No Show of Bridal Car

I've been busy the past quarter preparing for my wedding and that's the reason why I haven't been able to post in the last few weeks. I am married now but would like to share this major blooper first before I share about the magical day that was my wedding day.

MY BRIDAL CAR DID NOT SHOW UP!

Yup, you read it right. I was expected to be at the church by 8:30 a.m., so we were hurrying around the hotel room finishing up so I could make it on time. Sweetie left for the church before 8 in the morning and asked me to call the bridal car service since when he went out he didn't see one. I immediately tried to call the numbers that Jack & Jenn Catering (we only got the bridal car from them not the catering service, thank God!) gave us when we re-confirmed details for the wedding day. No one was answering.

I was already at the carport of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and tried to call the numbers again. No one was answering. I frantically called Sweetie and asked if he could help. He asked my brother, our friend who stood in as our day coordinator and the best man tried to contact the uber phail Jack & Jenn Catering to follow-up. No one answered any of our calls.

Then my Dad started to panic since it was already 8:40 in the morning. Our church stressed several times that we should start on time. I was already late. So I called my day coordinator Jap. I rented a private taxi service for him so he could shuttle around all the materials we needed for the wedding without any hassle. I asked him to pick me up from the hotel because I had no transpo to the wedding.

He arrived ten minutes later and I luckily arrived at the church on the dot and we immediately started the service. The private taxi driver was shocked to see me in my wedding gown board his taxi and I had a good chat with him which helped me calm down before I went down the car to walk down the aisle.

The private taxi waited for us and brought us to the reception, but we had to let him go when we got there because we both didn't have enough cash (I still owe Jap PhP100 pala!) on us to have him stay till the end of the celebration. The uber phail Jack & Jenn Catering promised unlimited time for use of the car and that was exactly the reason we got them for the bridal car service.

Anyway, so we had another problem. How to get back to the hotel. Both our parents' cars were filled up and the guests who were still around during clean-up time were our blogger friends. Our good friend, Juned, saved us and we rode his Ford Fiera delivery van back to the hotel which our friends coined as "Bridal One" since it became our official bridal car for the day.

We were a sight to behold when we got off the Fiera at Crowne Plaza Hotel. There were 2 other bridal cars waiting outside and the lobby was very busy. Oh well, gee thanks Jack & Jenn Catering for the stress, the aggravation and the embarrassment for such GROSS NEGLIGENCE on your part.

This is the letter that we sent Jennifer Rabe-Alleva -

Dear Jenn,

Last November 21, 2009 we reserved and paid for bridal car service during the "Before I Do" bridal fair at the Megatrade Hall for December 26,2009. We also paid downpayment of PhP2,000, representing half of the total cost of PhP4,050 (discounted by 10% from the original PhP4,500 cost). On November 23, 2009 we received acknowledgement and contract for the service which we acknowledged. We confirmed the order at this number 872-7820 twice.

On December 26, 2009 we were surprised that the bridal car did not arrive at all. Repeated calls to the driver, Ferdinand Gomez at 0910-5264011, was unanswered. Such GROSS NEGLIGENCE from your company constrained us to frantically find another means on transportation which incurred us additional cost of PhP2,450. Your company's NEGLIGENCE embarrassed us and almost ruined our wedding.

We would like to demand the following:

1. Full return of our deposit of PhP2,000.

2. Reimbursement of PhP2,450 for the private taxi service.

3. Apology for such gross negligence.

Please respond within the next 3 days.

Thank you.

Jay & Aileen de Jesus

Some friends are saying we should demand more because of the aggravation and embarrassment that this awful wedding supplier caused us, what do you guys think they should do to appease our disappointment? My goodness, the bridal car service must be one of the easiest services to provide for a wedding. Good thing it was just the bridal car that we got from Jack & Jenn Catering and NOT the whole she-bang. Que horror!




Photo by Blogie Robillo.

Wedding Jitters

I'm a couple of weeks away from my wedding and the jitters are setting in. We have finally completed most of the tasks listed on our gantt chart and we're now busy delivering invitations and entourage gowns.

Just want to take this opportunity to thank my friends who have been really helpful the past few weeks we've been cramming. Our dream team!

Attire

Wedding Gown Designer: Amonn Velasco

Entourage Gowns Designer: Patricia Apolo

Photography & Videography

Videographer: BuddyGancenia Reality TV

Photography: Mimi and Karl (esp. Markku and Hana who also took vids and photos of the proposal)

Invitation

Designer: Gail Villanueva (award winning!)

Printer: Dennise and Ian (sorry for bugging you on your honeymoon!)

Music

Instrumentalist: Manila Philharmonic Orchestra

Choir: Sun Valley Music Ministry

Florist

Angel of Hearts

Bridal Car

Jack & Jenn ---> UBER PHAIL!

Jewelry'

hand-crafted by Golconda Jewelry in Cagayan de Oro

Bridal Shoes

hablon weaved from Iloilo (thanks Miss Malou!)

Make-up

Jose Miguel

Important Stuff

Giveaways and Missalette: my high school buddies, Ottie, Chare and Mercy

On the Day Coordination: my YP buddies, Jap, Dave, Ruthie and my best friend, Darwin

Counselling, Moral Support and for keeping me sane: Darwin, Anne and Tappy and my Mom

The Search for the Perfect Wedding Shoes

I've been looking around for the perfect shoes to match my wedding dress and it's been quite hard for me since I only saw my gown last week. I asked advise from my designer and he said that it's either I get something in mocha, champagne or in my motif shade (Mama Mary blue) or have it customized.

So I've been looking around for a shop to customize one for me and there's none in the malls. I've looked online through Google and found a couple but most of them would take 4-6 weeks to make! Oh well.

I was looking for handmade paper in Iloilo when I chanced upon the IPA Trade Pavillion. I was ecstatic when I found out that the shop moved to the Sarabia Manor Hotel where the convention I was attending was held. I found THE perfect wedding shoes done by Nono Palmos, unfortunately they did not have my size. The price was also pretty steep (I also fell in love with a pair of red shoes made of hablon cloth).

Miss Malou from the shop was very helpful though and said that I could just purchase a meter of hablon cloth (locally hand-weaved in Iloilo) and have it done in Manila. They also had some stocks of it in mocha and blue. Miss Malou also suggested that I can use any old pair and just stick it on (will ask my Mom).

Anyway, I'm going to call up my designer's friend who can customize shoes and we'll see how things go.

Applying for a Marriage License

My Mom always took care of my documents and eventually she taught me how to do things on my own. That didn't mean though that I liked doing "grown-up" stuff. The internet though has been very helpful though and it's much easier now to prepare stuff before going to the government agency involved (like how I renewed my passport).

Tying the knot involves a LONG document trail. I had to go to two churches for my baptismal and confirmation certificate. Requested for name change at the Diocese of Paranaque because the church misspelled my name in my confirmation certificate. My original birth certificates from NSO disintegrated during the flood. Good thing you can now easily request for your birth certificate and the ever important CENOMAR by ordering online. Whew!

Click on this link to continue reading...

Here Comes the Bride

Last week I got the chance to watch the tail-end of "License to Wed" and in one scene Mandy Moore's phone rang and her ringtone was "Here Comes the Bride" so I scrambled around Google and found the perfect ringtone for my phone.

If you're a bride, you might want to use it too. Download it here.

After the Storm

We both fell victim to typhoon Ondoy. His house filled up with about 5 feet of water. I would've drowned in my basement since water rose to about 6 feet. The devastation left us both with much less material things, but we realized that we had each other and we had something to look forward to... our wedding.

All the wedding materials I have gathered perished in the flood. All the magazines, notes, flyers, documents (birth/baptismal/confirmation certificate) and samples did not survive. Good thing I made my fiance keep all the receipts in a clear book and it was with him when disaster struck. Anyway all of these can be easily replaced and it was a good thing I've been holding off buying wedding stuff. I'm just really sad that mementos from the engagement perished too.

Well these are just material things and there is still much to be thankful for. I thought I lost my engagement ring. When the water subsided I went to my basement to look for it. I found it nestled within my bracelet rosary which was the only thing that was left on my dresser since it moved about 5 feet away from where it original stood. I knew then that things would eventually be okay.

I hope and pray that our brothers and sisters in Northern Luzon (and those still very much affected her in Metro Manila and nearby provinces) would find relief from the calamity. You can help too by reporting help needed or bringing aid, find out how or where here.

The Pre-Cana Seminar

The pre-cana seminar is a requirement of the Roman Catholic Church. All couples have to go through the seminar (usually during the weekend), a task that most (if not all) couples dread going through because it takes up time and you don't really know what to expect.

It's worth going through though.

The seminar we attended took 2 days. I had to get up really, really early since the seminar was scheduled to start at 8 a.m.. In the spirit of togetherness, Sweetie and I decided to meet earlier and have breakfast first. A rare occurrence :)

Day 1 of the seminar consisted of talks on personhood, family and parenting, and family planning. I'm pretty sure the guys had fun during the Q&A and exercises during the family planning module. It was also the most hilarious. Day 2 was surprising interesting since it focused more on the husband and wife relationship, including resolving conflict and better communication. We were also given exercises and a guide on stuff that couples need to talk about before getting married.

Most of the speakers said that we were lucky to have a full-length pre-cana seminar since during their time they either didn't have to go through one or it was just a one-hour session. I'm glad that we went through it and I'm thankful to the speakers who volunteered their time for us.

Bridal Make-Up

I admit, I want to be beautiful on my wedding day! And we've been scouting around for the perfect make-up artist. I know there are a lot and most, if not all, are very skilled, but I wanted someone I'd have good rapport with.

I originally wanted Inay, my long-time hairdresser and make-up artist to take care of my "look" for the wedding, but she said that they don't service anymore outside of the salon. I rarely have my make-up done professionally, so I was quite at a loss at the beginning. So we scouted for some when we attended wedding expos.

I wasn't keen on doing several trial make-ups. It takes time and is costly too, but I know it's important to go through at least one and I did for four reasons:

1. I wanted to see if the make-up artist would be able to make me look really pretty without changing how I look. I don't want Sweetie to think he's marrying someone else. LOL.

2. I wanted to see how long the make-up would last and if it wouldn't cake/crack. I've also been having a lot of allergies, so that's a huge concern.

3. I don't want heavy make-up. I just want to use a couple of cotton balls and astringent when I take the make-up off. Besides, I'm going to be a bride and not an actor for a play.

4. I want to see if I have good rapport with the make-up artist.

So what do you think?

Wedding Musicians

Aside from food, one of the most important components that you should spend time on for your wedding is entertainment. I've attended a lot of wedding and I remember the ones that had a good mix of family/friends and professional entertainment. Finding that mix is tricky because having everything go smoothly may also become boring.

It's great if your family and/or friends are willing to help in entertaining your guests, but if they're too shy, fear not since there are a good number of wedding musicians you can get for your church ceremony and reception. Here are a couple:

Manila Philharmonic Orchestra

Services: Duet, Trio, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Octet, 10 pc.. 35 pc./Singers

Price Range: PhP6,000 to PhP35,000

email: manilaphilharmonic (at) yahoo.com

Serene8 Music Co.

Services: Choir, Acoustic Band, Show Band, Vocalists

Price Range: PhP20,000 and up

email: serene8.music (at) gmail.com

contact numbers: +(632) 710-5316 or 0917-8379266; 0922-4050982

The RSVP String Ensemble

Services: 4/6/10 musicians/Singers

Price Range: PhP15,000 to PhP49,500

email: sally_vitor (at) yahoo.com

contact numbers: 0917-8199721

String Minstrels

Services: Duet, Trio, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Octet, 10 pc., 12 pc., 15 pc., 20 pc./Vocalist

Price Range: PhP6,000 to PhP62,000

email: edanit85 (at) yahoo.com

contact numbers: +(632) 984-3492; 0917-9477169; 0916-2699826

JJS Entertainment

Services: Duet, Trio, String Quartet, Quintet, Acoustic, Show Band, Sound System, Singer

Price Range: PhP6,000 to PhP18,000

email: songs (at) jjs.com.ph

Stradavarius String Ensemble

Services: Duo, Trio, String Quartet, Quartet, Quintet, Vocal Soloist

email: justinmark (at) edsamail.com.ph, info (at) stradstring.com

Leggiero Strings

Services: piano, flute & violin music

email: info (at) leggierostrings.com

La Bella Voce & Co.

Services: Singers, Instrumentalists

Price Range: PhP4,000 to PhP15,000

email: annabellemontes (at) yahoo.com

Serenata Strings

Services: Duet, Trio, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Octet, Vocalist

email: lorenz_arquero (at) yahoo.com, serenatastrings (at) gmail.com

SJT String Ensemble

Services: Duet, Trio, Quartet, Quintet, 6-pc., 8-pc., 10-pc.

Price Range: 13,500 to 50,000

email: sjtstrings (at) yahoo.com

Attending Wedding Expos

Brides (like me!) today are very lucky to have wedding expos almost every month. I've personally been attending wedding exhibits for about a decade now. I used to attend as an exhibitor and eventually I accompanied engaged friends and then it became a hobby for me and Sweetie to get content for this blog. It was only in the past few months that we really utilized what wedding expos had to offer.

Choosing Your Wedding Gown

Last weekend I got the chance to interview wedding gown designer Amonn Velasco. In this video he gives three tips for brides on how to look stunning on your wedding day.

Amonn Velasco

http://amonnvelasco.multiply.com

call or text 7117140 / 0917-5751604

Wacky Wedding March

They always say that weddings should be fun and relaxed. I had a lot of fun watching this unique wedding entrance.

The Engagement Ring

Admit it, eversince you were a kid you dreamt of the day your prince charming would go on his knees to propose to you. I did that secretly. I never mentioned it to any of my friends but deep in my heart I always wished that someday my one true love would put a proper engagement ring on my finger.

It did happen one sunny day in Davao and I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life.

My fiance though said that it took him months to plan for that day. Five months to be exact. Here's what he had to do:

1. Find a jeweller for budgeting.

2. Find out my ring size.

3. Choose design and material of the ring.

4. Order the ring.

5. Plan the proposal.

How to choose the engagement ring:

1. The Diamond 4Cs - cut, color, clarity and carat. Here's a good guide.

2. Choose the metal: gold or platinum. Gold comes in white, yellow and/or rose gold. (You should also consider that the engagement ring should match the wedding ring).

3. Choose the design: should be practical and easy to wear, withstand everyday use, gemstone/s should be secure and should look good.

I honestly have no idea about going through 1 and 2, but I'm sure glad that my fiance got my ring from a jeweller-friend who knows me well. He also got her to get my ring size without me suspecting anything.

I think the most important thing about it is to choose with your heart and enjoy the moment.

*Photo by JayDJ

Handcrafted engagement ring by Golconda Jewelry, Cagayan de Oro

Caterer Review: Lina Vitan

In the past few weeks my fiance and I have been attending food tasting events and the last one we had was hosted by Lina Vitan at Oasis Manila.

Food. 4 stars out of 5. The dishes they served weren't as different as the other caterers we've been to, but they were tasteful and not dry. They also have a number of menus you can mix and match depending on what you like.

Service. I like the fact that Ms. Lina Vitan was present during the event. The other events that we attended just had account executives present and they weren't open to adjusting the menu. Ms. Vitan sat down with our friends who booked that day and personally gave suggestions on the garden set-up that they wanted. Having the owner around is always a good sign.

Styling. I wasn't that impressed though with the styling of the venue. The materials and look they used to present different themes seemed a bit amateur for me.

Equipment. Compared to other caterers the chairs and tables, plates and utensils they used for the event seemed to be fairly new. I've been mollified by some prominent caterers who used sub-standard equipment (i.e. rusty chairs, mantels with holes!).

Price. I find them a bit pricey for the value that they are giving.

What was noteworthy about the event was the attentiveness of the waiters and the food. I just hope though that they would be fast in replacing empty trays during a wedding.

The Canonical Interview

After the pamamanhikan we thought we would not experience any nerve-wracking activity again.

We were wrong.

When we went to book a church, the secretary immediately made an appointment for our interview with their priest. She said that the priest had to interview us and give approval before we can reserve the church. 

We had no idea what we were up to.

So, we asked a couple of friends what they were asked when they went through the interview. Most of them said that you had to be completely honest about everything and that the priest would usually ask about how you came together. We also tried looking for information online, but we did not find any.

We were nervous because we thought that if we failed the interview we would have to find another church to hold our wedding in. We discussed many scenarios before THE interview day and stayed up a bit late still discussing what we would say the next day. We did not want to make the mistake of giving different answers to the priest's questions.

We were that scared. Hehe.

Anyway, I didn't feel very nervous but when we entered the office my knees just began to shake. The last time I felt that way was during a panel interview for a job. I suddenly felt the pressure that I should not fail this interview.

The first thing we did was fill up a questionnaire and the priest even had Sweetie move to another seat so we would not be side-by-side (no cheating!). And then I had a one-on-one with him while he was going over my answers. After my one-on-one I was asked to step out so he could have a one-on-one with Sweetie. And then I was called in for our joint interview.

We survived!

I'm not going to say what was asked of us. Just be yourself. Be honest. And bring lots of love. 

Braving Divisoria for Wedding Garments

Sweetie and I braved Divisoria to check out Divisoria for wedding garments. The last time I was there was about a year ago when my niece asked if we could buy her a terno for her Filipino org activities (she's based in the US). I also accompanied my friend to buy her wedding and entourage gown a few years ago (we got it RTW!).

Anyway, we also did the rounds of couturiers and the costs were just too high. We've pegged a budget for the wedding and would like to stick to that budget, so we thought we should check out Divisoria.

Here's a rundown of costs:

Bridal Gowns - PhP3,500 and up (includes accessories)

Maid of Honor/Bridesmaid gowns - PhP600 to PhP1,200 (satin is cheaper than taffeta/chiffon)

Flower Girl gowns - PhP600 to PhP800

Barongs - PhP600 and up

Barongs for Grooms/Fathers - PhP800 and up

Mothers gowns - PHP1,300 and up

*they can also do suits

The rates for patahi are the same as well. All you need to do is bring your design or choose from their catalog (catalog means, bridal magazines). The rates are the same whether or not you ask them to place beads.

Here's a few I got cards from:

Julao Wedding Gown

Maylen V. Julao (look for Iday)

Pasilio-E Stall #71-72

Galvan Building, Ilaya St.

Binondo Manila

Tel +(632) 309-3051

Cel. 63 (921) 5554450

Paul & Lyn's Bridal Haus

Salve A. Pitalbo

Stall No. 29, 35 Pasilio B-C

Galvan Building, Ilaya St.

Binondo, Manila

Tel + (632) 710-9471

Res. + (632) 237-1327 or 254-5622

Lomentigar Bridal Boutique & Souvenir Collections

Tessie D. Lomentigar

Pasilio B-17

Galvan Building, Ilaya Street

Binondo, Manila

Arlaine +63 (920) 627-9326

Jean +63 (923) 535-5357

Ronaleen Bridal & Barong Shoppe

Sollie and Ramon Santos

Galvan Cabrera Building

Pasilio E. No. 78-81

Email ronaleen_bridal (at) yahoo.com

Tel + (632) 309-3133

Aiza's Personal Touch

Galvan, Divisoria

Stall No. 46, Pasilio G

Cel. +63 (915) 202-2809

More about Divisoria gowns here. 

Souvenir Idea for Silver Wedding Anniversary

My Mom's friend, Tita Emma, put this souvenir together for her 25th wedding anniversary. It's a set of table napkins with beaded napkin holders placed in a window box.

It's actually easy to assemble! You can buy all materials in Divisoria:

napkin

window box

napkin holder - beads + garter

I'll try to make a how-to-do post about the napkin holder soon :)

Planning Your Own Wedding

I did not realize I've been gone a month! I've been so busy traveling and slipping in venue and church oculars, food tasting and hunting for a designer, I haven't had had the time to blog! Argghhh!

But anyway, the past few weeks have given me more insights about planning your own wedding. And it's not really so hard after all, especially if your fiance is the hands-on type.

Here are a few tricks and tools that I've been using to plan my wedding:

1. Attend bridal fairs! There's two happening soon, Celebrations at SMX on May 24-25 and The Philippine Wedding Summit at the PICC Forum on June 27-28. The show with the most suppliers usually are the ones handled by Themes & Motifs.

2. Collect flyers! It may sound funny, but my fiance and I have been collecting flyers for more than a year now. Most of them ended up in paper bags and I've just recently sorted them out (see the photo above). They've been really helpful in our search for the right supplier.

3. Use directories! You can get a free wedding directory from DPC Yellow Pages or buy the Bride's Yellow Pages from bookstores.

4. Use Google! Search for suppliers online and read up reviews about them too. I also use Google Docs to put together information and I share this with my fiance for his review.

5. Read Forums! I'm quite scared about giving my money to a stranger, so after searching for reviews about a supplier I also read forums to get feedback from others. I usually frequent Kasal.com's forum and the Wedding's at Work community.

Reception Venues in Metro Manila

Going around the metro checking our churches and reception venues has been excruciating because of the horrendous summer heat! And it's not the way I want to get a tan. So I realized I should do more online research instead and I've put together a spreadsheet with some details on great wedding venues.

To see the list go here, it includes reception venues from:

Alabang

Greenhills

Las Pinas

Makati

Marikina

New Manila

Mandaluyong

Paranaque

Pasay

Pasig

Quezon City

Rizal

Please take note that the rates may not be exact since I just got them from different forums and websites (and I've been to some). I'll be updating the sheet every once in a while.

Choosing Your Ceremony and Reception Venue

I tell you it's much easier to set-up an event for 400 developers than making arrangements for your own wedding. I have been to countless churches, reception venues and websites in the past two weeks. And that's just for the ceremony and reception venue. I have not even started to check all the other details that would complete the wedding. 

I realized though that it's important to set your goals from the beginning. Ask yourself, do you want a huge wedding or a cozy, intimate one? Is there a particular city you'd want to focus in? Any considerations you have to make for your family (i.e. no steep stairs, must have aircon etc.). Budget constraints? Theme? Motif? 

I've also been to multiple number of sites to check out churches and venues and to make things easier I created a Google Docs Spreadsheet to list down pertinent facts which would make it easier to review when we finally decide to sit down and choose. 

Here's what I did:

Church Comparative Chart

1. Address

2. Telephone

3. Contact Person

4. Packages: How much and Amenities include (candles, floral arrangement, choir, registration etc.)

5. Requirements

Reception Comparative Chart

1. Contact Details: Address, Telephone, Web Address, Email, Contact Person

2. Type of Venue: garden, hotel, restaurant, hall

3. Venue Capacity

4. Packages: note the amenities included, number of hours, caterer corkage, music etc.

5. Parking

Caterer Comparative Chart

1. Contact Details: Address, Telephone, Web Address, Email, Contact Person

2. Packages

3. Amenities included

4. Additional charges: service charge, VAT

These are just basic questions you should ask your suppliers. I'm sure I'll be adding stuff as I go along. And will share more specific info about venues/churches/caterers I've already interviewed.  

How to Have Fun During Your Wedding

Weddings tend to be really serious especially when the couple is nervous  (makes for really bad pictures!). I believe that weddings should be fun, fun, fun!

Here's a sample of a couple who definitely knows how to have fun!

Creating a Motif Mood Board

A mood board, huwhaaattt?!?

My mind's been buzzing for almost a month now because I just couldn't seem to choose a motif. I have been swinging from blue to yellow to pink to lavender every other hour and I don't see an end to it.

And then I had a brain fart (an idea!) last weekend. I thought, "Why not make a `swatch board' like how ad agencies do when they make presentations?" 

Ahhhh, finally something that would probably end the confusion. So with three colors - blue, yellow and gold - I did some searches on Google and found a number of snazzy images. I put them together on Google Docs so I can easily share it with my fiance. Here it is -

It definitely helped me. Try making one!

Wedding Invitation via Video

A few months ago our dear friend Buddy Gancenia had this brilliant idea to make us a video wedding invitation and we did it just for kicks. It took me awhile before I got around to posting it here coz I thought people might mistake it for a real wedding invitation. LOL.

Anyway, here's a sample video wedding invitation done by multi-awarded wedding videographer Buddy Gancenia:

Check out Buddy's Youtube Channel.

Buddy Gancenia

Contact Number: 

+(632) 419-7147 

+(63) 917 - 8514502
E-mail Address: 

buddygancenia @ yahoo.com

Migs & Cha: Brought Together by Music

I couldn't help but be teary eyed when I watched my friend, Migs, walk down the aisle last Saturday. He had this huge smile on his face while walking towards the alter. He was very calm and relaxed and even managed to quip, "December ha!" when he passed my fiance and me. And I had to keep my tears in check when Christian (Bautista) started singing "There's something in the way you look at me" as Cha started to walk down the aisle too. 

It was a wedding full of love because everyone present loved the couple and I think that's the key to a very successful and happy wedding day. It doesn't have to be expensive and extravagant either, all you need is your community who will be there for the rest of your lives. 

I was ecstatic about Migs' and Cha's wedding because I think they did everything perfectly. Here are some photos from the wedding:

Congratulations for a perfect wedding Migs and Cha! Happy honeymoon!

Church: Sacred Heart Church (Kamuning, Quezon City)

Reception: Max's Restaurant

Preparing for the Pamamanhikan

I wrote a lengthy post about the pamamanhikan about 2 years ago here on Twisted Wedding Planner and it was pretty easy for me to relay several experiences about it since I wasn't the bride-to-be.

Now I'm going bonkers over this Filipino tradition because I am about to go through it. I know that not many parents require their daughter's fiance to go through this, but my parents are very traditional. And to them my engagement is not complete yet since my fiance's parents have not formally asked for my hand. 

It was my Mom who reminded me about it and I immediately told my fiance about it. We then researched about this tradition and we found some really good articles written by Kasal.com and WeddingsatWork.com. The best thing to do is to prepare yourself for the questions your parents may ask. 

Pamamanhikan is basically where your fiance's father asks for your hand in marriage from your father. It's often awkward especially if it's the first time your parents are going to meet. I hope and pray mine will run smoothly. 

What it Feels Like to be Engaged

I got the shock of my life when I got engaged 11 days ago. I totally did not expect it especially since I was hanging on a harness when it happened.

It's the most exhilirating feeling in the world. And for days I've just had this wide silly grin on my face (well until now). I truly felt loved because I know that my fiance would not have asked me to marry him otherwise.

It took several days before it sunk in and I'm still getting used to wearing an engagement ring. My friends are also very excited and they're all bugging me for a date already. 

It's also overwhelming since I've been getting interrogated about a lot of things. When and where the wedding will be. Who's going to be the suppliers. Ninongs. Ninangs. Motif.

Accckkk!

I guess we'll just take it one day at a time and follow the gantt chart and according to it the next steps are:

1. The Pamamanhikan

2. Setting the Date

Wish us luck!

The Perfect Marriage Proposal

I love writing about marriage proposals because it's just uber kilig! These stories are just the best because it shows what we were made for: LOVE.

And who would've thought that I would one day share MY perfect marriage proposal. Yes! The Twisted Wedding Planner is engaged! And that means I have to go through (with my Sweetie, of course) the ardent task of preparing for our wedding. 

Anyway, I digress. The proposal happened in the most unexpected manner. Sweetie has been giving me clues since Valentine's and I've gotten really frustrated over it since I just can't seem to decipher the puzzle. 

Last week Sweetie and I left for Davao for a weekend called "the Davao FAT (food appreciation tour)" and one of the activities we were lined up to do was to go on the longest zipline in Asia (Xcelerator). I was really anxious about this activity since I knew a long trek up the mountain was required. 

It was indeed the longest zipline and I did not know that I was in for the surprise of my life.

For full details about the proposal please visit "The Mid-Air Proposal (via zipline)".

And here's the video -

Unique Bridal Cars

Go to your wedding in style with one of these unique bridal cars.

A vintage Cadillac!

A Hummer!

Cadillac by:

Don Robert's Bridal Cars

+(63) 917-5010322 or +(63) 46-4715453 or 8755988

robertbautista2005 (at) yahoo.com

Hummer by:

Hummer Limousine

phil.limousines (at) gmail.com
+(63) 918-9030831 / +(63) 917-8475279 / +(63) 922-8475279

Mickey and Minnie Mouse Bridal Car

Last weekend I made the time to visit the Wedding Expo, an event organized by Themes & Motifs. I think the Wedding Expo can brag that it has the most number of wedding suppliers showcasing their services under one roof.

As we were going in the venue we noticed a couple of bridal cars showcased outside and we scrutinized it when we finished our rounds in the PICC Forum.

And guess what! Instead of flowers, Mickey and Minnie Mouse hung in the hood of the bridal car.

And another car had teddy bears on it.

My Sweetie said after seeing the cars, "The bears would probably be hugging each other by the time the car reaches the venue. Sa takot!" LOL.

Bridal Cars by:

Trans Abi

8 San Sebastian corner Aduana Street,
New Intramuros Village,
Diliman, Quezon City
(by Appointment Only)
Telefax: +(632) 9326399 / 9522824
Mobile:
+63(918) 9086399
+63(918) 9236399
+63(918) 8246399
Email: info@transabi.com

Coffee Shop Love Seats

More and more coffee shops now are mixing in different type of furniture. Gone are the days that you'd just find regular tables and chairs in coffee shops. There are now sofas, bean bags, arm chairs and even love seats!

Last Saturday night I found myself in Biksa Coffee in Marikina City and the love seat was just riveting! Much as Sweetie and I wanted to try out the love seat we would've probably found ourselves fighting over it with our friends. LOL.

Biksa Coffee is a nice date place (with uber fast free wifi!).

Address:
18 Gil Fernando Avenue corner
Dragon Street, Marikina City

Email:
coffee@biksacoffee.com

Phone:
+632-682-6912

From all other countries: +632 682.69.12

Pre-Nup at Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife

Last weekend I was surprised by my Sweetie. He brought me to the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife. It was a pleasant surprise since it was relaxing to walk around greenery instead of walking around a concrete jungle (err a mall).

We saw quite a number of lovers chatting under trees and having a picnic (yes a picnic in the city!). We also saw a barkada catching the rays of the sun doing what looked like a pre-nup pictorial for a couple (they're at the far right in my photo). 

I know a lot of couples go out of town to have their pictorial. The Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife is definitely a great place to have your pictorial and you won't need to go out of town either!

Location: Quezon City

Entrance Price: PhP15/car; PhP8 per person

Check out more photos in my travel blog.

Kasal.com's Kwentong Puso Blog Writing Contest

Kasal.com has a special treat for married couples or engaged couples marrying this 2009. Get a chance to win an overnight stay at the Tagaytay Country Hotel! All you need to do is blog about your Valentine day.

Complete mechanics may be found here.

And They Lived Happily Ever After...

A year ago I witnessed a very public proposal during MYMP's Valentine concert and I blogged about it in detail on An Apple a Day. I always wondered who the love birds were and eventually Sweetie found them on Multiply, Gian and Resa. 

A few months later we attended MYMP's album launch and asked Juris if she had any idea whether the couple tied the knot already. I'm sure she was quite surprised about our question, but was pleased that we watched their Valentine concert. Sweetie and I always wondered whether they did tie the knot.

And the mystery was solved when my blogger-friend from Singapore, Alex, told me that Gian and Resa were his friends and have tied the knot recently!  Here's some proof via their wedding announcement page -

That's one among the many other proposals I've blogged about last year! Best wishes to Gian and Resa! 

Cones for the Petal (or Rice) Shower

Florists usually just give wedding coordinators/planners a bag filled with rose petals and it's up to the coordinator to distribute it. So how do you exactly do this in church with all the other things you need to do?

I snagged this nifty idea from a recent wedding I attended. 

Make flower cones! All you need is a half-sheet of paper (or nice metallic paper like the one in the photo), roll it up to shape like an ice cream cone. And there you have it, an easy-to-pass around flower cone! 

Our Lady of Pentecost Church, Quezon City

It was my first time to visit Our Lady of the Pentecost Church when I attended a friend's wedding. The church looked quite new and different from all the other churches I've been too. It was different because it was long horizontally and there was a second floor (and a third floor!). I liked the  light and airy feel of the church. And even though it was raining that day, the inside of the church wasn't gloomy at all. 

Our Lady of Pentecost Church

Loyola Heights, Quezon City

Parish Office Telephone: +(632) 929-0665 / 434-2397

Wedding Charms: Happy Notes

Sometimes weddings can be so boring right? And more often than not you sometimes get seated with people you barely know, so you end up sitting there, giving a nod once in a while and munch on the appetizers, candies or cookies that's on the table.

I found myself in that situation again, but found these little notes endearing -

And I did enjoy the wedding (and ate a lot too!).

Homemade Wedding Giveaways

Last week I got the chance to attend a friend's wedding and was ecstatic at how simple and meaningful the wedding was. It's the second most beautiful and meaningful wedding I've attend in 4 years and now I truly believe that weddings need not be expensive, overbearing and overplanned. The secret sauce: family and really close friends. 

My creative side was tickled-happy when the bridesmaids distributed the wedding giveaways. Snazzy beadwork (one of my favorite things to do!) and a customized box.

Napkin Holders

Bookmark

Loved it! And now I'm itching to bring out my bead collection to do some experimenting =)

Do-It-Yourself Wedding Invitation

My friends and I have been shocked with the exorbitant prices of wedding invitations. It can go anywhere from 40 pesos to 200 pesos per set! And there are additional fees whenever you add anything to the set, i.e. maps, bridal registry info, calligraphy, RSVP info etc. 

When I did a tight-budget wedding for a friend we resorted to doing her invitations.

The materials:

Board paper

Certificate paper

Envelops 

Ribbons

*We got all the materials at National Bookstore

The equipment:

Printer

Cutter

Cutting board

Puncher

Sheet 1 Suggested Text:

We,

Groom's Name & Bride's Name

with the blessings of our Parents.

Mr. & Mrs. Groom's Parents' name

Mr. & Mrs. Bride's Parents' name

Request the honor of your presence

as we exchange marriage vows on

Date

at Time

Name of Church

Churches' city

Reception to follow at

Name of resto/hotel

Resto/Hotel's city

RSVP Info

Sheet 2 Text

Bridal Entourage

Principal Sponsors (list)

Best Man - Maid of Honor

Jr. Groomsmen - Jr. Bridesmaids

Groomsmen - Bridesmaids

Secondary Sponsors (list)

Candle - Cord

Veil

Ring Bearer - Flower Girls

Bible Bearer - Coin Bearer