Pre-nup / Engagement shoot

I have been praying for days that August 21 will be bright and sunny. I no longer contacted our backup indoor venue because I was feeling confident that it will not rain on our prenup shoot. There were rain showers and drizzles for the past few days but this morning, it was raining steadily. Me, my sister and my Dad left home past 6am to go to Ortigas and have my make-up and hair done. We will also be bringing my make-up artist and hair stylist to the photo shoot. Our agreement is for me to have 3 different make-up and hairstyle look that will complement my wardrobe. Since Val Villarin is not available today, I got Cel Sabile and Marvin as my prenup HMUA. I met Cel once at a bridal fair last year and I really liked her personality. We got along well from the very beginning. She's very prompt whenever I have queries and she also served as my events stylist.

We left Ortigas around 8:30am and arrived at UST past 9am. Richard and Bogs were already there. After my re-touch and change of attire, we proceeded with the photo shoot. It was raining on our way to UST and even during the re-touch but the rain stopped when Bogs started taking pictures. Thank you Lord! :-)

We had 3 changes of clothes - rustic/english countryside look (aka haciendero/haciendera), vintage (aka the godfather), and casual (ala PBB teens hehe). I could never have asked for a better team. Cel and Marvin devoted all attention to me, making sure I looked my best and really look the part. Bogs patiently gave us instructions on how to pose and basically directed the whole photo shoot. He showed us the pictures while we were having lunch. Boy he's really amazing! He really knows how to take good pictures. We were impressed with the infrared shots. Unlike other photographers, Bogs gave us the raw pictures to take home and he'll just provide us the edited versions before the wedding. The pictures looked fantastic that it doesn't need editing anymore.

I would also like to thank my sister who I insisted that she tag along. She was there to help me change into my clothes, pick up stuffs from the car, buy food/drinks for the suppliers and help take behind the scenes pictures. I wouldn't know what to do without her :-) And for Richard who gave his all when it comes to posing and acting in front of the camera. He's the comic/wacky one. He keeps on telling me to loosen up and just relax :-)

All in all, it was a really fun and successful e-session!

Meeting with Fr. Allen De Guzman

We are scheduled to meet with Fr. Allen at 9am today in Caleruega. Since we arrived early, we decided to check the rooms available for our guests. I wanted to look at the twin-sharing room again to see if it can serve as my "bridal suite". There was another group of people who are planning to have their seminar on the same day as my wedding and they have already booked most of the rooms. Good thing, they did not reserve 2 family rooms and 3 twin-sharing rooms. I made reservations so they can block the available rooms for me and Richard.

All along, I thought it was a personal encounter with Fr. Allen. There were 3 other couples also scheduled to meet with him at the same time. The seminar started around 10am and ended past 12 noon. Fr. Allen walked us through the nuptial mass, wedding rites, do's and don'ts etc. It was a really informative seminar. He gave us tips on how to make our wedding day a solemn and memorable one. He also had us rehearsed the wedding vows. Now I understand why Fr. Allen is such a big hit and why he's the number 1 choice as officiating priest. For a priest, he's really really funny and loves to laugh and crack jokes alongside inspiring stories. Me and Richard never stifled a yawn while he was talking and that says a lot. He got everyone's attention for the very beginning. I am so excited to hear his homily on our wedding day. I just know that all our guests are going to love him! :-)

Trip to Taal Batangas

My bestfriend asked me to accompany her to Taal to check out her gown. It was a long drive going there and weather hasn't changed for the past 3-4 weeks (translation: still raining). We arrived there after lunch time and saw her gown displayed on the mannequin. It was really beautiful! The gown had intricate designs and was embellished in the right places, not overly done. Color and length was just right. Since it's almost finished, my bestfriend did not try on the gown anymore.

After the discussion with Ate Rose, Madel and Miko showed me around the area. It was almost like the mecca for wedding gowns! There are so many stores to choose from. I even bought a gold arrhae case/holder for the unity coins. The gold coins I bought from Tito Boy. The coin holder is similar to the picture shown below (bell-shaped).

Fr. Allen De Guzman

Great news from Caleruega! They just confirmed that Fr. Allen De Guzman will be our officiating priest! I've read soo many good reviews on Fr. Allen. I heard he can make it appear to everyone that he has known the couple for a long time. He's good when it comes to personalizing the homily and not boring the guests. Yay! :-)

Pre-nup HMUA: Cel Sabile

Our engagement session was re-scheduled on August 21. Unfortunately, Mama Val Villarin is no longer available on this date. I had to get another HMUA just for the prenup. I contacted Cel Sabile and Irene Manigo and decided to go with Cel because she's willing to come with us on the actual day and even act as our stylist. She'll also help me conceptualize the theme/mood for the shoot.

All set now for the prenup session. Praying for good weather on that day :-)

QP Designs

We're less than 3 months away from the big day and we need to finalize the invitations. I went to QP Designs at Parksquare after work to confirm design and layout. I was told to email the details the following day and expect to receive the initial draft the following week.

Sent: DIY Will You Be Cards

Even though we've already informed our families/relatives that they'll be part of the entourage, I still created Will You Be Cards for formality :-) Also, I created WYB cards just so I could say that I have one hehe.

Groom's Entourage w/ BKS

Richard's family had their measurements taken at Tito Boy's new shop. I had my first fitting as well (need to lose 10 lbs!). We discussed color swatches for the entourage and revised the contract because of changes in the male attire. It used to be Barong but Richard decided on a Suit.

Re-sched: Pre-nup Shoot

We have been monitoring the weather since yesterday and it has been raining non-stop :-( Since we'll be shooting outdoors (prenup venue is UST), we decided to just re-schedule the prenup. Next available date is August 21. I hope this day will be bright and sunny (keeping my fingers crossed).

Shop for Pre-Nup Clothes

I started scouting for my prenup clothes since the start of the week. I’ve visited 4 malls already but could not find anything in particular that I really like. Now this is really frustrating. I can’t seem to find the right clothes at a time I need them the most. So, I decided to head over to 168 Mall in Divisoria with my bestfriend (Madel). It was our first time to ride the PNR and we couldn’t believe that it only took us 1 hour to get to our destination. Normally, it takes me 2 hours and 4 rides/transfers.

We first went to the Cluster Bldg because my bestfriend is scheduled to meet with her mananahi to finalize the color for the entourage gowns.  She’s also getting married this year :-)

After that, it was 168 Mall for us. Jill, her friend from work, also joined us in shopping. At first, I didn’t see anything that I’d like to wear for a prenup shoot but after lunch, I was able to buy 2 dresses, 1 shorts, 2 shoes and accessories. Jill and Madel had to go back to work but I stayed on to look for more items that I could wear/use.

All in all, it was a great day for me. I was practically there the whole day! I had the clothes I needed and was happy that I spent only half the amount I would have spent if I bought the items in the mall.

DIY Will You Be Cards

Template courtesy of photovisi.com

Rings and DIY materials

Went to Trinoma-Fiona Jewelry store to pick-up re-sized wedding rings. I also bought a few materials that I can use for my DIY project.

Unfortunately, Fiona made a mistake in noting my correct ring size. They increased the band size instead of decreasing it. I had to go back to the store to return the rings for resizing.

Revised Monograms

Divisoria and Quiapo Trip

Richard's off to Boracay for their company's strategic planning sessions. Yes, they have tons of money to spare for a 3-day Boracay trip for this meeting :-) And so, I've decided to have a "me time" and scout for my DIY materials.

I first went to Divisoria. There's several cheap items that you can buy and I must say I felt a bit overwhelmed with the assorted materials and things to choose from. I had to pause for awhile, visit my checklist and gather my thoughts. There were items I wanted to buy but couldn't really find a place for them at the reception. I did buy ribbons and cords though.

Next stop was Wellmanson in Quiapo for my wedding cord. The place was jampacked with people. I stayed for an hour but got frustrated because I didn't know what items to buy. There's just so many beads, charms, spacers, connector rings and I had no idea how many I should be buying for the cord. The sales lady were of no help at all. I just said to myself that I better consult the w@wies group first and just come back the following week.

After Quiapo, I travelled back to Alabang and attended the anticipated mass scheduled at 6pm. Since there was still time, I headed towards National Bookstore to see if there's anything I can get there for my DIY project. In the end, I didn't buy anything. I figured that I can just go back there because I needed to review my list and make sure I was buying the right materials.

Monogram

Thanks to Sis Joy of The Monogram Hub. Just received the 3 studies she made for us.

Entourage w/ BKS

A few weeks back, I told Tito Boy that I'll be blocking his morning schedule on June 12 for my entourage. After taking everyone's measurements, he proceeded to sketch the gowns. Everyone was just in awe and they all loved the designs! :-)

Pictures below were taken at Tito Boy's shop. There's my Maid of Honor (my sister), Bridesmaids and Flowergirl (all cousins).  

After the meeting, Tito Boy treated me and Richard to lunch at a nearby Italian restaurant. Thanks Tito Boy! :-)

Meeting with P/V Supplier and Coordinator

We scheduled an appointment to meet Bogs Ignacio at his studio in Cainta Rizal. Since our pre-nup photo shoot is set on July 6, we wanted to have an idea of what will happen, things we should prepare for/anticipate etc.

But since Richard will be transferring to a new job by end of the month, we decided to move the pre-nup on a Saturday. Bogs gave us July 21 since he's available on this date. He showed us pre-nup pics he shot in Intramuros, UST and La Mesa Ecopark. I like the pics at UST the most. Plus it's something that Richard and I have in common :-)

Since it's the rainy season already, an out-of-town pre-nup shoot or beach venue is out of the question. We decided to have it in UST instead :-)

After our meeting with Bogs, we had lunch at Abe in Serendra. I went to BPI to make the deposit for our wedding rings while Richard went to McKinley to sign the job offer.

We left Taguig past 5pm to go to Mall of Asia and meet with Kim Oania of Blissfully Hitched. We had quite a long discussion with Kim. She shared several wedding stories, her experiences and challenges she has encountered. Aside from the reasonable rate she gave us, reason why I chose Kim is because I wanted a coordinator who lives or has ties in Tagaytay (her parents live there). In this way, she can easily check on the venue, suggest nearby suppliers for other wedding items most especially accommodations, give us inside scoop of what's happening in the area, update us with a weather report etc.

So there. We booked Blissfully Hitched for our OTD Coordinator :-)

Wedding Rings

Richard and I went to Trinoma Mall to check out Fiona Jewelry. Richard's friend based in the US knows the owner and told us to visit the store. First time we went there was after the Center Table food tasting session, held last May 20. There were two designs that we both liked. So we went back to the store so we can personally meet Bojie and hopefully give us a big discount :-)

We were not disappointed. He gave us 50% discount on the rings! We chose the 18k white gold pair that had small diamond stones. We had them resized and engraved with the following: Richard's ring - Diana 102312, Di's ring - Richard 102312.

We were told to just come back for them in a week's time. Yay! We now have our wedding bands :-)

Imagine Nation's Alex Ruelo

We scheduled dinner with Alex Ruelo (from Imagine Nation Photography) and met him at Sentro Restaurant in Greenbelt. Vignette is our official photographer/videographer but we opted to have a backup photographer to cover all angles in our wedding. We figured that we could also get more candid shots from them since Vignette will be getting most of the formal/posed shots.

We had a nice conversation with Alex. He was also talkative and shared a lot of stories about his craft and even his personal life. He showed us some sample shots and I must say, they were very good and with minimal or no photoshop editing at all.

Visit to Caleruega w/ Family

My parents wanted to see Caleruega and also scout for nearby hotels/houses for rent where our relatives could stay. It took us 1 hour and 15-20 minutes to get there. We arrived a little before 11am but no one was available to show us around. It appears that the whole staff of Caleruega attended the 11am mass and won't be available until 1pm. We had a quick tour of the place and left to have lunch in Tagaytay.

I think my family loved the place :-)

Wedding Preps: Gown, Caterer, Florist

For the 3rd time, we're going to visit Tito Boy in his shop hehe. Well, I just have issues regarding the color of my gown. Tito Boy initially suggested champagne color. Although I know champagne color would probably blend well with my skin tone and make it more flattering, I still have 2nd thoughts about it. I guess for me, a wedding is all about wearing a white gown. I know I know, I really am traditional and old-fashioned hehe. So that's what I voiced out to Tito Boy and he was ok with it.

Also, I have been feeling less confident lately on whether I can pull off wearing the "bonggang" gown he had in mind for me. I have been thinking of going back to the original design. But then Tito Boy said that it's my wedding and that I really have to stand out from the crowd. He assured me that he's going to make the gown really beautiful, "ako na ang bahala..." And I decided to just trust him to do his magic on me and let it go :-)

After our meeting with Tito Boy, we went to Light of Love to attend grand food tasting session of Eloquente Catering. Me and Richard are decided on getting them as caterer because of the reasonable price, amenities and inclusions in the package. With the package we'll be getting from them, we don't need to scout for the emcee, sound system and cake.

This time we were able to see Eloquente's reception set-up. We had our 1st food taste with them in their head office and there wasn't any set-up/arrangement at all. This time, we were blown away with the venue. Ren of Amaranthus Florist did a great job in styling the whole place. They presented so many dishes for the guests to try, some of it are the foods included in our chosen package. We also met Jem Santiago, the emcee included in the package. She did well in hosting the event that day. She also happens to be a singer and sang several songs that afternoon.

To cut a long story short, we sealed the deal with Eloquente and Amaranthus Florist :-)

Center Table Catering Food Tasting

We went to Fernwood Garden to attend Center Table's Food Tasting session. Unlike the 1st food taste I had with them, this one was disappointing. Richard was also not impressed.

Egg Offering to St. Clare

Two of my good friends (Jackie and Cha) accompanied me to visit St. Jude Church in Mendiola and St. Clare Church in Katipunan.

This was my first time to visit St. Clare and I did the traditional egg offering. I wrote my petitions on a slip of paper, prayed for good weather on my wedding day and offered half-dozen eggs. I plan to pay a visit to these two churches every month until October :-)

Wedding Preps: Gown, HMUA, P/V

Our agenda for today is to meet our shortlisted photo/video suppliers: Lyf nd Foto and Vignette Photography. We're also scheduled to meet Tito Boy at his shop later in the afternoon and we plan to invite him for dinner. Since there was still enough time, I sent an sms to Val Villarin (Hair and Make-Up artist highly recommended by Tito Boy) to check if he's available for a meet-up that day. After a few minutes, I received a call from Val saying that he has a wedding event that afternoon in Roxas Boulevard and he's available to meet me in Starbucks.

Our first stop was to visit the studio/office of Vignette Photography. This was near Robinsons Mall Manila. We got to review and study their sample works and ask questions. We scheduled the appointment but forgot to mention that we would want to personally meet with Danny and Bogs Ignacio. So when we got there, it was only Ate Fe (sister of Danny Ignacio) who welcomed us. Same with previous supplier meetings, we didn't pay the initial downpayment right away but told Ate Fe that we'll get back to them within the week.

After lunch, we met with Val Villarin :-) We decided to book him right then and there because if Tito Boy is going to create my gown, might as well get someone who can work alongside him. Plus, Val Villarin is also highly recommended in W@W. His rates are also reasonable compared with other HMUA proposals. We told Mama Val that we were just at Vignette's studio that morning and he said that Bogs Ignacio was the photographer of the wedding that afternoon. Naturally we asked feedback and Mama Val gave positive reviews on Vignette. He said that he has worked with them on several weddings before and that Bogs is really good in his craft and easy to deal with. After our meeting with Mama Val, Richard said that he's now inclined to get Vignette. I agreed with him and we went back to their studio to pay the initial downpayment.

Then, off we went to Cavite to meet with BKS. Earlier that day, I actually sent him new pegs. These pegs are more modern in style and I got the designs from Veluz FB page and Cecilio Abad multiply site :-) I also included gowns that I saw from Tito Boy's FB page. So he sketched a new design for me. This time it has a second look for the reception. We both loved this better than the 1st one! After several talks and discussions on my gown, Richard's barong and the entourage attire, we sealed the deal with BKS :-)

He had to attend to several clients after us so it was around 7pm when we left his shop. We had dinner at PF Chang in Alabang Town Center. Tito Boy is just hilarious! He shared with us his experiences with brides, how he started in the industry and suppliers he has encountered.

All in all, it was a very productive day. So now we have booked the following suppliers for our wedding

Pre-Cana Seminar Part 2 / Wedding & Beyond Bridal Fair

We attended the 2nd part of the pre-cana seminar. This was from 1pm-5pm at the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal National Shrine. I was also able to get my baptismal and confirmation certificate.

After the seminar, we went to NBC Tent to attend Weddings & Beyond bridal fair.

We only stayed for an hour. I was glad to see that Richard was more engaged/participative and did all the talking with the suppliers hehe. I was just tagging along behind him. Before, it used to be the other way around ;-)

Our goal was really to check out potential photo/video supplier. Here's our shortlist: Lyf nd Foto, Lito Genilo's Smartshot Studio and Vignette Photography. We told them that we'll decide within the week. Good thing, they've agreed to still give us the bridal fair rate.

We also saw the booth of QP Designs. Since we have decided on the design that Richard picked yesterday, we paid the initial downpayment because they were giving a 20% discount for on-the-spot bookings.

So now, we have our supplier for the wedding invitations :-)

Wedding Preps: Caterer, Florist, Invitations

Caterers I have shortlisted (in no particular order) based on W@W feedback: Center Table, Eloquente, Passion Cooks, K Cunanan, Quido's and Queensland.

I sent K Cunanan an email last year but never got a reply.

When I attended a wedding expo last January, I was able to attend the food tasting session of Center Table Catering. And I loved the food and the set-up!

Quido's and Queensland was recommended if you're working on a tight budget. I also saw Quido's Catering booth at the January wedding expo. I liked the fact that their standard/basic buffet package already has tiffany chairs for all the guests. Quido's is located in Muntinlupa and Queensland in Las Pinas. Both very accessible from where we live.

Passion Cooks was prompt to reply. But I found out that their lowest rate (per head) is a little above our budget. Plus there weren't that many freebies/inclusions in the package.

Eloquente was not only recommended in W@W but also from our friends who got them as caterer. Their packages are reasonably priced, menu looks great compared to Quido's and Queensland and they have a lot of freebies/inclusions.

So we decided to schedule food tasting with Eloquente Catering. Our contact person was Ms. Bheng. Food was delicious, considering that the menu they served us was for the first package. We were actually thinking of getting the 2nd or 3rd package. After lunch, Ms. Bheng gave us a detailed costing for the package we've chosen. She also introduced us to Ren of Amaranthus Florist, one of their partners.

Ren showed us pictures of his Caleruega flower set-up/arrangement and the swags/drapes for the reception. We were both impressed! I have been worrying on how to dress up our reception venue since it's very plain. With Ren, I have a florist and events stylist all rolled into one :-)

After the discussion, we told Ms. Bheng and Ren that we'll get back to them the following week. But we felt that we have just found our caterer and florist for our wedding :-)

Our last stop was the Invitations. We went to Makati to check Printed Matter and QP Designs. While browsing the catalogue in QP Designs store, Richard pointed out a design that he liked. It was simple, classic and elegant. Very much like my gown haha! It didn't reflect the gold color in our motif though. It was off-white and has a silvery shade. We requested for a quotation on the invite and told the store personnel that we'll come back soon to confirm.

Wedding Preps: Gown, Invitations, Wedsite

Since May 1 is a holiday, Richard and I decided to schedule an appointment with Boy Kastner Santos. I learned about Tito Boy in W@W and read a lot of very positive reviews and feedback about him. Also, a good friend and officemate shared her experience when she visited the shop of Tito Boy in Cavite. Even before we went there, I sort of had an idea already about his personality, his style and price range :-)

We arrived past 10am and saw that he had several clients lined up. Even with his hectic schedule, Tito Boy was very accommodating. He asked for my pegs and when I showed him my portfolio he said that the styles I've picked are...well...shall we say, outdated and old-fashioned. He said it in a nice way though and I liked that about him. He's honest but not too criticizing of my taste. But he was right. I got my designs online and they're basically your typical wedding gown style. I just typed a-line wedding gown or strapless wedding gown in Google search and downloaded pictures that I liked. I just feel that the gowns featured in wedding magazines and bridal fairs are a little too much for me. I don't think I can pull off a frou-frou skirt/ruffled skirt or a heavily beaded gown.

Pegs

I asked Tito Boy if he can come up with a design for me. After studying my frame, he began to sketch my gown. When he showed the design, guess what, we loved it! :-) I think he also based the design with my pegs. He had an idea that what I wanted is a simple, classic but elegant wedding gown. He kept it simple, classic and elegant but with a modern touch. Tito Boy also suggested a champagne-colored wedding gown so that it matches our color motif of Gold and White. After discussing with us the rate for my gown and for Richard's barong, we agreed to set another meeting to firm up the details.

Next in our agenda is to check the invitations store in Alabang Town Center. I had Written in Ink (WINK) and Jay Cee Kay on my list. We couldn't find WINK in ATC but saw Jay Cee Kay. There was one design I particularly liked from the catalogue but it costs Php180/set. With 100 pieces minimum order, this will amount to Php18,000. Hmm...we'll scout for other suppliers first before deciding on the invites.

Later that afternoon, I decided to work on our wedding website.  Please click the link to check it out.

http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding/UserViewWebsiteIntro?wid=1b2848591de0d50c&pid=c04a8af37ad8ec1b&themeCode=

or type http://www.weddingwire.com/richarddiana

Med Consultation, Invitations

Now that I'm about to have my own family, one item I included in my pre-wedding to-do list was to see an Ob-Gyne. I would want to get pregnant soon and wanted to know if there's anything I should be doing right now to ensure I deliver a healthy baby and not encounter any pregnancy-related complications in the future.

To cut a long story short, I didn't like the Ob-Gyne (at Makati Medical Center) and just told myself to schedule another appointment with a different Doctor, preferably one referred by a friend.

Another agenda I had in mind was to check samples of Invitations. I went to see Printed Matter in Glorietta and QP Designs in ParkSquare. Printed Matter was more modern and edgy in style while QP Designs is more traditional.

There were designs that I liked from both stores and will just ask Richard to come with me to check them out.

Pre-Cana Seminar Part 1

After a year of being engaged, it's time to get serious with the wedding preps. We haven't really accomplished much last year except for booking the church and reception venue.

I called Caleruega to check if they have any schedules for the pre-cana seminar but was told that they're very busy with school retreats. Next I called Don Bosco church but they said that they only accommodate couples who are getting married in their church.

Finally I called Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal National Shrine and was informed that they have pre-cana seminar scheduled on April 15 and May 6.

The April 15 session was for the whole day (9am-4pm). It was a meaningful session where the couples were asked several questions about their relationship, challenges, likes/dislikes etc. It was more of a sharing session.

Weddings & Beyond Bridal Fair

The first bridal fair I've attended for the Year 2012 :-)

Went all by myself because Richard had to attend his class in UST. He's a part-time Professor at the Graduate School by the way.

There were the usual suppliers. This time though, I was able to attend the food tasting session of Center Table catering. Two thumbs up! The food was delicious and set-up was fabulous. Wished Richard was there with me.