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The pinnacle moment of a wedding is probably the wedding entrance aka the ‘First March-In’ which will inevitably set the tone for the rest of the ceremony. Many ideas started rolling in for the ultimate wedding entrance… – Arriving in a horse-drawn carriage Too cliche and the horses might start pooping all over the restaurant. Eek! – Bicycle carriage maybe? Not fairytale-ish enough and we’ve seen it all over the internet. – Dancing down the aisle instead! This is seriously getting boring. And so we were watching HBO one day and coincidentally got to revisit the epic scene in Disney’s Enchanted where the princess (Amy Adams) leaves her animated kingdom for the concrete jungle of New York City. *lightbulb moment* As we sat down to envisage the theme for our wedding, we both figured what better way to get the imaginative juices flowing than a fairytale movie marathon. My hubby-to-be needed no persuading being an avid movie and fairytale fan. 😀 This was how the idea of connecting a fairytale story to the real time events at our wedding was born. Haha! Now scroll down to watch our idea come to fruition. 😛 Once upon a time… In a land far, far away… Okay, it’s not that far, just a 14-hour flight away, a wandering nomad crossed paths with a princess who’s in a bit of a bind. An evil curse has been cast upon her and now, she’s trapped in a fairytale world. Doesn’t sound like a bad predicament yea? Wrong! The caveat is – if the princess can’t find her knight in shining armour by sunset, the spell will remain and she will be imprisoned in this magical dimension forever. So will the humble nomad save the day? Click to find out! Whee! And we’ve these guys to be absolutely grateful to – for the most magical evening of our lives. Videography and Pre-Wedding Photography –  Sim Video Productions Where should I start? Yong Thye, my dear friend, my colleague, without whom so much of what we planned simply would not have been possible. Thank you! I sincerely believe there is no other video company out there that would have accommodated all my zany requests in the way Sim Video has. Whether it was out in Paris taking photos in the wind and rain, or filming a Disney style epic, Sim Video has time and time again surpassed all my wildest expectations. They’ve captured and immortalized moments that I will always treasure, beautiful memories of the best day of my life, moments that I can share with my family, friends and even my children next time. And the good news is – there’ll be more spellbinding photos and videos from Sim Video coming up! Stick around! Our inspiration 😛 Photography Pre-Wedding Photoshoot –  A Square Visual Studio We did a Disney-esque photo shoot with A Square Visual Studio at Universal Studios Singapore. We always had a pleasant experience working with them and I’m saying this from the bottom of my heart. A Square’s service, photos and talent are consistently mind-blowing. This is my third time working with them and I love how they always perform stringent quality control over their photos. And the result? Unique photos that totally fit our wedding theme. Here’s the bonus – besides makeup and photography, they also have a million delightful props that couples can play with during their photoshoot. This is a huge plus as it can be quite a challenge looking for fairytale-ish props in Singapore. Their packages are reasonably priced too. Trust me on this one. We scoured the internet and made the comparison. We can safely confirm that they have one of the most budget-friendly packages around. I’ll be doing a full post on our photoshoot and package details soon so keep your eyes peeled! Psst! I’ve also asked A Square for a special deal for you belles and this was what they’d offered: Quote ‘Juliana’ to get an awesome 10% off when you take up A Square’s amazing photography packages! Click here for more photos – https://www.ilovebunny.net/post/my-roman-holiday-with-a-square-visual-studio Actual Day Photography – Lightbox Productions I knew planning a wedding wasn’t going to be easy, but what I didn’t know is that even a whole year before my actual wedding date, most wedding photographers would already be fully booked for other weddings. It became a race against time to find a wedding photographer. Between the two of us, my hubby and I chanced upon the award-winning Lightbox Productions. I really can’t say enough good things about Kwang and his team. We met Kwang on several occasions before the wedding as Kwang wanted to really know who we were and where we were coming from so that he could get on the same page as us. Not only did Kwang manage to get on the same page as us, he was in the same book and probably the same library as us come wedding time. Haha! Kwang’s photos have been nothing short of breathtaking and his professional work ethic and guidance on the actual day meant that he really went above and beyond anything we had expected. Truly outstanding. 🙂 Photo Booth – La Novella No one knows quite when it started but these days having a wedding without a photobooth is like having a wedding without a bride, almost unheard of! But with so many photobooth companies around, you really are spoilt for choice. I was even further spoilt when I discovered the absolutely amazing La Novella photobooth company. As soon as they heard the theme for my wedding, they jumped head over heels with excitement. Their photos are simply class leading and combined with their incomparable level of service, beautiful customized backdrops and props, it comes as no surprise that each and every one of my guests left the photobooth grinning from ear to ear. I’ll be writing a detailed post about their services with photos of the booth and the photos taken on the wedding day. Stay tuned! Entertainment – Meta Illusions We didn’t plan our wedding to be different just for the sake of being different, rather we wanted our wedding to be unique, enjoyable and memorable for my guests and of course for my husband and I. So what better way to inject some magic into a wedding than with an expert magician and illusionist! Meet Alexander, a gentleman and sleight of hand expert. Alexander really wowed all my guests, young and old alike, with close up magic the likes of which you normally only see on TV. Guests were left flabbergasted, in awe and disbelief. There really was magic in the air, so much so that my friends and family are still talking about it to this day! Hair – Shunji Matsuo Hair Salon One thing you should never take a risk on for your big day is your hair. Find someone you trust, someone that understands not only your hair but also your needs and wants. Then you must frequent them to ensure consistently good results and book your final wedding hair salon treatment approximately 1-2 weeks before your big day. If you book the appointment too late, then you won’t have any time to fix anything if things go wrong. Book the appointment too far in advance and your hairstyle and colour will be gone come W-day. As some of you will know, I’ve been a regular at Shunji Matsuo under the skillful blade of William for quite some time now. The results have been so good that even my brother has started to see William for something of a miracle makeover. I had complete faith in William’s skills. He coloured my hair a unique green shade much to my husband’s dismay. But as strategically planned by William, the green soon melted away over the following few days to leave a rich warm brown shade, perfectly in keeping with my inspiration, Belle from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. 😛 My brother too was extremely happy with his Korean boy band-esque locks as he emceed at my wedding. Facebook: facebook.com/shunjimatsuohairstudio Address: Shunji Matsuo Hair Salon, 391 Orchard Road #05-23, Ngee Ann City Tower B Singapore 238872 Contact no: +65 6238 1522 Nails – Nail Indulgence De Beau Nail Indulgence has been supporting me right from day one back when my blog was just starting out. I will never forget that. As a result, it is my most frequented nail parlor. Founder Amanda is a true artist and never ceases to amaze me with her imaginative and whimsical designs. So it goes without saying that I returned to my nail home for the biggest day of my life and the results were nothing short of breathtaking. Perfectly in keeping with my wedding theme and colour, I would really consider creating an art gallery just to showcase Amanda’s amazing designs. Nail art never looked so good! Special offer for Honeyz Belles:  Quote ‘Honeyz’ at Nail Indulgence De Beau (uBeau) to enjoy a gelish nail manicure and free soak off at $29.90 only! (Priced at $60 originally.) Address: No. 1 Liang Seah Street, #02-14. (Opposite Bugis Junction) Contact no: +65 6333 1687 Skincare and Makeup – HKCplaza.com  &  Joanne Liaw  (Actual Day Makeup Artist) The Korean skin care wizards stepped up to take care of all my beauty needs in the run up to W-day. Providing me with an out of this world range of skin care products as well as actual day makeup artist for myself, my mummy and granny, they ensured all our worry lines were banished to the enchanted forest. But HKCplaza did not stop there, they even provided goodie bags for each and every single one of my guests, proving they are a company whose beauty is not just skin deep. Bridal Beauty – Shou Slimming Centre With so much time and effort focused on your hair, face and gowns, it’s easy to forget and neglect the rest of your body. Thankfully Shou Slimming Centre made sure that I didn’t have to worry about the rest of me as they were doing all the worrying for me. With special body sculpting treatments and skin treatments for my upper back, I was able to ensure a clear complexion for my back in time for my wedding day and my open back wedding gowns. The excellent service also afforded me some much needed relax time amid my busy pre-wedding schedule. Lashes – Lolita Group There’s no denying thick lushes lashes can really make a difference to your face by framing and highlighting your eyes. If you’re lash-challenged like me, then you have to consider your options carefully. I’ve never been a fan of the hairbrush like ultra-thick false eyelashes some prefer. With that in mind, I opted to search for the finest eyelash extensions I could find. My search took me back to an old favourite, Lolita group. With founder, Jocelyn herself at the helm, I found myself with the softest, longest, yet most natural looking eyelash extensions I’ve ever seen. My makeup artist too commented that she had never seen such high quality eye lash extensions before. Such a small change, but the results are so dramatic, I was definitely one happy bride fluttering my eyelashes away. Special offer for Honeyz Belles:  Quote ‘Juliana-Lolita’ to receive a full set of eyelash extensions at SGD69 only (U.P. SGD139). Lolita Group is located at Marina Link @ Marina Square #B1-12 Singapore [Tel: 65-63389981]. Lunch hours are between 3pm – 4pm. For more information, visit their website at www.lolitagroup.com Teeth Whitening – Theresa Beauty White gown – check, sparkly shoes – check, crystal tiara – check, pearly white smile – oh dear! It only became obvious at one of my bridal fittings that next to my bright white gown, my pearly whites were not so pearly and sadly, not so white either. Years of drinking coffee and green tea had clearly taken its toll and a painful experience several years back left me wary of harsh chemical whitening treatments. That’s where Theresa Beauty’s teeth whitening program differs from others. Using all natural and non-abrasive ingredients, the process is completely pain free. In fact, during the treatments I found myself falling asleep on quite a few occasions. In the space of just a few weeks, the change was remarkable! Hubby and I felt our gnashers could even be worthy for Colgate’s next toothpaste ad. So, white gown – check, sparkly shoes – check, crystal tiara – check, pearly white smile – check! Wedding Gowns - LOOV Production I knew the moment I laid eyes on Keanu Chang’s opulent bridal boutique that I would be getting my wedding gown from here. His grand yet elegant designs simply make you feel like a real princess. Trying on Keanu’s gowns, it hit me for the first time that I was really getting married. I figured I should see other boutiques and try other gowns, but despite everything we tried, neither my hubby nor I could forget the very first gown I tried on at Loov Production. Now the choice was obvious. We returned to Loov Production and Keanu welcomed us with warm open arms. The very first gown I tried became the piece-de-resistance for my actual wedding day. Before I knew it, my main bridal gown, my tea ceremony gown and my final march-in gown were all from Loov Production. 😛 It would be a shame if I do not mention Keanu and his absolutely incredible service. He customized my gowns repeatedly and allowed me to bring my dream wedding to life. Each visit to the boutique made me feel like a little girl again, a little girl dreaming of her perfect magical wedding. It was so enjoyable that even my hubby would accompany me to each and every visit and gown fitting session. My dreams were coming true. Thank you Keanu. 🙂 Love Potion Time and time again, I had people tell me that the bridesmaids gowns shouldn’t be too glamorous in case the bridesmaids show up the bride. However, I truly believe this couldn’t be further from the truth. Although not quite 27 Dresses , I have a fair few bridesmaids gowns in the closet and I can tell you, if your bridesmaids look beautiful, it serves only to lift the quality of the entire wedding. Wedding photos look gorgeous, bridesmaids are happy and there is bliss all around. I stuck by my guns and with the help of Love Potion, my vision for my bridesmaids was made a reality. Custom made gowns for my bridesmaids, flower girls and even my beloved mummy, ensured that on wedding day there was nothing but beauty and joy everywhere I looked. This was the first time I heard bridesmaids tell me they were excited to keep their bridesmaids dresses and wear them even after the wedding was over. Mission accomplished! Video outfits and accessories – Ash Lapin A million thank yous to Ash Lapin for providing the cutest outfits for the video. Yup – The sweet yellow dress and purr-fectly adorable Kitty clutch before the magical transformation were courtesy of Ash Lapin. Thank you Ashley for personally delivering the outfits to my place even at such short notice. I’ve shared about Ash Lapin’s awesome collection on my blog before. You can read the full post here  –  http://www.ilovebunny.net/2014/08/amp-up-your-fashion-cred-with-ash-lapin.html 🙂 Groom’s Suit – Intrend Fashions Not to be outdone, my hubby made it clear that he was as passionate about the wedding as I was. He wasn’t going to settle for shiny, silver, ready made, off the rack suits. Haha! My hubby knows a thing or two about suits and was determined to make sure he wasn’t going to look shabby next to me in my wedding gowns. After scouring the numerous tailors in town, Bobby finally bumped into Suresh Mulchand at Intrend Fashions, Far East Plaza. To Bobby’s dismay, almost every tailor beforehand had struggled to understand the concept of our wedding, especially our Beauty and the Beast inspired march-in idea. Suresh, however, jumped at the chance. He said in all his years he had never been asked to design such a suit but accepted the challenge. To Bobby’s surprise, Suresh actually made a few executive decisions to improve on the designs given to him to make something that took my breath away the moment I saw it. I really felt like I had found my prince charming as all the pieces of my wedding were finally falling into place. Shockingly, with 4 outfits on the actual day, my hubby had even more outfits than I did! They do not have a website but you can visit them at Far East Plaza #02-38. Their contact number is +65 6738 0152. Shoes – Sinderella  The moment I saw Sinderella’s dream-like creations, I knew that there could be no other wedding shoe for me. Adorned with beautiful Swarovski crystals, customized to my feet size, it goes without saying that the shoes would form something of a centre-piece for our wedding video and march-in. Special offer for Honeyz Belles:  Quote “SINJUL” to enjoy 10% off regular-price items at Sinderella. Address: 402 Orchard Road, Delfi Orchard #03-04, Singapore 238876. Contact no: +65 6224 5586 Note: Discount cannot be used in conjunction with Sinderella vouchers and valid until 31st Jul 2015. Props and Favours – 65Daigou.com Staying within budget on your big day is a near impossible feat. If not for 65Daigou, I really think I would have been filing for bankruptcy right about now. For any bride-to-be, take note – 65 Daigou is your new best friend! Know what you want for your wedding favors, know what decorations you want, know what gifts you want to give your lovely bridesmaids? Good! Now head on over to 65Daigou.com and get those same items for a fraction of the cost but not at a fraction of the quality. Through their expertise and express service, I was able commission custom made wedding cards, wedding favors and numerous other fairytale themed items to help bring my wedding to life. Truly indispensable! Venue – Cotton  (previously known as One-Twenty Six) Wedding Planner – Host by 1-Rochester Group Bobby and I knew we both wanted a truly romantic fairytale wedding which we could one day proudly tell our grandkids about. But it’s no use just saying your wedding is a fairytale wedding, you have to make sure every guest that comes to your wedding feels like they’ve left our urban city and been whisked away to a faraway magical wonderland. Cotton and 1-Rochester Group’s outstanding Wedding Planner, Beth, broke their backs to ensure this really happened. From the thousands of fairy lights, to the handmade Disney and fairytale themed cutouts, the custom design of every table, even the labeling of the different seating areas, everything I had planned became a reality. They ensured that no matter where you looked and whatever you were doing, you would always be surrounded by the beauty and magic of a Disney fairytale. Come wedding day, as the fairy lights twinkled above me, it was one of the most magical experiences of my life, as if I had my own private starry sky. I am really so grateful and humbled by everyone’s efforts and kindness. Sometimes, even your dreams can’t live up to real life. Special thanks to  Au Roi du Café This humble corner café formed the cornerstone for one of the key moments in our Paris wedding video. Their mind blowing steak was matched only by their impeccable kindness as they gave us free reign to make use of their premises for our video and helped us in any way they could – all for the price of a coffee! The steak really is that good, so good we in fact ate there 3 days back to back! It will be nice to go back there some day and reminisce about how we filmed there. No wonder Paris is so close to my heart, so many memories, so much love. 🙂 Finally, I hope you enjoyed our wedding entrance video. Did you have a unique wedding entrance too or do you have any other interesting wedding ideas? Let us know by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram at @ilovebunnynet . I’ll be sharing more juicy wedding deets with more about our venue and props too. Meanwhile, toast and cheers to an enchanting new year, everyone! Your friend, Juliana #Wedding #ToastandCheers #SimVideoProductions #MetaIllusions #LightboxProductions #ShunjiMatsuo #ASquareVisualStudio #Cottonsg #Sinderella #BridalBeautyLog #HKCplazacom #NailIndulgenceDeBeau

Can you believe that the phenom that was Emily in Paris last graced our screens more than one year ago! Well, Emily is back in Paris with Season 2 set to hit our screens literally any second now and of course you know what that means! If Emily is back in Paris, then she’s back in Pasir Ris too - or wherever else you might spot me in Singapore! Hehe! This of course means it’s time to vogue with a photoshoot featuring looks inspired by sneak-peeks from season 2 of Emily and her fantabulous friends, Mindy and Camille. Expect looks too hot to handle for even the fashion capital of the world, bold colours, prints and of course selfies with your cute camera phone case! Of course, I did add a little je ne sais quoi of my own to the mix to imagine what Emily’s office might look like during this magical time of the year with PR kits, delectable Parisian pastries and bubbly strewn around in one beautiful, chaotic, organized mess! The Style Squad Top: Love Bonito Leather pants: H&M Bedroom Slippers: Victoria's Secret Neck scarf: Pepperkoko Nails: Nail Indulgence De Beau Phone Case: Casetify Rings: Daniel Wellington Earrings: Pandora The Style Squad Top: Love Bonito Pants: MDS Shades: Aldo Heels: Aldo Bedroom Slippers: Victoria's Secret Nails: Nail Indulgence De Beau Phone Case: Casetify Rings: Daniel Wellington Earrings: Pandora Fin. Hope it’s not all too ringarde for you! Are you looking forward to Emily in Paris Season 2 premiering on Netflix in 2 days? I definitely am! Oh! The oven timer just went off. My pains au chocolat are ready, I gotta go. Thank you for being here as always. Enjoy the show and Joyeux Noël belles and beaus! Your friend, Juliana

Girls just wanna have funds! Working in our local community as a RESCU Ranger over the last few years has helped reshuffle my priorities in so many ways. I find myself striving to make our mobile clinic as convenient and affordable as possible, with a renewed focus on actual healthcare instead of disease care. This valuable experience initiated my keen interest in fitness and nutrition and even prompted me to earn my Personal Trainer Certification this year and consequently create 3F.energy , a science-based fat loss programme. Speaking of 3F , I've talked about F ashion and F itness on this blog and today, we're going to touch on the third F - Finance. Oh gosh! I can't believe we're going there. As you can imagine, running your own business often means the lack of a regular pay cheque and this has truly humbled me and made me rethink my financial situation to see money in a completely different light and hopefully make less financial mistakes as a result. If you've been a long time reader of this blog (You're a real trouper! Thank you!), you may have noticed that my earlier posts were mostly reviews of luxury goods so you can already imagine the kind of money mindset I had back then as a young fresh grad with a decent pay check - it was all about keeping up with the joneses like many of my peers. The last few years, with my husband's multiple emergency surgeries, the pandemic affecting our business and loved ones' passing, it was all a real wake up call for me. My savings were wiped out within a year but the expenses were still mounting. I had to reassess our situation and make smarter financial decisions. I'm glad to say that after one year of readjusting our lifestyles and mindset, I managed to stabilise our situation and accumulate some savings again. These days it's all about spending our hard earned money on more meaningful experiences and assets that can help us achieve financial freedom one day. Here are some money lessons that I've learnt and I hope it might inspire those of you in a similar predicament right now to get your finances back in order too. 1) Pay yourself first Yes yes. I know you've probably heard this umpteen times but I still need to emphasise on this. The first time I heard this concept was back in 2010 when I read Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad and it was this that prompted me to look at savings accounts with high interest rates, REITs and investment plans. Remember! Paying yourself first doesn't mean you go buy that Gucci bag and the Starbucks coffee first before you save the rest. Instead, it's the other way round where you save first, then buy everything else you need. Each month, allocate some money to your asset column FIRST before you pay for your monthly expenses and buy your favourite things. I definitely do not mean cutting all the fun things out of your budget - that is a miserable thing to have to do. If you made less money or have more fixed expenses that month, then buy less nice things. The concept is pay YOURSELF first, not Gucci first. 2) Keep track of your expenses Easier said than done! Even though I knew this is good practice, I've always been too afraid to see how much I'm actually spending. Heard of the ostrich mentality? Head in the ground and hiding from the truth because ignorance is bliss, yes, that's me - guilty as charged! You'll be surprised how effective this simple habit was for me. Suddenly, I see the light! There were many times where I went off the rails with my spending and by the end of the month, I realised I don't have much to save and wondered where all my money went. These days, I track my spending with a budgeting app called the Monny app where a cute bunny reminds me every night at 11pm to record my expenses. It has worked wonders on my budget and helped me identify all the unnecessary expenses such as subscriptions I no longer use, extra duplicate groceries or clothes that I bought and forgot all about! Sheesh! Well, you don't have to use the Monny app if the interface doesn't speak to you. There are tons of other budget apps out there or you can even consider recording your expenses on a Microsoft Excel Sheet or physical notebook, whatever that floats your boat! The bottom line is JUST DO IT! 3) Set realistic financial goals Studies have shown that the failure rate for New Year's resolutions are about 80 percent, and most lose their resolve by mid-February. I used to set unrealistic financial goals for myself like - I want to save 50k this year or I want to achieve financial freedom before I turn 35! You get the picture - the goal is too big, it lacks clarity and the expectations are set too high. These days, I divide my year into quarters and set quarterly goals instead of yearly ones and on top of that I also set daily goals to move the needle in the right direction. Here's an example, instead of setting a target like saving 10k a year - how about starting with $10 a day, then progress to $20 a day? In this way, the amount will be less intimidating. Save and forget about it, then see the final amount at the end of the year. Trust me, you'll thank yourself for it later. You can set up recurring payments to your respective bank and investment accounts. I personally adopt the Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) method and create recurring payments to my investment and crypto apps which I'll share more later. FYI! Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) is an investment strategy in which an investor divides up the total amount to be invested across periodic purchases of a target asset in an effort to reduce the impact of volatility on the overall purchase. The purchases occur regardless of the asset's price and at regular intervals. 4) Invest! Beat inflation with investing! Instead of parking my newly acquired savings in the bank which offers very little returns, I've been putting them towards assets I believe will appreciate in the long term. I bought some REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) more than 10 years ago and made some decent passive income over the years. This prompted me to explore other investment opportunities and since I'm a noob investor and have a low risk appetite, I started off using roboadvisors which are like the name suggests "robots" that help you to invest. They are automated, algorithm-driven financial planning services designed to be stress-free, approachable and cost-effective for new investors. I do need to warn you that these roboadvisors are not fool-proof. You're still putting money towards investments after all so you'll lose money if the stocks or ETFs they chose for you don't do well. I've also invested in cryptocurrency and stocks this past year. Just in case you're wondering, here are some of the platforms I'm currently using: Stocks Moomoo Tiger Brokers Roboadvisor Stashaway - Sign up with my link and we'll both get up to $10,000 SGD managed for free for 6 months! Cryptocurrency (Warning: Extremely risky) Gemini - Sign up with my link and we'll each get $10 USD of Bitcoin. Coinhako Again! I need to remind you to use these platforms judiciously. Do your homework before you invest in anything, if not it'll be no different to gambling. 5) Create a passive income stream If you've been following me on RESCU's socials too, you may have realised that we reduced our telemedicine consultation rates earlier this year as we managed to create a new passive income stream for RESCU by renting out half of our current office. Yay! If you have a space, an extra room in your house, a car, they could possibly be money-making assets (yes, even the car) that you can rent out and generate passive income! If owning a property is too far fetched for now, you could buy some REITs instead. A REIT is a corporation that owns, operates, or finances income-producing real estate or real estate-related assets so this means you can earn profits from real estate without the need to own, operate, or directly finance properties. Other ways you can make some passive income include selling a digital product, starting a YouTube channel or simply using your credit card. I've been using my Citibank cards and been receiving some pretty decent cash rewards to help pay for phone bills and groceries. I do need to remind you that interest rates for credit card debts are the highest so don't forget to pay your bills on time to avoid late fees. There are so many more ways to make passive income. Those will be reserved for a whole other post, for another time where I'll go into each of the areas mentioned above in much more detail and connect the dots for you. If you’ve read the post to this point, thank you! This also means you truly want to do something about your current situation and I applaud you for that and truly believe you'll succeed! You can do this! 💪 I do need to emphasise that I'm not a financial advisor. The tips mentioned were just for your information only and are not intended as investment advice. Please kindly seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice to help you with your financial portfolio. Did you enjoy this post? Are there any other topics you would like me to cover on this blog? Let me know in the comments below. Good luck! Your friend, Juliana *This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you sign up using the links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you! The purpose of this post is for your information only so it is perfectly fine if you decide to sign up with your friends or family's referral codes or links instead. :)

* Published 16 January 2013, Last Updated 7 October 2015 * Once upon a time, a million dollars could buy us a fancy condo or even a waterfront villa. We felt pretty much like kings if we had a million bucks. Today the situation is not quite the same. According to this article , we have become one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in and a million bucks can probably buy us a cozy HDB flat in Bishan (see introduction photo) instead of that urban penthouse of our dreams. So this sparked my new year's resolution – save money. I came up with a few easy ways to save money and I thought I could share them here to help you put more money in your back pocket too. Well, girls just wanna have funds! 1) Use money-saving apps such as Save 22 to plan your purchases. This app allows you to compare prices of the same products in different locations by simply scanning their barcodes. Now you can be savvy when you shop! 2) Try samples and freebies! Many big beauty product brands tend to give away free samples on their websites/Facebook pages on a regular basis. Try them before you buy them and you’re well on your way to becoming a smart and informed consumer. 3) Get rewarded for shopping! Cashback shopping schemes are all the rage in the UK and US and recently, that trend has hit our sunny island too. Woo hoo! Introducing to you, Shopback , a coupon website that not only features the best deals in the house but also reward you for shopping at your favorite online stores such as ASOS , Zalora and many more! Simply shop on any store via Shopback , then earn your rebates and cash them out through Paypal or bank transfer to your local bank. My best friend, J, has been using their cashback programme for a while and highly recommends it to all shopaholics. Haha! 4) Say no to taxis! Taxi rides in Singapore cost a bomb – we’re one of the most expensive cities in the world remember? However, we also have one of the most convenient public transit systems in the world so make use of it! If you need help, use transport apps like the Streetdirectory app. It helps you navigate around the city with ease by planning your journey, calculating your transportation fares and even recommending interesting places and eateries that are highly raved by app users and bloggers. 5) Don’t buy magazines! Borrow them instead! Many public libraries house top fashion magazines like Women’s Weekly, CLEO, Seventeen, Vivi, just to name a few. If you have to buy them, purchase their online or iPad versions instead. It’s cheaper and greener. 6) Use the plastic card! Many credit cards let you earn rewards or rebates when you spend. My most favorite is Citibank’s Dividend Card . Besides dining and shopping privileges, I earn up to 5% cash back on my purchases. (By the way, I’m not paid to say this.) Of course, always remember to be prudent with your credit card spending. You’re supposed to be saving money here. 7) Like that branded bag? Buy it online instead! Luxury websites like Reebonz, Kepris and Brandsfever offer luxury goods at a fraction of their usual price. You can also check out reputable vintage/thrift stores for preowned items. You never know what treasures you’re gonna find. Also, don’t miss out on the special deals offered on these websites. You could use Flipit.com/sg, a coupon portal that aggregates promo codes from online shops, to help you keep track of the latest discounts! Another awesome and up-to-date coupon site that I always consult is  http://picodi.sg . On top of popular local online shops, it also displays deals from international stores such as Shopbop, Dazzle, Yoox, just to name a few. And here’s the best part – it also features travel deals from top airlines and hotels! Think SIA, Jetstar, Hotels.com, BeMyGuest and many many more! Well, you can never get enough of coupon sites. To make sure I get the most savings out of my purchases, I also visit couponzguru.sg that offers a truckload of promo codes from my favorite online retail outlets. I’m a regular at Rakuten so when I first noticed Couponzguru’s never-ending list of coupon deals from the leading Japanese online store, I swear I almost hyperventilated. Haha! Well, good things are better shared – couponzguru.sg/rakuten-coupons 🙂 We also made it a mandatory procedure in our household to check all Hotels.com deals before we book our vacation destinations. I’m going to Hong Kong in a few weeks and I managed to get a whopping 10% off from one of the coupons on couponzguru.sg/hotels-com-coupons . Woo hoo! You bet your sweet bippy that I was all ready to channel the extra savings into my holiday shopping funds! 😀 8) Try social group coupons like Groupon! These daily deals websites have helped me uncover many amazing restaurants, salons and stores that were buried in the obscure corners of the island. So before you book your monthly hair salon appointment, try looking up these websites. Who knows? You might find yourself a new favorite salon or hangout. 9) Buy a few wardrobe staples. There are some wardrobe essentials that will not go out of style and they will help you maintain your fashionista status even when you’re broke. Splurge on these instead: Jeans, little black dress (LBD), black blazer, a pair of gold pumps, white button down shirt, brown/black leather bag and a pair of diamond stud earrings (timeless!). 10) Finally, read beauty and fashion blogs like Honeyz! Haha! Many bloggers collaborate with brands regularly to provide you great discounts and giveaways. So follow a few blogs to find out the latest beauty and fashion deals. This will help you cut back on spending and still retain your fashionista and beauty junkie titles. Well, I hope the above tips can help you stash away an extra couple hundred bucks every month. Psst! To help you make more informed beauty purchase decisions, I’ve also developed a full-fledged beauty website called Honeyzcube.com. It will help you discover the best of the world of cosmetics, skincare and fashion and let you experience amazing beauty products and services from trustworthy beauty and fashion brands without breaking the bank. Meanwhile, let me know if you have more money-saving tips to add to this list by commenting below. 🙂 Your friend, Juliana #fashion #Shopback #beauty #Reebonz #Streetdirectory

Picture this: Marshmallows in hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon. Oooh, sounds like a match made in food heaven, specially during the holiday season. The icing on the cake? Well, the cinnamon in our beloved hot cocoas offers tons of health benefits such as antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory effects to help lower your risk of disease, the ability to improve some key risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, reduce fasting blood sugar levels and and and! Its high Cinnamaldehyde content also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, which may reduce infections and help fight tooth decay and bad breath. But before you head out to stock up on this magical ingredient, I'll have to let you in on a little secret: Not all cinnamon is created equal. There are essentially two main types of cinnamon namely the Ceylon cinnamon also known as “true” cinnamon and Cassia cinnamon , the more common variety today and what people generally refer to as “cinnamon.” So what's the big deal? Yes, both types of cinnamon still offer the health benefits described above, however, the Cassia variety contains significant amounts of a compound called coumarin , which is believed to be harmful in large doses. Coumarin is a natural plant chemical that acts as a blood thinner and it is present in much higher concentrations in Cassia than in Ceylon cinnamon, which may be very important if you are taking certain hepatotoxic medications and preparing to undergo a surgical or dental procedure as you'll increase your risk of bleeding. Though coumarin is a natural ingredient, it carries the risk of causing liver damage or failure in sensitive individuals, especially among those who consume the Cassia cinnamon daily, or in large amounts. Cassia cinnamon has high levels of coumarin, which is why some European countries have even banned the Cassia variety. Cassia contains approximately 1% coumarin, while Ceylon contains only 0.004%, or 250 times less. This is so low that it’s often undetectable. It already sounds like Ceylon is the preferable one but here's yet another reason why you should use Ceylon Cinnamon in your hot cocoa. Ceylon cinnamon contains antioxidant compounds called proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins are similar to the antioxidant compounds found in green tea and grapes, which have been shown to strengthen capillaries, and offer antioxidant protection against heart disease and cancer. Additional benefits of Ceylon cinnamon include antimicrobial and anti-parasitic activity, digestive health, and blood pressure reduction. Ceylon cinnamon also has a sweeter, more delicate flavour than Cassia cinnamon which has spicier undertones, making it more suitable for cooking than baking. So how do you tell between the two? Most cinnamon products retailing in our local supermarkets come in either stick or powdered form and most of the time, they are the Cassia variety. However, even though some bottles of powdered cinnamon may not specify which variety of cinnamon the contain, the Ceylon types will usually be clearly labeled on the bottle like this one below. What about the cinnamon sticks? How do we tell them apart? Okay, I've created this diagram above to help you distinguish between the cinnamon sticks (which are actually the plant bark), the Ceylon ones will appear thinner and multilayered while the Cassia sticks are single layered and thicker as shown above. Another major physical difference is their colour. Ceylon is tan-brown in colour while Cassia is more reddish brown. Save the photo above for your next grocery trip! I think I've been consuming the Cassia cinnamon variety all this while. What should I do? The median lethal dose of coumarin is set at 275 mg/kg of body weight, and there is only 0.31g – 6.97g of coumarin in each kg of Cassia cinnamon. So how much needs to be ingested for the average adult, weighing 60kg for a minimum lethal dosage? Well, the average 60kg adult would need to consume roughly 2.37kg of Cassia Cinnamon to reach this potentially lethal dose of coumarin. That’s about 10 cups of Cassia cinnamon which is crazy! Most people won’t even get close to this amount. So if you think you've been consuming the Cassia cinnamon variety all this while, don't worry! All in all... Whether it's the Ceylon or Cassia type, cinnamon is one of the most delicious and healthiest spices on the planet. It can lower blood sugar levels, reduce heart disease risk factors and has a plethora of other impressive health benefits. It has been used as an ingredient throughout history, dating back as far as Ancient Egypt. It used to be so rare and valuable that it was regarded as a gift fit for royalty! So if you're making hot cocoa today, I would highly recommend you use Ceylon cinnamon but if you only have the Cassia variety at home, it's okay too - just use a small dose of it. I hope you find this post useful! For more interesting health and wellness facts like this, check out my fitness page at www.3f.energy where Bobby and I provide valuable personal training and nutrition advice on a weekly basis. Alright, all this cinnamon talk is making me crave for a delicious cuppa hot cocoa. I'm going to go make one right now! 'Whisking' you a very Merry Christmas! Your friend, Juliana

Shake your boo-thang! I hope you're having a fang-tastic Halloweek so far! I've been enjoying the spooky season to the fullest, making healthier renditions of pumpkin spice lattes, shooting TikTok content and creating low-calorie Halloween treats. Psst! Check out my previous post for a quick last-minute Halloween treat tutorial! 'Bone' appetit! ☠️ I think the best way to set the tone for the season is home decorating so you'll be reminded and surrounded by the festivities and trust me, it will lift your spirits so much. No pun intended. 👻 That said, please allow me to present to you my Home Sweet 'Haunted' Home! This year, we have Halloween baubles! I couldn't find any last year from the local or online stores but this year! We have a Halloween miracle, I found these aptly themed Halloween baubles from Lazada and they go so well with my white tree. Whoopee! This year, we stuck the bats on the TV console instead as removing them from our walls last year was a huge hassle and some of the wall paint came off too. Nasty! I think the bats look better here. What do you think? See the space in action! Now that decorating is done, we plan for Halloweekend! Halloween films are a must and we're still contemplating between watching A Nightmare on Elm Street or The Exorcist. Which would you pick? Sound off in the comments! We did finish Squid Games and You this month which I think could easily pass off as Halloween-appropriate TV shows. Haha! Anyway, thank you so much for being here as always, you candy corn cuties! Take care and Happy Halloween! Your ghoul-friend, Juliana

I ain't afraid of no ghost. Hey everyone, it's your ghoul, I mean girl, Juliana here. Hehe! In years past, you've seen my Halloween-esque style, nails, makeup and home decor, this year let's pumpkin spice things up and add Halloween treats to the mix! More specifically, low calorie Halloween treats so we can enjoy the spooky season without compromising our health goals! It's pretty unlikely that fruits will disrupt your nutrition plans but! Not all fruits are created equal. In our Flow Hyperthermic Cookbook , we listed watermelon as one of our favourite fruits with just 30 calories per 100g. Compare that to 167 calories for 100g of avocado or 100 calories in 100g of passion fruit! Psst! More nutrition info of our beloved fruits and veggies can be found in the cookbook written by Bobby and me. 😜 So today's key ingredient for our recipe is.. you've guessed it! Watermelons! Here's everything you need - boba tea straw, candy eyeball sprinkles (I got mine from Spotlight ) and watermelon that are cut into 35g wedges. Taking care not to stab yourself, use the straw to create a scared mouth in the watermelon. You could use a spoon or chopstick too. Now gently insert eyeballs! And we're done! It's that easy! Each ghoulish, petrified watermelon wedge is only 11 calories! Not scary at all and who doesn’t love the refreshing taste of watermelon! Here's a step-by-step video tutorial too! I hope you enjoyed making this fun treat with us. Thanks a melon for being here. Happy Halloween and to all, a good fright! Your ghoul-friend, Juliana

Leaves are falling and coffee is calling! Three more months before we bid 2021 goodbye. This year, I didn't let time slip through my fingers, every moment was cherished and used as efficiently as possible to realise those New Year's resolutions and one of them was self-care . Self-care has been mistakenly associated with self-indulgence or being selfish. No, when you take care of yourself, you fill that cup of yours to the brim, or even better, let it overflow so you can be healthy and well enough to take care of your affairs while still helping and supporting others without feeling like it would take a toll on you. If you want to be there for your loved ones, you have to make sure the most important person in your life (yourself) is fulfilled and happy first. So! Here are some of my beauty, fitness and wellness antidotes to curb those stressful moments, boost mental and physical health as well as improve your productivity! Hope they'll help you too. Booyah! THEFACESHOP Yehwadam Plum Flower Revitalizing Line Words can't describe my exhilaration when I first received this bag of goodness but I'll try my best. 😁 A sumptuous range of Yehwadam beauty products, an instagram-worthy glass mug and decadent tea balls that bloom when brewed just tick all the boxes for me. Psst! My fave is the Flourish.sg Mango Green Tea which is delicately sweet after the first steep. Now let's talk about the crowning piece of this beauty pannier - THEFACESHOP Yehwadam Plum Flower Revitalizing Line, a renewal of the existing Yehwadam Revitalizing Range. The new line uses the freshest Plum flowers from GwangYang, Korea, famed for blooming Plum Trees. Known to bloom from frozen ground in the beginning of spring, its high endurance for frosts and snow comes from its powerful vital energy, giving it mild and soothing properties and making it a traditional favourite in oriental medicine. As we age, our skin loses elasticity, leading to the formation of wrinkles. Research has shown that Plum Flowers are efficient in achieving moisturised skin as it increases the synthesis of hyaluronic acid in the skin. That’s not all, Plum Flowers have also been proven to reduce the production of melanin, giving the skin that highly sought after radiant glow. 🌸 Now that's my cup of tea. 🍵 THEFACESHOP Yehwadam Plum Flower Revitalizing Line consists of 5 products (toner, emulsion, serum, cream and eye cream), retails between $55 to $85 and is exclusively available at TheFaceShop retail stores. Thru Apparel Activewear Rome wasn't built in a day but they worked on it every single day. Since there is no such thing as ‘spot fat reduction’, I make sure every part of me gets the same TLC so I work on different muscle groups everyday. According to my workout schedule suggested by our Flow Power Plans, today is back day! I usually begin with deadlifts, lat pull downs, seated rows, straight arm pull downs and conclude the routine with bent over laterals. This stretchy top and buttery smooth flexible leggings from Thru Apparel help take me through the entire workout with ease. I need to stress that I'm not blessed with endless limbs so most leggings are too long for me. These ones skim just at the top of my ankle without any excess fabric which also means no bunching at all. Yay! Thru Apparel has kindly offered a 20% discount for you belles and beaus! Enter promo code thru&juliana when you check out at thruapparel.com Banila Co Products Banila Co is here with three really great products which are perfectly tuned to modern life as we know it! Up first on today’s roster is their Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original which truly is one of the most effective cleansers I’ve ever used! I was able to remove stubborn makeup effortlessly with minimal tugging and the Sherbet Formula means you can forgo the need for a separate face wash! Swipe to see this in action! Banila Co reminds me that less is definitely more and this trend continues with their next product, the Covericious Skin Fit Tinted Moisturizer SPF40 PA++ If you’re heading out and don’t want to go out bare but at the same time don’t want to go through the rigmarole of your full foundation and makeup routine, then this will be right up your alley! With a gentle tint, moisturization and sun protection all in one product, in my book this is a great choice for daily use with just enough oomph to make me look fresh, awake and ready for the day! The icing on the beauty cake, last but not least, is their Lipdraw Matte Blast Lipstick! Great lasting power which passed my dab test with ease even after numerous tries, like I said, this trio makes for a great combination! If you’re in the market for practical makeup that can live up to the demands of our modern lives, your wish may have just been granted, courtesy of Banila Co ! 😎 Vitabiotics Supplements While I always try my best to have a balanced diet, rich in vital micronutrients and antioxidants, when things get busy, sometimes you just grab whatever’s left in the fridge from the night before! Not ideal but que sera sera.. Thankfully, I’m really enjoying filling in the nutrient gaps in my diet with an easy and convenient daily multivitamin and Vitamin C boost courtesy of trusted vitamin brand, Vitabiotics! As the No. 1 vitamin brand in the UK with a wealth of supporting research for their products and twice recipient of the Queen’s Innovation Award, I know I can have confidence that my body is getting the quality it needs! I used to take evening primrose oil for my skin with a whole host of other supplements, like B6 and B12 to boost my energy levels but thanks to Wellwoman Original, I can get all that goodness in one single supplement while their Ultra Vitamin C keeps my immune system primed and ready for action! It feels good knowing that when the going gets tough, I can go to Vitabiotics to keep my health on top! Antipodes Skincare Products Reveling in the goodness of mother nature with my new Antipodes Skincare products! Psst! They even came in eco-friendly bubble wrap. 👍🌱 With this unwavering commitment to sustainability and clean beauty, you know your desired non-toxic, natural skincare routine is in good hands. The Antipodes Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask has been my go-to for drawing out pore-clogging impurities for the past few years. It's always been in a jar so I was surprised to see it in a different packaging this time. The Antipodes team clarified that the new packaging allows the product to stay creamier and it's also less messy to deal with now, which I absolutely concur. Also leveled up my nightly routine with their Divine Face Oil to calm my tired skin and their new Culture Probiotic Night Recovery Water Cream brighten and hydrate my skin. The water cream also instantly transforms the mood from a stressful one to a calming one with its heavenly scent. Watch the video above to see the products in their full glory and my night ritual in action! Marc Mirren Charmed to meet you! ✨ I've seen quite a few charms in my time but this understated 'J' for Juliana really caught my eye, especially thanks to the little twinkling cubic zirconia stone. Paired here with the Elsa necklace chain and you have a look, elegant enough for any occasion! Psst! Quote JULI15 to enjoy 15% off your purchases at Marc Mirren . That's not all, folks! You'll also receive a free letter charm for every purchase over $39. Free returns and free shipping included! As always, I hope you guys had fun going through my favourites list. What are your current favourites or do you have any last minute resolution that you want to complete before we bid 2021 adieu? Share with me by commenting below! Meanwhile, follow me on Instagram too for all the latest and spookiest beauty, style and home decor content this Halloween! Thanks for being here and keep sparkling you guys! Till next time! Your friend, Juliana

It's Fall Y'all! 🍂 Every holiday season, I find myself not enjoying the festivities fully as I take on tasks after tasks and pack my Christmas and Halloween content schedule to the brim, on top on the daily work and household tasks I already have to do. With everything that's happened (and unfortunately still happening), this renewed outlook about a slower paced lifestyle really kicked in for me. As such, I'm taking it easy and real slow with the seasonal/festive decor and activities this year. Instead of going all out with the spooky paraphernalia for Halloween, I decided to start the 'eye'ball rolling with some fall decorations - just on my desk. 👻 I’ve always been fascinated by the way nature can influence your mood, style and home decor and as you can imagine, very envious of the seasonal decorating opportunities this affords around the world as we shift from summer into autumn and winter. True we may only have 1.5 seasons (sunny + rainy) in this part of the world, but hey, we decorate how we feel and you bet I’m feeling more and more festive by the second. Now let's give them pumpkin to talk about! 🎃 🍁 Before Now let's zhuzh it up! After Watch the transformation in action! It's not a major overhaul, just a teeny weeny one to set the autumn mood and ease into the spooky season. Meanwhile, if you're interested to decorate your pad with these white pumpkins too, you can purchase them from this link . I'm always posting new home decor hauls on my TikTok , follow me there too if you want instant #bobblianahome updates and also a peek at a 'different' side of me. 🙈 Do you decorate for Fall/Halloween? Let me know in the comments below! Your ghoulfriend, Juliana

Guest Post It’s fall again! This means it’s time to refresh your wardrobe with this season’s fashion staples and stand-out shades. And this week, you’re in for a treat because we have one of Hollywood’s most influential trendsetters, Anya Sarre share her fabulous tips on fall’s must have trends and styles right here on Honeyz! A nationally recognized celebrity stylist, Sarre is known for her impeccable eye and ability to tie any look together with the perfect accessory. Named “Best Television Fashion Stylist” for her appearances on Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and countless other media outlets, Sarre is the go-to fashion expert for Hollywood’s biggest celebrities. Psst! Anya Sarre is also a stylist with the leading personalized fashion ecommerce site ShoeDazzle, where she works alongside other celebrity stylists like Kim Kardashian! And without further ado, please welcome Anya Sarre! With fall brings the return of luxurious wool and cashmere sweaters, tall-shaft boots, and sumptuously soft suede blazers! Fall is arguably the most fashion-forward season of the year. This fall, top fashion magazines are featuring tons of new trends that will enhance the spirit of ladylike elegance. Check out these latest head-turning trends to determine the ones that will fit your lifestyle and personality! Bright, chunky knit sweaters are a favorite trend this fall season. Bold and unexpected shades of orange, marigold and hot pink are being combined with the traditional look of cable knitting, making them the ideal layering piece this season. This trend begs to be paired with dressier, more tailored pieces. Fitted sheath dresses and thin maxi-length skirts will balance out the fullness of the sweater. Striped or patterned button-front shirts layer exquisitely under these sweaters and look very preppy-chic. A surprisingly upscale trend this season is the return of the leather tee. This versatile layering piece goes rock-star-chic when worn under a faux-fur vest. This daring trend can also be worn to the office when layered over a basic silk turtleneck or fitted, long-sleeved tee. Pair it with dark denim at night or touches of lace during the day for a truly awe-inspiring look. If you are looking to add some edge and drama to your wardrobe this season, snag one of the new moto jackets. This tough and rugged look is getting softened up this season thanks to delicate touches of quilted accents, tweed patterns, and two-toned shades. You do not need to wear head-to-toe leather or own a motorcycle to benefit from this trend. Treat it like a regular blazer by wearing it with everything from jeans to a long, flowy skirt or a pair of wool-blend pants. The asymmetrical zippers, metal hardware, and collarless design make this jacket great for layering or wearing on its own. Get excited for fall by introducing new trends to your existing wardrobe. You can step out with style and confidence in a fitted leather tee or moto jacket. Be cozy and chic running errands or watching the big weekend game in an over-sized, cable-knit sweater, a pair of dark skinny jeans, and the perfect pair of shoes . Have fun this season by wearing new pieces with favorites from your existing collection. Anya Sarre Wow! I absolutely love this post! Will definitely add funky leather tees, cool moto jackets and chic cable-knit sweaters to my arsenal this fall. I hope you lovely ladies enjoyed this post as much as I did. Thanks Anya for offering to contribute this wonderful article to my blog. For more style tips from Anya Sarre, check out her blog at anyasarre.com or visit www.shoedazzle.com/stylists/anya-sarre . Which fall fashion trend introduced by Anya was your favorite? Are there any other fall trends that you’re excited about right now? I’d love to hear your views and thoughts. Share with me by commenting below. Meanwhile, have a fantastic Sunday! Your friend, Juliana #AnyaSarre #fashion #fashionreview #GuestPost