Music To The Soul

In a spur-of-the-moment decision to go to a small scale wedding fair all the way at the Fort, we found the band who will provide music on our wedding day. They were playing at the entrance of the tent, and we noticed how good they were with what they were doing. One condition that JP had was that the reception music should involve songs from different genres.  It's a good thing that their repertoire is wide, and we can even request songs  not included in their list and they are willing to learn them!

Website: http://thesentimentalgroove.multiply.com/

Yes To The Dress!

Before booking a supplier, I've always felt that it was necessary to choose someone who can work with you on different levels: budget-wise and rapport-wise. So it was quite some time before I found my wedding gown maker.  

 

I first learned about Rei through a GirlTalk sister.  He was a budding fashion designer whose works have been worn by some of the celebrities in the country.  I immediately got down to business and decided to email him my wedding design and budget and asked if he can make it.  Even through the exchange of email, I sensed his courteousness and sincerity.  So JP and I decided to meet him in person.

We went to his house in Mandaluyong to learn more about each other and exchange ideas.  He was very soft-spoken and had suggestions.  We instantly felt comfortable with him and at ease with his ideas.  Right then and there, we picked him to make my gown.

Through word of mouth, his name became instantly known in wedding forums. Recommendations after recommendations gave him a lot of clients in just a short time.  So he decided to completely concentrate on making wedding gowns instead of fashion pieces.

Check out his site: rei rana.

8 Months To Go!!!

April 17, 2011.

There was leftover cake from some celebration that we decided not to buy anymore hehe. Hey, it's bad to waste food, right? :)

Displaying Our Love For All The World To See

March 12, 2011.

During one of our trips to the numerous bridal fairs that we've been to, We met a group of girls offering something different from the usual suppliers.  They set-up this big tv, framed with a matte silver finish that looks very classy, and was showing a slideshow of pictures of a bride and groom.  JP was instantly amused and listened to the ladies on how their product can be used in different ways like display prenup photos and post the floor plan so the guests can find where their table is located, among other things.  Because it was a wedding fair, booking them on the spot ensured a discount for us.  JP said he had ideas on how we can use it during the wedding so i agreed on booking them.  Check out their site: frameup

9 Months To Go!

March 17, 2011.

Exactly 9 months from now. JP and I aren't together since I am in Hongkong, and he in Manila. JP working, Me in my pj's, ready to call it a night.
Cake: Sudarra Cake (?--> I couldn't remember the name haha) from PapaGallio HK

DIY: JP-Ida Ambigram

Ambigram - a typographical design or artform that may be read as one or more words not only in its form as presented, but also from another viewpoint, direction or orientation.(wikipedia)


I recently saw a friend who just had an ambigram of his kids' names tattooed in his back and I thought to myself, "How cool is that?!"  Imagine seeing some new kind of font that you've never seen before, then turning it around to find the same word, sometimes a new one, still readable.  Since then, my fascination with ambigrams started.

Now that I'm getting married, I know that most paper materials to be used will require my and my fiance's monograms.  I've seen some services in the net that can make one for you for a fee.  But I'm not into monograms. And I'm definitely not one to shell out P500 bucks just to have our initials designed. And, ok fine, I have lots of time in my hands anyways.  So I summed up some courage, told myself that I can be creative enough to come up with something, and decided to design our very own ambigram from nothing.  Here's the raw sketch:

This side says jp.  Can you read it?

If you turn it upside down, here's what it looks like:

It says idA.

Pretty neat, huh? It still needs some polishing and maybe a little bit decor to give it more oomph.  JP said he'll bring it to a graphic designer friend to tweak it.  I'm planning to include this in our invites, but still figuring out how to do it so the guests can easily guess that they are supposed to turn it upside down to read my/ his name. Any suggestions? :)

The Bride's Wedding Ring

JP and I were on the lookout for the perfect pair of rings for some months now.  We've visited mall shops, attended wedding fairs, consulted a jewelry designer, but to no avail.  We found some that we liked, but it was always out of our budget.

Now as I was strolling along in the Midvalley Megamall in KL, Malaysia, casually entering jewelry stores and inquiring about this and that, the salesman I was talking to presented me with something that caught my eye.  I really loved it, and the best part was it was discounted, and I mean HUGELY discounted, at that time!  I couldn't wait to go back to where I was staying to tell JP that I found something that I really liked.  Of course, at the back of my head, a little voice was hesitant to tell him about this. I know it's almost traditional for the bride and groom to shop for their wedding bands together. It's one of those decisions between you and your fiance that really need careful thinking and planning.  But what do you do if you find the one that you want to be on your finger for the rest of your life by yourself, without hubby-to-be by your side? What happens to the careful thinking and planning and discussions between you and your partner?

I couldn't let go of this offer and decided to let him know about this.  I wanted to know if it was fine with him that I buy our rings separately.  JP only had two questions for me: how much is it and do I really like it? I guess I answered both questions correctly because he lovingly gave me a go signal to buy it, and so I did!

my wedding band

It's a half eternity ring, super thin, just the way I wanted it.  It cost around MYR3,000++, but I was so blessed to have met that endearing salesman who gave me a discount on top of a discount on top of a discount. :) I don't think I can find a ring like this with that price anywhere else!

wedding band with engagement ring

I just love how the wedding band enhances the beauty of my engagement ring.  Though it seems that my wedding band will play a supporting role to my engagement ring and not the other way around, I really don't mind.  I treasure the ring that JP gave me as much as, maybe even more than, the one that I bought without him.

Some photos that I took.  I was feeling like a wedding photographer and decided to take a shot at creativity.  I wish I have a camera like theirs, too.

I just love it so much I'm afraid I can't wait for JP to put this on my finger on December!  Ican't even seem to take it off now!

Value I need at this time: Patience.

Theme and Color Motif: Autumn

Yes, we don't have this season in our country.  And yes, most floras around us don't change colors.  So why did I choose this for our wedding theme?

There's something about autumn that mesmerizes me.  Perhaps it's the magical colors of red, orange, yellow and green which reminds me of sunset, my most favorite time of the day, or the signal that the nights will become longer and the cool breeze will come soon.  Maybe it's the fact that it symbolizes harvest time, which i interpret as abundance in all aspects.

These are the colors I decided to use for the wedding:

I can imagine these colors in contrast to the greens in our venue, and then complementing the brick-laden building of Enderun.  It excites me to think that this wedding of ours would somehow feel like an English affair!  Now I wouldn't feel bad not being invited to Prince William and Kate's wedding this April! Haha!

Here's the inspiration board if you put all these colors together:

*photos courtesy of The Perfect Palette Blog

I can't wait to bring autumn to our wedding on December!

10 Months To Go!

February 17, 2011.

In my first post, I mentioned that JP and I never get tired of celebrating the smallest things.  This time we have something new to celebrate: monthly countdown to our wedding.

I declare that we will officially start celebrating our monthly countdown now! It's also a reason  for us to try out new delectable cakes, pies and whatever dessert we can get our hands on harharhar! So long, diet! :))

Saving the Memories of our Special Day

Church: check. Reception Venue: check.

JP and I were able to breath easily after paying the reservation fees of both locations.  Finally, we have secured the two most important bookings in a wedding. Which means, we finally have an official date! Yay us!

So what to do after this? Suddenly, I'm lost all over again.  Do I take a break after this? Or should I keep on looking for the next suppliers while the momentum is still up? If yes, which supplier should I be booking next?! So many questions and I have no idea what the answers are!  Waahh!!!

And then I remembered, "Why not turn to the forum that you've been following?" And so I did.  I must admit, this forum has helped and is still helping me find the best deals in the wedding world. And the girls are just A-W-E-S-O-M-E!  It's like having a sorority of girls with the same mission: to get married this year in an elegant yet budget-friendly wedding!

So they advised me to scout for photographer/ videographer for our day.  JP and I are absolutely grateful to his dad for gifting us with a photographer. That means one down, just a videographer to look for.  One of them suggested to get a group of photographers/ videographers who call their company the BlackTieProject.

We met Marco in Shangri-la mall so we can inquire about their services.  He showed us some of their outputs and we were quite impressed.  For a group of photographers/ videographers who is relatively new in the business, they have a potential to make it big.  And because they are not yet a big name, their rates are pretty reasonable.

We thank God for blessing us with people that we need for our most special day!

Next Stop: Church

Now that the search for the venue is done, next thing we had to do is to find a church that is located near the it.  Our targeted area is in the Fort area.  JP said not even Makati will do.  So off i searched in the net about Catholic churches all over the area. The one closest to Enderun is St. Michael the Archangel Chapel along MRT Avenue (formerly Bayani Road), Fort Bonifacio.  So when we went to Enderun to pay our reservation fee, we opted to visit this church as well.

front view

Here's the view when from the door

left

right

And the view of the altar:

altar left

altar right

This church's rate ranges from P9,500 (venue only) to about P20,000 (includes flowers, red carpet, aircon, etc.)  For more details, call (02) 845-9555 loc. 6419.

Finding "The One"

No, we're not talking about JP here (I already knew he was the one waaaay before he proposed *eeww, cheesy*).  By this time, we were already scouting for the perfect church and reception venue.  All of the ones we visited were either booked on the day we initially wanted or not at par with our expectations.  But finally, one Sunday in January, we decided to look up a venue that was suggested by an event stylist friend.  I've also read some comments about this place, though I've not seen a lot of pictures on the internet.  The first time we saw it, we instantly fell in love with the place.

Perhaps the timing was just right when we visited.  Cool breeze blowing.  Weather was just the right touch of cloudy.  The person who attended to us was cheerful and pleasant (Hi, Iyett).  Plus an event was held there the day before and remnants of it were still present in the form of clear tents (pretty!), so we somehow envisioned the kind of wedding that we would like to have there.

So without further adieu, may I present to you, our official reception venue, Enderun (Colleges).

Believe me when I say this photo does not do justice to the actual place.  I haven't upgraded our camera for 3 years already.  This is the best angle I have of the place.:)

Here are more pictures of the place during daytime:

part of the courtyard

The fountain

Look how windy it was that day!
Wonder if it'll be like this on our wedding day?

Fountain off, but Iyett said they turn it on during events

They can place lounge chairs outside

This place is so much more beautiful in person that we don't need too much styling done to it.  It looks expensive but if you think about, with the high rental prices of venues around the metro and the expensive starting rates of caterers, you would realize that getting this is a steal already (The venue is included in their menu package rates).  I just can't wait to start planning on what to do here - from food tasting to meeting with our stylist to seeing the mock-up set up.:) I can't wait for our wedding day! :)

Lots and Lots of Churches

We have searched far and wide for the perfect church where we can exchange our vows and officially become husband and wife.  Of course, our first criteria would be its location (because originally, we wanted to have a Quezon City wedding) and then its rate (We didn't want to spend too much on this because we would only stay here for an hour).

So, off we went church-hunting.  The first one I (JP was at work so he asked me to check this place on my own first and just report to him after) visited was Our Lady of Consolation in Mira-Nila Homes Subdivision.  It was the first time I saw a church with purple background, so for the brides out there who has this for their motif, I suggest you take a look at this place.

This subdivision has some fine houses in it, so the view going to the church is not so bad.  I checked out some houses on the way here, but only from the car.  I didn't want the neighbors to think I was some kind of criminal studying which houses I want to rob, lest  I wanted to ruin my chances of booking this church for the wedding.

Main entrance from the street

The lot is quite huge so parking is not a problem

 From the way it looks outside, one would think that it's just one of those usual, old churches with nothing special to offer.

The driveway

 But you'll be surprised when you see the interior.  Purple!

High ceiling and purple backdrop.
It also has some glittery stuff which creates an interesting look. 

This shot was taken at about 8am. A mass just ended, attended mostly by seminarians (Yes, there is a seminary nearby).  The only problem is, this is not airconditioned.  So if your wedding starts at 3pm, I suggest you and your guests prepare some manual ventilation ready (READ: pamaypay).

The side of the church.  More parking spaces here.
Right beside the church is Bulwagang Recoletos

Bulwagang Recoletos is just a few steps away from the side of this church.  For more info about the venue, please check the previous post.

Basic information about the church:

 - rate is P16,000 inclusive of mass and wedding rite, fresh flower decor, singers and musicians, red carpet, lighted chandeliers, outlet for video light, pre-cana seminar and marriage contract

 - Fees: non-refundable reservation fee of P2,000, optional garden flowers at P3,000 and optional additional altar flowers of P1,500

 - Wedding schedule:

     Weekdays: 9am, 10:30am, 1:30pm, 3pm, 4:30pm

      Saturdays: 9am, 10:30am, 1:15pm, 2:45pm, 4:15pm

      Sundays: 1:30pm, 3pm

      *all wedding schedules are good for an hour and a half.

For more info, you may call them at tel. nos. 9311999 or 4531617

Tues-Sun: 9-12nn, 2-7pm

Lots and Lots of Venues

January 16, 2011.

More than a month has passed since that night when JP asked me to marry him.  We decided to let Christmas and New Year pass first before we officially start our wedding preps.  So here we are.

First thing on the list: venue hunting.

We've checked out some clubhouses and garden venues from Quezon City all the way to Mandaluyong.  I'll post pictures of the ones that I was able to take pictures of.  If I can, I'll also include details about these places.

1. Bulwagang Recoletos Atrium in Mira-Nila Homes Subd in Tandang Sora Ave., Quezon City

Intramuros Hall

lobby

garden in the middle of the building

view from the bridge in the garden

For inquiries, email them at bulwagangrecoletos@yahoo.com

2.  Nuestra Senora de Gracia Garden, Bernardino St., Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City

Their rate I think is around P10000, but this is only available on Saturdays because that's the time the Seminarians are out, which lets you stay longer in the night.

3. Gazebo Royale, Visayas Ave., Quezon City

     We visited this place just because it's near our place and it's really nice especially if you add to the decors. But this does not even come close to our list of inexpensive venues. Heehee. :)

4.  Christ the King Hall

5. Mt. Carmel Hall

6. Oasis

7. Fernwood Gardens

And the Search Began

I used to daydream about my wedding day and all the preparations that come before that.  I never thought that when the time actually comes that I have to plan my real wedding that I would be completely, utterly lost.  JP and I started to envision what we want our wedding to be like, and up until we finally made our first booking, we must have changed our minds about a lot of wedding stuff a dozen of times.  

"Let's make it our anniversary date" to "Maybe it's better to hold it on November" to "Wala nang ibang available date. December na lang."

"We'll just look for churches, venues and hotels in QC area" to "Maybe we can check out Mandaluyong and Ortigas area" to "Finally, Fort Bonifacio."

"I want a Grecian-inspired wedding gown that my Mom can just sew for me.  It'll probably cost me less than P3000" to "I think I'll go for a sheer strapped, ready-to-wear gown priced at not more than P5000" to "I'm in love with this fully-laced, mermaid cut wedding gown!  I wonder if anyone could make this for me at P10,000 tops?"

We have only made a couple of bookings so far and we still have a long way to go.  I pray that making decisions for this wedding doesn't always have to be this way.  Otherwise, 10 months wouldn't be enough to prepare for this most awaited event in our lives.

Pity me.  And pity JP more.

Discovery Weekend: What to Expect after the Wedding

December 3-5, 2010

After the proposal, the first thing that I booked for us is attending a marriage preparation seminar called Discovery Weekend.  I know, I know.  Most couples make this one of the last things they book, usually after all the nitty-gritty details of the wedding have been finalized and are just waiting for their wedding day to arrive.  I just felt that whatever we learn out of this seminar would be essential not only to our lives as husband and wife, but as two people at the start of preparing to enter this sacred vocation.  I wanted to make sure that JP and I start on same ground: understanding which values are non-negotiable, and which can be compromised; which principles cannot be bent, and which ones can be discussed.

  I inquired through their website the next available schedule, their fees and the venue to make sure that JP and I can free our schedule and attend.  Coincidentally, a few more slots were being filled last December, and I was told that it would take months before you can attend this seminar. So, me not wanting to let go of this opportunity, I immediately called JP and told (READ: not asked) him that we were to attend a weekend seminar.  He asked me if it was necessary, and I said yes because churches require couples to attend a pre-wedding seminar (I didn't know that only some churches acknowledge this particular seminar.  Others require you to attend their own pre-wedding seminar. Teehee. My mistake).

Nevertheless, I didn't really mind taking this seminar with JP because it definitely helped us as we start with the preparations.  Most of the lessons, we already learned from the seminar where we met, but we "re-learned" them from a different perspective.  Not only that, we also gained new friends here. :)

For schedule, fees and other details, you may visit Discovery Weekend website.

One Sweet Day in November

November 21, 2010

JP and I have been together for more than 4 years, and yes, we are one of those cheesy couples who still celebrate their monthsary.  Although, I must admit, the level of grandness has somehow deteriorated as years went by (from dinner dates in restaurants, to dinner dates at home).

Of all those celebrations, our most unforgettable monthsary happened last November, when JP finally asked me the question that all girls are dying to hear. And what made it more romantic is he chose the same event where we first met (in a personal leadership seminar), in front of all these strangers and friends alike, without me knowing what is going to happen until he called my name to come up in front!  I've always had a dream proposal, but this was waaayy more than I hoped for.  Kudos to him for being able to pull that off, and kudos to our friends who never mentioned nor hinted anything, nothing at all, even if we were together the entire day (or was I just too oblivious to notice anything? Heehee.).

Of course, the benefit of having your friends witness your proposal story is tons and tons of pictures and videos!  See that paparazzi guy behind us? That's my brother-in-law taking a video.  I guess he was one of the "hired" people to document this momentous event in our lives. :)