MFEO

June 15

Before sleeping, we asked the receptionist for a call-time of 630AM. At around 615AM, both Dionne and I were already up. We were both excited to go to Panglao Island Nature Resort.

After having breakfast at the hotel, a taxi took us to a the resort. The drive was quite far. We had to cross a bridge onto Panglao Island. The meter ticked in PhP 100. Dionne graciously gave the driver a 50 peso tip. She found it weird that the driver wasn’t happy with it. We only learned later that we would be asked to pay double the fare since the cab won’t have any passengers in going back to the town. Oops, our bad.

By 8AM, we were already at the resort. There were hardly any visitors there. We had the resort all to ourselves! Another stroke of luck was that the sun still hasn’t appeared at that time. That was one of the reasons why we wanted to be there early, to avoid being tanned too much, as requested by Daddy.
After changing into our swimming attire (all of us except Dionne bought ours at the BQ Mall the night before), we went into the seashore. We waded through the water towards the resort-islet. But as we were nearing the islet, we bagan to notice that some areas along the way were deeper than the expected slope. Because I didn’t know how to swim, I didn’t push any further. Instead, we just took pictures. =)

We then went to the swimming pools, which were “architecturally designed to have an overlooking view of the sea”. There are 2 main pools at the resort. One’s a constant 4.5 feet deep, while the other had a gradual 3-4.5-6 feet depth. I spent most of the time at the small kiddie pools which had bubbles/jaccuzi-type outlets. Free massage!

Dionne even tried to teach me how to swim… Unfortunately, even at just 3 feet deep water, it’s just not my element. =(

We even have a picture of us walking along the shore… but we dare not post them yet. Not until I have edited the image to hide unwanted fat exposure. =P

By lunchtime, we were on our way back to the hotel. We spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping. Hehe.

That night, we had dinner at Gerry’s Grill at BQ Mall (sorry, we forgot to take pictures). After which, we watched the 2006 remake of The Omen. I think there were at most 10 of us inside the cinema.

When we got out, true to what Dionne mentioned before, most establishments were already closed. We got a little disoriented because we came out via a backdoor. Thanks to the helpful security people, we got our bearings into place and got to the hotel in one piece.

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June 16

As usual, we got up earlier than our wakeup call… It was our last day in Bohol. We had a wonderful time there. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great vacation spot. =)

Finally, here’s what all of you have been waiting for…

THE HONEYMOON KWENTO!

*clap* *clap* *clap*

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June 14

We were already awake before 6AM as our flight for Bohol was leaving by 8AM. By “we”, I’m referring to me, Dionne and her parents.

Yes, Daddy and Mommie were with us during our honeymoon. The newlyweds and the 40-year-weds. =)

Dionne was able to book us through PALakbayan. We would be staying at MetroCentre Hotel.

By 7AM, we were at the Centennial Airport. Daddy was impressed with this new terminal. It’s much better than the international one and even some of the airports in the US! But this is exclusive to PAL flights only…

A few minutes before 8AM, we boarded the plane. During the flight, I had a slice of marble cake and a glass of super-sweet orange juice. Dionne gave me her merienda since she was still full from our pre-flight merienda of kababayan-like bread from Delifrance. Then, Daddy waved at us their merienda as well. No, I didn’t eat all of them. =P We packed them into our merienda bag, for later consumption.

At around 9:20AM, we were already at Bohol!

Mang Rod, our tour guide/driver was already there to meet us. And so, our tour of Bohol began.

First stop, the “supposed” Blood Compact site.

Next was Baclayon Church. There’s also a museum here that displays relics from the Spanish era, like candelabras, missalettes (sheets made of cow hide daw), and even the clothes (abito) worn by priests made with threads of gold.

Along the way, Mang Rod showed us the real Blood Compact site. It only has a marker which is probably why tourists prefer the site we first visited rather than this one.

By this time, we were quite hungry, just in time for the lunch at the Loboc River. Buffet for PhP275 each… Sulit, kasi ang sarap ng pagkain! What made the cruise more enjoyable was the man serenading us with Cebuano folk songs, and even some pop songs. Daddy and Mommie enjoyed his singing very much that they each gave him a hundred peso tip!

As we were traversing the river, we saw some kids swinging from some vines into the water and making their way to the floating restaurant. Some kind tourists, like Mommie, even gave them money. I think she gave them PhP20 each. And then another kid showed up. Having lost track of whom she had already given to, she just asked them in Tagalog. But then they conversed in Bisaya, which Mommie understood much to their surprise.

At the far end of the river was a singing group with rondalla waiting to serenade the boats. Some of the tourists even had pictures with them. Not us. Dionne, Mommie and Daddy were enjoying the view while I was still having some barbeque and dessert. Hehe.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the Loboc Church nor see/hear the Loboc Children’s Choir… I do think this alone merits another visit to Bohol.

After lunch, we drove to a nearby place with captive tarsiers.

And then there were the real ones, with Mommie and Daddy, hehe:

Up next was a long ride towards the Chocolate Hills. Along the way, we encountered the man-made forest which was planted in the 1960’s.

At the viewing point, we had to climb some 200+ steps to get to the top. Good thing there were sheds every 50 steps where people can get some rest before continuing the climb up.

At the top, the view was breath-taking!

We were lucky enough to have gotten down when the rain started to fall. We bought some souvenirs from the stores before heading out to our hotel. Dionne then made arrangements for our Panglao Island trip the next day.

The following ratings are based on our personal standards and on our personal experiences with these suppliers as their clients. It is best to take these ratings objectively and to not generalize because some errors are merely case-to-case basis.

Rating
1 – Poor
2 – Needs Improvement
3 – Satisfactory
4 – Very Satisfactory
5 – Outstanding
5++ – Exceeds Expectations

Church
Santisimo Rosario Parish
Address: UST Compound, España, Sampaloc, Manila
Contact Number: (632)731-3062
Contact Person: Sister Nida M. Sabangan
Inclusions:
Decorative sidelights of the church, Royal red carpet along aisles, Organist & Soloist (did not avail of these), Fresh flowers, ribbons and lace along aisle pews, Marriage rite souvenir booklets for couple (copied the contents and made personalized copies), Lunch and merienda during the marriage dialogue, Stipend for the officiating priest, Registration of marriage contract, Marriage certificate, Solemnized within the mass

Rating – 4

We had difficulty booking this initially because we started our preparations late February 2005. The church only accepts bookings 9 months before the event. But after we have booked, we didn’t have anything to worry anymore. Sister Nida’s very accommodating. The people from the parish office even call us to follow-up if we forgot about something. The church coordinator (Manny Doncillo) is quite mataray at first but he turned out kind din naman pala in the end.

We chose UST because it’s close to home (and our hearts), quite accessible, nice & simple altar, lotsa parking area, and lotsa places to shoot for pictorial. Other than the fact that for an aircon church, it was relatively cheap. The thing is, they opened the aircon only 15minutes before the event. They promised us they’ll open it as soon as the people are there already. The people were there 45 minutes before. Joven and I were sweating like crazy! Well, maybe because of tension, stress, etc. as well. But, at 3pm on a hot day, the aircon failed to deliver. But towards the end, the church was getting colder (tension release perhaps? Hehe.). Then there’s the sound system, which was a bit muffled. Good thing my ear is still okay. =P The church pews according to my dad lacks padding too. =D

They’re quite strict with a number of regulations as well. No lyrics for bridal march (at least, I can still choose a love song), latecomers will have reduced pictorials toward the end of the mass (which I agree with), and they have a list (they specify what you’ll offer!) of items to offer (which I’m not very keen of). But there are plusses as well, there’s no need to shell out money just so the photogs/videogs can shoot at the loft, petal dropping from the loft is okay, closing of doors is okay, there’s a big space where the ento can position themselves before the march.

In the end, UST is still a good choice for me.

Reception Venue
Kaisa Heritage Center
Address: Anda cor. Cabildo Sts., Intramuros, Manila
Contact Number: (632)527-6083; (632)527-6086
Contact Person: Ms. Vivian
Inclusions: Reception hall, Electricity, 20 parking slots

Rating – 4

We were originally booked at Bayview Park Hotel but they gave us a tough time with the ballroom layout, corkage fees, follow-ups, etc. They want things their way – sila masusunod hindi kami. Joven and I talked and decided to look for another venue. When we told Bayview that we’re not pushing through the wedding there, they told us that we cannot refund the P10k we paid them, I told them it’s okay since it was in the contract. I told them that we’ll have an engagement party there instead. The AE, Miles, told us that it was not transferable daw. I told them that it wasn’t being transferred but will be used to a different function. Suddenly, she said that she’ll have to talk to her manager pa daw. Boosit! With everything going on with the preps, I forgot all about it. Until my fiery sister & MOH talked to them… We were finally able to use the booking for my parents Ruby Anniversary. =)

Going back to Kaisa… Joven and I wanted RMC Hall sana since it’s near Manila Diamond. But somebody booked it ahead of us. =( Intramuros is the nearest place for us to look for venues. We were specific with enclosed venues since June is an unpredictable month. We looked into Teatrillo and Casa Blanca. Both didn’t feel right for us. (No offense to those booked at Teatrillo & Casa Blanca ah.) We were eyeing Villa Immaculada but unfortunately it was also booked on our date. Kaisa Heritage Center was recommended to us by Rowena, AE of Tamayo’s. We went for an ocular and liked it immediately. We liked the fact that it has parking space below and they don’t require additional fee for the caterer. They also have two staircases where the bride and groom can come down simultaneously… drama!

On the day, I heard Gladys of Impromptu talking to Ms. Vivian of Kaisa. Apparently, Ms. Vivian was asking for an additional charge for the freezer of Fiorgelato. When we booked them, I specifically asked her if there were additional charges for the freezer. She told me that there was none. Gladys took care of it and there was no additional charge for the freezer.

It appeared to be a bit cramped on the day (other than the two presidential tables, we had a gazebo and 22 tables), I guess it would be best to just stick to just 200 guests. We were informed that 250 guests can fit in the hall yun pala it would be 250 guests without a dance floor. =P Sayang nga since at least two tables were empty (bad guests, nag-RSVP tapos di dumating), we could have removed the tables para maluwag. Anyhow, I’m still very much satisfied with Kaisa.

Caterer
Robert Camba Catering Services
Address: #12 Resthaven St., Baler, Quezon CityContact Number: (632)371-1098; (632)372-9755; (63919)-2243182
Website: www.robertcamba.com
Contact Person: Ms. Connie
Inclusions:
Chairs and tables (full length satin chair cover w/ very elegant organza ribbon, Floor length table cloth with colored toppings, Complete catering equipment, Buffet table and w/decorative & buffet décor, Presidential table, 2 tiffany chairs for couples, Gift table and cake table, Cage and dove (did not avail of these), Champagne for toast, Uniformed waiters, Motif color for cloth and ribbon, White color napkin, Carpet, Gazebo with flowers, Pedestal for couples back draft, Torch parade (did not avail of this), Ordinary flower arrangement, Emcee for 150 – 200 heads (did not avail of this), Public address sound system, Guest book and signature frame, Bubble Machine at the entrance, 12 pcs. live butterfly, Free food tasting for 2 person, Purified water and ice for drinks, Swan Ice carving for 150 – 200 head, All tiffany chairs (first come first serve) (was able to get this).

Rating – 4

We got Robert Camba from W@W. We were looking for caterers and were considering Tamayo’s and Swan but Robert Camba won us over because of the food and tiffany chairs. And of course their prices are relatively cheap. =)

The food was delish! People were raving about it even after the wedding. The set-up was beautiful. Really nice! The tiffany chairs added glam. Ms. Connie was easy to talk to. She was straightforward and really nice to us. She gave us a lot of freebies and discounts. =)

Tip: Ms. Connie’s always busy. Make sure you ask her to write down everything you talk about. (Actually, she initiates this and she even tells you to remind her)

Ms. Connie told us that there waiters will be a dozen of waiters present during the reception. But to our surprise, they were definitely more than a dozen, more like 20. The service was great! They were fast. If you request for water, water is there within seconds. The principal sponsors were also pampered according to one of our titas.

At the end of the reception, we asked the waiters to wrap the leftovers. We were told that they don’t have any plastics for it. I was told by the captain waiter that they really do not bring plastics with them so as to avoid waiters from taking food home (a detail Ms. Connie should have told me). I asked him to kindly buy plastics for the food and gave him P100. Later on, I learned from the petty cash breakdown from Impromptu that they gave him P40 for the plastics pala. Haay. Joven also saw one of the waiters hid a tray of untouched fettuccine. Haay ulit. Also at the end of the reception, the waiters were lining up for the photo magnet souvenirs din. But that last detail was okay. There were plenty of leftover souvenirs anyway. =)

I would still recommend Robert Camba. Just be wary of the food incident plus bring plastics. Hehe.

Invitation
Unifair Printing
Address: 874 Alvarado St. Binondo, Manila
Contact Number: (632)242-4701; (632)242-4703
Email Address: unifairprinting@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Erwin Tiu and Shirley
Inclusions: Formal invite, Entourage inserts, Reception card, Envelope, Jacket, Missalette cover and binding, Thank you card printing

Rating – 2

HEADACHE. I’m really disappointed with them. We got Unifair from the reviews at W@W and because they were recommended by Marita of Hearts and Bells.

When we inquired, we were able to talk to Erwin Tiu (owner) and he was very accommodating. He was easy to talk to. Tipong no-nonsense. He gave us good quotes on the design we wanted. Relatively cheap. He also gave us tips on how we can further stretch our budget and get the same results. Cool!

We gave them the proofs for the invites March 4 with the agreement that they will complete everything by end of April. Erwin told me to call them before we get the invites. Come last week of April, I got missed calls from someone. I was in training and wasn’t able to answer my phone. They got to Joven pala. They told Joven that the invites were not yet ready. Apparently, they were having problems with their printers. They informed us that the invites will be available a week later.

After a week, we contacted them to verify if the invites will be available in the morning or in the afternoon. They’ll get back to us daw. After a few minutes, Shirley called Joven to say that they won’t be able to complete the invites that Saturday and that it’s going to be either Monday or Tuesday. By this time, I was already fuming mad. Why the heck did they wait for the last week of April to run our invites?!

May 9, Tuesday afternoon. That’s when we finally got our invites. As opposed to April 30, Sunday morning, what we agreed upon.

The final output was okay though. Simple and elegant. How we wanted it. The font in the entourage card was unreadable (the roles of the entourage). It’s difficult to read because it’s embossed, different from the proof given to us (that one was readable). Learning point for us.

Nevertheless, it took them two freaking months to do our invites! Mura nga, palpak naman.

Cake
Hearts and Bells
Address: 928 Alvarado St., Binondo, Manila
Contact Number: (632) 244-0255, (63917) 537-9388
Email Address: heartsnbells@yahoo.com
Website: www.heartsnbells.com
Contact Person: Mrs. Marita Laddaran
Inclusions:
3-layered wedding cake, All edible, 24 small cakes with ribbons and tags (souvenirs for entourage), 1 polymer cake topper, Free foot spa at Holiday Spa

Rating – 5

We got Hearts and Bells in the Wedding Expo last September. We were torn between Hearts and Bells and Sugarbox. Marita won us over. She gave us good value for our money. Plus her cakes were delish. Moist and not so sweet. We got chocolate, carrot and apple walnut. My dad who’s a great cook liked it too.

I loved what she did with the cake! We found a cake design in the internet and asked her to do a sketch with our motif colors. She’s always prompt in replying. If she’s cannot reply immediately, her assistant, Maricel, was always there. The final output’s really nice! The mini cakes look great too.

She also gave us a Mini Me topper at a good rate. She was introducing this topper to her clients and gave us an introductory price. But, Joven and I cannot accept that the topper look like us. =P

BTW, the topper almost broke in half. Thanks to the one who packed the cake. =(

Dessert
Fiorgelato
Address: 1263 Gen. Luna St., Ermita, Manila
Contact Number: (632) 524-0184, (63920) 910-9480
Website: www.fiorgelato.com
Contact Person: Mr. Omar Tigno
Inclusions:
Ice cream cart with two attendants, 6 ice cream flavors (1 gallon each): Pistachio, Bubble Gum, Raspberry Cheesecake, Choco Nut Fudge, Vanilla, Mango Sherbet, Cups and cones, Platter for couple.

Rating – 5++

We got Fiorgelato from the September Wedding Expo also. We wanted a chocolate fountain but it was too heavy on our pockets. We were about to leave the Expo when we chanced upon the booth of Fiorgelato. We got a pricelist and found out that it’s affordable! Yey! We booked them immediately.

Fiorgelato was easy to talk to, especially Omar. We went to their plant for food tasting and they showed us all the flavors they have. Yum!

The ice cream was a big hit! The guests fell in line the moment they got in. Almost all went back for seconds. My nephew went back 4 times! At the end of the day, no trace of ice cream can be found. =)

BTW, they were also the first ones to set up at Kaisa. =)

Photographer
Fol Rana Jr. Photography
Address: Block 8 Lot 8 Lili St. Lexington Garden Village, Pasig City
Contact Number: (632) 640-7946, (63917) 843-5118
Email Address: bigpicture@pacific.net.ph
Website: www.folrana.com
Contact Person: Mr. Fol Rana, Jr.
Inclusions:
14 x 11 ArtBook, 3 photographers, Digital pictures in a personalized CD in high resolution, Metal halide lighting system, Slideshow presentation during reception, 6 x 4 Artbook

Rating – 5++

Brilliant!

Fol’s the first supplier we booked. He was easy to talk to, warm and he really knows what he is doing. When we booked him March 2005, he was on a promo. Lucky us! Big savings talaga. =D

Due to our busy schedules, we weren’t able to neither meet nor talk to Fol before the big day. Everything was through text messages only. I was a bit apprehensive about that but he proved me wrong! The pictorial after the ceremony was great. He has fresh concepts that would leave you amazed. He took us to the basketball gym of UST and had pictorials with the varsity team of USTHS. The Arch of the Centuries shot was remarkable.

His team – Edong, Russ and Grumpy and are also great to work with. Nakakatuwa ang rapport nila with Threelogy.

Tip: Always consider this. Make sure that your suppliers have good rapport or the very least know each other.

We had a lot of plusses from Fol. He brought along his new lighting system and made great shots. He also did an onsite AVP (Moving Pictures) for free!

I have yet to see the ArtBook… but so far, I only have good words for Fol and his team.

Prenup Photographer
Fotogra by Mimi and Karl
Contact Numbers: (63917) 624-6464 (Mimi), (63917) 897- 3327 (Karl)
Email Address: karmina@fotogra.ph, karl@fotogra.ph
Website: www.fotogra.ph
Contact Person: Ms, Mimi Abesamis & Mr. Karl de Leon
Inclusions:
2 digital photographers, minimum of 350 shots, on-location pictorial, high-resolution proofs in CD, Guestbook

Rating – 5++

We booked Mimi through W@W. I was looking for a prenup photographer who does guestbooks. Aggie (ni Edil) just finished her prenup pictures and I was so impressed. Who would have thought that those were taken at UP Diliman. Galing! I asked Aggie if Mimi does guestbooks. It just so happened that she just recently launched it. Yay! I emailed Mimi about her rates and it was reasonable. We booked them immediately. Later, Mimi would kid us for booking too early. We booked them June 2005. Haha!

We had our prenups at LRT2. Originally, we wanted to do it in a bookstore. We were thinking of having booklovers as our wedding theme back then. But we scrapped the theme idea because it was giving me a headache already. That’s when the LRT2 idea came up. Joven and I take the LRT to work everyday. But the LRT doesn’t look good anymore. =D We learned of the LRT2 route when we went to Tet Hagape’s shop in Pasig. Incidentally, I have a friend working there (Hi Cri-c!). I asked her how to go about it. In short, we were able to get a permit signed by a lot of people. =)

I told Mimi (through chat) about the idea. She liked it. =) We had the shoot at stations Araneta Center-Cubao, Katipunan, Betty Go-Belmonte and Santolan. It took us more than 3 hours for the shoot. Tiring! But Mimi & Karl were really game.

At the end, the shots were beautiful! Astounding! Gagaling! We got nice reviews from everyone. =) The guestbook looks great too! Ayaw ko na sanang pasulatan eh. Hehe!

Videographer
Threelogy Digital Video
Address: 39 Maginhawa St. Teachers Village, Diliman, Quezon City
Contact Number: (632) 434-4428 (63917) 539-6148 (Jon), (63920) 950-6558 (Bong), (63916) 719-9406 (CJ)
Email Address: inquiry@threelogy.com
Website: www.threelogy.com
Contact Person: Mr. Jon, Mr. Bong, Mr. CJ
Inclusions:
3 3CCD cameras, 2 professional video lights (boling metal halide & unomat color corrected lights), Audio captured thru Audio Technica Wireless System, 2 copies of the final video in DVD format, raw footages in DVD; Onsite AVP and Photo AVP

Rating – 5++

We learned about Threelogy from W@W. But, when we also asked Fol to name videographers that he thinks are good, Threelogy’s name came up. We did not hesitate. We gave them a call and asked to meet them. We booked them upon meeting them. Not only that they’re easy to talk to, straightforward and nice, but, we also felt the passion they have for what they do. They’re genuine people. Even during our preprod meeting nakakatuwa kausap.

At the time we booked them they’re not yet offering their onsite AVPs (yup, that’s how long we’ve been clients). I asked Jon for a quote and they gave us a really good one. Nice Christmas gift for us. (Thank you talaga guys!)

During the day, I really enjoyed their company. They made me feel at ease, making jokes and having light conversations. Nakakaaliw.

When we (including the guests) viewed the photo and onsite AVP, can’t help but elicit reactions (laughter, oohs and aahs) from the guests. Some even break into applause. Galing eh. We were really impressed with their output.

Like what I said with Fol, I have yet to see the final output, but I only have good words for Bong, Jon, CJ and Omeng.

Band and Sound System
The Sentimental Groove (All in One Music Ensemble)
Address: 362 Dansalan St. Brgy. Malamig, Mandaluyong City
Contact Number: (632) 533-3688, (63919) 890-7580 (Kate), (63919) 688-9515 (IG)
Email Address: tsg_prod@yahoo.com
Website: http://thesentimentalgroove.kasal.com
Contact Person: Ms. Kate Fermin, Mr. IG and Mr. Randy
Inclusions:
Flute, Keyboard, Digital Drums, Acoustic & Bass Guitar, Violin, 3 Singers

Rating – 5

We first heard Sentimental Groove from a former w@wie and officemate, Yax’s (ni Jon) wedding (Dec ’04). We were impressed. From the church to the reception, best I heard so far. When Joven and I started preparing for the wedding, they were already on our list. We considered no other band/choir. We went to their studio in Dansalan and heard them perform live. We booked them after the listening session. But even after booking them, I still received a text message inquiring if I already have a band. Weird. I just booked them and they don’t remember me na? But when I called them, they cleared it up already.

That was 2005, fast forward to 2006… I saw Kate in the March Wedding Expo and inquired about the production meeting. She gave me the number of IG. She said that he takes care of production meetings. I texted IG and he gave me a schedule. When we got to their office it was Randy who met us. From then on, for any update I call Randy. No problems.

Three days before the wedding, my dad told me that he wanted a father-daughter dance. He said that “Sunrise, Sunset” would be perfect. He was asking me if I can get a copy of the song. I told him that the band would sing it for us. I called TSG for the update. I wasn’t able to talk to Randy because he was out.

Come wedding day, the father-daughter dance was perfect. All the songs we requested were played. Everything we (with Randy) talked about was executed perfectly. Even a few days after the wedding some of the guests were asking for the number of the band. Everybody appreciated how good they were. =)

Bridal Hair and Make-up Artist
Ara Fernando
Contact Number: (63917) 847-1019
Email Address: ara_fernando@yahoo.com
Inclusions:
Bride + 3 pax, Groom. Flower Girl, Retouch

Rating – 5

This supplier I had problems picking the right one. I tried one HMUA but it didn’t work out for us. I looked different. I wanted a natural look. Ara promised that (and gave me that in the end).

I got Ara through W@W (Hi Malou!). With her caliber and her rates, she was definitely worth a try. We scheduled a trial with her and I was very happy with the outcome. Feeling bride na talaga. I even got a 10% discount because of my W@W tag. Ara has a bubbly personality which keeps the nervousness away. Naturally madaldal, I sometimes find her amusing. =)

She also did my hair and make-up during the prenups. Feeling maganda na naman ako. Some thought the shoot was for a print ad of some sort. Haha! =D

A few days before the wedding, Ara texted me that she will not be able to make it for the retouch during the church and reception. She told me that she’ll have her assistant attend to me. I was really disappointed since I expected her to be there. But since I cannot do anything (I was starting to let go of the preps already in order to relax) I relented.

Come wedding day, Ara and her team was the earliest to arrive. She did a great job. Everybody told me I’m beautiful. Even in pictures. Hehe! I’m glad of the outcome. Plus points were she was able to hide the dark bags and red eyes (because of no sleep!) and the make-up lasted long. Retouch was minimal. Downside, her assistant, Elaine, is not so amiable (may pagkasuplada) but in fairness, di naman nya ko sinupladahan… nang masyado. Medyo nasupladahan lang nya si Tet when they were putting on my veil. Tet was quiet naman about it.

But all in all, I’m happy with how Ara did my hair and make-up. I was beautiful (well, am still is. Haha!) on my wedding day and that’s important.

Entourage Hair and Make-up Artist
Annie Mendoza and team
Contact Number: (63921) 247-4637
Email Address: eyniemendoza@yahoo.com
Inclusions:
Entourage hair and make-up for 5

Rating – 4

Annie’s my sister’s best friend. I had difficulty looking for an Entourage HMUA. When my sister told me that she recently graduated in Franck Provost, I asked Annie if she’s going pro already. She said that she’s willing to test the waters. She gave us a very good quote and my entourage agreed naman (they paid for their own make-up eh).

The final output looks good. I love the hairstyles! Annie and her team finished in the nick of time. Since they’re relatively new, I don’t think they were able to calculate the time they need to do the intricate hairstyles and make-up.

Tip: Give them more time especially for intricate hairstyles. I think they have a lot of potential.

Bridal Gown & Entourage Gowns
Teresa Hagape Fashion Shop
Address: 105 Rome St., Green Park Village, Manggahan, Pasig City
Contact Number: (632) 645-0076, (63917) 832-5285
Email Address: tet_hagape@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Ms. Tet Hagape
Inclusions:
Bridal Gown, 1 MOH, 3 BMs, 1 Jr. BM, 3 SS, 1 FG, 2 Mothers, 1 Sister

Rating – 5

I got Tet through W@W. She lived far from us but because of good rapport and because I’m happy with the designs she sketched for me, we booked her. Tet was easy to talk to, she listens to what I like, and she consults. There are incidents that she becomes forgetful. There were times that she would ask me to change a schedule we already calendared.

Tip: Remind her. Write down what you have talked about so that you won’t forget yourself. Text her to remind her if you have to. Be tolerant of small glitches in the schedules. Text her beforehand to avoid these glitches.

The entourage gowns were delivered the night before the big day. She brought everything in the hotel, including mine. I loved my gown. It’s me. Simple yet sexy. Naks! Haha! Exactly what I wanted.

The entourage gowns look great especially in the pictures. Some of my entourage complained of my color choice (Tet recommended it). Maarte lang sila, it actually looked good on them in the end.

All in all, I’d still recommend Tet. She did a good job. =)

Entourage Florist
Interplay Flowers and Events Specialists
Address: 14 Aurora Drive St., Vergonville Subd., Las Piñas City
Contact Number: (632) 871-7260, (63917) 892-5252
Email Address: interplaycreative@gmail.com
Website: www.interplaycreative.com
Contact Person: Ms. Lala Baldelovar
Inclusions:
Bridal bouquet, 1 MOH, 3 BMs, 1 Jr. BM, 3 SS, 1 FG, 3 PS, 2 Mothers, 16 Boutonnière, 2 Offertory baskets

Rating – 5

I got Interplay through W@W. We booked her during the September Wedding Expo and got a big discount. Lala’s nice and very approachable. I was in luck because she showed me a bouquet of calla lilies (exactly what I wanted) in display during the Expo. Nice! We emailed each other from then on. I told her what I wanted and she put everything in the contract. We finalized everything last March Wedding Expo. After that, we just texted each other.

Come wedding day her call time was 10AM but she did not arrive on time. I don’t exactly remember but I think she arrived sometime past 11. I did not let it bother me because the bouquet arrived just in time for the pictorial. The flowers were beautiful! I loved them! I loved my bouquet! It’s so pretty!

Wedding Rings
Goldenhills Jewelry, Incorporated
Address: 2/F The Jewelry Center, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan City
Contact Number: (632) 726-5189, (63916) 391-8695
Email Address: golden_hills88@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Ms. Connie Atienza
Inclusions:
Lifetime cleaning, free arrhae

Rating – 5++

We booked Goldenhills in the September Wedding Expo. I heard reviews about them at W@W also. We initially considered Matus but Goldenhills gave us a better quote. They were easy to talk to. We told them that we’ll get the rings on January. They told us to call first before we pick them up.

I was so surprised that a month later they texted me that the rings are ready for pick-up anytime. Ang bilis! When I called them and told them that it might be some mistake, they told me that it was not. They also told me that they can safe keep the rings until January.

The rings were beautiful. We love wearing them! Simple and elegant. =)

Arrhae
Unity Coins by WeddingsAtWork
Contact Number: (632) 725-4827, (63917) 811-1026 (John), (63917) 850-1026 (Benz)
Email Address: mail@weddingsatwork.com
Contact Person: Ms. Benz Co-Rana, Mr. John Rana
Inclusions:
13 gold-plated coins, white leatherette keepsake box with coin slots

Rating – 5++

This was our first purchase. I saw the idea from Yax (ni Jon) during her wedding. When I saw the unity coins up close, I fell in love with it. My family members complimented it for being unique and beautiful. The leatherette keepsake box is very nice. No problem with storage. Great find! =)

OTD Coordinator
Impromptu Events
Contact Number: (632) 645-5248, (63917) 837-6647 (Jing), (63927) 796-3410 (Lai), (63920) 950-4640 (Gladys)
Email Address: impromptu_events@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Ms. Gladys Leonidas, Ms. Jing del Rosario, Ms. Alaiza Alday, Ms. Michelline
Inclusions:
Schedules & appointments, RSVP services, Meet with reception host re the reception program, Ensure that all suppliers meet their deadlines & service agreements, Coordinate with all the event participants, Arrange & carry out the sequence of the wedding, Account all gifts for the couple, Schedule meals of the different suppliers, Turn-over the client’s payment to the supplier

Rating – 5++

I heard of Impromptu from W@W. I did an extensive research on coordinators because a lot of them are fly-by-night these days. I made worksheets on the quotes given to me, printed feedbacks by w@wies and compared them one by one. I ended up with Impromptu and I’m glad I did.

When I first met them, I immediately liked them. The rapport was good. I also learned that they were former officemates with the Threelogy guys which is also a plus point for us.

Throughout the preps, I met with them only twice, the initial meeting and a few weeks before the wedding. Di naman kasi ako alagain. Hehe! They mean business whenever we meet them but there’s always the chikahan part which also lightens the mood.

On the day, they were on time. They were very reliable. I didn’t have to tell them anything. They know what they’re doing. They kept problems away from me which I really appreciated. They made my day stress-free (which is suuuper important!).

Souvenirs
Konsepto (Photo Magnet for Guests)
Address: 157 Tandang Sora Ave., Quezon CityContact Number: (632) 453-3417, (63917) 327-8398Email Address: konsepto@gmail.com
Contact Person: Ms. Meme
Inclusions: 200 photo magnets, photo magnet design, onsite printing

Rating – 5

I saw Konsepto’s work at the W@W Christmas party. We loved the photo magnet idea. We wanted souvenirs that the guests will not throw away. When we saw the magnets, it was perfect! Who would dare throw his/her picture away? Plus they’ll always have it in display, right? When Benz emailed the group of the promo, Joven and I did not hesitate and booked them immediately.

The guests were so happy with their magnets and gamely posed for shots. There were a lot of magnets left when the reception ended so the last few guests enjoyed their multiple magnets. =D

Meme was also kind enough to provide us an easel even if I gave her a short notice for it. I would have given them a 5++ but there were times that Meme is not prompt in replying to emails or text messages.

Louis Maclean Wines (Chamdor Wines for Principal Sponsors)
Address: Suite 1907 Antel Global Corporate Center, Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Contact Numbers: (632) 687-0701
Email Address: tere_danga@lmfe.com.ph
Contact Person: Ms. Cecille Estillero

Rating – 5++

We were eyeing Chamdor wines since the first Wedding Expo we attended. We finally bought ones last March Wedding Expo. The salesperson in the Expo was easy to talk to. They helped us load it in our vehicle pa kaya lang the manong obviously waited for a tip.

We used Chamdor for the toast and for the reception. We also gave bottles to our principal sponsors. So far we got nice feedbacks for it. They liked the idea that it was non-alcoholic and sugar-free. =)

Host/Emcee
Dulce Amor Fortunado
Contact Number: (63919) 862-6541
Email Address: dfortunado@yahoo.com

Ryan Cocjin

Rating – 5++

Dulce is an officemate and friend and Ryan is Joven’s college barkada. Dulce’s pro already. She used to anchor a radio program. She also hosted a number of events and w@wie weddings. Ryan also has his share of hosting and singing. =)

Dulce and Ryan were great! The reception program ran smoothly thanks to them. Dulce helped a lot in preparing the program since she’s very experienced in hosting already. I liked the way they complimented each other. They were very receptive in the cueing of the coordinators. There was a part when they had to stall because the program was about to end and the onsite is about to be ready pa. Dulce thought of asking questions to the ones who got the bouquet and garter to lengthen the program a bit. Ayos! They even sang the kick off song for the dancing part of the program! Galing! They really made the reception program a blast! =)

LCD Projector Rental
Webdevices Corp.
Address: Upper Ground 20 Cityland Megaplaza Building, ADB Ave. cor. Garnet Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Contact Number: (632) 687-7003, (63917) 834-4803
Email Address: webdevicescorp@yahoo.com, velvetnd@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Ms. Velvet San Diego
Inclusions:
5-hour use of LCD projector, Projector screen, Technician

Rating – 5++

Velvet and I were already blogmates when she ventured into this business. Since Velvet was a former w@wie, I got a lot of tips from her about the wedding and not only on projectors. Velvet has always been a darling. She’s easy to talk to and never fails to give encouraging words. When we visited her shop near Robinsons Galleria, we ended up chatting about the details of the wedding and not really about projectors. She gave me a good package which was really affordable (as opposed to others who offer the same). Her technician even brought cables that were requested of Threelogy. =)

Hotel Preparations
Manila Diamond Hotel
Address: Roxas Boulevard cor. Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila, Philippines 1000
Contact Number: (632)528-3000 local 1144; (63917) 848-5548
Contact Person: Ms. Trina Panapanaan

Inclusions:
One executive suite for a 2-night stay and one executive suite for a 1-night stay, both with complimentary daily breakfast for 2, free use of hotel amenities

Rating – 5++

I initially wanted to make my hotel preps at Hyatt and was eyeing vouchers for it. When I chatted with Jane (ni Eugene) about the vouchers she was selling, she told me about Manila Diamond (Thanks girl!). She gave me her contact person (Trina) and told me about how she booked her preps there. She told me that Trina can make arrangements for me. I called Trina and scheduled an ocular.

She took us to adjoining executive suites on the bayside of the hotel. Sweet! The room was spacious with a receiving area before the bedroom and two bathrooms. The view is also great!

We booked them the following day. I would call Trina from time to time for updates. She was always accommodating. The other staffs are courteous too. Great thing, Trina gave us the 2005 rate. Yey!

BTW, Buffet breakfast was delish too! =)

Bridal Car
Streetline Bridal Cars & Motorcycle Escorts
Address: 1135 Attila 1 Kingsville Subd., Marcos Hi-Way, Antipolo City
Contact Number: (632) 645-1982
Email Address: street_line04@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Ms. Lolit
Inclusions: MB E220 bridal car, 2 MB100 vans

Rating – 4

This was the last supplier we booked. We got them last March Wedding Expo. We didn’t have any problems with coordination with them.

The bridal car and two vans arrived on time. All the vehicles have good working aircon and comfy seats. The drivers were courteous naman. But one van left almost half of the entourage. Before leaving the hotel, my dad told the last van driver to wait for the other entourage members and that they were on their way down (the other van left with Joven and the other ento members already). When I went to the bridal car with my parents, Lai of Impromtu with my nephew went to the van. The driver told her that the all the ento members left with the other van already. In short, naiwan yung iba. I don’t want to blame it on Lai since she was only responsible for me and she was told by the driver such.

I really don’t get what happened. But the rest of the entourage got to the church on time. That’s most important of all.

One more thing, when we booked them at the Wedding Expo, I was told that there was a free motorcycle escort. On the day, I didn’t see any. Not that there is a need for one. The bridal car has its own siren. But like what I said, I didn’t see any motorcycle escort there.

Photo Mosaic
Espesyal na Ngiti
Address: 11 Cagayan de Oro St. South City Homes, Biñan Laguna
Contact Number: (632)699-6084; (63915)420-5877
Email Address: info@espesyalnangiti.com
Website: http://www.espesyalnangiti.com/
Contact Person: Ms. Christine Palanca
Inclusions: Free classic frame with matting

Rating – 5++

I heard of Espesyal na Ngiti from W@W also (Hi Glo!). Christine and Jeff did a great job! They work fast and their output’s great! They’re easy to talk to and they consult you with the output. I really love what they did with the mosaic! The guests loved it too!

Highly recommended! Joven and I would want to get another project with them soon. =)

Groom’s Suit
Namel’s
Address: Dapitan St. near cor. Baco St. Sampaloc, Manila
Contact Number: (632)741-5112
Contact Person: Mrs. Nazaria dela Cruz
Inclusions: Joven’s coat, vest and pants, Daddy’s coat and pants, Ring bearer’s coat and pants

Rating – 5

We got Namel’s to do Joven’s suit because we’ve known them for a looong looong time. The owner is my godmother. She gave us a good rate (of course. Hehe!). They also work fast. The fit’s perfect. I think Joven looks really great in his suit (of course that’s a biased opinion. Haha!).

Groom’s Accessories
Shoes: Bass
Watch: Casio
Perfume: Bulgari Aqua
Tie: Tieline (Renato Casati)
Shirt: Arrow

Rating – 5++

The shoes fit perfect. No blisters. =)
The watch was part of the prize we got from PDI’s 2bu! =)
The perfume was a pasalubong from my Dad. Bango!
Tie from Tieline is relatively cheap. A lot of selections to choose from.
The shirt was a perfect fit. Gift from my Dad din.

Bride’s Accessories
Shoes: Janilyn
Hairpiece: SM Department Store – Manila
Earrings: Marcella
Bracelet: c/o Mom
Rosary: Heirloom from my lola

Rating – 5++

We bought the shoes at Marikina Shoe Expo. It was relatively cheap. Nice fit! My feet didn’t ache. =)
The hairpiece was on sale at SM. I wasn’t supposed to buy it but when I saw that it was on sale. Game! I love how it turned out in the end. =)
Tet told me that cascading earrings would be best for my gown. No necklace. I bought a rhinestone cascading earrings in Marcella. Cheap lang. =)
The bracelet is my something borrowed.
The rosary was my something old. It was my lola’s given to my dad who in turn gave it to me. =)

Male Entourage’s Accessories
Tie (Spongebob and Domenico): SM Department Store – San Lazaro, Manila, Megamall

Rating – 5++

We went to SM San Lazaro looking for entourage ties. We found the perfect color of ties but they do not have enough stocks. The manager was so kind to call other malls and inquire the availability of ties. He also facilitated the reservation of those ties. The following day, we went to SM Manila and SM Megamall to pick them up. =)

DIYs
Ring Box
Arrhae Box
Matchstick lighter
c/o my sister and MOH

Rating – 5++

I gave my sister a few days to do the boxes and the lighter. I also gave her very few materials lang but she did a great job! I especially love what she did with the matchstick lighters. =) Thanks Tita Dap!

Offertory Candles
Unity Candles
c/o my officemate, Ms. Ara Albiento (PM me for her number)

Rating – 5++

Ara’s one of the most creative beings I’ve known. She turned my bare candles into beautiful ones! Galing! She has a lot of talent in the arts – painting, flower arrangement, layouts, balloons, etc. Incidentally, she also does invitations (shameless plug. Hehe!).

All in all, I can say that the wedding was a success largely because of these suppliers. Many thanks to them. =)

Congratulations to the Miami Heat for winning the NBA championship!

Galing talaga ni Dwyane Wade!

He’s now tied with Shaq as my favorite basketball player/s. =)

(Image from ESPN, Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

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Speaking of Wade, he is one of the endorsers of Gatorade, together with Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett and Yao Ming. “Get into the NBA 2″ is a local contest sponsored by the sports drink wherein the grand prize is a trip to the US to watch an NBA game live. As consolation prize, 1000 jerseys will be given away.

A week before our wedding, a representative of Gatorade Philippines called me… to inform me that I won a jersey! Immediately, I inquired which jerseys I can choose from, not knowing who the endorsers were. Upon learning that Wade was one of them, I asked that one be reserved for me. *high hopes*

Last Tuesday, June 20, I went to their office (Rapp Collins Philippines). Guess what I saw? Another winner claiming his jersey. It was Wade’s. Apparently, that was the last one. *hopeless* =(

That’s how my chance of getting one of the hottest selling jerseys in the NBA for free went pfft.

And so, I “settled” for Yao Ming’s jersey. I didn’t like Garnett’s because it was light-colored. As for Carter, I already have his teammate Jason Kidd’s jersey.

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The Heat won the championship yesterday because I won’t be able to watch any more live games on TV because it was my last day of honeymoon vacation. Thank you Heat!

In another stroke of good luck, I also won the bracketology we had at the office. At the start of the playoffs, we would pick our choices from all the rounds up to the Finals. I love Miami, but I didn’t think this would be their year, so I chose Detroit. As for the others, they picked either Detroit or San Antonio. One bravely picked Phoenix, as he did last year as well.

Since none of us had picked Miami or Dallas, it came down to the total points. Four of us had the same point total. The tiebreaker was who could be the closest to guess the final score of the title-clinching game. If there’s still no clear winner, the one who guessed closest to the winning margin wins.

My guess: 88-85.

3 points. The final score was 95-92.

I actually wished that the teams stopped scoring when the score was 89-85 with under two minutes to go. Hehe!

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And I thought my luck would continue…

While discussing with Ryan the prospect of a project at Starbucks at Robinson’s Place, here’s what happened to my Venti Vanilla Frap worth PhP 145:

It wasn’t the barista’s fault…

The fly somehow found a way into the large hole at the top…

And died on the cold ice.

Sayang pera ko. =(

Since the year kicked in Joven and I were asked by family members not to travel out of town. There’s a Filipino superstition that altar-bound couples are accident prone. (Uneventful summer explained)

Three days after getting married, we had our first out of town trip.

The Larin clan invited my parents for a trip to Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan. Our itinerary was a mid-morning breakfast in Joven’s uncle’s (our ninong) place in San Fernando, Pampanga, visit the Our Lady of Manaoag before noon, proceed to the Larin’s hometown in San Luis, visit Tatay in the mausoleum and visit their still under construction ancestral house.

We wanted to join the trip because (1) it has been sometime since we went to Pampanga to see Joven’s relatives; (2) we wanted our families to get to know each other better; (3) we wanted Tatay to meet me again as his wife; and (4) we wanted to give thanks to the blessings we have just received. =)

The trip was a real breather. =) It’s fun being with the Larin clan. We were pampered with food! Yum! (Yes, I’m gaining weight again! Haha!)