Tentative Taiwan Photoshoot Itinery - March2010

Image via Wikipedia

Some details checked today:

Cost of SQ flights - $717 per pax
Cost of JetStar - $427 per pax
Ranges of prices for F&E packages for 6days/5nights - $538 and above
Crew Hotel Sheraton - NT6320 (S$277) per night (listed price)

At the current moment, probably we will see what packages tour agency can throw in. It will be easier to see how we fit additional days into it. 2nd options is to find out crew hotel staff price 1st and book Jetstar direct to fly there.

To be updated later:

Tentative Programme 

Day 1
Reach hotel by 6pm
Go to Ximen Ding night market
- Eat Ah Zhong Mian Xian
HuaHsi Night Market

Day 2
Breakfast
Go to Bridal Studio (choose gown)
Lunch
Taipei 101
Dinner @ 5 Cent Driftwood House
WuFenPu Night Market
RaoHe Night Market
JaoHo Night Market


Day 3
Whole day Photoshoot

Day 4 (North)

YangMingShan
Tamsui Old Street


Day 5 (East)

Visit Bridal Studio confirm items
Chiufen
national taiwan democracy memorial hall

Day 6 (West)

Window on China Theme Park
 Fly back @ 2pm




Maps
Taipei Night Markets

Shilin Night Market
TaoYuan International Airport 
From Airport to Bridal Studio
Sheraton to Bridal Studio


Others
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village  (website)

Comparison Chart of Wedding Banquet Venues

Image by hochit via Flickr

Addy and I have been looking around for places to have our wedding. There's this pressure to get a location fast because of constant reminders from friends and relatives to settle this part. Despite understanding their point of view and good intentions, I still don't think there's a hard rule to book a place a year beforehand. I get a little peeved when some people giving me the "tsk tsk" look when I told them we were still looking. Will jot down my reasons why later on.

To move on.

We did our due diligence by hunting for several locations. We visited them, looked at reviews, listened to hearsay and researched on their prices. There are so many places to choose from. Perhaps we are not that picky hence the relative ease.

I have compiled a table of comparison of the places we considered. Some of which we visited. Those who followed closely on FB and Twitter will know which venue we chose. The list below is not comprehensive as you have to look at more factors like reputation, quality of food etc. What I have put there is what is given by the venues themselves. There is definitely room for bargaining at some places.


The main categories for comparison are:

1. Type of Food/Cuisine
2. Setting and Themes
3. Size of Venues
4. Price Range
5. Free food tasting
6. Beverages/Cocktail/Snacks
7. Wines, beer, hard liquor and whether there are corkage waivers
8. Wedding cake
9. Champagne toasting
10. Wedding collaterals and gifts
11. Carpark
12. AV system
13. Changing/Rest Room
14. Accomodation
15. Transportation/Accessibility
16. Other Perks

I believe the above are the main factor/consideration any couple will look at before selecting their venues. If I have the time, i would elaborate on each point as well - pros and cons which I have personally considered and was advised upon.

The list embedded list below is a dynamic file which I will change as I can. Do let me know if you would like to be an editor of it as well.

For a better look at it in another window, click here.

Mendelssohn's Wedding March

Got this email from a friend sometime back. Just only managed to listen to this and I thought it was worth putting up as well.

A bit of history here:
Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March", written in 1842, is one of the best known of the pieces from his suite of incidental music (Op. 61) to Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. It is one of the most frequently used wedding marches, generally being played on a church pipe organ. At weddings in many English-speaking countries, this piece is commonly used as a recessional.

NB:
Do not confuse this with "Here Comes The Bride". "Here Comes The Bride" is the tune of Richard Wagner's Bridal Chorus..

Mendelssohn's Wedding March (Japanese - Addy will love this)

Mendelssohn Wedding March Shrewsbury String Quartet

(The usual we always hear)

Taiwan photography

Since we are going to take our wedding pictures in Taiwan, got some information from this website about the romantic spots there..
http://www.welcome2taiwan.net/eng/Download_01.htm


Romantic Spots –

1) Mt. Shamao and Yangmingshan National Park (Historic Architecture in Taipei)
- Red house in Ximending

Image by Harry‧黃基峰‧Taiwan via Flickr

2) North Coast . Northeast Coast
- Yeliu Geopark
- Feicuiwan
- Longmen riverside park – suspension bridge
- Fulong beach

3) Jiufen Jinguashi's Old Streets
- Jinguashi
- Jingming pavilion
- Golden waterfall
- Gold ecological Park
- Romantic highway
-
4) The Qinjing Veterans Farm (European feel)
- grasslands
- Small swiss garden


5) Hualien (very nice!)
- Qisingtan Beach

6) Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area
- lalu island
- Shuishe lakeside trail

7) Twin Hearts Stone Weir, Qimei Township, Penghu (beach) – with hearts
- Qimei Island

8) Kaohsiung, Love River
- True love ferry pier
- Love river (night)

Image via Wikipedia

9) Kenting
- baisha
- nature park

Cashflow and Cost for a resale $400,000 flat

Image via Wikipedia

A friend recently asked me about buying a resale flat around his fiance's place. Thought it would be a good time to do some maths and see whether the workings for our own flat is correct as well.

For young starters of a family, the most important factor is cashflow. This is largely because we don't have much to start of with in the first place as we only would have started working for a couple of years only. Buying a flat should be a prudent move that should not weigh us down in the long run. That's my opinion - start small then move up.

Without further ado, let's make some assumptions of this resale flat we are buying:

Market Value of a 4rm flat (east example): $400,000
COV: $40,000
Housing grant for couple staying near parents: $40,000
HDB loan taken at constant rate of fixed rate of 2.6% per annum.

HDB says that the loan taken can only be up to 90% of the selling price or market value of the flat (whichever lower). In this case, it is a $360,000 loan. The 10% or $40,000 left, half can be paid by the grant and the other half to be paid in cash or by CPF.

The COV must be fully paid in cash or financed by a bank loan. No CPF allowed.

Do note that there are various costs like stamp duties, conveyance fees, administrative fees etc to take care of. Most of these can be settled through CPF. The largest amount will come from the stamp duties which is estimated to be 2% ($7000) of the selling price/market value of a large flat. 

So basically to play safe, the couple must have these upfront:

1. $40,000 in cash savings
2. $30,000 in CPF
   

In terms of financing a $360,000 HDB loan in a 30 year time period, it will cost the couple $1,441.22 for monthly installments. This translates to a combined monthly income of $6,266.17 if the couple wishes to finance the installments via their CPF ordinary accounts only. (note that these are estimates and applicable for Singaporeans only).

Do note that in the above example, $20,000 is left over after paying 5% out of the 10%, hence this goes to offset the HDB loan as well. This effectively reduces the monthly installments by about $80 for 30 years.