Three Months to Go

It's about three months to go before we say "I do"! Here, have a chunk of updates from what we accomplished during the last month.

D.I.Y. Crafts

Creating our D.I.Y. stuff is now on full-scale. There's still a lot to do but it looks like finishing them before December is still a possibility so hala bira! Enjoy naman kami sa mga ginagawa namin kaya hindi namin namamalayan na nakakadami na kami ng nagagawa. Masaya din kami kapag may mga nakaka-appreciate ng mga gawa namin from friends and relatives. Good job kami! Fat in the back! LOL.

new and improved boutonniers 

potted paper flowers

These are done projects:

• felt bouquet for bride (added brooches and improved aesthetics)
• colored tin pails for the flower girls (added laces around the pail)
• boutonniere for the entourage (wrapped the wires with ribbons)
• headbands for the flower girls (decorated with felt flowers)
• vessels for the rings and arrhae
• menu card design (printed in kraft paper)
• match box design (printed in kraft paper)
• handmade stamps for the... uhmm... we still need to think where to use these. LOL. (with help from Kaye)

"pillow" for our rings

"pillow" for our arrhae

headbands for the flower girls

These projects are still in progress:

• tags for the wishing tree (need to do about 40 pieces more)
• tags for the give-aways (have to attach it to the give-aways)
• ornamental board with our monogram (monogram is done, just need to decorate the board)
• boutonniere for the groom (boutonniere needs to stand out from others)

for the entourage

write something for us

handmade stamps (obi and kat caricatures)

Projects that are not started yet:

• wishing tree (bought the twigs in Divisoria yesterday)
• cake topper

flower pails

table ornaments

Big thanks goes to Sara Kim for giving us permission to use her designs for the wishing tag!

Bridal Gown

This month, we visited Roxy Bagano (our gown designer) for Kath's measurements. She's also a B2B (bride-to-be) o-ha, andami kong natututunang wedding acronyms [obi] and so we shared things about suppliers and other wedding stories. Kat is very happy that Roxy liked her DIY's. She left some of her flower templates with Roxy so she can try to craft her own. We are always glad to help out other couples on their preparations so imagine how happy we are to be of help to our own supplier. Apir! Haypayb!

Invitation

We almost missed where Wink is along Mayapis Street in Makati due to heavy rains heralding the typhoon Maring. Wink (or Written in Ink) will provide the invitations for our wedding. They have tons of very creative designs at affordable prices. Salamat sa malupit na pagsasaliksik ni Kath.

mas madali pa pumili ng design kesa sa kulay ng design #colorBlinding

We picked a cute and unconventional design for our invitation. It will be in a two-page loose format, inclusive of a small card where the map will be printed. May binabalak kaming gawing chechebureche para malagyan ng rustic feel yung invitations (since mostly whimsical ang datingan niya). Tignan naten.

Attire

Our moms will wear green gowns on the occasion. That will serve to bring back green on a majority violet hue of the entourage's dress and hand-carried items. A subtle way to pronounce that the motif is not just violet. 

Lahat na lang kasi ako ang itinuturong pumili ng kulay porke madaming violet. AMP! Guilty. [obi] 

peg ng mommy ni obi

We went to Divisoria on separate dates to have our moms select their gown designs and be measured for fitting. Wedding Collections by Lilia Bonaobra is the name of the store and it's conveniently inside the 168 Shopping Mall (Basement Level at LGF 07-08, to be exact). Kahilera nito yung mga iba pang pagawaan ng gowns at barong kaya madaming mapag-pipilian within the area. We picked Bonaobra's among them since nakita na namin yung mga gawa nila in the past from Kath's researches online kaya at least may references na kami.

Sa kanila na din nagpagawa ng barong si Long (my brother and a secondary sponsor) at si Tita Angie (my aunt and a principal sponsor).

mommy ni obi and kat (miss lilia, looking by)
this is NOT our gown, but the green should be the same

Shoes
Matagal na kaming may idea kung ano ang gusto naming design na swak sa vintage feel ng kasal. Pero lately lang namin nalaman na may tawag pala sa ganung klaseng style ng sapatoses!

Ladies and gents, meet the "brogue".

eto mismo ang trip ni obi (an oxford, wingtip brogue)

eto naman ang trip ni kat (a single monk, quarter brogue)

Brogues pala ang tawag sa mga multi-piece leather shoes na may decorative perforations. Ganitong klaseng sapatos ang unang pumasok sa isip namin since we decided to scratch the idea of wearing skate shoes (andami nang nagpapakasal nang naka rubbershoes) and look for alternatives.

We are looking at having our shoes custom-made in Marikina this weekend. Hoping everything goes well.

Others
We went to Divisoria yesterday and we were able to buy the following items.

• secondary veil
• dried twigs for our wishing tree
• additional DIY materials

Bibili din sana kami ng photo frames para may mapaglagyan ng social media notices kaso yung napuntahan naming store ayaw magbenta ng panay puting frames lang. Ang gusto assorted colors. Marunong pa sa amin. Eh di wag!

Kumain na lang kami sa Wai Ying, Binondo... as usual! Reward for a job well done!

pabili po ng lace

Wedding Starts on the Hudrendth

Remember, Remember, The Fourth of Forever

[Words by Obi] 

We celebrated our 4th and last anniversary as BF/GF with a relaxed dinner at Myron's Place in Greenbelt 3. Ako ang pumili ng lugar at surprise ito supposedly (will only tell her at the day, itself) but the low EQ in me blurted it out a day before the occasion (to the joy of the low EQ in her! ...bagay nga kami). So we anticipated everything ahead of time, salivating at the photos of their food online and, of course, choosing what to eat from the menu. 

In the spirit of our one-time one year food trippings, I will write the rest of this entry like how I did our food reviews. 'Ere we go!

Ang Pasakalye
Nadadaanan na namin araw-araw ang Myron's pauwi from work kaya, at the least, may idea kami how the place looks like and so identify a nice and comfy spot for us. Kat called for the reservation and requested to be seated on that area (it's along the patio facing the mini park between Greenbelt 5 and 4). Okay sa spot na yun, peksman. Tahimik at tsaka, ano yung tagalog ng "cozy"? Basta, yun!

see? relax relax lang!

Ang Nilantakan

• some chocolate-colored bread with a spoon of butter (complimentary)
• mesclun salad
• morrocan lamb shank
• oyster sampler
• angus beef rib eye steak

warming up

Nothing special about the complimentary bread. It's not even warm. Also, we're not sure why it's chocolate colored, but I'm sure there's nothing chocolatey about it.

mesclun salad

We got the basic salad para lang pampatagal ng umay. It did it's job alright and complemented the meaty taste of both the steak and the lamb shank. Still, nothing too special about it.

lamb shank

The Morrocan lamb shank comes with mashed potatoes and doused in a sauce with almonds and apricot. Lasang lasa ang middle-eastern spices sa sabaw and Kath is happy about it (we are fond of spicy food). The lamb is tender although there are bits of the obligatory rubbery tendons in between meat (to Kath's approval... siya ang mahilig sa ganun).

she sells sea shells by the sea shore

Etong oysters ang patok. We got the sampler plate which has two of each of the rockefeller, the melanio, and those with foie gras. Masarap! Ang pinaka nagustuhan namin ay yung may atay. According to personal preference na lang kung dadagdagan mo pa yung alat (sprinkled salt) or eat it as it is. Ako, gusto ko pa dagdagan ng konting asin. Nag-enjoy kami ni Kath dito, as in wide-eyed satisfaction and teary in gusto.

fact: ang pangalan ni MacGyver ay Angus. alam ko ang nasa isip mo... sino si MacGyver? sikret!

The clincher should always be their signature steak. For that, we ordered the entry level one - 240 grams of US-grade Angus beef cooked medium-rare. Saraaap! At ambigat sa tiyan! Nung nilatag siya sa amin, ang una kong naisip ay bitin ito sa akin. But even before midway through the meat, humihimas na ako ng tiyan (my equivalent of raising the white flag). Madugo at juicy yung karne. Bagay na bagay sa kasamang gravy at mashed potato. Ito ang babalikan namin dito, and the oysters!

 

Ibang Chechebureche

Okay ang nilalaman ng menu. Naiintindihan ko naman ang karamihan ng napapaloob dito. Sa ibang items, lalo na yung mga nasa wikang Pranses, medyo kelangang mag tanong na kay Kuya Waiter. Babala: huwag subukang bigkasin. Gumamit ng hintuturo. "Kuya, whatz dezz?"

nag long-sleeves ako! the end is near!

The staff are pretty attentive that in fact I believe some are either precognitive or at least clairvoyant. Isang tingin ko lang kay Kath, may lumalapit na para mag refill ng tubig. Amazing!

Walang motif yung interiors and I'm not expecting any. It's not as if they need one to match their menu. Gusto ko lang may masabi dahil ginagahanan pa ako mag sulat. Sige na nga, sasabihin ko na kung bakit nabanggit ang motif. Pag pasok ko kasi ng kubeta, napaka vintage slash quirky ng design. Parang gusto ko ng ganung kubeta sa kasal namin ni Kath. Haha! So nakakapag taka lang kung bakit hindi tugma ang disenyo ng kubeta at interiors ng resto.

one of their toilet's wall design

The place in general is worth a slice of the price tag. The furniture is sightly if not impressive and everything looks neat. Turn off lang na may aircon na tumutulo sa lugar na inupuan namin. Nothing a little shove of the table can fix, para hindi kami matuluan. We can deal with it.

Kaching!

I can sum up my comment on their pricing in one word...

Mahalperomaydahilan.

Ang Hatol

Kung may perang masusunog, go ahead. Try it here. Sulit naman eh. Saktan ang kayamanan from time to time. I foresee Kath wanting to come back in the future so pag iipunan ko na ulit ngayon pa lang.

10 out of 14!

Here's to our next anniversary... as Mister and Misis Parcon na!!

aayiiieeeehiiiiieeeee!!!

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).


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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.