RECEPTION VENUE: Marigold Pavillion
PESO POWER: 6K
INCLUSIONS: 4 hours use of the venue
RATING: Venue - 4, Owner - 3

June 2006 pa lan, nag start na kami mag scout the recep venue na malapit sa church. I must admit, dito talaga kami nahirapan.Since budgeted ang wedding, we really can't afford to have it sa hotel. So ang possible venues are clubhouses, restaurants o kaya garden. We went to Acropolis, VV6, Greenmeadows at CTK Hall pero mdyo mahal un para sa amin. Budget lang talaga namin un di lalagpas ng 10K tsaka merong indoor venue para in case na umulan, may plan B kami.

Pros:
Near the church. Affordable and within our budget. Ample parking space. Garden type setting.

Cons:
We were familiar na sa Marigold kaya we decided na dun na kami. Un owner lan eh hindi ganun ka accomodating! Imagine, two weeks before the wedding gusto niya kunin namin un morning slot para the caterer daw would have ample time to prepare! eh di lugi naman kami dun. paano kun wala naman kumuha ng slot. Usapan kce before, pde na mag set up ng maaga kung walang kukuha ng morning slot. haay! sabi ko kay hubby at sa nanay ko cla na makipag usap! ayokong ma stress sa kanya!

WEDDING OFFICIANT: Father Anwar Mari Adona
PESO POWER: Included na sa church package
RATING: 5+++++

Ang galing ni Father Anwar! He made the ceremony very solemn and personalize. Hindi un katulad ng ibang priests na parang nagmamadali o kaya walang sense un homily. Before the wedding, nag pray talaga ko na sana maganda at maayos un priest na ma-assign sa amin. We met Father Anwar during the Canonical Interview. At that time, wala pa kami idea kun sino mag officiate ng wedding and since ok naman cia during the interview, Ferdie and I asked him kun pde cia ang magkasal sa amin. He immediately said yes. His exact words pa nga when he replied, "anytime!"

CHURCH: Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Pasig City)
PESO POWER: 6K
INCLUSIONS: Red Carpet, Choir,
RATING: 5++++++

Pros:
This church is really beautiful! Since batang Pasig talaga ako, sabi ko sarili na when the right time comes for me to get married, dito ko magpapakasal. Dito na rin ako ako bininyagan at kinumpilan at syempre, ang haba haba ng aisle and sobrang ganda ng interiors. Though hindi airconditioned un church, di naman kami masyado nainitan ni hubby.Tamang tama lang. About the inclusions, since 6K un package dapat di kasama ang carrillon bells, pero since kami ang nag provide ng flowers, un na lan un pinalit. Ang ganda ng outcome, when the door opened and while I was walking down the aisle, ang lakas lakas ng tunog. Sulit un bells!

Cons:
They don't allow un may kakanta during the bridal march. Nalungkot talaga ko dito. Sobrang tagal ko pa naman pinag isipan un bridal march song ko tapos di pala pde. Di na rin ako nag pumilit, Sabi nga ni hubby, don't fret over small things. Sabi ko naman, moment ko ata un! Pero ganun talaga eh, there are things na maganda sana kun meron pero mas mabuti na rin kung wala. It did not make naman the wedding less beautiful! Buti na lang may carrillon bells, kce un ung mas narinig ko kesa un tugtog ng bridal march. Nung halfway na rin kce, deadma na ko sa tugtog, basta sa groom ko ako naka focus! hehehe...

Our wedding day kwento!

It's been a month since we tied the knot and my husband and I are so thankful for all the ideas, tips, wedding kwentos and suppliers ratings we received from the Weddings@Work e group. Being part of w@w is a great experience. It made me and my husband to be more open with each other because of our DIY projects and also helped us realize that we can have a "grand" wedding with minimal budget!

We initially allocated 150K for the wedding expenses. I know this is not feasible for some but we're glad we were able to pull it off...though our expenses ballooned to 180K (after doing the math), still we had the wedding that we wanted...Thank GOD for making it all happen.

To all the brides and grooms, here are some of our tips:
1. Make your wedding your "own".
2. Learn to let go...this is what we did and it made our wedding memorable and fun. Let your coordinators / friends do the work.
3. Enjoy the day...cherish the moment knowing that your union will be blessed by GOD and witnessed by your family and friends.

At the end of the day and when the reception is over, you will both realize....ang sarap pala talaga ikasal!

Wedding Kwentos:
Friday, March 16
We checked in at Richmonde Hotel. Since budgeted ang wedding, we only settled for 1 one-bedroom suite. We decided na ok lan magkita kami ni Ferdie during the preps. At least, nakatipid kami konti. We just made sure tha kakasya kami lahat lalo na pag dumating yung mga suppliers. Buti na lang, nagkasya naman kami! Naku ang nanay ko naisipan pa bumili ng RTW na gown kce di niya type un gown niya. Imagine, 8pm nasa megamall kami para bumili ng gown! Talaga naman...haay! ok na din kesa mag walk out or sumimangot sa wedding day ko! Ayaw talaga patalbog sa bride! ahihihihi.

Sat, March 17 our BIG DAY!
Ferdie and I woke up at around 7am. We then decided to take our breakfast pero di kami makakain...excited at the same time kinakabahan...sayang nga un food, buffet pa naman...hehehe.
Around 10am dumating na cla Angie and Ogie, mga 15 mins later, Paul Vincent and his team arrived! Ayun, start na agad cla...Ang bilis ng oras...kaya w@wies, enjoy the moment ha! smile, smile and smile lang!
Past 1pm, ready na kami lahat...We went down sa lobby para sa photo ops...ang saya! lahat ng tao nakatingin at may group ng foreigners (Korean ata) na nag pa picture sa amin...kakatuwa! Un groom ko, sanay na din mag po-pose...hehehe! na-practice sa prenup....
We left the hotel around 2:45...un tatay ko medyo kinakabahan na kce baka daw ma late kami...3pm kce dapat sa hotel na...buti na lan di trapik! Mayamaya lan, nasa church na kami.
Ang saya saya talaga nung sa church na kce I saw all my friends, hs and college barkadas tsaka former officemates...super wave naman ako while waiting sa loob ng car....feeling artisa...di kce tinted un bridal car ko...hehehe. Mga ilang mins pa, sinara na un door ng church...hala, this is it na! Buti si Manong driver, chinichika ko kaya nakakaalis ng kaba...tapos, narinig ko na un wedding march ko...tapos pinababa nako ni Ayvih (wife ni Paul) sa car (wla kce kami coordinator)...Pagbukas ng door, ayun na...di ko na napansin ang mga flowers, un wedding march di ko na masyado marinig except un carillon bells napansin ko naman kce ang lakas talaga! hehehe...Angie was telling me to walk slowly...syempre, project naman ako...nag haba ata ng aisle! halfway sa aisle, nandun ang parents ko...ang galing ko! di ako naiyak,,,,un kce un iniisip ko nun na baka maiyak ako while walking eh, sayang un moment tsaka un makeup...hehehe...Tpos, I saw my groom smiling at me,,,naisip ko, ang gwapo naman ng groom ko! hehehe...(love your own)..After na makita cia, wala nako ibang napansin....hehehe!
The church ceremony was very solemn...nung exchange of rings at turn ko na, c father kinorek ako...dapat pala kce un real name ni hubby un sabihin ko, eh nickname un ginamit ko kaya ayun, inulit ko na lan...hehehe....nung arrhae na, dito ko naiyak...kce nakita un eyes ni hubby, naluluha na...ayun! bumigay nako, tears of joy talaga...huling huli sa camera ni Paul V! ang galing...hehehe. After nun mdyo nahimasmasan nako, bigla ko naalala un cd ng avp namin! naku, naiwan sa hotel! kaya habang nilalagyan kami ng veil at cord ng ento, tinawag ko un MOH ko to assign someone para bumalik sa hotel at kunin ang avp! Fault ko to kce di ko na turn over sa MOH ko. Nasa bag ko kce kaya w@wies, make sure na i-turnover lahat sa coordinators / friends lahat ng wedding paraphernalias.
During the reception, heto ang mga nalimutan naming gawin..un winner ng boq toss, di nalagyan ng garter..nalimutan ng emcee / cousin ko...kaya picture taking lang nangyari...un money dance namin, nakalimutan din...hehehe, pero ok lan...pag balik naman namin sa hotel, napa smile kami ni Ferdie nung nabilang un money envelopes...hehehe...un time na i-play na un avp, nawawala un technician ng LCD / Projector...naku! kainis tong part na to...super hanap pa un ento ko kung nasaan un technician (sa suppliers rating un detailed kwento). dun sa distribution of mini cakes, kagulo! hehehe, lahat gusto kumuha,,,buti na lan nilagyan ko ng gift tag...kun hindi, kukuha ng kukuha un mga guests kahit may souvenir na cla..Di talaga mawawala ang pasaway na guests...di na nga nag RSVP un iba, pag dating sa recep dami pa kasama...haay! buti na lan madami un food ng Eloquente...

Honeymooning in Baguio!!!

After the wedding, we went to Baguio for a much deserved break! I personally want another place but due to budget constraint, we have to settle for Baguio. Ok for me kce at least I will be spending the days with the man I truly love...

We arrived in Baguio around 6:45 and it was raining when we arrived there.We had to look for a place to sleep so we decided to check out the hotel where we used to stay. Apparently, the hotel rooms are not so nice and quite freaky so Ferdie decided that we should look for another one. We then settled at Hotel Veniz which is very near the market and session road.

Just got married!

Whew! how time flies...before we knew it, we are already husband and wife! We've been so busy since a week before the wedding up to this day that we are a day away on our 1st month as husband and wife! GOD is really so good he made our wedding simply ours...fun, fun,fun! We had our own glitches but it made the wedding more memorable and happy...Here are a few pics from our digicam...

Prenup Pics

We had a fun time last Feb 6, 2007 at Baywalk, Roxas Blvd. Paul Vincent did a great job capturing our "moments"...Feeling artista kami ni Ferdie kce daming tao nakatingin habang nag prenup kami...It was indeed a very memorable experience. Imagine, smiling for two hours even if wla naman dapat tignan!

Hope you'll enjoy viewing our pics...