Traje de Boda

Di na mabilang ang designers na kinausap namin for a quotation on this wedding gown concept that we like. The figures went from as low as 30K up to a whooping 150K! Since we are working on a pretty much fixed budget, medyo kelangan ng konting tiyaga sa paghahanap ng designers na kayang mag-trabaho from that budget without compromising the quality and beauty of the piece. 

After months of searching, Jen (our HMU artist) referred Roxy Bagano. As usual, we immediately did a research on photos of her bridal gowns online and we instantly loved her designs. It was a breeze contacting her, mabilis siya sumagot sa mga tanong namin and very accommodating. She said she can give us a sketch of what we have in mind so we grabbed the opportunity and paid her a visit last weekend. 

The meeting went well and we started by showing her some photos of the wedding gowns we prefer and discussing the details of what we eventually like and don’t like to be on the gown. She was doing the sketch on the fly and after presenting the image to us (together with her plans for it... from beadworks to appliqués to the works), agad agad nagustuhan namin lahat and booked her straight away. 

Actually, nag-decide lang kami within three seconds... ganun namin sobrang nagustuhan! LOL. [kat] 

Roxy and Kath

She was very fun to talk to and para lang kaming matagal nang magkakakilala. It’s just a bonus that she’s just within our age-bracket. Agree, ako dyan! [obi] 

Her cute and chic shop is located on Paco, Manila.

* Visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/baganocouture

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Best Part of the Wedding Preps

...has to be the food tasting!

It's our first food tasting last week at Ysabel's Garden, BF Resort (c/o Queensland Catering Services) and we are quite enjoying the experience. Queensland is known to be generous with their servings and they did not disappoint, nabusog kami kahit supposedly "tikim" lang siya dapat. LOL.

some of the dishes from the Regular package

The food selection ranged from their Regular package up to some of the Premium ones. Sa Premium package kami madaming nagustuhan (as expected) pero may mga nagustuhan din kaming mangilan-ngilan sa Regular (not because they didn't taste good, but because the Premium ones just tasted great), so baka mag mix-match kami from both line-up. Pwede naman daw.

from the Premium package

masarap pero medyo malansa

seryosong delicious

ano daw??

We paid for reservation that day. Sure na kami sa Queensland. No head count yet (we are still to finalize the guest list) but more or less we knew what dishes to pick. Sakto din yung mga additional amenities sa arrangements na gusto namin at higit sa lahat, pasok sa budget.

Peborit ni Kath sa Menu: Sotanghon in Garlic 

Peborit ni Obi sa Menu: Pork Humba

The following week after the food tasting, we went to their office in Citadella, Las Pinas for follow-up inquiries and to discuss more about their package options. Gusto namin kuhain yung deal na kasama na pati yung decoration ng lugar so we have to set a separate appointment with their stylist to finalize everything.

We hope the stylist can pull off what we have in mind of a vintage whimsical setting. Abangan!

Hashtag North Greenhills Clubhouse

Matapos dumaan ang ilang nakakakabang araw ng paghahanap para sa isang disenteng reception venue, sa wakas meron na kami! Booked and finalized!

*deep sigh of relief*

Konting history muna:

• First Quarter of 2012 - We decided to have the wedding at the St. Ignatius Cathedral in Camp Aguinaldo, so it's imperative to find a venue inside the camp as well.

St. Ignatius Cathedral at Camp Aguinaldo

• Second Quarter of 2012 - Ocular at Tejeros Hall. The place is really beautiful but too huge for our target number of guests. Also, the price gap between getting their accredited caterer versus paying for an unaccredited one is significant and frankly, unjustifiable.

• Third Quarter of 2012 - Obi's dad found a more decent option, Daza Park. Too early to have a permanent booking, we were advised to go back on a date closer to the wedding.

• First Week of January, 2013 - Based on visual estimates, it looks like Daza Park can't accommodate 170 pax and so planned to check back on the venue. Let the stress begin!

inside Daza Park

• Second Week of January, 2013 - At the Daza Park, we confirmed that it can never hold as much guests. The caretaker said it can even barely do 150 pax (kung magaling daw ang caterer, kakayanin). Still, we pencil-booked the place, just in case. We need a Plan B and so inquired at the AFP Theater for their Function Room 3. PROS: can rent the room (and virtually the entire 3rd level) for the whole day; within budget; and lots of spaces we can exploit para sa mga pakulo. CONS: needs major decorating; ang taas ng stairs; and there are two obstructing pillars that doesn't sit well with me. But, again, we pencil-booked it too.

inside the AFP Theater, Funky Room 3

• Third Week of January, 2013 - We started considering places outside Camp Aguinaldo (i.e. gave them calls and looked for reviews/photos online). Our initial choices are the clubhouses of West Greenhills (booked on our date), North Greenhills (needs sponsor), Valle Verde 4 (saw negative reviews online), and Christ the King Parish Hall (not within budget).

Before January ended, we further trimmed down to two options: North Greenhills Clubhouse (with recommendation/sponsorship from Obi's friends - Tim and Garrick) and Valle Verde 4 Clubhouse (no sponsor required). We are supposed to compare both first before booking but immediately fell in love with the North Greenhills Clubhouse after seeing it yesterday and reserved the place right away!

spaced just right for our guests

The Good:

* The steps leading up to the second floor hall is spaced just right for Kath (and her knee injury) to ascend without much effort.

* The floor area is huge and can even go up to 200 guests based on my "guess-timate".

* They only book one event per day. The place, on December 7, is OURS alone!

* We can use several satellite rooms around the premise: a staging room for the catering services, a smaller adjoining space where we can pass through for a grand entrance (or maybe for the on-day video/photo editing team), the ground-level area can be used for registration, and the corridors are wide enough for our planned "memory lane" decor.

*  It's within our budget!
* We were given up to four hours of prep time (and ingress) free of charge!

* The place is newly renovated, with glass panels on one side of the wall that makes the place look even bigger.
* There's a readily available platform included among the perks.
* The office personnel are very accommodating!

the glass panel

aprub! (with Treiz, at the NGH Association Office)

Thanks God for Angels on Earth!