hmph!
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
At last, it's for real!: grooms! hmph!
At last, it's for real!: grooms! hmph!
this post really made me laugh.
rey and i had somewhat similar conversations. once, when we were discussing songs that we'd include in our souvenir CDs he told me that he already had an idea what song to use for our first dance. a few weeks later, he asked me:
r: do we need to get a choreographer for our first dance
a: do you really want to have a first dance?
and his answer? "bakit ko naman gugustuhing mag-first dance?!"
grooms!!!
this post really made me laugh.
rey and i had somewhat similar conversations. once, when we were discussing songs that we'd include in our souvenir CDs he told me that he already had an idea what song to use for our first dance. a few weeks later, he asked me:
r: do we need to get a choreographer for our first dance
a: do you really want to have a first dance?
and his answer? "bakit ko naman gugustuhing mag-first dance?!"
grooms!!!
obsession
i'm obsessed.
there's hardly a day when i think about the wedding. when i get home from work, i work on lining our envelopes. during my breaks at the office, i would make a call to my suppliers. i eagerly await messages from my egroups for more wedding ideas and wedding stories. everytime i wake up, i pray that our wedding (and marriage) turns out okay or that if something goes wrong, i can handle it with grace and not make a big fuss out of it.
i'm not in a panic. i don't think i've turned into a bridezilla. but i do not understand the frantic pace in which i am handling our wedding details.
is this a classic case of wedding stress? if so, why am i not losing weight?
there's hardly a day when i think about the wedding. when i get home from work, i work on lining our envelopes. during my breaks at the office, i would make a call to my suppliers. i eagerly await messages from my egroups for more wedding ideas and wedding stories. everytime i wake up, i pray that our wedding (and marriage) turns out okay or that if something goes wrong, i can handle it with grace and not make a big fuss out of it.
i'm not in a panic. i don't think i've turned into a bridezilla. but i do not understand the frantic pace in which i am handling our wedding details.
is this a classic case of wedding stress? if so, why am i not losing weight?
Sunday, August 29, 2004
marriage preps
i love being with rey.
this morning, we watched a couple of tv shows together. afterwards, we had lunch at alex III, had dessert at ice monster and did a little shopping in greenhills. as usual, rey and i bought a bunch of DVDs and he purchased several books for me. when we spent an amount that would have been sufficient to pay for our wedding souvenirs, we decided to leave the shopping center. it was just too difficult not to succumb to temptation!
we then went to the fort to get donuts for rey's mom. on a whim, we decided to buy a box of donuts for the 2 of us. and since we already got donuts, we decided to stop by starbucks to get coffee. (obviously, we weren't concerned about losing weight for the wedding even if we really need to.) rey ordered his usual cafe americano and i ordered mint tea. we stayed there, ate a couple of donuts (ok, fine, we finished half the box!) and went home.
there was nothing special in what we did but i immensely enjoyed myself. i loved the way he held my hands when we were in the car or the way he looked at me when i wanted to make another useless purchase.
for some reason, we didn't get to talk about the details of the wedding. instead, we dreamed and joked of how we'd be when we're already married.
i actually felt sad when he dropped me of at my house.
but when he got home, he called me up and told me that in a few months, he will no longer have to drop me off. that was enough to make me smile.
i can't wait til december!
this morning, we watched a couple of tv shows together. afterwards, we had lunch at alex III, had dessert at ice monster and did a little shopping in greenhills. as usual, rey and i bought a bunch of DVDs and he purchased several books for me. when we spent an amount that would have been sufficient to pay for our wedding souvenirs, we decided to leave the shopping center. it was just too difficult not to succumb to temptation!
we then went to the fort to get donuts for rey's mom. on a whim, we decided to buy a box of donuts for the 2 of us. and since we already got donuts, we decided to stop by starbucks to get coffee. (obviously, we weren't concerned about losing weight for the wedding even if we really need to.) rey ordered his usual cafe americano and i ordered mint tea. we stayed there, ate a couple of donuts (ok, fine, we finished half the box!) and went home.
there was nothing special in what we did but i immensely enjoyed myself. i loved the way he held my hands when we were in the car or the way he looked at me when i wanted to make another useless purchase.
for some reason, we didn't get to talk about the details of the wedding. instead, we dreamed and joked of how we'd be when we're already married.
i actually felt sad when he dropped me of at my house.
but when he got home, he called me up and told me that in a few months, he will no longer have to drop me off. that was enough to make me smile.
i can't wait til december!
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
invites for cocktails
i was not feeling well so i had to stay at home. i get dizzy when i read so i just looked at our baby pics. i so loved them that i finally finished the design for the invites for the cocktails!
Sunday, August 22, 2004
bridal fairs and wedding videos
i'm a certified bridal fair addict.
i'm no longer looking for a wedding supplier and i wasn't feeling so well but i still went to the bridal fair at the EDSA Shang. i just had to. otherwise, i'd feel like i missed something. and it's a good thing i went there, otherwise, i wouldn't have:
a. seen the divine display of balay kandila - they put up this huge container that's about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide on the sides. they filled it up with liquid and there were about a dozen long stemmed red roses floating in it. beside it was a table with vases that had single long stemmed roses. the vases were placed on top of clear resin that looked like broken glass. on top of the vases were hanging candles. their display was so beautiful that i stayed in the room for at least 10 minutes;
b. found the supplier for my crystal bouquet - i've almost given up on this. when i spoke with rio, she couldn't give me a quote but she said that she expects it to be a bit expensive. but when i went to EDSA Shang, i met the artist of All About Beads and the price she quoted me was lower than the cost of a bouquet of calla lilies! i immediately gave her a swatch of my motiff so she can start working on it;
c. watched video samples of Imacron - choosing our videographer was easy- rey didn't want one so i had to get the most unobtrusive videographer. (i was planning to pass him off as a photographer.) it's a good thing that the photographer who specialized on being unobtrusive happened to be a friend from college. the price he quoted was still a bit high even with the discount he gave but i knew that there's no other videographer for us. however, i've always wondered about Imacron because people keep on raving about their wedding videos. so i watched their sample videos. of the 6 videos i was able to watch, i noticed that the ones i liked were the ones where the couple were asked to act, dance or do something. rey and i are not willing to do any of that. in fact, i'd be irritated if the videographer asked me to do anything other than smile. and their package is higher than that of jason's. good thing i didn't get them. i am lucky to have chosen jason; and
d. solved my over-the-budget-spending-for-the-wedding problem - when i was at the Shang, i got to hear 92 ad sing. they are really excellent singers and their blending is very good (warning: i know most of them so i'm a bit biased.) i wanted them to sing for my wedding. but their rates are quite steep. buti na lang, i saw a jewelry shop and found that their fee costs as much as a beautiful pair of earrings. so now, everytime i am tempted to buy something for the wedding that is not really necessary, i just remind myself of the jewelry that i can buy with the amount that i'm about to spend.
i'm no longer looking for a wedding supplier and i wasn't feeling so well but i still went to the bridal fair at the EDSA Shang. i just had to. otherwise, i'd feel like i missed something. and it's a good thing i went there, otherwise, i wouldn't have:
a. seen the divine display of balay kandila - they put up this huge container that's about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide on the sides. they filled it up with liquid and there were about a dozen long stemmed red roses floating in it. beside it was a table with vases that had single long stemmed roses. the vases were placed on top of clear resin that looked like broken glass. on top of the vases were hanging candles. their display was so beautiful that i stayed in the room for at least 10 minutes;
b. found the supplier for my crystal bouquet - i've almost given up on this. when i spoke with rio, she couldn't give me a quote but she said that she expects it to be a bit expensive. but when i went to EDSA Shang, i met the artist of All About Beads and the price she quoted me was lower than the cost of a bouquet of calla lilies! i immediately gave her a swatch of my motiff so she can start working on it;
c. watched video samples of Imacron - choosing our videographer was easy- rey didn't want one so i had to get the most unobtrusive videographer. (i was planning to pass him off as a photographer.) it's a good thing that the photographer who specialized on being unobtrusive happened to be a friend from college. the price he quoted was still a bit high even with the discount he gave but i knew that there's no other videographer for us. however, i've always wondered about Imacron because people keep on raving about their wedding videos. so i watched their sample videos. of the 6 videos i was able to watch, i noticed that the ones i liked were the ones where the couple were asked to act, dance or do something. rey and i are not willing to do any of that. in fact, i'd be irritated if the videographer asked me to do anything other than smile. and their package is higher than that of jason's. good thing i didn't get them. i am lucky to have chosen jason; and
d. solved my over-the-budget-spending-for-the-wedding problem - when i was at the Shang, i got to hear 92 ad sing. they are really excellent singers and their blending is very good (warning: i know most of them so i'm a bit biased.) i wanted them to sing for my wedding. but their rates are quite steep. buti na lang, i saw a jewelry shop and found that their fee costs as much as a beautiful pair of earrings. so now, everytime i am tempted to buy something for the wedding that is not really necessary, i just remind myself of the jewelry that i can buy with the amount that i'm about to spend.
Saturday, August 21, 2004
fitting of the reception gown
i had my first fitting of my reception gown in njork and it just reminded me that my body is really a rectangle.
the pretty dress that looked really nice on a hanger looked like a pillow case on me! nag-panic si miguel at si francis nung makita ako so they decided to re-design and reconstruct the gown at no extra cost. but i loved the fabric - the colors are bright but they're not loud (they used hot pink and not-so-hot pink).
'yun nga lang, a client was late and extended her meeting with miguel and francis so i had to wait for 45 minutes before i was able to fit my gown! i'm o-c and before i left the house at2:30, i called up njork to confirm my 3 pm appointment. so i was a bit disappointed when i had to wait for a loooooong time. marlon and the other staff were actually very nice and apologetic. they even offered to serve me"anything" that i wanted. i didn't mind waiting for a few minutes but after the 45th minute, i got impatient, stood up and asked that my fitting be re-scheduled. (obviously, patience is not one of my virtues.) saka lang umalis yung client.
miguel and francis were also very apologetic and they really spent time fixing the gown. and because they made me wait, they're making a matching bag for me for free. i should be happy. but i still couldn't stop myself from requesting that my fittings be scheduled in such a way that i'd be the first client for the day or the client right after lunch.
i didn't get a high from njork this time, but i still remain a satisfied client.
the pretty dress that looked really nice on a hanger looked like a pillow case on me! nag-panic si miguel at si francis nung makita ako so they decided to re-design and reconstruct the gown at no extra cost. but i loved the fabric - the colors are bright but they're not loud (they used hot pink and not-so-hot pink).
'yun nga lang, a client was late and extended her meeting with miguel and francis so i had to wait for 45 minutes before i was able to fit my gown! i'm o-c and before i left the house at2:30, i called up njork to confirm my 3 pm appointment. so i was a bit disappointed when i had to wait for a loooooong time. marlon and the other staff were actually very nice and apologetic. they even offered to serve me"anything" that i wanted. i didn't mind waiting for a few minutes but after the 45th minute, i got impatient, stood up and asked that my fitting be re-scheduled. (obviously, patience is not one of my virtues.) saka lang umalis yung client.
miguel and francis were also very apologetic and they really spent time fixing the gown. and because they made me wait, they're making a matching bag for me for free. i should be happy. but i still couldn't stop myself from requesting that my fittings be scheduled in such a way that i'd be the first client for the day or the client right after lunch.
i didn't get a high from njork this time, but i still remain a satisfied client.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Letter to Violeta
Dear Violeta,
Thank you talaga for accompanying me to Dangwa, Divisoria and the Star Paper factory a few days ago.
I am so happy with our finds! I know that I would not find a cheaper florist that would produce the same output for the flowers of my entourage. Sobra talaga akong natuwa kay Boy "Lou" Mahusay, ang "Dangwa Flower Arranger" from Bulaklakan ng Maynila. At first I was hesitant to get them kasi baka less than perfect yung floral arrangments nila (ang kapal ko 'no? sa kaliit-liit na budget, nagde-demand ng perfect bouquets) but when I saw them arrange flowers by the side of the road, sobra akong na-impress! Talaga namang mahusay si Mr. Mahusay! Bonus din talaga na ang sarap nilang kausap. Sobrang jologs. Di talaga bagay yung classy arrangements nila sa kanila. Hahaha.
At love ko rin si Manang Wilka ng Carolina's! I know I can find cheaper fabrics, but dealing with her makes you feel that you’re getting what you pay for – alam mo na ‘di ka iniisahan. Natuwa kasi ako sa kaniya when we were asking for Duchesse Satin and she immediately said that what they have is not the pure Duchesse Satin that some people look for. She also recommended the taffeta that we bought even if the other cloth that I liked was more expensive. Mas maganda daw kasi yung bagsak ng taffeta.
Doon ko rin nakita na ‘yung dream fabric ko e ‘di pala bagay sa akin. I found it in one of the shelves – ‘yung creamy na bagsak na bagsak. Nung nakita ko, it was obviously new pero medyo madumi na. Dumihin daw talaga yung fabric. I’m sure if I used that cloth for my gown, gusgusin na ang dating ko pagdating sa reception. E di nga ako makapag-suot ng white pants kasi ‘di pa ako nakakaalis ng bahay, mukha na siyang marumi.
And the pure pina cloth for Fatherlily’s barong – sobra akong happy! I know you were concerned that the cloth was a bit more expensive than that I was expecting. Pero sobra naman kasi akong na-inlove sa pagka-burda. Simple lang pero it looked so nice! Sulit talaga ang bawa’tpisong binayad ko. Added value pa na Manang Wilka introduced us to the designer who agreed to sew the barong for P1,500. Kahit di kami magpapatahi sa designer, I appreciate the effort. (Family friend kasi naming yung may-ari ng Daneche. They agreed to sew the barong at a discounted price of P1,200.00)
When I got home, ginising ko talaga si Fatherlily kasi excited akong ipakita sa kaniya yung cloth that I bought for him. A few months ago kasi, na-mention niya sa akin na sabi daw ng mga kaibigan niya, maganda daw kung may halong pina ang barong niya. Nung nakita niya yung cloth and nasabi ko sa kaniya na I got pure pina for him, sobra siyang natuwa! Kinabukasan, to call agad siya sa friendship niya to ask kung magkano ang discount niya sa Daneche (sorry ha, Chinese talaga si fatherlily, mahilig sa discount.) And, sobra na rin tuloy siyang na-excite sa wedding preps. Nung nireklamo kong di ko type ang scent ng paper na nabili ko for my white cranes, go agad siya sa National Bookstore para magnahap ng ibang papel. Mega-cut din siya ng mga paper na binili ko from Star Paper. Kakatuwa talaga!
And speaking about Star Paper, doon ko nakita ang holy grail ng wedding preps ko – ang burgundy paper na pwedeng pang-origami! Nabili ko na rin ang paper for my envelopes and our programmes. Dami ko talagang na-accomplish!
And of course, sandamakmak din ang wedding tips na nakuha ko sa ‘yo. Pumunta pa tayo sa Cherry para bumili ng Blue Mountain cards na may perfectly-sized envelopes for our 5”x7” invites!
To top it all off, ang sarap mong kasama, tawa tayo ng tawa, walang pakialam kahit mukha na tayong mga luka-loka. I wouldn’t have had as much fun if I went to Dangwa, Divisoria and Star Paper all by myself.
Salamat talaga!
Thank you talaga for accompanying me to Dangwa, Divisoria and the Star Paper factory a few days ago.
I am so happy with our finds! I know that I would not find a cheaper florist that would produce the same output for the flowers of my entourage. Sobra talaga akong natuwa kay Boy "Lou" Mahusay, ang "Dangwa Flower Arranger" from Bulaklakan ng Maynila. At first I was hesitant to get them kasi baka less than perfect yung floral arrangments nila (ang kapal ko 'no? sa kaliit-liit na budget, nagde-demand ng perfect bouquets) but when I saw them arrange flowers by the side of the road, sobra akong na-impress! Talaga namang mahusay si Mr. Mahusay! Bonus din talaga na ang sarap nilang kausap. Sobrang jologs. Di talaga bagay yung classy arrangements nila sa kanila. Hahaha.
At love ko rin si Manang Wilka ng Carolina's! I know I can find cheaper fabrics, but dealing with her makes you feel that you’re getting what you pay for – alam mo na ‘di ka iniisahan. Natuwa kasi ako sa kaniya when we were asking for Duchesse Satin and she immediately said that what they have is not the pure Duchesse Satin that some people look for. She also recommended the taffeta that we bought even if the other cloth that I liked was more expensive. Mas maganda daw kasi yung bagsak ng taffeta.
Doon ko rin nakita na ‘yung dream fabric ko e ‘di pala bagay sa akin. I found it in one of the shelves – ‘yung creamy na bagsak na bagsak. Nung nakita ko, it was obviously new pero medyo madumi na. Dumihin daw talaga yung fabric. I’m sure if I used that cloth for my gown, gusgusin na ang dating ko pagdating sa reception. E di nga ako makapag-suot ng white pants kasi ‘di pa ako nakakaalis ng bahay, mukha na siyang marumi.
And the pure pina cloth for Fatherlily’s barong – sobra akong happy! I know you were concerned that the cloth was a bit more expensive than that I was expecting. Pero sobra naman kasi akong na-inlove sa pagka-burda. Simple lang pero it looked so nice! Sulit talaga ang bawa’tpisong binayad ko. Added value pa na Manang Wilka introduced us to the designer who agreed to sew the barong for P1,500. Kahit di kami magpapatahi sa designer, I appreciate the effort. (Family friend kasi naming yung may-ari ng Daneche. They agreed to sew the barong at a discounted price of P1,200.00)
When I got home, ginising ko talaga si Fatherlily kasi excited akong ipakita sa kaniya yung cloth that I bought for him. A few months ago kasi, na-mention niya sa akin na sabi daw ng mga kaibigan niya, maganda daw kung may halong pina ang barong niya. Nung nakita niya yung cloth and nasabi ko sa kaniya na I got pure pina for him, sobra siyang natuwa! Kinabukasan, to call agad siya sa friendship niya to ask kung magkano ang discount niya sa Daneche (sorry ha, Chinese talaga si fatherlily, mahilig sa discount.) And, sobra na rin tuloy siyang na-excite sa wedding preps. Nung nireklamo kong di ko type ang scent ng paper na nabili ko for my white cranes, go agad siya sa National Bookstore para magnahap ng ibang papel. Mega-cut din siya ng mga paper na binili ko from Star Paper. Kakatuwa talaga!
And speaking about Star Paper, doon ko nakita ang holy grail ng wedding preps ko – ang burgundy paper na pwedeng pang-origami! Nabili ko na rin ang paper for my envelopes and our programmes. Dami ko talagang na-accomplish!
And of course, sandamakmak din ang wedding tips na nakuha ko sa ‘yo. Pumunta pa tayo sa Cherry para bumili ng Blue Mountain cards na may perfectly-sized envelopes for our 5”x7” invites!
To top it all off, ang sarap mong kasama, tawa tayo ng tawa, walang pakialam kahit mukha na tayong mga luka-loka. I wouldn’t have had as much fun if I went to Dangwa, Divisoria and Star Paper all by myself.
Salamat talaga!
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Wedding Preps Galore
Thanks to Clarice, I was able to accomplish so much in a day. I wanted to post everything last night but Rey wanted to cook (or rather, learn how to cook) Fettucini Alfredo so I bought some ingredients for him. And then when I got home, he called me up so we can watch the marathon reruns of Sex In the City together. Practice daw kasi yon for us because when we get married, we'll be watching lots of TV together.
O 'di ba? Preps for the wedding during the day and preps for the marriage afterwards.
It really was a good day.
O 'di ba? Preps for the wedding during the day and preps for the marriage afterwards.
It really was a good day.
Monday, August 09, 2004
Flower Power
4 months to go and we still don't have a florist for the bouquets. it's a good thing that a w@wie, clarise, volunteered to take me on a tour of Dangwa (with a side trip in Divisoria, of course.) but i was still worried since after buying dozens of bridal mags and searching through the net, i still have no idea how the bouquets would look like.
until i visited the bridal fair at the heritage hotel.
when i got to the bridal fair, i was mesmerized by the line of gowns that were displayed on one of the hallways. the gowns led me to the lobby of the ballroom. everyone was flocking at the first door so i decided to check out the second door. i got in the ballroom and immediately saw that there was an on-going fashion show. i didn't want to watch since i didn't want to see a gown similar to mine on a model's body. (i would just feel depressed if the gown didn't look as nice on me.) so i started to leave. but as i turned, i saw one of the organizers lock the door where i went in. the other exit was on the far end of the room, which was a million people away. i was stuck.
so i had to watch all the reed-thin, pimple-free models in their overly-decorated bridal gowns. and i noticed the bouquets that they used. there were all in the exact size that i wanted and the flowers looked really nice and pretty. i asked everyone around me if they knew who sponsored the flowers but no one could answer me.
and so, i stalked the person who was carrying the flowers after the show. he led me to their booth. i got to talk with the owner and he gave me tips on what flowers i should use (i shouldn't get tulips, because they easily wilt, calla lillies are better. there are burgundy hydrangeas but there are also white calla lilies with burgundy stains in december. if i wanted a rose bouquet that is in the exact size that i want, i have to get holland roses because the petals are sturdier and they're smaller than the local roses. but for the other members of the entourage, it's okay to use local roses since they also last.) and then we discussed the flowers i needed for my wedding (which wasn't a lot) and he suggested some designs. when i told him that the rings will be carried by a girl, he said that he can make me a rectangular bouquet of local roses with a pouch in the middle for the rings. i was impressed!
he promised to send me his rates and then he handed me his card. 1558. the same supplier whom my officemate, k, got for her wedding. the supplier who was the friend of rose, another officemate. when i mentioned this to manny, the owner, he got so excited. we chatted a while about how small the world was, asked each other if we were attending the party that rose was throwing for her birthday and i told him how much fun i had playing with the centerpieces he made for k. and then he said the magic words, "I'LL GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT."
AH. BLISS.
we haven't sealed the deal yet but if i don't find any other florist in Dangwa who can give me better rates then i guess i've found my florist.
when i went home that day, i was reminded how easy it was for me to find my suppliers. i guess some higher power is guiding me through this. will that same power be with me when i search for the fabrics for my sister's gown and my father's barong?
abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
until i visited the bridal fair at the heritage hotel.
when i got to the bridal fair, i was mesmerized by the line of gowns that were displayed on one of the hallways. the gowns led me to the lobby of the ballroom. everyone was flocking at the first door so i decided to check out the second door. i got in the ballroom and immediately saw that there was an on-going fashion show. i didn't want to watch since i didn't want to see a gown similar to mine on a model's body. (i would just feel depressed if the gown didn't look as nice on me.) so i started to leave. but as i turned, i saw one of the organizers lock the door where i went in. the other exit was on the far end of the room, which was a million people away. i was stuck.
so i had to watch all the reed-thin, pimple-free models in their overly-decorated bridal gowns. and i noticed the bouquets that they used. there were all in the exact size that i wanted and the flowers looked really nice and pretty. i asked everyone around me if they knew who sponsored the flowers but no one could answer me.
and so, i stalked the person who was carrying the flowers after the show. he led me to their booth. i got to talk with the owner and he gave me tips on what flowers i should use (i shouldn't get tulips, because they easily wilt, calla lillies are better. there are burgundy hydrangeas but there are also white calla lilies with burgundy stains in december. if i wanted a rose bouquet that is in the exact size that i want, i have to get holland roses because the petals are sturdier and they're smaller than the local roses. but for the other members of the entourage, it's okay to use local roses since they also last.) and then we discussed the flowers i needed for my wedding (which wasn't a lot) and he suggested some designs. when i told him that the rings will be carried by a girl, he said that he can make me a rectangular bouquet of local roses with a pouch in the middle for the rings. i was impressed!
he promised to send me his rates and then he handed me his card. 1558. the same supplier whom my officemate, k, got for her wedding. the supplier who was the friend of rose, another officemate. when i mentioned this to manny, the owner, he got so excited. we chatted a while about how small the world was, asked each other if we were attending the party that rose was throwing for her birthday and i told him how much fun i had playing with the centerpieces he made for k. and then he said the magic words, "I'LL GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT."
AH. BLISS.
we haven't sealed the deal yet but if i don't find any other florist in Dangwa who can give me better rates then i guess i've found my florist.
when i went home that day, i was reminded how easy it was for me to find my suppliers. i guess some higher power is guiding me through this. will that same power be with me when i search for the fabrics for my sister's gown and my father's barong?
abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
Friday, August 06, 2004
fitting of the rings
i guess it's pretty obvious that i so love our rings.
anyway, rey requested me to bring our rings so he can fit them. i met him for lunch yesterday and handed him the rings.
last night, when we were talking on the phone, he kept on raving about our rings and kept on bragging how good he was in designing rings. i reminded him that i was the one who found the rings and all he did was go to the shop, take a look at the 2-toned version and had his finger measured. he said that he remembered differently - he said he thought i wanted the flatter version of the ring. (this is the reason why we couldn't have a wedding website. i don't think we'll ever agree on our love story! that, or my constant practice of the jedi mindtrick during this wedding preps period is actually working.)
anyway, he suddenly said that he's probably meant to get married because the ring looked perfect on his finger! hmmm. i don't think i can disagree with him on that.
anyway, rey requested me to bring our rings so he can fit them. i met him for lunch yesterday and handed him the rings.
last night, when we were talking on the phone, he kept on raving about our rings and kept on bragging how good he was in designing rings. i reminded him that i was the one who found the rings and all he did was go to the shop, take a look at the 2-toned version and had his finger measured. he said that he remembered differently - he said he thought i wanted the flatter version of the ring. (this is the reason why we couldn't have a wedding website. i don't think we'll ever agree on our love story! that, or my constant practice of the jedi mindtrick during this wedding preps period is actually working.)
anyway, he suddenly said that he's probably meant to get married because the ring looked perfect on his finger! hmmm. i don't think i can disagree with him on that.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
charmed by njork
after watching mia perform, i realized that i might have a difficult time dancing on my floor-length gown with the bustle and the train! so, i decided to have a reception gown made.
since i would still be able to wear the reception gown again, i decided to splurge.
i remembered wanting to have a gown made by patrice ramos-diaz so i called-up her office to set an appointment. the first time i called, a girl picked up the phone and informed me that the secretaries aren't around. she told me to call 10 minutes later. i did and i got to speak with a secretary. the secretary got my name and my number and told me that she'll call me when she gets to speak with patrice. and then she warned me that their gowns cost at least P10t. i was willing to spend more than P10t on my reception gown but the warning just turned me off.
i then called up njork. i've always admired the lines of their gowns and the wedding gown which they displayed at the intercon was really beautiful that i felt sad when i decided not to have a similar one made for me. i was so surprised when i got to speak with marlon. he was so nice and accomodating that i actually told him that the reception gown is not in my budget but i've always wanted a njork gown. he said that i should visit their shop and that i should really see miguel and francis. he set me up for an appointment on the same day!
i was very impressed with their shop. it was simple but it was not boring. i also loved the gowns on display. i was just scared that i wouldn't be able to afford them because everything in the shop screamed "expensive".
miguel and francis were still having lunch but so as not to waste my time, marlon asked me to fill-up the forms. while i was doing so, he asked me questions about my wedding. he then asked someone to get my measurements. they just finished taking my measurements when miguel and francis arrived. they were so handsome that i actually told miguel before i left that it was a good thing that he wasn't dressing me up for my wedding, otherwise, i'd be so insecure of his beauty.
miguel was so nice. he asked me some questions and i realized that he knew everything about my wedding that i told marlon. he said that since i was conscious about my shapeless figure, he'll be requiring me to wear a corset. when i said that corsets made me feel uncomfortable, he brought out a corset, had me wear it on top of my blouse and he asked me to bend, sit on a low chair, pick up something on the floor. i was convinced that i can bear wearing a corset for the wedding. he then draped several cloths on me. it was then that i knew that i'd be depressed if i will not be able to afford their rates.
afterwards, he left, made the design while marlon chatted with me. after a few minutes, he came back with 3 designs! all the designs were pretty but i loved the 3rd design. it was just so me and i knew that i would really be comfortable in the gown. he then said that we was uncomfortable talking about money so he'd have marlon speak with me about the rates. i so wanted the design he made that i suddenly turned religious and prayed that i could afford the gown.
when marlon did discuss the rates with me, i was so happy to know that the amount he quoted was affordable. the gown isn't cheap but i think every peso is justified considering that the gown will be made of very soft and silky fabrics that didn't look anywhere near cheap and it will be embellished with swarovski crystals. and as far as i know, their workmanship is excellent.
so, without asking rey, i told them that i'd have the gown made. (i figured that if rey didn't approve, i'd just pay for the gown myself.) i was so giddy when i left the shop.
somehow, getting charmed by 3 gay men and having a reception gown made has given me a high. why am i not surprised?
since i would still be able to wear the reception gown again, i decided to splurge.
i remembered wanting to have a gown made by patrice ramos-diaz so i called-up her office to set an appointment. the first time i called, a girl picked up the phone and informed me that the secretaries aren't around. she told me to call 10 minutes later. i did and i got to speak with a secretary. the secretary got my name and my number and told me that she'll call me when she gets to speak with patrice. and then she warned me that their gowns cost at least P10t. i was willing to spend more than P10t on my reception gown but the warning just turned me off.
i then called up njork. i've always admired the lines of their gowns and the wedding gown which they displayed at the intercon was really beautiful that i felt sad when i decided not to have a similar one made for me. i was so surprised when i got to speak with marlon. he was so nice and accomodating that i actually told him that the reception gown is not in my budget but i've always wanted a njork gown. he said that i should visit their shop and that i should really see miguel and francis. he set me up for an appointment on the same day!
i was very impressed with their shop. it was simple but it was not boring. i also loved the gowns on display. i was just scared that i wouldn't be able to afford them because everything in the shop screamed "expensive".
miguel and francis were still having lunch but so as not to waste my time, marlon asked me to fill-up the forms. while i was doing so, he asked me questions about my wedding. he then asked someone to get my measurements. they just finished taking my measurements when miguel and francis arrived. they were so handsome that i actually told miguel before i left that it was a good thing that he wasn't dressing me up for my wedding, otherwise, i'd be so insecure of his beauty.
miguel was so nice. he asked me some questions and i realized that he knew everything about my wedding that i told marlon. he said that since i was conscious about my shapeless figure, he'll be requiring me to wear a corset. when i said that corsets made me feel uncomfortable, he brought out a corset, had me wear it on top of my blouse and he asked me to bend, sit on a low chair, pick up something on the floor. i was convinced that i can bear wearing a corset for the wedding. he then draped several cloths on me. it was then that i knew that i'd be depressed if i will not be able to afford their rates.
afterwards, he left, made the design while marlon chatted with me. after a few minutes, he came back with 3 designs! all the designs were pretty but i loved the 3rd design. it was just so me and i knew that i would really be comfortable in the gown. he then said that we was uncomfortable talking about money so he'd have marlon speak with me about the rates. i so wanted the design he made that i suddenly turned religious and prayed that i could afford the gown.
when marlon did discuss the rates with me, i was so happy to know that the amount he quoted was affordable. the gown isn't cheap but i think every peso is justified considering that the gown will be made of very soft and silky fabrics that didn't look anywhere near cheap and it will be embellished with swarovski crystals. and as far as i know, their workmanship is excellent.
so, without asking rey, i told them that i'd have the gown made. (i figured that if rey didn't approve, i'd just pay for the gown myself.) i was so giddy when i left the shop.
somehow, getting charmed by 3 gay men and having a reception gown made has given me a high. why am i not surprised?
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
One Hello - the song that isn't our theme song
yesterday, we went to coco cabana along kalayaan avenue to watch mia, the talented singer who we will be singing in our wedding. rey wanted to watch her before we can finalize our song list.
while mia was giving a soulful rendition of one hello, rey mentioned that the song should be our theme song (we don't have one). when i asked him to explain, he said that i snubbed him the first time he said hello to me. i defended myself and denied that i ever snubbed him.
and then he asked me if i even remember him saying hello. when i told him i didn't, he said that that proved him correct because if i didn't snub him, i would remember him greeting me. i then told him that if i really snubbed him when he first said hello then that couldn't have been the start of our courtship considering that i don't even remember that it has ever happened. the conversation went on and on until i asked him if we were having mia sing one hello for our wedding and he answered in the negative since he didn't like the song.
oh well, who needs theme songs anyway?
while mia was giving a soulful rendition of one hello, rey mentioned that the song should be our theme song (we don't have one). when i asked him to explain, he said that i snubbed him the first time he said hello to me. i defended myself and denied that i ever snubbed him.
and then he asked me if i even remember him saying hello. when i told him i didn't, he said that that proved him correct because if i didn't snub him, i would remember him greeting me. i then told him that if i really snubbed him when he first said hello then that couldn't have been the start of our courtship considering that i don't even remember that it has ever happened. the conversation went on and on until i asked him if we were having mia sing one hello for our wedding and he answered in the negative since he didn't like the song.
oh well, who needs theme songs anyway?
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
the gown
i have always said that all i want in my wedding is a gorgeous wedding gown and a delicious cake.
so one of the wedding details that occupied a lot of my time was my wedding gown. i saw my dream wedding gown at a bridal fair at the intercon hotel. it was very simple but the fabric looked so creamy. it was made by njork. when i asked the staff how much it cost, i was saddened to hear that it costs P100T.
i wanted a beautiful gown but i didn't want to spend so much on a dress that i would only wear once. so, i continued my search until i found fidel marquez.
ding made all the gowns for the wedding of my friend, k. rey and i loved her gown and that of her entourage. the designs were fresh, the colors were alive and the lines of the gowns looked so clean. when i asked k about the gowns, she said that she was happy with her gown, that her designer was so nice and more importantly, her gown, together with the gowns of the entourage, their immediate family, and all the barongs and pants cost her P70T. that was value for money!
when i visited ding's shop, i was armed with pictures of the gowns and the details that i wanted. after speaking with him, he made me a design which i fell in love with. it had all the details i wanted but the gown didn't look anywhere near cluttered. it also took into account my problem area - the non-existent waistline. he also drew gown designs for my 2 nieces. when we discussed the price, he gave me options - if i wanted a gown in a nice fabric and with cut beads, i'd have to pay a reasonable amount. but if i wanted swarovksi crystals on it, i'd have to pay an extra P5t. i got the cheaper package. on the same day, i handed his partner, tani, the downpayment for our gowns.
but when i got home and told rey about it, he said that we should get the higher package since he knew that i really wanted swarovski crystals. knowing how budget conscious he was, i felt a little tingle knowing that he was willing to spend P5t more on swarovski crystals that were really just a frivolous whim. we call it "luho" in filipino. of course, i capitalized on it and immediately went to the designer to give the additional P5t.
i was originally scheduled for a fitting in october. but i got a text message from tani a few weeks ago telling me that we can have our fitting scheduled within the month. when i mentioned that the entourage members are all kids, he said that they'll really have to be fitted in october but i can have my fitting scheduled in august. when i told him that i'd rather be fitted in october, he agreed.
last week, i called up their shop because i wanted them to make the gowns for my sisters and nanay, my nanny when i was a kid. the girl who answered said that both ding and tani were in the hospital because ding had to undergo a "little" treatment.
when i called up again a few days later and requested them to make the gowns for my sisters, tani apologized and said that they were no longer accepting orders for december, january, february and march. he explained that they only accepted work that they can focus on and joked that they have no plans of getting "too rich", "rich" is enough for them. and then he suggested that we schedule my fitting next month. while i was talking to him, i had a strong feeling that they were going through tough times but they were still determined to give me the gown that i wanted.
i didn't know what to do at that time but i'm calling them up to schedule my fitting next week.
i hope everything turns out well for them.
as for my gown, well, there are things that are worth more than fabrics and crystals. if they don't deliver, i still have time to have my gown made by another designer. but in the meantime, i'm sticking with ding and tani who have proven their talent, their skills and their dedication to making their customers happy.
so one of the wedding details that occupied a lot of my time was my wedding gown. i saw my dream wedding gown at a bridal fair at the intercon hotel. it was very simple but the fabric looked so creamy. it was made by njork. when i asked the staff how much it cost, i was saddened to hear that it costs P100T.
i wanted a beautiful gown but i didn't want to spend so much on a dress that i would only wear once. so, i continued my search until i found fidel marquez.
ding made all the gowns for the wedding of my friend, k. rey and i loved her gown and that of her entourage. the designs were fresh, the colors were alive and the lines of the gowns looked so clean. when i asked k about the gowns, she said that she was happy with her gown, that her designer was so nice and more importantly, her gown, together with the gowns of the entourage, their immediate family, and all the barongs and pants cost her P70T. that was value for money!
when i visited ding's shop, i was armed with pictures of the gowns and the details that i wanted. after speaking with him, he made me a design which i fell in love with. it had all the details i wanted but the gown didn't look anywhere near cluttered. it also took into account my problem area - the non-existent waistline. he also drew gown designs for my 2 nieces. when we discussed the price, he gave me options - if i wanted a gown in a nice fabric and with cut beads, i'd have to pay a reasonable amount. but if i wanted swarovksi crystals on it, i'd have to pay an extra P5t. i got the cheaper package. on the same day, i handed his partner, tani, the downpayment for our gowns.
but when i got home and told rey about it, he said that we should get the higher package since he knew that i really wanted swarovski crystals. knowing how budget conscious he was, i felt a little tingle knowing that he was willing to spend P5t more on swarovski crystals that were really just a frivolous whim. we call it "luho" in filipino. of course, i capitalized on it and immediately went to the designer to give the additional P5t.
i was originally scheduled for a fitting in october. but i got a text message from tani a few weeks ago telling me that we can have our fitting scheduled within the month. when i mentioned that the entourage members are all kids, he said that they'll really have to be fitted in october but i can have my fitting scheduled in august. when i told him that i'd rather be fitted in october, he agreed.
last week, i called up their shop because i wanted them to make the gowns for my sisters and nanay, my nanny when i was a kid. the girl who answered said that both ding and tani were in the hospital because ding had to undergo a "little" treatment.
when i called up again a few days later and requested them to make the gowns for my sisters, tani apologized and said that they were no longer accepting orders for december, january, february and march. he explained that they only accepted work that they can focus on and joked that they have no plans of getting "too rich", "rich" is enough for them. and then he suggested that we schedule my fitting next month. while i was talking to him, i had a strong feeling that they were going through tough times but they were still determined to give me the gown that i wanted.
i didn't know what to do at that time but i'm calling them up to schedule my fitting next week.
i hope everything turns out well for them.
as for my gown, well, there are things that are worth more than fabrics and crystals. if they don't deliver, i still have time to have my gown made by another designer. but in the meantime, i'm sticking with ding and tani who have proven their talent, their skills and their dedication to making their customers happy.
Monday, August 02, 2004
It pays to be lazy
When we decided to have CD's as our souvenirs, I e-mailed several CD souvenir makers at the weddings at work directory. About 3 or 4 suppliers replied to my e-mail. A couple of them lost interest when they learned that we were only looking at having 60 double CD's made.
We met mith MG CD printing andthe owner seemed like a very nice person. His CD's looked really clean and professionally made. He also showed us samples of the CD covers that he made for various corporations. We were impressed. The only problem was that he priced his CDs at P85 each (or P170 for a double CD) and this didn't include the cover. But since he seemed to be the only person who can meet our requirements, we were really thinking of getting him. We just couldn't seal the deal since I was (and still am) too lazy to finish completing the list of songs that would be included in my CD.
However, this morning, a staff of Cogent Consulting called me up and said that they will be sending us a sample of the CD that they made. She asked for directions and I tried my best to give it to her. She kept on asking me how to get to our office if she rode a jeepney that came from Kalayaan. I wasn't familiar with the route of that jeepney and my sense of direction is non-existent so it took me quite a while to explain how she can get to the office. It didn't help that her Visayan accent was so thick.
Anyway, she found her way to the office and when she handed me the CD, I was so impressed with it. The price they quoted was lower than MG CD and this included the cover!
I hope Rey likes the sample when I show it to him tomorrow. It will not only save us lots of money, it will also save me the trouble of having to look for a printer for our CD covers. It's a good thing that we haven't ordered our CDs yet from MG CD.
Sometimes, there are some advantages to being lazy.
We met mith MG CD printing andthe owner seemed like a very nice person. His CD's looked really clean and professionally made. He also showed us samples of the CD covers that he made for various corporations. We were impressed. The only problem was that he priced his CDs at P85 each (or P170 for a double CD) and this didn't include the cover. But since he seemed to be the only person who can meet our requirements, we were really thinking of getting him. We just couldn't seal the deal since I was (and still am) too lazy to finish completing the list of songs that would be included in my CD.
However, this morning, a staff of Cogent Consulting called me up and said that they will be sending us a sample of the CD that they made. She asked for directions and I tried my best to give it to her. She kept on asking me how to get to our office if she rode a jeepney that came from Kalayaan. I wasn't familiar with the route of that jeepney and my sense of direction is non-existent so it took me quite a while to explain how she can get to the office. It didn't help that her Visayan accent was so thick.
Anyway, she found her way to the office and when she handed me the CD, I was so impressed with it. The price they quoted was lower than MG CD and this included the cover!
I hope Rey likes the sample when I show it to him tomorrow. It will not only save us lots of money, it will also save me the trouble of having to look for a printer for our CD covers. It's a good thing that we haven't ordered our CDs yet from MG CD.
Sometimes, there are some advantages to being lazy.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Rey's favorite wedding task - testing the spirits
Rey helped his friends move out of their office yesterday. While every knew that what they were doing was actually quite depressing, they all had fun hauling out their stuff (a typical Filipino trait - having fun while doing the most mundane tasks). They had so much fun that they decided to extend the fun and have a grill party afterwards.
To add more cheer, we decided to have the taste test of the drinks that we were planning to serve for our wedding. So, we bought a bottle each of Bacardi Rum (for Rey's favorite rum Coke), Jacob's Creek Shiraz Cabernet 1999 and Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz 2001. We were looking for a bottle of Asti Spumante but the store only had Asti Martini. Of ocurse, we also got some cans of San Mig Strong Ice. Rey's friends brought Coke and San Mig Light.
After a few tries, Rey found the perfect recipe for his rum Coke - 1 part rum for every 2 parts of Coke and lots of ice.
As for the wine, more people liked the Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz 2001 better than the Jacob's Creek Shiraz Cabernet 1999. But since some people also liked the Jacob's Creek, Rey and I decided to serve both. I'll just have to find a supplier that stores their wine properly and still sell at a good price.
We all had fun drinking and are now looking forward to our wedding where more bottles will be served.
That's one task off our list, but I'm willing to bet that it's something that we will do again.
To add more cheer, we decided to have the taste test of the drinks that we were planning to serve for our wedding. So, we bought a bottle each of Bacardi Rum (for Rey's favorite rum Coke), Jacob's Creek Shiraz Cabernet 1999 and Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz 2001. We were looking for a bottle of Asti Spumante but the store only had Asti Martini. Of ocurse, we also got some cans of San Mig Strong Ice. Rey's friends brought Coke and San Mig Light.
After a few tries, Rey found the perfect recipe for his rum Coke - 1 part rum for every 2 parts of Coke and lots of ice.
As for the wine, more people liked the Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz 2001 better than the Jacob's Creek Shiraz Cabernet 1999. But since some people also liked the Jacob's Creek, Rey and I decided to serve both. I'll just have to find a supplier that stores their wine properly and still sell at a good price.
We all had fun drinking and are now looking forward to our wedding where more bottles will be served.
That's one task off our list, but I'm willing to bet that it's something that we will do again.
our weddings rings
the symbols of our love and devotion. testimony to our obsessive-compulsive nature.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
