visiting Marriott and Pan Pac. This was when it struck us that “eh this one haven’t add in 1.17% leh”… 

1. Price - 3/5 stars 

Same issue. We forgot to calculate the GST and service charge so it is slightly off our budget. We exceeded by about $100 ++ per pax. 

2. Capacity – 5/5 stars 

Able to accommodate 100 pax with additional perks! Aunty love perks! 

3. Food – 5/5 stars 

Menu looks tasty at a glance. Unable to give further comments on this until and unless I actually go for food tasting unfortunately. 

4. Layout – 4/5 stars 

For the size of our intimate wedding, we could choose residence 5 and 6 as our wedding venue. The reception area looks posh and the parquet wood flooring is so shiny! There are lounges for guests to chill while waiting for the wedding to start and cocktail reception can be held at this area. However, this area may be shared should there be a concurrent wedding next door. The actual layout of the room is rather boxy but with windows. This allows natural light to come in and makes the room less claustrophobic. The march in would be from the back entrance and it would be a rather straight forward march in without much meandering for the bride (read less chance of falling down). However, there would be pillars at the side of the room, but the consultant reassured us that with 10 tables (10 pax per table assuming covid is over), guests are unlikely to be blocked by the pillars. Overall, I like the ambience of the place. It feels serene, posh and yet not over the top☺

5. Location – 4.5/5 stars 

It takes about 5-10 minute’s walk from Orchard Mrt. Parking may be a bit difficult according to my dad but I’m not too sure about that. I gave 4.5 for this is because the walk from the entrance of the mrt to the hotel lobby is not sheltered. It just so happened it rained when we for viewing and thus I thought this might be a small point to consider. But aiya, just get a bigger umbrella, it’s fine. 

6. Miscellaneous perks – 5/5 stars 

With a minimum of 100 pax, we are given free flow of beer/wine and another night stay at the hotel. We could either use it together with the bridal suit or we could use it for our anniversary. Not bad! We would also be given room credit as well. Oh the best thing about this place is that they are able to customize your flowers for you!!! For the rest of the hotels we visited, they had fixed themes where you could choose from. However, Grand Hyatt stood out from the rest because they promised Bespoke theme. We are able to choose the type of flowers we like and customize the theme if we felt that we didn’t like the proposed idea. If you atas and use seasonal flowers, then you have to top up. Thus this place would be good if you are really into flowers and want to be customize. The wedding favors offered weren’t too bad too – macaroons! TBH I would rather receive food than to receive my 1000000th piece of coaster. 

7. Communication – 5/5 stars 

Both email and in person correspondence was great! We felt that the consultant was genuinely interested in helping us understand more about the banquet and the place etc. She even gave some practical advice as she has seen many couples plan their weddings. 

Overall stars: 4.5/5 stars. This is one of our top 3. 

Since this is one of our top 3 choices, we decided to try to negotiate for better price or more perks. Price is fixed and the perks are only limited to the honey moon perks (which are the standard inclusion). TBH, the perks are really good with the current price when we compared to previous year's packages. BUT as we didn't feel like they were open for negotiation for other perks unlike Hilton and Regent, and also lack of the WOW factor, we decided not to choose Hyatt :( 

Will post another separate post on the rest!