this is our fate. i'm yours!

Forever After.

2011-01-03T16:46:00.000+08:00

We celebrated our ONE YEAR last December 30. The husband did all the planning for our little celebration. He booked a couple spa for us with one hour massage, body scrub, facial massage and jacuzzi. We capped the night with a late Italian dinner at our favorite pizza place in Chimes. How lovely! Just perfect for a year-ender celebration of love and bliss =)

To add more love and "cheesiness" to our day, my bff Jhoe, posted our post engagement photos taken last November during our trip in Bali, Indonesia. Although, it was a very spontaneous shoot, it surely was a lot of fun. Thank you Jhoe!

Check out more of the photos here.

Hello there, I'm back!

2010-12-17T13:11:00.000+08:00

Okay now, what did I miss? :) Sorry for the loooooooooonnnnnngggg hiatus. I was enjoying married life so much and didn't have time to update you all *grin*. However, I am constantly updating this and this.

Anyway, i'm back to this blog because our first year wedding anniversary is just around the corner. Can you believe it? We are almost completing one year of blissful marriage with some dose of rollercoaster rides, but it was fun!

So for my comeback, check out our official wedding photos taken by our talented main photographer, Charles Buenconsejo & Tabong Buenconsejo, the father and son tandem :)

Warning: Too many photos ahead. Make way :)

My entrance. I mentioned previously that I don't want a long veil but we kinda had a miscommunication with the designer, thus this long veil. Nevertheless, it looked pretty in this photo :)

Our answered yellow beetle behind us and my lil brother sneaking.

Our few pretty details - welcome signage with our faces :D, our candy/chocolate bar, one of the place cards + a bag of our ferrero give-aways (thank you sister), our centerpiece (framed prenup photos and yellow ecuadorian roses c/o of the resort), lastly our wishing tree with our parents wedding pictures.

Some of the lovely reception photos :)

Unfortunately, I can't share any website where the rest of the photos are uploaded :( It's just in my facebook but it's my private :D Sorry.

Looking back, I want to do the whole thing again. I miss our wedding, the people I work with, the research, the budgeting and yes the stress that comes with it. It's a beautiful experience all together. Maybe on our 5th or 10th wedding anniversary :D

Josephine Sicad Photography

2010-04-04T23:02:00.001+08:00

My bff was our back up photographer during our wedding. She was also one of my secondary sponsors (which she complained so much about because she won't be able to take photos in the church :). Indeed, she didn't because she's not allowed due to our the church's strict rules. Anyway, I didn't mind at all coz she took beautiful photos during the dress up, portrait and reception.

Okay, enough of my blabbing. Just enjoy the lovely photos by Josephine Sicad.

Wedding Details: The Rings!

2010-02-23T16:11:00.005+08:00

yahoo, finally, i know where to start! :D

i've done my assignment and stared endlessly at our few-out-of-the-million photos. i have to nudge my silly self and start writing. so here goes...

i initially wanted an eternity white gold ring :D (okay, we can't afford that). but at least a white gold ring with some diamonds. i was feeling all girly when we started our planning, so i felt like a glittery ring will surely look good on my finger. i was that sure. while the husband, on the other hand, already knew what kind of design he wanted - white gold, plain, simple and thick!

when we started checking all the jewelry shops here in Singapore, (and I mean ALL, because even Indian shops, we visited to be sure we won't miss anything.), we were actually disappointed. most of them have the same designs. nothing unique at all. if there's something pretty, it was way out of our budget. but one thing i discovered during our search, the diamond ring did not look good on my finger :( well, in my own opinion. i realized, i am not the girlaloo type who can act prim and proper, so too much diamonds won't really suit me. i've decided, one diamond ring is enough, and that is my engagement ring.

we agreed to look online for the design we wanted and have it customized instead but we had no idea where to find a supplier. i was so frantic because i wanted to catch up with the sale period so we can at least save. but the husband convinced me, that we can't just sacrifice one of the things important during the wedding just so we can buy it cheap. (this guy is a smartie :D)

true enough, we waited! then i remembered i read through Tisha's blog that their wedding bands were customized by a friend. so we informed her, sent our designs and the good friend, Linette Ramos, gave us a really good rate. just perfect!

you see, we are easy to please. we didn't have an inch of doubt that Linette could not provide us our customized wedding rings. looking at the samples she showed during our one and only met up last September (3 months before our wedding), only proved that she could deliver. and boy, how lucky we were! the rings were ready after two weeks and they were the exact designs of the rings we wanted - white gold, plain, simple and pretty. the husband was so happy with the thickness of his ring while mine was just perfect for my little ring finger.

Linette was truly one of our heaven-sent suppliers, who came just in time to calm me from my paranoia. So if you're planning to have your wedding rings customized, don't hesitate to contact her at +63927-4344849.

Chillin' & Relaxin' in Boracay

2010-02-20T23:26:00.005+08:00

our much awaited beach escapade last year - our first honeymoonie.

why i say first? because there will be a second, third, fourth, and until we grow white hairs.

we stayed in BoraSky Hotel, which in our opinion, showed a not-so-nice service to locals. sadly!
but how can we let that teeny-weeny issue spoil our vacation? nevah!

we bummed and lounged in the beach for the whole day with just our camera, ipod, tanning lotion and fresh juice. sweet life, isn't it?

add that we attended a wedding during our honeymoon in a posh resort.

thanks to our dear friend, R, who invited us in her cousin's wedding, who by the way flew from SG to Cebu to attend ours.

I can't write what I wanted to write...

2010-02-18T10:18:00.003+08:00

boo to me!

how in the world could i not start writing about the pretty little things that consumed most of my time during our wedding preparations? how could i? :P

well, i don't have the answer too because as far as i know, there were just too many details to write about and i don't know where to start. haha.

i have an idea though. i will start looking at our photos again and from there, decide. that makes sense, right?

okay, back to photo staring. wish me luck!

p.s. believe me, i am ecstatic to write about all the pretty little details. *puppy eyes*

Sweet Escape

2010-02-15T18:53:00.009+08:00

...to Rawa Island, Malaysia!

if you prefer to go by bus for more adventure, we suggest you buy a round trip bus ticket from johor bahru terminal, so you won’t panic and worry on your way back to sg (just like what we’ve experienced, mga lousy!). we noticed, buses from mersing are always fully-booked on a weekend trip.

so here's some tidbits of how we got to the island:

- bus from sg to jb larkin bus terminal will take approximately 1 hour including immigration checkpoints. we took the bus at Queen Street since we want to take the earliest trip.

- bus from jb to mersing was around 2.5 hours travel. we booked a ticket at jb larkin terminal.

- speedboat to rawa island was 45 minutes. the resort has their own jetty at mersing and the boat transfer was already included in our package.

go, plan your sweet escape!

The perks of my husband's work...

2010-02-11T15:42:00.004+08:00

free entrance to Universal Studios Singapore, free tour to kingdom Far far away, free sneak preview ticket to the Donkey live show. =)

thank you Resorts World!

one Sunday afternoon last January 31, four giggling kid-like adults, happily went on a tour to a soon-to-be-opened dreamy land. (yes, USS is not yet officially open to the public to date).

let the photos tell you how joyfully happy we were :D

our equally crazy-happy friends :)

i can't wait for the soft opening coming up really soon :) hoping for another free ticket :D

thanks to Jhoe for all the happy photos!

I want to go back to Boracay...for free!

2010-02-05T12:06:00.005+08:00

we had our honeymoon in this beautiful island last January 1-4. i cannot describe in words how amazing our experience was. beach bums as we are, we superbly enjoyed every bit of our stay in this paradise. hmmm...except for our not-so-nice experience in our hotel.

i soo wanted to go back because i felt our stay was too short. there were a lot of activities i wanted to try but due to lack of time, we were not able to do so. but going there will be too much for our budget this year so i would love to go there for free. it's a good thing, Boracay Packages is having a fabulous contest that is open to everyone in celebration of it's 5th anniversary. here are the details:

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency

WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. is celebrating it's 5th year in business during July of 2010, and we would like you to have a chance to celebrate with us, so we have decided to give-away a FREE Boracay Package complete with 5 Star accommodations at the luxurious Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel on Boracay Island. The lucky winner will win the following Boracay vacation package.

Vacation Package Inclusions:
- 5 Days / 4 Nights Luxury 5 Star Accommodations at the Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel
- Flights to Boracay from Manila to Caticlan Airport on Philippine Airlines
- Island Transfers - Door-to-Door from Manila to the resort and back to Manila
- Three (3) Meals each day, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Boracay Activities - Horseback Riding, Island Hopping, Glass Bottom Boat
- PLUS - 5,000 peso Spending Cash

Read More Information: http://www.boracay-packages.com

oh universe, i really want to win this! please conspire with me :) it's the 5 star accommodation and the pocket money aspect that really got me. i don't want to experience a not-so-nice service from a hotel anymore. hello, i'm going there to relax and not to get stressed. so please!

if you want to join the contest as well, click here for more details!

Weekend Getaway!

2010-02-02T11:10:00.007+08:00

our destination: Rawa Island, Johor, Malaysia

this is an overdue trip.
supposedly scheduled last year in October but due to our wedding preparations, we need to postpone it.

finally, we are going this weekend! i can't wait!!!

photo credits: www.google.com

Happy One Month to Us!!!

2010-01-30T01:47:00.008+08:00

it’s our first wedding monthsary today!

happy, happy, joy, joy =)

too bad the husband’s working ‘til 10pm. boo!

goodbye candle-light dinner and romantic strolling :(

think i’ll just plan for breakfast or lunchdate with him :D

What we're Thankful for during our Wedding Day

2010-01-24T22:33:00.008+08:00

we've spent one year planning and preparing but we could not have pulled it off successfully without Mr. Universe conspiring. it's been 26 days after our big day and we are still so much grateful for everything and everyone.

1. we are thankful for Mr. Sun for shining its glory all through out the event. it didn't rain the whole day but it rained the day after. how amazing is that? to think we had a beach-themed wedding during the rainy season of december *big grin*.

2. we are thankful for our family and friends who showed their support and love all the way :) though some complained how early our wedding started but still they were there to witness. we didn't expect the church will be filled with guests but to my surprise, everyone was there. well, except for one who had a hard time locating the church *winks to jinky* . (in case you were not following this blog, our wedding ceremony started at 6:30am :p) we love them all!

3. we are thankful for our dearest suppliers who didn't give a bit of dismay due to the early dress-up. this was one of my concerns when we changed the time but Tisha assured me that they were all excited for their first dawn wedding. true enough, they were because they all arrived at 2am and some on their designated call time.

4. we are thankful for our dearest officiating priest, who i think didn't sleep at all just so he won't be late for the ceremony. it was their parish fiesta the day before our wedding so a lot of parties and noise were going on. add to that he has to travel 1hour plus to reach the church. super thank you Fr. Jun!

5. we are thankful for Maribago for the sumptuous food, lovely set-up and superb service. i have to thank my friends who are working there too coz i know in their own little way they have contributed some like securing the safety of our guests and adding pressure to the banquet's service =D. sending our hugs to the hr director, sales team, housekeeping manager & security manager :D

6. we are thankful for the pretty flowers, chairs, tent drapings, wishing tree and other abubuts in the reception which was very well taken cared of by our event stylist and florist, Sheila Ruiz. all i had we're pictures to show her and a bit of description mostly thru emails forwarded by Tisha. i didn't even know the names of the flowers i wanted haha. but viola! everybody was gushing about the pretty set-up.

7. we are thankful for my lovely gown and Mario's suit by Bernardo Flores. hayy i could not explain in words how everyone adored my gown and how handsome Mario looked in his suit :) i had my first fitting last september and second/last fitting two days before our wedding and it fit perfectly during the day itself. while Mario had only one fitting :D it was simple and elegant and soooo us! just the way we wanted it :)

8. of course how could i not thank my dearest coordinator, Tisha, who got panic with all the details i have in mind :) i had so many things going on inside my head and Tisha was there to enlighten me and put all things together. i was so glad i didn't worry a bit during our preps. well, there were some which were unavoidable like the super warm weather around 10am but really i was not stressed at all. she's got all the positive energy and words a coordinator should have :)

9. special thank you to my super SFC friends who inspite of my last minute assignment, still agreed to do their part wholeheartedly :D some even proactively showed what they learned in service :)

10. lastly, we are super-duper grateful to God Almighty for overseeing everything from planning until the wedding day. for giving us physical strength as early as 2am until the wee hours of 2am the next day. yes, we had a 24-hour wedding celebration. i could not describe how we were able to sustain our energy and enthusiasm that long. enough said.

truly, a miracle of its own.

We Will Not Grow Old

2010-01-24T22:14:00.001+08:00

many thanks to Tisha, for suggesting the song *hugs*

Mario & Yvonne's Wedding from Digital Minds on Vimeo.

We're Sooooo Married!

2010-01-04T22:23:00.002+08:00

and we're back from our honeymoonie...
i'll definitely share the pretty little details of our BIG day and of course the story :)

excited to see our gazillion photos but still finding ways how to upload and arrange. i'm sure i'll have a headache choosing :)

Honeymoonie.

2009-12-06T11:57:00.003+08:00

...where else but of course to one of the best islands in the Philippines.

we really wanted to go to Caramoan Island in Camsur but sadly, due to time constraints, we just can't make it. i felt a bit sad after i learned there was no direct flight on our target date and no ferry trip to the island. we could have opted to go nevertheless but then again we only have 4 days for the honeymoon so travelling for long hours would be quite a bummer. we might end up just sleeping instead of doing some labing-labing hehe :)

so off we go to Boracay Island for some honeymoonie. what makes it more memorable is that, its Mario's first trip to the island so you can just imagine his excitement and plus we will be travelling for free. teehhheee! thank you dear ninang for your generousity. mwuah!

A Wedding is a Day - A Marriage is a Lifetime

2009-11-27T01:26:00.002+08:00

proudly posting our CEE certificate :)

we've completed it last November 13-15, 2009 in a stay-in retreat. we've concluded that it was one of the best decisions we made in our wedding preparations. we could not just set aside something that is vital to our marriage, this aside from complying with one of the church's requirements.

the things we learned are really inspiring - sharing from couples of different religion, different background, different experiences and also from those who have went through the ups and downs of marriage. it was an eye-opener and at the same time an inspiration for us to work really hard to make our marriage successful and blissful.

i strongly recommend that every couple seriously discussing about getting married should attend a retreat like this. if you're from Singapore, you can either attend the CEE or MPC. if you're in the Philippines, you can attend the Discovery Weekend. if you're already married and you missed attending these retreats, it is never too late to catch up. you can always attend a marriage encounter seminar.

Pretty Wedding Signs

2009-11-26T13:12:00.005+08:00

i get all giddy looking at these wedding signs. i can't wait to see how it will look like in our big day. *wink*

can't wait for another photoshoot with Jhoe

happy happy :) you should all try this :D

colorful cans in our yellow beetle. woot woot!

p.s. to be updated...

Note to Guests

2009-11-24T18:33:00.006+08:00

swiped from Rhoel & Blanche's wedding blog.

i am reposting because she wrote the perfect words. however, i have edited some texts not applicable to our wedding :D

***

Everything you need to know that's not on the invite :)

GMRC for invitees

1) Do RSVP. We announced this wedding way in advance so our guests would have time to decide if they can come or not. All we ask is that you send us your response -- via text, email, phone call, website, Facebook, Multiply, whatever -- at least a month before the wedding so we have time to make a final guest count and coordinate with the venue for any adjustments.

2) Do NOT bring uninvited guests. We are very, very particular about the intimacy of our wedding. The affair is STRICTLY for our families and friends (and adults).

3) It is rude to ask the couple if you can bring someone whose name is not on the invite. Please do not put us (or our parents) in an awkward position (refer to number 2).

4) Be on time on the wedding day. We certainly hope you get a taste of the ceremony and not just the cake.

5) Yes, we would tremendously appreciate wedding gifts, thank you. However, if you are unable to bring anything but yourself, we would still be very thankful.

How to have fun

At the reception:

1) Be game. Be cool. Be a good sport. Try not to make the emcees beg for audience participation. If they ask you to sing, sing. If they ask you to try a fire dance, dance with fire. If they ask you to do cartwheels and land with a split on the sand, well... But at least sing, yeah? We promise not to tell anyone 8P

2) Have your cake and eat it, too. Food is something we paid good money for precisely because we want our guests to eat all they can. And guess what? We won't be the only ones cutting cake -- everyone gets a piece of the piece de resistance!

3) Down the cocktails early. We're not serving beer but we'll have juices and hot drinks. Help yourself.

What to wear - GIRLS

View Website

I'd like to say a sexy two-piece bikini will do but the pastor might walk out on us and then it'll be your fault that the wedding didn't push through. So...

Just get into a cool summer dress that would be great for an evening affair. No ridiculous-looking satin formals. Puh-leez. Go for cotton or linen if you want to be comfortable. Go barefoot if it makes you happy -- nothing like feeling the sand on your feet (which is certainly better than sinking in wedges or stilettos). Just don't wear shorts or pambahay because well, everyone else will be gorgeous. Oh and do come in color (so you are not mistaken as part of the entourage)!

Need more ideas? Check out the vintage-with-a-modern-twist dresses on www.shopruche.com

What to wear - BOYS

View Website

Okay, boys, let's face it: You're not as fashion-conscious as women (generalizing here). So to make dressing up easier for you, let's first be clear about what NOT to wear. We say NO to denims, board shorts, collarless shirts and basically all clothes that have not been ironed. LOL.

Now what should you wear? Linen or organic shirts would be good, for starters, and perhaps khaki pants? Okay, fine, tropical/Hawaiian shirts would be acceptable. Just try not to look like Lito Atienza, ha? We want good memories. LOL.

Church Documents

2009-11-18T11:09:00.003+08:00

after our hullabaloo experience with all our requirements for the church, finally all documents are complete. it was not a easy feat, i tell you! i realized that it is always good to give a one word name to your children :D not only it is easy for your children to write their names once they start going to school but it will also save you from all the hassles in your legal documents such as birth certificate, baptismal and confirmation certificates in case some changes might be required.

in our case, the simple name given to Mario was made complicated because of his "Jr." status. thankfully, the priest considered his documents - after countless visits to alegria and city health and a dose of his mother's pleadings. God bless him!

nowadays, requesting for new documents from our dear government agencies does not only require "powerful connections" but "gifts" as well. it's disheartening, i know. but what to do? getting "legally" married requires legal documents.

i am not complaining. how could i? my mother could not have processed our marriage license in a flash without her dear friends in our municipal hall. we were not even required to submit it personally or attend their seminar. i know of some couples who were having difficulties on this requirement. i have to say we didn't give them anything, it was pure friendship that made it all easy. *wink*

i am just happy we can now all breathe happily knowing all our church documents are complete.

To Cover or Not???

2009-11-04T18:39:00.006+08:00

one of the easiest question i have to answer while deciding for my veil is either to cover my face or not? i have always envisioned myself walking down the aisle with less paraphernalia. aside from my clumsiness, i also have the tendency to easily get skin irritations, itchiness and claustrophobia. i am not in good terms with anything that blocks my vision more so something "katol". i am that sensitive! haha. as if!

so i informed our coordinator about this and another question came up...chapel train or cathedral train??? i have read articles regarding lengths of veils but have not exerted much effort to really think about it not until an hour ago when Tisha asked :D am i lousy or what? for most brides, it is the first thing to be discussed with the designer but i totally forgot about it. good thing, Tisha asked and showed some photos.

i love how this veil and chapel train perfectly matches our early morning ceremony, simple and relax. and yes, my veil will have some embroideries chuva.

p.s. this is Tisha and Teody during their wedding :)

this veil is beautiful too and the design is just perfect for her simple gown.

this is a cathedral train. i just think this is not for me. i might be all covered with cloth.

p.s. second and last photos are from Tisha. some weddings she coordinated previously.

The Search is Over...

2009-11-02T15:11:00.004+08:00

...for the yellow beetle. wohhooo!!!

i am uberly grateful for my friend, Arman, who volunteered to ask his friend and officemate in Maribago, if we can rent or borrow her yellow beetle. at first, he thought, the kind of yellow might not be the perfect shade for our motiff but when i saw the photo, it was love at first sight. i had the "this is it" feeling again.

i was beaming with excitement while writing my message to the owner, Len-len. okay, i confessed, i inserted some "please-have-mercy-on-us" words just so she would grant our request... and it worked! =D not only that, she didn't charge us with any rental fee as long as we pay for the gas. thank you so much Len! as i told you, you are heaven-sent. i will make sure you're beetle will have its moment of stardom. hehe.

and so without further ado, the yellow beetle...and the owner =)

prettiness isn't it? both owner and car :)

p.s. sorry Len! i did ask permission to copy some photos but have not informed you i am posting it here. hope you'll forgive me =D thank you again!

Yatta! After 3 or more hours :D

2009-09-30T01:02:00.001+08:00

92 days to go!!!

2009-09-29T23:01:00.002+08:00

oh yes, it's less than 100 days and should i even panic? naaahhh, my brain has no room for any bridezilla thoughts more so panic-inducing images. =D

so yeah, we're back after our very short 4-day vacation/wedding preparation in Cebu. but those 4 days were really memorable and a lot of fun, even if we had marathon meetings with almost all our supplier friends =D

we've accomplished a lot inspite lack of sleep, scorching heat and sudden rain pour. the weather was really erratic but nonetheless, we are thankful as it cooperated during times when we needed it most.

here's a run down of our hectic 4 days:

Food tasting and 3rd ocular visit at Maribago Bluewaters. Yey, Food is soooo yummy!
Wedding rings booked, custom-made and ready this week. Yes, that fast. :D
Church flowers, bridal bouquet, entourage bouquets and reception venue decoration - all finalized!
Met up with our dear videographer and discussed our SDE.
First gown fitting. Yohoo!
Mario's suit measurement. (he is soo excited, mind you!)
Sent out "save the date" cards to our principal sponsors.
Processed our Marriage License (we were just on the initial stage. we were not able to finish due to unavailability of the signatories. so my mama will take it further)
Had our whole day/rain and shine engagement shoot with Charles Buenconsejo.
Finalized entourage and mothers' gowns with our designer friend and his personal seamstress. My future in-laws (MIL and SIL) and I were able to canvass the fabric as well.
We had our interview with the parish priest too. It went well but we had to submit some new documents because there were few changes. (our mothers will handle this)
We also had the chance to meet up with our prospect suppliers for our PS gifts but we haven't decided if we will order. Esep-esep pa :P

Indeed hectic! but it was all worth it because we went back to Singapore relieved that we've done so much.

Save the Date!

2009-09-15T00:36:00.003+08:00

still posting this after 3 more months to go! why not???

thanks to our dear friend, Arman Po, for the pretty-beachy design :)

Documents

2009-08-25T18:06:00.003+08:00

all ready to go! weeeeeeee =)

as early as February, we already filed our Cenomar and NSO birth certificates :D i know it's way too early from our schedule but according to my dearest mother (who has some connections in the municipal), better early than late :D makes sense though! hehe. i will let her do her thing with this one. mother knows best anyway.

so come September, all we have to do is visit the municipal office and sign our marriage certificate. actually, even without submitting our complete papers, we can do this. hmmm we did this last December for our supposedly "civil marriage" haha.

good thing, my 'lil bro will have his first communion this november. at least we don't have to worry about the required certificate so he can be allowed as our ring bearer.

we are really grateful for mothers who keep legal documents neatly and who has a network of powerful/government employed/good friends :D