December 30, 2013

Meet the Parents!

Last Christmas Day, Mox and his whole family went to our home for the traditional "pamamanhikan". It was actually a last-minute event because it was so difficult to coordinate their whole schedule as his parents live in the province and one of his brothers works in Malaysia. But luckily, all of them were here in Manila for the holidays, so before they leave for La Union, they stopped by our house to do the pamamanhikan. Parang stopover lang ng Partas. Haha!

What exactly is a pamamanhikan? Well, it's when the groom and his family goes to the house of the bride to ask for her hand in marriage. Traditionally, the pamamanhikan should be done right after the engagement to discuss the details of the wedding, like the date, the budget, possible ninongs and ninangs, etc.

But now the pamamanhikan is not as formal as it used to be. Since Mox and I held our pamamanhikan late in our engagement, all of our wedding preps are almost done so it was quite useless to discuss these details with our parents. Instead, our pamamanhikan was just a way for our parents to meet with each other for the first time. We were actually thinking of holding it in a restaurant, but we decided to just do it the old-fashioned way. That way, we would be able to please my motherwho always want to stick to the traditionsand we won't have to spend so much for the meal itself. Si Mox na lang bahala magluto ng pagkain. Diba, tipid moves lang.
 
I really didn't know what to expect during the pamamanhikan. Mox's parents are simple, laid-back folks, while my parentsor rather just my mothercan be quite intimidating. So I was worried on how things will turn out between them. Will they like each other or will there be tension between the mag-balaes? But Mox was even more nervous than I was! He kept on asking the do's and dont's of a pamamanhikan. He even researched tips on how to do his opening spiel. It was so cute! Haha!

Mox's family arrived at around 1pm that day, and they brought pans filled with delicious adobo, sinigang, pinakbet and tahong. They even brought a pot filled with rice, and some paper plates and plastic spoons so we didn't have to wash the dishes afterwards. Prepared na prepared ang lolo mo. Haha! Meanwhile,  my mother prepared her famous buko pandan for dessert. Yummy!

After eating, we then got down to business.  I kept on teasing Mox to get on with his "opening speech" and because of his nervousness, he just blurted out: "Tito, Tita, ikakasal na po kami." We just kept on laughing after that. Di naman obvious na ikakasal tayo beh diba? Kalokang opening speech!

Our parents didn't ask anymore for details about our wedding since we're almost done with the preparations. As my mother said, the pamamanhikan was just for formality's sake. Meet and greet nga lang yun eh. But they did suggest some names for our principal sponsors and also suggested barongs for our male entourage instead of vests. That way, we won't have to worry about finding a couturier for our entourage since they can easily buy their barongs on their own. We will also save money because my father and brothers can use their barongs that they wore for my kuya's wedding. Tipid moves again!

After an hour of chitchat, Mox and his family had to leave for their trip to La Union. Overall, the pamamanhikan was a success! Sure, it was quite nerve-wracking, and there were moments of awkward silence, but I'm happy that everything went on without a hitch. Good job Mox! :)

P.S. Sadly, no pictures were taken during the pamamanhikan as Mox's family have this weird aversion to cameras. Basta oras ng picturan, nawawala sila. Haha.

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December 19, 2013

Wedding Docs 101: Obtaining the CENOMAR and Birth Certificates

We know that obtaining the needed documents and papers for the wedding can be one of the most stressful parts of the preparations, so as early as now, we decided to get a move on our paperworks.

We decided to request for our CENOMARs (Certificate of No Marriage Record) and birth certificates first, since these documents have a six-month validity period. These documents can be secured from the National Statistics Office (NSO).

There are three ways to get your CENOMARs and birth certificates:
  1. Obtain the documents personally at the NSO office in Manila
  2. Apply online through www.e-census.com.ph
  3. Request for them at SM Business Centers in SM Malls
Obtaining your documents at the NSO office is actually the cheapest way, since you only have to pay Php140 for a copy of the birth certificate and Php195 for a copy of the CENOMAR. Plus, you can get your documents on the same day! However, you would need a lot of patience for this because you would have to wait in line for your turn. Do try to come early for this unless you want to spend your whole day waiting for your documents.

Now for those who don't have time to go to the NSO office, you may request for them online. Just accomplish the online application form at www.e-census.com.ph, and deposit your payment through BDO. The documents will then be delivered to your doorstep after three days or eight weeks at the latest. It's simple and hassle-free! But this can be more expensive, as a copy of the CENOMAR will cost Php415 and a copy of the birth certificate will cost Php315 if requested online.

I didn't have the patience to line up at the NSO office, but I didn't want to spend too much for the online application, so I did the next best thing: I requested my documents at a SM Business Center, more specifically, in Savemore near the Marikina Health Office. But you can request for your documents at any SM Business Center. It was relatively hassle-free; all I did was fill up the forms then pay the cashier Php 215 per copy of the CENOMAR and Php160 per copy of the birth certificate. SM added only Php20 for their processing fee, which is a lot cheaper than the Php200 additional for the online processing. Diba, tipid moves for the win!

 I would be able to get my documents after two to three weeks, so last week, I went back to Savemore and viola! Our CENOMARs and birth certificates are now here!


So that's one item off our checklist! More to go!

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December 11, 2013

My Kuya's Wedding!

I apologize for not updating my blog lately. We just got so busy with work, Christmas parties and wedding preps that I barely have time to write here.

Last October, my eldest brother got married to his girlfriend of four years. But unlike me, who have at least two years to prepare for my own wedding, they only had roughly two months to prepare for theirs. They're doctors, so they didn't have the luxury to take leaves for their wedding preps. So everything had to be done at the last minute! Can you just imagine the stress diba?

They got me as a secondary sponsor, and as my gift to them, I decided to shoulder my own gown and hair and makeup. I got Paolo Blanco to do my gown, as well as my mother's gown, and Diane Coles to do our hair and makeup. :)

The ceremony was held at Ermita Church and the reception was at Midas Hotel. It was a very intimate wedding, with only 100 guests, but I'm happy that everything went smoothly. Despite having limited time to prepare, I know my brother and sister-in-law got their dream wedding! :)

The official photos haven't arrived yet, so here are some photos that Mox took of the ceremony. :)



 
 







We didn't have any photos of the reception because we were too busy eating that we forgot to take pictures. Sorry naman, gutom na kami talaga nun eh. Haha!

Of course, I want to give props to Paolo Blanco and Diane Coles for a job well done! Even though I wasn't the bride, they still gave superb service, so I definitely feel that they deserve the kudos. :)

GOWN: Paolo Blanco

Peso Power: P3,000
Contact Details: 0917-9693773
Rating: 5 out of 5

As I said before during our first fitting, the gown fit perfectly! I really felt like a Grecian goddess while wearing the gown because it was so flowy and soft. The color also looked good on me, making me look fairer. Basta ang ganda niya!

Transactions with Paolo was hassle-free. He's also so nice that even though we were usually late during our fittings, he would still attend to us cheerfully. I would definitely recommend him to budgeted brides out there. :)

HMUA: Diane Coles
Peso Power: P2,000 for two persons (including transpo fee)
Contact Details: 0917-8045848
Rating: 5 out of 5

Since we only had two months to prepare, I had to search for an affordable HMUA that was available on my brother's wedding date. Ivy then recommended Diane Coles, her entourage's HMUA, so I decided to give her a call. Luckily, she was available on that day, plus her rates are within our budget, so I immediately booked her.

My brother's wedding was at 9 in the morning so we had to have our hair and makeup done at the ungodly hour of 5am. Walang tulugan yun! But Diane arrived right on time. And she's so perky and cheerful even though it was so early in the morning! Even though it was the first time that I've met her, I immediately felt at ease with her. As in, chikahan na agad!

I also like that she respects her clients' requests, and she cares about their welfare. During that day, I had an eye injury so my right eye was so red and irritated. Diane didn't want to put false eyelashes and eyeliner, which could irritate my eye further, so she just made the rest of my face stand out more. She was also patient enough to put up with my mother's demands! Dun pa lang, saludo na ako sa kanya. Haha!

I don't have any close-up picture of my made-up face, but I assure you, I looked very, very pretty. Hehe. :)

Hair and make-up by Diane Coles
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November 29, 2013

Choosing the Final Gown Design

The day after the W@W Christmas party, Mox and I went back to Gretchen Pichay's shop in New Manila to have my measurements taken. I was doubly excited about this meeting because I would get to choose the final design for my gown. Whee!

Gretchen provided three gown designs for me to choose from. This time, the sketches were more detailed, emphasizing each gown's ruchings, pleats and lace details. All of the designs were so beautiful that I knew I would have a difficult time choosing between them all. Good thing I brought Mox along to help me decide which would be our final gown design.

Here are the gown designs that Gretchen presented to me. I won't tell you which one we chose though. Let it be a surprise until our wedding day. Hehe. :)




I was a bit unsure about our choice for my skirt, but Gretchen assured us that we still have time to change if we want to since the skirt would be done last, along with the beadworks.

Then I finally had my measurements taken, but of course I won't spill what my measurements are. Di naman ako sexy eh. Haha! But I  hope that I was able to at least lose some weight. Gretchen scheduled my first fitting next year, around late January to early February, so that means I must not gain weight during the holiday season. Good luck na lang sa akin.

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November 26, 2013

Happy Birthday Beh! ♥

Today is a very special day because not only have we reached the five-month mark of our wedding journey, but it's also the 31st birthday of my very wonderful fiance! :) Happy, happy birthday my love! Despite the fights, the tears and all those drama moments, I am still very lucky to have you as my fiance, and soon, as my husband. :)

Happy birthday Beh! (Photo by Pictratto Photography)
Beh, in just five months, I will soon be by your side to celebrate your birthday, Christmas, New Year, and other occasions that we could think of together. I can't wait! :)

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November 25, 2013

The 2013 W@W Christmas Party

Last Friday, Mox and I were among the lucky W@Wies to attend the the annual W@W Christmas party. You can just imagine how many would kill for chance to attend the party, and for good reason too! Not only would we meet our fellow W@Wies and some of the best wedding suppliers, but we would also get a chance to win awesome prizes! This event is so highly anticipated that slots would get filled up almost as soon as registration opens. Last year, I was unfortunately waitlisted, so I was so happy to finally get a slot to this year's party! Whee!

This year's party was held at the new Blue Leaf Filipinas near the Macapagal area. The theme for the party was backyard, so we had to wear pastel clothes. No dark clothes were allowed, but luckily, Mox had one light blue polo. See, problem solved!

There were a lot of suppliers involved in the event. During the cocktail hour, we had fun having our picture taken by the photo studio set up by Mezarc Buslon Fotografie.

Photo by Mezarc Buslon Fotografie
Guests can also have their Instagram photos printed by Nice Print's Instagram Booth! They just had to tag their photos with the hashtag #waw2013xmas and then viola! Instant photo souvenirs! Too bad we weren't able to try this one ourselves.

Instagram Booth!
While waiting for the program proper to start, we had a lot of fun going around the candy corner of Bonbon Taffy and the numerous dessert buffets of Purpledish Catering, Toy Cakes and Pastries by Chef Kiko, and Box of Sweet by Punky Porca.  Sugar overload na ito! 

Bonbon Taffy
Purpledish Catering
Box of Sweets by Punky Porca
Toy Cakes and Pastries by Chef Kiko
We also got tipsy from all the free-flowing drinks of Marga Rush and GQ Mobile Bar. I love Marga Rush's strawberry margarita slushie, but the mango daiquiri that I drank from GQ was the bomb! Our favorite GQ bartender, Kuya Lloyd, was the one overseeing the booth, and it was so cute that he still remembers me from all the times that I visited their booth during bridal fairs. Now I'm even more excited to see what alcoholic concoctions he will serve on our wedding.

Enjoying our lime and strawberry margarita slushies from Marga Rush
Kuya Lloyd (middle) and his band of bartenders
The official caterer for the event was Josiah's Caterer. The food was super yummy, and I especially love their styling! The tables' centerpieces were so simple yet elegant that Mox wanted it to be our peg for our own wedding. And the lily chairs were so beautiful, although I'm not sure who was the supplier for them.




Not all tables were styled by Josiah's though. This year, the party had a table-decorating contest so all W@Wies must group themselves by 12 and then create their own table centerpiece. The table with the best centerpiece would win a prize! Our table decided to have a picnic-inspired centerpiece so we got our picnic basket and filled it with fruits and bread. Special thanks to Kim ni Cris who thought of the design! Ikaw na Ser!

Team Chill!
Our picnic-inspired centerpiece
And of course, let's not forget about the games and the raffles! A lot of home appliances were given out, as well as tickets to honeymoon destinations such as Boracay and Cebu. And for the minor prizes? Everyone was tickled pink by the sex toys and sexy lingerie courtesy of the Wedding Library. Nakakaloka!

But you know what made this party even more special? There was an impromptu raffle, where the prizes were free services of the suppliers! All the guests had to do was to go on stage and to participate on simple children's games, like coin toss, pompyang and bato-bato-pick. Lucky W@Wies were able to win free gowns from Gretchen Pichay and Boy Kastner Santos, photo coverage from Pictratto Photography, video coverage from Sequel by Threelogy, makeup services from Madge Lejano, and so much more! Ang swerte diba?

I wasn't able to win anything from the raffles, but I was among the lucky few who won customized Jazel Sy shoes from the Cinderella game. The Cinderella game is where the girls would try to fit shoes that were on the chairs, and whoever was the first to wear the shoe that fits perfectly will win the pair. I was a size 6, so I was looking for the shoe with that size. My friends directed me to one chair, where no one was lining up. So I just sat down and tried on the shoe, and what do you know? It was a perfect fit! Walang kahirap-hirap. Haha! And the shoe is so cute; it is a nude pump with an ankle strap. I'll probably wear it for our reception so that I could dance the night away without worrying that it will get lost. Hehe.

But one of my most unforgettable moments of the party was the W@Wies' dance number. And you know why? Because I was one of the dancers! Haha! I am not a good dancer so it took a lot of guts to go on stage and dance in front of all those people! Oh diba, dinaan na lang sa kapal ng mukha. Nevertheless, it was a really fun experience and I would love to join another dance number next year! Pero papractice muna ako ng aking dancing moves. Haha.


Sige, sayaw lang!
All in all, it was a spectacular night. I will forever be thankful to be part of the W@W community. Because of W@W, I was able to meet new friends, both W@Wies and suppliers alike, who have made a great impact on my life. This is truly W@W love! :)



P.S. Most of these photos are from Pictratto Photography, the official photographers of the event. :)

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November 19, 2013

Kudos to Our Freenup Suppliers Part 2

I received our freenup pictures from Chasing Tales around three weeks ago, but with the recent devastation of Visayas due to typhoon Yolanda, I felt it was inappropriate to share our pics to you. But maybe it's now time to give credit to our wonderful suppliers who made our second freenup experience a success. :)

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Chasing Tales Photography
Peso Power: Free!
Contact Details: info@chasingtalesphoto.com
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I actually thought that Wale was a boy during our exchange of emails, so during our freenup, I immediately introduced myself to the only boy in their team. Well, I was wrong. It turned out that Wale was a slim, boyish GIRL. Haha! Nakakahiya!

Our winning entry for their contest was to have our freenup taken at an amusement park, where we would play games and be carefree and playful. However, I decided to change concepts because I felt that it would be too costly to shoot in Star City or Enchanted Kingdom. Luckily, Wale and the rest of the team still allowed us to retain our prize even though we had a totally different concept in mind.

The group certainly has potential. Their pictures were able to capture the vivid and bright colors of the graffiti surrounding our venue, but I particularly love their dramatic black and white images. Those pictures actually have a sort of photo-journalistic feel to them. Ang ganda talaga!









 
So why only 3.5? No, it's not that they weren't good. I just feel that they still have a lot of room for improvement. :) They are practically newbies in the wedding industry so they still have a lot to learn in directing couples how to pose. Sometimes kasi the poses that they would make us do are too common already. In fact, I have a lot of photos were we were doing the same poses all over again. Also, I was so oily in some pictures, and Wale didn't even ask my HMUA to powder my nose. Bwiset talaga na ilong yan. Haha

HMUA: Jennifer Gumban of Elitista Basement

Peso Power: P1,000 (discounted rate)
Contact Details: 0917-8052460
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I got Jen Gumban to do my hair and makeup for the freenup. Since I already booked her to be my entourage's HMUA on our wedding, I got a discount on her prenup rate. Yey to more savings! :)

She asked me how I like my hair and makeup to be for the shoot, and even asked for pegs. And sure enough, she was able to give me the looks that I wanted. :)  She's very nice and easy to talk to. Plus, she's from the same company as Mox, so you can imagine their bonding moments. Haha! Ako pa tuloy ang OP sa kanilang dalawa.

I gave her a 3.5 though because she didn't accompany us to our prenup venue, although I understand that she had to attend to some urgent matter in her office. Her assistant/hairstylist was the one who did our retouches in the venue. While I like my makeup, there were some instances when she couldn't retouch my makeup, which led to my very oily face. Also, I really didn't like that she put too much hairspray, making my hair stringy and yucky.

VENUE: Abandoned building near Betty Go Belmonte Station
Peso Power: P100 per person
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I first learned about this building from Ren, who had their freenup here with NYOI (yes, my previous freenup supplier). I've always wanted to do a photo shoot in an abandoned building, so this was the perfect venue to do our freenup. Mox also agreed to the idea because he thought it was "cool", his words, not mine. Haha.

We did our shoot at around 9am because Ren said people would usually shoot in the afternoon, usually cosplayers. Sure enough, just as we were ending our session, a group of people came by to shoot. Sakto timing namin.

Just a bit of warning though, the building is dark and smelly, with lots of dust and dog poop scattered on the floors. So if you're a bit iffy on having dirt and grime on your clothes, it's better that you look for another venue instead. Still, it's a pretty cool place to have a prenup pictorial, especially if you want something that is totally different from the usual outdoor shoot.

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November 15, 2013

My Last Birthday As A Miss!

Today is my 26th birthday, but more importantly, it's my last birthday as a single lady. Next year, instead of spending it with my family and fiance, I'll be spending it with my family and HUSBAND. Haha! Nakakakilig lang isipin.

But as respect to the victims of typhoon Yolanda, we decided not to have a grand celebration. Instead, my family and I just had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Ortigas. We also didn't splurge on the gifts. My parents just gave me a simple chocolate cake, but instead of the chocolate roll that we'd usually buy, they got me a dedication cake! The last time I had a dedication cake was during my 18th birthday, and back then, my mom wrote a long, long dedication on my cake that she actually ran out of space to put in the rest of her message. Haha! Nagsulat ba naman ng mga bilin sa cake ko?!? Luckily, she didn't do the same thing this time. Haha.

My birthday cake :)
Meanwhile, Mox gave me his usual birthday card. But what made this card extra special was his heartfelt message inside. Before, he would just say his template dedication: "Mahal kita, mwah simple lang.", but now, he wrote how he looks forward to sleeping beside me every night once we get married. He even called me his wife. It was the sweetest thing that I have ever read. :)


It actually feels weird to be celebrating now especially since the people in Visayas are still suffering from the aftermath of not just typhoon Yolanda, but also from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake last month. But still, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have greeted me on this very special day. Thank you for making me feel loved! :) But most importantly, I want to thank God for the countless blessings that I have received for the past 26 years. Hoping to receive more blessings in the future! :)

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