apple & val

sending out thank you cards

2006-11-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

We thought that things would relax a bit after the wedding. Boy, were we dead wrong! It's been so toxic! We haven't even opened all the gifts yet :( (although that part is sooo much fun to do *grin*) We haven't finished doing all of our thank you notes. Much less giving them out. Boohoohoo! But I'm now working double time so we can say our thank yous and let our guests know how much we appreciate their attendance and thoughtfulness.. :D

trying to get back in shape

2006-11-21T07:10:00.000-08:00

Ahh.. What a glorious feeling after the wedding. Now we can eat as much as we can. :D Mwehehe! But then again, didn't we do that all this time?? :D

Val decided that we have to "try" to get back into shape soon. And so we went back to playing badminton like we used to. The wedding preps got so toxic that we had to stop playing for a while.. We were so happy to see our old friends and to be able to play again. There's nothing like getting a good workout, sweating so much, and getting a good release of endorphins. :D We had good game time.

And today. Today is the next day. All our bones are aching. Muscles are sore. Huhuhu! :( I think we had too much too soon (you think?) *wink* We couldn't move. We were trying to figure out how to get down and eat breakfast. Hahaha! We were trying to put it off for as long as we could. Until our stomachs were complaining big time. Hahaha!

Oh well. Today's another day. Good luck to us! :D

chiles' blog entry about our wedding

2006-11-17T22:42:00.000-08:00

I have a very good friend. We've been through a lot. And I mean a lot. He's the sweetest, but mostly misunderstood. He has a clever sense of humor, sometimes dark and funny. Smart as a whip. Probably the smartest person alive (next to Steven Hawking *grin*) But never completely happy. I've known him since forever.

His name is Chiles. We love him.

And now he's about to leave for sg. :( I'm happy and sad for him all at the same time. Happy that he's spreading his ever hesitant wings. Sad that he has to do it so far away.

Big decisions. Real life. Sometimes it's funny. Then again sometimes not so much.

We loved our wedding. We had fun and happy emotions were rampant all around. Chiles gave the sweetest compliment ever. He posted an entry in his blog entitled Irene. Read it and see why I couldn't help but smile. http://irenewedsval.multiply.com/links/item/7

our videos - MTV and On-Site AVP :-)

2006-11-03T03:20:00.000-08:00

Today we saw our videos on Threelogy's blog. :D As we expected they gave a pretty good summation of our Day and ourselves. We're a happy couple wanting our guests to have a grand time at the wedding. Our ultimate goal is to share the happiness we feel to all the people who love us and we love at our wedding. We want not just us to have fun, but for everyone to have fun. We're so glad that the Smoking Three (plus of course Omeng) were there to capture everything on video (widescreen). :D Wonderful wonderful! :D

Bong uploaded two out of three videos. Our MTV and our On-Site AVP. For your viewing pleasure please visit http://irenewedsval.multiply.com/links/item/6 :D Have fun with us! :D

threelogy's blog entry of our videos :-)

2006-11-02T03:05:00.000-08:00

We are now in Boracay. In our "honeymoon" :D when I received a text from Bong of Threelogy saying that he'll be uploading both our AVPs in their blog. :D Whoopee! Excitement! Had to tell Val right away :D We're going home tomorrow. We'll see it then. Yay! *clap clap clap* I wonder what he'll be putting in that entry... Knowing how funny he is we're sure it'll be a riot. :D

countdown to the wedding..the day before..

2006-10-27T02:04:00.000-07:00

Oooh boy! Today Val and I can't see each other. We are forbidden to see each other! One of those old Filipino pamahiins that we are to follow. Thank God for mobile phones that allow us to text, and thank God for landlines that allow us to talk. :)

Every movement must be precisely choreographed. We cannot see one another. Geez! We have to check in our hotel, Astoria Plaza, today. Aileen is going with me. She's sleeping over with me. Ingrid, my cousin, decided to follow after a day of going around with our parents. I let Val check in before us knowing that there would be last minute things to do before going to the hotel. The bulk of the things to bring for the hotel, church, and reception will be with me.

I'm not really nervous nervous. But there's a wave that happens in the pit of my stomach and in my chest cavity every now and then. The room is gorgeous! Although we had a bit of a problem in the original room (both bedrooms had twin beds when we specifically asked one room to be a king size and the other two twins) so we requested to be transferred. Our final room became Room 2608. Val is on the 31st floor. We just love hotels! The clean smell. The fresh sheets. The interiors. My sister and I were trigger happy with the camera :D I really love the giant mirror in the living room. :D I thought that I'd be a wreck jsut before the wedding. But apart from the little flutters here and there I thought I was feeling pretty good. There's a certain calm wrapped about me.

We have to check with each other before we go down to grab a bite to eat or wander around the hotel for fear of bumping into each other by accident. Haha!

I think my sister and I were both psyched for tomorrow. Sleeping was a problem. But we need our beauty sleep!

We decided to buy our dinner from mini stop just outside the hotel. :D I bought everything we wanted. Yum yum! And it was fun in the hotel room. Then we went to have our massage. I've been having a stiff neck days before today :( and it's been bothering me. I already drank pain reliever for it but it hasn't gone away still. We think it might be brought upon by the wedding stress, and I'm hoping that the massage will relax me.

And so we went on down to the spa area. We didn't want the massage in our room. My therapist was kinda scary =S She had the voice of a man and the humor of a multong bakla. Oh boy! But she did give a good massage. Hahaha! :D But it wasn't good enough to take away the crick in my neck :(

Ingrid came late tonight. She had her massage after ours. When she went up she offered to give my neck a massage. Boy, she had magic fingers! The tension eased and I could slightly move my neck after when it was frozen solid and uncomfortable before that. Tomorrow she promised to give me another massage. :D hurray!

I had to excuse myself from my sister and cousin already. I wanted to get some shut eye so I'd look fresh on my big day :D I tried. But I couldn't sleep. Ahhh.. My benadryl for my allergies finally kicked in. :D And I was off to lala land. My sister came to bed a little later (I'm not really sure what time). But we hugged so tight. We fell asleep in each other's arms. We cried and cried. It would be the last night for us to share a bed. :( All those years of sharing a room. It's sad really. Heartbreaking. Even though we had separate rooms we'd still share a room. Even when the other was sick or when the other felt scared or lonely, we'd room in together. Our sobs were uncontrollable. It was funny because I told her I didn't want to cry because I don't want to have puffy eyes on my wedding day. But I couldn't stop. Even now as I think about it my eyes well up. :(

I pray that our closeness will never go away. That it won't change. Only to be strengthened by the years.

We fell asleep crying, hugging each other.

tokens for our suppliers

2006-10-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from my would-be thank you speech towards the end of our wedding reception :D it's still a work in progress. We want to get a little something for our suppliers. Again, something utilitarian but will hopefully be liked by them. :D

There are so many facets to the success of this wedding that I will not be able to mention them all. But I will try. There are a battalion of people I have to thank. So many have helped us prepare for tonight. Everyone has been nothing but kind and generous in their love and unwavering support.

First, I have to thank my dream team. A gang of suppliers that have become more than just people that we work with. They have become our friends. It took quite a bit for us to complete what we’ve done today. I can’t say I have a favorite out of all of them because it’s so hard to decide. We’ve grown to love them all so much.

From the design team to its creation. Tita Edwin Mondia helped me illustrate the gown of my dreams. And it became more than I dreamed it to be. To creating my gown and the entourage’s outfits. Tita Yasmin has been very kind and patient all these months. Her creative eye is just amazing. Of course, my Mom did the embroidery. Poring over it laboriously and executed by our master embroiderer Genio :) Thank you so much.

Gela Laurel, her magical fingers made me look and feel beautiful. Jerry, crazy and funny, magically coiffed my hair into the beautiful art that it is now.

The photographer is a good friend of mine from childhood, Patrick Mateo. Thank you so much. Along with Terry Uy. Keeping Val and I looking so fresh and exquisite in the pictures.

I have the greatest team of videographers. They go by the names of Bong, Jon, and CJ. More popularly known as Threelogy. They just crack us up every time :) Thank you.

Our beautiful flowers in the Chapel were done by Scenta Flora and of course our bouquets by my beautiful sister in law, Flowertowne by Bechaves.

Thank you also to VS&F. Our caterer. Please enjoy the food. The buffet is still open for everyone.. :) Paulo Clemente, our witty and funny host. He just keeps the ball rolling without ever giving it a chance to stop! :)

And to set the enchanting setting for tonight, thank you to Fernwood, especially Al. :D The garden is just perfect and magical and captivating. It creates the perfect setting to which the celebration of life and love fits right in.

Our wonderful band, The Sentimental Groove. They are just oozing with talent. Thank you for helping us set the mood for tonight.

And of course our coordinators, Beth and Lala and the rest of the gang. They’ve helped us every step of the way. Doing more than they bargained for. Doing more without us even asking. They have been wonderful. Thank you so much. :)

These are the people who have worked so hard in helping us achieve the wedding of our dreams. I hope I didn't forget anyone! =S We gave them tokens to show how much we appreciate all their efforts and hardwork. :D

gifts for the entourage

2006-10-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's really very difficult to think of what to give your entourage. We want our tokens to be useful and at the same time they'll love it (hopefully). We want our gifts to come with love and fondness from us. :D

My bridesmaids: Julie, Anna, and Net. They have been my best friends since grade 5 or 6 (depending on who we're talking to *grin*). Two of them have been my classmate since Prep! Imagine the history we have. We're giving them silver bracelets :) They're so dear to us.

Our secondary sponsors: Ingrid, Merche, and Kathlyn. Two of them are cousins, and the other one is practically family. :) We're giving them silver bracelets as well.

Some of our Ninangs will be receiving silver bracelets, too, only with a different design. Other Ninangs are getting a linen table cloth. I do so love them. They're very elegant. I wish I could've bought one for our own home :)

For the male members of our entourage, we will be giving them digitized clocks. The young ones will be getting a futuristic looking clock *grin* You can see through the glass! Aliw when I saw it. Bought it right away. The Ninongs will be getting a clock as well. Only theirs has a night light and pen holder built with the clock. :D

The wrapping came out very nicely. The bracelets were placed in pillow boxes (made by yours truly *ahem ahem*) :D The linen table cloths were wrapped in kraft paper and placed inside natural fiber sinamay. They went wonderfully with our ribbons. And the clocks were wrapped in kraft paper shelled by pandan green woven wrapping paper.

And now for the children in our special line up. The little girls, our precious flower girls: Anna, Bea, and Patis, will be receiving scented strawberry shortcake bracelets. Through the years we saw these girls blossom into beautiful and intelligent creatures. Just looking at them makes us proud to be their godparents. :D

The boys, our bearers: Joshua (ring), Riggs (coin), and Vince (Bible), will be getting toys from us. Josh loves to play with toy guns and spy toys. Riggs and Vince will be getting Spiderman boxing sets. :)

All the gifts came with personal handwritten notes. These people are very special to us. We want them to feel that. We had the notes written down in our monogrammed thank you cards. :D

our wedding souvenir :-)

2006-10-26T00:53:00.000-07:00

Like most of the other things with our wedding, our souvenirs is also a labor of love. I made our table runners. They come in three colors: white, yellow, and beige. There are a cluster of floral embroidery on two opposite ends of the runner. And our personal tag electronically embroidered in the middle edge of the fabric. :D

We love the way it turned out. :D For packaging, we just rolled them up with the embroidery showing. Some corrugated cardboard and ribbons to spruce it up a bit. And of course our little thank you card. :D

It's so dainty. :D Perfect for everyone's homes. :D

the biggest wedding expense =S

2006-10-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

Sigh! Today we finalized payment with VS&F. It's good that we got it out of the way already. But it really hurts yoru pockets to pay for the caterer. Good thing our new AE, Maricel, is very easy to talk to.. :)

Out of them all, the biggest cheque you'll probably have to write would be for the caterer. Signing the cheque was a bit hard. Hahaha! From originally wanting 80 pax at the wedding, our guest list became 150. Then we finally settled with 200. A good round number. But now that the wedding is looming in front of us, it looks like we're going for 260 =S Ack! 260!

But of course, that was too "round" a number for me. We just paid for 255 heads. Hahaha! (As if it makes a difference, yes?) Well, I think it's all psychological. Hahaha! The wedding does that to the couple :D

signature photo cards

2006-10-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

We wanted to do away with the old school signature frame. Although sweet and adorable in nature, we thought it archaic. So we thought of doing signature photo cards. Instead of having a photo guest book printed, we did a more economical yet fun and innovative way of getting our guests' thoughts and wishes for us.

We chose 12 of our favorite pictures. Printed them in 5R sizes. Printed each of them in multiples of 8. From there we stuck them on nice bristol boards and punched holes in groups of 3. My sister, Aileen, and I had to work fast doing this since the spray mount dried fast. Really fast. It was all choreographed movements. And timed! :D Haha! We made sure that the groups of three came in different picture combinations so that there were different pictures in each table. They could be conversation pieces or just fun to look at from table to table :D We just got small ring binders to keep them together. We also got those mammoth binders to keep them all together after the wedding. :)

This way, they get to see our dynamics in pictures (get to know us all the more, so to speak) and at the same time they could see how fabulously talented our photographers (Alain *wink*, Carla, and Patrick) are. :D

practicing for the first dance :D

2006-10-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

Whew! A week to go and we still haven't practiced for our "exciting" first dance :( Jay, our choreographer, keeps on cancelling due to unexpected circumstances. :( I'm not so much worried. But Val seems to be on edge. Hehe! He's worried he won't be "practiced" enough for the big day. Haha! But I have utmost confidence in my hubby-to-be. I'm sure he'll do wonderfully on our big night :D

And so today was our first practice. We plan on just video taping our dance so we can come back to it anytime just in case we forget the steps. Mwehehe!

Val was goofing around. I think he was more nervous than anything else :D But when we started to videotape the dance when we finally completed the breakdown, aba!, miraculously he was together, he was serious, he was great! Hahaha! Counting the years that we've been together (almost 8 years!), I never knew Val to have a star complex side of him. Hahaha!

I'm sooo excited with our first dance. It's been dancing around in my head almost since we got engaged (no pun intended *grin*). It's really to show the three generations of special men in my life. Joshua, my 7 year old nephew, will dance with me first to the tune of Kenny Loggins' Return to Pooh Corner. :D I can see it now... He's gonna be sooo cute :D He's my baby really. I took care of him when he was a baby. Still is my baby until now :D Next up will be my Daddybear. :D We'll be dancing to Bob Carlisle's Butterfly Kisses. *choke choke* Just thinking about it makes me all teary eyed =S Oh, I hope I don't breakdown that night.. =S And of course me and my hubbydoo's first dance.. :D Oh, this is gonna be great! :D We'll be dancing to Pussycat Dolls' (my favorite!) Sway. Whoopee! Can't wait! :D

surprise for mom and dad

2006-10-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

My parents have been so supportive since day one. You can really see their excitement and happiness for us. They have been nothing less than loyal, encouraging, and helpful in everything. As much as possible we wish not to bother them with the wedding preps. But they continuously surprise us with little and big things that they busy themselves with for our sake. And so we wanted to give a little something back to them.

We were thinking and thinking. What do we give them? It's so hard to give them gifts. It's seems they already have everything. And so we thought of surprising them with a collage of pictures of their own wedding and relationship through the years. For over thirty years they have put themselves only second to their children. It's always been about other people. Now we want to focus on them. Just them. Their love. Their relationship.

After our mosaic, we went back to Enrico and requested him to make a photo collage on canvas for my parents. Of course, this was another surprise. I loooove surprises! :D

It turned out beautifully. My Mom was in tears. Hehehe! Perfect! It's our wedding gift to them. For all their help, love, support, and understanding :D

thank you cards

2006-10-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

We ended up having two kinds of thank you cards. I had a simple one printed. It just had our logo in front. I love our logo. My brother made it for us. :D We originally wanted V-I, initials of our first names. But then the letters didn't look so good together. So we just went for the initial of my nickname. We ended up having V-A for our monogram. Better looking :D All swirly and curly with just a hint of shadow :D Beautiful.

But of course when Ninang Wee saw it she said,"No!" She'll make another thank you card for me. She wanted our picture on the card. She helped me choose from one of my prenup pics with Pat Mateo. She agreed that the black and white pic is more dramatic. Very apt in conveying the future. Forward looking. :D

And so my Aunt did just what she said. I only saw it when she came home from Canada. It' beautiful! Perfect! (once again *grin*) The print was great. And I especially love the logo and the signature at the back. :D

our kissing bells

2006-10-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

I really wanted us to have kissing bells. Our own kissing bells. :) I think they're cute, fun to have, and absolutely delightful when rang at the reception. :D So I set off for Divisoria to get the rest of the materials I needed. I already have the ribbons that I'll be using. I already have a lot of those. I made sure I had enough for whatever do-it-yourself projects I had in mind (or will be doing in the future). And I already have the gold thread to be used for the tags (thanks, Mom! *grin*). What I needed are the bells (very important in this case! *grin*) and the tags to be placed on the bells. Cute little tags. :D

And so off to Divi I went. Towed by my Mom. :D She's the best haggler in the world. :D You need to have great bargaining skills if you wish to survive in Divisoria. Mwehehe! :D I thought I had a knack for it. But with Mom, I pale desperately in comparison. :D

And so we got the medium sized bells. The small ones sounded so bleak. Hahaha! And I think no matter how vigorous you try to shake them no amount of expended energy could make you hear them in a garden. Hahaha! The big ones looked so... Big. Too big. Mala-kampana. :) So the medium ones were perfect, Mom and I thought. Got a bunch of them so that there would be around 3 bells-a-ringing in a table.

And then for the tag. Hmm.. What to put? Geez! So hard to think of the right rhyme to put on the cutesy bells. They should be able to explain the bell's purpose without sounding so cerebral. We wanted to stick to the fun side of things, and not be so rational about it.

And so here goes our rhyme (I got some of it from a fellow wawie bride, thanks sis! *grin*)

Today, as we gather,
Wish us love to last forever,
If you would like us
to share a wedded kiss,
Ring the bell
for lifelong bliss. :D

Heehee! Even as I read it now I smile. :D

our bible

2006-10-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

We were looking and looking and looking for a Bible for the wedding. But we couldn't find one that would fit out taste. We just realized that there were so many kinds of bibles out there! There's the Precious Moments Bible, The Bride's Bible, King James Version, New King James Version, Good News, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, etc etc. Hmm... Which one to get? We haven't a clue :(

So I just bought one kind. And dressed it up! And now it's perfect! :D It took a while and a lot of elbow grease but it's perfect :D

Click here for pictures. :D

our photo mosaic :D

2006-10-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

Whoopee! The approval of our photo mosaic came in today. :D It's wonderful! I got so excited when I saw it in my mail. Then forwarded it to Val right away. He got so psyched, too! :D

We got it from a very nice man named Enrico of Mosaic Moments. He was very easy to talk to. We just left a cd of pictures in The Podium. We just deposited the required amount to their account. And voila! Our mosaic. Bow. *grin*

We're keeping this a secret from my family. I want them to get surprised when they see it for the first time :D

missalette

2006-10-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Whew! It took quite a while to finish the missalette. Click here to see what it looks like. :) Had to do everything from scratch. And I don't have adobe publisher! Just relying on Word. Thank God for Word :) Our final missalette is a result of revision after revision after endless revisions. But I'm so happy with how it turned out :)

Ninang Wee (from Canada) has been waiting for me to send her the soft copy. Being the suuuuper nice person that she is, she insisted on helping me do the missalettes even when I tried several times to decline her most gracious offer. :D She kept on saying that she really wants to help. So she will be doing the printing of our missalettes :D She has cardstock on hand for the covers. But decided to buy some more since she saw pretty ones at the store, she says. :) *sigh* I'm so lucky to have such loving family.

Monasterio de Sta. Clara

2006-10-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Val and I are worried about the weather on our wedding day. It's getting nearer and nearer but we noticed that it's been rainy and stormy these past days =S We're hoping and praying for good weather on the 28th.

So we went on over to QC to offer ensaymadas to St. Clare in Monasterio de Sta. Clara. Most of the offerors had eggs in their hands. But we thought that the monastery must be getting truckloads of eggs each day, they would appreciate something else. We decided to bring my infamous ensaymadas :D

We'll be back another day, a few days from now, to offer once more. This time with eggs. :D

flowers for the video shoot

2006-09-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

I do so love flowers :)

MTV shoot - Jon's camera; trial make up with harold

2006-09-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

Unbeknownst to us all (oh all right, unbeknownst most of the time *wink*), Jon was taking great shots of all of us all the while we were shooting or otherwise. :D

For this shoot, I tried out Harold Santos of Make Up Your Mind. He did a good job since my face didn't break out after and he has a knack for foundations. He does a pretty good job of laying it on.. :) He was so precise. It took a long time for him to finish on the foundation. But he's good. He keeps all his knick knacks and tools clean all the time. He's very particular with every part of the make up process. All in all, my trial make up with him was ok.

For some reason I was breaking out around the time our shoot. It must've been from experimenting with different make up artists. Waaaah! :,-( He covered it up ok. But unfortunately, it could not be hidden completely in the pictures nor the video. :( huhuhu!

Click here for more pictures. :D

But anyway, the pictures were great! Jon and Bong took turns taking stolen shots (or otherwise). Thanks, guys! :D

our MTV shoot with threelogy & friends :-)

2006-09-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

It was a day of fun and laughter. We started the day with a hearty lunch that Mom and Yaya prepared. Our good friends came over to help us reenact our engagement. We couldn't stop laughing. :D Everyone was game enough to do just about anything. As usual, Threelogy made it fun for us all. Bong was doing his usual hirits and antics that kept our abdominal muscles in constant workout. :D

I think we could get used to a moviestar's life. Harharhar! The lights, camera, action! The director screaming at us *wink wink* The internalizing of lines and emotions. Mwahaha! I miss the theatre :D I had almost forgotten how much fun this could be :D

From the house, we went to our condo in Manila to shoot the "office scenes." Man, were we on fire!!! Hahaha! I just hope this comes out great ;-)

Then we ended the night in my favorite thai resto, Krua Thai, for dinner. Exhausting. But well worth it :D

Click here for pics. :D

Credits:
Director/Camera Man - Bong
Camera Man/Director of Photography/"Dad"- Jon
Creative Director/Editor - Carla
Leading Man/Screenplay/Producer - Val
Leading Lady/Casting Director/Producer - your truly *beautiful eyes* hehe!
Supporting Actors - Allan, Marlo
Supporting Actresses - Aileen, Anna, Julie, Net
Child Stars - Gaby and Joshua
Mascot - Spikey
On Location Shooting: BF Homes Paranaque and Taft, Manila

Thanks, guys! It was the best ever! :D

on our way to mmldc

2006-09-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Going to mmldc wasn't much of a hassle. Traffic was very cooperative. Pat knew where to go and how to get there in the least amount of time. :D

We were just goofing around in the car. I think we were both trying to mask our anxiety for the impending shoot. =S We had McDo take out in the car. Of course, food calms us down. All the time :D

When we got there, we had a bit of a mix up. The guards were not informed of our shoot. This guy I talked to from Marketing was off from work since it was a Sunday. But the guards were still very courteous and they proceeded to guide us in doing what we had to do.

And so we paid. The standard amount in Php1,500 for pictorials. Php500 of which is consumable in the Cafe. I forget the name of the cafe.. :) Food was good. We had it at the end of the day. Service was good as well. Only thing was, we were eaten alive by mosquitoes in the open-air cafe. :(

The grounds were beautiful. So many spots to have our picture taken. Only the lighting was the problem since it was a cloudy day. There was even an extotic bird gone astray. Pat does a great imitation of the bird's running style. ;) Hahaha! We wanted to have our picture taken with it. It would have been so cool! But we were scared that it would eat our heads off or something. Hahaha! It looked so striking with its dark colored body and bright red orange head full of spikes all around. Bizaare. Peculiar. Exciting. :D

make up for prenup shoot in mmldc

2006-09-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

Planned on going early to Gela's house for our make up session. We're scheduled to leave for MMLDC at 1pm. But we got there later than planned because Val had a bit of car trouble and I had to go pick him up instead.

It's so much fun doing make up with Gela. She's funny and crazy and wacky. Much like I am. *grin* It's good to see old acquaintances and make them your friends.. :D

Click on the picture to see the rest. :)

prenups: mmldc

2006-09-10T03:13:00.000-07:00

Today we had our prenup pictorial at mmldc. Patrick and I agreed to convoy going to Antipolo. His girlfriend lives nearby and he has to do his "reporting" duties after our shoot. Hehehe! :) We met Pat just outside his village --which is about 3 minutes away from mine :D Dara, btw, helped with the shoot. Poor thing, she had to play assistant since Pat's assistant called in sick today.

On our way to the hills of Antipolo, the mood in the car was a bit pensive. We were both nervous. In hind sight, it's all so funny now. Hahaha! We were so nervous about posing in public. Although we did choose the shooting day to be a Sunday so at least there wouldn't be hordes of people milling around the development center ogling at our every attempt to strike a pose. Bwahahaha! Now that would really get anybody nervous! :D

Getting there was the easy part. The traffic condition was ok. The weather was perfect. The sun wasn't so high. The day was cloudy (my favorite kind of day *grin*) with a breeze greeting us here and there. Perfect for picture taking. :D

Patrick, by far, I think, is the best photographer ever. Well, not because he's my friend, y'all. I think that made me nervous all the more because I thought I'd be self conscious double time. But he was fantastic! He made us feel right at ease. Cracking jokes here and there. Encouraging. Always full of praises even though we thought we looked goofy :D Haha!

One drawback for the whole day. There was this little bug that kept on following me everywhere we went! It kept on buzzing around my face. And the funny thing about it is that it would make its appearance everytime Pat was about to click the camera! how frustrating is that! :) I tried to whack it. Nothing. Swipe at it. Still nothing. Swat it away. It was still there! I tried to just ignore the little thing. But I kept on getting cross-eyed because it kept on flying in my face! Hahaha! I contemplated on eating it (like Shrek). But that was too gross. :D I guess it got tired finally. The little thing went away. Although at that time, the shoot was over. *sigh*

It was tiring to be subjects of a photo shoot. Naks! :D Mwehehe! But it was fun. :D We rested for a bit in the cafe inside the grounds. It was beautiful there. Only thing was, there was an attack of mosquitoes. Haha! Bugs really loved to follow me that day :( Then we went on home. It was nightfall. Pat led us to where we were supposed to go. We were so thankful because Val and I were thinking of how to get home from there. =S The roads looked the same. They were all dark. Geez! But thankful, we said our goodbyes in the car. And we got home happy and exhausted :D

invites: the final look + our wax seal

2006-09-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

We had problems printing the names of the invited on the envelope. My printer kept on jamming. Argh! The envelope is too thick :( And I thought of an alternative! We used parchment paper. The paper is beautiful, classy, and cheap. One thing is that it comes in huge sheets of paper. Like those used by architects. I had to cut them according to the right size so the paper can go around the envelope making it look like a wrap. Printed the names in front with our monogram on top. Printed our names at the back along with our future address. And then our cutesy wax seal for the final effect. And voila! Our invites are ready to be distributed. :D

Seems easy enough. But boy oh boy, was it labor intensive! It took me days to finish cutting the parchment so it will take on the shape of a longer bond paper. Days again to print the information on the pages. Cut them into three's. Fold them. And put on our wax seal. *sigh* Good thing one of my best friends, Julie, was kind enough to help me on some days :D and Val, of course, loved making the wax seals. Hehe! We couldn't stop! It was so addicting! :D

The invitations were a labor of love. It was a long process doing them. But it paid off. We love the way it turned out. Clean and elegant. Plus of course a touch of our own. :D

invites

2006-08-23T04:23:00.000-07:00

Hmm.. Since we have 100 pcs of invites free from V-Craft because of Fernwood, we were originally thinking of getting the rest of what we needed from Printed Matter or Unifair. We heard that they do quality but very affordable invitations. But as soon as we saw the "free" invites from V-Craft, Val and I decided to get the rest from them as well. They were beautiful. Very simple and elegant. Which is what we were going for really. We had a hard time choosing. Although there were a lot of additional charges for upgrades (we didn't do any upgrades anymore, btw) and there were other charges like for extra names in the Principal Sponsors list etc etc, we still went ahead with V-Craft. It came out cheaper after all. :)

And today we got out invites. Whoopee! Sooo purty! :D They had to deliver it to us since they promised that it would be ready last Sunday. We went all the way to Fernwood only to find out that they haven't even started on it due to some staff emergencies.

It's sooooo exciting to see your wedding invitations! :D I can't explain it. It's like another piece of the puzzle making "the day" so real for you. There were three inserts in a main envelope: the main invite with the beautiful beautiful embossed floral frame design, the list of the whole entourage, and the map going to Fernwood. They even gave 400 pcs of the gate pass! :) We'll just slip that inside the envelope along with our bridal registries (Rustan's and Automatic Centre). Click on the picture and see the rest of the pics :D

fm workout; suman!

2006-08-10T08:42:00.001-07:00

Oh boy! It's crunch time! A few months away from the wedding and I still have to get into shape.. :( It's sooo hard when food is sooo hard to resist. And I eat like a man! Ack! And so today I went back to working my butt off in the gym. *sigh* One thing my trainer and friend, FM, has been trying to get me to do for months now. But I so hate counting reps and sets and whatnots :( If only aero is enough. *sigh*

We started out light since I haven't been lifting regularly. But for sure tomorrow will be another day of aches and pains. Oooh boy!

And then again, I really had a lot of reasons to work my butt off today. Among other things, our good friend, Tita Nelda, gave me a huge pack of suman. Mmm.. Love that suman! And it was all just for meeee! Whoopee! :D It was so good. Yeah. I really didn't mind working out :) I must've eaten more than 6 huge pieces. Hahaha! Eating. It's my only vice.. :D

another surprise :D

2006-08-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

Oooh, I'm such a sucker for surprises. And I love to give them as well.

stress

2006-08-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

The wedding preparations can really take its toll on your body after sometime. It's such a blessing to have wonderful people around you to give you strength and support just when you need them the most. My parents and siblings have been great. Helping out without me asking them. Just going ahead and doing what they think will help in any way then coming to me for approval. Geez! Are they the best or what?! :D Good thing val is so understanding most of the time. We have our little disagreements here and there, yes. But never to the point of fighting. *sigh*

the 3-month countdown

2006-08-02T05:15:00.000-07:00

Whew! My palpitations are coming in shorter intervals.. =S the three-month countdown has begun. So many things to do. You don't know if there's enough time to do them all :( Let's just keep our fingers crossed..

worried

2006-08-02T04:21:00.000-07:00

Oooh.. I'm nervous about the gowns... It's already August and I haven't seen any of the entourage's gowns yet. So much work still. Argh! Have to finish commitments first before all this so I can finally concentrate on the wedding gown and the entou gowns.. *sigh* Lord, help me =S

surprise!

2006-08-01T23:12:00.000-07:00

Hi beh! Well, it's sort of anticlimactic now.. This is supposed to be a surprise for you. But now that you know about it.. :grin: It's all good. :D *tee-hee!*

giant tv

2006-08-01T05:08:00.000-07:00

Hmm.. What is it with men and gadgets? I don't quite understand it. It's more than just a hobby. It's an obsession, really. They need to have something to tinker with, something to create from scratch with their hands. Needless to say, men have this undeniable fascination with today's technology. Gizmos of different shapes and sizes catch their fancy, and they're hooked!

Ok, Val is not an exception. He's been eyeing this flat screen tv for quite sometime now. Well, you really have to admit, those things can cause your mouth to drool just by looking at the display. It doesn't take much to imagine it sitting in your bedroom. :D But it makes me feel bad that I can't instantly get the tv for him. He really really really wants it. He doesn't really say it, but I can read it in his eyes... [not to mention with much prodding from a certain B**g of T**e**o*y-- argh! Playing devil's advocate, hmm?! *wink wink* -- ayan ha, tinago ko ang pagkatao mo ;) mwehehe!]

Sure, they're so shiny and pretty. But, man, prices can blow you from here to kingdom come. =S Now... If only I can find the moolah for my sweetums' flat screen tv... Tough feat. :( *sigh*

avp pics

2006-08-01T04:17:00.000-07:00

*sigh* So many pictures to choose from but only limited slots to put in our photo avp.. :( in my archive alone I can't seem to pick just a few. And I'm still getting pics from my friends..

So much fun looking at our pictures growing up. From being an infant to the awkward stages of life (harharhar!) to what we've become now. :D

happy birthday to me :D

2006-07-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Ah yes. Another year has gone by. Another year to greet me. I noticed that my age has completely slipped my mind. I don't think it's intentional. I just stopped counting at 21. When people ask me how old I am, I automatically answer 21. Bwahaha! Then I have to rethink. Think hard. Oops! 25 na pala. Think again.. Hahaha! This year I turn 28. A nice number to have your wedding :D A good number of year under your belt to start a family. :D

This year I was excited for my birthday. It's my last birthday as a singleton :) By next year I will have been Mrs. Irene Recio on my birthday :D So this year's birthday is a day of reckoning.

I decided to have a little dinner thingie at home. :D Keeping it simple, just our very close friends and badminton buddies were invited.

My birthday turned out to be a month-long celebration of sorts. Naks! I really felt the love from my family. Mom insisted on cooking with Yaya's help even though she wasn't feeling so well. Then we had a big dinner for me on the actual dayof my birthday. Then we celebrated again on the 16th in A Veneto. This family eatout was postponed several times. Finally! :) Then a group of good friends threw a surprise birthday lunch for me at Bellevue. How sweet it is to be loved by them all :D

Click here for more pictures :D

still worried =S

2006-07-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

Ack! I'm at the Congress and still I can't get my mind off my Baptismal Certificate. It's still missing! :(

I've called several times. I was passed to several people. It's like going round and round without knowing where you are. It's very frustrating. To think I've spent a generous amount of years in this institution. Argh!

I've given up. Maybe there is no hope in finding a copy. :( I guess I just have to grovel and beg Mt. Carmel to let me off the hook even if I don't have a newly issued Baptismal Certificate. :(

Until a call came in past four thirty. Gary called. He was so kind. I was so touched. He even apologized for getting back to me so late daw. Imagine?! This kind soul gave me the best news ever! He said that because of the massive reorganization, there was a bit of confusion in the chain of command. But this kind man took the time out to personally find my file in the school warehouse. He got the necessary permits, which I understand, took most of the time. And he went in to find my file. I lost all hope earlier since the other person I talked to said that the school only kept students' files up to five years back. But this was definitely great news! All pertinent documents were in my file -- including a photocopy of my Baptismal Certificate! Yay! *clap clap clap* The world is full of angels. Sometimes the people next to us become one. Whew! That was a pretty close call :D Thanks, Gary! I'll get it first thing Monday :D

Wedding Congress

2006-07-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

Oooh! I'm so excited to go to the Wedding Congress. Well, Val is not so excited, being the man that he is. Wehehe! But he was sweet enough to offer to go on leave today because he was worried I'd be alone today. But, being the woman that I am, I told him not to worry about me. I'd be with a couple of other w@wie girlfriends. I'm really interested in the talks offered at the Congress.

It was pretty much a happy day. Val and I got to be together again going to work. Just like when I was going to school for further studies (I'm on leave now -- for the wedding, of course :wink: hehe!) Went to the gym early this morning since the seminars don't start until 1pm. Being the cardio addict that I am, I usually look forward to attending classes in Megamall. How convenient that the Congress is there, too! Hehe!

Had a very light lunch after the classes since Val and I had a very heavy brunch :D met up with Margie and on our way to the Trade Hall. The talks didn't start on time like I expected. Which was very disappointing. A lot of time was wasted. But the talks were made to be interesting and and fun. Some talks achieved this goal. The rest, well... They were ok.

I especially liked the talk made by Jason Magbanua. I've always been a fan of his work. He knows what he's doing. And he makes you understand the way he thinks. That man's got real talent. I thought our supplier, Threelogy, was going to make a talk, too. I was really looking forward to that. But seeing them in the fair, Bong said that they were just exhibitors. What a shame. That would've been fun. Those guys are crazy. Not to mention very talented! :D it's always a riot talking to them. :D

Another one I appreciated was the talk on the legal side of marriage. More often than not, this is forgotten during the preps. Couples are starry-eyed and overcome with excitement for the Big Day that a lot of the legal and intricate details are overlooked. It pays to be in the know.

The Congress will go on for three days. Whew! It was tiring enough the whole day today. But tomorrow Val will be with me. :D At least we can spend the day together. And we can, hopefully, learn new things together.

=S

2006-07-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

I'm really getting worried... =S still no Baptismal Certificate for me. They won't issue even with notarized affidavits or written testimonials from my godparents. They keep on saying I don't have a record there. ARgh! It's so frustrating. My friend has been to and from the Church following it up. I've called up Cebu myself, but still they won't issue the certification.

We checked our documents here at home. I've gone through them several times. Each time meticulously looking for a copy just so I can offer it as proof of my Baptism. Still, nothing.

We've checked the bank vault. Not in there, too.

I've called my University. They say they don't require that for admission.

I went to my high school. This is my only hope now. I've been with the school since Prep all the way through high school. I'm hoping they have a copy. Upon getting there, the school has improved so much since graduation. New buildings. Better facilities. All rooms air-conditioned. The teachers I knew, most of them have gone, either to heaven or abroad. Offices that once were are now in different areas of the campus. It used to be that when I visit the school, I'd happen upon a former teacher. It's not the case anymore. I was hoping to find someone from the administration that I knew to somehow help me get my files. The future isn't looking so bright right now. :sigh:

Until I got to the Registrar's Office. With all of my previous plans foiled, I went to try my luck in the Admissions Office. Lo and behold, the person sitting in one of two tables in Admissions looked very familiar. It was Gary. He was the official events photographer for the whole campus the whole time my batchmates and I were growing up. :grin: He vaguely remembered me. But he was very friendly and accomodating. According to him, there was a massive restructuring done that shuffled them around the campus. We had a good talk. It was interesting conversation. He's now pretty much limited to the desk, unlike before when he had a lot of interaction with the students and teachers and was mobile a lot. But then again, he didn't seem like the type who complained. He looked very much adjusted to his new job. And very much willing to help an alumna like me.

He told me he'd see what he can do. The office was just for the purpose. I left my name and contact details. And now all I can do is wait... :sigh:

The waiting can be very stressful. Especially if you're on a deadline. =S

Oh boy, help me in crossing fingers and hoping...

documents! documents!

2006-07-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

Hay! One of the most tedious aspects of planning a wedding is preparing the necessary documents. It really is a blessing to have people close to our hearts to help us in obtaining these documents.

Val was baptized in Iloilo. I, on the other hand, was baptized in Cebu. Pretty far from where we are now. Through the kindness of Val's Tita Evelyn, we were able to get his newly issued baptismal certificate. The certificate from Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish (St. Clement's) Iloilo was couriered to his cousins, Leeds and Viktors, here in Manila. We set a lunch date so we could get together and at the same time get the document. I must say, that was a very tiring luncheon. We were laughing and tripping the whole time! :D We were a crazy bunch today. It was the first time I met Viktors today. But I met Leeds a long time ago. Lakas ng sayad that guy! Hahaha! He's sooo funny! It's always a joy seeing Val's relatives. There are so many few chances and so few of them that we relish the times that we do see them.

Before our lunch with the brothers Trompeta, we went to the National Shrine of St. Michael & The Archangels in Manila to get my Confirmation Certificate. No problem there. We got it in less that 15 minutes. They just asked for my name and the year I was supposedly confirmed in their Church. I couldn't be sure so I wrote down two years. It was a relief that they found it accordingly. I was really nervous because my Baptismal Certificate is a bit of a problem now. The people who work in Redemtorist Cebu claim that I have no record whasoever there. No matter how much we jumble my name to come up with a listing, still to no avail :( I didn't want the same problem with my Confirmation Certificate...

Early in the week, we already got Val's Confirmation Certificate from St. John Bosco Parish in Makati. No glitches there either. Thank God! And for a very very minimal fee, we got the document within 20 minutes. He couldn't even remember the date of his Confirmation. All it took was his name and his parents' names. And voila! The document was issued by a characteristically stoic woman. Hehe! We tried to make her smile, but evidently our charms did not work on her. Hahaha! Oh well. We're just thankful that the document was issued smoothly.

Our NSO birth certificates are ready as well. My sis-in-law helped me get them. Got them last night when she came home from work. Good thing one of her staff has a contact in NSO. Thank you, Lord, for small miracles that help in big ways. :D

And now, the only thing that's missing is my Baptismal Certificate... =S I really hope we find it soon...

worried about our caterer; venue settled

2006-07-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

Rainy rainy day. Seems like the storm ain't leaving anytime soon. But we had to go all the way to QC to ask some questions troubling us about our caterer.

And so I went to Ortigas to pass for Val. My car's still in the shop :( so I had to borrow my Dad's car since Val's car is coding. Argh!

Getting there was easier. Since I was just a passenger and Val the driver. Hehehe! I fell asleep. Rain, cool weather, and dark skies are perfect for sleeping. :grin:

When we got there, the Chapel was lit and dressed up. We were wondering if there was a wedding. Then I found out that it was just a mock up for florists applying for accreditation. The flowers were lovely :D

We were really worried about issues surrounding our caterer and venue, VS&F and Fernwood Gardens. We didn't waste another day and went on to question the people involved. Our worries were calmed by Fernwood. Noting that both our caterer and venue were professionals. I don't think our caterer will risk anything lest they wish to sacrifice their remaining commitments in the said venue.

Fernwood has extended more than helpful hands to us from the start. Al has been more than accomodating. We truly appreciate all his help. Val didn't make a mistake in choosing Fernwood. It's wonderful and romantic and so out-of-this-world-ish :D so it was more than ok with us that we settled our balance with them. :D

first ever after feeling

2006-07-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

I've been in this business for as long as I can remember. But tonight the lining of my gown came and I had the tremendous pleasure of fitting it. I thought I was just gonna breeze through it. Just like any other fitting in all those years... But as soon as I saw the lining come out of the bag, my heart made a little skip inside my chest. Oh boy, this is it. And that was just the lining! I wonder how I'd feel if all the trimmings and embelishments are already in order. :D

Val was in the other room. Of course I did everything i could to deter him from coming to the house tonight but he wouldn't take no for an answer. Argh! So he was smiling so broadly when he found out I was gonna fit tonight. (and there he thought he could take a peek -- mwahaha!) My dressing room was guarded like a fort. He could not take even the smallest peep. Hehehe! I made him stay in the other house :grin: He kept on saying, "Kaya pala ayaw mo ko papuntahin ha." Hehe! Well, you do what you gotta do to keep things a secret. The thing is with him, the more I tell him not to go, the more he insists on coming to my house. Argh! Oh well.. :D

It's all so exciting *sigh* :D

early booking

2006-07-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

*sigh* early booking of suppliers is well and good. But there is one drawback. You never know for sure if what you booked then will actually be on the wedding day.. =S

We were a bit worried about Paulo Clemente's booking as our host. When we booked VS&F last year, we specifically asked for him to be our reception host since we heard a lot of great feedback about him. Months have passed and our AE for VS&F has gone missing -- no replies or return calls. Argh! Good thing we got a new AE. What's the use of continuing your frustrations, right? We went right ahead and got ourselves a new AE. She's more efficient. More accessible. More down to earth. We're happy. Upon following up with Maricel, she confirmed that our booking with Paulo still stands. Whew!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy

2006-07-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

Today was so special. And now my birthday is almost over. Thank you, beh, for spending the whole day with me. It was very special in its simplicity. I love you so much. You've made me so happy. (except for the minor glitches - *tee-hee!*) I feel that today was perfect [grin]

Val took a leave from work. Sooo sweet of him. Today is Val's national holiday, my Dad jokes. :D haha!

Started out early with a marathon of badminton games. Lunch at home with Mom and Dad. Then hung out for a while. Letting the sweltering heat outside subside a bit. Then went to the mall for his surprise for me (here's where the gliches come in - argh!) Then dinner at home. Had to review little Josh with his school lessons a bit till Kuya got home.

All in all, today was great. Some friends never forget to send their love every year. I'm so lucky. I have them. They're all great. Thank you, Lord. The hours flew by so fast. Tomorrow is another day. Let's see how it'll surprise me... :D

Eek!

2006-06-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

Grabe, I just saw my laptop in Octagon. And it's priced exorbitantly! Good thing Val got it at half its selling price here. What a great deal! :D

Hmm.. So sweet my darling. He gave me a laptop as his wedding gift to me. He saw my broken down computer and took pity on little ol' me. But now, how do I even come close to a gift like this? =S

Thanks, beh! I loooove it! :) mwah! But I love you more. :D

so lucky

2006-06-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe what one of my bridesmaids did for me today... I was so touched that she actually told her parents to foot the bill of our hotel accomodations for the wedding. Hay! Val and I found it so sweet that she actually came up to her parents and did that for us :grin:

Of course, it's super dyahe. So dyahe that I didn't know how to decline the offer without hurting their feelings. But the thought and the effort was well appreciated. It brought a bit of mist to my eyes.

She has been a friend since grade school. And we've been through so much. Thanks, mare! We're so lucky to be surrounded by people who love us so much. :D

thmu with gela

2006-06-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

A little over two weeks ago, Gela and I set a date for our trial. Today. There were good vibes from the start. She's very accomodating. Very prompt in answering your queries via text messaging. Very patient in explaining her craft. And open to give and receive suggestions. Gela scored big points right away. :) Thanks to a fellow wawie's prodding, I had a go on trying Gela.

Only one thing to worry about now... the make up. =S First up, my skin reacts to an extreme degree at times. It's really very sensitive :sigh: Second, some make up products are just too strong. There are those that are packaged as mild, but truth be told, they are far from being so. *argh!* Third, I really want my make up to last on my wedding day. After the ceremony and dancing and picture taking and posing and smiling and laughing and hugging and everything else, I still want to be that radiant bride :D And Gela has assured me of that with her make up. She even said that her make up will last even after swimming. Provided, of course, you don't rub your face or attack it vigorously ;) mwehehe!

Her name sounds so familiar. Hmm.. Why does it ring a bell? When I got to the place this morning, she was still doing someone else. But the girl at the front desk told me to go in just as well. And so I did. Well, as soon as I entered the studio, she screamed "I know you!" Hahaha! Nagulat pa nga ako eh. I said the same thing almost at the same time. :D We went to the same high school and university, but were never properly introduced. Although we knew of each other.

She's fun and crazy and wacky. Just like me! :grin: We really hit if of right away. Hehe! The trial was fun. We were just bursting with energy. Until our batteries ran out. We were quiet for all of five minutes. I guess that was enough for a recharge because we were back to laughing and being our crazy selves again :D

My sweetums was being the ever attentive betterhalf today. Taking pictures here and there. he could not be stopped :grin: mwehehe! He was the official photographer of the day. He kept on taking and taking and taking and taking pictures. Haha! :D

One thing I really liked with Gela and Jerry, they're very open to suggestions. At the same time, they give theirs as well. I liked the fresh look. It does give me a bride-y feel. I liked the hair too. Not too big, not too small. Although, I'm thinking, it could use a bit of improvement. A bit of cleaning up... Now all I have to do is find a peg for the "look" I want... Pics are right here

tmu with laura mercier make up artist

2006-04-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today is the wedding of a longtime friend of mine. What a perfect day to have a trial make up! :D

Originally, the trial was set with Angie and Ogie. They have such rave reviews in waw that I was so excited to try them out. But unfortunately, there was an urgent change in Angie's schedule. Although we've already confirmed this appoinment several times in the past days, he requested for a rechedule. I was very disappointed. I appreciate professionalism in the people I work with. And this was a big letdown. :sad:

By some miracle, several make up artists contacted me offering their services. So I decided to try out one of them...

She told me that she's the official make up artist for the French make up line, Laura Mercier. Sounds interesting so far... She made the deal sweet by saying that she can do the trial make up anywhere, anytime at my convenience. As long as it's in any Rustan's Department Store where they have their Laura Mercier make up counters. One thing that made me a bit iffy with her was that she doesn't do your hair on the trial. Like any other bride, I'd like to see [more or less] how my hair will be on the actual day. But she says she brings her own hair stylist on the day. Oh well.

She walked me through the trial every step of the way. Explaining patiently what she's doing and what colors she's using. It was interesting how she plays with color. She made my trial that day to work with the colors i was to wear to a friend's wedding. She suggested another trial make up session so she could do a more "bridal look" on me. Although I haven't scheduled another trial since, I plan to call her in the weeks ahead. She doesn't charge anything for trials and offers an affordable package. Plus she's very easy to talk to. That scores big points with me. :grin:

Click here for pictures of the tmu. :D

the search for the artist

2006-03-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

The search is on... Like every other bride,I'm looking for a good hair and make up artist. This part of the wedding preps is quite tricky. I have uber sensitive skin and it doesn't agree with some make up products out in the market. I've had several experiences with a number of make up artists ranging from bad to worst. Argh! And sadly, my face would develop rashes. My allergies come with a vengeance. EEEK! How horrible! Who would want that, diba?!

So now, I have to find that make up artist who can make me look gorgeous on my wedding day and that hair stylist that can do my hair to perfection.. :grin: Let's keep our fingers crossed...

baywalk

2005-10-22T06:04:00.000-07:00

A good W@W friend, Carla, was game enough to organize a free pictorial in Baywalk. Roughly 10 couples were listed to have their pre-nuptial photos taken for free. Carla and Bon were assigned to us. But the other photographers (Eugene, Jason) took random shots as well.

The day started at 5:30. Just before the sun rose to the sky.

Nakakaconscious! Hirap pala mag buhay artista. ;) *tee-hee!* But it was so much fun! :D

food tasting

2005-10-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Mmm... Food tasting again. We so love food! :D But this time, we were really looking forward to this event because it was gonna be in our actual venue. We haven't seen Coral Tree Garden at night yet. And VS&F was catering the event.

The trip all the way to Fernwood from my house was a long ride. It was a warm, humid night. But it was like being in another place upon entering the garden. It was cool and comfortable. The sound of water all around you. The smell of food assaulting you. And the lights gave everything a magical glow.

The place looked even more magical at night. Hay! We found it beautiful even if the place wasn't dolled up as much as we expected it to be.

Some kids were posing for pictures around the entrance. They were thrilled when I took some shots of them too :) Coincidentally, it was the Feast of St. Francis tonight as well. Parishioners came to Mass and had a little get together in the garden.

Towards the end of the evening it started to rain. But we hardly noticed from inside the garden. We didn't mind running to the car with raindrops after us. It was fun :D

2005-10-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

Paolo, a good friend of ours, was very kind enough to invite us to dinner at his home. He was home alone and was very much willing to cook for us.

We had a yummy seafood meal. It was a night of great company, good conversation, and filling food, with soothing music floating all around us. Fun.

I brought dessert. It was wiped out within minutes. :)

Actually, it was couples night, too :D me and val, jovet and kris, pao and igor ;) *tee-hee!*

Fate

2005-09-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

"So many dreams at first seem impossible. And then they seem
improbable. And when we summon the will, they soon become
inevitable." - Christopher Reeve

A very good friend unexpectedly sent me a letter. So sweet! In in she quotes Christopher Reeve. She's shared so many memories with me, good and bad. But i was deeply touched by this particular gesture. In her letter, however short, I could feel her sincerity and overwhelming happiness for us.

You can never tell how tomorrow will be for you. Even I am surprised at the turn out of events. I thought Val and I would remain good friends forever. Even after the break up we managed to stay close. I think it's rare for lovers to remain friends after the breakup. Some deem it impossible. But we conquered the odds. We became good friends. The love we originally had for each other transcended to a different level. We were more best friends than anything else.

He never changed. The respect and care he's always had for me in the beginning stretched on to our separation. Until one day, we surprised ourselves. The future seemed so clear. Pictures in my head would always have him beside me. Mostly, they were happy images. Some we would share grief. But the inner me told myself that he was the one. No one else could fit his nook in my heart. There is truth to the adage that it is sweeter the second time around. It's so much better now because the strength of our friendship has forged us closer.

Men his breed are rare nowadays. He's warm and gentle, kind and loving. Not a mean bone in his body. One should only be so lucky. Yes, he does have his little quirks now and again. But nothing that the years hasn't weathered.

The Lord has been kind to me.

Food! :)

2005-09-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

September 17, 2005 Saturday

Admittedly we are a couple that loves food. We love to eat--enjoy and savor the tastes and aromas of various dishes. That's why we were so excited to have our first ever food tasting experience.

Venue: The Mango Farm. #22 Shield St., Kingsville Court II, Mambugan, Antipolo. It was quite far, but we were up for the adventure. We got lost along the way. We decided to scratch off the farm as our reception venue because we foresee that our guests will have a pretty hard time finding the place. Although beautiful, it is still a work in progress. Inside you are surrounded by big trees and plants. I love their misting system. Gives you the feel of an enchanted forest. The owner was very nice--simple and down to earth. Quick and able to assist us for any query or need. In a few years, this place will be ripe enough for any event.

Caterer: Josiah's Catering, Incorporated. The food was good. We had fun trying out every dish. Even our AE, Marie, was very helpful and friendly. Even the waiters were very efficient the whole time. The floral centerpieces they made ranged from their regular to upgraded.

Event Stylist: Balay Kandila Arts and Krafts. The tent was arranged beautifully. Romantique and dreamy. The luminaries caught Val's fancy. I especially love the hanging little candles. It would look great at night.

Music: Stradavarius. I was excited to see them perform live. See if we can consider them to play at our wedding. Unfortunately, they weren't there. What a let down.

Photographer: Kenneth Uy. He is one of the nicest photographers we've met so far. He has a knack for funny poses that make for interesting pictures.

It really pays to go to events such as these. You learn a lot. Planning a wedding is not easy. You have to go through the process slowly but surely.

All in all, it was a fun day. We enjoyed each other's company immensely. And we met quite a number of interesting people. The place has great potential. There's something about nature and its wonders. I took some pictures. If you wanna see it jsut click here. Another day in paradise.

the garden experience

2005-09-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2005 Saturday

Now it was time to search for a Church and reception venue.

My dream has always been to get married in a quaint little chapel. One where I can be united with the one I love, witness by those who love us dearly. A small, intimate wedding with close family and friends. Solemn and fervent.

I've always envisioned myself getting married in The Chapel on the Hill in Caleruega. The Chapel is beautiful with a backdrop of breathtaking nature. Who can resist that combination?

But then Val and I decided to go and check out the place called Fernwood Gardens. I've been there only once before when it was just starting. It wasn't even a commercial establishment then. It was just a landscaping project of a good friend and the owner. I came with my family some years back. Today it stands with four impressive gardens. Each garden possesses a character all its own. You will really have a hard time picking your favorite. Fernwood has come along way since the frog leaping incident *wink* Hahaha! (My sister and I were so scared! *internal joke*) ;)

As we entered the place, we were met by Al De Veyra, the owner. What a character that Al is. It's been years since I saw him last. I wasn't even sure if he remembered me. So then I introduce myself. At first, I thought he was just being polite. But then he was so warm and friendly. He was even quoting incidents and memories from the past. Al was very kind enough to show us around personally. Patient in aswering our queries. Offering funny little anecdotes of the place. We had so much fun. He's a funny guy. He helped us every step of the way. :) On top of it all, the gardens were just breathtaking. In fact, my honeypie Val fell in love with the place the moment he stepped inside the garden. I saw it in his face. He was glowing with excitement. He's always had that certain affinity with plants. And the lushness of the place just called out to us.

We couldn't choose which garden among the four would be our favorite. It was a toss up between Venue 1 and Venue 4. Venue 1 or Fernwood 1 is the original and most established of them all. The plants are happy and there is that winding staircase that I just love so much! I could see myself walking down those steps with Val right beside me. The pond was big with colorful fish swimming gaily. Venue 4 or Coral Tree Garden is just as grand. After much thought and deliberation, we decided to go for Fernwood 1. But alas! The garden was taken on the day of our wedding :,( Thank the Lord there was Coral Tree Garden. In hind sight, Coral Tree was the best choice. Its beauty and drama cannot be topped by the winding staircase I loved so much. We were on Cloud 9 once again... :D

The chapel, Saint Francis of Assisi, was lovely as well. Cozy. Just beautiful. I love the sculpture of Jesus Christ. It was a meeting of the Risen and the Crucified Christ. The sculpture was beautiful. Even the swags on the ceiling gave the chapel a more dramatic effect. We loved it! :)

It was clear that this is where we will get married.

the day after

2005-09-02T05:31:00.000-07:00

August 28, 2005

I guess it's really hard for a father to accept that his daughter is all grown up. Fathers try to desperately to hold on to their states of denial. But sooner or later, reality checks in.

The day after hubby-to-be asked for my hand in marriage, I was kinda nervous. I didn't really know how to act around my Dad. Nothing has changed, and yet so much really has. But I was determined not to let anything come between us. He feels like he's losing me altogether. Like I'm going away. I'm not Daddy. I'm still here. You're not losing me. If anything, you gained a son. A very deserving son.

Imagine how touched I felt when early this morning, as I was rummaging inside the fridge for some grub, Dad happened to pass by... He then hugged me. One of 'em big, long hugs. The best kind there is.

We hugged for a few moments. I don't really know how long it lasted. But that hug said it all. I felt what he was trying to say. It told me of his hurt and happiness, of his pain and acceptance.

I know it must've been hard for him. But his openness to share my happiness is moving. I fought to hold back tears. I couldn't.

He told me he loves me. I love you back, Daddy. Thank you.

Daddy's Blessing

2005-09-02T04:32:00.001-07:00

August 27, 2005

It was my sister-in-law's birthday. Ate Mel was so excited when she suggested that we make our engagement known to my parents on her birthday. The time is perfect with all the family present. My sisters, Temel and Aileen, were more than excited to get on with the preparations. We couldn't really plan anything for sure until we've told my Mom and Dad.

I went to Yaya earlier today telling her of our plans to break the news to our parents. I wanted her to be there, too. I grew up with her love and care. She is my second mother. And plus, she loves Val so much!

Truth be told, we were really delaying on telling my parents because of FEAR. Raw, unadulterated, knee-shaking, teeth-chattering fear. Fear of the unknown? Fear of my Dad? Fear of not knowing how my Dad would react? Oh boy! Maybe a mixture of all, but more of the last one... :) :( I had faith that he would understand. But I wasn't a hundred percent sure when or how much... After all, I will forever remain Daddy's Little Girl. This has got to be one of the hardest things we've ever had to go through! Whew! =S

Val, I noticed, couldn't eat properly the whole night. Nervous. Anxious. Restless. His fear is legitimate. For him, there is much at stake. Everything was on the line. The family that has grown to love him like a son/brother may change its regard of him in just one fateful night. We both wanted to tell my parents already. We could not and would not go on with the wedding preparations without my parents' blessing.

Though well loved by my close friends (they even call him Daddy Groovy *grin* ), Daddy can be quite intimidating (more often than not!). He's a very protective father. Overprotective, at that. Much like a father bear defending its cubs from any harm. I shared in his anxiety. I wanted to help him with this weight. But I couldn't. He had to do this alone. With me right beside him.

Faith. We just had to have faith. Much of it.

We were running out of time. Dessert was almost over. Within minutes the siblings would stand from the table. He wanted to say what he had to say in from of the whole family. It was now or never. The moment of truth, so to speak... Val took a deep breath, drank a glassful of water, and summoned every iota of courage he had...

Val: Tito, Tita, may gusto po sana akong sabihin... (The words trailed off. His voice was starting to crack when he spoke. Telltale signs of his nervousness.)

Daddybear: Teka, sandali. Alis muna ako. Kuha mo na ko ng tubig. (He jokingly said. Simultaneously picking up his glass to fill.) He went back to his chair with a smile. He had no idea of what Val was about to say.

Everyone laughed. Nervous laughter. Beads of sweat now starting to form on my back...

As soon as Val spoke, the table fell quiet. Tension was building. Almost everyone at the table knew of Val's topic for consideration. Everyone except my parents, that is.

Note. Prior to all this, Val wanted to make sure that our union had the stamp of approval of my siblings. My sister did not pose as a problem at all. She even joined in the secret search for the ring. She made sure that the ring would fit. And she also made sure that I had no idea of their clandestine scheme. :D My sister was all for it. Val was a bit concerned with my two older, big, burly, intimidating (at times) brothers. Kuya, my eldest brother, was really not a problem either. I had my sister-in-law to help me ease the news graciously to him. And of course, he liked Val. That wasn't the problem. Dico, my other kuya, was worrying him. Though it was obvious through the years that Dico is quite fond of Val, he had the same overprotective streak he inherited from our Dad. A sigh of relief came from Val when Dico was not only supportive, but very understanding, of our impending wedding.

Back at the dinner table... Val, with great chutzpah, proceeded with the task at hand. =S (Oh boy!)

Val: Tito, Tita, I would like to take this opportunity to ask you something very dear and important to me.

My Daddy sensed his seriousness. He was now quiet. The smile gone from his face. He afforded me a glance. I could not speak nor move. Then he looked over to Val expectantly.

Val went on...

Val: As you probably know, I have known Apple for almost seven years now... (His voice falters. He looks intently to my parents' faces. Trying unsuccessfuly to read what's on their minds.) We feel that our relationship has matured enough to take it to the next level. (Tears start to well in his eyes. I hold his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze.)

My brothers start to crack jokes. Trying to lighten the tension. Dico, as if on cue, started taking pictures in the hopes of capturing the special moment. I look over to my Dad. His gaze is averted. Looking straight ahead. Not sure of what he was looking at exactly.

After a minute or two, my brothers quiet down. My Dad still silent. Unmoving.

Val: It is with this reason that I would like to humbly ask for your daughter's hand in marriage. It was a matter of making sure that the person I am currently with is the same person I spend the rest of my life with. From the beginning, I have loved Apple. Siguradong sigurado na po ako sa kanya. I have patiently waited for 6 years. Kung papayag po kayo, nagpapaalam po sana ako kung pwede po akong pakasalan ng anak nyo. Pero kung may ibang plano pa po kayo sa kanya, I am very much willing to wait another 6 years. I can and I am willing to wait just to make her my wife.

By this time, Val had tears flowing from his eyes. I could feel the sincerity of his words and the love he's offered me again and again over the years, starting six years back. I, too, was crying. I could not help myself. My Mom was crying tears of happiness. She was smiling.

Daddy was still on his focal point. Quiet. Catatonic. He looks flushed. Everyone is holding their breaths. Waiting for some kind of response. My brother gave him a glass of water to drink.

Finally, he broke the silence.

Daddybear: Nasa edad na kayo(!) Kayo bahala. Desisyon nyo yan (!)

And he walks out of the dining room.

I panic. I was squeezing Val's had tightly. Daddy must be angry! The tone of his voice does not match the meaning of his words! Oh boy! This is not going well... :( But before I could unnerve myself any longer, he came back and sat himself back in his chair.

Val: Tito, hinihingi ko po sana ang blessing ninyo sa pagpapakasal namin. Importante po sa amin na mabasbasan ng blessing nyo.

We waited for Dad to speak.

Daddybear: (His faced softened. I could see traces of controlled tears in his eyes.) This will be your decision. Kayong bahala. Nasa tamang edad na kayo. (With a calmer voice he spoke. With loving effort, Daddy mustered a smile) Kelan nyo ba balak magpakasal?

Whew! That went pretty well, I think, considering everything. Val thought it was gonna be his last day to set foot in our home... Haha! :D Good thing it wasn't.

Soon he will officially be a part of this family. Soon.

It took some time for my Dad to process the iformation. I think he's taking it rather well. Better than we expected :) We're so happy he welcomed the idea. Still warming up to it... But at least it's a start. :D

He said nothing more after that. He left the room. Dico followed him to play billards with him. Really making sure he's alright.

The next day, I was rummaging inside the refrigerator for a little snack when without a word he walked up to me. He gave me a hug. One of those good long hugs. He said I love you and walked away. Standing there with the refrigerator door open, I cried. His hug said so much of the hurt he was feeling. But at the same time it also conveyed his openness to be happy for me. I have the greatest Dad in the world!

the one where Val asks for my hand in marriage [pictures]

I love you, Daddy. I'll always be your little girl.

Ice Cream

2005-09-02T04:24:00.000-07:00

song by Sarah McLachlan

Your love is better than ice cream
Better than anything else that I’ve tried
And your love is better than ice cream
Everyone here know how to fight

And it’s a long way down
It’s a long way down
It’s a long way down to the place
Where we started from

Your love is better than chocolate
Better than anything else that I’ve tried
Oh love is better than chocolate
Everyone here knows how to cry

It’s a long way down
It’s a long way down
It’s a long way down to the place
Where we started from...

We're Engaged!

2005-09-01T03:54:00.000-07:00

Love bliss.

We are engaged!

Val proposed. Again. Just last July, on the day of my birthday :D Now it becomes clear to me why he wanted to invite some friends over...

Prologue. Some six years back and three years into the relationship, we were supposed to get married then. But the stars had other plans for us. Just on the verge of the actual ceremony, we broke up.

And now, three years later, we are about to get hitched. For real. Yes. It's true. We are actually engaged! And another one bites the dust... :D

Flashback. Another year has passed. Another year accrued to my age. Yay! Clap! Clap! Memories are a mixture of happiness, devastation, shock, and sorrow. But all in all, the heavens have been good to me. I have a lot to be thankful for.

I didn't really feel like celebrating my birthday. I just wanted a quiet little dinner at home with my family. But then the family had other plans for my special day. Yaya and Mom cooked up a feast for me. Val had another idea altogether. He was all for celebrating. He even wanted to have dinner at a fancy restaurant with my family inspite of the elaborately prepared meal at home. I insisted on just staying home. Sayang naman ang food eh.
So we stayed home. But still he insisted that he invite some of our closest friends. I didn't want a big celebration so he just called in three people to come and have dinner with us.
For some reason, I wasn't in the highest of spirits on my birthday. Not sad, just blase. I was happy, yes. Overwhelmed with the love my family gives me. My Mom and Dad were sweet as ever. Though my sister was consumed with schoolwork, she still found time to show love. And my brothers and sister-in-law were just as wonderful. But, inexplicably, I was just going through the motions. Waiting for my (special) day to pass. A passover of sorts. Ho-hum...
Our friends came in a little late since they heard Mass prior to toddling over. Super kulit. Super tawanan. Super kain ang mga tao. Haha! There was a billiard match going on. The men trying to outdo each other. It was so funny how they tried to psych one another. ;) Hehe! It was a group of good friends comfortably hanging out, chillin'.

The night was almost coming to an end. It was time to open the gifts :D Yipee! :D I love opening gifts! When everyone's gifts were opened and the thank you's and hugs were given, I thought that was the end of my birthday "party." But wait! Val had yet to give his gift...

All of a sudden, as I turned to my left I saw Val on bended knee... A big smile on his kind face. And the crowd went wild! Cheers and applause erupted from the intimate group. My sister started taking pictures and Jovet, our friend, captured everything on video via his cellphone [unfortunately, my friends, he accidentally erased the video :,( huhuhu!] I, extraordinarily, was at a loss for words. I felt warm and cool at the same time. Palpitations (lub-dub! lub-dub! lub-dub!) [much like the time when I saw Piolo at the Mactan International Airport. Hee-hee! *wink wink* ] Then it grew silent. He had something in his hands. He was hiding it from view. One palm covering that little something... Thoughts were swimming through my mind at that time. Thoughts like "Hmm... I wonder what that is..." "It's small. It can fit inside his hands." "Is it an ipod? *glee*" "Hmm.. It's too small to be an ipod" "Maybe it's an ipod shuffle!" *tee-hee!* "Hmm..."

He then proceeded to say his little speech. Words that were successful in putting tiny droplets of tears in my eyes. It was a bit blurry from then on ;) It was obvious that he was nervous. Happy. Excited. And very much vulnerable. His voice cracked while he made our friends witness to his profession of love. The group was now quiet. I looked at each one's faces. They had nothing but radiant blitheness for us. My sister was trying unsuccessfully to contain her glee. :D It took everything of her will power not to jump up and down. :) Unbeknownst to myself, Aileen and Val connived to get me a new ring. *happy* That explains the knowing looks and smug smiles she kept on flashing me throughout the day. :)

It was silent all around. The floor was his.

Val: I have known you for more than 6 years now. This length of time has given me the opportunity to know you better. Positive and negative, your likes and dislikes, what makes you happy, what irritates you, your dreams, your fears... Over the years we have also been under numerous problems which we have overcome. And this has made our relationship stronger. From the start I have known that it is you. You are the girl I want to spend my whole life with.

This ring, should you accept it, symbolizes my love and my intention to marry you.

Will you do me the honor of being my wife?

Hay! Is that sweet? Or is that sweet? :D All these years... And now it's come to this. It's like a lightbulb inside of me was suddenly turned on... *ting!* Ahh.. Now I see it. It is clear to me now.

The beautiful thing about the whole episode was that it was a spoonful of funny, happy, blunders, and truth. I was giddy with the reality of it all. It was natural and surreal, surprising and true.

He is the kindest, the most wonderful man that walks the Earth, Val is. His heart is pure. Intentions simple and absolute. I am confident that he will treat me well. I am his princess, yet treated like a queen. I am the love of his life. It is that simple.

So, what was my answer to the 10-Million Dollar question? It may be rhetorical, but it definitely deserves a reply. After much thought and deliberation, my answer is just as simple. My answer is YES. We are now engaged. Fully engaged :) I am excited to spend the rest of my life with you. It will be quite an adventure, I expect. But what the hey, let's leap together. :D

For a spell I thought that we would just remain good friends. The best there could be. No matter what else happened. But somehow, the stars managed to change everything once more. He has done so much for me over the years. I'd like to think the same of me to him. But I know that I can never give justice to the purest of loves he's shown me. But I sure will try. :) Love you, beh!