the bride with three pairs of bridal shoes

I previously made an entry about a pair of shoes that I really really liked. But fiance dear and mother dear both disliked it so I made a mental note to scout for another pair whenever I'll have the time.

Truth is, I took it personally. I love shoes and all types of footwear for that matter so I cannot: I repeat, I cannot wear a pair of shoes that my husband to be does not like. My mother and I have had very different fashion styles all these years so it was okay but I guess the thought that my partner for life doesnt like the pair I'm wearing on our special day disturbed me.

For the purposes of this discussion, I'm gonna say the brands to avoid confusion :D

On one occasion, I had the chance to go to trinoma and came upon a nice looking pair from Sugus. As always, I immediately checked the price. It was 399.75(still not getting the .75-ish prices). Anyway, the shoe on display looked good when I wore it so I waited for the saleslady to get a new pair so that I can fit both.

While waiting for that pair, I looked around and saw another good looking display from M. Nicole. I was skeptical at first because it looked expensive and yet when I flipped it over, pricetag was only 299! I couldnt believe my eyes and asked the salesman and he said that they were the last pair.

I wanted to kill myself for deciding to buy the first(or second pair if you count the pair I bought a few months ago)ones I saw. But then again, I went crazy with the idea of having not one, not two, but THREE pairs of bridal shoes. My mom would kill me if she found out(it would be another confessions of a shopaholic moment), but I thought to myself:

1)the M. Nicole shoes shoes would look really great in pictures BUT
-they are stilettos and the idea of wearing them for five to six hours tops on our wedding day makes me wary
2)Though the Sugus pair was kinda boring and plain compared to the M. Nicole pair, I love the glass detail and they would be so much comfier.
3) The M. Nicole pair costs only 299, the Sugus pair 399.75 and the first pair from Cinderella was only 299.75 as well. Adding that up, my 3 pairs costs only 998.50 and to other brides, that's way below their budget for shoes.

Long story short, I bought both pairs and hence you can now call me the bride with three pairs of shoes. Amen

Till next time!

wedding venues in qc/bulacan area #2

I noticed that my entry about wedding venues is getting more hits than most of my other posts so I decided to make this follow-up to the first one. No, this is not about the glass garden, grand terrace, gazebo royale, oasis and fernwood. You know all those venues very well and what follows are alternatives if you cannot afford or do not want these well known places.

If you will notice with my other posts, budget has always been our primary consideration in our wedding decisions. Hence, the venues that i put here were considered based on the budget and everything else just followed.

1.Patio Ibarra
Patio Ibarra is part of the ibarrapartyvenues and it is located in quezon avenue in the same building as tong yang. hubby to be and I have seen it personally. Technically, it is just a rectangular ballroom space but with the numerous chandeliers, wall to wall carpet and good enough curtains, it has a lot of potential.
pros and cons: ibarra has their own set of menus so getting an outside caterer is not a practical option. They also have inclusions such as the bridal car, cake and photobooth- all of which can work to your advantage or disadvantage if you have other suppliers in mind.

2. The Village Patio
The Village Patio is located in Sikatuna. I made a separate blog about it and initially, hubby to be and I were really set on getting this venue because 1) it is in QC which is an ideal location 2) I worked in this area for a few years so it is dear to my heart and 3) a few people have very positive reviews about the place and the food
the deal: The village patio also has an in-house caterer, tarlaquena food specialist and though they allow outside caterers, the fee is quite high compared to the package if you get everything from them. The menu is quite unique especially if you are tired of the typical fish fillet beef stew and everything else combo. The venue is covered and has plenty of plants- which is a nice 2nd option for a garden wedding but i guess it can get humid since it's not airconditioned.

3. KOWLOON WEST/SHANGRI-LA'S FINEST CUISINE WEST AVENUE
These venues are side by side each other and both offer very affordable packages.
the deal: we could have opted for shangri-la but hubby to be's cousin got married here and he didnt want our wedding to be at the exact same place. Another disadvantage that we experienced was that 2 or more events can happen simultaneously at the same time so if more guests turn up, they would have to sit at the ground floor even though the event area is on the second. I havent attended an event in Kowloon so I just included it in case you're interested in Shangri-La, might as well inquire in both venues.

i tried googling images that might be helpful to you but none were "helpful" so just visit the places yourself.

4.GREAT EASTERN HOTEL(ABERDEEN COURT)
This is also located in Quezon Avenue and in fact, Patio Ibarra, Shangri-La, Kowloon and Aberdeen are within a kilometer radius with each other. Aberdeen is probably the most affordable, which ironically, is the reason why we didnt get them since we were skeptical that for that price, they would be able to pull off and wow our guests. For a smaller party, however, I guess Aberdeen would be a good choice especially for budget savvy couples.

again, i couldnt find helpful pictures so just try visiting the place yourself.

5. Pacific Waves-San Jose Del Monte Bulacan
Pacific waves is already in Bulacan but it is still a great option for those who are from the fairview/novaliches/northern caloocan area. I have always thought of it as a "cousin" of fernwood due to the fact that it has a chapel within its premises and though I have not been there personally, the pictures are very promising.
the deal: everything is in their property- they have lodging, the church and the venue as well. However, this venue was a little over our budget and would attract so-so visitors on my side since I am from Norzagaray.

credits to visitpinas for this picture...this btw is their own chapel.


6. SECRET GARDEN
The best advertisement that this place can use is that it was the venue for Kim Chiu's debut celebration. They also have a very unique concept and with packages for 100-300 guests, it can attract intimate and big wedding celebrations.
the deal: secret garden is a very beautiful place especially if you're aiming for a themed wedding. We didnt book them though because of the location- it lives up to its name and it is quite hard to go there.

7. Amaranth Garden
This is accessible via Mindanao avenue and the last time I checked, their rate was 20k for the venue.My sister and I tried looking for the place twice- with google maps printouts, asking people from trike drivers to guard to gasoline boys to walking pedestrians and yet FAIL-we couldn't find it; and so I thought- I don't want our guests going through the same thing. Of course, we might have missed crucial details or we're simply not familiar with the place so try to check it out yourself...

8. casa español

This is another beautiful venue in the Novaliches/Mindanao Avenue area but same with Secret Garden and Amaranth, we didnt put it on top of our list bec. of the fear of our guests getting lost. They have packages and according to their site http://casaespanol.multiply.com/, they now have a facebook page and their home page says

"The garden venue can accommodate 50 to 180 guests.

We are located just 5 minutes away from TRINOMA and SM North Edsa.

For complete price listing, MENU list and amenities, email us at casaespanol@yahoo.com
Look for us at FACEBOOK at "Casa Espanol Garden Weddings"

so check it our if you're interested.


these are all I can think of right now.till next time!

hot hot hot pink wedding flowers

I used to say that I wanted green flowers but I realized that the colors would be..well, for lack of a better word, BORING. Then I realized..why not use pink flowers? It would be a nice contrast with the brown and blue and there are more choices..CASE IN POINT: The bouquet below made entirely of pink flowers..

Needless to say, flowers undeniably make a wedding much much prettier and somehow make you feel dreamy and romantic like you can fall into a romantic sleep for the rest of your life. However, in the absence of preservation efforts, most flowers would wilt after a week so hubby to be and I vowed not to spend too much on flowers. Some measures that we have talked about are:

1. To stick/make do with the flower arrangement inclusions in the church. The walk down the aisle would undeniably be prettier with many blooms but given the financial constraints, it was definitely just a nice to have.

2. Provide "flower" alternatives to our flower girls. They are flower girls, i get that. I know, I know, I know. But girls will be girls! I can just see them scratching their heads because the wreaths are itchy and/or heavy or tearing the flowers in the baskets out of boredom...
ANOTHER CASE IN POINT:sir wynn's(our pre-nup photog) shot from another wedding he attended.

We found a supplier that makes rose pastillas and these cute alternatives would surely give our little girls something to pass time and have a gastronomic galore..instead of tearing blooms apart.

3. Go for corsages and buttonieres. We know that the ninangs and abays would be very happy with bouquets but corsages would serve the purpose without hurting our pockets. Based on the number of flowers, I guess a bouquet would cost 150 and up each whereas a corsage would cost less than a 100 bucks! for 5 ninangs and around 10 more female entourage members, that would be a favorable savings for us.

I've had a liking towards calla lilies and roses for the boutonnieres

and....

gerbera corsages!


omg, just finished two posts in one sitting.. Wedding Blogging Fever is on! ^_^ Till Next Time!

In good hands: Junnel Maranan as our videographer, Bhok Ramos as our photographer

I am blatantly admitting that they are not our first choice. We really really wanted to get rockin' duo as I was already eyeing their work as early as two years prior to the wedding. However(and here comes the big sigh), I texted them last June (10 months to go) and they were no longer available on our date.

our first love....

Many photographers/videographers are talented but their prices are skyrocket that some are at the point of being absurd so rockin duo's affordable rate + their skill is what sets them apart. Long story short, since the rockin duo team was not available, we contacted several photographers and videographers before we ended up with this combo.

Why? Because of several criteria that made us feel like they can pull off on making our wedding date immortal.

1)-It makes me feel "important" when a prospect supplier replies immediately. I know that they are very busy and I appreciate it tremendously when they reply promptly to queries. These two reply as soon as they can.

2)-The price. Most suppliers would cost more when you get their services stand alone. However, for these two, the prices combined together are still very reasonable. Our contract price with sir junnel was 3****, which is a very reasonable price considering that it includes the onsite video and it's already HD!
As for sir bhok, his rate is 4 figures for services only to cover the entire shoot, which is a steal considering that we'll have two photographers
Combining both, we'd pay less than 50,000 including an onsite video. I had to emphasize that since it was the deal breaker for other good p/v suppliers we found. They usually had basic packages at around 30-50k and we needed to add 10-20k for the onsite video.

3) They were so accommodating and there werent hidden charges!
-On our initial meeting with sir junnel, he even gave us the option NOT to give a downpayment first though he and his family came all the way from cavite since he wanted us to be sure of getting his services..
-sir bhok sent me the contract already and I didnt feel pressured at all about getting his services yet he was already treating us as reserved clients. I had to highlight this since there were some suppliers that we contacted that were either a little persistent or made us feel as if it didnt matter if we got him/them or not.

4) they had sample work and their prices are published outright on their websites. I'm sorry but I just dont get suppliers that you had to email about their prices. Some p/v are really really good but I think couples should know outright how much they charge since it's a waste of time asking if it's beyond your budget. Second, artists' work should speak for itself and sorry to say for those without sample work, but all the blah is useless if I am unable to see for myself that you are good.

This is an outright advertisement of our suppliers.harhar...we cant wait to see them soon to make our memorable day imprints..

my fave shot from sir bhok's weddings up to date

my fave work of sir junnel because of the song :)


giddy all over again.till next time!

sample set-up, food tasting, partial payment for quidos grill at tanghalang pasigueno

forgive me for the very very long title..just trying to drive more traffic in my blog.hehe.anyway, the title is exactly what happened today but the daldalita that I am, of course, I'll tell you all the side kwento first :)

The wedding culture in the Philippines has changed altogether in the past four or five years with the introduction and adaptation of concepts such as save the date cards, magnetic albums, prenup pictorials, onsite videos wedding coordinators, food tastings and so on. In the food industry, some of the caterers that have created names are Hizons, Eloquente, Vs and F, Juan Carlo and many others. for the venue, some that I'm familiar with are The Glass Garden, Gazebo Royale, Oasis, the Ibarra venues, Splendido, Villa de Oro and the list goes on. For people who choose to get one of these caterers and match it with another well known venue, they simple have to contact their AEs, set up an appointment and boom, they became Koko Krunch! haha. Kidding aside, they just have to contact their key person and set a meeting and they'll have a mock setup.

For us, it was trickier since our caterer is just as good but they dont accept that many events compared to these caterers. Imagine our joy when they told us that they would host a wedding in our venue and I couldnt be happier! I thought I'd never get the chance to see a mock setup on our actual venue but God just makes sure to let the opportunities present themselves.

Hence today, off we went to Pasig together with my future in-laws. They havent tried the food the first time and since they will be paying for a big bulk of the caterer, we wanted them to at least try the food more than once. hehe

It was like heaven when I walked in. The couple who got married also had a motif of aqua blue. Theirs is paired with gold but since ours is aqua blue and choco brown, I wasnt thinking of the brown anyway since a sea of brown organza would be too dark. The couple also had 210 guests and ours is 250,so I had a general idea of how crowded it would be.

The sea of tiffany chairs and blue clad chairs was a nice sight to behold.


All in all, it was an awesome day and we still had time to go to our church and submit some requirements as well as visit a friend and give our save the date card for him. We even ate in a Korean resto too! Here are some other pictures to show how the day went. ta-tuh! till next time!

my baby's the one standing in the distant bckground

it just never fails to capture me...

the resto in antipolo with cheap yummy authentic Korean Food. Grammar nazi, tama order ko ng adjectives ha.hehe

Mt. Gulugod Baboy Prenup Pictorial

In the past couple of months, I've had 3 part time jobs and a fulltime job so I barely had time to sleep and get a pedicure(seriously!). Inasmuch as I enjoyed blogging, it had to take a backseat for me to get things done. However, we had our prenup just last week and I couldnt contain myself any longer..

It took a lot of planning for this prenup to materialize. We had to ask our mountaineering friend Sir Wynn to take our pictures since he was very talented and we knew he'd say yes to any opportunity for a shoot or a climb and this was an opportunity hitting both birds :D

our mountaineering friend, sir wynn who made this shoot possible :)


I also had to use my googling powers to look for shots that we liked, which we copied in turn on the day of the shoot.

God Blessed us on that weekend and let everything fall into place. The weather was fine and we were surrounded by friends and family who were more than willing to make every shot perfect. I have all the shots from Sir Wynn but to prevent the risk of overexposing the pictures prior to the time that they will serve their purpose on our std cards, thank you cards, souvenirs and everything else, here are a few pictures to give you an idea....

Mt Gulugod Baboy which is overlooking Anilao and other towns of Batangas

There were even some mountaineers who found us "cute" and took our pictures. They called Arnold "Attorney" but he jokingly replied that he was selling insurance :P

Silhouette shots are love and here are two of them

Our 2nd outfit....

The couple and the shitake mushrooms(they looked like button mushrooms but shitake just sounds so much cuter :)

My sister pinky, friends mimay, angel, doc kat sir alvin, sir mark and sol who were our bubble ladies and shitake mushrooms :P

A very late lunch in Lomi King Lipa

Happy viewing..till next time!

ain't about the chi-ching chiching, aint about the bibling bibling

I'm sorry I had to use that but there is not better title for this blog..The bibling of our wedding!
I know it shouldn't be about the material stuff but it doesnt hurt to get a few nice extras on top of a loving husband. So far, I noticed that I've developed a habit of blogging about wedding thingies that are related- first the unique ideas, now the blings and in the near future, the diy projects. First on the list of course:

The ring

Meio and I have been talking about our wedding as early as june last year so the engagement ring was just a formality. All the same, it still makes me feel kilig since he gave it in our of our climbs- on April 9th, on the 9th highest mountain in the philippines, mt. timbak:

The irony that something that signifies a beginning is set against something so old and literally rustic :)

us during that climb ^_^

The wedding rings


we went to meycauayan last march and got our rings on the spot..simply pretty for a fraction of what we thought the cost would be

my head dress

Some people would say I bought it way tooo early but looking at it makes me so happy that it doesnt matter. It's made of swarovski and hubby to be's bf-gf anniversary present to me(pm me if you wanna know where I bought it.

The original one was white and brown and though our motif colors are tiffany blue and choco brown, i had it changed since blue stands out even more and I was not disappointed.

my shoes


as i will mention in another blog, i have 3 pairs of wedding shoes at the moment and this one is my fave!!! why not considering the price and how beautiful it is...there is one stone missing and you probably don't notice and wont even find it even though i told you

here are my awesome shoes!
picture to follow.I dont have the file

 with me pero atat nako mag-blog ^_^

arrhae
For personal reasons, i dislike the arrhae tradition but we have no choice but to include it. Imagine my delight when I saw a shop in divi selling arrhae holders for 20-35 pesos. no, i didnt omit zeroes there, they're really between 20 to 30 pesos. I can simply add 10-20 1 peso coins and instead of the typical 150-300 arrhaes, saving a hundred bucks isnt bad.

I was skeptical that I'd find the exact same design on google but here it is!

Adding all these small details and good finds, I'd hit whoever says that it aint about the bling cause it can be about the bling! Thanks for reading and happy preps to engaged couples out there!