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5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
1/9
5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
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2
WADE GUYITT
RINGS go back a long way.
The unearthing of ancient
burial spots has shown that
some prehistoric people
used braided coils of grass to mark
out loved ones. The Ancient Egyptians
wore wedding rings on the third finger
of the left hand because a vein in
that finger was believed to connect
directly to the heart. In Ancient
Greece, many men gave their brides
puzzle rings, which fell apart when
removed and took time to reassemble,supposedly preventing women from
slipping them off to appear single. By
the time of Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD),
Roman grooms were giving brides a
gold ring to wear at the wedding and
an iron ring for wearing every day.
All these rings, though, had little to
do with love. Instead they signified a
mans ownership of his wife in a legal
sense. Marriage was a contract, and
a wedding an exchange of property.
In a sense, the ring was a small and
attractive shackle: The woman was
obliged to show off the wealth and
power of the man who bought it,
while also signalling her unavailability.
Since the purpose of marriage was to
guarantee an heir to the males family,
it was important she not sleep withany other man until this was achieved.
Part of the rings success as a
lasting symbol, of course, is its beauty.
When the Puritans in 17th-century
America called out wedding rings
as symbols of vanity and tried to do
away with them, men began giving
their wives something more practical:
a thimble. That lasted awhile until
people started cutting up the thimble
and making it into a ring.
If wedding rings showed a woman
was off the market, engagement rings
served as a kind of down-payment
on the investment. (Men, it should
be said, have never taken to wearing
engagement rings most likely to keep
their options open for a better deal.)
The first famous example of anengagement ring came in 1477, when
Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave
his fiance one with her first initial
spelled out in inset diamonds. But
it wasnt until an 1867 discovery in
todays South Africa that diamonds
came within reach for those who
werent European royalty and
became the jewels of choice for
engagement rings ever since.
In 1886 Tiffany & Co developed a way
to mount the diamond up off the ring
itself, for maximum sparkle. By 1890
diamond rings were common enough
you could order them from department
store mail-order catalogues.
In the 1920s, vendors tried to push
men to wear engagement rings too.
Likely they hoped to double their
profits this way just as a character
in Benjamin Cheevers novel The
Plagiaristadded the single wordrepeat to the instructions on a
shampoo bottle, thereby doubling sales
of said shampoo overnight because
everyone began washing their hair
twice instead of once.
But male engagement rings didnt
take off: The undertones just didnt
jive with the masculine image.
So jewellers De Beers came up with
a better idea: If they couldnt sell more
rings, they reasoned, they could at
least get people to spend more on the
ones they did buy.
It was De Beers, in the 1930s, that
came up with and promoted the idea
that a man should spend at least one
months salary on an engagement ring.
(These days its more often pegged at
two months.) And by draping starlets
in diamonds for their advertisements,
they kept sales high in spite of the
Great Depression.
In 1947, the company succeeded
in marrying the idea of true love with
a diamond ring for the rest of time.
Their advertising slogan, one of the
most famous in history, equated the
jewel with love itself, telling the paying
public that a diamond is forever.
As one study later found, though,
half of couples in the 1940s got
intimate before their wedding night.
While some US states had laws under
which an engaged man could be
sued if they ran off after sampling
the wares, others did not. So the
engagement ring ensured women had
at least some collateral if they were leftstanding at the altar.
For those couples in the 1940s
who made it through to the big day,
post-war prosperity and romantic
optimism meant that for the first
time in the century it was common
to shell out for double wedding rings
as well as an engagement ring. As
Katherine Jellison notes inIts Our
Day: Americas Love Affair With the
White Wedding, 1945-2005, before
the Depression only 15 percent of
weddings involved both the bride and
the groom wearing a ring. By the late
1940s, that figure had shot up to 80pc.
By the 1960s De Beers had the
markets for engagement and wedding
rings sewn up. But they also had a
supply deal with Russia for small
diamonds that werent large enough to
be set in the Tiffany style. What to do?
Enter the eternity ring a ring with
a thin band of diamonds all around,
meant to be given by the husband to
his wife on an important anniversary.
As one of the De Beers eternity ring
slogans of the day said, She married
you for richer or poorer. Let her know
how its going.To boost profits, dealers later
expanded into markets with no
tradition of wedding rings. In 1967 De
Beers struck again, heavily promoting
rings as a symbol of success that those
on the cutting edge should desire.
In 1967, when the campaign started,
under 5 percent of women in Japan
sported a diamond engagement ring.
By 1972, it was 20pc. By 1978, half of
married women sported a diamond.
By 1981, it was 60pc. Local traditions
were forgotten, or made secondary.
Why drink rice wine from the same
bowl when you can go shopping to
pledge your troth?
Today, overtones of ownership may
have faded, but rings still capitalise
literally on the notion that love
should be measured by how much a
man is willing to pay someone else
to have jewels and precious metals
scraped out of the earth on his behalf.
Today, the average diamond
engagement ring in the US costs over
$5000. The average wedding ring costs
$572 for men and $1000 for women.
There is some backlash against this
price inflation. Some couples opt for
less expensive materials, like tungsten.
Some re-use heirloom rings from their
parents or grandparents. Some opt for
tattoos instead of the real thing. And
some go entirely without, whether
because its unsafe due to their work
environment, or because they simply
dont like the look or feel of jewellery.
Still, stigmas remain against thosewho choose to wear nothing at all.
Western culture views those without
rings as less committed to their
relationship and one 2006 study by
a professor at the University of Alberta
even purports to show those who dont
wear wedding rings are less attentive
to their children.
Never mind that plenty of ring-
wearers cheat, or are bad parents also
after all, a symbol is only as strong
as the love it represents. For some
its sacred; for others, its just for
show. But after 4000 years of habit,
it doesnt seem likely to go away any
time soon.
LET me get this straight, a
friend overseas said when we
described our then-upcoming
wedding. Youre not getting
rings. And shes not taking your
name. So why are you getting
married at all?
We had to laugh. But neither
rings nor name changes are
traditional in Myanmar culture
which gave us the perfect excuse
on both fronts. In truth we probably would have done the
same even if one of us werent from Myanmar.
About the name thing: We know some couples choose
to hyphenate, but that didnt appeal to us, phonetically
or administratively. I didnt want to change my surname
to hers, so it didnt seem fair to ask her to adopt mine, as
Western custom dictates.
The ring proved a harder decision, at least for me. My
parents wore rings; my grandparents wore rings; like many
from the West, I had internalised the idea that wearing a
wedding ring was part of becoming a husband, and that
becoming a husband signalled the transition to adulthood.
But as my wife pointed out and as The MyanmarTimeshas noted in the past; see www.mmtimes.com/
index.php/lifestyle/2230-are-wedding-rings-a-myanmar-
custom.html while articles of jewellery, usually rented,
are often integrated into fancy wedding ceremonies in
Myanmar, theres been no habit of exchanging wedding or
engagement rings in the Western sense.
Until the last decade or two, that is. Some young
friends here are starting to opt for rings even as their
parents didnt. Some link this to the prevalence of films
and television shows from abroad, in which finding the
right ring is portrayed as being as important as finding the
right man. Others say the rising interest in wedding rings
was brought to Myanmar by its large Chinese immigrant
community though there too the fascination with rings
has risen only in the past few decades, and probably relates
to the same imported ideas of affluence.
So whats an East-meets-
West couple to do? Whatever
we wanted, we decided. One
challenging but exciting part
of falling in love with someone
from outside your own culture
is that nothing is a default
choice: You have to balance the
traditions of both backgrounds,
and decide which parts work
best for both of you.
At first we discussed exchanging rings on the day of the
ceremony and only wearing them afterward on occasions
when we felt like it until others warned us that they dont
slip on and off that easily, and that if they do theyre too
loose and might get lost. (Plenty of lost-ring stories online
confirmed this.)
We discussed me wearing one and her going without,
to reflect our different backgrounds until abruptly we
realised it would look to strangers like one or both of us
were having an affair.
In the end we decided to make things simple. Both of us
dislike wearing jewellery and accessories. Both of us try to
avoid unnecessary purchases, for environmental and anti-consumerist reasons. And lets face it we were feeling
pretty cheap at that point anyway. So the answer became
clear. No rings, we decided and simply deleted that part
from the program so we could stop worrying and get back
to the more important (to us) matter at hand: deciding
which songs should be played.
A few years later, we have no regrets whatsoever. And
if some overseas interpret our lack of rings as a sign were
playing the field well, they must not know us that well in
the first place.
While its our choice, we dont judge those who do
choose to exchange rings, in Myanmar or abroad. For
them, as for my ancestors, I imagine their mementos will
only become more meaningful with every passing year a
bit worn down and scratched up, maybe, but with a lot of
memories behind them. Just like love itself. Wade Guyitt
Staff writersWade Guyitt, Su Phyo Win, Lwin Mar Htun,Khin Su Wai, Myat Noe Oo, Zon Pann Pwint, Kyay Mohn Win,Tin Yadanar Htun, Lun Min Mang, Aung Kyaw Nyunt
ContributorsAung Myint Kyaw
Editors Myo Lwin, Wade Guyitt
Sub editor Mya Kay Khine Soe
Photography Lwin Ko Taik, Khin Su Wai, Kyay Mohn Win
Cover photograph Lwin Ko Taik(Dr Moe Thauk and Ma Nwe Oo Maw,in Mandalays Shwe Kyaung)
Cover designKo Htway
Page layout Ko Khin Zaw
For feedback and enquiries,please contact [email protected],[email protected]
Put a ring on it or not?
Perks of a cross-cultural wedding
The romantic role of rings in marriage is a modern twist, arepackaging of an institution that for most of civilisation has beenmore about business than pleasure
Photos: Staff
She married you for richer or for poorer.Let her know how its going.
Advertisin g sloga n, De Beers jewellers
http://c/Documents%20and%20Settings/khinzaw/Local%20Settings/Application%20Data/Adobe/InDesign/Version%207.0/en_US/Caches/InDesign%20ClipboardScrap1.pdfhttp://c/Documents%20and%20Settings/khinzaw/Local%20Settings/Application%20Data/Adobe/InDesign/Version%207.0/en_US/Caches/InDesign%20ClipboardScrap1.pdf5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
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4 5
SU PHYO WIN
ALL the money you spend
on your wedding is gone
in one day except for
the photos. Those are an
investment in your future.
There is nothing which can revive
my memories, feelings and happiness
from the wedding like the photos
taken at the event which will never
happen again, said Ma Yamin, 38,
who got married seven years ago.
Ma Yamin thinks of a wedding
as a once-in-a-lifetime experience,
and looking at her photos brings it
all back love, nervousness and the
experience of standing there, about to
walk down that aisle into a new stage
of life.
I wanted to be beautiful when the
photographers were taking photos,
she said, as it can never be repeated
again. Even if someone gets married
again, its not to the same person as
first one. And anniversary celebrations
are far different than first-time
wedding ceremonies, I think.
As well as bringing back happy
memories, she said her photos
are useful in times when she is
disappointed or angry with her
husband: It reminds her of better
days and why she married him in the
first place.
All my anger goes away and I
start feeling happy whenever I see the
photos again, Ma Yamin said. In the
early days, she also loved to show off
the wedding album to any friends and
relatives who happened to drop by.
Knowing how important these
pictures will be makes wedding
photography very different from
taking pictures of landscapes or
models. And sometimes coaxing
people to relax, or to put forth their
best impression, is a challenge, said
professional freelance photographer
Lwin Ko Taik.
Actors know how to pose on what
occasions, but real couples dont.
It is not easy to make them happy
and direct them to pose so they are
naturally happy, beautiful and feeling
free, Lwin Ko Taik said.
He said the limited time he has
to get the necessary shots on the big
day proves another challenge, for
photographer and for subjects.
It needs to be artistic, Lwin Ko
Taik said. You have to try to get them
into a happy mode in a limited time.
Ko Shwe Zan Aung, who works for
7 Picture Wedding Dress and Photo
Studio, said taking wedding photos is
a special honour and a challenge for a
photographer: Theres no chance for
a re-take if the first shot doesnt come
out right.
I dont feel pressure, he said,
but I get a little concerned about
the organisation of the program. If
something goes wrong, the couple will
get confused and that will reflect on
their faces, which can spoil the photo.
After shooting more than 200
wedding ceremonies, Ko Shwe Zan
Aung says he has learned to match
his mood to the couples. Making
them happy, he says or naturally
beautiful as he calls it is part of
his job.
That requires a certain flexibility
and a willingness to improvise.
In wedding ceremonies its more
to do with snapshots rather than
following a strict plan. We always
make a plan in advance but it never
happens as we planned. More candids
and unexpected moments usually
happen, which end up being the more
precious photos.
I feel happy when taking wedding
photos because the couples are notpretending, he said. They really are
happy and excited.
The happier the couple is,
the more his job becomes about
documenting the scene, getting swept
up in the action, rather than being
conservative with his shots, he said.
Ko Shwe Zan Aung added that
weddings are also great occasions
for photos because relatives, friends
and colleagues from both sides are
all gathered together in one place. Its
the only time this happens, so its a
good time to get photos of people you
might not otherwise have a chance to
photograph.
Lwin Ko Taik said he likes
shooting for weddings because they
stand as a testament to the couples at
a milestone in their history.
Whenever they are in a fight, if
they see the photo album or the photo
on the wall the anger will definitely
change into happiness. So I feel very
special when taking the wedding
photos, he said. Different from
normal shooting.
APAIR of Italian
newlyweds stood before
a photographer recently
at Kamigamo Shrine in
Kita Ward, Kyoto, Japan, posing as
instructed.
Gaze into each others eyes
more earnestly Okay. Perfect!
the photographer called. Clad in a
red bridal uchikakerobe, the wife
stood beside her husband, who wore
a crested haoricoat and hakama
trousers. They blended perfectly with
the archway and the two-storied
gate at the Shinto shrine in the
background.
More and more foreign newlyweds
are having their photos taken at
temples and shrines in Kyoto wearing
traditional bridal outfits as part of
photo wedding services offered.
Maria Laura Raimondi, 37, and
her husband were in Japan on their
honeymoon, but Raimondi is no
stranger to this nation, having studied
Japanese literature at university. After
they married in Italy in May, they
applied online to a Kyoto company
for a photo wedding.
I wanted to have my wedding
photos taken with my husband
wearing a kimono, said Raimondi. I
like Japan even more now.
Noting the popularity of the service,
the Kyoto prefectural government
set up the Japanese-style Wedding
Admissions Group this spring to
offer original wedding photo services,
in cooperation with the Kyoto city
government, four wedding companies
in the city, the Kyoto Prefecture
Association of Shinto Shrines and the
Kyoto Buddhist Organisation.
With more than 10 million foreign
tourists visiting Japan each year, the
prefectural government aims to attract
more overseas visitors by offering
a comprehensive photo wedding
program that will bring them back to
Kyoto again and again, drawn by their
good memories of their previous visits.
According to the prefectural
government and other sources,
photo weddings first became popular
among young people in Taiwan
and Hong Kong. Kyoto apparently
became a popular destination for
these visitors several years ago when
travel agencies in Taiwan and Hong
Kong began providing photo wedding
packages. Some people even bring
a photographer with them to Japan
and spend several days having their
photos taken.
Domestic companies have recently
started entering the market. A photo
wedding typically costs about 200,000
yen (about US$1945), including
wedding outfits.
The photo session packages
provided by the joint venture of Kyoto
governments and businesses also
start at about 200,000 yen, which
includes a photo session, make-up,
wardrobe assistance and outfits.
The plan also includes a religious
ceremony and a presentation about
Japanese history and culture.
Eleven photo shoot locations
are offered, including such popular
temples as Toji in Minami Ward,
Ninnaji in Ukyo Ward and Kodaiji in
Higashiyama Ward. Participants can
also be photographed at a building in
Kamigyo Ward that once housed the
main Kyoto prefectural government
offices, designated as an important
cultural property by the central
government.
A website was set up in English
and Chinese on July 25 to accept
applications. It plans to seek the
participation of other shrines and
temples as well.
Photo wedding services have
also been incorporated into tourism
promotion programs in Sapporo and
Okinawa Prefecture.
In Sapporo, five wedding
companies established the Sapporo
Location Photograph Wedding
Conference in 2011.
Fifteen foreign couples used the
service in fiscal year 2011, with the
figure rising to 51 in fiscal year 2013.
Its popularity largely stems from the
photos that capture snow-dusted
landscapes and other breathtaking
views of nature. The citys tourism
planning department expects more
tourists to come from overseas after
seeing these photos.
Okinawa Prefecture has been
working to bring in people for
wedding ceremonies at local tourist
spots for the last decade. Last year,
more than 200 couples had their
photos taken on beaches and in other
locales.
The Yomiuri Shimbun
My best side is EastNeither honeymoon nor wedding photo, its a photo wedding
An Italian couple poses for a photo weddingat Kamigamo Shrine,Kyoto, Japan.
Photo:The YomiuriShimbun
In aflashFlowers fade andthe thrills of firstlove wear off, butwedding photosbring the memoriesflooding back
Dress-up funTaking nice photos of yourselvesbefore the wedding means youhave fun images to displayat
yourwedding ceremonyitself.It can also be a fun chance torelax and goof around with your
intended plus a chance torehearse yourdreamy, Ive-only-got-eyes-for-you expressions in
advance of the big day.Couples who want to take pre-
wedding photos at a studio dont
need to worryabout clothes,make-up oraccessories: Thestudio will provide all this: You
just have to be okaywith wearingclothes that arent yourown.
In fact, that fantasyelement is
part of the draw: Couples usuallypose in a varietyof costumes,and often dress up in imitation
of othercountries and cultures.Acommon package is to do one
traditional Myanmarset, oneWestern set and one Chinese set.
Sessions, however, need to bebooked at least one month ahead,
so dont leave it too late.7 Picture, a popularstudio
in Yangon, offers a numberof
packages forboth pre-weddingand wedding photography,starting from $120 and going all
the wayup to over$2500 forbothindoorand outdoorshoots, saidMa Ei Ei Khine, studio director.
Couples just need to book inadvance and come. We plan allthe stuff forthem and we have
full-colour dresses and havestrong make-up artists,she said.
If you choose to hire a
freelancerratherthan use astudio, youll need to handledress, make-up and accessories
yourself. But you can alsopersonalise yourshoot, andyou have more flexibility in
negotiating locations, time andthe numberof photos.
Some couples even arrange
to travel with their photographerin search of a more glamorous,romantic orunusual backdrop.
I charge from at least $350forone couple forpre-weddingphotos in Yangon,said freelance
photographer Lin Ko Taik, andmore forshoots in otherregions
and states.He also uses two ormore
assistants to keep things runningsmoothly.
Pre-wedding photos arent asemotional as wedding photos but if youre the type who likes
to pose and preen, youll haveplentyof chances to showoff allyourbest angles.
We always make aplan in advance butit never happens as
we p lann ed.Ko Shwe Zan Aung, 7 Picture
7 Pictures Wedding Dressand Photo StudioSA-8, Aung Zaya Housing,
Kannar (Strand) Road, Corner
of Ahlone Road, Yangon
01-2300392, 09-73077708
facebook.com/7picturestudio
7picturestudio.com
Lwin Ko Taik09-43063675
lwinkotaik.com
Pre-wedding shoots on location can be fun weather permitting. Photos:Supplied/KoTaik
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1311oxmvgosbx/?&v=b&cs=wh&[email protected]://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1311oxmvgosbx/?&v=b&cs=wh&[email protected]5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
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6 7
KHIN SU WAI
THESE days weddings in
Yangon and Mandalay
sometimes seem to
reflect the characters of
the cities themselves: one leans
toward the cutting edge with
brides occasionally opting to sport
glamorous dresses from the West or
South Korea while one opts more
often toward tradition and local
talent. For the latter, the care that
goes into the brides wedding dress is
a made-in-Mandalay affair.
Since the bride and her dress
always seem to be at the centre of
the wedding day, some women spare
no expense in finding something
unforgettable. Fortunately, intricate
filigree delicate traceries of gold or
silver woven into the designs are
where the artists of Mandalay Region
really shine.
The traditional bridal dress, or
htain ma thein, is designed to be
paired with diamonds and accessories.
The choice of colour is important:
It can be the brides favourite, or it
can be one chosen by astrologers and
calculated to bring the best of good
fortune to the new pairing.
Yellow is one common choice
with good associations and makes a
popular choice for the citys brides,
said Ko Myo Min Soe, a well-known
wedding dress designer in Mandalay.
I make wedding dresses in all
shades of yellow, Ko Myo Min Soe
said, from light yellow to a bright
golden colour.
This season hes also specialising
in violet-coloured dresses, which pair
well with gold and silver accessories.
The time-honoured cherry-coloured
dresses also never go out of fashion.
Ko Myo Min Soes filigree work
is so popular he now has enough
orders to last until next February. His
creations range from K700,000 to K4
million.
Many Mandalay brides order their
dresses from a designer. Some even
go so far as to choose their favourite
chaik the most common design for
weddings from the artisans of the
Amarapura silk industry just outside
Mandalay city. Then the weavers
give the chosen silk to the designer,
who uses it to assemble the finished
creation to match the brides vision.
Some choose silk cotton with
arabesque designs set off glamorously
with crystals. Some choose Amarapura
chaikwith gold and diamonds added.
Adding diamonds and crystals can add
at least K1 million to the price tag of
the finished product.
Designer Han Nway Nway Aung
said large cord embroidery chaik
designs with a full crystal pattern
from ankle to knee is currently
popular. Most of the customers order
some variation of this dress, letting
the designer know what they can
afford so the finished product can be
tailored literally to their budget.
At Yin Thu Htike silk shop, Ma
Nge said she emulates the chaik
design worn by the queens of
Myanmar a fitting style for the
royal city. Kyo gyi chaikwith a fancy
design, like the queens wore, together
with cord embroidery and thicker
lines is what were creating this year.
She said she emphasises the
quality of the silk cotton to the
customers, so they can be assured
they are getting the best. Her cotton
costs K300,000 to K700,000. But add
fancies diamonds, crystals and so
on and of course youll be adding
more to the bill.
Price, however, is not the only
consideration. More complicated
creations require more care and
attention to create. While no
weddings occur during Buddhist lent,
orders should be planned and placed
during that period to ensure the
design of your dreams is ready once
wedding season comes around.
Ma Aye Mya Mon is just one of this
seasons many nervous brides-to-be.
Shell be getting married on November
11, and her dress will be ready for pick-
up at the end of October. But of course,
she knows you always need time for
last-minute adjustments.
There may be more needed for
the dress; I may need time to fix it,
she said. I hope it wont be too late.
Ma Aye Mya Mon turned to the
Amarapura silk industry to choose
the chaikas well as the designer,
on the recommendation of a friend.
She said she chose her style of chaik
because its comfortable.
She also broke down the price
options as knowledgeably as only a
well-researched bride can do.
A design from a famous designer
costs K700,000. The cost to rent a
new wedding dress is K300,000. The
cost of sewing a dress is K150,000,
and the charge for adding diamonds
and crystal is K50,000, she said.
Grooms, of course, could spend
K100,000 and still look their best.
But thats the burden that the filigree
wedding dress demands and most
brides dont think twice about paying
extra for their auspicious day.
LWIN MAR HTUN
WHAT will this
years well-dressed
bride be wearing?
According to
designer Ma Pont, who opened
Yangons My Favorite fashion shop in
1999, muted pastels are set to be the
trend this year.
She said if a customer chooses
pale yellow, for instance, a designer
can easily match it with golden lace
or other suitable accessories.
She added, however, that some
brides are also opting for a more
striking hue, at least for their
wedding reception dresses.
People didnt used to wear black
and other dark colours [like dark
green or dark blue] because they
thought these were unlucky. For some
this idea comes from the advice of
fortune tellers.
Ma Pont said she didnt share this
opinion, but added she does prefer
designs that are elegant, even if they
are more modern.
Designers are warmly welcome
to create really different designs,
she said. But the customer needs to
know that trends are great but they
can pass. The wedding is a big day
to remember, and people need to be
satisfied when they look back at their
wedding photos in future.
She added that some looks may
be beautiful, but that doesnt mean
theyll flatter everyone.
Most customers want lace, a
diaphanous lace. Last year laces
were popular in both traditional and
modern dresses. This year designers
and couples used really thin lace,
which is too smooth for many.
Couples need to choose depending on
ones body structure.
This can create a problem when
average folk clamour for dresses Ma
Pont has designed for celebrities or
for the many wedding shows she has
displayed her creations at, whether at
home or abroad.
Most of the models and actresses
are thin. People think skinny people
look good in any kind of dress. But
if the bride is a little chubby and she
wants to wear a dresses worn by one
of the celebrities, I have to explain it
may not prove suitable, Ma Pont said.
Usually, she added, she can steer
them to something more becoming.
Im always talking to the customers
and listening to their wants and
giving advice on which designs suit
them better.
For this years wedding season,
shes decided to work with a simple
look, and plans to use few accessories,
so as not to distract from a dresss
classic lines.
Sometimes the simplest is the
best, said Ma Pont.
She also supports brides who
want to keep to tradition. I advise
brides that traditional wedding dress
cant be worn at any other event. Its
only right for a wedding. So I would
like every bride to wear a traditional
Myanmar wedding dress on her big
day.
Designer Latt Latt, who founded
Latt Latt Lady Boutique on Kabar Aye
Pagoda Road, agrees. The wedding
is a highly pleasant time and brides
need to feel royal. Its a more perfect
day with Myanmar traditional dress.
Latt Latt said her customers are
also opting for a pale look.
Most of the customers choose
pink and I match with silver. Some
want to look cute, and think pink is
perfect for wedding time, she said.
She is not using any artificial gems
or sequins in her dress, she said, as
its not a good match for a traditional
dress.
Im just using computer-assisted
embroidery and some crystals. As
for the bridegroom, I dont put many
accessories in the clothing. Some
customers want to dress creatively,
though, and I personalise it for them
at the time, she said.
With many couples holding three
ceremonies signing, wedding
and dinner there are plenty of
opportunities to dress up, Latt Latt
said. She encouraged brides to seize
every opportunity to its fullest.
The wedding dress is a very
important dress for a lifetime, said
Latt Latt. Please dont be stingy for
the dress. Make it the best because
the wedding event is your own event
and you must be the prettiest among
everyone.
Ma Ngwe from Yin Thu Htike silk shop displays chaikcotton dresses.
Photo: Khin Su Wai
High fashion is displayed in Shi Ni Zus Yangon showroom. Photo: Supplied
A husband-and-wife due front The Piano Koun Zaw Music Band. Photos:Supplied
Mandalay has styleall wrapped up
Pretty in pale
The royal city loves fashion and no wonder, with so many localdress designers and the talented Amarapura artisans nearby
Soft colours are in for 2014-15
Know your longyihtain ma thein = a traditional Myanmar wedding dress
kyo gyi chaik= a design with thicker lines
kyo latt chaik= a design with lines of medium thickness
kyo lay chaik= a design with thin lines
Top 10 designersMTlooks to its hip, fashion-
forward sister publicationNow!for advice on which local weddingdress designers are really turning
heads.
Mogoke Paut Paut
Ma Myint Zu(Zu Zu Collections)
Ma Poe (My Favourite)
Pyae Soe Aung(Exclusive Bridal)
Latt Latt (Lady Boutique)
Sai Bauk Ya (Shayi)
Kaung Myat
Min Thet San
Ei Kyaw Zin (Vivid)
Yone Yone
MYA KAY KHINE
NOTHING brings an appropriate
air of class to a wedding like live
music provided the singer dresses
the part.A singer shouldnt wear a
sports shirt with a skull image
and short pants. No one likes that
style of dress, said Daw Lae Lae,
a former traditional singer and
currently assistant director at
MRTV.
She and her husband U Koun
Zaw founded The Piano Koun
Zaw Music Band in 1975. They
now play weddings and donation
ceremonies, Thingyan celebrations
and novitiations.
The band has seven to 20
musicians, depending on the day,and there are three main singers
and six back-up singers, with
costs ranging from K300,000
to K500,000 depending on the
number of players and the choice
of vocalist.
No matter who sings lead,
though, Daw Lae Lae said the
No false notes allowed on the dayLive wedding music adds a dose of sophistication to your ceremony
vocalist will always wear a colour
which matches the outfits of the
couple, just to keep every detail
harmonious and pleasing.
She said the band isnt
old-fashioned, and does invite
modern singers to weddings. Butour band plays traditional music,
so we choose Myanmar melodies
and singers who wear Myanmar
dress mostly. She described their
wedding repertoire as a mix of
well-loved local favourites and
modern pleasant music.
Is there no room for a track or
two from the couples favourite
mix? Songs with meaningful
memories can make the
ceremony more personal for the
couple, she said but she also
cautioned that our Myanmar
weddings recognise grace and
blessings and that its important
to reflect that all music played
reflects the dignity of the
occasion.
When wedding arrangers,
the engaged couple or their
relatives ask me for favourite
singers or songs, we accede to
their requests, she said. But
we warn modern singers not to
sing sad songs or those with rude
words.
5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
5/9
shopping guideWedding
Flowers Available at Sandys Floral
102/A Dhammazedi Road, Bahan township, Yangon. 01-500142
Jewellery Available at Myanmar VES, 66 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon. 01-661902, 666770, 666823, 73066284, Fax 665503. [email protected], www.myanmar-ves.com
Dress Available at Happy
Heart
166 Kyun Shwe Myaing St,
Thuwanna, Yangon
Dress Available at
Happy Heart
166 Kyun Shwe Myaing
Street, Thuwanna,
Yangon
ShoesAvailable at VNC, ground floor, Taw Win Center, Pyay Road, Dagon township, Yangon
$45$4
1
K132
,000
K730
0(1
pc)
K29,50
0
(Set
of4) K4
4,50
0
K25,00
0
K23,00
0
K24,85
0 K86,00
0
$49
$57 $
33
GiftsAvailable at IKON Mart, 328 (A), Pyay Road, Sanchaung township, Yangon. 01-534216, 527705 www.ikonmart.com
JewelleryAvailable at May Myanmar, 58, corner of Ma Naw Hari and Taw Win streets (near Thai Embassy),
Dagon Township, Yangon. 09-73111451
K300,000
to rent
K200,000
(to rent)
5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
6/9
10 11
KYAY MOHN WIN
WHILE jewellery
remains a popular
investment choice in
Myanmar, sales are
extra-brisk this time of year, Mandalays
jewellers report. But its love, not
profit, that drives demand at the start
of wedding season and prompts
craftspeople to design newer and ever
more elaborate works of beauty.
This year we have created gold
shawls in floral designs, said Daw
Phyu Phyu Aung from Aung Thamadi
jewellery shop in Mandalay. We have
also made different shawls for thebride, including traditional designs of
the olden days.
White gold is popular this year,
she said. As gold has long been the
most popular item among Mandalay
residents, we have created gold rings
for couples. Those between K70,000
and K600,000 are selling very well.
Daw Phyu Phyu Aung said most opt
for a plain gold band with no design.
For those who prefer something
different, however, white gold accented
with pink, white and yellow colours
runs between K80,000 and K200,000.
Daw Phyu Phyu Aung said couples
can also choose to have their names
inscribed in this design.
U Kyaw Swa Win from Taw
Win Diamond Jewellery Shop said
diamonds represent a range of qualities
making them the perfect symbol of love
hardness, courage, prosperity and
long-lastingness.
This year his shop has created 20
different designs specifically for couples
getting married.
We have short-listed 10 designs
with a single diamond and gold out of
20 different ones. Most of the designs
are popular in the international
market, U Kyaw Swa Win said.
He said one popular design is made
to allow the engagement ring to sit
easily next to the wedding ring on the
brides finger.
Sales of diamond wedding rings
have been rising year after year, U Kyaw
Swa Win and that this has to do withthe influence of diamond-ring culture
of foreign celebrities, as well as Korean
movies and TV series which present the
diamond ring as a sign of love.
U Kyaw Swa Win explained that a
diamond ring can cost up to K250,000,
as only finest diamonds are used for
wedding rings. Taw Win Diamond
Jewellery provides couples the choice
of ready-made casts of their initials or
free-of-charge orders.
He added that platinum fits
diamonds best, and that people from
upper Myanmar prefer it to gold.
He also said the tradition of
a bridegroom presenting a set of
diamond jewellery to the bride is being
revived lately.
Young couples today want their
wedding to be more special and
extraordinary. So grooms show their
respect and sincerity by giving a set of
diamond jewellery to brides, spending
K5 million and above, said U Kyaw
Swa Win.
Daw Phyu Phyu Aung from Aung
Thamadi Jewellery agreed. Our
customers often buy sets of diamonds,
rubies or sapphires.
While many buy jewellery sets with
the intention of passing them down
through generations, not every couple
can afford the expense of decorating
the bride with so much jewellery. As
couples tend to choose wedding dresses
of unusual colors these days, it also
becomes a challenge to find jewellery
sets to match.
To solve this problem, many
jewellery centres offer rental services.
Aung Thamadi began their rental
service this year. Prices range from
K300,000 to K1 million, depending on
the type of set the couple wants.
Taw Win Diamond takes a differentapproach, offering rentals to their
regular customers as a gift to honour
their big day.
U Myint Thein from Ngwe Htee
Thone Latt Jewellery said most couples
can afford only artificial jewellery sets,
designed to be as beautiful as the real
thing. U Myint Thein said they see a 20
percent increase in such rentals each
year.
Ngwe Htee Thone Latt produces
about 50 designs for the year, he said.
We make them out of high-quality .925
sterling silver. The sets are designed
and made locally, and rent for K10,000
to K100,000 each.
We have customers not only from
Mandalay but from other towns. Some
buy them for their own business, said
U Myint Thein.
TranslationbyMyat SuMon Win
MYAT NOE OO
STYLES always come and
go, but this year many
brides are turning to a new
source of inspiration when
searching out their perfect wedding-
day look.
This year ladies are liking
the style of plait theyve seen on
Facebook, said make-up artist Ko
Than Aung. At his South Okkalapa
studio hes printed out different
examples of this braided hairstyle
online so that brides-to-be can mull
over which will suit them best.
Its all part of the democratisation
of style that the internet brings: Brides
are still depending on the best dress
and make-up artist they can afford,
but now they can also learn about
whats popular in hair and make-up by
themselves before they come in.
The trend toward plaited hair
is also a sign that some brides are
looking beyond traditional Myanmar
outfits and toward Western or South
Korean influences, which allow
more flexibility in hair and make-upfashions.
Ma Myint Myint will be getting
married on October 26. She is
already preparing her make-up and
hair choices, she said. Because the
make-up artist is busy, I gave a list in
advance.
Shes also matching her hair and
make-up to the non-traditional gown
shes chosen.
Im wearing a gown so I will do
my hair in plaits, she said. And I like
the smoky eye look so I told my make-
up artist to do my look like this.
Ma Myint Myints decision to
wear a gown rather than traditional
Myanmar dress gives her more room
for expression in hair and cosmetics,
said make-up artist December Hnin.
We have freedom to choose a
hairstyle if the brides wear a gown, he
said, but the traditional dress limits
the possibilities for hairstyles because
a trendy hairstyle is sometimes not
suitable for traditional dress.
December Hnin offers packages
including make-up, hair, dress and
accessories what he calls a one-
stop service. But brides can also
just arrange for hair and make-up iftheyve chosen their outfit elsewhere.
Whatever it is, he cautioned
that bookings need to be made
early, particularly for the kind of
personalised service he offers.
Brides need to choose their make-
up artist one or two months before,
because the artists lists can fill up. I
always do make-up and hair myself,
so I can accept a few but not too
many, December Hnin advised.
Ko Than Aung said that in the
past brides wore pink or white gowns,
but now they are opting for more
varied colours so the make-up needs
to change as well to match. Pink and
sky blue, purple and blue are among
the colour combinations he sees, and
brides are wanting to pair these withblue and green eye shadow.
He also seconded Ma Myint Myints
smoky-eye look, saying many brides
are opting for this choice.
Mens traditional outfits also
limit the options for hair, but some
men are showing increased interest
in their appearance and wanting to
look a bit more spiffy than most. And
those opting for suits or tuxedos find
it gives them more options when
deciding what kind of look they want
to rock on the big day.
Now men like to adopt the curly
hairstyle of Korean actors if they are
wearing Western dress, Ko Than Aung
said. The traditional dress does not
require men to style their hair because
they wear a Myanmar turban.He said some women choose a
facial steaming and other skin care
treatments starting at least a month
ahead and that some men are even
following this trend as well, all in
hopes of sporting a fresher look on
the day.
Hair and make-up costs vary
but can range between K50,000
and K100,000, not including any
accessories worn. Plan for higher
prices if the make-up artist comes to
the wedding venue itself.
ZON PANN PWINT
MUSIC is a passion for U Yan Paing
Soe. As a teenager he used to mimic
the sound of classic Myanmar vocalists
Twantay Thein Tan and Than Tun Lay,
and he was soon performing on stage
in his native Warkhema township,
Ayeyarwady Region.
But like all musicians with big
dreams, though, he knew to turn his
dreams into reality he needed to head
for the big city in this case, Yangon.
And luckily, he caught a break as
many well-known singers do gigs at
weddings, this gave the young Yan Paing
Soe a chance to get close to the limelight.
I followed famous classic singers
Mar Mar Aye and A One U Soe Myint
around whenever they performed at a
wedding, U Yan Paing Soe said.
In fact, thats where he got his
lessons during other peoples big days.
The wedding connections also gave
him some crucial job experience. On
busy weekends, Mar Mar Aye and A
One U Soe Myint sometimes only had
time for brief appearances, singing a
number or two before they rushing off
to do the same elsewhere. Soon, U Yan
Paing Soe was stepping in to cover the
rest of the program.
He might have become famous as a
wedding singer himself, in fact, had a
twist of fate not led to something else.
One day he was singing at
a wedding where the master of
ceremonies, or MC, failed to show. Mar
Mar Aye was scheduled to sing after the
MCs introduction; they didnt know
what to do.
But like the consummate performers
they were, they decided the show must
go on. She knew I am very good at
talking and entertaining so she asked
me to take on the MC role on his
behalf, U Yan Paing Soe remembered.He had always been impressed by
the talents of MCs, and when he took
the stage found had the gift as well.
Soon, word spread that he was a
natural talent at capturing attention
and making guests laugh. It wasnt long
before his friends were asking him to
MC at their childrens weddings.
I am happy being an MC, so I love
to act for free for friends, that is.
For others the demand became
too great, and he soon realised he had
found himself with the makings of a
busy, well-paying career.
Thirty-five years after he got started,
he now plays two to five weddings
every weekend during wedding season.
Demand spiked, he said, after he
became close friends with singers and
actors in the film industry and was
offered a few leading roles, and later
acted in some supporting roles.
When I became an actor as well as a
singer, many wedding planners wanted
to hire me. [The celebrity quality] is an
advantage, he said.
Over the years, U Yan Paing Soe has
a number of funny stories funny in
retrospect, at least.
Some couples can hire both an MC
and a music band with singers, he said,
but some cant afford both. So when
one couple hired him but couldnt
afford a band, they asked him for help.
U Yan Paing Soe has always believed
there are two kinds of crowded
occasions. Funerals are silent and a
wedding is noisy, and so if a wedding is
too quiet, it is inauspicious. To keep the
mood light at this couples wedding, he
decided to play a cassette to fill the gap
left by the missing band.
I told the man at the hotel to play
the cassette when the bride and groom
made their entrance. When the couple
had taken three or four steps inside,
I winked at him as a sign to start the
cassette. The couple took more steps
but nothing was playing. I was anxious.
Then when the couple was closeto the stage, the sound came out loudly
all of a sudden. But it wasnt music: it
was the four political and economic
objectives every musicians record has to
include as an introduction!
He said the industry has changed a
lot since his early days on the scene.
Before 1988, there were three
or four venues in which to celebrate
weddings, such as Inya Lake, Strand
Hotel, the Chinese communal temple
in Chinatown and the Hong Kong bar.
But from 1988 onward the number of
venues has increased, including Yuzana
Garden Hotel, Sedona Hotel and many
restaurants, he said.
Another change is that MCs once
had to be married, but these days
single men and women act as MCs
as well. U Yan Paing Soe said this
helps fill the shortage of MCs but
no matter how polished their skills at
the mic, he said, theres one area of
experience single people still lack.
If he is single, how he will guide
the bride and groom if he hasnt
experienced married life?
Brides and grooms sporting Western and South Korean fashionsare finding they offer more flexibility for hair and make-upthan traditional Myanmar styles
The centrepiece of asuccessful weddingceremony isnt thebride its the MC
Master ofceremonies
Know your accessories for men:gaung-baung the Myanmar
turban, worn on wedding days
and other very special occasions
taun shei baso a double-length longyi, consisting of a
single flat piece of fabric rather
than a loop, measuring up to 15
feet long and folded around the
body. Since its only worn for very
special occasions, most grooms
need help to tie it.
Beyond the ordinaryReal or artificial, purchased or rented,wedding jewellery means big business
Grooms show their respect and sincerityby giving a set of diamond jewellery to
brides, spending K5 million and above.U Kyaw Swa Win, Taw Win Di amond Jew ellery
Heart of gold
U Yan Paing Soe sings on MRTV in 1986.
Photo: Youtube
Brides in white dresses get help with their tresses.Photos: Staff
Staff show off bridal jewellery at Aung Thamadi in Mandalay. Photo: Kyay Mohn Win
5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
7/9
12 13
Asia Plaza HotelRoom fee No (K120,000iffewer
than200people)
Capacity 700Decorations Included (room,
backdrop no band)
Food K5000-K7000Booking 1 month in advanceContact 277 Bogyoke Aung
San Road, Kyauktada
01-391070, 391105~6
www.asiaplazahotel.
com
Central HotelRoom fee K120,000Capacity 500DecorationsNoFood K4000-K5000 per
person
Booking 1 month in advanceContact 335/357 Bogyoke
Aung San Road,
Pabedan
01-241007~20
www.
centralhotelyangon.
com
Location,location...Beautiful venue optionsfor a Yangon wedding
TIN YADANAR HTUN
Sedona HotelRoom fee NoCapacity 1000DecorationsIncluded (style to
change in October)
Food K15,000 per personBooking 1 year in advanceContact 1 Kabar Aye Pagoda
Road, Yankin
01-8605377,
8605366
www.sedonahotels.
com.sg
Sule Shangri-La HotelRoom fee NoCapacity 1000DecorationsIncluded (room, backdrop no band)Food $14-$17 per personBooking 6 months in advanceContact 223 Sule Pagoda Road, Pabedan,
01-242828
www.shangri-la.com/yangon/
suleshangrila/
Karaweik Palace HotelRoom fee No (K100,000 if fewer than 200 people)Capacity 400 (200 in one Brahminy Duck)DecorationsIncluded (room, backdrop, flowers)Food K10,000-K18,000 per personBooking 4 months in advanceContact Kandawgyi Lake, Mingalar Taung Nyunt, 01-290545,
09-459222222, www.karaweikpalace.com
Inya Lake HotelRoom fee NoCapacity 800DecorationsIncluded (room, backdrop,
flowers, dry ice)
Food $13-20 per personBooking 6 months in advanceContact 37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road,
Mayangone
01-9662866, 9662857~59
www.inyalakehotel.com
The Strand HotelRoom fee $3000Capacity 600DecorationsIncluded (room, backdrop,
wedding cake, servers)
Food No (arrange yourself)Booking 2 months in advance
Contact 92 Strand Road, Kyauktada01-243377~78, 01-243389
www.hotelthestrand.com
Belmond Governors ResidenceRoom fee NoCapacity 160 in garden; 120 indoorsDecorationsFlowers onlyFood $45-$100 per personBooking 1 month in advanceContact 35 Taw Win Road, Dagon
01-229860, 229861
www.belmond.com/governors-residence-yangon/
Photos and information: Supplied by respective venues
5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
8/9
14 15
LUN MIN MANG
IN countries where living
together before marriage
has become more common,
honeymoons these days seem
more about relaxing and celebrating
that starting a new life. In Myanmar,
though, where couples do not
usually live alone before marriage, it
remains what it once was elsewhere
a chance for couples to experience
life on their own for the first time,
whether its out in public or in
private behind closed doors.
The idea of the honeymoon as a
trip dates to the early 1800s in Great
Britain, when couples would travel
to visit relatives who were unable
to come for the wedding. This was
known as an English-style voyage
when the fashion spread to the rest
of Europe and now its taken over
the world.
Somewhere along the way, of
course, the purpose has changed
from visiting relatives homes to
leaving family behind.
The non-travelling honeymoon
a special post-wedding period, spent
at home dates back much further
in time. As for the name, there
are a number of explanations, and
many are contradictory. The Oxford
English Dictionarycites a mention
in 1552 from an early dictionary,
Richard HuloetsAbecedarium
Anglico Latinum:
Hony mone, a term proverbiallyapplied to such as be newly married,
which will not fall out at the first,
but thone loveth the other at the
beginning exceedingly, the likelihood
of their exceadinge love appearing
to aswage, ye which time the vulgar
people call the hony mone.
In other words, the love is never
as sweet as in the early stages and
that phase is bound to end soon.
But other explanations are
cheerier: Some say the name comes
from a month-long period in which
the couple were brought gifts of
mead to encourage fertility.
However it came about, the
honeymoon is popular in Myanmar
too. Photos taken during this period
will remind a long-married couple
of their first days of getting to know
one another as husband and wife.
To close out our special Wedding
supplement,The Myanmar Times
spoke to two local travel agents
Sun Far Travels & Tours Co, Ltd and
Thousand Islands Travels & Tours
to map out the options for those
deciding where to spend their first
days of married life.
Romantic MyanmarFor those whose budget is more suited
to domestic travel, why not head to
one of Myanmars glorious beaches?
Whether its Myeik, Kawthaung, Ngwe
Saung, Chaung Tha, or Ngapali, the
lazy waterside atmosphere is perfect
for bonding. One particular spot
recommended by local tour operaters
is Kawthaungs Adaman Resort, with
its unique feature of coral reefs for
visitors and small islands that can be
visited by boats.
For those looking for a cozy private
getaway, an unexpected but highly
recommended place for honeymooners
is Popa Mountain Resort, located
halfway up Mt Popa. Honeymooners
who visit this place say it is very
peaceful and quiet just what
you want after all the flurry of the
wedding. The weather is pleasant and
the views are a reward of their own.
Want something even more remote
and intimate? Putao in Kachin State
offers stunning views and activities.
Hike in the foothills of snow-capped
mountains, or just nestle down
together away from it all. Either way,
Malikha Lodge and Putao Trekking
House offer options that cant be beat.
For a memorable culturalexperience, many choose to go to
Inlay, Bagan, Mrauk Oo or Mandalay.
Other inland honeymoon destinations,
for those looking to see an area they
havent been to before, include Kalaw,
Pindaya and Pyin Oo Lwin.
The world at your fingertipsFor those with more to spend, most
honeymooners choose Phuket,
Pattaya or Bangkok in Thailand; Bali
in Indonesia; Hanoi and Halong Bay
in Vietnam; or Sentosa in Singapore.
As these three regional countries
share a common Southeast Asian
heritage, they arent too far removed
from Myanmar. But they also have a
trace of the exotic bound to excite the
blood of any young couple.
Couples are also lately showing
signs of interest in South Korea,
enjoying the chance to delve into a
different region without going too far
abroad. Jeju and Seoul are popular
choices.
Some couples want to take a
honeymoon trip as well as a shopping
tour. They usually choose Singapore,
Seoul or Bangkok, as these places
offer vast choice at a more reasonable
price than heading all the way toEurope, which requires a good deal
more investment, in time and money.
For those willing to take that
plunge of leaving the continent,
Brazils Rio De Janeiro and Ipanema
Beach, Canadas Niagara Falls,
and New Zealands Auckland are
top-ranking choices, with local tour
operators are working hard to cater
to that demand.
One particular spot that cant go
unmentioned, according to an official
from Sun Far Travels and Tours, is
Kani, in the Maldives.
Maldives is a very beautiful
and pleasant destination to take a
honeymoon or a family trip, the agent
said, praising its weather, high levels
of service in hotels, and peace and
tranquility. Visitors are flocking to its
beach villas for snorkelling and sailing.
Another choice you can never
overlook is the City of Love. Visit
Paris and you can see everything
from Disneyland to Versailles (the
Disneyland of its day, at least for
Marie Antoinette and her friends); the
Louvre; the Eiffel Tower; Notre Dame
Cathedral; Sacre Coeur Basilica; the
Arc de Triomphe; and round it all off
with shopping at the Champs Elysees.One thing you wont be able to do,
though, is put a lock on the Pont des
Arts bridge and throw away the key, as
thousands of couples in love have done
the past few years. Officials have just
announced theyll be removing the
railings and replacing them with glass.
Ah well. Plenty of other places to
feel romantic. Is it any coincidence
that travel season and wedding
season both start at the same time,
with the full moon of Thadingyut,
falling this year on October 8?
Theres a whole world out there,
you two lovebirds. Go exploring.
Top choices athome and abroadHoneymoons
AquariusJan 20-Feb 18
PiscesFeb 19-March 20
AriesMarch 21-April 19
TaurusApril 20-May 20
GeminiMay 21-June 20
CancerJune 21-July 22
Ideal partners Gemini,Libra,Aries, Leo,Sagittarius Aries,Scorpio,Taurus,Virgo,Capricorn
Virgo,Capricorn,Cancer,Scorpio,Pisces
Virgo,Capricorn,Cancer,Scorpio,Pisces
Libra,Aquarius,Aries, Leo,Sagittarius
Scorpio,Pisces,Virgo,Capricorn,Taurus
Special match Taurusforbusiness Sagittariusmakesyouopen-mindedandkind
Aquariestobring goodfortunewithothers
Leofor compatibility Virgoto makeyou famousandbringgoodfriends
Leofor specialluck
Keys to marriage Behumbleandnotboast ful Posi t ivediscussioneveryday Vi tamins,carminati vesandlessgreed
Mutualunderstandingandcoordination
F aith ful ne ss M ut ua la dor ation w ith ou td ou bt
To have children Takegoodcareof health,particularlybloodissues,and holdback youranger
Domeritoriousdeeds tothreetreasuredpeopleand sharethemeritsearnedwith others
Knowyour feelingsandtake refugeinthree treasuredpeople
Balanceddietand avoidpleasure-seekingandtemptation
Spendtime togetherandbuildmutualrespect
Mentalstrengthand stress-freeliving
Yourcolours Skyblue,redandyellowforwisdom,kindnessand gooddeeds
White,blue andyellowfor peaceandhonestyinyoursocialandbusinesslife
Green,blue, purpleand whiteforstrengthoflove andkindness
Red,yellow,and pinkfor reputation,pearlwhitefor compatibility
Red,yellowandskyblueforpeaceandgood reputation
White,yellowandpinkforluckandpower
Yourjewels Sapphire,diamondand rubyforpowerand selflessspirit
Pearl,topazand diamondforglory,wisdomand greatness
Jade,emeraldand sapphireforprosperity
Rubyand diamondforrespect Emeraldand sapphireforboostingsocialskills
Pearl,emerald,jade, platinum,rubyforglory,peace andhappiness
Yourflowers Flowerswithred, blueand purplecoloursandwhite lotusesforfaithfulnessandkindness
Whiteor yellowchrysanthemumsforsafetyand leadership
Purple,greenand blueorchidsforlonglastinglove
Wearredoryellowrosesforwishescomingtrue
Gladiolusandother flowersforeasedburdens
Orchidsforwishes comingtrue
Know your add-ons:from head to toesadone a bun of fake hair wornon top of the brides head to
make her own hair look longer
ka-di-ba pha-nat thick-soled velvet slippers especially
designed and ordered for the
wedding ceremony, worn by both
bride and groom
A couple sets off on the road ahead. Photo: Lwin Ko Taik
Ma Ei Thandar30, Printing executive assistant
IAM going to marry in October. I have
decided to marry because I trust him. I
believe that he can provide for me so that
I can live decently. I also trust his talents
and his love.
I know there will be difficulties and
we have to face them. I am not afraid to face these difficulties. If
we trust each other, we believe we can overcome the problems
however difficult they are.
I still dont know how I should make good use of the love in
my life. But I understand the need to make the marriage safe and
happy. I know if one makes a mistake, the trust will be finished.
So it is important to continue to have trust.
U Myo Min Soe36, Trader
THE main things are coordination and
understanding. Love is also required.
We have eight years of married life. We
dont have big problems, though we do
have some small bickering. The marriage
will not be okay if the husband is doing
what he wants and the wife is doing just what she likes to do. It
is necessary to understand the minds and feelings of each other.
Its give-and-take
The reason why we got married is we thought we can
understand each other well. We also thought we could maintain
our marriage. I am happy with my married life. We now have
two children.
Daw Hla Hla Thwin53, Bank employee
IDONT mean Dont love each
other, but understanding is more
important. When we were young we
built our married life with both love and
understanding. Now we have had 28 years
of married life.
We have passed through many difficulties together. Life is
not always a bed of roses. Married life can have problems and
difficulties. If a couple doesnt have the ability to face these
problems, the marriage will not last long. Marriage is the
merging of two lives. We cant look at from only one perspective.
We have to look after both and share both. For us, there have not
been big problems. But we need to be patient.
LeoJuly 23-Aug 22
VirgoAug 23-Sept 22
LibraSept 23-Oct 22
ScorpioOct 23-Nov 21
SagittariusNov 22-Dec 21
CapricornDec 22-Jan 19
Sagittarius,Aries, Libra,Aquarius,Gemini
Capricorn,Taurus,Scorpio,Pisces,Cancer
Aquarius,Gemini,Sagittarius,Leo Pisces,Aries,Capricorn,Taurus,Virgo
Aries,Leo, Aquarius,Gemini,Libra Taurus,Virgo,Pisces,Aries,Scorpio
Scorpiowillkeep yousafe fromharm
Sagittariusbrings goodresultsthroughdiscussion
Aries,for business Leobrings powerand promotion Virgomakesyou strongerphysicallyandmentally
Librabringslove andrespectfromothers
Flexibility,balancingneeds ofyourselfandothers, andsympathy
Avoidsuperstitionandtake refugeinthree treasuredpeople
P ol it enes s a nd t r us t D on t o ve r- wo rr y o r th ink t oo m uc h M ut ua l tr us t, ha pp ines s a ndunderstanding
Mutualunderstandingand patience
Dontget overwhelmedbyunwantedthoughtsor strictrules
Monitordrugsandbloodpressure Guardagainstinfectiousdiseases Dontignorereason,andacceptpositivediscussion
Createhappinessand bementallystrong
Wiseupanddropyourstubbornness
Redandyell owforpower Green,purp le,b lue,ye ll oworwhi teforhappinessand health
Skyblue andpurple forreputationandmore friends
Yellow,white andgreen forbusiness
Red,yellowand orangeforgooddeeds,honestyand bravery
Darkblue andgreen forbalancebetweenworkand sociallife
Ruby,topaz,amber formentalgrowth
Emerald,jade,sapphireforbrightnessandpeace
Sapphire,tourmalineandpearl forconfidenceandlove
Sapphire,emerald,topaz,pearl forluckand health
Diamond,emeraldand rubyforpower,healthand peace
Sapphire,emeraldand pearlforextraordinaryideas andgoodfriends
Eugenialeaves,coconutflowersandredrosesforsuccessandbusinessgrowth
Anythat arered, blueand purple,andalso whitelotus
Anythingbrightfor harmonioussocialisationand luck
Redroses andred gladiulusforloveand kindness
Red/yellowroses,or white/yellowchrysanthemums,forpopularityandbusiness
Fragranceofsandalwoodorjasmineforglory andsuccess
What makes a good marriage?WITHAUNG KYAW NYUNT
Howto
happily-ever-after
Predictionsby
AUNGMYINKYAW
4thfloor,113
ThamainBayanRoad,
Tarmwetownship,Yangon
09-73135632
5/19/2018 Your Wedding 2014
9/9
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