Throwback Tuesday: More honeymoon pictures in Bali

Bath and Body Works semi-annual sale is here!

Ok I'm a sucker for Bath and Body Works stuff and I use them on a daily basis. The best thing is that they always have sale and I keep getting coupons every time I purchase something in the store. The last time I went on a massive shopping spree was during our last vacation in Seattle. I think it was the semi-annual sale in January. I'm so excited now that the summer semi-annual sale is here. I just need to stock up on some of these stuff.

The sale started this week's Monday and ends early July if I'm not mistaken. It's always better to go early because you wanna grab the stuff you want before they go out of stock. I went on the first day and managed to get a few to add to my collection. The best deal is the 75% off body care items and I think the hand soaps was $3 each. I paid less than $50 for these babies after the discount and I used my $10 off coupon. Now I'm thinking whether I should go back for more.

Snowlake on a sunny day

Our hike to Snowlake started on a very hot Sunday afternoon. The sky was clear and there was no sign of cloud at all. I remember how I hated walking in the sun. I'm crankier and I feel weaker when it's hot. Plus I wasn't feeling a hundred percent but it was the determination that motivated me to go.

If I had to rate the hike, I would say it's between easy to moderate depending on how your stamina is. It's not as steep as Ira Springs Trail but the trail is rocky almost all the way up. I tripped a few times which is not good at all! The hike towards the lake took us approximately 2.5 hours then we took about 15 minutes to relax by the water and enjoy the view and its surroundings.

We spent the next 1.5 hours hiking down towards the parking lot. It's always faster hiking back because the trail goes downhill. It also helped when the weather cooled down a bit so we don't have to stop for a quick water break.

I personally prefer hiking in a cooler weather. But I don't mind hiking in the sun and feeling all sticky for a clear view like this.

How to look for a good wedding photographer

Ok I was a bit hesitant to write this post because I don't like to making people lose their job. But I'm not dropping names and at the same time I feel like other people should be aware about giving their money to dishonest people. I was in a situation of feeling cheated which really tested my patience. By writing this, I hope I can save some people from experiencing the same thing as I did.

Most of us have heard some unpleasant stories about wedding photographers. There are so many unethical photographers nowadays doing business. And these people are making the industry look bad. These (amateur) photographers are also making it hard for the pioneers and other great photographers to survive in this wedding business.

To be honest, it's not hard to be a photographer. As long as you know how to pick up a camera, take pictures and edit them, you're on your way to becoming one. It's an easy money-making business but so many people are abusing it. I'm surrounded by people with good photography background so I can differentiate between good photography and bad. I can safely say that only less than 50% of wedding photographers (in Malaysia) can truly be called top-notch photographers (from gathering their team, customer service, communication and delivery).

Quality photographers are so hard to find nowadays. Most photographers are either lacking experience, have no communication skills, attitude problems or just don't know what they're doing - which result to many couples getting cheated by their own photographers. Sadly, my husband and I are among the unlucky ones. I'm not gonna go into details because it was a tiring chasing game for us. All I can say is that we know our way out and we got our pictures from our photographer. We didn't harass nor lose our temper at the guy. Well, he's still a human and whatever he did or problems he claimed he was facing, let that be between him and the Mighty One. (Hint: If you find out who my photographer is, you might not want to go anywhere near him).

Anyway, lesson learned. I realized that wedding is one of those life events that you want to be able to remember forever. It's important to have the right people involved in it. Especially those you're giving your money to. Future bride and groom, please do your research on the people and services you're planning on hiring (from catering to decorations, photographers to makeup artist and other stuff). It's important because after all the stress you go through during the wedding process, you don't wanna be having problems with the people that you're paying for their service.

Photographers should be in the top three priority list because pictures are everything. I listed down a few tips on finding photographers based on my experience (and things I should've done back then). I hope this guide can help you find the best photographers for your wedding day.

1. Set your budget. You have to have a fixed budget for everything. So stick to it and look for a few options based on that budget and your preference.

2. Have a shortlist. Break it into 3 - 5 photographers before you make a decision. It's easier to have a small list so that you're focused on the most ideal options than having so many potentials.

3. Avoid looking for photographers at wedding expo. Chances of them getting overbooked is high especially if they are offering attractive wedding packages. I may be wrong but I can come up with two reasons photographers get involved in these kind of expos: 1. They're desperate for customers and 2. They have customers but they want more so that they can get more money. More reasons to not hire them...

4. Meet your photographers in person. Don't just deal with your photographer via phone or email. The best thing to do is to meet them to discuss the cost, delivery time, the event and any agreement you can make.

 5. Chemistry is the key for a comfortable working environment. But it's not easy to have chemistry with your photographer. One of the ways to create chemistry is to have a pre-wedding session with them. Not only this allows you to connect with them, you can also study their style and vice versa.

6. Study their portfolio. Every photographer has their own style of taking pictures right to editing them. You can tell by looking at their portfolio. If their style fit what you want, then go for it. If you're not keen on  their style except that their price fits your budget - then you might just have to consider and look at a few other options. Even if you tell the photographers the style of pictures you want them to take, they may not be able to deliver up to your expectation - just because that it's not their style.

7. Put it in paper. Make sure you have everything in black and white in case anything happens. If you list down every detail and have both parties sign the agreement, that means both of you are agreeable to everything listed on the paper. These are the things that you want to put on the paper: How many events, working hours, no. of photographers, no. of albums (size and pages), any extra stuff (posters, canvas pictures, banners), raw pictures and edited pictures, delivery time. This is crucial to make sure that you get your album (3 - 4 months max should be the cut off time).

Misty morning on Ira Springs Trail

Our second week of hiking started on a misty Sunday morning. We decided to go to Mason Lake through Ira Springs Trail since we wanted something slightly challenging than the first hike we did. And boy, it was a pretty damn good workout! 

The first part was a smooth hike along the path covered by forest trees. We hiked for over one mile until we reached the end of a straight path - and then the real hike started. The trail elevates as the path zig-zags its way up. It was hell of a climb but definitely not a boring trail. We hiked passed a beautiful green garden, 'flinstones town' and the trail led us all the way down to Mason Lake. We walked halfway around the lake to look for a private spot where we could have our snacks. It felt peaceful out there. Unfortunately, the visibility was very low so we didn't get to enjoy the the lake as much. 

Ira Springs Trail took my breath away.  It is one of those hikes that you have to experience on a clear day. I was already blown away by the trail even though the weather was not at its best. Imagine being there when the sun is up - exceptionally beautiful!