Damsel.In.Distress

City of Pines: Baguio City

2014-09-13T09:36:00.001+08:00

Baguio City is also known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines(because of the cold weather here) or as the City of Pines.

After visiting Manaoag, we went to Baguio since it is just 2-3 hours ride away from Manaoag via Kennon Road.

There is a terminal of UV Express going to Baguio just across Manaoag. Fare per person costs 90 pesos. And brace yourself for a total roller coaster ride since their route is via Kennon Road. Good thing Althea is sanay na sa byahe.

We left Manaoag around 6am and arrived at Baguio around 9am. We stayed at Baguio for one night only(Sept6-7) since may mga pasok na lahat kinabukasan.

Here is our itinerary, expenses and other details of our Baguio trip:

Day 1:
*We arrived at Baguio around 9am.

*We went to Cafe by the Ruins which is within walking distance from the UV Express terminal. The restaurant has a nice ambiance. The restrooms are clean. The food was great though I find it a little bit pricey. I heard from Lee's mom that everything in their menu was home-made. We ordered Tinapang Bangus for each one of us and Mushroom Omelet for Althea. Tinapang Bangus was very tasty. The mushroom omelet was so-so for me. All meals also come with mixed fresh fruits such as dragon fruit, mango, pineapple and papaya and fresh fruit juice or tea.

*After having a heavy breakfast, we now went to La Brea Inn. Rooms here costs 1,200pesos and up per night. The rooms are spacious and clean. Water coming out from the heater is medyo mahina. Maraming malapit na restaurants. In fact, katabi namin ang Yellow Cab. Burnham Park is also near La Brea. Staffs are also nice and accommodating.

*Mines View Park- maraming souvenirs dito like bags, knitted cardigans etc. Fleece blanket here also just costs 180pesos for a king size. Sayang nga kasi ang dami na naming bitbit. Picture taking with Boomer, the St. Bernard dog, costs 50pesos for two poses. There are also horses for picture taking, 10pesos per pose. Marami ding inihaw na pusit and mais.

*Kiwi's Bread and Pastry Shop- it is near Mines View Park. The owner is a Kiwi, a citizen of New Zealand. Their breads are delicious and very affordable. L's mom bought a kiwi muffin. It is moist and fluffy and only costs 25 pesos. Btw, the muffin is big. Their triple chocolate cake is also very sumptuous. L's mom ended up ordering different kinds of bread and pastries that we will just pick-up on the next day, before we go to the bus terminal.

*Lunch at Chef at Home- I expected a restaurant actually but this one is just your plain old carinderia type but a little bit leveled-up. The place is clean. The restroom is also clean. The food was also superb. The owner was there during our visit, which is a foreigner, and he told us that they are opening a new branch in Manila. Try their chicken in sweet and spicy sauce.

*Wright Park - by the time we finished our lunch, Althea was already grumpy. So we went to Wright Park for some horseback riding. Horse back riding costs 200pesos for 30minutes and 300pesos for one hour.

*The Mansion - It is just across Wright Park but rain is already pouring down so no more picture taking. :p

We then went back again to La Brea Inn. Lee, Thea and I took a nap after taking a bath while his mom and younger brother went to the market to buy some vegetables. We woke up around 6 or 7pm for dinner.

*Canto - Canto is one of the restaurants inside Ketchup Food Community. Only L's brothers went to Canto and just ordered our dinner for take-out. They bought full slab lomo bbq ribs with mashed potato and salad. And the price? 350 pesos! Where in Manila can you buy a full slab that is worth 350pesos? And no, the quality and taste was not sacrificed. In fact, it is very sulit!

*Night Market - every night from 9pm until 4am the following day, outside Burnham Park, one street lane was closed to give way for this night market. It is an ukay-ukay madness. Aside from ukay-ukay there are also few stalls that sell brand new bags and clothes, silver accessories and also street food.

Day 2:
*Buffet breakfast at Le Monet Hotel - The ambiance is nice and very elegant. Food choices was limited. I'm not that impressed actually even with the taste. Even Lee and his brother, who are both chefs, are not impressed with the food.

*Burnham Park - boating costs 100pesos for 30 minutes, additional 50pesos if you want ng tiga-sagwan. There are also bike for rent but I forgot the rates.

*We then went back at Kiwi's to pick-up the breads and pastries.

*Lunch at Slaughter House - maraming karinderya dito. With our taxi driver's suggestion, we tried the karindera sa may far-left side. We ordered beef kalderata, bulalo and papaitan.

*Packed-up our things back at La Brea.

*We then now finally went to Victory Liner Bus Terminal around 1pm. Our bus will arrived at 1:40pm. Btw, L's mom already made a reservation the day before our trip back home. We left the terminal around 2pm. We had two stop-overs.

We arrived at Pasay around 9pm.
It was a very tiring trip but it was also a fun and memorable trip.

Entourage: Little Men

2014-08-24T09:17:00.001+08:00

Happy Sunday everyone. :)

Our bearers will be my younger brother who is not really that young anymore because he is already 12 years old but we don't have any young boy on my side and even on Lee's side(aside from his cousin) so no choice (haha!) and Lee's 3y/o(I think!) cousin.

My brother will be the Bible bearer and Lee's cousin will be the arrhae/coin bearer. We did not have a ring bearer anymore because aside from the fact that we are in short of young boys on our family, we also have decided that it is more safe if we will let the best-man hold our rings.

So here's what the two little men will wear on our wedding day:

ctto
White long sleeves, black slacks, black shoes, suspenders and bow tie

Cute, eh?

We will just make them wear bow ties that of the same color with the flower girls' sash. And I will still discuss with Lee if they will roll up their sleeves or not.

Entourage: Flower Girls' Dress

2014-08-20T12:01:00.001+08:00

As of today, we have 3 flower girls already. Althea, my 3-y.o niece, and then my 5-y.o cousin. Anyway, the more, the merrier!

It's also fine with me and Rolly since they will be shouldering their dress and shoes. And what I love the most, it is totally fine with the girls' parents.

Here's the design of their dress:

Floor-length and V-back

And to make sure that the dresses will be uniformed in terms of shades and fabric, we will provide them the fabric. Dalawa na nga lang sila (Althea will be wearing a different design) tapos iba-iba pa ng shades and tela.

I will also ask the parents to make the girls wear a silver closed/doll shoes since Lee and I think it's the best shoes that will go with the dress.

100-day Countdown to Forever

2014-08-03T11:31:00.001+08:00

Yes! It's 100 days till our wedding day. I'm excited and at the same time panicky. I think we still have a lot of things to do. I'm worried that there might be a detail we will forget.

Anyway, to start off our countdown. Here's our church and reception venue:

Church: OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH
We will be getting married at OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH in Binakayan, Kawit. As I said before, our original plan was just to have a civil wedding. But upon seeing this church, I opened to Lee the idea of having a church wedding. After discussing the pros and cons and after seeing the church and its altar, he eventually gave in to my idea of a church wedding.

Reception/Preparation Venue: SOPHIA'S PLACE
This is our first and only choice for a reception venue. Why? First, because it is near the church. Second, my step-dad know the owner so we can get a discount. Third, the venue has a mini house which can double as a preparation venue. Fourth, the rental fee is very reasonable. Fifth, it is not that big nor that small. It can occupy our guests without the feeling of being too crowded or too big/spacious. Sixth, there is a swinging chair on the venue's mini garden, there is also a mini gazebo and a fountain that goes well with our wedding theme, RUSTIC CHIC. The pros are just endless and there is no any con we can think of.

photo grabbed from Sophia's Place Facebook page

#100daystogo

SUPPLIER HUNT: Florist

2014-08-02T17:16:00.000+08:00

Since the Church package does not include flowers for the aisle and altar, we need to find a florist na swak sa budget namin.

Our original plan was to look for a florist in Dangwa. But we have no time to go there and scout for a florist. Another thing, if we will get our florist from there, they might charge us an OOT fee. I'm also afraid that they will be late or worst, they will not show on our wedding day. que horror!

So considering those factors, we decided to just look for a florist near our place.

1st florist:
Our Church recommended this florist.

After the 2nd day of our pre-wedding seminar, we went to the flower shop since it's on our way home. The owner was not there and the katiwala don't know the prices and packages they offer. What he did was he called the owner and we talked about their packages over the phone. Ok na sana. We were about to get them na sana as our florist. Ang kaso, while talking with the owner over the phone, I asked her if how much and how many months before the wedding should we pay the downpayment. She said, "kahit 2 months before the wedding po. Just write down your name, church, date, contact number on our logbook to reserve your date." I said,"ok po." So I wrote what she said on their logbook. Then after a few minutes, she called again and talked with her katiwala. Once the call was ended, the katiwala said, "Ma'am kahit magdownpayment daw po kayo ng 1k." I was shocked since the owner already said na kahit hindi pa ngayon mag-downpayment. Eh wala kaming dalang pera since the plan was just to inquire. So I told the katiwala na sabi ng amo nya is ok lang na wag daw muna kaming mag-downpayment since malayo-layo pa naman ang kasal. So he called again his amo. The he handed the phone to us para makausap si amo. I told the owner na ang unang sabi nya is kahit wala munang downpayment. Then she insisted na mag-downpayment kami ng 1k just to reserve the date. I said wala kaming dalang extra. And to my surprised, she said, "sige ma'am. Kahit idaan nyo na lang yung 1k sa isang araw." Lee and I was pissed off. Ang pangit ng dating sa amin ng sinabi nya. Paulit-ulit pa sya ng tanong kung bakit daw church lang ang kukunin namin and walang ento. So we said na lang sa katiwala na we will come back kapag nakapagdecide na kami since our purpose lang naman talaga is to inquire and we are clear about that pag-tapak na pag-tapak pa lang namin sa shop nila.

2nd florist:
After with the first florist, we went to another florist na on the way lang din. The owner was not there but the katiwala is really nice. I asked her about their packages. She said she did not know their price for a church-only flower arrangement. She gave me their calling card and told me to text the owner and asked about the packages. Before we left the shop, she even said."ma'am dito na po kayo sa amin magpa-ayos, mura na, maganda pa." I smiled at her because the way she said that is way, way better than the owner of the first shop we visited.

Moving on, I texted the owner and ask him about their packages. They offered the lowest package so far and they are accreditted/recommended by a lot of church in our area and also by one of the hotel here in Cavite. I also learned from the internet that the owner is a Kagawad before and a priest/pastor(not sure which one), a coordinator, and also an emcee. And also, the floral shop was in the business since 1996.

Lee and I decided to get the 2nd florist. We will arrange a meeting with him to know more about his packages and flowers they will use. I'm also thinking to get him as our reception host/emcee.

Pre-wedding Church Seminar : CHECK!

2014-07-19T07:24:00.001+08:00

And we're done with the seminar. Yey!

It's a two consecutive Saturday seminar at OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH(where we will be getting married.). The seminar is from 8am to 12nn. There are 5 other couple with us during the seminar. Some are getting married this July and some are on December pa. There is this speaker who asked us to introduce ourselves. Kaloka pero enjoy. hehe! We have a total of 4 speakers who discussed different topics such as Christian marriage, Christian family, the Sacraments, and communicating.

I'm going to share to you some of the things we have learned (and realizations) during this seminar.

Christian wedding is different from civil wedding. In christian wedding, you are confessing your love and commitment to your spouse AND to God. In civil wedding, you are confessing your love and commitment to the Judge or Mayor.
The W.E.D.S.S approach when you have a misunderstanding:
W-writing. Write a letter about how you feel and what you are thinking.
E-exchange. Exchange letter with your spouse before you go to sleep and read it alone.
D-discuss. Discuss the letter, your feelings and whatever that is included in that letter.
S-select. Select your options and decide on what to do with your problem(s).
S-sex. This one is optional. :)
Marriage is not all good and happiness. You must learn to accept and love the person even beyond his imperfections.
Wives should take good care of their husband and kid(s) as husbands should provide for the family. Though, this day, there can be an exchange of roles.
Always put God in the center of your relationship and family.
Remember Him not just during your "down" moments but also during your moments of joy, accomplishments and success.
The three vices everyone should have:

The catechist also discussed with us the Sacrament of Marriage and the meaning behind the symbols we used during the ceremony.

Candle - symbol of lighting our path.

Veil - the veil is put in a way that the bride's head is covered and on the groom's shoulder. The groom's head should not be covered. It means that the groom is the head of the family. The husband should be God-like. As God is the Head of the Church, the husband is the head of the family.

Cord - the bride and groom is united as one. Thus, no man can separate what God has joined together.

Arrhae - symbolizes the ability of the groom to support his wife. During the ceremony, the groom hands the arrhae to the bride. It symbolizes that the groom should provide for the family and the bride will be the one to manage whatever the husband will give.

Ring - it is circle because our love for our husband/wife AND God is never ending. It is forever. It is a lifetime commitment.

We also learned..

If your first marriage is annulled, the Church cannot marry you. Because you are still married in the eye of our Lord.

Church don't allow rings that are not circle-shaped. I don't know if all Catholic church have this kind of restriction.

There are surely more learning and realizations during this seminar than what I can write.

I realized the impact of this decision, to get married. But I'm also happy that we chose to have a Church wedding rather than civil wedding which is our original plan.

I realized that my partner have imperfections and shortcomings, but I also have those. Marriage is a two-way street.

The most remarkable words for me during this seminar from one of our speakers:
"Tignan mo ang kapupunan ng partner mo. Hindi yung kakulangan nya."

And then we ended the seminar with a very beautiful song...
"When there's no getting over that rainbow when my smallest of dreams won't come true. I can take all the madness the world has to give. But I won't last a day without you."

Seminar..seminar.

2014-07-04T15:38:00.000+08:00

Happy 4th of July!

Anyway, we are scheduled for a seminar (one of the requirements) tomorrow at our church. The seminar is held every 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month from 8am to 12nn. And couples SHOULD attend both Saturdays.

Since the deadline for submission of requirements is at least TWO months before the wedding, we only have July or August. And to avoid any last-minute aberya, we decided that we are going to attend the seminar this 1st and 2nd Saturday of July instead of August.

I'm a bit nervous since I don't know what we are going to do or what will be the topics and who will be the speaker(s).

Any ideas?

I'll update you what happened on our seminar once we completed it.

After 5 years...

2014-06-28T08:23:00.000+08:00

This one is a super late-post. But I still want to share this one with you.
--------------
After 5 years of hard-work, I finally graduated from college last April 2014.
I can't believe that I was able to do it. To finish the race. Ang sarap sa pakiramdaman!

you mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling!

BS Accountancy
2009-2014

I am now reviewing at CPAR for the October CPA board exam. Wish me all the luck.

Wedding Gown Inspiration

2014-06-27T16:11:00.001+08:00

Simplicity is the keynote of all true form of elegance. - Coco Chanel

One thing is for sure. I don't want to shed half of our wedding budget for a dress that I will wear for only 5 hours or so.

------

I don't want a puffy wedding gown. And Lee don't want to see me wearing that kind of dress too. haha! I'm petite so a puffy gown is a bit overwhelming for me.

We went to some shops and look into their designs and gowns. But ALMOST every gown has a puffy skirt. Yun ata uso ngayon?

On our last stop, I saw this simple wedding dress. It was a love at first sight. And it is not puffy! It's so simple that some will even think it's just an evening dress. But the "this-is-it" feeling was really there. So I try it on. And it looooooks so gooooooood on me that when Lee saw me wearing it with a matching veil(haha!), he became teary-eyed. Drama di ba?

Anyway, Lee also tried some of their suit and decided that we will also get his suit from that shop. So the mananahi took our measurements, discussed some details then we pay the downpayment required.

We went home happy that we accomplished something on that day. Another thing ticked off from our to-do list.

Anyway, here's the inspiration:

Kinda similar to my wedding dress.

And oh! It's not white.

Wedding Ring Supplier: First Meeting

2014-06-25T14:56:00.000+08:00

Last June 23, Monday, we met with Tita Lyn, our wedding ring supplier.

We met at Red Ribbon, MOA around 4:30 in the afternoon. She was with his husband and I can say, that they are both really nice. As in super nice.

She has a sample ring with her. Not a sample ring really because it is the actual ring of one of their customer.

Anyway, I inspected the ring and I'm impressed with the craftsmanship. They are one of those who offer the lowest price in the jewelry making industry and I'm glad that quality was not sacrificed. It is even at par with those rings you can buy at jewelry shops inside the mall.

After that, Tita Lyn took our ring size. Then we discussed with her the design we want. Lee and I kinda have different opinions regarding the "look", he wants matte, I want it to be shiny. But after some discussions, we both come to terms. And I wont tell you who won. Hahaha!

Then we also discussed some other details, like the diamonds, the karat, and the freebies!

We paid our downpayment and agreed to meet again, instead of having it shipped, to get the final product around July.

Side story, they are kinda late ng 15 minutes I think, kaya she gave us discount. Hehe. And she also bought a pack of pulboron for Althea and spaghetti. She also gave us some advice which we really appreciate.

Wedding Ring Inspiration
Which is which? :)

So as you can see(or maybe guess?), our wedding ring is two-tone. And oh! It has diamonds!

Lee and I are REALLY both excited. As in super duper excited to see the final output. Thinking about it makes us kilig. Actually, a big chunk of our wedding budget went to our wedding ring. I even tell Lee that maybe we can just buy silver rings or titanium rings to make tipid. But he really wants to get a nice ring. I'm happy we did not push through with my idea.

And I'm also proud with my fiance. He worked his a** off for that ring, and also for this wedding.

Save-the-Date

2014-06-22T16:17:00.000+08:00

The Entourage

2014-06-22T09:55:00.000+08:00

Principal Sponsors
Our Principal Sponsors will be (almost) all of our married titos and titas. :)

Maid Of Honor - Reve Angelie Neri

She's my best-friend way back in 2nd year highschool. We haven't seen each other for a long time but I'm just super sentimental that I asked her to be my maid of honor. We are like sisters back then. Hindi kami mapaghiwalay! haha. Anyway, asking her to be my maid of honor was "suntok sa buwan" but I am surprised and thrilled that she answered me with a YES. :)

Best Man - Melvin Clark Ignacio
He is Lee's bestfriend since elementary(or highschool?) days ata nila. He's living in Canada right now. Kaya naman mega teary-eyed sya when Melvin said yes. He didn't expect that Melvin will come home to the Philippines just to attend our wedding. :)

Bridesmaid/Candle Sponsor - Jinky Joy Misajon

She's my college friend. Actually, all of my bridesmaids are my college friends. We even have a group, 7 wonders! haha!

Bridesmaid/Veil Sponsor - Josephine Bulacja
A college friend too. :)

PS. ang hirap po humanap ng solo picture nya.

Bridesmaid/Cord Sponsor - Germaine Sarah Balagot
Another college friend. She's from Imus. Kaya before, lagi kaming sabay umuwi. at never kaming naubusan ng kwento while nasa byahe. hahaha!

I'll post next time the groomsmen. :)

Divisoria Finds pt.1

2014-06-22T09:44:00.000+08:00

Lee and I decided to go to Divisoria after I claimed my last two checks from CHED.

We decided to go first sa Tabora to buy the things we need for our DIY project. Medyo malayo pala sya mula sa 168 Shopping Mall pero buti nalang hindi ganun kainit. *hehe

Anyway, natuwa kami sa dami ng souvenirs na nakita namin, as well as items na kailangan for DIY projects. Name it, lahat na ata mabibili mo dun.

We went at Wellmansons and bought these..

We will be using the ribbons and buttons for our DIY bouttonieres and entourage flowers.

Then we also bought these as props for our engament shoot and design na din for the reception venue.

Then these balsa flowers for the bouquets and bouttons. And this cute dainty bucket for the flower girl!

You will find those letters and balsa flowers just along the street of Tabora. Lakad-lakad lang kayo, marami kayong makikita na ganyan. Halos lahat ata ng stores, meron. And by the way, yung bucket, sa loob ng 168 Shopping Mall namin nabili.

On-the-Day Coordinator - BOOKED!

2014-06-22T09:35:00.002+08:00

Last May 07, 2014, we booked/reserved our OTD Coordinator.

Lee and I chose Gorgeous Bride & Beyond mainly because they are located in Cavite so there is no Out-of-Town fee. Also, Ms.Applez, the events manager is really nice and easy to talk to. She always text me for updates regarding our suppliers etc.

And another thing is they are the one who offered the lowest rate for a 50-pax wedding. ;)

We haven't arranged a meeting with them yet because of our super tight schedule. But we still booked them because of the good reviews I've read on their facebook page.

So far, so good. Hope it will all be this smooth until the end of our wedding day. :)

Do's and Don'ts(for the GUESTS!)

2014-06-22T09:33:00.001+08:00

Being a guest at a wedding, we usually think that it’s just as simple as getting dressed up, shedding a tear or two and then partying all night long. But just like the entourage and the wedding vendors, being a guest have responsibilities too. To ensure that you do not mistakenly be a “sakit ng ulo,” below are just some simple rules to follow:

1. When you get an invite, don’t let it get lost in the coffee table. Please RSVP promptly. The bulk of the budget for any wedding is allotted to the Reception. Thus, it’s important for the couple to know who’s coming so they can give their caterer a final headcount no later than two to three weeks prior to the wedding date. Ultimately, whether you can’t decide or plainly not going, it is crucial to inform the couple of your decision. Don’t add to their stress by procrastinating.

2. If you all-of-the-sudden can’t make it. Please do let the host know of your cancellation. You wouldn’t know how crucial this information is for someone who, dissimilar to you, all-of-the-sudden changed their minds from “not going” to “going”.

3. It is a well-known fact that there are guest who arrive even if they have made a “Not going” RSVP. Please do inform the host if you changed your mind and all the sudden wanted to be there in the couple’s big day. Even if the couple wanted you to celebrate with them, it is still important to note that you might not have been included in the guest list so there might have been no seats available for you, hence, no food for you.

4. Don’t bring a date and/or take your children and/or other family members with you, whom were not in the invitation. Nowadays, most invitations refer to a number of seats allotted for you. So if the invite only says, for example, your name plus guest and it allots 3 seats for you, it only means that you can bring yourself plus two other people. (I would presume that the couple knows them or would love to meet and have them as part of their guest.)

5. It is expected of you to wear the attire written in the invitation. For men, if it says “suit or barong for men” then you are expected not to wear khaki pants and collared polo. For women, if the invitations specifically say “gown for women” then you’re expected not to wear a colored striped haltered top chiffon knee length dress. Dress as you would for any other social event held at the hour and during the season of the wedding. Black used to be taboo for weddings, but these days a black dress is perfect for evening, just as it is for a night at the opera. Female guests should not wear white -- it's really, really not polite to take away from the bride on her special day by wearing her color. Try to avoid off-white and ivory, too, if at all possible. It's not as if you don't own or can't buy something another color, right?

6. Avoid being late, if possible, be 30 minutes earlier. So if the wedding invitation says that the ceremony begins at 2:00pm, be sure to arrive there by 1:30pm so as to give yourself time to find a seat and get settled. This is not an event to be fashionably late so if you do get there after it's begun, seat yourself quietly in the back. If the procession is going on, wait until the bride reaches the altar to enter the sanctuary and find a seat.

7. You are not expected to participate in any religious rituals (for example, if you are a protestant attending a catholic wedding, you are not to receive the communion). Most congregations have parts where you are asked to sit or stand and even kneel. The program or the lector/commentator will tell you when to do so and it is polite to just follow the ritual. It may also help to follow the lead of the people around you or the family of the couple in front of you.

8. Avoid taking photographs during the ceremony, that’s what the photographers and videographers are for. Leave this to the professionals and just respect the sanctity of the ritual in front of you. I know it would be nice to have your own copy of how your son or daughter wore his/her suit/gown and walked down the aisle. Or how beautiful you and your partner are all dressed up. But do not worry, the couple already have too many photographs of your child or you and your partner to forget to give them all to you. :)

9. As for the reception, cocktail hour is an opportunity for the guest to mingle and get to know the other guests and family. It is also the best time to check to see if there's a seating chart and sit where you're supposed to. Don’t just park it anywhere. You’ll know when it’s officially time to be seated for the program and meal.

10. As for the bouquet throw and garter toss, if you’re not crazy about these traditions, don’t just avoid them by hiding out in the bathroom. If you're not one of those who's going to dive for the bouquet or garter, just go out there and stand in the back -- and smile. Even if you think these traditions are silly, or that something else about the wedding is tacky or inappropriate -- keep your feelings to yourself. Maybe this isn't how you'd do it, but it is how the bride and groom chose to do it, and (as much as we'll all like to sometimes) it's not your place to complain.

11. While a wedding is a time to enjoy yourself, no one appreciates a drunk guest embarrassing themselves. Drink alcohol in moderation.

12. When can you leave? Receptions usually last about three to four hours, and you'll know when things start winding down. Many brides and grooms stay until the bitter end these days, so it's hard to leave after them. When you decide to leave, find a member of the bride's immediate family (like her mom) and thank them. Also attempt to give the couple a last hug before you depart.

Above all these, it is still important to enjoy the celebration and express your gladness for the couple. Don’t forget to express how much you are honored and truly appreciative of having invited you.

Q and A for Guests
By: John & Benz Rana (Founders, www.weddingsatwork.com)

Q. I got an invite but have no plans of attending; should I still send a gift?

A. First thing's first. If you won't be able to attend for whatever reason, please RSVP. A big chunk of the wedding budget goes to the reception and it will be utterly inconsiderate to just give up a reserved seat without letting the couple know. Give them the chance to assign that seat to another guest in their "waitlist." Having that out of the way, let's get to your question: YES, it is customary to still send a gift.

Q. The envelope bears only my name. May I ask if I can bring a date?

A. Don't bring a date unless your invitation specifically says "and Guest." Bringing unexpected guests is very impolite. Neither should you ask the couple's permission if you may bring one or not. Don't put your friends on the spot. We Filipinos don't really like turning down people. So how would you know if their "Yes" means yes or not? Spare them that trouble.

Q. The invite says "Mr. & Mrs." Could we bring our kids?

A. Never bring the kids unless "& Family" is indicated. Soon-to-weds don't usually invite children for a good reason. Kids get bored or cranky during hour-long masses. Their tantrums might disrupt the solemnity of the ceremony. Weddings are usually formal events typically not appropriate for the little ones. To be blunt about it, inviting a child at the reception means added two mouths to feed - the kid's and the yaya's.

Follow-up Q. But my son/daughter is the bearer/flower girl. I'm sure it's understood that my other child is invited.

A. Which part of the answer above didn't you understand? Seriously, if the couple wanted to invite your other kid, they would have specified that on the envelope.

Q. I don't have a clue what gift to give them. Any ideas?

A. The average Pinoy soon-to-wed would always prefer monetary gifts more than any other gift. It is the unspoken fact. We're telling you now to make it easier for them to let you know what they REALLY want; unless they indicated that already in their invites.

Q. I'm convinced. So how much cash should I give them? I don't want to give too little or too much.

A. That's a hard thing to answer. It's really a case-to-case thing. Try to put yourself in the couple's shoes. How much should a guest of your stature give you without being branded a cheapskate? Also consider your relationship with the couple. If you're good friends of the couple's parents, you'll probably shell-out more than if you were simply the bride's Girl Friday.

Q. Could I skip the ceremony and head straight to the reception?

A. You can. BUT you shouldn't! You are invited to THE wedding -- that's the part where they exchange their "I dos." The reception is where the Receiving Line is. You can't be 'received' if you are already seated in the hall, right? "Patay-gutom" is too harsh a word and we assure you that it's by no means what anyone would think if indeed you decide to go straight to the reception. But admit that it struck a nerve just mentioning the word in that context, isn't it?

Q. Speaking of the Receiving Line, what should be the proper greeting?

A. Here's the rule: Say "Congratulations" to the groom and "Best Wishes" to the bride. The reason behind is that "congrats" implies that someone has caught something or won a prize, and it is rather improper to imply that the bride "caught" the man who married her. If this rule gets mixed-up in your head come wedding day, just say the two phrases together and look at both of them. That usually works!

Likewise, saying "Good Luck!" no matter how pure your wishes are will also sound very inappropriate for obvious reasons.

Q. Nice try, but what if the couple makes a Grand Entrance and left the Receiving Line to their parents? What then should I tell them? Note that I don't even know which sets of parents are whose.

A. Didn't we tell you already not to skip the ceremony? The bride and groom usually walk alongside their respective parents at the very start!

Anyway, make your pleasantries short and sweet. Shake their hands and say "Hello! I'm (your name) and I went to school with (name of bride/groom) in (school's name)/an officemate of (name of bride/groom) at (name of company)." They usually respond with "Nice meeting you." Just smile, nod politely, and move on to the next person. If one replies "Hi! I've heard so much about you!", simply smile and nod just the same. No lengthy conversation; just make small talk at most. If you can't find the words to say, just smile again, nod politely, and move.

Q. During the banquet, is there anything I need to know?

A. Nowadays, the Reception Program usually have the guests on each table stand up and have their picture taken with the couple before being led to the buffet. This is done to resolve two issues of past weddings: (a) for the couple's convenience and skip the tiring Table-Hopping ritual just to have their picture taken with all their guests; and (b) for the guests' convenience so they won't have to wait very long for their turn in the buffet line.

Keep in mind that Buffet is NOT synonymous with "Eat-All-You-Can." Do not pile your plate full. Be courteous of those who have yet to be served. Don't worry. You can easily go for seconds.

Q. I'm used to a Buffet setting, but what if it's a formal Sit-Down Dinner? Which fork do I start with again?

A. You're on your own, pal. Watch "Pretty Woman" again and see how Julia Roberts nailed it!

stress...

2014-06-22T09:21:00.000+08:00

Aargh!

Na-i-stress ako. Ayaw gumana blog link ng mywedding.com. :(

I put all my wedding-related posts on that blog. And the link was in our save-the-date cards to keep our guests in track with updates and announcements.

Hope it's just a glitch. :(

December Haul: National Bookstore

2013-12-03T17:23:00.001+08:00

My last semester in school just started last month. And that means, Hello, Accounting Review!

I am enrolled in a 5-year BS Accountancy course. So part of our curriculum is this Accounting Review to prepare us in taking the CPA Board Exam.

The review school offers two schedules: weeknights and weekends. I chose the weekends schedule over the weekdays to be able to still have time for my daughter and her studies while reviewing at the same time. See?I am a true Gemini. haha!

So far, so good. A little bit stressful since I am the "great worrier".

And since I'm stressed, I need a little "retail therapy". Lee and I went to SM Molino last night to have dinner and after that, we went to National Bookstore so I can buy my "review supplies".

And here are my purchases:

Envelopes and Portfolios
for my review materials, receipts, etc.etc.
P19.75 - P80.00

Stretch Bookmarks
P49.75

Colored Pens and Highlighters
P16.75 - P29.75

Cut-Size Plastic Cover
What I love about this product is it was already cut to standard book size making it easier to use.
P40.75

Twistable Pencil
Gave these to my daughter
P29.75

Stamp Set
For Althea! :)

Need some things for your homework or projects? National Bookstore have them all!

Bye for now. I need to review since we have a quiz on Saturday.

Wish me luck dolls! 'Till my next blog post.

Eskulin Kids Shampoo and Conditioner

2013-10-13T17:16:00.001+08:00

My daughter is using Eskulin Kids Shampoo and Conditioner for almost 3 months now. Of all the shampoos I've tried for her, this one is her favorite so far.

Eskulin Kids
Shampoo and Conditioner
97 pesos

Just look at the packaging. What's not to love, right? And since, she loves watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse every morning before going to school, she always choose Minnie Mouse.

The smell lasts longer compared to other baby/kids shampoo
It's a shampoo and conditioner in one
Makes my daughter's hair smooth and shiny
Enriched with Aloe Vera
Even after she plays all day sa arawan, mabango pa rin yung buhok/ulo nya and her hair is still soft and smooth
Comes in a very cute packaging that kids will surely love. Many designs (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters and Disney Princesses) and variants to choose from.
Available at all SM supermarkets, SM Savemore and even at Mercury Drugstore. ( I don't know if it is also available on Watsons and/or Robinsons Supermarket.)
Plus! It comes with a free B&B Kids Toothpaste

It is not a "No More Tears Formula".

This one has a citrusy smell

Free B&B Kids Toothpaste

Over all, my daughter loves it. I love it too so this one is definitely for keeps.

Quick Lunch at The French Baker, SM Bacoor

2013-10-04T14:05:00.001+08:00

Last week, we went to SM Bacoor to buy some groceries and also to have a look on what's new at Surplus.

After hours of walking (hahaha!), we decided to have a quick lunch at The French Baker since my stepdad is on a "diet".

The French Baker is not just about breads, they also have meals such as soup, salads, pasta dishes and more.

Here's a look of what we ordered:

PIZZA NEW YORK STYLE
RED SAUCE ALL-MEAT PIZZA

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU

The menu says it comes with a creamy herb sauce. Look at the photo. does the sauce looks creamy to you? The veggies are bland, the chicken itself is also bland. Aargh!

We also ordered CLUBHOUSE SANDWICH (for my stepdad) and GRILLED CHICKEN AND MANGO SALSA (for my younger brother) but I wasn't able to take a photo of it.

Anyways, I'll recommend the pizza and grilled chicken but definitely not the chicken cordon bleu.

More photos:

Thea: "Mommy, bakit dalawa yung straw?"

Orange-infused water

Love their tray liner.

Busy days ahead...

2013-09-22T10:22:00.003+08:00

Hey sweeties! I'm really sorry for not updating these past few days.

I'm now on my 5th year, 1st sem in college. And finals have just begun. And I have a lot of things to do. And I have a grade to improve. Or else, I will not be able to review for board exam next sem.

So please bear with me. I promise. I'll try to post few and quick updates and reviews from time to time.

August Clothing Haul: SURPLUS

2013-08-27T12:12:00.002+08:00

For the past few days, I'm stressing out about my grades in two of my past subjects. Since I haven't seen my grades yet, I'm kinda worried that it was Incomplete. And the sad part is I can't confirm it because the prof won't release any grade. Ayos, db?

And there's only one cure to my stress and that's retail therapy.

Clothing Haul @ Surplus

These are my recent clothing haul, all from Surplus.

Surplus is a one-stop-shop for fashion finds and branded export overruns at affordable prices. They have apparels for women, men and even for kinds. They also have other products such as blankets, slippers, bags, water bottles etc.

Here's a closer look of my purchases.

Striped Racerback Tank
xxx
P199.75

Shirt with Heart Print
Garage
P199.75

Romper
Apricot
P399.75

Shirt
Pull&Bear
P199.75

Striped Racerback Tank
Aeropostale
P199.75

60x50 Fleece Blanket
P150.00

See? Really great finds at affordable prices!

My favorite is the romper and of course, the fleece blanket! I can't sleep without a blanket and it must be made of fleece. Who doesn't love soft blankets, anyway?

How about you? What are your recent purchases?

Do you also shop at Surplus?

Share it on the comment box below.

If you haven't been to Surplus, go to the nearest Surplus Store now and grab some (or even all! hahaha) of their affordable and stylish apparels.

Where to find Surplus:

SM supermalls

Surplus

Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SurplusPH

Instagram and Twitter: @surplusPH

Bibingkinitan! Mini-Bibingka

2013-08-24T10:11:00.004+08:00

"Bibingkinitan! is the leading and biggest bibingka-chain in the Philippines with over 200 stores nationwide."- according to their website.

Some of their awards are:

2007 Best in Franchise Support by Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines
2008 Best in Franchise Support by Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines
2008 Fastest-Growing Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines
2009 Fastest-Growing Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines
2010 Best in Franchise Support by Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines
2010 Fastest-Growing Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines

Bibingkinitan! serves mini-bibingkas and their own blend Barako coffee. Original mini-bibingkas cost 20pesos/piece while the coffee costs 35pesos/8oz cup. They also have macapuno bibingkinitan, ube bibingkinitan and pastillas bibingkinitan but they are seasonal. Bibingkinitan cheese-max which is their new offering costs 25pesos/piece. They also have combo meals.

My grandma love these mini-bibingkas that's why whenever we went to the mall, we make sure to buy a box of mini-bibingkas for her.

Personally, I also love Bibingkinitan! Bibingkas are usually available only during BER-seasons together with puto-bumbong. With Bibingkinitan!, we can enjoy this delicacy all year-round.

Taste:

Mini-Bibingka

The bibingkas are really soft, moist and fluffy. Actually, a piece of it was left inside our ref for already 2 nights. I decided to eat it today, for breakfast, and put it inside the microwave. Surprisingly, it is still as soft and moist like the freshly-bought bibingkas. But, I want a little more cheese and "itlog-na-pula" on those bibingkas.

Price:
20 pesos per piece for these moist and soft bibingkas is not that bad at all. I guess it is worth the price. They also offer affordable combo meals.

Availability:
They have more than 200 stores nationwide!

cheese and itlog na pula

Fluffy and Moist

Have you tried these delicious bibingkinitans? What are your thoughts about this food? Share it on the comment box below.

Bibingkinitan! Mini-Bibingka

Bibingkinitan!

Official Website

Like them on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bibingkinitan-Mini-Bibingka

TV Series Obsession: Pretty Little Liars

2013-08-23T17:27:00.001+08:00

Watching TV series on the net has become my past-time (see: passing time) whenever I've got a lot of free time.

As you all know, classes has been suspended since Monday due to typhoon Maring and the southwest monsoon. And our classes will resume on Tuesday. See, 9 days at home. What shall I do? I'm so lazy to study and we don't have any homeworks.

I've become addicted in Pretty Little Liars BOOK SERIES and I'm now on the fifth book (I started reading 2 weeks ago). I searched the net for some information and trivia about the book and found that there is also a PLL TV SERIES. I became curious since the TV series' plot is way, way different from the BOOK series. So I searched the net for the past episodes and been watching it for three days.

For an overview:

Pretty Little Liars is an American mystery teen drama television series created by Marlene King. Based on the popular series of novels written by Sara Shepard, the show premiered on June 8, 2010 on ABC Family. The series follows the lives of Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale),Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario), Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson) andEmily Fields (Shay Mitchell), four girls whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their queen bee, Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse).

One year later, they begin receiving messages from a mysterious figure using the name "A" who threatens to expose their secrets. At first they think it's Alison herself, but after she is found dead, the girls realize that someone else knows their secrets, including long-hidden ones they thought only Alison knew.

-http://pretty-little-liars.wikia.com

Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret.

I've just finished watching the 1st season ( in 3 days!) and I can say that the plot is really different from that of the book. And for me, the TV series is much, much addicting since you get to "see" the actors/actress, their facial expressions etc., unlike in the book. O course, admit it, it is hard to imagine sometimes.

The PLL Cast

And now, I'm on the 2nd season and I just can't have enough of it. I'm so excited to know who A is and who are on the "A-team." And for the book series, I still read it before I go to sleep.

Are you also fond of watching TV series?Which one is your favorite? Share it on the comment box below.

Can't get enough of them.

Rain, rain go away...

2013-08-20T17:37:00.002+08:00

As of August 20, 2013, tropical storm Maring continues to enhance the southwest monsoon bringing heavy rains. Classes and works are suspended for already 2 days since yesterday. Many areas in the country are already flooded, take note, I'm talking about waist-deep and higher flood levels. Local government of many areas have declared state of calamity.

Talaba 2, Intersection Road, Bacoor City, Cavite
August 19, 2012 @ 7:00AM

Talaba 2, Intersection Road, Bacoor City, Cavite
August 19, 2012 @ 12:00NN

Talaba 2, Intersection Road, Bacoor City, Cavite
August 21, 2012 @ 8:08AM

On the lighter note, PAG-ASA said that they are expecting Maring to leave tomorrow. So, fingers crossed for that.

Let us pray for this to stop as it is already affecting many of our countrymen. Lives and properties are already and still in danger.

Genesis 9:11
Something to hold on to.

Keep safe, warm and dry dearies!

Emergency Hotline Numbers:

National Disaster and Risk Reduction Managent Council:

911-1406

912-2665

912-5668

PNP:

117 or send PNP to 2920

Bureau of Fire Protection:

729-5166

410-6254

431-8859

407-1230

PAGASA:

433-8526

DOTC:

7890

0918-8848484

MMDA:

136

DPWH:

304-3713

Red Cross:

143

911-1876

NLEX:

3-5000

580-8910

Sagip Kapamilya:

411-4995

394-9272

09178844411

Sugar Kids Shoes for your Little Ones' Feet

2013-08-19T12:25:00.002+08:00

I have a four-year old daughter and dressing her-up is one of my joys.

I usually buy strappy sandals for her, but recently I decided to buy some doll shoes for her. Doll shoes are very versatile, you can wear it with shorts, pants and even with dress.

And here's what I bought for her:

Sugar Kids Shoes

These are from Sugar Kids. You can get two doll shoes for your daughter for only 349.99 pesos. Each pair costs 199pesos so you get to save 50pesos.

For your Little Star

Aztec prints are for little girls too!

What I love about Sugar Kids Shoes:

They are very affordable but durable. (Even the regular-priced shoes are affordable.)
Comfy and very stylish! My daughter loves them. :)
Comes in different designs/prints and colors.
Plus, they also have shoes for your little boys!

Where to buy:

SM Department Stores

Sugar Kids Shoes

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Kids-and-Tough-Kids-Shoes