Hello & Goodbye

Because of some complications on the schedule of my Hair and Makeup artist, I decided to let go of him. I took the chance inquiring with a number of Hair & Makeup artists again but sad to say they are all booked on my wedding date. The last person I tried to inquire with was Val Villarin. And as if by fate, he told me that his December 22 bride cancelled the contract. And so I grabbed the chance and booked him. We finalized our booking when I had my trial make up with him last Oct 24, 2010 for my prenup with Imaginenation.  See for yourself how clean his make up was.

And so, Hello to VAL VILLARIN and Goodbye to my supposed to be make-up artist. =D

Niceprint Prenup—Classic and Dramatic

Yesterday was a fun shoot. Today had a bit of drama, though I no longer want to go into details on what sort of drama happened today. One thing is for sure, I was really disappointed about it that I cried a lot after I got home from the shoot. huhuhuhu..

Kuya Bernie was really nice and great. He's really a professional and is very passionate with his craft. He gave us a number of tips on what and how to pose so that you'll be at your best angle. And eventhough he had a hard time with us, he managed to take really good shots of us. Below are some of my favorites.

I know Kuya Bernie will surely deliver well on our wedding day. I am just glad we had him on our team. Having him as our photographer makes us feel confident that what we want will be delivered.

Imaginenation prenup—A day full of trains

It was indeed a "train-full" day =D.
Earlier today we had our 2nd of our three prenups. We won this pre-nuptial photoshoot when we attended the Before I Do seminar sponsored by Imaginenation.

Jed and Lai were assigned to us. I've already talked to Lai a couple of times already and met her once in Makati. She's really cool, nice and really friendly. On the other hand, today was the first time I've met Jed but it's not easy to get along with him because he's also friendly and nice.

Below are some of my favorite shots of the day. =D

Our Invites

After a number of revisions and a couple of mock ups, our invitations are now delivered to us. We had a number of revisions mainly because I am so peculiar with the details. Good thing, Ms Elyn and her stuffs were able to execute what I want with our invites. Below is the layout and our invitation itself.



Thanks to Jans for letting me use their invitation as the inspiration for our passport invitation.



 I did the poem on this page. =D



I just loved how the fans fit the envelope designs.



I am pretty much satisfied with the final output of our invites. Everyone who already saw it loved the design and how it was nicely done. I would have given them a perfect score in the rating but they failed on one thing. Some of the invitations were damaged because the invitations were not packed properly. They were stacked neatly but not packed properly. Oh well, hopefully no one will notice the damage on the envelopes.

My 1st Gown Fitting--Whew!

Earlier this afternoon, I had my first fitting with Joe. For the first time after Joe took my measurements, I finally saw how my gown would look like. We’ll sort of, because it’s not yet finished. =D Beadworks still need to be placed. The layered fabrics of the skirt need to be sewn still as well as the design of the bodice. But even so, I found it beautiful already and I know it will be once it all done. =D

My mom, being a dressmaker herself, examined the dress and was pretty satisfied. The cut is right and all stitches are sewn well. She loves the craftsmanship and the way my dress fits me. Well that’s a big relief! Because I know she’s skeptical with the designer that I chose because she never had seen any of her works and she wanted a different person to do my gown. But now that she has seen it, she knows I’m in good hands with Joe. She adores her actually, because she’s very bubbly and has a pleasing personality. She didn’t feel awkward with her at all. And as for me, I absolutely love my gown and satisfied with its fit. I felt like a little kid swaying and twisting around so that my skirt would move. I was happy and adoring my gown.

Though, my first fitting seems to be a normal and breezy day, it was actually a stressful day. So stressful, that I forgot to take even a single picture of my fitting.

First, my soon to be mother-in-law and Ryan’s aunts forbid me to fit the gown because of the superstition that if the bride fits her gown, it will bring bad luck or misfortune to her and to her groom. It took a number of explanations and negotiations to convince them that I need to fit the gown. I was ready to cry then because I am already excited to fit my gown but then I am being forbidden to fit it.

Second, my mom threw some tantrums after I changed the plans on where and how we would meet to go to Joe’s shop for the fitting. Believe me, she literally threw a fit that day, and made me crazy, and made want to cry even more. Waaaaahh!

I thought the drama and stress ends there, but lo and behold, there’s another stressful moment. On the way to Joe’s shop, I had my period. Gosh! Of all the days to get my period! Good thing I am prepared.

Hayy…At least the day is finished and I was able to fit my gown. Whew! Can't wait for next fitting =D I'll make sure I'll pictures by then. =D

Meeting Ms. Joy San Gabriel—Pastries Checked!

I have always loved Ms Joy San Gabriel’s cakes ever since Ryan and I, together with my friend Mel, met her last April, where we all got a taste of her delectable and yummy cakes. They were absolutely mouthwatering! Especially the Mango Cheesecake, yum yum!! Oh my, just thinking of it makes me want to break my diet and eat a whole cake of mango cheesecake. Ehehehe =D


Earlier today, I met with her again to further ask about the details for pastries which we plan to serve together with coffee and tea during the coffee break. Same as before, she served a number of cakes including some cookies for me to taste. And same as before, her cakes were absolutely heaven. Her cookies are moist and oh so delicious! There’s no more space in my stomach after I tried almost all of what she prepared for me to taste and there were still leftovers that I can no longer eat. So, I brought it to work, gave some to my officemates and they all loved it as well. I absolutely loved her cakes that I booked with her since she also gave me a very reasonable price.

Oh yes. Our guests are in for a treat while waiting for us. They get to enjoy the view at the Tipolo deck while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea and a piece of pastry made by Ms. Joy San Gabriel.

So there, Coffee break pastries—SOOO CHECKED!

The RING

Nope. You guessed it wrong. This is not another Japanese horror flick. =D
I am just happy that finally we have a wedding ring supplier! Yep. After months of searching and endless discussion, Ryan and I finally booked a wedding ring supplier at the fair earlier at SMX convention center.

Straight from Ichi’s baptism, Ryan and I went to SMX convention center to attend the ongoing bridal fair. We’re just supposed to meet with Cakeline to pay for our cake upgrade fee and talk to Ms. Joy San Gabriel and asked her about her pastries. Unfortunately, Ms Joy San Gabriel was not yet on her booth at that time. So, we decided to roam around and wait for her.

We passed by Goldenhills booth and started looking around. I thought it would be just the same as before. We would look at the designs and then Ryan would comment with “Pwede” or “Ayus lang” and then we will leave. But I thought wrong. Ryan, this time around, asked for further details and then asked the question “Ikaw baby? Kahit ano pwede. Ok lang sa aken kahit alin”. And that’s the queue I am waiting. =D

We chose a classic design that goes well with my engagement ring and suits his requirement. There’s one thing though that I asked to be done with our rings—I specifically asked for the following to be engraved on it instead:

Love Never Ends 12.22.10

Wedding Rings—A BIG BIG CHECK! =D

Finally! Ryan has a suit designer!

After much deliberation, Ryan finally has decided where he'll have his suit done. Actually, it is a question of WHO. And who would that person be? It's no other else than Joe San Antonio. She launched her men's line, called Joe San Antonio For Men, last August and I told Ryan about it. She gave us a reasonable quote which was the deciding factor for Ryan. Ryan is now a Joe San Antonio Groom and I am a Joe San Antonio Bride, which make us now officially a Joe San Antonio couple. =)

Supplier in Focus: Joe San Antonio

Chic, bubbly, kikay, madaldal and charming—this is Joe San Antonio as a person. But as a designer she’s very professional and really does her best in every dress and gowns she make. She knows her craft very well and is very passionate about it.


A graduate of the Fashion Institute of the Philippines, Joe designs can range from classic, sweet & timeless up to funky, edgy and fashionable. Her clothes are actually being sold at The Ramp Crossings and at BackStage.

Having established herself in the world of fashionistas, she is now trying to conquer the wedding fashion. She is a budding name in the wedding industry with the beautiful wedding gowns that she designs but still in a very reasonable price. She could create your dream gown that is still within your means without sacrificing the quality. See some of the gowns she designed below.

Another interesting talent that Joe has is that she also designs shoes and bags. I've seen some of them and they are really nice. I've asked her to design one for me. I'll let you all know if I get the "this is it feeling" when I get the design from her. 'Till my next post =)

Oculars and Detailing with Kuya Romy & Kuya Sherwin

Such a busy and tiring day this was.

5:15 AM— On my way to our office for live video conference product training. Antok pa ako!

6:10 AM— Arrived at the office and the training has already started. Waaaah! Late ako!

Even with the power naps I’ve took during breaks, I've felt my eyes closing in the middle of the training session. I am really and absolutely sleepy. Yawnnn!

12:00 NN—Finally! Our training was over. I stopped by the ladies restroom to fix myself a bit before I rushed to Trinoma Mall where Kuya Romy, Kuya Sherwin and his wife, Ate Alice, were waiting.
12:30 PM—Reached Trinoma. Met with Kuya Romy, Kuya Sherwin and Ate Alice, had lunch and a few laughs with them before going to our next itenerary. Grabe parang amazing race etoh!

1:30 PM—Off we went to Christ the King Parish in Greenmeadows.

Kuya Romy, our florist and owner of 1970 Event Stylist, had an ocular through the church. He tried to picture how he would set up the flowers in the aisle and explained it to me. Ryan came a few minutes later.

While they are discussing a few details, I dropped by the Parish office and asked some questions about the marriage banns. I also had to cancell our supposed schedule for the precana seminar on Sept 25-26 since my niece baptism is on Sept.25.

2:00 PM—We’re off to La Huerta Estate, Antipolo.

Mr. Anton Lorenzo was there to meet us. He accompanied us while we are showing the whole place to our suppliers. Kuya Romy surveyed the place while I explain some details on how I want things to be setup. Ryan, on the other hand, talked to Kuya Sherwin and discussed the things for the sounds and lights since it’s his friends who will be playing at the wedding.

Both of them loved La Huerta. It was their first time at La Huerta and they instantly liked the place. They say it’s naturally beautiful and classical. Somehow, when you’re inside La Huerta it seems like you are in a different world. A very beautiful and enchanting world if I must say.

5:00 PM—Heading back to the Metro.

A funny story while we are heading back to the metro. Kuya Romy asked the driver to stop by the sidewalk vendor so that he could buy something made from Antipolo. It is his proof daw to his wife that he really went to Antipolo. Ahahaha…

7:00 PM—Strawberries and Cream at Starbucks, a very nice way to end the day.

We further discussed the details at Starbucks in Gateway Mall, while enjoying a grande strawberries & cream frappuccino. =)

We also handed our 2nd partial payment for their service before we part ways. Shucks! Start na ang malalaking gastos namen.

11:00 PM—At home finally!


Just finishing this entry before I doze off to bed.

Eto na yun. Crunch Time na!

Ma Del's Cuisine: Suppliers Meal and Lunch food—Checked!

Getting our supplier's food from Hizon's will cost us quite a sum since we have a total of 35 persons at the time of the reception. I have asked for the opinions of  our suppliers, and Kuya Romy of 1970 Events Stylist informed me that they don't usually get full with suppliers meal from caterers since they are plated and have limited quantity and viands.

We have thought  of what Kuya Romy has said also taking into consideration that our suppliers will be tired and hungry for working hard on our wedding day. With these reasons, we opted to get a different supplier to order our suppliers food from. We had Ma Del's Cuisine in mind since both Ryan and I attended one of my friend's wedding who had them as the caterer. It was at this wedding when I learned that the owner of this catering service was actually Anj (Angelique Salvador), a high school classmate of mine. We were both satisfied with the taste of their food.

She gave me a good quote for food served on trays plus packed lunch on styro as our meal during our preps at the hotel.

Good food + reasonable price were more than enough reason for us to book them.

Another supplier down. Hopefully, we get to book our rings and Ryan's suit soon!

Hotel Preps Booked—Astoria Plaza it is!

After considering the number of suppliers that will be present on our big day, and the number of our friends and relatives who would be coming over to our hotel room to prepare, we decided to book Astoria. Since they are not that strict with the head count and the room size is large enough for all of us to fit inside. These are already good reasons to book Astoria. Plus, we had it on cheaper price since we booked thru asiatravel.com.

This is one "must-have" supplier now off our list. One down a couple more things to go.

Astoria or Richmonde, which one should we choose?

Both Ryan and I are in agreement that we'll get a hotel in Ortigas for our preps since its closer to our church. And so, after our Divi Trip, Ayeth and I went to Ortigas to meet with Janice and Jake. We had an ocular with Astoria and Richmonde hotels as possible preps venue.

I got a bit irritated with the staff who showed us the suites in Astoria. He kept on insisting that what he showed us is a one-bedroom suite when I knew that it was a two-bedroom suite that he showed us. His words were something like "Yan na nga po yung one bedroom suite namen bubuksan lang yung isang kwarto para maging two-bedroom." Naman! Hindi naman ako tanga! I have to raise my voice a tone higher to let him realize that I am not pleased with his answer. Other than this incident with that staff, all is okay with astoria. Here are the pros and cons for Astoria and Richmonde:

Astoria Plaza

Pros:
- Big floor area. All of my suppliers would fit in here
- Minimalistic interior designs of the rooms.
- Full Glass windows
- Cheaper if booked thru AsiaTravel
- Not that strict with foods and headcounts according to previous reviews of fellow w@wies

Cons
- Plain corridors
- Plain lobby
- Staircase??? Hmm...ok lang...
- Staff?? If based on our experience with that one staff. No comment na lang muna.

Richmonde Hotel

Pros:
- Very nice and elegant bedrooms
- Carpeted and lovely corridors
- Lovely bathroom
- Gorgeous Lobby
- Grand staircase
- Staffs are more attentive

Cons:
- Floor area is too small. Not all of our suppliers would fit inside.
- Pricey compared to Astoria
- Elevator is too small too. I feel claustrophobic inside it.

So, which hotel should we choose? I'll have to ask Ryan.

details...details...details... Part 2

It’s all about flowers now—detailing with Kuya Romy

At the start of the month we had our detailing with our caterer. This time around it was with our florist and event stylist, Kuya Romy. Ryan was not able to come with me since he works in a graveyard shift and I met Kuya Romy at around 6 o’ clock in the evening.

Kuya Romy, as always, is very bubbly and easy to talk with. We talked about the detailed plans for the arrangements in the church, reception and the flowers for my entourage. I showed him a few pegs of the flowers and the set-up I wanted to achieve and that I want a-not-so-usual flower arrangements for my bouquet and for my entourage. He gladly agreed to most of my ideas, and was excited and challenged with the bouquets I had in mind. I took note of all that we talked about and I’d like to share a few lessons I learned on this meeting. Please see the items below:

1. Before going, research on the flowers that you want for your bridal bouquet and for your entourage. Make sure that it goes well with your motif. Take with you some sample pictures or pegs of the bouquets that you want. It will also help if you research on the types of bouquets or flower arrangements so that you would not get lost with the terminologies.

2. Choose a bouquet that will complement you. Make sure that it would not be too big that it would be the center of attention instead of you. Or too small that it’s no longer noticeable. And according to Kuya Romy, bridal bouquets should not be bigger than the size of your face or should not exceed your body frame when held.

3. Do not tell them exactly how you wanted everything to be done up to the tiniest details. You could give your inputs and what you want for the over-all look of your bouquet but still listen to their suggestions and give them some freedom to practice their creativity. Most florists I’ve talked to appreciated this; however, this may not be applicable to all florists especially the traditional ones. So take a little time knowing your florists. If they are an adventurous type, give them the freedom to express their creativity as this challenges them to deliver something out of the ordinary that would delight you.

4. Take note of the colors of the gowns your entourage would be wearing. Your florists will ask you this, since the flowers and the ribbons that will be used on their bouquets should not be of the same color as their gowns but should still complement their gowns.

5. If on a budget, ask for cheaper alternatives for hand-tied bouquets. Wrister or Corsages are good alternatives for hand-tied bouquets for the Principal Sponsors. You may also ask for a no-sot-common but not-so-expensive flowers to be used, like rice flowers, instead.

6. If you have, bring your laptop and make sure you have internet access when meeting with your florist. This would help you to identify easily the flowers your florist might suggest to you. If he/she mentions a flower you’re not familiar with, Google it so that both of you are in the same understanding or idea. If this is not possible, take note of the flower name and Google it once you have access to the net. If you do not like the flower he suggested, communicate at once to your supplier and ask for another option.

7. Have a pen and a scratch paper ready. Your florist would probably doodle how he envisions your bouquet to explain it more clearly.

8. And finally, same advise I had given in detailing with our caterer, take note of everything you talked about and don’t hesitate to ask.

I was pretty satisfied with what we have talked about and with the flowers we agreed he would be using for my bouquet and for my entourages. Below are some of them:

details...details...details...

Earlier today, Ryan and I went to Hizons main office to meet with our planner, Ms Mayette Soriano, and had our detailing.

What exactly is detailing?? The concept of detailing is laying out of plans for your big event. From linens, table set-up, package inclusions, floor layouts, etc…all of these are discussed during detailing. This is an important part of the wedding preparation as this would give you an insight on how your reception will look like on your big day. It will be good to come prepared. Below are some of the tips that will come handy during detailing:

1. Research on your supplier. See if there are any raised issues that made you concerned about their services. You could also check on package inclusions given to others as you could try to haggle it to be included with yours. Haggling is actually alright however, DON’T BE TOO PUSHY. Always bear in mind that there’s a limit to the number of amenities or freebies your supplier can give you. It will all depend on the package you availed, company rules, number of freebies already given to you, etc…

2. Draft a number of questions you wanted to clear up during detailing then categorize your questions. In this way, it will be more organized and you will see if you are still missing something. In our case, what I did was, I categorized my questions into four: Set-up, Food & Drinks, Package inclusions & amenities, and Staffing, Add-ons fees & other concerns.

Set-up includes questions like, what linens or tablecloths are to be used; centerpieces for the guests, presidential, couple, and buffet tables; floor layout; set-up time; number of persons per table etc… I’ve included in the food & drinks category questions about suppliers meal; food serving time; number of servings per persons for dessert buffet; headcounts etc…For the package inclusions, mainly focuses on confirming the amenities and freebies that were already given to us when we booked with them. You could also try haggling here. And for Staffing, Add-ons fees & other concern category, you could ask for how many waiters are present; how many would be assigned to the VIPs; will there be scoopers; who will oversee the event and etc…

3. If you could, bring a printed copy of how you wanted your table set-up to look like. Or a mood board of your theme. From there, check their available centerpieces and choose the one that suits your theme or closest to what you wanted. The printed copy will give your planner an idea on what you want and based on it she could give suggestions to you.

4. Remember to bring your copy of agreement form or sales form (or whatever they call it!). This is to ensure that what is written on your copy is also written on theirs. This happened to us. I forgot to bring our copy earlier (memory gap na yata..hehehe) and I had a request before that was noted in my copy but not on their copy.

5. Don’t hesitate to ask. Even if the question just suddenly popped out of your mind or you feel it is a silly question. Remember, (and I’d like to quote one of my superiors on this), “the only silly questions are those that are not asked.” This is your event and you have the right to ask anything that concerns your event.

6. Take note of everything you have discussed especially those that needs to be followed up.

7. Don’t be afraid to raise your concerns especially if it really bothers you. Let’s say you read a bad review or heard a bad feedback, raise it in a subtle way and don’t name names. There are numbers of ways you can raise your issues without directly involving the concerned people.

8. Review what had been discussed and ask for follow up meeting.

Detailing usually includes food tasting for your chosen menu. This is the fun part. =) The food entrees served earlier are really delectable, even the fish scallop. I had a couple of servings to think that I am not really fond of fish dishes. Same as before, Ryan enjoyed the cheesy lasagna and chicken teriyaki. Yummy!

Supplier in focus – Niceprint Photo

When we are searching for our photographer and videographer, budget has always been a consideration for us. As much as we would want to get the best there is in the industry, our budget does not seem to allow us to do so. Having such limitations, we have searched for a photo and video team who could deliver what we want in a price that is still within our means. We have inquired and checked on a number of photo and video suppliers and in the end we got Niceprint Photo.

Reason for booking them? I just fell in love with the photos we’ve seen at their office and touched on a number of on-site videos they have allowed us to watch when we are there. We both agreed that the pictures we’ve seen were naturally treated, the lighting and angles for the shots are just right, emotions are captured, the photographer's style can be seen, and it’s simply classic and romantic. They satisfy our criterions we have set in choosing our photo and video team. These, of course, are based on our own personal impression and opinion. You might want to check out some of the works of their photographers below

Photos are grabbed from Niceprint Blogsite.

More photos are available for viewing at http://niceprint.blogspot.com/

Ryan was also impressed with the quality of the albums we've seen. He particularly liked the fiberglass albums. This is one deciding factor for him (up to now, I honestly still could not fathom why he’s so keen with fiberglass albums, oh well, "men!?" as they say).

The main deciding factor for us is their affordability. Their packages are really budget-friendly. They gave us everything that we wanted including the on-site video, all still within our workable budget. I’m just so thrilled to have this included in our package. We just hope it will be as good and as beautiful as the one below.

To be honest, even with such competitive and nice outputs, Niceprint have their own share of negative feedbacks from previous clients (and even non-clients). Search Google.com and it will give you number of results. And with all the feedback, we sometimes get weary and ask ourselves will they really deliver? But we chose to remain confident that they will deliver and trust that we have made the right decision in booking them. Why? It’s mostly because of their owner, Ms Charisse. She has always been open to every concern we have and tries to address them to the best of her ability. She and her staff (especially Ate Bien, our AE, and Ms. Flor) have always been pleasant and accommodating from the very start, and they assured us that they will deliver and everything will be followed according to what we have agreed on. It is important to us that our suppliers maintains an open communication with their clients. And that they acknowledges and address each concerns and requests their clients have. Good customer service is a plus factor for us (and I believe even to most couples).

So far, with the customer service we are receiving and the output we are seeing from them, we’re fairly satisfied Niceprint clients. Hope this continues until our wedding =)

The BridalBook

Planning a wedding?

There are numerous online resources you refer to when in search for that perfect supplier you wish to be part of your wedding team. One of which is BridalBook.ph. Here you can find a long list of suppliers for all your wedding needs. Caterers, photographers, videographers, jewelers, coordinators, etc… One can even find a listing of spa's and travel agencies for relaxation and honeymoon. You name it and this site has it. It also features real weddings where soon-to-wed couples can get ideas for their own wedding.

One thing I really liked about this site is upon registering, one will have their own MyBridalBook page. This comes with a wedding checklist for soon-to-wed couples that they could refer to from time to time. This will help couples in ensuring that they are on track with their wedding plans. It even tells when to your facial and nails done. Nice right?

For more information about this site I am speaking of, check out the link below. Be sure to register for you to have access to your own “Mybridalbook”.

http://www.bridalbook.ph/articles/find-all-your-wedding-needs-here

7 months to go—and the search for the “Perfect Rings” continues

According to TheKnot.com we only have 7 months to go before our big day. Ang lapit na! The day is getting closer but it seemed that it was only yesterday when we started looking and booking suppliers. Every now and then I experience panic attacks especially if we still do not have a supplier booked for one particular need. However, I have been laid back the past few months (tinatamad na sa wedding preps..hehehe). Hmmm..I think it’s best to check on our progress. Here goes:

Church – Booked; Pre-Cana Seminar scheduled on Sept. 25-26, 2010
Venue – Booked
Caterer – Booked; Detailing on June 2, 2010
Photo & Video – Booked
Wedding Gown – Booked; Measurement taking on July 3, 2010
Entourage’s Gown – Booked; Measurements already taken; Fitting on November 2010
Coordinator – Booked
Hair & Make Up – Booked
Lights & Sounds/Projector – Booked
Strings Ensemble – Booked; Submitted song list
Florist/Stylist – Booked; Final detailing on November
Photobooth – Booked
Souvenirs – Booked; Delivery on October 2010
Principal Sponsors Souvenirs – Booked
Cake, EMCEE, Bridal Car – Booked; c/o of Caterer

Wedding Rings – Pending
Groom’s Suit – Pending
Hotel for Preps – Pending
Neckties for the Male Entourage – Pending
My blue bridal shoes – Pending
Ryan’s Hip wedding shoes – Pending
Honeymoon??? – Pending and Undecided

DIYs???? – Still on the planning stage but getting started on it =)

We still do not have our wedding rings. Ryan does not want anything typical. He wants something modern. He actually wants something like the picture below.

I, on the other hand, wants something like below if I’d go for a modern style…

Last Saturday, May 22, 2010, Laine and I went to the Celebrations 2010 Bridal fair at the SMX Convention Center (dinaya pa kame ng taxi driver going there. Kainis!) She went to find and book some suppliers while, I went to scout for our wedding rings. It is here where I found some interesting pair of rings. First on the list, the Black Kamagong Rings from Oro Cher Jewelry. It’s cool and unique. Lightweight because the main material is Kamagong wood and only has a strip of Gold. It’s not that pricey too. Good catch actually ayaw lang ng family namen sa idea ng black wedding rings.

Next on the list are the tungsten and ceramics rings from Goldenhills Jewelry. Both are unique and beautifully crafted but the disadvantages are, tungsten rings can't be resized as the material used is very hard and the ceramic rings can break easily.

Black Tungsten Rings on the left and White Ceramic Rings on the right. (Note: These are not the exact rings at the fair. These are something similar to what they have)

Oh well. I doubt that any of these will be our wedding rings. But other soon-to-wed couples might be interested with them. Laine was able to book their invites and their bridal car while I just enjoyed the free cotton candy, flower pastillas and, of course, free pictures from photobooth hopping =)

Laine and I trying out Pose&Print

A meeting with Ms. Joy San Gabriel...

When it comes to wedding cakes, one of the names you will encounter would be Joy San Gabriel. Amidst the issues I am going through, I made an appointment with Ms. Joy. I absolutely love her cakes and I wanted Ryan to get a taste of what she offers too (with a wishful thought that he would like her cakes so much that he would agree to order some from her to serve during the coffee break).

April 29. I left early from work to meet with Ms. Joy at their condo unit in Serendra. I was with my friend Mel, whom we call "Father". Originally kasi, Ryan does not want to come kaya I asked Father to accompany me instead, but then Ryan change his mind and agreed to come. We'll just meet with Ryan at the Bonifacio High Street and proceed to Ms. Joy's place.

We rang the doorbell of Ms Joy’s place and she pleasantly greeted us and let us in (nakakahiya kasi nasira ung shoes ko and naulanan kame sa labas kaya mukha yata akong ewan when we met with her). She’s really nice and accommodating. When she let us taste the cakes she prepared, I loved her cakes even more. I love the Carrot Cake, Amaretto Flourless and the Strawberry Cheesecake. Yum! Yum! Ryan’s favorites are Strawberry Cheesecake and Brazo Cashew. Father, on the other hand, loves the Revel Bar, Moist Chocolate and the Amaretto Flourless. On a funny note, Ms Joy questioned Father if he’s really a priest. Her question was like “teka po, pari po ba talaga kayo?” That really made me laugh and then I just explained to her that our barkada are just used calling him “Father” because during our college days, every time we have a presentation he would either play the role of a priest or a head of the family. =)

Ms Joy’s cakes really are delectable and she’s really honest and values her customers. That’s a plus point for a supplier. I really wish we could get her cakes. Hayy…

The Gown...The Search...The Designer...

"It's every girl's dream to walk down the aisle wearing that perfect dress specially designed for her."

The Gown
I was sent by our company to Guangzhou, China last May 2009 for an onsite assignment. Going to our client's office, I had to travel by train and get off at the Shiergong station. Coming from the train station, one will pass by a series of bridal gown shops. Sometimes I go around these shops, fascinated with each wedding gown on display. It was during one of those times when I saw this Chinese-collared wedding dress. It has Chinese buttons in front and is closed up to the waist area. From the waist area, the fabric opens like a drape revealing a second layer of fabric. The designs and details on the gown were astounding. Instantly, I imagined myself walking down the aisle wearing that gown and it was then that I knew it was the gown for me. I left the store, with the picture of the gown already etched in my memory and telling myself that someday I will walk down the aisle wearing a gown similar to that. Little did I know that that "someday" will already be "soon". (If I had known then that Ryan would propose in October of 2009 and we will be getting married in December of this year, I would have taken a few shots of that gown.)

The Search
 Here's the deal. Ryan proposed in October 2009. I thought we will start planning the wedding not until the second quarter of 2010. But no, late November of last year we started booking our suppliers one by one. Knowing that December is a hot month for weddings, I looked and researched for a number of designers after we have booked the major suppliers. So my hunt for my designer is now on. 6 designers, 6 different stories

Designer 1 - We had a pleasant meeting with her. She's a nice and warm person. She gave us a really affordable package. But there's no spark. There's no "this is it feeling" as others would say it.

Designer 2 - My mother personally knows designer 2 and his family. He is sort of a family friend and is like the personal designer of the Sanvictores clan. He made the wedding gowns for almost all of my cousins in my mother's side. He even did my sister-in-law's wedding gown. My mom is so confident that he will make me a beautiful dress. I wanted him at first because he knows his craft and is very good at it. But what irked me was that he sort of broadcasted to my aunts how I wanted my wedding gown to be. My aunts got the impression that I was just showing off and just trying to be extravagant about everything which, of course, was not true. So goodbye to Designer #2.

Designer 3 - They say he's good and he's quite popular too but I had the most unpleasant experience with him. Simply because he ignored me when I visited his shop. He did not even bother to get to know me nor discuss thoroughly how I wanted my gown to be. He seems to be on a time-constricted conversation with me and seems to be not interested with me at all. With that I crossed him out of my list.

Designer 4 - After such an unpleasant experience with Designer # 3, I wanted to stop searching for my designer for a while. However, a fellow w@w bride-to-be posted a name of this young designer whom I got interested with. I searched for her site, got her contact details and sent her an email. After an hour, she replied. We exchanged a few more emails before I set an appointment with her.  The day of our meeting, the cab took the wrong turn and left me with no choice but to walk all the way back to her building. I was thinking and wishing na "Sana mabait sya...and sana sya na ung "the one for me" para sulit tong paglalakad na 'to." With that thought still in my mind, I rung the doorbell of her shop unit. A young and cute girl opened the door and greeted with me a smile. I said to myself "Hmmm....mukhang okay to ah...mabait...sana okay din ang work nya."  And so we talked about me first, my work, and our love story, then she talked a little about herself. She was really establishing rapport with me. And then on with my gown. Since I did not have any picture of the exact gown I saw in China, I just searched for pictures of gowns that were close to what I saw and showed it to her. And then she drew a sketch of how she envisions the gown that I like. After finishing the rough sketch, my heart raced and my palms became all sweaty (as in kabog talaga ung dibdib ko).  I knew it is what they called "this is it feeling". After chatting a few more moments, I bid goodbye for now because I still want to check out others just to be sure I checked all my options.

Designer 5 - Young, talented, creative and also popular. She seems nice when I was talking to her through text messages. Then came the day when I met with her. She's nice and knows her craft well. She drew a sketch of my gown for me, but the feeling is not right. It was not the gown that I wanted. It seemed to be the same but it really was not. I also can't keep up with her and all of the fashion jargons. I was absolutely clueless when she was trying to explain the design to me using those jargons.

Designer 6 - Another designer my mother personally knew. I met with him to give way to my mother's request. But to make my story short, met with him, talked to him, but he's just not the one.

The Designer
Who did I choose? The answer is obvious. Designer # 4. And who would that designer be? Its JOE SANANTONIO. A young and talented designer. She's quite new in the wedding industry but she's slowly making her mark in the industry. Why did I choose her?

She's cool-natured, talented, accommodating, pleasant and really friendly. I don't feel uncomfortable with her eventhough I knew she was conio. She tries to go down to her client's level. Kaya for me she's a "conio na nagpapaka-jologs". She explains the design in words that I would understand. She knows her craft and is really good at it. I checked and loved her designs and its quality. Ryan found her pleasant and she gave us a reasonable price. And I ABSOLUTELY LOVE what she had designed for me. It is what I want and how I wanted it to be.

Inspired by the wedding gown I saw in China, Joe designed a two-layered dress. The outer layer will be a  haltered-cut, Chinese-collared with a see-through lace accent at the back; closed up to the waist area and opens from the waist down revealing the skirt of the inner gown. It will also be my train which I will remove during the reception. As for the inner gown, I wanted the skirt to be plain with only the details and embelishments as the design at first. But with all the "frou-frou" craze going on, I wondered if it will fit my design. I asked Joe and her opinion was that since I have an outer layer, the mass of fabric underneath the outer layer will not look good on the outside. It will make the gown bulky and all-swelled up. So she suggested layered fabrics or rosettes instead. A "semi-frou-frou". She drew a sketch of the inner gown with rosettes and layered fabrics. I loved the layered and settled with it.

Want to see how my gown would look like? See the sketches below.

 
 








Overall look of my wedding gown with the two layers combined

 

The inner gown (left is the layered skirt and the right one is the rosettes skirt)