Would Be Venues Part 1

It's already 11 months before our supposed wedding event but we're left without any progress.

Our supposed progress of finding a church and reception venue has crumbled with the down with fate with Makati Parks and Garden. Had the City of Makati's Office decided not to renovate the Pavilion, we wouldn't have this problem.


Since this is the case, we are putting our thinking caps and wander boots on for the enth time to find the venues fit for our budget and taste. To name a few of our forthcoming sojourn, here are some of our target venues:


Sta. Ana, Manila {The Proximate Candidates}
Sta. Ana Church: Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish
Address: Pedro Gil St., Santa Ana, 1009 Manila, Philippines
Telefax: +63 2 564-4203
Vicariate: Holy Family
Feastday: May 12

Taken from Dontrivino

 The facade worth capturing

Beautiful. I may want to walk down this old church.

Memories of the past

The same long-stretched altar where my mom and dad walked at during their wedding rites. Am I fated to walk down the same aisle?

Pros:
1. This is very old-looking perfect for the shutters to capture.
2. The ambiance inside is very solemn.
3. I grew up wandering in and around the church's premise until I've started attending services at the Holy Cross Parish near Francis' home.
4. Parking space is really plenty.
5. Near the residence of my and Francis' relatives. Easy commute!


Cons:
1. Difficult to find for those from QC area.
2. The roads and streets leading to this church are not that spacious. Traffic might be a problem for some attendees.


Jardin 'd Isabel

 Taken from Pahinaphotos

Pros:
1. Near Sta. Ana Church; hence, the attendees will no longer have to travel (or be lost on their way) to get to the venue.
2. The ambiance is clean and very private. Great for intimate parties!


Con:
The residential area has a lot of bystanders, which may make other attendees turned off.
*** Haven't seen yet so I'll just update in the future. 

Aerial view. Oooh YELLOW! Just like our color!

A treehouse?!? Great! Now, I'm starting to root for this venue!

A hut definitely accentuates the entire reception area.

Ramon Magsaysay Hall, Paco, Adamson Church {The Conventional Choices}
Adamson Church: San Vicente de Paul ParishAddress: 959 San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila, Philippines
Postal Address: P.O. Box 2013 , 1060 Manila, Philippines
Telefax: +63 2 525-7853
Vicariate: Nuestra Señora de Guia
Feastday: September 27

The exterior. Taken from Senor Enrique

Pros:

1. Long aisle means long bridal march.

2. Breezy interior ambiance.

3. Bright lighting.

4. Spacious parking area.



Cons: 
1. Serves as an adventure for people who are unfamiliar with this place.
2. Might be a little bit more challenging to commute to this place.

Snatched from Glitchline

Ramon Magsaysay Hall, Roxas Blvd.
1680 cor J. Quintos St. Roxas Blvd., Malate
Tel.: 521.3166

The hall, naked to the public eye

 RMCH with sophisticated styling

Pros:
1. Enclosed so any change in the weather will not make the ocassion sour.
2. Wide and easy to style.


Cons:
1. A bit pricey at around 20k for us.
2. Very popular so the competion to win over this is quite close.


Paco Park Church and Garden:  St. Pancratius Chapel

The antique cradle inside the walled haven of a busy city

Pros:
1. Very solemn and peaceful inside the park.
2. The parks serves as a photo-worth backdrop for the picture-taking.


Cons:
1. Might be difficult to visit for other attendees.
2. A popular choice among many brides-to-be.
3. The aisle is too short.

Inside the antique facade lies a very solemn and intimate place for exchanges of vows.

Now, we're yet to visit each of these places as we continue the chase for the 2013 venue of our nuptial. Hoorah!!!  

*** These pictures are not mine. Copyright is reserved to the rightful owners. Thanks Mr. Google!
Posted on 2/9/12 at 5:03 AM

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Ocular: Makati Parks and Garden and Our Lady of Guadalupe

We had a very busy Saturday with Francis barely sleeping as he just went home from work. It was pretty manic if you'll ask me.


At exactly two in the afternoon, we went straight ahead to Makati Parks and Garden to check it out. While on the way there, we were able to spot a chapel that is almost worn and torn. It's actually perfect for an intimate wedding due to its solemnity. San Nicolas Chapel in J.P. Rizal Ext. is quite a catch for our supposed set-up; however, the lack parking space is a definite no-no. 


Though the mini church sits across Makati Parks and Garden, it is rather inconvenient to have the guests walk from one side to another (taking into account the fact that they need to use the footbridge to cross the street).


After speaking with a certain Ate Eba from the San Nicolas Chapel, we went to Sta. Tererista Parish (the main parish in West Rembo) to have a look at what they can offer and see the caretakers. Ate Beth greeted us there, and she was actually all warm and fuzzy. The only problem we had was that it's very difficult to find. Something that could be a pain in the ass for us and the rest of the attendees.  


The offer was 7,000 PHP inclusive of the priest's stipend, flowers, red carpet, and use of the church for the ceremony.


Failed on choosing this church, we decided to check Makati Parks and Garden then proceed to Guadalupe Nuevo's Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine. 

Photo take from Shutter Bride

The security guard, Ate Gilda, was in the Pavilion and told us to inquire to their admin office (which, by the way, was not helpful at all!). Had Francis and I been a different kind of couple with loads of gran, we would have crossed this out immediately because of the staff's unfriendly welcome. 

Photos from Venues.Multiply.Com

Luckily, we got the contact details of a certain Claudine Magno from Makati's Office of the Mayor. 


Next, we rode a jeepney back to Guadalupe, Makati. We walked and walked until we reached Orense St. in Guadalupe Nuevo. There stands the beautiful Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine. It's a fascinating shrine perfect for our occasion! It's not that big but not too small.


The church staff, Kris, was very friendly and polite in answering our inquiries. She gave us the list of requirements and fees, plus their contact details. As per Kris, we will have to coordinate with Rovi and return in June. 


To be honest, I was enthralled when I saw the church. It's not as beautiful as other churches like Jon Don Bosco and St. Andrew in Makati. Nonetheless, I'll have to say that it's a solemn place to hold our special ceremony. The rate? Well, it's amazingly within our budget. A little less than 10,000 PHP with all the other inclusions.


Here are the pictures. We only had a chance to sneaked in and press our shutters.

Me in the altar and him from the farthest point

The angel is very welcoming if you ask me

These babies should be lighted on our wedding day

The tablet inside

I really fell in love with this church in an instant! Francis spoke about how quiet it is in the area. It's perfect! Just perfect for our uber budgeted wedding celebration! Can't wait to check Makati Parks and Garden's availability, so we can book this church! Yey!

Posted 1/29/12 at 5:29 AM

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Quick Update: NSDG Guadalupe and Makati Parks and Garden

Just a few hours ago, I received a call from Francis regarding his conversation with the admin staff of Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church in Guadalupe, Makati City. As per their conversation, he found out that the fee there is now 15,000 PHP, which is a little beyond our budget for the church ceremony.


The staff was friendly and attentive to my fiancés inquiries. He discovered that they do allow pencil booking but on the note that you will reserve the slot within the one-week period. The package includes the ceremony and adornment less the choir. This now is a problem in our case should we go ahead with this option.


As per the not-so friendly admin attendant in charge of reservations at the Makati Parks and Garden, inquiries will only be attended to every Monday to Wednesday. They sure as hell have some sharp tongue to lash out such unfriendly response. Nonetheless, we'll still try giving it a go depending on what we will see tomorrow.


Keeping our fingers crossed! Gaahhh!!! This is just so nerve-racking.


Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:42 PM

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Checklist: 12-Month Planning Countdown

CHECKLIST: 12-Month Planning Countdown
12 months before: The Research Stage (January)
• Set-up a wedding planner or organizer. (online website and wedsite) You'll have to keep track of the updates on your planning stage and what cheaper way to do this than to create a blog and have all pertinent details posted there.


• Draft and finalize the attendees including the entourage. Every budget-constrained couple must understand and accept the fact that they'll have to be selective in who they'll invite in their special celebration. Sure, if you have tons a gran, why not invite everyone?


• Find affordable and trustworthy suppliers online. You have 365 days to work on your wedding. If you are really pushing it forward despite budget restrictions, you will be able to succeed. You have a lot of time. All you need to do is settle which your priorities are.


• Set-up the wedding budget. Yes, exactly a year from the wedding date, the expenses should  be very clear already. Talk with your fiancé regarding the budget and allocate specific percentage to your expenses. This will both keep you from floating above the clouds.


• Decide on the wedding motif and theme. It is never too early to decide on the motif and theme you wish to have on your wedding affair. Why? Finalizing these details will give you and your partner clear focus as to what you should have in the celebration (from the gown down to the decoration and flowers).


• Look for cost-efficient dresses and gowns for the bride and the entourage. It will probably take you a little more than three months to finally decide on what you'll wear on your wedding day. It's really time-consuming than you think!


• Locate church and reception areas. You will have to do this earlier than a year before your wedding. A low-budget wedding means finding the right places and resources and pulling off the correct strings!


11- 10 months before: The Major Suppliers Stage 1 (February-March) 
• Attend bridal fairs. On month 11, you are to be exposed to other great wedding offers found in fairs. If you have a solid preference as to your motif and theme, it will not be frustrating on your part to let go of options that are way beyond your capacity.


• Consider the food to be served. Are you going for a garden reception with a caterer? Or do you prefer to have a hotel reception? Will you be serving Japanese food? Will Italian cuisine be your peg? Food, as some would not admit, is one of the most important items in the wedding affair (if not the most important next to the ceremony).


• Find your preferred photographer and videographer and make respective downpayments. Contrary to what other people think, photo and video services are part of the major suppliers list. Remember, you'll only get wed once and apart from your wedding ring, the photos will best serve as your time capsule of happiness. Sadly, though, rates for such are skyrocketing! Every budget-constricted bride-to-be must understand that such supplier must be prioritize as they are pricey.


• Look for hair and make-up artists. These artists do not come cheap. You'll have to spend more than four months scouting your area for affordable options. Otherwise, you'll be spending more than you've set yourself to be spending.


• Reserve the church and reception.  On the last week of this period, you must be  decided on where you want to be wed and on where the party will be.


• Start a healthy lifestyle. It's a horrendous situation if the bride will look plump as ever. This also goes well with the groom. Let's face it! Not every girl is metabolically fit.  It's difficult to go on a diet, so do it gradually.


• Contact local caterers (if you have decided on having your celebration catered). Secure food tasting schedules with affordable caterers of your choice. This will allow you to finalize which of them you'll get for your party.

9- 8 months before: The Major Suppliers Stage 2 (April-May) 

• Attend bridal fairs. If there are more bridal fairs to attend to, willfully attend them. You'll have to secure that all possible cheap options will come your way. And what better way to have them than to attend wedding conventions.

• Schedule Official Pre-Nuptial Pictorial. In the old times, engagement shoots are not that important; however, due to the advancement of photography, more and more couples have taken a penchant for this photo shoot.

• Search for the wedding cake, band, florist. These are very important remunerations of any wedding celebration. Looking for cheap finds is not easy. 

• Find vehicles to rent. Equally stressful is the search for the perfect ride on your wedding day. If your friends can lend you their ride, it would be nice but you cannot count on this. You'll have to stretch your imagination and patience so as to find the right vehicle.

• Finalize the caterer. Pay necessary fees to have a lockdown on the menu among others with your chosen caterer.

7- 6 months before: The Adornment Stage (June-July) 

• Announce the wedding plans to the parties. It is advisable for couples to keep the planning between them so as not to spike any unwarranted suggestions that would only prolong the planning stage and even cause havoc as to the type of wedding you'll be having. The more heads are there thinking, the more confusing it might get.

• Finalize the wedding dress and suit. On the sixth month of the planning stage, any bride-to-be must be ready with the wedding look she raves about. The look should be final so that further expenses will be limited. The groom, on the other hand, must have his equal share on the personal styling for this affair. 

• Settle other payments not yet made. It is advisable that six months before the wedding all other expenses and reservations are completed. This will give you ample time to make way for your emergency funds. 

• Inform the primary and secondary sponsors. During this time, the sponsors may be informed so as they can commit their availability for the said occasion. 

• Sending of Save-the-Date. Six months is a very good leeway to give your respective guests. Letting them know at this point in time will allow them to commit their attendance for the said function. 

• Begin with the DIY projects. You will have to look for materials and start working on dummies before subjecting yourself to having your wedding DIYed. It's enough to have six months in your clock to finish any adornment or attire you wish to craft. 

5 months before: The Details Stage (August) 

• Secure the invites and other paper crafts. Printing costs should be kept on a minimal. To do this, look for cheap resources online and within your area.


• Finalize the contract with the make-up artist. Set-up the payments and make sure that your terms are well-written therein.


• Shop for shoes and accessories. With a little less than your budget, try to look for cheap accessories and comfy shoes. Every bride has a different ideal wedding affair, but once you put budget into context, everything will fall in the same equation.


• Look for support groups. Other than your friends and relatives, you may look for conventions and couple seminars to further strengthen your and your partner's bond. Support groups will allow you to pull through the difficult times of the wedding planning.

4-3 months before: The Final Adjustments Stage (September-October) 

• Complete the necessary church and legal documents. Most legal papers for weddings expire in about 140 days; hence, spending the fourth month prior to the big day is actually wise.

• Finalize the invites and print all other paper crafts. Print them and ready for distribution.


• Arrange meet-ups with florists, emcees, and soloists. After scouting for cheap resources, reserve them four months prior to the wedding function.

• Dinner with the families. Filipinos have the pamamanhikan custom, wherein both parties meet and gather regarding the wedding function. For budget-constrained couples, though, having the pamamanhikan can be a source of problem should the couple not be ready with the entire plan. Booking everything prior to the meet-up will leave nothing to chance.

2 months before: The DIY Project Stage (November) 

• Complete the DIY projects. With two more months before your wedding, your decoration and projects ought to have been completed. Otherwise, you'll be having a very troublesome scenario, wherein you're trying to squeeze in everything at the littlest of time available.


• Create/purchase the giveaways. Complete the necessary number of giveaways you are to share with your guests.


• Wedding gown adjustment. A lot of people do not really find this important but this is very pertinent. With a year's time  you may gain or lose weight.

• Recheck if there are other documents needed to be provided. After scouting for cheap resources, reserve them four months prior to the wedding function.


• Honeymoon brainstorming. It's actually easy to settle where to go. The problematic part is funding the sufficient amount of funds needed for your escapade.


• Distributing the invites. The guests are expected to RSVP at the soonest time possible and reserve the date with the remaining two months.

1 months before: The Last Few Details Stage (December) 

• Honeymoon booking. After a month of checking affordable deals, finalize the booking for your honeymoon.


• Contact all suppliers. The last month of the preparation spells pressure with a capital "P." You ought to be ready with what may happen wrong along the way and think of possible mishaps.


• Confirm guests' attendance. Contact each attendee and confirm if they'll be present in the function.


• Stag party and bridal shower. The groomsmen and maids of honor are to host these separately. Have your friends know the timeline you are following.


• Confirm details with the church and reception. One month before your celebration, you have to contact the admin offices of the church and reception. The representatives must confirm the details with you so as to avoid problems in the long run.  

Two weeks before: The Recreation Stage (January 2013) 

• Relaxation. Two weeks before the wedding, both the bride and groom must pamper themselves by going to a spa and having a beauty makeover.

Posted on 1/26/12 at 3:42 AM

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Ocular: Sts. Peter and Paul and the Great Eastern Hotel

With just a little less than 365 days up in our calendar, Francis and I do consider that we are way beyond our wedding preps. Nonetheless, we wouldn't want to leave everything else to chance, would we?


For the last three weeks, we have accomplished a couple of things through our meet-ups and caucuses. It's actually kind of weird to be talking about serious matters like the budget for the wedding and all with him.


Yes, we have faired well with pulling off our resources and equally distributing the necessary pie of our budget to his and my households. See, like me, he is also a breadwinner in their family. But, planning our wedding party is different, I must say. It's more pressing and way stressful. We're talking about a 100k wedding challenge here, people. A hundred pesos!


After much deliberation, we've drafted our official guest list and arrived at 100 most important people in our lives. We cannot just invite our relatives from the province and those in Manila as them alone would amount to  a little over than 200 people. It was a very thought-provoking and time-consuming challenge, but we felt great after drafting the final list.


At the moment, we are considering Great Eastern Hotel (for the reception) and Sts. Peter and Paul Parish (for the ceremony). Both are located within the Makati Avenue realm, which will not be a hassle for our guests.


The Great Eastern Hotel
Through GT Sis Kat's persistent raving about this hotel, Francis and I sought to check it out. It turned out that it is indeed promising.


The reception hall is actually warm and cozy. Yes, it's perfect for our simple little event. We are yet to try their food. Mind you, the food tasting is not free. Right now, we're quite hesitant to put out some gran for this. We are to spend a lot in the coming days visiting bridal fairs and all. Thus, we've came up with the idea of further searching other options before getting a go on GEH's offer.

Aberdeen Court of the Great Eastern Hotel's Wedding Package Rates

There are four to five packages couples may choose from. By the looks of it, we may opt for the Festival Package, which would cost us a little more than 37,000 PHP for the wedding reception package and free overnight stay in one of their suites.


Pros:
1. Located in Makati and near a church (Sts. Peter and Paul Parish).
2. There are available staff that could assist you quite well with your inquiries.
3. The hall needs not be adorned much especially when we're planning on a vintage, etsy, and rustic party.
4. The reception is set in Lauriat style, which means no falling in line. Guests often get turned off by long lines.


Cons:
1. Corkage fees be damned! I couldn't wrap my finger around the fact that the overhead expenses will balloon up to 50,000 PHP if we are to include necessary decoration and even the Photo/Video coverage. They all have corkage fees!
2. Food served is Chinese cuisine. Not a lot of people are a fan of this, which may be a couple's dilemma.




Church Ocular: Sts. Peter and Paul
This church is an okay option for us. I must say that there is no WOW factor in the church and the administration officials are quite strict when attending inquiries. If we won't be able to find any other church, we better reserve this one as it's a good deal with its medium length altar.

Photo courtesy of Google as I don't own it and all rights are reserved to the owner.

Pros:

1. Located in Makati and near the Great Eastern Hotel.

2. Very small. Perfect for an intimate wedding like ours.

3. The aisle is actually narrow but long enough for the bridal march.

4. The prize is 13,000 PHP, which is within our budget.

Cons:

1. They have too many do's and dont's. I don't complain on the rules and policies because we really do have to be mindful about them; however, the two-meter restriction for photographers is quite troublesome. Francis and I must resolve this with the photographers.

2. The bearers need to be at least four years old. This, again, posits a dilemma to us since our bearers are three years old and younger.

We'll see other options but these aren't bad deals. More to come!


Posted on 1/22/12 at 10:09 AM

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Wedding Checklist (Jan. 2012)

Due to our need to fix our wedding preps for 2013, we have prepared a checklist that we'll go over each month to revisit.

Ceremony
Church: scouting stage
Priest: NA
Commentator: NA
Readers: NA: probably the guests
* First Reading
* Responsorial Psalm
* Second Reading
* Prayers of the Faithful
Bible: NA
Offertory candles: craft it (DIY), research stage
Unity Cord: craft it (DIY), research stage
Bearers' pillow: craft it (DIY), research stage
Flower girl basket: craft it (DIY), research stage
Matches: craft it (DIY), research stage
Arrhae: craft it (DIY), research stage
Music: NA
Pen: craft it (DIY), research stage -{panda wrapped w/ yellow ribbon + peacock feathers, buttons, beads}


Reception
Venue: craft it (DIY), research stage - {Makati Parks and Garden, Great Eastern Hotel}
Caterer: research - {Mama Chu and Ate Jude's mom}
Cake for Cutting: NA - {Red Ribbon, Conti's}
Host/Emcee: NA - {one of our guests}
Lights & Sounds: research stage
Entertainment: research stage


Attire
Bridal Gown: research stage
Bridal Shoes: research stage
Garter: craft it (DIY), research stage
Bride's Jewelry: craft it (DIY), research stage
Bridal Headpieces/Veil: craft it (DIY), research stage
Groom's attire: research stage
Groom's shoes: research stage
Groom's Accessories: research stage
MOH Dresses: research stage - {2 MOH}
Groomsmen: research stage
Bridesmaid dresses: research stage
Flower Girl: research stage
Bearers: research stage


Photo/Video Coverage
Pre-Nup (E-Sessions): scheduled w/ Johan Nery (Jen's BF) and Jessa Baccay (GTalker)
Photo: craft it (DIY), research stage
Photo Slide Show: AVP (personalized)
Parents' Album: scheduled w/ chosen photog.
Main Album: scheduled w/ chosen photog.
Video: scheduled w/ chosen videog.
Wedding Teaser: scheduled w/ chosen videog.
SDE: scheduled w/ chosen videog.


Stationery
Monogram: craft it (DIY), research stage
Invitations: craft it (DIY), research stage
Save-the-Date Cards: craft it (DIY) vs. digital, research stage
Thank you notes: craft it (DIY), research stage
Misalette: craft it (DIY), research stage - {might be provided by the church}
Wedding Program: craft it (DIY), research stage
Table Numbers: craft it (DIY), research stage - {virtues, wishes}
Escort Cards: craft it (DIY), research stage


Flowers
Bride's bouquet: craft it (DIY), research stage - {craft it to have a remembrance}
Corsages: craft it (DIY), research stage - {dyi w/ fabric}
Boutonniere: craft it (DIY), research stage - {w/ peacock and buttons}
Reception centerpieces: craft it (DIY), research stage
Altar pieces: research stage - {clarify if the church can provide these}
Aisle flower: research stage - {clarify if the church can provide these}
Throw away bouquet: craft it (DIY), research stage
Rose petals: research stage
Bridal car: research stage - {some car rentals shoulder the flowers}


Tokens and Souvenirs 
Principal Sponsors: research stage - {min. 6, max. 8 >> wine?!?}
Secondary Sponsors: research stage - {6 adults + 4 kids, 4GM, 2MOH}
Guests: research stage - {DIY or sweets}


Miscellaneous
HMUA: research stage, scheduled but will still look - {ChuChie Ledesma's offer ranges to 8k, will look for MV Balo, etc.}
OTD: research stage 
Hotel for preps: research stage 
Bridal Car: research stage 
Transportation (for the families):  research stage 
Suppliers' Meal: research stage  - {if w/ Chu, might ask her to add more heads or meals for these guys}


DIY Projects
Flowers:
* Bride's bouquet:
* Corsages:
* Boutonniere:
* Reception centerpieces:
* Throw away bouquet:
* Flower girl's bouquet:
Bearer Pillow - Coin:
Bearer Pillow - Ring:
Bible Cover:
Boutonnieres (for Male Ento):
Bridal Shoes - I Do Sign:
Candles:
Doughnut / Cupcake Tower:
Matches:
Monogram:
Save-The-Date:
Offertory - candles:
Offertory - flowers:
Offertory - fruits:
Pen for Signing of Contract:
Photo Slideshow / AVP:
Place Cards:
Prenup Portraits:
Table Names:
Table Names Frames / Holders:
Wedding Program:


Documents and Seminars
Marriage License:
Groom's Birth Certificate:
Bride's Birth Certificate:
Grooms' Baptismal Certificate:
Bride's Baptismal Certificate:
Groom's Confirmation Certificate:
Bride's Confirmation Certificate:
Cenomar:
Canonical Interview:
Pre-Cana Seminars:
Public Banns:


See you list next month!


Posted on 1/8/12 at 6:35 AM

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