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Sure, we’re stressed, but it doesn’t feel like the end of the world, or like a deadline looming. It feels more like the rest of our life is about to begin, and we really can’t wait.
So what have we been up to? I’ve been trying to tie up loose ends at work so that everything’s okay when I go on leave. Oneal’s been doing the same, I think. Together, we’ve been delivering wedding invitations, getting RSVPs from the guests, and preparing for the despedida de soltera, which is happening this Friday.
Perhaps among the most exciting things we’ve been doing of late are the attire fittings, and the dance lessons. 
I can’t wait to see my finished dress and veil, and Oneal’s really excited about his barong. And last Sunday, we took our first dance lesson!
In the days to come, we’ll be meeting with our ninongs and ninangs, finishing off supplier payments, and pampering ourselves in time for the wedding.
I can’t wait till I’m married to my hunny bunny.
– rej
It seems like every free day or hour we have is spent on the wedding. Or in the car, going somewhere wedding-related. Take Wednesday, for example.
We spent Tuesday night in Roseroland, then woke up bright and early on Wednesday to go to Parañaque City Hall. We applied for the marriage license, which only took an hour. The documents required were the CENOMARs (Certificates of No Previous Marriage, obtained from the NSO), our NSO-certified birth certificates, and Oneal’s barangay clearance, since he’s a resident of Parañaque. Continue Reading…
We can’t wait to wear them na!
In case you haven’t seen the news on Facebook, then here’s the announcement: Our rings have been made! *happy dance* Oneal’s Tita Angie recommended a jewelry shop in Meycauayan, Bulacan, where they could make the rings for a low price. We’d looked at wedding rings before, at bridal fairs and in jewelry shops in malls. They always cost upwards of P25,000, for anything from simple bands to elaborate affairs with engraving and diamonds.
All we wanted was a pair of two-tone rings, two outer bands made of yellow gold, with a white gold band in the middle. Matte finish, no diamonds, no engraving. Quotes at bridal fairs placed it at P30,000. Continue Reading…
Typhoon Ondoy has sidetracked many people, and many plans. That weekend, we were supposed to have a family pictorial! Obviously, we had to cancel it.
Since that weekend, and through the other typhoons that have blown through the country, we’ve been busy with relief efforts here and there. Also, Oneal has a new job, and I have two new projects that keep me busy. So you can understand how our wedding planning got sidetracked.
Now we’re gathering our wits again, and going through all our wedding checklists to see what else needs doing. Fortunately, there’s not a lot left. All the major suppliers have been booked:
- Ceremony and reception venue – Fernwood Gardens, QC
- Caterer – Shangri-La Chinese Restaurant
- Florist for the church – 15-58 Flowers and Styles
- Florist for the entourage – Go4Flowers
- Photographer – Pat Mateo
- Videographer – 30fps
- Cake artist – Our friend, Reitch Calabia
- Couturier – Our friend, Jenny Rojales
- Rings maker
- Bridal jewelry – Our ninang, Ruby Bayan
So now, here’s what we need to do next:
- Book the hair and make-up artist
- Complete our wedding documents
- Draft and finalize the missalette
- Design and finalize the invitations
- Decide on the music for the ceremony
- Decide on the music for the reception
- Decide on the preps hotel
- Finalize the reception program
- Attend a pre-cana seminar
There’s more that needs to be done, but these are the most urgent. We’re working on some of them already:
- Some of the documents have been obtained while a few others need to be requested.
- We’ve canvassed 4 hotels in Quezon City already.
- I know which HMUA I want to get.
- Jovan is working on our invitations.
Some things need more work than others, obviously. But we’re getting there. Wish us luck! In the meantime, it’s my birthday on Saturday, and we’re flying to Bora for a much-needed vacation. Yay!
– rej
Our first wedding gift, from Mario and Tricia
It makes me so happy that our wedding has brought out the thoughtful and helpful streak in so many people. Many friends have volunteered their time and effort to help us with all the things we need to do, the stuff we need to plan, decide, book, canvass, design and even edit. It’s so touching, and the best part is that they really just want to help! Most of them say, “Just tell me what you need. And please don’t feel obliged to invite me to the wedding, just because I’m helping you, okay?”
I really wish we could invite everyone. But alas, budget and venue constraints! I don’t think Fernwood could hold all the masses we want to invite.
Speaking of thoughtful, it was so sweet of Oneal’s high school barkada, Mario, and his wife, Tricia, to give us our first wedding gift: the cord for the wedding ceremony! They had a cord made out of beautiful beads, and in the colors of our motif, and with our initials! It’s so beautiful, and they’re so thoughtful, and it makes me so happy that people are being so wonderful.
Thanks, Mario and Tricia, and thanks to all the nice, generous friends we have.
– rej
Hair and make-up by Ms. Rose of Watercolors salon, Shangri-La Plaza
With my first hair and make-up (HMU) trial session, my hair stayed beautiful until the wee hours of the morning. I was happy with the make-up too, but in retrospect it seemed a little pale.
With my second HMU trial, my make-up was gorgeous! But my hair was only nice for two hours. That wasn’t so great.
My third trial seems to have worked out the best. Grace M recommended Watercolors salon, which her sister Marilyn and their event company, EventLab, patronize frequently. Marilyn recommended Ms. Rose.
So I scheduled an appointment, and got my hair and make-up done. So far, I think I like Ms. Rose best.
Today Oneal and I went to a small parlor on Sikatuna Road called Alter Ego. Beng introduced us to her friend’s suki’ng bakla, Pinky, so we could try his hair and make-up.
Things he did differently (from my first test HMU):
1. Pinky used curlers on my hair instead of a curling iron.
2. My color looked more natural: browns, bronzes, instead of pinks and beiges.
I’ll post the pictures soon!
UPDATE: Photos are up!
– rej
And for everyone else! Last week we finally hired our florist for the entourage. Go4Flowers is a business run by a former colleague of Oneal’s mom at PRC, and she offered to do our flowers.
As I said, I don’t know anything about flowers, and I’m not that picky. I only know what I don’t like.
Maybelle showed us many pictures, in her albums and on her laptop, and I found the flowers we like. Not only that, the whole entourage will have flowers! And for a good price too!
For the same price, other florists would have given us only a bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ mini-bouquets, flower girls’ baskets, and not much else. But Maybelle is giving us not only all of those, but also wrist corsages for the secondary sponsors, flowers for the primary sponsors, a tossing bouquet, and I forget what else. And calla lillies for my bouquet! Pretty.
So, yay!
– rej
Last night Oneal and I brought my Maid of Honor and one of our Secondary Sponsors to the dress shop, so they could get measured for their dresses. My Maid of Honor, Kat, saw the pictures of my dress, and she shrieked! She and her boyfriend, Sonny, seemed pretty excited about the whole thing. She was asking how she should do her hair, and what everyone else would wear.
Jovan, our Candle Sponsor, was able to discuss with our couturier, Jenny Rojales, her suggestions and concerns for her dress. Jovan and Kat also got the contact info of the dress shop, so in case they want to go there on their own, for fittings or whatever, they cal call for appointments.
Tita Jenny showed me the type of lace they found in Divisoria, which they can use for my dress. She says she’ll go to Divisoria this week to buy it. Oh wow, it’s starting! I’m so excited. Everytime I see the pictures of my dress, my heart does a little somersault.
– rej