Divi Dum Divi Doo

Last weekend, we visited Divisoria for the third time since we started prepping up for the wedding. 

*insert dreamy flashback effect here*

We did the our first Divisoria run to buy DIY craft materials and paraphernalia. The second time (which, we realized just now, went undocumented) is to resupply those and check out prices for barongs and gowns. Bonus na lang na habang naglalakad kami pauwi noon, may nadaanan kaming Korean-owned store that sells very affordable faux flowers. Nagkaroon kami ng wedding giveaways ng de oras at sa halagang hindi lalampas ng isang libo... lahat lahat! Peksman!

instant kargador

*end of flashback*

For this trip, ang target namin ay bumili ng tela at magtingin ulit ng mga barong at gown. We were able to keep tabs on where to go and what to look for after thorough researching online, asking tips from our seamstress, and even questioning staffs of fabric stores in malls around Makati. In short, we are armed (if not well armed) with relevant information about textiles bago kami pumunta.

Nasobrahan kami ng aga. Wala pang alas-ocho ng umaga, nasa Divine Mart na kami (Obi, Kath, at sister ni Kath). Blessing in disguise ito dahil sa unang bukas na stall na napuntahan namin (wala pang masyadong bukas na stalls noon) ay nandoon na agad lahat ng kailangan naming tela.

selfie sa loob ng padyak
babala: huwag tularan, nakawawala ng cellphone

Nasa kahabaan ng Ilaya Street ang Divine Mart sa Divisoria. Ang entrance ng lugar ay nasa left side bago lang dumating ng Jollibee at Mang Inasal (na nasa right side). May malaking signage naman sa entrance na "Divine Mart" so madaling makita. Navigating inside is the tricky part. Parang maze sa loob at andaming tabi-tabing stalls ("pasilio" ang tawag nila).


View Larger Map

Yung napagbilhan namin ng tela para sa gown ng entourage ay TMC Commercial ang pangalan. Ayon sa naka-paskil sa kanilang signboard, sila ay nasa T63-S64. Not sure how do you locate them with those coordinates. I guess, mag tanong tanong na lang sa loob.

manang cely and manang kat, discussed fabric stuff

Accommodating yung staff na umasikaso sa amin. Si Manang Cely. Natuwa kami dahil lahat ng gusto naming kulay at uri ng tela ay meron sila and for cheaps! Ito yung mga nabili namin.

• lilac & african violet multi chiffon (outer layer ng adult gowns)
• lilac charmeuse (2nd layer ng adult gowns)
• lilac geena silk (inner layer ng adult gowns)
• cream satin (tops ng kiddie gowns)
• lavender organza (outer layer skirt ng kiddie gowns)
• lilac satin (inner layer skirt ng kiddie gowns)

tela-lalala! kalhati ng presyo ang tubo ng mga textile stores sa sikat na malls

Kinailangan pa namin bumalik after an hour dahil sarado pa ang bodega nila sa sobrang aga namin. Kaya nagtingin tingin na lang muna kami sa paligid ng mga supplies for our DIY crafts. The other side of Ilaya Street (Tabora Street) is known to have tons of items for weddings and similar events. Doon kami namalagi noong unang dalawang punta namin sa Divisoria para mamili. Here are the things that we got this time.

• assorted vintage buttons
• magic zipper na lilac
• sinulid na lilac
• brooch
• pearls
• headband
• white na lace

more vintage-y buttons for us!

Bitbit ang sandamakmak na tela, tinuloy namin ang pag-gagala sa katabing 168 Mall at 999 Mall. Dito kami nagtuloy maningin ng mga barong at gowns. Napaka intensive ng collection ng mga damit at tela dito, at sooobrang mura kumpara sa mga sikat na stores sa mga mall. Most likely bumalik kami doon para sa barong ng mga abay at gowns ng moms.

Wellmanson - Divisoria

At the end of the day, ang reward namin for ourselves for a job well done ay ang kumain sa Wai Ying in Binondo! Can't go wrong... yub yub! Dumaan din muna kami sa Eng Bee Tin para bumili ng pasalubong at sa Binondo Church para magpasalamat sa lahaaat ng blessings na natatanggap namin.

goodjob!

P.S.: Medyo may minor boo-boo lang dahil mali ang kulay ng nabili naming sinulid at zipper. Pero as of now, naghahanap na kami ng sinulid at zippers na kakulay ng mga tela namin.

Five Months to Go

We have about five months to go and it's causing a riot of emotions to shuffle through our minds. Nakaka-excite na makita yung mga pinag-hirapan namin during the past months and at the same time, nakaka-pressure tapusin yung mga natitira pang kulang. Hindi din maiwasan mag-alala sa kung ano-anong bagay. I guess the OC in us can never be sated until the wedding itself happens already.

Anyway, here are some of the things that we were able to work on within the past month.

Wedding Fair

We attended a wedding fair organized by Themes and Motifs last June. We are able to check out yung mga natitirang bagay na wala pa kami, which is mostly for my barong and the invitations. It's amazing that of all the wedding fairs we've attended during the last year and a half, sa wedding fairs lang ng T&M kami nakapag-book ng suppliers. Both are impulse bookings pa. Read on to see what we got booked under T&M.

Wedding Ring and More

We finally got our rings from La Real Jewelry and from the fitting up to the details, they're perfect! We met with Katrina of La Real on the T&M wedding fair to get the rings and the freebies (arrhae, cord, and ring replicas). The cord is personally crafted by Katrina, herself, and it looks very elegant. Sakto sa vintage theme namin.

lower photo is the bottom part ('habambuhay' engraved in Baybayin script)
we designed it that way so we can switch between designs
(believe us, it's a safety feature... LOL)

We can't express how much satisfied we are on this package. Given that it is one of the earliest item that we booked for the wedding (June 2012) - and the first one we booked at a T&M event - nakakagaan ng pakiramdam makitang unti-unti nang nabubuo yung mga sinimulan namin since last year for the wedding.

i can see the rosy tinge from up here

Gifts from the Couple

One of the other impulse booking we've had on a T&M event just came recently as we chanced upon Robert and his Red Clay Factory booth. They are selling custom-made clay lamps crafted from a town in Albay. Matagal na kaming naghahanap ng maganda ipang-regalo during the wedding kaya sobrang "lightbulb" moment nung nakita namin yung produkto nila. It seemed a bit off for our vintage theme but the unique designs appealed to the whimsical side of it. 

let there be light

We immediately booked them that day for a very affordable reservation fee. We are continuously in touch with them up to this day to discuss how we want our clay lamps to look like before they start their production.

Kuya Robert of Red Clay Factory

D.I.Y. Crafts

Lately, we've been increasing our "craft nights" together (with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Glorietta 2 and Starbucks in 6750 as the usual hangout) to push the production of more DIY items. As of today, we've created enough felt flowers to decorate the following projects:

• bouquets for the secondary sponsors, our moms, and the bride herself
• colored tin pails for the flower girls
• wooden containers as table ornaments

lagi yang nagkakalat sa coffee shop! tsk tsk!

Here are our other pending DIY projects:

• ornamental board with our monogram crafted in interlaced thread
• wishing tree and tags
• pillow for the rings
• boutonniere for the groom

(work in progress) tin pails for the flower girls... isa sa mga mastercraft ni Kath [obi]

wag masyadong makyutan... baka lumaki ulo ni Kath [obi]

Lights and Sounds

We originally planned on getting musicians but it being low in priority budget-wise, we settled on getting a packaged lights and sounds deal instead. Kat personally initiated an extensive research to land a good deal and we eventually decided to go with C1 Discotech Lights and Sounds. 

They gave us a list of the machines and devices they can provide and it's just the right things required to make the venue extra appealing visually and to support our audio needs. Nothing fancy is necessary. Hindi naman kami magpapa-disco so the basic setup will do. Nakapag-ayos na sila sa North Greenhills Clubhouse in the past so it's a plus na alam na nila ang layout ng venue.

a sample of their work (taken from their FB page)

We meet with Sir Bobby of C1 just a couple of weeks ago to discuss the particulars and to give our down payment. Isa sa mga mahalagang napag-usapan namin yung kung anong mga kulay at klase ng ilaw ang gagamitin at kung saan itatayo ang mga ito. He has been very accommodating kahit noong nag-uumpisa pa lang kami makipag correspond sa kanila for initial inquiries.

Video Projector

We are getting a 7x7 feet screen for our venue and rented a 5000 ANSI lumens projector from Projectors for Rent PH. We've inquired and researched a lot just to determine how much ANSI lumens to get. Nakasalalay kasi ito sa luwag ng venue (which will determine the number of audience) at amount ng ambient light dito (kung gaano kaliwanag ang lugar).

their setup for Handle Bar (Makati)

They are easy to talk with and answered all our questions clearly (si Miss Ellen ang kausap namin palagi over the phone). Their rate is fairly competitive with similar businesses we've found online or has been referred by friends kaya kinuha na namin sila agad. Here are some of the things we will or plan to project during the program:

• On-site video from photographer.
• On-site video from videographer.
• Save-the-Date animation.
• AVP of our photos.

* New items added on the Wedding Updates page.
* New items added on the Bookmarks section.
* New items added on the Resources section.

Hotel Hopping

Mahaba-habang lakaran at matagal-tagal na research ang ginawa namin para makahanap ng tamang hotel for the wedding preparations. Since we are on the final stages of our preps and the bulk of our budget is mostly allocated, medyo limited na kami sa mapagpipilian. Para mas madali, nag-brainstorm muna kami kung ano ba ang kailangan namin sa isang hotel.

Ito ang mga naging criteria sa pagpili ng lugar na angkop (wow, lalim) sa aming mga pangangailangan... in order of priority.

1. Malapit sa Camp Aguinaldo.
2. Kaya ng budget.
3. Pwedeng tumuloy ang pamilya namin (siyam na tao kay Obi at walong tao kay Kath).
4. Presentable ang itsura ng lugar para sa photo ops.
5. Kasya ang suppliers (HMUA, video and photo crew, at event organizer).
6. May connecting rooms OR kahit magkatabi/magkalapit lang sana OR at least, on the same floor yung kwarto na mapapa-book namin.

GAME!

Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center

17 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center

View Larger Map

Nakapag ocular kami sa dalawang rooms dito (a one bedroom suite and a deluxe room). Willing kaming nag hintay ng ilang oras para magkaroon ng bakante for ocular. The rooms are modern in design and very neat. Kumpleto ang furnishings ng living room at kitchen area ng suite. May LCD screen pa sa bathroom! 

living room of the suite

A suite can accommodate four occupants while the deluxe room is two. Around 10 people can move comfortably inside the suite while five for the deluxe room so it's just enough for our suppliers. Wala silang connecting rooms.

panoramic shot of the lobby

Libre mag photo shoot sa lobby at corridors. Kapag sa pool area naman, kailangan na ng authorization from the management. Maganda ang register ng hotel sa camera dahil sapat ang ilaw nila at madaming magandang spots yung lugar.

Their rate is not too expensive (justifiable) so naging option namin ito.

Satisfaction Level: 5 out of 7

Holiday Inn Manila Galleria
1 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center

View Larger Map

Malapit lang ito sa Oakwood kaya dito kami pumunta right after it. Filipiniana ang ambiance ng lobby so perfect for the more traditional wedding (not for us though). Medyo maliit nga lang ang receiving area so medyo tricky mag photo shoot within the premise (pero wala din silang restriction for photos).

living room of the suite (the lady looking at the connecting room entrance)

We were able to do an ocular for a deluxe room. Wooden yung theme (from furniture to paneling) ng rooms. May connecting rooms sila. Medyo madilim nga lang ang lightings at amoy baul yung kwarto (not sure if kasama sa ambiance). Room size is pretty spacious. Mas malaki pa sa deluxe ng Oakwood.

the room

Walking distance lang to Robinsons Galleria so kung may last minute needs na kailangang bilihin, pwedeng ihabol conveniently. Mura ang mga rooms nila. Pero hindi namin nagustuhan dito.

Satisfaction Level: 3 out of 7

Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria
Ortigas Avenue corner ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center

View Larger Map

Walang available na rooms for ocular noong pumunta kami dito. 

The lobby was really nice and quite expansive. Madaming photo shoot opportunities. Yun nga lang, may bayad kada place kung saan magpapakuha (usually the lobby area, the staircase, and the pool area). So doon pa lang, tagilid na kami.

Room rates are on the expensive side so out of the question na ito.

Satisfaction Level: 4 out of 7

Richmonde Hotel Ortigas
21 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center

View Larger Map

Wala ding available na rooms for ocular noong pumunta kami dito.

Malaki din ang lobby dito at sobrang perfect for wedding photos dahil maganda ang facade. May mezzanine level overlooking the ground floor and it ends with a spiral staircase. Madami na agad creative images na pwedeng ma-formulate, doon pa lang.

pretty pillars

Libre magpakuha kahit saang public areas ng hotel. Pwede din magpasok ng food sa rooms without any corkage fee. Our coordinator actually recommended this place dahil hindi masyadong stickler sa rules when it comes to wedding preps.

Rate ranges from 6K to 10K. This has been another close competitor sa mga pinagpipilian namin.

Satisfaction Level: 5 out of 7

Pero ang nagwagi... *drum roll please*

Astoria Plaza

15 J. Escriba Drive, Ortigas Business District

View Larger Map

This is the last hotel we visited at hindi namin inaasahan na we'll end up booking it. We didn't get to do an ocular on their rooms but we have friends who have been there and can vouch for its looks and if the virtual tour on their website is accurate, that too should suffice.

the lobby

First thing that caught our attention, the price! Ang twin-room suites nila ay katumbas lang ng isang single-room suite sa Oakwood. May friend pa kami na member ng Club Astoria who can book for us on a discounted rate... woot! Super thanks Pammy!

The lobby area doesn't look too opulent but it's attractive enough for photo shoots. It's free of charge and no glaring restrictions. Same thing goes for the pool area, though I'm not even sure if we really need to use it for our photos.

With that, our plan now is to get two twin-room suites and extend one of the rooms for one more day. Para may mapagtambakan kami ng mga gamit during the wedding day without worrying to immediately vacate the rooms to check out (morning wedding kasi kami). Mas masaya that way dahil kasama namin ang family namin in a room.

Satisfaction Level: 6 out of 7 

This is it!


* New items on the Wedding Updates page.
* New items on the Bookmarks section.