When RSVP Has No Effect

RSVP- respondez sil vous plait

Please Response; Please Reply; Your Response Is Needed

Asar!

RSVP seems to have no pwers for the Pinoy guest!

Why can't your yes be yes and no be no?

Why do we hear guests saying "kung may sasakyan, pupunta kami"--meaning: provide us transpo or "pupunta sana kami, kaya lang 2 seats lang alloted" --meaning dala namin buong barrio or "bahala na, pag di umulan"-- dumadami ba kayo pag nababasa?

We have set the deadline today, April 30, 2009. Some of our guest personally told us that they will attend (especially those whom we get to see every noe and then) but for those whom we spent paying courier service to have their invites delivered on time--DEADMA sila.

The biggest irony there is is that a neighbor of ours, was the only one who followed the RSVP instruction--that they need to either text me or Eds or Ms. Lovella (Wedding Coordinator) for confirmation and that's without us having to text her first and remind her...

Up to now, we still have 21 guests who are still in limbo (haven't confirmed yet) and some of them have multiple seat allotment...

...GRRRRRRRRR!

Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up
(you) You don't really want to stay, no
(but you) But you don't really want to go-o
You're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

Finally...They Are Complete

It was just this afternoon that all my female entourage were able to have their fitting. My cousin Vida was the last one since they came all the way from Valenzuela. Ms. Linette, my secondary sponsor just came from her vacation in Cebu last Tuesday but was able to have her fitting right away.

The final fitting will be on Saturday. By then, I hope everyone will be complete.

Vida (my cousin, a brides maid during her first fitting (lining pa lang...hehe)

Coffe Scrub: DIY Cellulite Treatment

Bonus points if you actually get to drink the coffee!

DIY Coffee Grounds Body Scrub
5 tsp. ground coffee (used coffee grounds are fine)
1 tsp. sugar or salt
2 tsp. essential oil (avocado works well)
Mix ingredients together and using loofah rub in a circular motion all over your body. Leave on five minutes and then wash off.

OT: Juday & Ryan Finally Hitched

Contrary to rumors that the couple will be tying the knot on May, Judy Anne & Ryan wed this morning at 7am in an undisclosed venue in Batangas. Who would have thought that a "conyo" boy would fall in love with a "star for the masa" ( I remember when I was in college and Ryan Agoncillo was a classmate in DLSU in STAT101, he was graduating then)and who would have thought that they would be able to pull a secreat wedding like that given their stature in Phil. showbiz industry!

Their wedding was officiated by Fr. Tito Caluag.

Finally...I Can Smile

I’ve never been this happy in days…well there are several reasons why I have a BIG smile on my face. First, I got the package containing the ring holders we ordered online. It was shipped early this morning through Air21.
Here are the pics…

Our Ring Holders & Some Heart Tins

Second, almost all of my entourage had their first fitting already. Chelsea (FG) and Janine (BM) went today to have their first fittings. Third, I had my supposedly final fitting but still there were some adjustments to be made (just minor ones). I was really pleased with what I saw—my gown is almost finished just some more beadings on the lace scallop, the bow at the center and some adjustment with the width (too wide kasi) and the placement of the lace strap (I originally wanted a bolero but when Mia made one in gina cloth to make e decide, I felt like lummit ako tignan so I chose the lace strap na lang…then within this week, my whole entourage wil have their final fittings already. As for me, Im still waiting for Ms. Mia’s text since I was supposed to have it on Saturday, however, it’s the wedding day of my friend.

Janine (a bridesmaid,during her first fitting)

The Final Fitting

Whew...tomorrow is my final fitting schedule.After tomorrow, I wont be able to fit it again til the wedding day--RED LIGHTS FLASHING-DIET! I am scheduled to see Mia at around 6pm at her shop in Las Pinas...I'm wondering who to tag along?...

The Game Plan

The key to a victorious game is a well thought-of gameplan.
Lovella also shared to us their game plan. There will be 5 wedding coordinators assigned to us on our wedding day, one will attend to Eds, one will attend to me and the rest will be at the ceremony to prepare and coordinate the venue (check the seating arrangement, check for any problems etc.). The one who will attend to Eds during the preps will be left behind to oversee the reception set-up, the coordinator assigned to me will be with me at the bridal car on the way to the church.
By the end of the ceremony, one will be left behind to assist the pictorial session while the rest will be the advance party for the reception.

Actually, after our meeting, nabawasan talaga mga iniisip ko. It really is a help to hire wedding coordinators.(Swerte nga kasi from now til the 16th, walang ibang events sila na hawak, so sabi ni Love, matututukan nila kami)

Kudos to the team, ngayon pa lang, I know we are in good hands.

Daunting But Doable...

Soon-to-wed’s tasks are daunting: aside from readying themselves for a new chapter in their lives, its also their task to pull together an eventful wedding ceremony and reception.
This afternoon, we met with Lovella (Special Events by The Planner) at CW Lifestyle. We were able to pay our balance and discuss the details of our upcoming wedding.
She reviewed each contract and stipulation provided by our wedding suppliers down to the last details. She took notes on some issues that need more clarity like the room provisions near our venue, crew meals, when do we want the doves to be released, how many sponsors have proxies and all the things that Eds and I never thought of.
She also went through the wedding program I prepared same with the ceremony and reception playlist. She went through the list of the offertory and asked their relation to both of us, she did this just as so they know where to locate them during the ceremony proper for easy prompting. Lovella also asked us who among our relatives/family can decide on our behalf especially if they were unexpected circumstances, how to divide the left over’s, if we want to make the cake all edible, if all will be served wines, where to seat those who came but didn’t confirm and even asked us if we still want to make special request with Island Cove (that is to make the venue as cozy and comfortable as it can be-malakas ang aircon kasi pawisin ang h2b ko and that the rooms we booked will be adjacent to each other para madali ang logistics).
On our part, she was pleased that everything was organized and prepared already—suppliers list, entourage’s contact infos, copy of contracts for review, reception & ceremony playlist and reception program. We made it sure that those who will work for us will not remember us for being pahirap and toxic…

OT: Post Wedding Depression

Getting married is an exciting time for many women. While highly stressful, the adrenaline rush associated with planning and coordinating a wedding can be a thrilling time that many women look forward to experiencing at least once in their life. For the high strung and energentic wmen, the wedding day arrives, the reception takes place and the guests go home only to find they are left with feelings of remorse and loneliness. What transpires next is often not expected; post wedding depression. For women eagerly planning a wedding celebration, understanding the implication and symptoms of post wedding depression will ensure a more pleasant transition into married life.

Post wedding blues, also known as bridal depression or post wedding depression, is common among women who may commonly romanticize the institution of marriage. In post wedding depression, following the wedding day, many brides fall into a deep depression when faced with the reality that "THE" day has come and gone and now settling into married life, as the role of a wife, is a lifelong committement. For some women, this may seem depressing as it closes the chapter on a part of her life and begins a new unchartered path. It is during this period that many women will turn to their mother figure or a very close friend as a confidante to express concerns. While these two individuals may have been supportive during the wedding preparation process, discussing fears and sadness, over the nuptials, should not be discussed with mom or friends. Because these individuals may also be suffering a sense of "loss", they may not offer the most objective advice or comfort during this transition period of the bride. When faced with post wedding depression, the optimal sounding board would be a spiritual advisor or a marriage counselor.

Big Day Awaiting for Us Tomorrow

Well,tomorrow we will be officially turning over our wedding preps to our coordinator. Its a bittersweet step for me, especially since I have spent the last 12 months giving details to these preps...

well I guess itstrue that everything from wedding to marriage are all but part of a transition.

To discuss with Lovella:

-playlist

-program flow

-call time

-suppliers list

-contact infos

-ceremony details

Between Relaxation & Organization

We went to Bodytune this afternoon (supposedly Dermclinic kaso toxic yung attendat dun). My aunt had a Hollistic massage, Eds a Quickie Massage (30 mins) and I chose the Sparoma Facial (3o mins.). Truly, it was a quick relief to all these wedding manic.

Afterwards my aunt brought us to Shakeys for an early dinner-ate mojos and our new favorite-Pizza Bianca. Then I let mu aynt see the designs of the gowns that mommy and Tita Cora will be having beofre finally buying huge boxes to organize our paraphernalias.

A Less Busy Weekend

I got up early and decided to print out the labels for the boxes that will hold the paraphernalias for the ceremony & reception. I want to be able to make it less toxic to the people who'll be working for us to rummage throughout the boxes in search for something (eh ako nga nagugulahan ngayon pa lang, what more pag wedding day na?). So I printed out: FOR CEREMONY, FOR RECEPTION, MENU LABELS, TABLE NUMBERS, PHOTO STUBS, BRIDESMAID'S GIFTS, PLACECARD HOLDERS, PLACECARDS, SOUVENIRS.

So there, I ought to finish them before we go to the derma this afternoon.

Next DIY Project: Ring Pillow

Im up for my next DIY-a cute ring pillow...well I'll be readying myself for this as I am yet to get my ring pillows from Ms. Mia by next week (hopefully!)I'll be doing something like this, only instead of Magnolias, I'll be using --SUNFLOWER!

Image from: http://eleen.com/

Am I An OC Bride?

Now, am I an OC?
Oh well, I just can’t let time pass me by doing nothing. I blame it to my vocation as a highschool adviser/teacher. My day is usually packed with tons of paperworks—5 English classes (each an hour and a half), seatworks, quizzes, conferences with parents, faculty meetings and what have you. So now that we are on our summer vacation, I seem to miss those busy moments.
And instead of bumming around, after I just finished the place cards for our principal sponsors, I made the payment envelopes for our suppliers.
I used the left over papers that I used in making the labels for our invites and the extra seals (monograms) to make it more personalized. The outcome looks similar to gift check envelopes that you usually see around malls.

PlaceCards for our PS

I hate it when Im bored coz boredom pushes me to do some DIYs...and so I came up with our PS place cards for the VIP table.I used the comon elements in our design to make everything cohesive...I am planning to have them in 1"x3" so we can insert them in our Butterfly(female sponsors) & Dragonfly (male sponsors) placecards that my cousin bought for us from Beau-Coupe.

Here's a sample.....

Chaos Before Serenity

As the wedding day nears, tensions tend to rise within all concerned-attending to the last details, making confirmation calls, finalizing the guestlist-but the internal chnges are also reaching the boiling point.

During these past few weeks, I as a bride, feel like Im being tumbled into a whirlpool where the elements are far greater than my human power-overwhelming-i seem to have no control. There are a lot of emotions that these heart needs to feel-- separation, loss, transition, excitement...I dont feel like fighting back, just wanna let go, and follow where these tumbling waves will take me.I need to slow down, accept the imperfections, the flaws, for it will be best to accept the 'less' perfect preparations if it will mean arriving at my wedding day with a greater serenity and enough breathing space to breathe and cherish the moment as it unfolds.

3 Weeks and a Day To go!

Wow...3weeks and a day to go! Whew! I shouldn't be blogging!
So here's some of the things we need to do:

-visit derma on Saturday
-meet with OTD on Sunday.
-meet with Ms. Myra on May 3
-meet with our P/V supplier by first week of May
-my final gown fitting on Monday.
-confesion on May 15
-meet with Ms. Sharon (Island Cove)

Loads of Blessings to Share

Since our wedding will soon be over, I thought that it'll be better to share these files which helped us pull off our wedding instead of just deleting them from my laptop after the wedding. And in the true spirit of W@W sisterhood, here I am to share these files for my fellow w@wies to enjoy.

Just leave me a message at my CBOX to let me know if the downloads were succesful.

Click here to download the guestlist/seat arrangement.

Click here to download guesttracker file.

Click here to download floor plan layout (a template for square & round tables)

Click here to download guest guide template.

Our Wedding Ring Holders Are Here

Finally, after waiting for a month, the wedding ring holders that I ordered online are finally here.I placed my order online last march 3, 2009 and was told that I have to wait for 3 weeks as my orders will arive by the 2oth of April. Come April 20, when I made a follow up, I was told that there was a delay with the shipment, then this evening, I received an email telling me that our orders have arrived.

I'm so excited!

Side Kwentos Entourage First Fittings

I think both of my maids of honor gained weight, especially Jen, my cousin who just arrived from KSA last Monday. Mia asked her that she'll be adjusting both sides of her gown with half an inch but my cousin refused saying let that be her motivation to go on a diet.

Naku conservative silang lahat! di nagtanggal ng bra! Asar! Oh well I must have forgotten to tell them that they should be wearing strapless for the fittings!

About my flower girls-well Gwyneth is demure, so super shy talaga siya (little Demi Moore yun) then si Chelsea, super bibo! Super cutie pa. In fairness, she's been on a diet eersince I told her that she'll be my flower girl. Super excited talaga siya, in fact she even asked Mia kung pwede na niya iuwi yung gown and Mia was so fond of her, especially when Mia saw na yung dress and undies ni Chelsea terno na Winnie the Pooh.

So there...by the way I'll be having my final fitting on Monday. I'll be seeing the gown with all the beadworks na then its up for cleaning then for pick up na yung wedding gown. As for the entourage, well it will take some time pa as some of the members haven't had their first fitting.

Quest for Perfection

"How else can we understand the perfectionism that so often consumes brides? Does it have any functions in the wedding journey? Perhaps you have noticed within yourself, the over-focus on perfection can create a frenzied bride out of an otherwise sane and rational woman" (this is so me!).

"The Conscious Bride"-Php 45.00, Booksale SM Southmall

I am currently reading this book-a find from the treasure throve of second hand books at Booksale.I am indeed grateful that I was able to find this book weeks before the wedding. There are lots of tips and advices from which brides can relate to, best of all it doesn't only concern weddings but the life ever after.

Actual Fotobrew Print-Outs Are Here

I got an email from Alvin (of Fotobrew) and attached with his email is a sample of the actual print out of our Fotobrew layout and backdrop!
Here's how it looks like (with their anonymous model!)

My Entourage Fittings

Entourage's First Fittings, April 22, 2009

We met with Eds and Ver (Jen's fiance) at Sm Southmall before heading to Ms. Mia's shop.I wasn't able to get pictures from all of my entourage. Here are some of the pics during their first gown fittings. From top is Chelcee & Gwyneth,two of the flower girls, Jelyn, one of my bridesmaids,Elaine, one of my maids of honor and Jen, another maid of honor.Among the others who had their first fittings were Ms. Lizville and Ms. Merlie, both are secondary sponsors, Jaymie, another bridesmaid.

Hope that the rest of the entourage will be able to attend the final fitting!

Final Leg of Wedding Preps

I remember Ms. Korina Sanchez' cliche' Handa Nba Kayo?

As this line gets to asked over and over again by most of our family members and if I were to answer...I would proudly say YES. Yes if what they are pertaining to is the wdding day itself and YES if they were pertaining to a life of marriage.

In about three weeks weI’ll be walking down the aisle to say our vows. We are both excited, but but frankly speaking it has been very stressful.

There are still minor details that Edu and I still need to take care of. I’ve been trying to avoid blogging since the final leg of our wedding preparation started as I don't want my posts to be either raves or rants but blogging, like what I said before, keeps me SANE as honestly,there are things that scare me about our upcoming wedding, I don’t even know where to begin. I have faith in my Eds. I know that Eds and I would be able to cope and handle any challenges that will come our way as long as we have faith in each other and we stick together.

We shall prevail.

Semper Fidelis.

Going Gaga Over Egg Tarts

I don't know why I didn't like egg tarts before...those were the times when we usually get them for free as they were given by my aunt's clients from the bank. It was only yesterday when I had this epiphany over Lord Stowe's egg tarts...
...I'm going gaga! I so loooove them now (but this time I need to buy them na...too sad taht I must watch my diet!) and since Eds and I will be having HK and Macau for our honeymoon, I swear I'll pass by their shop at Coloane Village for that authentic Macanese feel.

No Rest for The Wicked...

Whew...
I'll be going to school to day to get some moolahs for the summer tutorial services I offered...
________________________

First: FOLLOW UPS

Call/text/email wedding suppliers and to some follow ups for the upcoming wedding.

Totally Mesmerized-email playlist for ceremony

Florist-email add-ons

P/V-remind about the reporting time

I.Cove- follow up

Second: SOME VANITY
This omission, of not being able to visit the dermatologist these past few months was due to the fact that I was oto pre-occupied by work (since schooldays pa). I don't generally have major issues with my skin (oiliness lang!) but I just want to make it sure that these preps along with the other issues will not cause havoc on my skin on my wedding day!

Third: FITTING

I'm accompanying my entourage for their fitting schedule...to bad Eds can't come to see the fittings...
Fourth: UP FOR PRINTING

I'll be going to SM to have our menu labels printed so I can endorse them to our wedding coordinator when we meet her on Sunday.

I'll be printing the checklist for med and Eds as well as the wedding working schedule.

Finally...Entourage's 1st Fitting Schedule

Despite what has been happening over the past week, I got fairly excited with my entourage's first fitting tomorrow afternoon at Ms. Mia Barlaan's shop. It was postponed last week and I hope that this time, it will push through.

Those who are expected to come for the fittings are: Jen (MOH), Elaine (MOH), Jaymie (BM), Jelyne (BM), Chelsea (FG), Chelcee (FG), Gwyneth (FG), Makeng (Sec.Spon.) and Liz (Sec Spon.)

2 bridemaids wouldn't be able to make it (Vida & Janine) as well as 1 flower girl (Diane) and 1 female secondary sponsor (Lynette).

Proof That Soon-to-Weds Are Accident Prone

Cant help but think of this, as if the Sm incident wasnt enough (we are nt yet done dealing with them pa nga) yesterday, I got a txt from h2b saying his going back home (on the way cia ksi 4 work) kasi he had an accident. A truck hit the rear of the vehicle...super worried ako kasi yesterday afternoon, he went to our house and had merienda then natabig nya yung baso at nabasag. I dnt know if its intuition pro after that, iba na yung feeling ko.Only to find out later na yun pala yun...so sad...
Buti na lang off na ako sa work (vacation na kasi ng mga students and pati kme, teachers) so today punta kme sa Citimotors para mapasok na yung sasakyan.Buti na lng Eds is safe...
...hay, sumasabay pa talaga ang ganitong pangyayari...
sorry napahaba...share ko lang kasi overwhelmed na ako with what has been happening...

The Bridezilla Tendencies

Ah, Bridezilla. The term has been used so often in today's world of reality TV and celebrity weddings, sometimes its hard to tell whether you actually fit the word description. I think it would be fun to see brides turning into these bitchy, demanding monsters but what if I am turning into one?Afraid of my possible tendency, I took this online quiz to find out and here's the result (though I feel its not true):
"The formalities of a traditional wedding either bore you or are simply too far over your head to apply. While some might think you’ve just never attended a real wedding before, you’re actually creating your perfect event by letting the chips fall where they may. The great news is - while every bride wants her wedding to be “stress-free,” yours is the only one that actually is… for you.
Your carefree attitude can put a twinkle in the eye of any Bridezilla-weary Caterer or Florist, but it leaves the rest of us wondering just where the heck this nuptial joyride is going? Your disregard for tradition baffles your guests. Your indecision leaves your planner scrambling. Somehow for you, everything is smooth sailing.
It is YOUR wedding however and you have as much right to be unconventional or blasé as the Bridezilla has to dictate every detail. For you my dear bride, might we suggest a simple backyard soiree? That is of course, if you don’t elope in the mean time ..."

My Friend's Wedding

My friend (former teacher of mine turned colleague) is getting married this May 2 and Im so excited for her..imagine they (she and her future h2b) have known each other for 23 years! They've been planning the wedding since January. Anyway just wanna blog the invitation made by Printed Matter (her h2b loved our invites!)

Beach- themed invites

Save Yourself from the Seating Arrangement Nightmare

Here are some tips on how to plan your wedding reception’s seating arrangement.
Create an alphabetized master list
Believe me, it’s not only about being compulsive, but creating an alphabetized master guest list really does help a lot. You can use a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel to automatically sort your guest’s names alphabetically. That way, guests can easily find their names and their table numbers at the entrance of your reception venue. It’s best to setup a reception table near the entrance, you can ask your friends or bridesmaids to man it for you (although sometimes there are wedding coordinators who already include this as part of their service).

Draw a table arrangement diagram
In order to do this, you must have a pretty good idea of your venue’s layout. It would be a better idea too to make this while getting your Head Waiter’s input. I actually did ours while I was at our caterer’s office. We were lucky; our caterer already had serviced another couple at our reception venue. That way, they were able to show us through a diagram where they will place the buffet table, the presidential tables, the guest tables, and the couple’s table (ours was situated in a gazebo). You don’t necessarily have to put each of the guests’ name on the diagram (what if they were over a hundred?!), but having an idea of how the table layout will be will help you in determining the placement of table numbers—thereby knowing where to seat your guests ...

from MyFilipinoWedding

DIY CHOCONUT LABEL

Another DIY label for choconut

DIY Choconut Label

Anyway,I thought of giving away personalized chocolates to our guests. The idea is sweet, but it is costly.When I made ani inquiry with Choclit, they gave the bitesize chocolates for Php10/each inclusive of the customized wrapper. Since (I think) we still have time, I might DIY it with local Chocnut since I got this idea from MyFilipinoWedding.

I will be printing them in 2"x3" sizes in glossy paper as per the instructions given by Gail (of myfilipinowedding).For now, I tried having them on bond paper for the trial print...

Here are the pics of the design I made...
Why Choconut? Everyone is familiar with Choconut... and its cheap (Php30.00/pack of 24's) we have two designs so we'll have 75 pcs in the first design and another 75 pcs for the other.

Click here to download template.

Buena Mano...

One of the perks of soon-to-weds are the...gifts!

We received our first non-monetarial gift today (we got Php 5,000.00 from tita loida na kasi plus she and my lola sponsored our giveaways and it came from Mommy Julie Wu (Chinese family friend namin) who came all the way from Novaliches. She came in for a visit and thought of bringing the gift already so she wouldn't have to bring it as she attends the wedding...

...its a buena mano! Thank you po from Eds & me...

Freebies Galore

2 Embroidered fans for the 2 mothers and 2 embroidered hankies for me...

Just wanna make this post about the freebies we got from Mr. Rey Casedo...

Saturday Hiatus...

Eds and I spent our morning at Strabucks as it was darn too hot at home…besides, I made a romise that I’ll be treating him and my mom for an afternoon of massage and relaxation. We met my mom and went straigt to Body Tune at SM Southmall. Mom had Holistic Massage, while Eds and I had Thai massage.
We are frequent clients of Body Tune.I especially love their Thai foot massage while Eds love their chair massage…the last we had a whole body massage, it was Holistic which I enjoyed except for the greasy feel (oil).I loved their Thai massage as it was dry and it was all about stretching which I needed badly especially since I have a chronic shoulder pain…
Oh well mom enjoyed it very much…it was a perfect gift for her and a perfect treat for Eds since he’s been too stressed with the preps and with his work.

Another Wedding Announcement

I saw this when I was surfing the net...probably a friend posted this wedding announcement...

eventhough this made me excited, nothing beats my anticipation for our Milestones (PDI) wedding announcement
follow this link to view
http://mybridalfair.com/content/view/72/108/

Entourage Fittings

Hay..I was saddened to know that the fittings of my entourage has to moved from April 20 to 22. I was hoping it'll be soon-while most of them are on vacation pa...too sad!

My final fitting is scheduled next weekend...well sana matuloy!

Paying Tribute

To: ENGR. & MRS. EDILBERTO O. MAGBAG
Aby
You warmly welcomed me to your family at the very first time we were introduced--in every family trips, family gatherings, and for always welcoming me in your home. Having found Edu is among the greatest blessings of my life and to have your family as part of him makes everything even sweeter. As I officially become your daughter, I thank you with all my heart for allowing me to be not just an extension of your son, but also as a child of your own. With God’s grace, Edu and I will build a joyful and loving home which we hope to share with you from this day forward.
Edu
Growing up away from you made me realize how lucky and grateful I am being your son. Those years of sacrifice you made are now giving us and our family a comfortable life. I can't find a word to describe how thankful I am for the support and motivation you have given me.

To: ENGR. & MRS. EMELIANO B. PASCO Jr.

Edu
My parents had a son for their first born and so I know a daughter’s bond with her parents.

Thank you for trusting me and sharing Aby with me for the past twelve years, and soon as my wife. I shall not take her away from you as she draws what I know of her from your loving care. Rather, I vow to love, protect and take care of her.

I Thank you for all the love and acceptance you have given me and my siblings through these years; for always treating me a part of your family and for always being there for me like my real parents. You are a great blessing for me and no one could have done a better job raising the soul with whom I’ll spend the rest of my life with.
Aby
Despite not growing up with under your care, I'm forever thankful for the unwavering support for whatever endeavor, hardships I encountered growing up. Some might have been blown out of proportion, as most are unnecessary concerns, distress as a result of my careless decisions and impulsive youth. I thank you for those moments that I thought we were away from each other were actually moments that you sacrifice for our future. Thank you for your guidance and advices. Despite the stubbornness, and the repulsive gestures, I am listening.
For the LOVE that I have been receiving all these years, I sincerely thank you. I always look up to you as one great example of how parents should be. I love you both.

Extra Challenge-Finally Over

Extra challenge-that's how we refer to the process of havig our misalette approved. Last year pa when we passed the first draft na for some reasons, nawala nila sa parish office. Good thing former parish priest namin si Fr. Sharkey so he let us borrowed a sample nuptial mass misal. Then came January, we passed the second draft which was patterned after what Fr Sharkey gave us...it took 3 months before it was approved!

Hay...Glory lang yung tinggal inabot na ganun...But finally, it is approved and now for printing already!

Declining & Crushing...atbp Emotions!

Declining...

I declined the offer for me to join a seminar/outing at San Juan Batangas today. My family said its better if I declined it since soon-to-weds are accident prone. H2b also declined an invitation for him to join their Teambuilding at Subic...oh well...

Crushing...

I am crushing my new laptop bag (thanks Eds)...we went to Powerbooks last night and saw a new design of Lift laptop bags and Eds bought me one since he knows that I've been having this chronic shoulder pain with the heavy generic, black laptop bag I am using...

Atbp Emotions...

EXCITED.I am pretty excited with the wedding preps...yes 30 days to go!

At this time, we have started our beauty/health regime. I have been looking for body treatment suited for me and Eds. I think I wil be surprising Eds with a coffee rub from the Spa over the weekend and a massage for mom.

MAD. Over the delayed approval of our misal.We need the, already!

On Bridal Registries & Everything in Between

Eds' surprise- a laptop bag for me...

This afternoon, Eds and I went to Rustan’s ATC for the selection of gifts for our bridal registry. Well it was sure fun to roam around Rustan’s and choose the items but we were both hungry and we waited for 15 minutes before the Registry manager arrived. Instead of the pre-selection, we opted to go generic. Which means we chose by categories and not by brand names.
We chose some kitchenware, bathroom accessories, silverware, dinnerware, luggages, electronic gadgets etc. gift
After choosing our preferred gifts , we had dinner at Café Mediterranean. I had Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Pita and Eds had Chicken al Rosamarinita…then Eds surprised me with a new laptop bag in my fave color!... thanks beh!

OT: Im still torn...sasama ba ako sa Batangas o hindi?

I Heart FRUPCAKES

I was delighted to know that the owner of Frupcakes took time to make a sample of the flower fondant that she is planning to put as toppers on our Frupcakes (for the cupcake tower).She sent this picture to Love who, in turn, sent it to me...touched ako...she really took the effort of making a sample and taking its picture just to show me...CLAP! CLAP!

3rd Fitting & Loving It!

I had my 3rd fitting and was extremely happy about the outcome.This time what I fitted was the actual silk lining with the glorious lace on it already. Though the sleeves were not yet in their actual fabric, I swear I must have gushed loudly while I was staring at myself on the mirror. I wasn’t able to take a picture (too sad) because Ms. Klem asked me to go outside the fitting room for my train and there were two couples waiting outside so they saw my gown and add to that, Eds was there too. He originally planned not to go inside Ms. Mia’s shop and wait at the ca instead but while waiting these two couples came in so I felt kinda alone ad texted him to get inside the shop.
I was looking at him while I was making my way out of the fitting room, he just glanced once and said afterwards that he fought hard and resisted the temptation of looking at the dress…
Anyway, I felt proud with my gown…it was DIVINE! I heard the two other couples’ reaction with the gown..very innocent daw ang dating and one really liked the train… I even told Ms Klem "prang ayaw ko na hubarin..."
Oh well..ill be counting the days…Mia said in a matter of 3-4 days, I will be having my final fitting! So probably by then, there will be beadworks and I’ll be seeing that cute bow already…

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh-31 Days To Go!

31 days from now but I can’t help but blog (eh that’s the only thing I can do with limited connection noh…)…neweiz I think I have the right naman to be lenient this time after all, we are almost done with every thing…minor details are left like the printing of menu tags and photo stubs..almost 75% of the invites have been handed to our guests and most of them confirmed right away…besides blogging keeps me sane.
…whew. The script for the emcee is done, we have made the working schedule as well (needs to be printed out and photo copied so we can give them to the key people)
..today, Im scheduled for the 3rd fitting of my gown na and back agai to the distribution of the invites...
..so there

My "Glorious" 2nd Gown Fitting Experience...

If I was happy with how my first gown fitting, this time I was happier. I was able to prepare better this time..diet, my body form and my new shoes and Ms. Mia was there to personally see the details of my fitting.

I was able to buy this body form at SM Southmall last week and I must admit I was skeptical about it (well, because its not that expensive). Having this common notion that it may not work well if the price is cheap, but this buy proved me otherwise.

I loved the way it hugs the body and how it supports the lowerback giving me a better posture. Thus, I was way more confident when I went to Ms. Mia's place for the 2nd fitting.

The lining was not the usual gina cloth (like the one I fitted last time) but a white flowy, heavenly silk. Ms. Mia told me she made some adjustments as she felt the skirt opens too narrowly. I felt the difference with the linings bagsak and with the bodyform, the own looked glorious.

Ms. Mia also showed me the lace taht will be used for the gown...the lace design was intricate! I loved it. There's innocence yet elegance to the fabric. They made some adjustments to the shoulder capped sleeves (since I lost weight!) and with the length (not because I gained extra height but because my heels were higher).

Oh well, tomorrow I shall be having my 3rd fitting, this time with the actual silk lining and the lace on it. I shall also decide as to whether or not I will be having a bolero...

I cant wait...

Wine Bags for Our Male PS

Wine bags for male sponsors.

Blogging is the only possible thing I can do(without my Smartbro connection...dial up...huhu). Anyway since I'm on a dial up (temporarily), I easily run out of patience thus I have some time to finish the wine bags and put my focus off from that SM incident...

These are the sinamay bags we bought from Quiapo...I just placed some fossilized leaves and our thank you tags in ball & chain. The wines will be in yellow colored tissue wraps and tied in paper twines before they get to be inside these sinamay bags...oh well...here's a pic (only one kc nawawalan ako ng patience!nkakainip mag upload pag dial-up...)

Final Decision: Floor Plan Layout

Yesterday, we had ou final decision made as to the floor plan layout. We have consulted our AE about the layouts we have in mind and she made some suggestions on both layouts. In the end, we opted to follow the traditional layout.

Here's the final floor plan layout...

On the Hunt for the Perfect Wedding Scrapbook

I've been looking for that perfect scrapbook for our wedding but often than not, would end up with those with mushy covers and one-liners til I found this...

..so I know that I need to contact my aunt, Tita Loida who works for a company that distributes imported books from Warner, harper Collins etc. I know she has a lot of connections (to prove that I got 2 t-shirts of Twilight, a Twilight bag and I got all the books (Twilight saga) for FREE! I even got movie premier ticket and a DVD for free!

This bride-to-be is whishin' & hopin'...

For our upcoming May wedding…
A fair (not too hot nor rainy) weather from St. Claire
That all our invited guests will show up
That none of our entourage will show up late
That all our flower girls will walk without tantrums
That everyone invited will come in appropriate attire
That our guests will appreciate the preparation that we did…it was a year of hard-earned money, labor of love and sleepless nights…
That our guests will all enjoy the food, the entertainment and the photobooth
That none of our suppliers will give us headaches…that they will come on time and follow what has been previously agreed upon

Looking Forward to My 2nd Fitting...

After that successfule delivery of barongs for the groom and the male ento, the girls were all anticipating for their fitting sched-that includes me...well sadly for the ento, I have to finish my fitting schedule first before they can have their schedule (i guess 3rd week of April na). Well as for me, I'll have my second fitting this Tuesday ( can't wait to see the improvements of the gown!)

Easter Sunday Accomplishments

Here are some updates that Eds & I were able to accomplish...

Paid 50% at Island Cove.
Finalized wedding backdrop design.
Finalized guaranteed number of guests.
Booked 2 2-bedroom cabanas for our respective families.
Finalized layout for floorplan.
Finalized crew meals.
Barongs of the entourage, fathers and the groom had been paid in full and delivered already with NO aterations needed...

Our Barongs Are Here...

Mr. Rey Casedo (yes, the very effficient and pulidong Mang Rey) delivered the barongs that we ordered from him.We are very satisfied with the quality of the barongs we ordered- tamang sukat, pulido gawa and very classy ang fabric. Kudos to Mang Rey. He arrived at our house at around 12:30 as he came all the way from Pasig (another delivery of barongs).

My mom was very happy with the quality of barongs and he asked for another calling card as their school doctor will soon wed and is looking for barong supplier. My uncle (our sponsor) put his own Rafaella barong side by side Mang Rey's and you can really see the difference.

Notes: he gave us 2 embroidered fans for the 2 mothers and he gave me 2 embroidered handerchiefs free...

Ocular Inspection @ Island Cove

Heading back to the banquet & events office...

Enjoying some time off the tedious wedding preps...

These were the pics taken when we paid the downpayment for reception and had our ocular inspection with my aunts Tita Loida & Mama Lolit and my cousin, Jelyn.Finally we have finalized the guaranteed number of guests, our preferred backdrop design and the crew meals..

Game Prizes etc...

We have bought the prizes for our wedding reception's games...here's a peek... Some of the prizes for our games and the cd of of our DIY AVP with our personalized label.

Finally...My Trapeze Prep Dress Inspiration

Dress By Maggie London

Finally..
I've been thinking of what prep attire to wear as I don't want to look like a boxer with robes on so I tirelessly browsed websites looking for "THAT DRESS" til I saw this at thebride'scafe.com. This trapeze dress has some irridescent paillettes and pearlized beads encircling the neckline with a silky underlayer.Lovely!

My Take on Tuna Carbonara

I spent my afternoon cooking merienda and since its Good Friday, I opted to try cooking Tuna Carbonara. I invited Eds to come over for merienda and he was very pleased with it.

Here's the simple recipe:

You will be needing

1 tetra pack all purpose cream (Alaska)

1 small can of evaporated milk

1 can mushroom (sliced thinly)

1 can tuna in vegetable oil (drained)

1 1/2 tablespoons of Cheese Whiz

3 tablespoons of grated cheese

500 grams of cooked Spaghetti noodles

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (finelly chopped)

2 tablespoon of butter

1 egg (beaten)

Procedure:

1. Heat butter until melted and saute garlic and onions until soft. Pour in thinly sliced mushrooms and tuna. Stir and set aside.

2. On a separate pan, pour in evaporated milk, all purpose cream over low heat. Stir to prevent lumps.

3. Add in Cheese Whiz and grated cheese.

4. Continue stirring until cheese melts.

5. Pour in the egg mixture while stirring and bring it to a simmer.

6. Add the sauteed mushroom and tuna mixture.

7. Serve on top of Spaghetti (Angel hair or Penne) noodles and put grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese.

OT: Armpit Makeup

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Shades available: Ivory 01 and Nude 02. Ivory 01 and Nude 02 are both applicable for light to fair skin tone. For medium to dark skin tone, Nude 02 is recommended.

A Nights Accomplishments

Finally…I’m now connected again but it’s sad that I have to be patient as Im back to dial up.For some reasons I can’t connect with SmartBro…talk about bad timing! So, last night since I was forcefully pulled off my net surfing habit, I decided to do some more wedding preps…here’s what I was able to achieve last night…

AVPs burned into cd for reception perusal
CD compilation of AVPs in personalized case already (labels are still pending though….)
Songs for games/reception persusal compiled into a cd.
CD compilation of songs in personalized case already (labels are still pending though….)
Prizes for games labeled and prepared already.

ill be posting the pics soon...

Cavite Churches

St. Michael the Archangel

My own shots.

Image from Fr. Stephen's Photostream at Flickr.com

St. Mary Magdalene Church

Image from=AM= Photostream at Flickr.com

For those who are looking for destination weddings, I suggest that you consider Cavite.There's so much history and old world charm to this province...

We Have Our Bridal Car Na...

Finally...I don't want to waste money getting super expensive bridal cars whose services are good only for 3 hours...we saw an ad from 88DB.com for a bridal car at P2,500.00/5 hours inclusive of flowers and chauffer. We have already texted the owner Mr. Max Cuartero and we will be making reservations by Sunday.

Where Are We in the Wedding Preps...

Church – St. Michael the Archangel
Paid half already. Balance due as soon as requirements are completed.

Bride & Groom Formals-Ms. Mia Barlaan & Mr. Rey Casedo
Eds’ barong along with male entourage’s and our fathers’ barongs will be delivered on Sunday by Mr. Rey Casedo.
I’m done with the first fitting and Im scheduled for the 2nd and 3rd fitting on the 13th and 18th respectively. We are scheduled to pay 25% of the remaining 50% balance during my 2nd fitting and the rest will be during the pickup.
All my entourage female members’ measurements were already taken by Ms. Mia Barlaan There would be a fitting on the 20th of April and final fitting/distribution a week after that.

Reception Venue – Aguinaldo Hall, Island Cove Hotel & Leisure Park
We are going to Island Cove on the 15th to pay for the reception venue and give the floor plan layout of how we would like the tables to be set-up and finalize the backdrop design that we will be having.

Invitations – Printed Matter
Done and distributed already.

Photo and Video – Blessing Photography
We already had our pre-nup last September at Island Cove Hotel & Leisure Park and another free pre-nups courtesy of W@W at Fernbrook Gardens last March 20. I enjoyed our pre-nup sessions but I enjoyed the one with Blessing the most. Mr. Romy Villaluna, brother of the owner, was our photographer. He was very accommodating and patient.

Entertainment/ Music – Totally Mesmerized
Already had our first production meeting with them last January.Paid in half and we are scheduled to meet again for the final playlist and program.

Coordinator – Special Events by the Planner (Ms. Beth Feliciano & Ms. Lovella Daligdig)
I e-mailed her (Ms. Love) the program flow, wedding working schedule,script to be used in the program and playlist. I’ll be meeting with Ms. Love on Sunday afternoon.

Wedding Bands – Puregold Jewelers, UAE
Done. A blessing from my future-in-laws, Mama Cora & Papa Ed.

Bridal Car – Mr. Max Cuartero
Paid reservation.

Hotel for Bridal Preps – Island Cove Hotel & Leisure Park
Have reserved 2-bedroom cabanas for the guest’s preps and have reserved 2 Hotel Superior Romms for mine and Ed’s weddings preps.

Misalette – Ms. Lovella Daligdig
Waiting for final approval (anong petsa na…nkakatoxic ang parish secretary ng St. Michael)

Shoes
Purchased from Swatch, Charles & Keith & Gibi Collection.

AVP
DONE.DIY by the bride…

Bridal Entourage, Liturgical Entourage & Offerors
Completed

Flowers-Ms. Myra Solis of Sola Funhands
Paid half already and have discussed the flower arrangement and set-up with Ms. Myra.Will be meeting by first week of May to finalize the details and bring the tin buckets (for flower girls) and the parasols for the venue.

Wedding Accessories (Cord, Matches, Place cards, Money Well, Confetti, Unity Candle, Kissing Bells, Menu Tags, Table Numbers, Photo Stubs, Bear Couple, Papal Blessing, Bible, Ring Holder, Unity Coins, Arrhae Holder, Signature Pens, Toasting Flutes)
Completed.
Other Accessories (Pouch,Pillows, Secondary Veil)

C/O Ms. Mia Barlaan.For pick up along with the Gown)

Souvenirs/Giveaways (Sponsors, Bridal Entourage, Prizes for the Games)
Completed.
Onsite Photobooth- FOTOBREW
Paid half already. The background design and picture layout (DIY by the bride) were approved and for printing already (tarpaulin backdrop).

Wedding Cake-Island Cove
Finalized the design already.
Cupcake Tower- Frupcakes
Paid down payment. Balance due on the wedding day itself.

Legal Documents:
Completed with the legal documents (CENOMAR, NSO Birth Certificates, Marriage License).
Church Documents & Requirements
Done (Baptismal & Confirmation Cerificates, Pre-cana, Interview with the Priest) except for the list & contact info of the sponsors and the Confession (May 15).

Honeymoon-HK-Macau-HK
6days/5Nights
Confirmed Booking with CebPac (by future father-in-law)
Confirmed Hotel Booking

With sheer faith and love, we will prevail…

Anticipating...

Wow, this is it...one month to go and we’re ALMOST done with everything, even to the smallest details of the script of the emcee, the table set-up,the photo booth design, confetti and other wedding kakikayans are all ready for our big day….We have arranged them in two boxes, each with labels-for ceremony and for reception...

Novena to St. Claire of Assisi

St. Claire Of Assisi Prayer:

God of mercy, inspired St. Claire with the love of Poverty.
By the help of her prayers, may we follow Christ in poverty
of spirit and come to the Kingdom of heaven.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever.Amen.

Seat/Flr Plan Draft

Non-traditional Layout

Pro's: Encourages conversation between the sponsors as they are seated together.

Con's: Demands more space than the traditional one.

Traditional Layout (Sponsors beside the bride & groom's table.

Pro's: Gives credit to the sponsors as they were placed beside the bride & groom.

Con: Sponsors may not be able to converse as female sponors are separated from

their male counterpart)

Believe it or not, Eds and I made these layouts using MS Powerpoint and found it to be easy. These are what we ended up having and we are planning to have it printed (and put on an easel) as soon as it gets to be approved.We will be paying our reception site a visit next week for the payment and ocular as well. We will be inspecting the Cabana's we have reserved for the wedding preps.

We just need the suggestions/comments of I.Cove's Banquet Manager, Ms. Sharon before we can finally decide which layout to follow.