Scribbles of an Event Planner

Another Crew Meal Supplier

2012-01-26T14:00:00.006+08:00

There's a new food provider based at Imus, Cavite, who offers packed meals and they call themselves "Packed Gourmet".

Time and again, wedding suppliers have stressed out their concerns about food being served to them during lunch or dinner - cold food, sawa na sa McDo, Jollibee, KFC and sometimes no food at all.

Now that Packed Gourmet is around with an affordable and yummy meals to brag about, we're hoping that couples will consider providing suppliers food that will sustain them and give them the energy to work all day long. Mind you, the meal comes with steamed/buttered veggies, 2 cups of plain rice or garlic rice and bottled water. Take note... 2 cups of rice!

They also have party trays! For a minimum order of Php 4,000 you can serve trays and trays of their delicious food and all you have to do is call!

Party Trays Pricelist: (Medium: 8 to 10 pax, Large: 13 to 15 pax)

Beef Brocolli: M: Php 1,350, L: Php 1,750

Spicy Beef Caldereta: M: Php 1,350, L: Php 1,800

Crispy Lechong Kawali: M: Php 1,250, L: Php 1,850

Bicol Express: M: Php 900, L: Php 1,400

Pork Adobo with Salted Egg and Tomatoes: M: Php 950, L: Php 1,450

Buffalo Wings ala DonHen with Garlic Mayo Dip: M: Php 999, L: Php 1,500

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Mushroom Sauce: M: Php 1,000, L: Php 1,600

Chicken Curry: M: Ph p1,050, L: Php 1,800

Chicken Pastel: M: Php 1,050, L: Php 1,800

Breaded Fish Fillet with Garlic Mayo Dip: M: Php 900, L: Php 1,450

Fried Calamari with Tartar Sauce: M: Php 1,200, L: Php 1,700

For more details, please feel free to visit their Facebook Fan Page: Packed Gourmet or call them up at: 0922-878-4216 or 0922-867-6834

Remember, PACKED GOURMET

Your "Crew Meal Problem" Solution!

Call Now!!!!

It's More Fun In the Philippines!

2012-01-24T15:38:00.007+08:00

(Yoni and May Ann's wedding at Acuatico Beach Resort)

The Department of Tourism (DOT) launched its latest campaign "It's More Fun in the Philippines" early January 2012. Filipinos from all over the world feel so energized by this new slogan by the DOT which aims to invite tourists to visit our country.

Despite the controversies and criticisms on how they "developed" this slogan, Filipinos have been busily posting photos of the country at its beautiful people, places and events. There are also some who posted photos mocking the campaign. But for me, it just shows that we see things differently - that despite the trials and negativity, we see the silver lining and we still get to smile or laugh at our situation.

Do you want to create your own "More Fun in the Philippines" photos? Visit http://www.morefunmaker.com/ and have fun!

Entertain your guests with a unique Onsite Video

2012-01-19T20:08:00.004+08:00

I thought I saw the best onsite video ever... until I saw this.. What a way to entertain your guests and really have a GRAND ENTRANCE.

Errol Aricheta and Aubrey Carampel -Concept from Stephen Wedding Film on Vimeo.

Couples are really getting more creative these days.. I wonder what's next.

Onsite Photo Slideshow of Alex and Jam

2012-01-11T16:08:00.004+08:00

So glad that we can finally share with you the onsite photo slideshow of our first Batangas wedding (San Juan Nepomuceno Church / Acuatico Beach Resort).

onsite picture AVP from jgarcia on Vimeo.

It was really a lovely wedding and it brought back such wonderful memories. I remember Chacha being thrown in the pool by one of the groomsmen. Hahaha!

Thanks Jam for sharing! I miss you!

*photo slideshow courtesy of Ariel Javelosa Photography

Wedding Candy Buffet

2011-11-28T01:54:00.003+08:00

A lot of couples these days add a candy bar buffet as part of their menu or to serve as a self service souvenir.

You can easily get candies that matches your wedding colors so that it matches the decor of your wedding. You can display the candy bar buffet in numerous ways. One popular way is to have it displayed in a clear glass containers to allow the candies to show through.

Do you want to create your own? Here are some candy bar essentials:

Have a theme or color motif
Wrapped candies or small candies
Variety of clear glass containers
Plastic candy scoopers or ice scoopers
Chinese takeout containers, clear bags (small cellophane bags) or petit fours boxes
Ribbons
Personalized napkins (if necessary)
Thank you note

Different containers such as bowls, cake stands, large parfait or martini glasses or vases provide great visual effect.

Wedding of Rey and Kaye

2011-11-15T01:13:00.004+08:00

Kaye sang at my mom's wedding reception years back when she was still in college. I can't believe that she's so popular now and so beautiful. I so want to be as slim and beautiful as she is... hayyy... I think I better exercise more if I want to be as slim as her.

Rey and Kaye are the core members of the band Six Part Invention. They are the ones behind the song "Falling in Love" (theme song in the teleserye Agua Bendita).

Their is our first black and hot pink wedding (Kaye's favorite color is hot pink and Rey on the other hand is black). And because Kaye wants to be different just like Lady Gaga, we had to think of ways to make their wedding unique but we still want this to be as elegant and formal as it can be.

We played with feathers, crystals and pearls to come up with unique and adorable accessories for Rey and Kaye's wedding. Each one came out so pretty that people can't stop talking about their wedding.

Security was tight on the day of the wedding. How tight you ask? Tight to the point that we had marshals / bouncers at the church and reception to screen guests.

DJ Hitman was there to make sure that everyone had a great time and sure enough, people stayed and had fun!

The couple also took time out to go to Batangas to shoot their wedding music video. "MINE" was composed and written by Rey. This is their version of this song. Another version was previously recorded by Kim Chiu and appeared at "Sana Maulit Muli" teleserye soundtrack CD. This music video was recorded by Rey and Kaye as their wedding theme song.

Do you want a sneak peek of what happened at their wedding? Check out the video below. Enjoy!

"April, lam mo sobrang pasalamat din kami sa ginawa nyong suporta sa kasal ni Kaye. Both you and your group, sobrang tuwa kami kasi sobrang ganda at class talaga, mula sa maliit na bagay. Pati group mo sobrang maasikaso, masisipag. Now ko lang nasabi, thanks so much."

"Pati sa office pinag uusapan yun, mula sa maliit na detalye hanggang sa bulaklak, ribbon sa ulo, misalette, etc. Puro labor of love. But most of all the people behind. Mwaaa."

Teck Malana
Mother of the Bride
Text message received September 25, 2011

Makeover courtesy of Make up by AnneVida

2011-11-15T01:05:00.007+08:00

I saw this post of Vida via Facebook last March 2011 and I found myself thinking of things to donate.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Experiencing joy in giving is a woman's best cosmetic.

On April 28, 2011, Makeup by AnneVida is turning 4! We will be giving the children of Little Angels Home Inc (LAHI) a fun kiddie party that most of them seldom (or haven't ) experienced in their lives. LAHI is an orphanage ran by the Handmaids of the Risen Christ Monastic Community located at Tagaytay City. Currently, there are 38 orphans living in this shelter.

To make this event extra-special, aside from the kiddie party, we wish to give these children some toys, books, diapers, and clothes. In order for us to provide all these, we decided to ask for some help from our friends.

Makeup by AnneVida presents:

A BEAUTY TREAT FOR A BEAUTIFUL HEART

We are all inviting you to celebrate our anniversary with us by simply donating a few of your used clothes (preferably kids' clothes), old toys, and books that can still be passed on to the kids of LAHI.

To show our appreciation and gratitude to those who will support our campaign, the names of the donors will be listed until end of April, from this list we are raffling off FREE Beauty Makeover with Basic Photo Session to 5 lucky participants --all courtesy of Makeup by AnneVida!

We hope you enjoy our treat as we revamp your looks while you give these children another reason to smile. Its about time to be beautiful inside and out.

Truly yours,

Anne & Vida

I was so happy that I was part of Make up by AnneVida's outreach when it materialized. All I wanted to do was share old toys that I found from our old house at Casimiro. I never expected to win a makeover (I never win anyway). I was actually shocked when I found out.

Look! Look! Yes... That's me! I can't believe it myself. Sooo pretty!!

This is the reason why Make up by AnneVida is on top of my list. You will never go wrong and their rates are so reasonable. Just look at my before and after pictures! Check out my left eye (before picture), I actually have a sty that day. But look again (after picture), you wont even believe that I have a sty, my eyes looked bigger, my skin tone was evened out and dark circles under my eyes were gone. If this doesn't convince you, I don't know what will.

Here are their rates (as of December 14, 2011):

Traditional Make up - Hair and Make up Package

Package A: bride and groom only (no retouch)

Php 6,000

Package B: bride and groom only (with retouch / 2nd look)

Php 8,000

Package C: bride and groom + 2 heads (with retouch bride only / 2nd look)

Php 11,500

Package D: bride and groom + 4 heads (with retouch bride only / 2nd look)

Php 13,500

Others:

Additional head: Php 2,000

Out of town fee: Php 4,000

Trial make up (at the studio): Php 2,000 (visit them at Before I Do Bridal Fair every May and November for a FREE trial!)

Trial make up onsite: Php 3,000

Upgrade from Traditional Make up to Airbrush Make up: Php 5,000

Airbrush Make up - Hair and Make up Package

Package A: bride and groom only (with retouch / 2nd look)

Php 12,000

Package B: bride and groom + 2 heads (with retouch bride only / 2nd look)

Php 15,000

Others:

Additional head: Php 2,000 (traditional)

Upgrade of additional head from traditional to airbrush: Php 1,500

Trial make up for Airbrush (at the studio): Php 2,500

Trial make up onsite: Php 3,500

Out of town fee: Php 4,000

Note: Grooming of the groom is already included in all of the packages as long as the groom is within the same area of the bride's prep location.

If you just want them to do your hair and make up for your prenup shoot, check out their rates below:

Prenup A: Hair and traditional make up (no retouch)

Php 2,000

Prenup B: Hair and traditional make up - 3 change looks with retouch

Php 5,000

Out of town fee: Php 2,500

Upgrade to Airbrush: additional Php 1,500

They require a 30% down payment (from the total cost) in order for them to block the date for you.

You can reach them at:

0927 341 4636 or makeupby.annevida@gmail.com

Check them out at: http://www.facebook.com/makeupbyannevida

Real beauty shines from within...

The Wedding of Jeremi and Ria

2011-11-14T17:19:00.003+08:00

Lynn Arojo of Okasyon et al used to be an exhibitor at our very first bridal fair (2005). They're not your regular event planners because they have a niche of their own. What is it you say? Like everyone else they coordinate weddings but what makes them different is that they specialize in military weddings.

She touched based with me in July 2010 for her friend, Ria. Much as she wants to help Ria she can't since she's pregnant. I took the opportunity to work with Ria with enthusiasm because I was touched and honored that of all the Wedding Planners that Lynn knows, she chose me to refer to her friend.

Ria and Jeremi are both nurses but are stationed at different parts of the world. Ria is based in Toronto, Canada while Jeremi is in Los Angeles, California. We only got to talk once and after that Ria hired us for Month of the Wedding Coordination.

Ria's sister Beth was such a big help to Ria and Jeremi. She calls every now and then to ask for guidance and sometimes to let out some steam about their "designer" who apparently was Ms. D (our blind item supplier from another wedding). Ms. D is the one making the gowns of the bridal party. Ria bought her wedding gown from Canada but Ms. D was hired to adjust the gown since Ria is on the family way.

Ms. D is so funny. For someone who makes gowns, she sent the fitting form at the prep site at five o'clock in the afternoon. I didn't bothered to call and follow up in the morning since they don't really fulfill their promises to deliver. It was just a good thing that I always bring my own or else the wedding gown would have been just displayed at the bed. Problem solved!

They even have a lovely candy bar! The kids and the grown up kids were so excited when they saw the table.

I love their wedding. It was very personal and you can feel the love. I even cried when they did their first dance. Below is a picture of one of their "props" when they did their first dance. How I wish I can share their on-site video. You'll laugh and cry all at the same time.

The Wedding of Jayo and Claudette

2011-11-14T02:40:00.000+08:00

Claudette is a friend of a classmate of mine way back grade school. Without any second thoughts I said that I'm happy to be of assistance but then she found our rates a little too steep and said that she'll call me back. Then I told myself, "Hmmm... Goodbye client".

Couples who find our rates too high don't normally call back but Claudette did. Apparently, somebody charges more than we do for a wedding at Tagaytay Highlands (additional 20% of the package rate instead of a fixed out of town rate).

She only got us for Month of the Wedding Coordination since as she said she has everything covered. But as her wedding drew nearer she expressed her disappointments with what's happening with her wedding. So even if it's not yet time for us to step in and take over, I took it upon myself to relieve her of her stress and pain.

Stress factors were everywhere until the day of the wedding even Ms. Red of Tagaytay Highlands was sharing her own stress. I applaud Claudette for being able to let go of all the stress... As we would always say, "Let go and let God".

The Wedding of Henzie and Kat

2011-11-11T16:29:00.004+08:00

Henzi and Kat's wedding is one for the books for me. Aside from the heat there were some unforgettable incidents that happened but I'll blog about it some other time. But in this case, I'll let Kat tell you about her wedding. I sent Kat some guide questions to help her tell us about her journey. I have to warn you. Kat loves to write so expect a long read.

WHAT 3 ADJECTIVES THAT BEST DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING AND WHY?

BIG…HOT…FULLY LOADED (seems like a campaign ad for KFC haha)

BIG day…literally and figuratively. We literally dubbed our church wedding as BIG day for we considered our civil wedding our small day (makes sense?). Kidding aside it was a big celebration, a big gathering of family, friends and colleagues that were and are part of our lives. ‘Twas an event planned for almost 3 years starting its conceptualization (having the civil wedding as part of the plan too!) We planned something that is so extravagant, getting the best (if possible and able) to be part of our wedding team with the line of thought that “after all, this is a once in a lifetime event) but this cliché has its cons too like everything “no pain, no gain”. We made a lot of sacrifices (a lot) along the way though to make it this BIG.

(note: Henzi wants to use the word SPECTACULAR which I think is a little too strong descript LOL)

HOT…thesaurus lists humid and warm as synonyms. Humid because it was literally hot that day at 33 degrees which was listed as one of the hottest days for that summer period in the Philippines. Oh lord why on that day?!? But it was also warm because of the overwhelming reception that had been sorta-kinda-like of reunion of family, relatives, college friends, childhood friends we have never seen in ages and most of all a meet-and-greet opportunity for Henzi to meet my clan and me to meet his as well which in 4 years of being together has not been done as we just know our immediate families.

FULLY LOADED…they say every event must be an EXPERIENCE and surely we tried to make this one true. Well aside from the given fact that a wedding day will always be filled with a whirlwind of emotions (one moment is in laughter then in tears) the event was loaded with the majestic scenery and ambiance of Fernbrook Gardens…sumptuous buffet and a hefty serving of dessert from Josiah’s (which we were not able to maximize, the course served at the couple’s table only reached the salad part and then we have to get back to the program… so starving the morning after). We also made sure to have a lot of thingamajinx of sorts for the guest to do. On top of the cocktails after the ceremony and the fad photobooth, we had edible seat finders (sakura-maccha kitkat from japan), madlibs to fill-up as wedding advice, a “love the color “ raffle for guests who attended with the theme color. We tried to fit in the event stuff that we would want to have and will enjoy if we were the guests ourselves. This we succeeded as all the guest were just in awe after it and we can just hear all praises (except for the occasional mention that the weather was not conducive that day argh! then we realized why are there so many December brides and end up in a discussion that we should have just proceeded with our initial plan of getting married on January 2012 oh well!).

WHAT INSPIRED YOUR PERSONAL WEDDING STYLE AND HOW DID YOU INCORPORATE YOUR STYLE AND PERSONALITIES INTO YOUR BIG DAY?

My first visit to Japan was in April 2007 and during those times Sakura or cherry blossoms were all over the place. I instantly fell in love with its cotton candy like dainty flowers and of course it’s PINK!!! Henzi also liked spring the most in Japan. And so when we were discussing on a unique theme that we can do, having cherry blossoms was the instant and unanimous decision. We were also kinda hesitant at first because since it’s not a common theme here in the Philippines and cherry blossoms are not locally available we may have some difficulties with it but at the end of the day we managed to pull it off =) (thanks to the wedding suppliers who joined in our efforts to create that feel during the wedding)

Here’s an excerpt from websites describing cherry blossom theme:

- cherry blossoms are special because its flowers only lasts 1-2 weeks which usually marks the beginning of spring (life anew)

- cherry blossoms are beloved for they stand for virtue and new beginnings, even more they stand for joys and our lives

- Cherry blossoms signify the fleeting moments in life like the wedding day. They also stand for new beginnings. In Japan, cherry blossoms stand for good fortune and wealth. And what better way to celebrate these things than using cherry blossoms as a theme for your wedding.

We also dubbed our BIG Day with the tag line, “Love in full bloom” because for one the theme has to do with flowers and more so our church wedding marks the fullness of our love as to the soft start that we had last civil wedding and it marks the start of our new life "together" in every sense of the word (being away for 4 years with the days of physical togetherness combined in that four years would not even equal to a year).

Personally I am a minute person. I look into so much of the small details which make me tend to ask so much from a particular supplier ie would this possible? Can the package be customized? Can we do this instead and the list goes on. I even remember my friend telling me that the wedding so me with all the knick knacks and details of the wedding and she bet I gave the supplier a hard time in my long list of ifs and buts. Hmmm have I? haha

WHAT WAS YOUR WEDDING COLOR PALETTE?

PINK and PURPLE or specifically the gobstopper pink and eggplant. Of course, there should be pink in the palette (or I would be in rage haha) but since the groom loves the color purple since forever we can’t go with strawberry pink and chocolate brown that the usual cherry blossom themed wedding has.

LOOKING BACK, WHAT ARE THE MOMENTS, DECISIONS OR MEMORIES THAT YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT YOUR WEDDING?

THEME

Looking back, there is no other theme that we wanted for our wedding than the cherry blossoms. We (most especially me) got addicted to anything with cherry blossom in it. I even find myself spending hours and hours searching the web for ideas and photos of real weddings with the same theme.

DIY STUFF

This is where personally I had fun. Why? Because it does not only saved us moolah but had so much memories while doing it and that adds more value to it. Well we had a number of DIY stuff (listed below) but the one which I liked the most was the honey favors. When Henzi and I were talking about the favors we wanted something that can connect with us or how we began or things that are dear to us. In one of our brainstorming sessions (aka date haha), we thought that since we both work in a glass plant we wanted something made of glass. We originally wanted a glass work art from a glass art studio in Japan which is also part of the group of companies we are in. But nah this would be so expensive so we just thought it would be best to get a product locally which is SMY which then I was still part of. So we were sure it was a bottle. The next decision was easy and that is to fill it with honey since its how we call each other. Yes, we can have opted for a supplier to do this but in the light of making it more personalized and unique for the guest we want to be able to do it ourselves or technically by the bride rather because the groom is in a far away land.

Just when we thought it was easy because all I had to do was buy bottles from the company I am working and then look for honey and that’s it, I was faced with bigger issues. All the bottles that I liked in our display area that may be suited for the favors are design patented which means they cannot be used with any other product. Generic bottles are sold too but in such humongous size of that of kaongs, sweet beans, nata de coco or the likes of for patis, suka and toyo. Not a good looking bottle for honey. To cut the long story of the search for bottles, I then asked the help of no less than our plant manager to find a bottle for it (I mustered all my guts to seek for his help amidst all the more important issues in the plant hehe) and my prayers were answered then I asked another help from a colleague to order the caps in another of the packaging plant because ordering from them requires some technical dimensions with regards to the fit of the cap etc. Whew! This I thought was just easy like buying from a sarisari store but I was mistaken but wait that just a quarter of the story (you might probably be saying what!!!!).

Yes, oh yes so I already had 200 bottles. I had to bring it from my office in Cavite to Makati for safekeeping at my lola’s house and to ask for their help to wash and dry the 200 bottles. Talk about delegation hehe. So now I should look for a honey supplier. Things would be easier to just purchase honey from a grocery store but that would be a little expensive so I need to find a much cheaper supplier. I remember that in the stretch of Tagaytay you will see some local shops selling fruits as pasalubong and there are also signs there “honey and suka for sale”. So one rainy afternoon (Hmmm now I don’t even recall why I proceeded that day with that weather), I drove all the way to Tagaytay for my sweet honey tasting (hmmm never tasted honey that is not sweet LOL). I went to each of the stores and had so many spoonfuls of honey. I was already in my way down from Tagaytay when I finally found the honey supplier I want and realized it had already been 20 km from where I started and that I think I am already in glucose overload. This sums up the 1st half of the story.

(And oh did I mention it to you that I made all this search more than a year before the wedding but it was just two months before when I went back to that store to confirm my order. I had to introduce myself again and made her recall our previous encounter and funny the lady who owns the store told me, “Akala ko hindi ka na babalik eh, nakapanganak na ako lahat e hindi ka pa nakabalik” haha)

I realized that for a DIY bride, planning is the key to maximize the idea of savings and admit that I need help because I cannot do it all by myself. It was just a month before the wedding and the honey I ordered were already due to be picked up and the caps were already delivered in the office. I realized that the simple DIY project I thought is very tedious after al. I then asked my friends in the workplace to help me label the 200 caps (ooops I forgot to mention there that this had to start from carefully cutting it into a circle) and since I am already leaving the country might as well do a despedida. So in this despedida cum labor night, we went to Silang to get the honey and drive up to Tagaytay to do the labeling of the caps over food of course!!! A productive bonding moment if I may say.

Bottles check…Caps with labels check…Honey check…Ooohhh now I am getting more excited this to be finished. So since the bottles are in Makati I thought that it would be best to just do the filling there so I can ask the folks in Makati to help me this time because my friends in Cavite might think I am abusing them already haha. Lola’s dining room was suddenly transformed in a factory filling line since we have to create a system not to make a big mess and attract ants (oh lord) so a space would be for filling, capping then individually sealing it into plastic bags (because of the paranoia that it will be reached by ants) and stacking them into boxes. And voila after a whole day of filling, sticky sweet hands we were able to finish 200 of it all. I brought a sample to my mom back home in Cavite for her to see the finished product (of course sans the plastic bag) and she said it looked so plain. She thought that it would be nicer if it would be placed in tulle in the weddings color palette (which is pink and purple) and alternately tied with a ribbon of the other color. I told my mom it was a nice idea but with just 2 weeks before the wedding we might not have time to do it. She said she’’ll be the one to take care of it after all she can do it during her free time instead of watching telenovela or siesta time. She asked me to bring back the honey filled jars to our house in Cavite and so I did. She called on the help of her “kumares” and invited them to our house to help her do it. I say that was very ingenious of you mother…another set of workforce brilliant! After it has been packaged my brother presented to cut off and assemble boxes that would fit the newly packaged honey jars. After all of this, I transferred that honey jars again to Lola’s house in Makati since our house is very ant friendly, the ant kingdom near our house has such very intelligent ants that they seemingly appear INSTANTLY wherever you have food LOL. And so I also asked the folks in Makati that they’ll be the one to endorse the favor to the coordinators so that it can be less of a burden on my part.

And that’s the end of the honey favors DIY adventure. Initially, a supplier had me quoted around P100/bottle of honey which costs P20,000 for 200 bottle. Computing all the materials purchased for this DIY project only summed up to P6,300. Prior to the wedding day I was completely convinced that doing the favors as DIY was a good idea because we were able to save on this but looking back with all the time and effort of me, my family and so many other people plus the gas and food expenses, I am now thinking it might have been easier to have just opted to get it from a supplier. But nah the adventures, the hardships, bonding, laughter and memories shared in every phase of this DIY is certainly PRICELESS!!! =)

DANCE

The decision of having a dance came up during the planning phase but we just then decided to push it a week before the wedding itself. Good thing we managed to have choreographer in such a short notice and have our rehearsal two days before the wedding. All seems well but then we thought of revising the steps to make it easier for me considering the gown I am wearing and thus also entailing the need to edit the dance medley itself and this happened in the midnight before the wedding. Hence we stayed until the wee hours of morning practicing. Talk about beauty rest before the wedding!

We even did last minute practices after the retouch time before the reception to know how it really feels like with our dresses on. Some serious performance indeed haha!!! And tadah…everyone enjoyed our dance as much as we did. The star of the performance was Henzi because it was the first time everyone saw him dance hence the launch of his dancing career LOL!

PRENUP

Feeling celebrities/models for a day!!! We truly enjoyed doing the photo shoot. It was tiring but was SOOOO fun. We planned to have a stylists for the shoot but because of cost cutting measures we opted to do it by ourselves. We set the shoot 6 months ahead of the date and said to ourselves that will give us time to think on the themes that we want to incorporate but just as expected we found ourselves cramming days before the actual day of the shoot. We then agreed that the themes that we will choose should be or at least available in my wardrobe. One theme that he chose was gothic and I was like what the heck! Good thing our designer had one for rent whew!

Since we also want props to be used for the shoot we went to faraway land of Quezon City (really far away as we were both from South) to look for unique novelty items. So now how about the groom’s clothes? But just then we thought it would be easy as he can just burrow stuff from friends or our relatives, it was otherwise. It was neither it was not his size or they had none of it. We ended up buying every single item as in everything that he wore during the shoot as he just brought some jeans and casual shirts in his luggage and should not have happened If we have talked about this before he left Japan. Some cost cutting measures we thought huh. Planning failure on this one! =( But after all the mishaps, twas all worth it because the pictures were greatly appreciated and admired by our relatives and friends =)

FOOD TASTING

Free food! Ehem…The season of wedding preps is expensive so free food translates to savings on the food for a date. You’ll end up full after tasting a wide variety of dish from hors d'oeuvres to desserts galore. Kidding aside we mean, we’re like judges of junior master chef trying to figure out what set of food will complement each other, from the cocktails to the dessert, and what will make that day even more memorable to the guests.

Wedding Details:
Prep Site: Bellevue Hotel Manila
Church: Notre Dame de Vie Chapel
Church Musicians: Tales of Music Ensemble
Reception: Fernbrook Gardens
Event Styling: 15-58 Flowers
Make up Artist: Make up by AnneVida
Florist: 15-58 Flowers and Styles
Photo and Video: Ariel Javelosa Photography
Wedding Cake: Cherry Blossom Cakes
Entertainment: Tales of Music Ensemble
Invitations: Home and Bridal Essentials

Best Prenup Photo Contest

2011-10-25T13:36:00.003+08:00

We're at the last leg of our Best Prenup Photo Contest for 2011!

Nine entries were submitted and are already online for voting.

Just to remind you guys. (1) The voting system is database driven and votes are tracked via the voter's Facebook ID. (2) Before you can vote, you need to LIKE the Fan Page - BEFORE I DO BRIDAL FAIR SERIES. (3) You can only vote once (4) Don't try to trick the system by unliking the fan page and liking it again to vote for the second time. Because it wont work.

Five entries with the most votes will be showcased at Megatrade Hall 3, SM Megamall for on site voting from November 18 to 20, 2011. Only guests who booked their suppliers on site will be able to cast a vote. All you have to do is present your Official Receipt to the Secretariat's Booth and for every Php 500 of your accumulated receipts entitles you to one vote.

At the end of the bridal fair, the couple with the highest votes wins a wedding cake and it's all up to you!

Before I Do Bridal Fair 10th Ed. Pre-Event Press Release

2011-10-13T19:26:00.004+08:00

As a bride to be, you have a long list of to-do: picking color motifs, tasting the best for your menu, getting done with the gowns, booking significant suppliers, and the list never ends. Stress out no more, you may just cross out everything on your list.

Come to the 10th Before I Do Bridal Fair at SM Megatrade Hall 3, SM Megamall on Nov. 18 to 20, 2011 and see over 70 wedding suppliers in one venue to help you out in your wedding planning! Photographers, hair and makeup artists, designers, wedding planners, even honeymoon destinations are here to help you make sure you have everything for your dream wedding! And the best news of it all, they are offering discounts and freebies! Book them on the event dates and get a chance to win a 4 days and 3 nights stay at Hotel Vida Clark!

Before I Do Bridal Fair 10th Edition is supported by the following sponsors: Hotel Vida, Party Channel, Sound Level, Nice Print Photography, Business World, Wedding Planner Magazine, Wedding Digest, 88DB.com, Bridalbook.ph, Kasal.com and Herword.com.

To register for free entrance, visit http://www.before-ido.blogspot.com

BTW, Suppliers are Human Beings, too

2011-09-12T15:09:00.007+08:00

I felt sad on what happened to one of my favorite photographers, Atty. Raymond Fortun. Just the other day he shared with us what happened to him and his team.

They have a wedding shoot scheduled for Caleruega at 9 in the morning. The client informed him a day before the wedding that they (the couple) booked their preparation site at Club Punta Fuego. My jaw dropped upon hearing this. If you know where Club Punta Fuego is and how far it is from Caleruega, your jaw will drop too.

It would have been best to just get a room at Tagaytay Highlands, Taal Vista Hotel or One Tagaytay Place - no worries, no stress. The couple should have at least shouldered the accommodations of the team instead of having them travel at unholy hours of the night/morning. That road going to Club Punta Fuego is scary at night. Why? No street lights and the nearest soul will be kilometers away. What will you do if all of the sudden you have a flat tire or had car trouble?

Do you want to find out what's the saddest thing about this? Read on and find out...

I very seldom see a supplier speak out on what happened at a wedding. The reason is obvious -- he might be perceived and/or labeled as a crybaby, a bitch, "difficult-to-work-with" etc. which would have a negative effect on future bookings. There are various wedding community sites in the web that cater to the couples, but NONE that i know of for the suppliers per se. This has spawned a lopsided disadvantage in favor of couples and against suppliers, with the latter being at the mercy of the former. An unfair or even untruthful criticism about a wedding supplier can become viral in a matter of days, and the supplier has NO ability to defend the besmirching of his reputation.

I am NOT afraid of criticism; my body of work and the way that i have comported myself during a wedding will speak volumes for myself. As there may be people -- the unknowledgeable, the envious competitors, and those who believe in them -- who would/could go speak ill of me, i am confident of an army of satisfied couples, their parents and friends and fellow suppliers who can attest to the quality of my work and the warm/easy manner that i have dealt with everyone i meet.

So i speak out now, on a sensitive topic that is sure to strike a raw nerve somewhere, in the defense of MY community -- the wedding supplier community -- on a matter that has happened to A LOT OF US in the past but, for the reasons i have mentioned, nobody has spoken about.

I am NOT a diva. I do not ask that every question to me begin with "Please" or "Sir". I do not ask for an umbrella to keep me dry from the rain while i shoot. I certainly do not ask that i be fed the same as the guests at the reception.

But suppliers are people working VERY HARD for your wedding. Suppliers are people, too. Don't forget to FEED US.

My contract with the couple is always clear: "Meals/snacks will be provided by the client." This means that if you have a morning wedding, the couple is contractually bound to provide for breakfast AND lunch; if it's an afternoon wedding, the couple is obligated by contract to provide for lunch AND dinner. As i said, hindi kami humihingi ng 10-course dinner. I'd gladly have a prepared meal of 1 fried lumpia, suka and rice. Kahit isang pirasong siomai, masaya na ako.

During a recent wedding shoot, the calltime was 4AM (for a 9AM wedding). I make it a point to always be at least 1 hour early, so my personal calltime was 3AM. We arrived at the out-of-town venue at 1:30AM. Thinking that the couple would still be asleep around that time, my team and i decided to just wait out the few hours infront of the town plaza, where there was a 24-hour Jollibee outlet. Natulog na lang ako, thinking that breakfast would be provided by the couple.

We were not served breakfast. Puyat na nga, gutom pa. If i had been told in advance, i would have gladly taken out Jollibee chicken from my own pocket. Good thing i didn't get an ulcer due to an empty stomach during the wedding.

Suppliers are NOT household help (N.B. although i also do not favor treating yayas as third-class citizens, but this post is not about them). Suppliers are professionals. Treat them as co-equals in producing the wonderful memories of your wedding. At the very least, do not forget to feed them properly.

The couple may be the stars of the show, but there will be no stars of a movie without the valuable contributions of the supporting cast.

with permission to repost

Onsite / Same Day Edit Video

2011-08-08T18:53:00.004+08:00

Onsite videos here in the Philippines would cover scenes from the bridal suite, the ceremony and sometimes a few scenes from the reception. This is normally shown a little after dinner but hopefully not the end because as you know, most of our friends would just eat and run.

Someone posted this on Facebook and I was really amazed. Photographer and Videographer friends were inspired by it but I don't know if they will introduce this concept to their clients.

Two thumbs up for the people behind this music video.

I hope one of our couples would agree to do something like this because no one has done this kind of onsite video in the Philippines as of today. So awesome!!!

If the couple burned copies of this music video and distributed to their guests, it would have been one great souvenir. They wont get tired of watching it and they'll even brag that they're one of the people who made the music video possible.

I saw other music videos similar to this. But this is still the best one there is.

Of Wedding Coordinators and Commissions

2011-07-16T09:44:00.016+08:00

I had often wondered why some photographers seem to remain in the A-List even when their work habits were less than exemplary (specifically, they were notoriously late), and their work output do not justify the hefty price they give for their service. I had long suspected that they had a quid pro quo with certain wedding coordinators when it cam to projects. Now I know that my suspicions are correct.

A top wedding photographer (Paul Vincent) has revealed that some coordinators ask for a commission when the photographer is referred to a client. Let me make it clear that Paul doesn't need to pay off coordinators to be booked; his sterling work speaks of itself. It's the gall that some coordinators have in asking for a commission when they refer a photographer to a couple that is the object of this post. For the record, I've never tolerated the despicable practice. I do not need to pay coordinators to get work. I do not prvide for video services, so am often asked by couples if I could refer a videographer to provide the service. I have done so willingly and cheerfully without expecting any commission from the videographer. What is important for me is that the couple is satisfied with the people who will preserve the memories of their special day.

To my couples and to all those who will deal with coordinators, the following DON'T ask for commission: Summer Reyes-Carullo, Geraldine Linchangco-Marabut, Camille Yamio, Marivic Villacarlos-Arriza, Susana P. Claricia, Beth Feliciano, Hazel Ancheta Jover, Angel Francisco, Charmine Vallejos, Darlene Tan, Chi Hernandez-Abarquez, Clarice Avinante, Kutchie Zadarriaga, Amanda Tirol. There may be others whose names I may have forgotten, but I can vouch for the integrity of those I did. Sa mga coordinators na hindi ko binanggit, go ahead and make my day.

(posted with permission)

This was posted by Atty. Raymond Fortun at his Facebook account a few months back. I was fortunate enough to have worked with him last year and I felt so honored that he mentioned me here and to be the first on his list.

But you know, this also happens to us Wedding Coordinators. Suppliers from different industries would often call us or send us emails and ask for commissions if they refer us or they'll give us commissions if we refer them.

And I always have one reply... "Sorry, we can't do that. If you want to give us something, we suggest you extend this to our client and deduct it from the package they're availing".

Now isn't that better? Clients will be more happy with the savings that they'll get.

Touched

2011-07-09T00:37:00.000+08:00

It was October 28, 2010 when I got an email from Angie Radan (she owns Realm Salon and they joined our bridal fair last 2009) with a subject heading - Wedding Invite.

Before opening it I thought "For sure this was sent by mistake". But lo and behold, it was really intended for us! This was a sweet surprise. Why? Because it's the first time that we got an invitation (a wedding invitation at that) from one of our bridal fair exhibitors. I was fighting tears of joy from falling down my checks. I was really touched. I never thought that we meant that much to Angie.

Another surprise came on the day of their wedding when they mentioned us during their thank you speech. Mega touched na talaga ako! A very special testimonial indeed!

Below were Angie's emails -

1st email-

Boss Alvin and Summer:)

Sending you our e-invite for December 3. We want to send out all invites before November 15 and I know it'll be impossible to meet you guys before that since it's the PEAK for all wedding suppliers:) Just so you know, Ritchie and I are thankful to you both because you have played a very important role in our lives as a couple and as business partners. You're truly a part of our growth and success as a wedding supplier in this very interesting world of weddings:) God has used you both in inspiring us to continuously grow REALM and be a channel of HIS blessings to more people:)

We hope you can join us on December 3:) God bless you both!

2nd email-

ang galing kasi eh . . . we're just starting a family and VRC has brought us so much blessings:) medyo nakikilala na din namin ang mga tao sa industriya and there are only a few whom you can trust:) see you!!! Mwah!!!

Below are some pictures we took on the day of their wedding.

Things to Consider When Preparing for your Prenup

2011-07-07T18:08:00.021+08:00

Having your prenuptial photo session has it's advantages. Like weddings, it's a special day for you to show off your personality and wedding style.

When you prepare for a prenup session consider the following:

Photographer - Check with your photographer if the prenup session is part of your package. If not, prepare to shell out Php 5,000 to Php 10,000. Check with them how many will be with you on the day of the shoot. Some will bring a team of 3 while others will not bring an extra person. Also, ask the studio that as much as possible to have the same photographer on your wedding day. This will make you at ease smiling for him on your wedding day since you'll have a "bonding" session during your prenup.
Theme - Are you following a certain theme or anything goes? If with a theme, you might need props to complement your attire and venue.
Venue - Most often than not it is the couple who tells the photographer where they want to have their prenup unless they don't have any idea. Your photographer can also suggest places where he had photo sessions before depending on your preference or theme. Securing the venue will be your responsibility. It would be nice if your venue will complement your theme. Most couples these days want to make full use of the service of their photographer so they go around the metro for the prenup. Some photographers/studios wont specify in their contract that you are limited to 1 or 2 venues for your prenup. It is best to check with them first before you plan out your schedule.
Schedule - Most photographers will accommodate you only on weekdays.
Time - Most couples have their prenup in the afternoon. Also, a prenup session normally lasts for 3 to 4 hours. Beyond that, your photographer might charge you extra. So don't forget to ask if they charge extra if you go beyond the allotted time.
Make up - Do you have a Make up Artist already? Why not schedule a trial make up in the morning then schedule your prenup in the afternoon? That why you don't have to spend extra for the make up and at the same time you'll know how you'll look in your pictures and how long will the make up last. Some Make up Artists would tag along for your retouch but double check with your Make up Artist if they provide this kind of service (tag along during prenup). Don't assume.
Weather - If it's raining, do you have a back up plan? If it's too sunny, be sure to have an umbrella, a face towel to wipe your sweat off or extra shirts. You do not want to be sweating like a pig during your prenup.
Attire - Bring 3 sets. Preferably something casual, formal, dressy or according to your theme. It would be nice if you can bring a friend to help you when you change clothes.
Permits - Some places / venues would require permits and some don't. Some would charge you as low as Php 50.00 (just to cover the entrance fee) and others will charge you as high as Php 10,000. You will have to pay and secure the permit.
Food - Everyone is happy when they're not hungry so when you go out for your prenup session be ready to provide merienda, lunch or dinner. Your photographer might even go the extra mile if you take care of them (like no extra charge for extension, more pics or more venues).
Transportation - Some photographers will bring their own car while others don't. Check with them first so that you know if you can just give them a transportation allowance or you can pick them up from their studio. Just to remind you as well, you have to bring them back to the studio after the shoot. More and more couples are going out of town for their prenup. If you're one of them, please be prepared to shoulder the cost for transportation, food and accommodation (if applicable) of the people going with you. Take note that there are some photographers who will also charge extra for an out of town shoot.
Parking space - You have to think of the convenience of the group going to the venue. Just imagine walking 3 blocks away under the sun just to get to your venue? How about the poor photographer without assistants carrying all his stuff?
Map / Directions - Before you go anywhere be sure you know where you're going. If there's traffic be sure to know the short cuts.

You can use the pictures in so many ways. You can use it almost every printed matter for your wedding such as:

wedding website
wedding invitation
guest book
table signs / numbers
souvenirs
misalettes
photo booth layout
or better yet, join the bi-annual prenup photo contest of Before I Do Bridal Fair Series

Last month, I chanced upon a tweet about a prenup shot that didn't really appeal to some people in Twitter Town because the prenup session was done at Libingan ng mga Bayani. I investigated and found out that it was a shot by East Digital Studio, one of the loyal exhibitors of Before I Do Bridal Fair Series. I also chanced upon a tweet blaming the photographer/studio for the venue and the output.

Anthony Magana of East Digital Studio was interviewed by several TV stations since the Filipino community in Facebook found out about this as well. He explained their side of the story and as I mentioned in my tweet in response to the nasty tweets - It is the couple who dictates the theme and secures the permit. As to their big smiles, the photographer can't do anything about it if the couple loves to laugh and be happy.

Crew Meal 2

2011-07-01T14:39:00.014+08:00

I once blogged about the same topic a few years back and it's about time I include another supplier or 2 to the list.

I recently discovered another packed meal supplier who delivers at our area! But like any other delivery service they have a minimum of 30 packed meals per order. Do you want to hear another good news? They also deliver to areas like Muntinlupa, Paranaque and Las Pinas for FREE (if you order for 50 packed meals)! For deliveries at Tagaytay they charge Php 300. Not bad considering that we always order for more than 30 people at a time.

For rice meals, you have a choice of 1 viand, rice, side dish and mineral water for only Php 120 or 2 viands, rice, side dish and mineral water for Php 150.

The choices for the viands are the following:

Chicken Hamonado
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Special Embutido
Special Adobo
Burger Steak
Fried Chicken with side dish
Chicken Barbeque
Lumpiang Shanghai
Pork Tonkatsu
Buttered Garlic Shirmp
Beef with Mushroom
Sweet and sour pork
Chicken Teriyaki

Choices for the side dish are:

Buttered Corn Kernels and Carrots
Macaroni Salad
Tropical Style Coleslaw
Buttered Vegetables

At least it's not your usual Mcdo, Jollibee, Max's Fried Chicken meals. Admit it, you're tired of eating the same crew meal everytime you're at a wedding. Hehehe.

You can contact them at 0922 3116381 or 0928 6095884.

There's another one that I found online. Yes, you can order your crew meal online. Try visiting Adobo.ph and check out their offerings. It's your turo-turo carinderia with a twist! Savor your favorite home cooked meals delivered at your doorstep. What's another amazing thing about this is that you have a lot of choices (ala carte, combo meals or create your own).

Hoping to post a review on both services soon!

Prenup at Intramuros

2011-06-28T17:41:00.009+08:00

Two of our couples this year had their prenup photo shoot at Intramuros. It's a great place to consider since there are so many places you can choose in one location... Hmmm. Did I made sense?

Things to do:

Make a request letter addressed to the Administrator of Intramuros Administration, Mr. Jose A. Capistrano, Jr..
Bring your letter of request personally to - 5th floor, Palacio del Gobernador corner General Luna and Aduana Streets, Intramuros, Manila
In your request letter indicate the purpose of your request, time (they would only allow you to do your photo shoot from 8:00 am to 12 noon), your preferred locations around Intramuros (3 only*), and very importantly, state that you will not use the photos for commercial purposes.
Letter has to be signed by you and / or your fiance or a relative. Photographers and Wedding Coordinators can not sign or process this because it will be considered for commercial purposes (apparently some did this before and used the photos for their albums or brochures).
It takes 2 to 3 working days for processing and upon approval, you must pay the Php 2,000 venue/permit fee. They accept only cash or checks.
If you are to make an authorization letter (if a relative will process this for you), please include that they are authorized to pay, sign and receive documents pertaining to your request for a permit. Remember to indicate receive, okay? Why? If not, they will not release the permit to your relative because you didn't indicate that your relative is authorized to receive the permit in your behalf.
Please bring extra money since some locations would charge for entrance fees (cost not covered by your Php 2,000 permit). Entrance fee is of course per person.

*You may choose 3 among the 6 locations within Intramuros: Baluarte de San Diego, Baluarte de Dilao, Baluarte de San Andres, Puerto Real Gardens, Casa Manila Patio and Plaza Moriones.

this photo won the Best Prenup Photo Contest

at Before I Do Bridal Fair

Okay, before you do start writing that request letter, be sure to check out our previous post on things to you have to consider before you have your photo shoot.

The Wedding of Alex and Jam

2011-06-28T17:06:00.019+08:00

Jam sent me an email inquiring for an out of town wedding coordination for September 16, 2009 and I was happy to have a chance to send a proposal since this will be our first super out of town event and a beach wedding at that.

Jam is based in Canada and she came home last April 2010 just to meet me and other suppliers. I actually thought that she just wants to talk and compare me with other wedding coordinators but I was wrong. She just needed to get a feel of how things would go with our first meeting because right after explaining our scope of work she signed our contract right there and then (just to find out that she wasn't even considering other coordinators for her wedding).

Even if she's at the other end of the world, she's very hands on. She's one of my few brides who knows what she likes. Actually, before she even met me she already knows who she wants. She just needs someone to implement her plans. She gave me a list of her preferred suppliers to confirm their rates and availability.

The wedding planning and coordination took us one year and seven months (from inquiry to wedding day).

Below are pictures courtesy of Ariel Javelosa Photography.

During the program, Jam and Alex gave out gifts and I was surprised when I was called to receive a gift. For once I was a part of the program being thanked for a job well done and to receive a gift at the same time brought tears in my eyes.

Weeks after the wedding I met Grace of Ariel Javelosa Photography. She told me that Alex and Jam got their album already and my picture (the one above) was INCLUDED in their wedding album. I was speechless after hearing that. I am so honored to be part of this wedding.

Wedding Details:
Prep and Reception Site: Acuatico Beach Resort
Church: San Juan Nepomuceno Church, Batangas
Church Musicians: 3rd Avenue
Gown: Malou Castro-Leonio

Make up Artist: Cel Sabile
Florist: Mr. Hardinero
Photo/Video: Ariel Javelosa Photography
Entertainment: 3rd Avenue
Lights and Sound System: Stonehenky Pro Sounds and Lights

Caterer: Juan Carlo the Caterer
Invitations: Home and Bridal Essentials

A Thank You Note

2011-06-22T15:29:00.012+08:00

Even if Riko and Devi didn't get us to coordinate their wedding, I was still able to help them plan and make things possible given the limited time and budget that they have when they met me for consultation last April.

And what's so touching about this? They remembered to thank me for the help even after just meeting me for one day. That single meeting lasted for five hours and we went through all the nitty gritty aspects of planning a budget wedding.

Thanks Riko and Devi! I wish you happiness and many blessings ahead!

Blind item: Souvenir Candle Supplier

2011-06-17T15:52:00.023+08:00

Our client’s wedding theme was wine cellar. So naturally all the elements for their wedding had to be related to the theme.

They found this on the internet and as much as possible they want the same thing.

They found a supplier (L and LH - they manufacture, distribute, wholesale: candles, ceramics, old wood furniture, figurines and wine holders. ) via Alibaba.com to execute their souvenir (they also do business via EC51.com and Gmdu.net) and asked me to touch base with the supplier. At first everything was okay, until the day the samples arrived.

Prior to sending the samples they said they can copy the one in the picture (less the tea light or base where the wine bottle stands) that the client wants. But the samples that arrived did not meet my client's expectations. Client wanted them to follow the color motif which were burgundy and yellow (basically the exact same thing as the picture above).

The samples that arrived were in 4 colors (black, burgundy, green and light green), different shapes (see below) and no yellow stripe. Of all the samples that Mr. BC sent, the client chose the one encircled in red. Client also designed and sent the graphics to be used as labels for souvenir (not the one seen below).

My contact person, Mr. BC, said he will send a new sample making sure to copy what the couple wants. But days passed and no sample came. We've been following up but my contact person wont answer our text messages and calls to his mobile numbers: 0919 260**** and 0927 409**** or our emails sent to ****@yahoo.com. So we called him using a different number. Finally he answered and said that he will send a new sample.

Days passed by (again) and no text, call or email from Mr. BC as to what's happening at his end. Another wave of follow ups were sent and again, no answer from him. He said that it's a waste of time and effort to make a new set of samples and he'll just proceed with the production. I stressed out that it would be best to send a sample for the client to see. If he starts production without the client's go signal and produces a souvenir that doesn't merit the approval of the client IT WILL REALLY BE of HIS time, money and resources because the client will ask him to redo everything. After that he was silent again.

A few weeks passed again and we tried to get some feedback. No answer. I called him up, and as always, he wouldn't answer my call.

I guess he got fed up with me following him up that he said that he'll just send a refund. Okay. So we agreed that he'll send a refund. I asked him to send a formal letter regarding the production and why he decided to refund my client (and of course the cost of the refund) but no email came. Again, follow up....

Of course my client agreed to just get the refund than to push with the order because this is turning to be a nasty supplier-client relationship. After sending the bank details of the client where he can send the money another set of follow ups were sent.

Up to this day, I still send text messages to both of his numbers and never did he replied to say "sorry for the delay or for not answering". It would have been better if he gave us heads up about his plans as to when he'll send the money instead of making us look like fools hoping that he finds it in his heart to even reply.

Down payment was made last January 15, 2011. Request for refund was made in April 3, 2011. What date is today? Yes, June 17, 2011 as seen in my last text.

Be mindful of suppliers you get from the internet. I warned my client that I haven't heard or worked with L and LH but they still pursued. So lesson learned? Always remind your clients to be cautious with the suppliers they get over the internet or else your client might blame you for not reminding them of the dangers of dealing with ghost suppliers. Not that all internet entrepreneurs or online sellers do the same thing but then, it is best to do a background check on them, get feed backs or reviews if possible.

This is not to discourage you to do business with L and LH. For sure they had good reviews in the past but they just really made a big bubu with our orders. Who knows this might be an isolated case but if something happens to your orders just remember you were warned already.

Choosing a Wedding Souvenir

2011-06-03T01:21:00.001+08:00

What wedding souvenir are you having?

At my own wedding it took me months to come up with a wedding souvenir and I ended up having two - hand fans and CDs. That's how confused I was. Hehehe.

Coming up with a wedding souvenir can be really tricky. The basic reason why you want to give out souvenirs is because you want your guests to remember your wedding. So anyway, when choosing for a souvenir, you have to narrow down your choices to make things easier for you.

Ask yourself:
* is it something I want my guests TO USE, DISPLAY or EAT?
Years back wedding favors for display was the best bet when choosing for a souvenir. But since they just collect dust and will eventually end up in someone's trash, some couples these days would go for something to use so that their family and friends will constantly remember them. But to play safe. Some couples would go for something to eat like a personalized chocolate bar. Everyone loves chocolates, right? But per experience, nothing beats a souvenir photo from a photo booth.

* do I want our COLOR MOTIF or WEDDING THEME to serve as a guide?
Aside from complementing other event details, it will help you narrow things down as to what you can give out. Like if you're having a Zen wedding, you might opt to give out chop sticks as a wedding favor. If you want to follow your color motif, anything in that color will do. Like if your color motif is red then go for an artificial rose with a thank you card. If you're having a photo booth, you can still use the same elements (color or motif) for the layout.

* do I have the time to MAKE OUR OWN souvenir or would I rather SOURCE OUT?
If you're tight on the budget, you might want to make your own souvenir. You can even make this a bonding session with your family and friends... or your bridesmaids. But of course if you're not that artistic it is best to have someone do this for you.

* is this for everyone or just for the ladies?
You don't have to give each and everyone a wedding favor. If you have the money to spend for your souvenirs then GO! No one's stopping you. This is your wedding and your money. Do as you please. But if you're tight on the budget, limit it to the number of ladies that you're expecting to attend your wedding. Let's face it. Guys are not really fans of wed ding souvenirs.

* how much are we willing to spend?
Hmmm... another tricky question. I think not more than Php 10,000 will do but of course this depends on how many guests you're expecting.

But you know what? In this day and age when getting married is just too expensive, your guests will not take it against you if you opt not to give away any wedding favors.

Okay... okay... Not a lot of people are open to such an idea of not giving something away on their wedding day... so how about DONATING for your favorite charity instead? You can give out small cards to your guests saying, "In lieu of wedding souvenirs, we have made a donation to (charity/foundation)". This will be more meaningful and your donation will be really appreciated. Your guests will even commend you for it.

Whatever wedding souvenir you come up with remember that it might be a minor aspect of your wedding but if you don't plan ahead regardless how simple it may be it will give you a lot of stress.

Dulce's Engagement

2011-05-25T16:41:00.006+08:00

My very first debutant, Dulce, informed me that she's getting engaged and I'm the only person she knows who can help her. After all these years, my little girl still remembers me and I almost cried.

She's getting engaged in Bangladesh where she's now based but she wants some of her accessories to come from the Philippines and thus the request to help her.

She needed a ring pillow, a ring box and a cake topper to match their color motif. Good thing I have friends who can help her out in such a short notice.

Below are some pictures from her engagement party.
Dulce Zita Lamagna

just look at that engagement ring!

ring pillow that she requested

the cake topper... sorry no pic of the ring box

Dulce with Shahn

Love is in the air!

2011-05-24T09:48:00.002+08:00

Everyone is trying to outdo each other. No complaints here! I love watching wedding proposals on line and I believe this tops all the proposals I’ve seen so far.

For sure a lot of girls wished that their husbands or fiance made an effort when they proposed.