Terrible experience with Keep Gallery (Ipoh)

After returning our feedback to KG, they didn't get back to us, so out of curiosity I decided to drop them an email!  Out of my shock, they told me they already sent our photos for printing! How dare them! They cant do this! We haven't approve on the layout and paging.

So I requested them to send me the final version. When I looked at it, I want to vomit blood. This is fucking ugly! I can't believe the designer actually design something like this!  I just "cut"  & "paste" to show them the template, but he actually copy it and follow the design exactly! Damn pissed..

So Mr Koh dropped them a nasty email and threaten them refuse to pay for the album, so KG-Ipoh sent the youngest & sweetest girl to talk to me. Firstly she apologized to me, and asked for my opinion of the photo. She managed to get the designer to complete what I want within 2-3 hours, she is nice and I think they should let her handle customers instead of Elaine!

Hopefully I can collect the album by Sunday!

Another hiccup with KG is we already informed & emphasized to them twice we want to do the car decoration and collect the bouquet on Monday, but now Elaine told me they are closed on Monday, so I have to get it done by Sunday! She even asked me to do it myself on Monday. Seriously, they never spare a thought for their customer. How can they do this to their customer! They are actually playing with fire. If the customer is nice, may be the customer will follow what they have proposed. If the customer is nasty and demanding, they will definitely having a hard time!

I really utterly disappointed with their service! I will feedback this issue back to their HQ - KG KL, but I wonder will I receive any feedback from the HQ?

Seriously Malaysia's customer service is not up to that level yet.

Disappointment

Finally IdoIdo sent our photos for printing.

The photos taken by Howard are very nice & beautiful, but the skill of their designer let me down!

The album fail to show the scenery of Bali and the Balinese building we have visited.

Anyway, we gave up in the album designing, and requested them to send us the album by end of Nov.

The album should play the role of "telling" our love story, and now my album is not a normal photo album.

Who to blame? The planner ? The bridal studio ? ME?


Criminal 1 - ME
I am the one insisted to go Bali to have the pre-wedding photo shoot..

Criminal 2 - Planner
The bridal studio is recommended by the planner, the planner didn't do a good job..

So who is the culprit?

Mr Nice Guy
The Mr. Nice guy is Mr.Koh, cause he made my dream came true!  *sweet*

♥ Bridal PS Details ♥ Updated

Updated list:

1. 4 gowns on photo shooting day
2. 2 gowns on actual day (1 white, 1 purple)
3. 1 coat on actual day (black color)
4. Car decoration with bears
5. Hand Bouquet (Lily)
6. 12' x 18' big album - 20 pages (38 poses)
7. 10' x 12' medium album - 20 pages (38 poses)
8. 8' x 12' medium album - 20 pages (20 poses)
9. 24' x 36' photo with frame (bed frame photo) - 1 pc
10. 10' x 12' photo with frame - 2 pcs
11. 4' x 6' photo with post card - 100 pcs (5 poses)
12. 1 DVD - 86 poses with 2 songs 
13. 1 CDR - 86 poses with edited photos
14. 2 CDR - 433  poses (raw copy)
15. 1 4R mini album (photos from big album)
16. 8' x 12' guest book 
17. 8R crystal frame photo - 1 pc

Total price is RM1995 + RM60 (ampule) + RM450 (actual day make up) + RM1000 (Medium Size album) + RM500 (raw copies) + RM500 (deposits) + RM60 (NuBra) + RM40 (Nails) = RM4695

 

 

H.S.H Day 3: Stress

Today we need to settle a lot of things, we need to choose album templates, album cover design, frame, photos, hand bouquet, car decoration, guest book design, actual day gown, evening gown and coat.

Stage 1: Actual Day Attires Selection
First thing to do is to confirm on my actual day gown. Elaine show me a gown with butterfly design. The gown and the butterfly place card looks like a set.  So, I decide to have this as my actual day gown.

As for the evening gown, initially the red color evening gown will be my actual day evening gown, but Shelby suggested me to try the purple color evening gown and actually it looks great on me..

So my actual day gowns will be different from photos one, wonder how will I look like with make up & hair styling..

Stage 1 clear!

Stage 2: Album Cover Design
We already have some design in mind, so we just tell them what we want. We manage to clear this stage in less than 20 minutes! We are efficient!

Stage 3: Hand Bouquet
Previously I wanted to have lily as my hand bouquet, but the planner told me it will costs me more than SGD200. Reason is lily has to import from oversea. So I have no choice to give up my Lily and use artificial roses as my hand bouquet (SG).

KG surprised me with the wide range of hand bouquets. They actually provide lily! I fulfilled my dream of having lily as my wedding bouquet.

Stage 4: Album/Photo Design Template
To save designer's effort & time, KG actually provided 100 templates for client to choose, so the designer will design the album based on client's taste. This is a very smart trick! So if the design is not nice, they can push the ball back to client. If the client want to change the work, you have to pay additional RM300..  expensive!

So after browsing through the whole stack of templates, we manage to choose 20 out of 100++

They said the designer will try to design the album based on our selection, so lets cross our finger,  everything will look perfect~!

Stage 5: Stress........ Photo Selection
In total, Shelby took 433 photos yesterday.  50/433 = 1/8! OMG... how to choose?

1st round: We selected 230+ photo.. but still alot.. So we went for lunch to catch a breathe..  how how how??

2nd round: After few rounds of discussion, 86/230+ are our cup of tea. but 86 photos still alot.. Our package only can choose 50 photos, so I need to pay additional RM360 for 36 photos.

3rd round: Due to the additional 36 photos,  Elaine recommended us to get a new medium size album, and it is cheaper than adding pages to existing albums. I do agree with her.. So in total we pay RM1000 for a new album, here is the breakdown: RM360 (36 photos) + RM150 (Designer's work) + RM700 (20 pages) = RM1010 - RM10 discount = RM1000

Now, my package become RM1995 + RM1000 = RM2995, still cheaper than Bali one..

4th round: I requested to have the raw copies of all selected photos, but Elaine misunderstood my intention and called her boss for quotation of all the photos. The boss charge me RM600 for 433 photos! We are shocked but still reasonable (if compare with SG). So.. we just keep quiet..

Stage 5: Bed frame photo, photo for parents, post card and guest book..
Another headache again, but the pain is lesser than previous one. So clear it easily.

Final Stage: Should we purchase all the raw photos?
We really like the photos! So I told myself if I manage to bargain the price from RM600 to RM500, I will get it. To try my luck, I asked Elaine again and she is ok with the deal. Mr Koh and I are damn shocked, we couldn't believe it. It is such a good deal,  1 photo = RM1.50, damn cheap! So my another RM500 gone... *cry*

Stages all cleared! Time to go home~

H.S.H Day 2: From ugly little duck to elegant swan

Today is the day to transform me from a little ugly duck to an elegant swan!

We need to reach the studio by 10a.m, so I woke up around 6a.m to help my parents but due to time constraint, I couldn't accompany my mother for breakfast. I need to apply whitening masks and also pack our bags.

After breakfast, Mr Koh and I went down to the studio directly, we reached there around 940a.m but the studio is not open yet! I couldn't believe it. If they have appointment @ 10a.m, they should come in early to open the doors for their customer. End up, Mr Koh and I waited more than 20 minutes..

The schedule of the day:

1. Casual - Jerseys, Venue - Indoor Studio
2. Sweet & young - Gown with pearls & lace, Venue - Indoor Studio
3. Elegant - Cream color "cheong sum" gown, Venue - Red Bridge
4. Elegant - White gown with red color ribbons, Venue - Clock Tower & Kelly Castle
5. Elegant - Red color evening gown,  Venue - Kelly Castle & Indoor Studio

Initially the weather is sunny & good, blue sky with white clouds. The make up artist and photographer even joke with us, we are very lucky to have such a wonderful weather.

However after we came back from red bridge, the weather changed 180 degree. Dark clouds, windy and drizzling.  So we need to rush thing up and quickly move on to next venue - Kelly Castle.

On our way to Kelly Castle, it is raining heavily. Everyone is praying to god. When we reach Kelly Castle,  it is just drizzling.. But weather is really unpredictable, suddenly heavy downpours.  Mr Koh and the rest were drenched, I have special privilege to use umbrella (cause I am wearing gown)!

On our way back to studio, it is heavy downpour! I couldn't see at all!

Just imagined you are wearing fake lashes, wig, hair accessories, nail art and gown and you are driving, there are 4 persons in the car, and this is the 1st time you visit the place.. do you know how stress it can be? I was telling myself to concentrate, drive slowly and calm.. Pray to god nothing will happen..

Luckily we reached the studio safe & sound.

We ended the day with indoor shoot!

I find that this trip is more fun & less tiring. The style of this photographer is very different from Bali one!

Mr Koh agreed with me, at least they bother to help Mr Koh to style his hair, apply ampules for him, make up, touch up and let him try on different style of coat.

Tomorrow is another tiring day, we need to choose the actual day gown, evening gown, suite, hand bouquet, car decoration, corsage, album covers, album frames, album design template, photos. I guess I can camp there more than 6-8 hours. 

I want to see the photos!

H.S.H Day 1: Gown & Venue Selection

Mr Koh and I went down to Keep Gallery to choose my gowns for tomorrow shooting. Although I have chosen 4 gowns during the last visit, but I do not like the "Orange" color evening gown. It makes me look tanned!

After trying more than 5-7 gowns, I have decided on the cheong sum.

Beside gown fitting & selection, we need to decide on the venue. Initially I want to go Ipoh Railway Station, Sunway Lagoon, Kelly Castle and a place with lake. After the assistant showed the "ready made" photos to Mr Koh, he rejected the idea of going to Railway Station.

So after few rounds of discussion, we decided on the route: Indoor  -> Red Bridge -> Clock Tower -> Kelly Castle.

Now is time to go shopping (need to buy a pair of Man-U jerseys) and collect our wedding invitation cards =)

Time to enjoy~

♥ Bridal PS Details ♥

We managed to get this:

1. 4 gowns on photo shooting day
2. 2 gowns on actual day
3. 1 coat on actual day
4. Car decoration with bears
5. Hand Bouquet
6. 12' x 18' big album - 20 pages (30 poses)
7. 8' x 12' medium album - 20 pages (20 poses)
8. 24' x 36' photo with frame (bed frame photo) - 1 pc
9. 10' x 12' photo with frame - 2 pcs
10. 4' x 6' photo with post card - 100 pcs (10 poses)
11. 1 DVD - 50 poses with 2 songs 
12. 1 CDR - 50 poses with edited photos
13. 1 4R mini album (10 poses)
14. 8' x 12' guest book 
15. 8R crystal frame photo - 1 pc

Total price is RM1995 + RM30 (ampule) + RM560 (actual day make up) + RM800 (deposits) = RM3385

I can also bring my gowns and his coat to SG, so I can cancel my gown booking. 

Date to select gowns & coats: 5-Nov-2010

Date to take the photo shoot: 6-Nov-2010

Date to select photos/designs/frame: 7-Nov-2010

Date to collect my albums: 6-Dec-2010

Date to send my car for decoration: 6-Dec-2010

Date to collect my gowns: 6-Dec-2010

Date to return my gowns: 16-Dec-2010

Bali ♥ Photos Received

Wow, I have received the edited version.

We are quite disappointed with the end result. They have removed those unwanted objects, like strangers on the beach, unwanted plants, unwanted rubbish.

But with too much lightening, the photos taken on Nikko look weird. The backgrounds are too bright, end up we were like standing in front of the white background to have the shoot.

Mr Koh's face color tone and skin color tone are totally different, he is like wearing the wrong face powder color, it is too white for him. So we will tell the designer to change the face color to match the skin color. If not he will have 2 different color tone.

We have replied the studio..

Hi Adit,

I find that the groom face, which is my face, is too white. I would prefer it to be in its original tone.

All the photos taken in Nikon Beach, is too loud. I cant really see the beach and the sky in the background. Can you soften the contrast?

Thank you.

Keep Gallery @ Ipoh

I visited the keep gallery with  Karen and 3 brides to be.

We managed to get a pretty good deal cause they have managed to close 3 deals within a day.

I have chosen 4 gowns for PS, and 2 gowns for my actual day and ROM.

Will it look funny if I wear the same gown for 2 different places? A group of people will get to see the same things for 2 different days. I want to request to bring 1 more gown for my actual day, I should try to bargain for that last night.

Will come back to have my photo shoot on Nov, happy..

Bali Trip ♥ Day 3: Photo Selection + Review on the Bridal Studio

The photos are so NICE! We are so loving and pretty in the photos, happy to see the nice photos.

We are satisfied with the quality of the photo, however we realized all the couples actually have the same background.

Here are some of the good points:

1. Staff are friendly and nice.

2. Make up artist will follow you the whole day, so you will look great in all the photos.

3. Lunch are provided.

And also the bad points (no one is perfect!):

1. Not honest with the location

2. Can only go to "recommended" venues.

3. Can only choose 1 gown, although they said I have 2 designer gowns, sarong is not considered gown!

4. Not flexible with the album design, we wanted to have more photos in the album, they charged us USD 20 per photo, but they are not going to add the pages in the album, they will just resize our photo (make the photo smaller) to squeeze in more photos in 10 pages! 

So before you purchase any bridal package with an oversea studio, do the negotiation yourself. 

Do not depend on your planner. When thing screw up, the planner will not be able to help you.  

Remember to have a copy of all the emails, so at least you know what you are purchasing and who you are talking to.

Always ask and try to ask for free stuffs! I failed to do this cause I have an inexperienced planner.

Bali Trip ♥ Day 2 : Our Important Day~

Finally today has come, we are so excited, wake up early in the morning to do mask, just to look perfect & good in front of the camera, but end up I still look tired without make up.

Reach the studio around 950a.m, changed the gown and start to do my make up!

Mr Koh said I look different with the bridal make up and the make up is damn thick, but it is still not able to cover my eye bags and dark cycles.

The make up artist actually applied 3 layers of fake lashes on my eyes and she took around 2 hours to finish my make up & hair do. Both of us are happy with the end result.

So we are ready to go!

The program of the day:
1. Temple (Balinese Culture) with gown
2. Private Beach (Beach, Sun) with gown
3. Seminyak Beach (Sunset) with sarong

The weather is bad, the whole evening is drizzling, so the photographer couldn't capture the nice sunset, damn sad =(

But we are actually consider very lucky, cause I have 2 personal make up artists and 2 personal photographers!

Anyway, I really miss the process and the fun..

Bali Trip ♥ Day 1 : Gown Selection

After checking in the resort, we go to the studio immediately.

It is a mistake to walk from Harris to the bridal studio, the whole journey took us more than 1.5 hours!  (The hotel receptionist gave us the wrong information, she told us the journey will ONLY take less than 20 minutes.)  I really want to cry and I lost my temper when I reach the studio.


When we finally decided to give up, we found the studio! Sat down and have a quick discussion with the wedding coordinator, then we realized we can only choose the venue from the predefined venues, we are not allow/encourage to go to places we want to visit, we are so disappointing.. we really want to go volcano to have our photo shoot.

After some discussion and bargain with the coordinator and manager, we finally settle down on the route, we will travel to 3 places to have our photo shoot. So it is time to choose my gown!

Another disappointment!!! I only have less then 5 gowns to choose! I wanted to try/choose other gowns but the sales is like not happy with me. So end up I only get to try on 4 gowns! They have given me 2 tube gowns and another 2 with straps.. 4 gowns are with long train.. Luckily I look great in the 4th gown, if not I really want to cry..

Mr Koh looks prefect and smart in his white outfit! They only offered him 1 set of outfit to try! SAD

I can't stop laughing when he appeared in front of me! SHOCK! This is the 1st time he is presented in this formal & handsome look, he usually dress in sports & jeans wear..

We settle on 1st outfit, so time to choose our 2nd outfit..Previously I though we can have 2 wedding gowns, but the 2nd outfit actually is a sarong - a beach wear.. SAD SAD SAD

Mr Koh's 2nd outfit also not from designer selection, just a simple white t-shirt & vest.

We do not have the breathe to argue with them again, so decided to save the breathe and take it on what they have suggested and offered! (Some people might think we are not firm, but the whole package is liaise by the planner, so we don't have much information.. the tot of shouldn't engage planner show up in our mind again!)


Our 1st experience with the studio ended in "good" shape, now we just have to go back to hotel and get ready for the day 2 photo shoot..

Bali Trip ♥ Journey to the East

I always want to go Bali, so I insist to go Bali to take my wedding photo shoot.

Sad to say, Bali is not as pretty as I thought, not as clean as I imagined, anyway it is not a wonderful experience..

Some of the taxi drivers and service crews are forcing us to give tips, disappointing..

The road condition are in bad shape, roads are silent/hidden killers, holes are everywhere.. even the locals are upset with the condition..

Luckily we are not affected by the external bad factors, we went to 2 high end restaurants to have our dinner during the trip - Hard Rock Cafe & an Italian restaurant.

We also visited the spa services in Harris, we took the King & Queen pkg and it is Rph425000 per person. It is a 2 hrs massage with Foot bath, aromatherapy massage, lulur kuning (body scrub), milk bath with rose petals and exotic oil massage. It is fantastic!

If I want to go back to Bali, I will stay in those resort with private beach. I will try not to stay in Kuta anymore, Kuta beach is too commercialize.

Anyway, Bali has a very clean and nice beach!

Happy

We are flying to Bali tomorrow, so happy..

Sis said I didn't lose any weight, sad.. but I never  starve myself or serious on the diet plan..

so no one to blame..

Pray everything is alright, the weather is good.. pray pray pray..

Reply from Bali Bridal Studio

After listening to Karen, we dropped the studio an email. Below is their reply:

1. On the shooting day, there will be approx 200 photos taken.

2. We will choose 30 photos from the 200.

3. Our album will contain 30 edited photos.

4. We will have 1 album only.

5. Our package doesn't contain the 12R size photo

6. The charges for additional master photo in CD: USD 8 per pcs (without editing), USD 15 per pcs (with editing)

Nvm, I am getting another simple bridal package from Ipoh, I must master the negotiation skill and try to bargain more free stuffs from the studio.

Preparation for the Photo Shoot

I wanted to rebond (straightening) and color my hair one week before the photo shooting, but after asking the makeup artist, I decided to postpone the idea of "making" my messy hair to mid of Oct.

According to the makeup artist, it will be very difficult for her to style my hair and all the set up (e.g.: curl) will not last more than an hour.

So beside advise on hair,  here are the things she suggested me to do:
1. Remove unwanted hair
2. Clean my nails (so, should I get a pedicure and manicure?)
3. Wear a strapless and skin color bra, or Nu-Bra (Bought 2 bras from Triumph)
4. No make up on photo shooting day
5. Wash and blow dry your hair and do not apply any hair cream/oil/products to your hair.
6.  Do not drink too much water the night before to avoid panda eyes.
7. Sleep early to avoid dark circles (So, I want to get sleeping bills from doctor!)
8. Bring makeup remover and slipper.
9. Bring tissue and wet-tissues.
10. Bring 2 water bottle and straw (easy to drink)
11. Umbrella
12. Camera
13. Wear a button top, so easy to take off.

I have a heart attack!

Mr Koh and I met up with Karen, and I shared our pre-wedding photo package with her. She is very disappointed with the package we have purchased!

She analyst the whole situation with us.

1. we do not know how many shots are they going to take?

2. besides the 20 photos in album and CD, what other items do we have? example: postcard? 8R photos? or 12 photos? 

3. How many gowns can we choose? 

4. Because of the tight schedule, they have to alter the gown in a day. So how are they going to do it?

I feel stress and angry, the planner didn't ask all that questions for us!

We should engage an experience planner! 

Bali Prewedding Photo Trip

Yeah, the trip is confirmed, we are flying to Bali to take our wedding photo on October.

Our planner engaged a studio in Bali to do the pre-wedding photo trip, the studio has more than 18 years experiences in Taiwan. The name of the studio is Ido Ido Bali.

The studio is near Kuta beach, so we decided to stay in Harris Kuta Resort.

I am so excited and happy.

Finally we have taken one step forward.

Yeah~