Gifts for our Principal Sponsors

Thank you, Lord! 78 days to go for us!

Yesterday, we went at Ngee Ann City to finally buy the gifts for our principal sponsors so we could bring them next week in Manila already.

There are always a lot of choices around to give for principal sponsors, it may depend on your wedding motif and your Ninong/Ninang's age bracket and your preferences.

We really wanted to give wines for Ninong. For us, wine is always a perfect present for a wedding. You can add a special touch to it, some suppliers can customize the gift boxes and create personalized labels.

For Ninangs, we have lotion, perfumes/cologne or chocolates. But, we decided to have chocolates for our Game Prices so we skip the chocolates and left with lotion or perfumes/cologne.

Below is our final gifts :)

Ash and Muff Customized Towels
We ordered for custom embroidered towels at Ash and Muff. We just found them online. The transaction was smooth. We are still waiting for their update. I'm excited to see the final product with our Ninong/Ninang's names on it.

Personalized family bath towels for the Arn's! Keep sending those photos to us, we love them! Time to relax and pamper yourself after a long week 💆🛀

A photo posted by Monogram It! By Ash and Muff (@ashandmuff) on Mar 17, 2016 at 3:14pm PDT

Body Bath Works Fragrance Mist for Ninangs and Body Spray for Ninongs

Victoria Secret Fragrances or Body Bath Works? BBW wins!

We liked Body Bath Works products, we fell in love with this after trying. Their best-selling product is the fine fragrance mist, good thing they also sell men's products we were able to get body spray for our Ninong's.

We asked help from Ate Rachel to suggest what are their best sellers and new product launches. There's a lot to choose from. We are very happy and excited with our decision to buy from Body Bath Works.

Your #Bridesmaids will DEFINITELY wear these again! 💐 #SummerBride

A photo posted by Bath & Body Works (@bathandbodyworks) on Jun 25, 2016 at 9:01am PDT

Our first plan to buy wines was still on the go, we are planning to check wines at S&R, DutyFree or other malls for our Ninong's and Ninang's.

For the gift wrap, we order Tote Bags from Sadie's Sacks. We found it very useful instead of putting gifts inside a carton box.

Hello Weekend! Wishing everyone a happy and traffic free Friday! 😊😉 #canvasbag #beach #beachbag #ecobag #totebag #trylocalph #proudlypinoy #sadiessacks 📷 @lexiepuzon

A photo posted by Sadies Sacks (@sadiessacks) on Aug 19, 2016 at 1:06am PDT

Below are some of the gift ideas for Principal Sponsors.

• Wines/Whiskey
• Shawls
• Custom Bags (Tote bags)
• Perfume
• Body Care - Body lotion, shower gel, etc.
• Caricature
• Leather passport holder
• Personalized Chopping Board
• Watch/Jewelry Box
• Personalized sign pens
• Personalized Mugs and Tea
• Succulents Plants

Happy preps!

xoxo,

Wedding On A Budget

EJ and I were in the process of completing our budget. We had long engagement period for this reason - we are on the budget wedding.

Simple Yet Memorable

Where are you cutting in your budget wedding?
I would like to share some areas that we saved from our wedding budget below.

Church and Church Package 
We chose a church near to where we currently live to save time in travel (visiting the church, arranging papers, etc.) and money (we picked the basic package).

Our wedding is Christmas time, we believe that the church will be already joyfully decorated.

Florist
I wanted to have cascades bouquet but when I was quoted a price it cost more. I sent the number of entourage we have and cut some pieces to save cost.  I've fallen for a semi-cascading one because it seems romantic and perfect for me. I dreamed it.

It's not super important to us to have so many flowers around the church and on the venue. We will have beautiful red and white semi-cascading bouquet, 1 piece Rose with fillers for boutonnieres, nosegays for the bridesmaids and pinned corsage for the sponsors.

We have saved for our florist because the price includes everything, entourage and ceremony set-up with labor and delivery.

Wedding Rings 
Wearing a wedding ring is a wonderful tradition. Yes, we agree! It symbolizes love and commitment to one's spouse. But for us, any ring can be our wedding ring as long as we loved its style/design and we are comfortable wearing it.

Sometimes jewelers mark up the prices because they understand that getting married couples are willing to spend for the perfect rings.

I'm proud we've got our pair of wedding rings for 15,000-20,000 pesos our initial budget was maximum 40,000 pesos. It's perfect! We didn't know at first that it was actually possible.

This saves us a lot in our wedding budget. Our advice - know your budget, compare prices and purchase rings that you're comfortable to pay and wear. Pusuan mo! :) Try not to get caught up in what you’re expected to buy that is out of your budget and instead enjoy picking out a wedding ring you love the most that you are comfortable to pay.

Hair and Makeup (Bride plus 2 heads) 
We hire a makeup artist at a good price recommended by our OTD coordinator. At first, I don't want to hire an HMUA. I really want to save cost here. I think I'm beautiful and I believe I will be more beautiful on the day of my wedding with or without HMUA.

For the bridesmaids, something beautiful and simple makeup. Since we are paying for their dress we asked them if they can do their own hair and make-up to save cost. We will provide some makeups for retouch in the hotel (I have makeups).

Bridesmaid Dress and Groomsmen Attire
We got infinity dress for the bridesmaids at PHP 1,250 each (with tube) and we will rent for the groomsmen attire. We found the suppliers already, they are both in Quezon City.

For the flower girls dress, my Mother Merlie (tita) was a seamstress and she is currently doing the beautiful dresses for my 6 pretty flower girls - aged from 2 to 6.

Wedding Gown
I really liked ready-to-wear (RTW) wedding dress. I want to fit directly if the dress looks really good on me but I purchased made to measure to perfectly fit in my body with almost same design as the RTW.

I go with the mermaid wedding dress. I think it flatters my figure. I have a "this is it feeling". It was very simple and I love it. Love at first sight really  exists in the world of gowns, I'm super excited about my wedding dress.

Groom's Suit
EJ bought his suit at ZARA Men at a 70% sale price during Great Singapore Sale.

He felt very comfortable when he was fitting the suit. He will wear a different color than our groomsmen. He goes with the gray color and black for our the boys. ZARA Men was our first stop and he bought it directly. My fiance is not picky about what to wear, comfortability is his main priority.

Wedding Shoes = My budget is < $SGD150 or PHP 5,000
Waah, I bought my wedding shoes at $69 Singaporean dollars or PHP2,346 pesos. I saved almost half in our written estimated cost.

I was looking for a pair of heels that are not too high, elegantly beautiful and are comfortable and I'm glad I found Elisa Litz. Their designs are classy and no doubt it can suit any dresses, gowns or even jeans! I really loved their bridal design selections.

No Mobile Bar. We will buy a bottle of wines and beers and will serve those who want to drink only.

We only have two things that we are not cutting, it is our venue and caterer. This two eats a lot from our budget but we are okay and happy with our supplier.

Planning a budgeted wedding is beautiful, we don’t want to spend on anything that does not really matter. It is not about the money and showing off, but about having a meaningful wedding celebration with our closest family and friends.

For others, our wedding can be expensive, for some, it is super budgeted but for us, this is a comfortable amount we could spend - 11 years in the making.

We don't want to ignore working on our budget because we don't want to end up with some add-ons that we simply can’t afford.

How did you save money on your wedding budget? Please share your best tips and experiences in the comments below! :)

Couple Hanger From Practical Finds

I was busy in the kitchen when Nicole sent me a screenshot from Practical Finds on Instagram.
I was so surprised! I didn't expect these hangers will be ready so soon.

Excited to share this beautiful hangers!

Hmmm..match made in "webby heaven"? :) #brideandbreakfast #brideph #weddinggiveawayph #weddingsph #couplehanger #personalizedph #customizedph

A photo posted by practicalfinds (@practicalfinds) on Sep 9, 2016 at 9:40pm PDT

Here's our draft before we order.

I'm thankful they featured our orders on their portfolio.
How I wish all our clothes would hang on these engraved wooden hangers, haha :)

We're on budgeted wedding but we decided to purchase because we wanted to add "something special" to our wedding photos and these personalized hangers will still be useful after our big day.

Another wedding accessories, "nice to have" - personalized wedding hangers handmade for your special day.

These custom wooden hangers are ideal for suits and coats. Perfect to hang wedding dress/bridesmaids dress too! And, can make amazing gifts.

We recommend Practical Finds. They were very helpful, good seller and smooth transaction. Please check them on their Facebook.

• Each hanger cost 185 pesos.
• Production time 2.5-3 weeks (delivery excluded)
• Practical Finds Order Form

We're so excited to see the actual hangers we ordered from them.
Happy preps!

xoxo,

Wedding Checklist

Let's make a list!

Woohoo! Ej and I we're getting married in less than 4 months, I'm hoping to finish all the "must haves" items by November so we could have weeks to finalize, relax and rest. I've been wanting to create a list from the start but I always forgot.

EJ and I prepared a list of wedding suppliers for payments and balance only. We keep it updated and also our growing guest list. We don't have wedding checklist for the ceremony, reception essentials, stuffs for us to double check.

It's overwhelming when you're not sure what's next on the to-do list. Thanks God, almost everything has been taken care of at this point.

Here's an online wedding checklist for us and future brides out there who need reminders as well. I recommend get yourself a copy of W@W Wedding Primer, it has the complete list, guides and tips for all the wedding preps.

Wedding Essentials

For the Ceremony Unity Candles and matches Wedding Bands Wedding Vows Wedding Cord Secondary Veil Missalette (Wedding Program) Bible Rosary Ring and Arrhae pillows Flower Girl Baskets  Flower Petals Pen Offertory items (wine, host, fruit basket, flowers) Officiant Fee / Stipend Music - processional and recessional songs, etc. Gift for Kids Other Ceremonial Candles Dove Here Comes The Bride Banner	Bride, Groom & Entourage Bridal Gown Bridal Veil Bridal Jewelry Hair Accessories (headbands, headpiece, combs, tiaras, hairpins, etc) Bridal Garter Engagement ring  Bride's Shoes Groom's Shoes Groom's Tux + Suits  Groom's Accessories (watch, perfume, socks, belt, handkerchief) Bridal Robe Lingerie (spanx, chemise, etc) Bridesmaids Dress / Infinity Dress Groomsmen Suit Groomsmen Bow Tie/Neck Tie Flower Girls dress Bearer (Suspender and Bow Tie) Mother's Dress Entourage Gifts and PS Souvenirs Mannequin Hangers Flat shoes or sandals
For the Reception Guest book (don't forget the pens!) Champagne / Wine Toasting glasses Cake Knife & Server Wedding Cake Bells CDs of wedding music, list of songs Growing Up Slideshow Table plans Extra Touches Wedding Signs Souvenirs for the guest	Florals for Entourage Loose petals Corsages Boutonnieres Archway Brides Bouquet Bridesmaids Bouquets Throw Away Bouquet Stationary Save the Dates Invitations Thank you Cards Wedding Program Place Cards Envelope Seals Location Map
Wedding Suppliers Church Ceremony Venue for Wedding Preparations Reception Caterer Photographer Videographer OTD Coordinator Photobooth (photobooth backdrop, props) Lights & Sounds Bridal Car / Van service Florist Em-cee / Host Hair and Makeup Hair and Makeup for Entourage Invitation Printshop Calligrapher Bands /Strings Musicians Wedding Cake LCD Projector Screen Mobile Bar Food Carts Crew Meals  Souvenirs	Hotel Preparation Snacks Coffee / Water / Juice Cup Noodles Biscuits / Bread Candies / Chocolates Documents to Remember (Church & Civil) Obtain a Marriage License Birth Certificate CENOMAR Baptismal Certificate Confirmation Certificate Pre-cana Certificate Permission and banns List of Principal Sponsors (For church requirements, please check full details here). Others Honeymoon airfare and accommodations Passport Camera

Please note, not every bride will want all of the listed accessories & details above. I just compiled this list that we can look through and decide what we want and don't want, and what we have forgotten or never thought of to help with our planning and budgeting.

Tell us: Newlyweds, what did you forget to do/bring before the wedding? Do you have things you’d like to share? Am I forgetting anything? Share the love ladies!

Download Wedding Checklist Here!

Happy preps!

xoxo,

Looking for Prenup Stylist

At first, we don't have a plan to get a Prenup Stylist. It is out of our written budget and we thought we can manage our engagement shoot as we've been to few photo shoot session already. We just need to buy few nice clothes so we can use it afterwards, makeup on, provide accessories and prepare to DIY props.

I informed our Photographer and Makeup Artist that we don't have a stylist on the day. We will just bring our own clothes, create our own props, etc. But, I have other errands as well with no time to manage about our prenup props, concepts, etc. and everything overseas.

I opened up to EJ that we need help from professional stylist to execute our ideal photo shoot session. We don't have a collection of clothes and accessories plus time to scout props can be a time consuming.

"If you can, get a stylist."

Sharing below are list of our shortlisted suppliers. They are all good at their own craft. Prices below are their price starts (when we inquired to them).

Indie Hippie
www.facebook.com/indiehippiestyle
We contacted one possible supplier only in Metro Manila and it's Indie Hippie. Their price starts at PHP 9,500 (in Metro Manila) and their out of town rates starts at PHP 2,000 for Rizal, Tagaytay area. They have lots of great reviews from W@W Community and we liked their portfolio.

Indie Hippie Flowerbeds and Sunshine (All in Package) PHP 20,000

Conceptualization of 3 layouts Unlimited consultation 3 sets of clothes will be provided Hair and airbrush makeup On the day styling Accessories and basic props are provided

Since we finally decided that we will have our Prenup session in Cebu, I scouted few stylist in Cebu that suites our style and really stands out based on their portfolio.

Geof Lagria Styling
www.facebook.com/geoflagriastyling
When I was looking for a stylist who already have a portfolio in Temple of Leah, Geof website appears on the first page. I browsed his portfolio and I liked everything. I contacted him and Geof replies fast to all my inquiries, his package starts at PHP 15,000.

Geof Lagria Styling Price starts at PHP 15,000

Outfits Accessories Concept Location Scout Creative Direction Props Arrangements Itinerary

TheCenterpiece by Roderick Bautista
www.facebook.com/thecenterpieceofcebu
While browsing on their Facebook photos TheCenterpiece has done prenup styling in Temple of Leah too. They  shared a photo with a lady in red, I loved red dress.

When I inquired Roderick gives me a call. He is very responsive. Their price starts at PHP 5,000. You can add or lessen the services and customize your package based on your requirements.

The Centerpiece Price starts at PHP 5,000

Conceptualization Consultation for outfits 1 full set design- complete with props and other materials needed for its production quality Production Assistance and Creative Direction for the entire duration of the shoot Please note: Clients wardrobe shall be shouldered by the client.

Laure's Vanity
www.facebook.com/lauresvanity
Laure Facebook page caught my attention while looking for possible stylist because of her calligraphic profile picture. I loved it! She's very helpful while chatting on Facebook and it looks like she's giving a recommendation for conceptualization already. She is really nice and have a stunning portfolio as well.

Laure's Vanity Price starts at PHP 10,000

(2 set design ) 1 major set, 1 minor set Conceptualization of the overall feel and look of the shoot Outfit advice for a maximum of two – three (2-3) outfits On hand props and set design materials Location scouting for two (2) venues Transportation of the Materials

Please note before contacting your shortlisted supplier to send them your preferred prenup date and location. If you don't have location in mind yet date is enough for them to check their availability.

Price starts rates given are for June - July 2016 inquiries only. For more info please contact them directly.

Looking forward!

xoxo,

Wedding Venues In Quezon City

Choosing your perfect venue for wedding reception is a strenuous task, especially if both couple are overseas. Even though you can ask help to ocular the place from your families the final say is still yours in booking the venue. That's why it's really great to see and visit the place on your own if you have time, to decide properly. It should be part of the first phase in planning your wedding.

There are lots of good wedding venues in Quezon City. We had a mistake in choosing our first venue, so when we are choosing again for our final venue, we took time carefully to get honest feedback from family and friends, our emcee and coordinator and answered questions below.

1. Is the venue near to our chosen church?
2. Can we afford this venue?
3. Does this venue recommended by our families/friends?
4. Is the venue’s capacity fit our estimated guest list? Enough parking?
5. Is the venue air-conditioned? Picturesque? Appealing?

Sharing below are some of the venues we consider. Hope this helps for couple who are also looking for possible wedding venues around Quezon City.

Felicidad Mansion #2 Baler St. corner Roosevelt ave, San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City www.felicidadmansion.com	Paris and Venice / Capacity 250 Paris with Pool / Capacity 150 Venice / Capacity 130
Fernwood Gardens 69 Cenacle Drive, Sanville Subd, Quezon City www.fernwoodgarden.com	Venue 1 -Fernwood Gardens  / Capacity 270 Venue 2 -Courtyard Gardens / Capacity 200 Venue 3 -Cycad Garden / Capacity 250 Venue 4 - Coral Tree Garden / Capacity 300
Gazebo Royale Rona's Garden compound 29 Visayas Avenue, Quezon City www.gazeboroyale.com	Phoenix / Capacity 150-200 Champagne / Capacity 300++
Blue Gardens Wedding & Events Venue 28 Samonte St via North Zuzuaregui Road. Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City www.thebluegardens.blogspot.com	Venue with partner caterers complete wedding package
Hanging Gardens Events Venue Block 9 Lot 1 Belfast Ave. Neopolitan Business Park, Fairvew, Quezon City www.hanginggardensevents.com	Lafayette Garden 150-200 guests Paris Garden 150-200 guests Luxembourg Garden  150-200 guests
Light of Love Events Place 1163 Santol St, Quezon City www.lightoflove.com.ph	Atrium Capacity 180 Love Capacity 150 Trust Capacity 450 Integrity Capacity 150 Loyalty Capacity 300 Cherish Capacity 250
The Grand Terrace Events Venue #5 Villanueva Drive corner Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City www.facebook.com/thegrandterraceeventsvenue
Blue Leaf Cosmopolitan Robinsons Bridgetowne, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Libis, Quezon City 1110 www.theblueleaf.com	Monet, Picasso and Matisse can accommodate 330 guest
Ibarra's Garden No. 77 Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City www.ibarraspartyvenues.com.ph
Verandas de San Vicente Events Venue 221 Tandang Sora Avenue, Quezon City www.facebook.com/verandasdesanvicente
Bulwagang Recoletos    81 Alondras St. Mira- Nila Homes, Tandang Sora, Quezon City	Vision 21- 200pax all aircon Veranda de Toledo- 200pax Cassiciacum Gardens- 300pax
Cities Events Place 30 Sgt. Esguerra St. , Brgy South Triangle, Quezon City www.citieseventsplace.com	Main Hall 180 pax aircon Deck 200 pax open hall
Casa Español Wedding Venue 28 Francies Drive, Mindanao Avenue. Quezon City www.facebook.com/casaespanol/
Le Reve (Events and Pool Party Venue) 28 Sgt. Esguerra St. South Triangle, Quezon City www.facebook.com/lereve.eventsvenue www.lereve-venue.com	Main Hall (200 or more people)
The Skydeck at Barrington Place 31 Congressional Avenue, Quezon City www.facebook.com/BarringtonSkydeck	Whole function room (max 200 pax) rental for first 3 hours PHP 19,500 (Venue Rates as of January 2016)
55 Events Place 55 Scout Rallos St., Brgy Laging Handa, Quezon City www.55eventsplace.com	Venue Rental for January – November: Whole Ballroom (Max 250 pax) = PHP 70,000 December: PHP 80,000 (Venue Rates as of January 2016)
Elements at Centris Eton Centris, Edsa cor.Quezon Ave. Quezon City www.facebook.com/CentrisElements	Function halls prices depend on the lean months. 1 Hall – 350 guest 2 halls – 700 guest
Venue 142 Penthouse, L Building, 142 Katipunan Extension Avenue, Saint Ignatius, Quezon City www.facebook.com/Venue142	Venue for Weddings & Debuts PHP 45,000 - Capacity 200 Corporate/Kiddie Party PHP 25,000 - Capacity 250 (Venue Rates as of January 2016)
Circle Events Place #1 Timog Ave. cor. Quezon Ave. Quezon City www.circleeventsplace.com	The Gala Hall with capacity of up to 250pax, rental package is at 58k; The Premiere Hall can accommodate up to 120pax, rental package is at 38k; Half of the Premiere Hall rents out for 20k, rental package is at 28k (Venue Rates as of January 2016)
Secret Garden 7 Seiko st. Interville 3, Novaliches, Quezon City www.facebook.com/secretgardenph
Solea Gardens #10 Baler St., San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City
Quezon City Sports Club E. Rodriguez Sr. Blvd., Quezon City www.quezoncitysportsclub.com	Quezon Hall (Max 500 pax) with minimum food consumable for 4 hours, PHP 130,000
Don Jose Clubhouse Dona Carmen St Cor. Pantaleona St, Commonwealth Ave, Quezon City www.facebook.com/DonJoseClubhouse2015	All inclusive of: 5-hr use of aircon, ceiling swags, eElectricity charge included, NO CORKAGE FEE, Ample parking area ONE EVENT PER DAY POLICY, early set up is possible. PHP 20,000 Weedays, PHP 25,000 Weekends and holidays. PHP 5,000 to block off the date.
Windmills & Rainforest 60 Scout Borromeo Street South Triangle, Quezon City www.facebook.com/windmillsevents
Oasis Manila 169 Aurora Blvd, San Juan (near Quezon City) www.facebook.com/TheOasisManila	Pavilion (Garden) - Max capacity 400 guests Verandah - Max capacity 350 guest Orchard - Max capacity 200 guest (Venue Rates as of January 2016)

Some tips: If you're looking for venue ask if they have albums ready. When we went at Gazebo Royale, they had several real wedding albums to look through at our first walk.

Before booking the reservation fee to blocked your date, don't forget to ask if there's any other charges, corkage fees and taxes. Some staff will not tell you those things upfront, you wouldn't want to be surprised later.

A fancy venue is optional depends on your preference as you can have your wedding venue simple but memorable without breaking your finances. Some couples choose the venue with caterer package or restaurant option because it's less expensive and less hassle.

*** Update ***
We've visited our chosen venue yesterday, it was rainy morning and there was no AE yet to accommodate us around but the Caretaker was very helpful he allowed us to see the venue entirely. We were impressed with the spaciousness of both floors. What a great restoration. We booked the venue simply from seeing it's Facebook fanpage and from our Mother's recommendation, they told us seeing it with actual wedding day makes it stand out even more. The venue also has a large bridal suite perfect for getting ready and the location is easy to find (infront of Mcdonalds).

EJ and I fell in love with our venue, it is perfect for us as we are looking for simple and classical venue set-up.

We will visit again this coming October! :)

xoxo,

Application for Marriage License Requirements In Quezon City Hall

We will allot one day to process our Marriage License this coming October. It's been 6 years, we have lots of good and kakapagod memories in QC Hall. Haays, during our college days, every end of the semester, we have to visit QC Hall to collect our SYDP stipend and book allowance. At least once a month, EJ and I set a date para tumambay sa QC Hall Public Library and now finally! We will be processing our Marriage License, exciting! Hope everything goes well.

We noted below information shared from sissies in W@W for our future reference.

Requirements for the Application of Marriage License

1. Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate or Baptismal Certificate of both applicants
2. Community Tax Certificates/Cedula of both applicants - You can get a Cedula from any Barangay Office or City Hall
3. One photo ID (colored or black and white) of each applicant
4. 25 years old and above – Family Planning
   24 years old and below – Family Planning and Counseling, Health Department Office, Social Service and Development (SSDD)
5. CENOMAR – Certificate of No Marriage 
6. Valid ID with the address

Application Form	PHP 50.00
Filing Fee	PHP 100.00
Marriage License	PHP 100.00

Notes:

• One of the applicant must be a resident of the place where they will apply for the marriage license
• The marriage license will be issued on the 11^th day after the 10-day posting period upon submission of the application for marriage license. License expire 120 days from date license was issued.

Legal requirements will vary depending on the Municipality or city requirement/s. Forms are available in the Civil Registry of the place where you or your fiancé have been residing for the last six (6) months.

Steps:

1. Go to Civil Registry Window 11 to request an application form, prepare your Cedulas
2. Go to Window 8 for payment, the fee is P150.
3. Fill out completely the 3 application forms
4. Go to Health Department at the 2nd floor for pre-marriage counseling schedule, usually takes 3 hours.
5. Present your filled application forms, receipt and valid ID. 
6. Upon completing the family planning seminar, they will give you your certificate of attendance with the filled application form and receipt. Have the application form notarized. 
7. Make a photocopy of the notarized application form because it's important to have your own copy.
8. Present the original copies of application form, family planning certificate and receipt to Civil registry Window 11. Present photocopy of Birth Certificate and CENOMAR (no need to give the original) and ID photo.
9. Wait for 10 days to claim it.

We just applied online today for the Birth Certificate and CENOMAR.

For the Birth Certificate, we paid PHP 350.00 and CENOMAR PHP 450.00.

Payments can be made online via Credit Card or Bancnet ATMs and over-the-counter via Metrobank and Bayad Centers. Please visit nsohelpline.com for more information.

Even though we will be coming home this weekend, we might not be around, so we will prepare our valid ID together with Letter of Authorization (LOA) to our mother. Representatives need to present a valid ID as well.

Acceptable IDs are:

• Company ID with photo and visible signature
• Driver's License
• GSIS ID
• NBI Clearance
• Passport
• Police Clearance
• PRC
• School ID
• Senior Citizen
• SSS
• Voter's ID
• PVC/latest PhilHealth ID
• Digitized Postal ID

xoxo,

Wedding Church Requirements in the Philippines

EJ and I are getting married in 125 days! Wohoooo! Can't wait!

We will be on a short vacation in the Philippines this coming weekend and we are checking our documents to keep us on the track. Because every time, we are asking each other, what are the documents, how many pieces, is now the best time to get those, is there other requirements or anything else. And each time, I needed to check my folder to pull out the list of documents. And so I decided to put it here on the blog to make it more accessible for us two.

Below is the list of basic requirements for our Catholic wedding. This is not a complete list. Each diocese also has its own wedding rules and regulation. Moreover, you will need to check with your parish for details about any of these additional requirements.

Church Requirements
All the required documents should be original and up-to-date until the day of the wedding.

1. Baptismal Certificate - need a copy dated within six months before the wedding date, obtainable from the parish where you were baptized and annotated "For Marriage Purposes Only".
2. Kumpil or Confirmation Certificate - Sacrament of Confirmation need to be secured no more than 3 months before the wedding date and annotated "For Marriage Purposes Only".
   
   We are planning to have our Kumpil near Malacañang.
   
   

   Confirmation (Thursday and Sunday) 8:00AM Registration 9:30AM Catechesis 10:00AM Confirmation National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels 1000 J.P. Laurel corner General Solano St. San Miguel, Manila Tel: 734-1271

   Reminders: PHP 600 Original and photocopy of Baptismal certificate with indication for Marriage Purposes Copy of Birth certificate Sponsors/Witness (Ninong/Ninang) - at least one witness Prepare for half day Proper attire, Sunday dress

3. Canonical Investigation - The couple shall personally see the Parish Priest. The schedule of the interview will be given upon signing of the application form.
4. Pre-marriage seminar or pre-cana - Both groom and bride has to attend this seminar. A Certification of attendance in the Pre-Cana Seminar or Marriage Preparation Program or other programs related tomarriage. If based abroad, a Parish certification that youattended a Pre-Cana seminar in your own parish abroad.
5. Permission and banns - Banns have to be immediately brought to the respective parishes of the bride and groom for posting. They have to be returned to the Parish Office after three consecutive Sundays.
6. Confession - The couple will have their sacrament of penance at least 1 day before the date of matrimony.

Civil Requirements

1. ID Picture - 2 sets of 2x2 pictures both groom and bride
2. Marriage License/CTC of Civil Contract - Marriage License can be secured from the bride or the groom's municipality.
3. CENOMAR-  Certificate of No Marriage to be secure from the NSO
4. Birth Certificate - Valid 6 months, to be secure from the NSO
5. Principal Sponsors - The list of names and addresses of the principal sponsors a minimum of 1 pair and a maximum of 6 pairs are only allowed. If there are more than 6 pairs, all sponsors will occupy first pew. It has to be summited two weeks before the wedding date.
6. Certificate of Freedom to Marry - Optional but this is also a requirement for those who are working abroad.

General regulation on our wedding requirements

• Reservations are accepted at least 2 months before the planned date of wedding. They will be best served if done in person by visiting parish office. The reservation becomes official when a deposit of PHP 5,000 is duly paid and receipted by the office. The deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.
• All the required documents are to be submitted to the office two weeks before the wedding date. The remaining balances of the wedding fees are to be paid in full two weeks before the wedding date. Checks are not accepted.
• Punctuality is a must.The ceremony starts exactly at the scheduled time. The parties concerned and the entourage must arrive in advance. Bride will march on time, five minutes before the mass starts with bridal entourage, complete or incomplete. Time limit is 45 minutes only for the ceremony and the 15 minutes for picture taking.
• Wedding Music - only the liturgical songs are allowed during the mass. Non-liturgical song maybe sung during processional and after the mass. Guest singers and organist have to coordinate with the Sacristans on duty at least thirty minutes before the wedding.
• Wedding decoration - the church will provide the decorations, fresh flowers for the aisle and altar and red carpet. If the couple has their own florist they are required to get the lowest package since the church florist will still.

We're done with Canonical Interview and Pre-Cana, more to go!

xoxo,

Our Pre-Cana Experience

Last Sunday, we had our Graduation Day at the Catholic Junior College. We've finally come to the moment we've all been looking forward to. We were very thankful and blessed that with all the activities made to complete the 6 weeks journey -  we have made an effort to be punctual, meet new friends and learned a lot.

In each exercise, we have been given time to write and express ourselves to our partner, share our thoughts and feelings and practice positive affirmations. We have some fun doing the activities. It gives us the opportunity to stop, be present with each other, and look deeper into marriage instead of just planning our wedding day.

The group sharing is wonderful, we may have some differences, our group consist of Catholic and non-Catholic friends, sharing opinions depends on each other's background and culture but everyone is open and our course facilitator Steve & Louisa were a very good listener and gentle loving couple.

We have learned love as a decision and not as a feeling. Feelings come and go but love that is chosen, love that is a decision is a committed love. Pledging myself to my partner that in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, I am committed and will love him unconditionally.

The MPC help us a lot to reflect heart-to-heart how to grow healthy marriage relationship. By sticking with each other, keeping each other as our first priority, listening for love, willingness to work on our relationship, by practicing loving communication and revealing ourselves to be open in marriage and much more.

This past week we have grown together. We recognise the need to trust, to focus on changing yourself rather than your partner, speaking gently and work together to resolve conflicts, listen and do the act of reconciliation by showing thankfulness and forgiveness with each other.

Characteristics of Marital Love
Come FREELY to this union, give yourself TOTALLY for better or for worse, be FAITHFUL till death and FRUITFUL to pledge to have the children that God blesses you with.

Two elements of Forgiveness

1. Reconciliation - We are hurt and distant from each other. We need to get together, share and discuss.
2. Healing - Disappearance of guilt feelings, mistrust and hurt. This is replaced by feelings of inner peace, joy and greater love

Week 1:	Difference between Man & Woman Decision to love
Week 2:	Communication in Marriage Faithfulness & Decision Making Forgiveness
Week 3:	God & Sex - The nuptial meaning of the body Sanctity of life / Abortion Natural Family Planning
Week 4:	Sacrament of Matrimony Covenant of Marriage Marriage as a vocation
Week 5:	Divorce Three major areas of conflict: Religious differences, In-laws, Career vs Children
Week 6:	Breastfeeding Sharing Graduation Day

Overall, it was a great experience to prepare as we enter married life. We got to learn and hear stories from married and engaged couples. Good marriages don't just happen. Relationship and love need constant decision to love and sacrifice and putting God in the center of our relationship.

It was a good way to reflect and understand that receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony is not just for formalities but accepting marriage as a vocation.

We both really enjoyed our Pre-Cana session and for OFW couple in Singapore who are considering doing it here, I’d highly suggest it. It brings up all kinds of questions and issues that couples might not have been through before, things that all couples should probably address prior to getting married.

Although, our pre-cana took us 6 weeks, the sessions are longer than back home, we were very thankful we sign up and that we were able to get through and open up some valuable lessons we didn't imagine before.

xoxo,

Our DIY Save The Date Cards

We went at Kasalang Tagaytay Bridal Fair last July 31 at Marina Bay Sands, we met Kenneth Uy, randomly we asked him, what is the advantage of having printed invitations and he told us one point that we didn't think before, "Ang matatanda kapag walang invitation hindi sila pupunta, hindi nila mafefeel na invited sila".

A few days later, I asked W@W December Brides support group for suggestions if they have their Save The Date cards printed, some have it printed at least 20 pieces, some just send it through Facebook, Whatsapp, etc.

Then, EJ and I talked about it, our main invitation is scheduled in October. And since we will have a 2 days vacation in Pinas this month, we thought of giving them a Save The Date cards printed first, especially to our Ninong/Ninang and immediate family. My cousin Sheryl can bring some cards too as she will be back in Bohol end of August.

I knew from the start that we wanted to make our own wedding website and invitations. Not because we can do these stuffs, but because this is the only DIY we can do to add personal touch.

Layout, brainstorming, choosing fonts and browsing designs inspiration were very time-consuming. All is beautiful. All cards are perfect. You can't get away from feeling overwhelmed.

So, Ej and I shared our task, he did the map and I did the layout. I showed him several mock-ups in selecting fonts and fonts pairing. As much possible, we wanted minimalist, plain and simple.

While designing, we are thinking of our mom's as inspirations. We believed they will be loved to see florals instead of just plain marbled or white textured card that we prefer.

Last Tuesday, we send it to Unusual Print, a printing shop in Bras Basah Complex, we waited for two days and taraaaan!! :) We are happy, we have our Save The Date cards ready!

We will just need to buy envelope cards in National Book Store and give these to them.

We printed 30 pieces, 300 gsm paper, double sided print for $30, parang piso isa! They extend their generosity and gave us some extra prints.

For the DIY Cards, resources used listed below.

• Free Watercolor Flowers Clip Art
• Shinthia Script
• Wanderlust Letters
• Proxima Nova

Leave a comment below if you have any questions about DIY cards, happy to help!

xoxo,

Bridal Fair

Yesterday, EJ and I went to InterContinental Hotel to check SG Bridal Caravan 2016. We just had our last Pre-cana home session in Sembawang which ended at 2:30PM. Nicole, a friend whom I met in W@W group reminded me of the event, we arrived around 4:00PM.

We’ve got most of our major suppliers already. But, we just wanted to see and walk around to find out if there were things that we might have missed. Luckily, we still have free time in the afternoon.

Last year, we attended same Bridal Caravan in Grandpark Hotel. That’s our first time and I regret that we didn't take the chance to inquire as much as we could because we haven't started planning our wedding yet. A friend from Facebook shared the bridal fair event on her timeline and invited us to check. We don’t know what to prepare, we don’t have a list, we don’t know what to look for, we don’t know where and how to start  because we just got engaged last December. We felt it’s too early. That time, we don’t even have the final date for our wedding too!

Collected a lot of flyers ☺️👫

A photo posted by Glaiz (@bernaldezglaiza) on Aug 16, 2015 at 5:02pm PDT

Time flies so fast.

The bridal caravan venue this year is spacious and very accessible. We felt that there are more suppliers this time compared to last year. I appreciated the fair so much now because of W@W Facebook group. For future brides, please check out W@W, you will find lots of reviews and support to help you plan your big day. Plus, you will meet new friends, willing to give their time and share their recommendations and feedback from their chosen supplier.

I met Nicole at the registration area. She’s very friendly and easy to get along with. Then we saw Mimma Benz, we took selfie and chitchat a little. :) There's  shyness, excitement and starstruck feeling when you personally met people you admire online.

With Mima Benz Rana of Weddings at Work

W@W December brides, Nicole and I. #selfie

Coming to a bridal fair like this is every brides and grooms privilege, an advantage to help you prepare and plan your big day, no matter what stage you are in the planning process. Lucky they also organize this event overseas.

If you have ideas or pictures of something you are looking for save them in your phone, suppliers will be happy to discuss it with you. 

We met Kaye of KbyCunanan, she’s very helpful, calm and beautiful.  She shares a list of what we need to prepare for our food tasting. We haven't had a FT with them yet, so we will have the initial and final food tasting this coming October.

Ms Joy San Gabriel was there too and offered us free tastes of their different kinds of cakes. All are delicious and we liked it. We asked Ms Joy to be our supplier but she can't cater us on our wedding date, so sayang. 

There are lots of things to check if you are just starting to prepare your wedding. A lot of good and possible suppliers, it’s kind of overwhelming - but exciting too.

Not only it is so convenient to meet lots of suppliers all in one place, but it also gives the couple the opportunity to see what's hot in the wedding industry that you might have not thought of or even considered. 

Some things we wish we knew first before attending bridal fair and planning our wedding.

• Check the event and the list of the exhibitors
• Review the suppliers with your fiancé
• Get at least your top 3 suppliers to compare prices, inclusions, etc.
• Have an idea of what you want
• Do your budget
• Get all of the information that you need to make decisions wisely
• And, if you have the ‘this is it feeling’ book them in the fair to get discounts and freebies
• Be excited, trust your chosen supplier

Bumped into my high school classmate, Yanyan, she's planning her wedding for next year. 

If you find the supplier you think you'll love to work with and they are still available on your wedding date, talk to them and be prepared to book them on the spot :) HMUA, Photographer, Videographer, Venue, Caterers, etc. especially, they might offer you a good discount.

Thank you Bridal Caravan organizers and exhibitors for your hard work to give us the opportunity to check and meet the list of best wedding suppliers in the Philippines.

So excited to read this "The W@W Wedding Primer 2015-2016 Edition" book. Ang sarap magbasa!

I'm very thankful.

xoxo,

Choosing Our Wedding Caterer Tips and Guides

Every single one of your wedding supplier should be a good fit with your budget and your personality. Breathe, and enjoy this moment of planning your wedding.

What are some tips for choosing your wedding caterer?

1. Accredited to your target venue
   The venue is the first thing we consider when choosing the caterer. We started scouting for our possible caterer after we selected our reception in Quezon City. It's a big plus if the caterer is accredited in your target venue. As they will have the portfolio to showcase and you can save cost to avoid non-accredited caterers fee. Some venue charged 30% corkage fee based on the caterer's total contract price.
   
   We booked KbyCunanan as it is accredited in 55 Events Place. But, when we changed our venue KbyCunanan is not accredited to Felicidad Mansion. We go through some pros and cons, and we still chose KbyCunanan catering service.
   
   
2. Location
   Firstly, we searched which caterer is nearby, as much as possible, we wanted around Quezon City area only. This is our personal preference. We wanted their office accessible for us to do the food tasting, etc.
   
   When we first consider Gazebo Royale as our possible venue, we asked EJ mom's help to check out Eloquente Catering. They had food tasting and their feedback is very good. They like the food and Ms. Bheng accommodated them well.
   
   
3. Feedback
   This is what we can do mostly, reading previous clients feedback, reviews, and recommendations online. To check if they deliver exceptional service to their past couples. You can browse through Facebook fan page, online group/forums recommendation is a great niche too. Ask your friends recommendations and check out other blogs.
   
   
4. Quality of food
   We wanted to make sure we choose delicious foods our guest will love on our wedding day. We want them to remember na nabusog sila at masarap ang food.
   
5. Service, inclusions and amenities of the package
   The moment we send them an inquiry, we evaluate their service already.  If they can deliver us the inclusions and amenities of the package clearly. Some caterers offer full packages with bridal car, wedding cake, emcee, etc.
   
   Make sure the Account Executives your are working with is responsive, helpful, reachable and you're comfortable with.
   
   
6. Styling your wedding theme
   It really depends on the catering you hired. In our case, we don't plan to hire an event stylist, delicious food, menu presentation and service are okay with us, superb styling is a plus.
   
   Our wedding theme is classic romance. Browsed their portfolio to check their previous styling and set-ups. We contacted some caterers that do styling very simple but we still consider them if they are accredited at our chosen venue.
   
   
7. Budget
   The caterer consumed the largest portion of our wedding budget. This is the biggest investment we can share on our wedding day. Depends on the caterer, most packages are presented as “per-person” charges, sometimes service charge is not included and the VAT.
   
   Remember to make sure your chosen caterer is within your budget. Once you have the budget it is easier to make choices. How much can you afford to spend? Think, think, think.
   
   
8. Food Tasting
   Pinaka importanteng part ito, especially if you're in Manila, you can take advantage of the several food tasting events as well. Check if the caterer offers free food tasting, some caterers sends email and updates on Facebook page.
   

Firstly, discuss with your fiance and decide on your budget. Make a list of your possible caterer and email them directly to ask their current rates and packages. Check their customer reviews online, from all of them select one whose services are good and suits your style and taste.

Mostly, choose the one that you really like and you believe can provide delicious food and good services for your wedding. Don't forget to check about all cost and any hidden charges, check thoroughly the menu packages and what is inclusive. And importantly do a menu tasting before you finalize.

We locked down our Caterer as soon as we’ve got our reception booked. In our case, we trusted KbyCunanan based on friends personal feedback and online recommendations, we booked them through in Bridal Fair without having a food tasting.

We listed below the list of wedding caterers in Metro Manila that we contacted, rates and packages as of January to February 2016.

Queensland Catering They have regular food tasting on Sundays at Ysabel's Garden, Bf Resort Village, Las Piñas City. Registration starts at 3:30 pm and food tasting at 4:00 pm on a first come first serve basis. Good for 2 persons. Please check with them first. Diamond Wedding Package PHP 770++ # 633 Sicily St. Cittadella Exec. Village CAA Road, Las Piñas City www.queenslandcatering.com

Osio's Catering Bronze Wedding Package starts at PHP 145,000 for 150 persons Silver Wedding Package PHP 180,000 for 150 persons Gold Wedding Package price starts at PHP 350,000 for 100 persons www.osioscatering.com 2/F Gian Plaza Bldg, National Highway, Tunasan Muntinlupa City

Eloquente Catering Price starts at 680 per head up to 740 per head. The pricing we received is based on Gazebo Royale package. www.eloquentecatering.com #33 Albany St. Brgy. Silangan, Quezon City

Tamayo’s Catering They have Grand Food Tasting every Sunday from 10:00-1:00 PM in Villa Immaculada Intramuros, Manila, for 2 pax only. Please confirm with them first. Classic Star Wedding Package Buffet Lunch/Dinner PHP 850.00+ 12% VAT/pax www.tamayos.com.ph Plaza San Luis Complex Gen. Luna, cor. Real St. Intramuros, Manila

Verleo Catering They have food tasting schedule every Friday 11am or 1 pm or Saturday 11am or 1PM at San Juan office. Please confirm with them first. Their wedding packages starts at 550/head and maximum to 970/head + 12% VAT + 10% Service charge www.verleo.com 277B P. Guevarra St., cor. Ibuna St. San Juan.

Red Chef & Events Specialist, Inc. PHP 700 + VAT PHP 780 + VAT PHP 880 + VAT www.redchefandevents.com.ph 95 Guirayan St., Brgy Dona Imelda, Araneta Subd., Quezon City

Albergus Catering Total wedding package starts at PHP 170,000 up to PHP 225,000 For International Lunch/dinner buffet menu price starts at PHP 700 per pax up to PHP 1,100 www.albergus.com No. 16 Capitol Hills Dr. Old Balara, Diliman, Quezon City

The Chefs and Sauces Gourmet Catering Inc. Lite Wedding Package PHP 488 Standard Wedding Package PHP 588 Premium Wedding Package PHP 688 Unit U-2263Taft Avenue,Barangay 39,Zone V, Pasay City  www.chefsandsaucescatering.com

Juan Carlo the Caterer Package A price without prawn PHP 197,085 net for first 150 pax, add PHP 995 ++ per pax in excess of 150 Package A price with prawn PHP 233,685 net for first 150 pax, add PHP 1,190 ++ per pax in excess of 150 www.juancarlothecaterer.com 24-B 11th Jamboree Street, Tomas Morato, Quezon City

Hizons Catering They offer Free food tasting in their partner venue from time to time, just check their website. Their customized package sent to us isPHP 1,000 + 12% VAT www.hizonscatering.com 22 Renowned Lane Sanville Project 6, Quezon City

Josiah's Catering Luxe Wedding Package by Josiah's, minimum of 150 pax, PHP 165,000 all-inclusive www.josiahcatering.com 34 East Drive, Marikina Heights, Marikina City

Passion Cooks Catering 2016 Wedding Package starts at PHP 1,090 + 10% Service charge www.passioncooks.com #111 Ma. Adela Bldg,, Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines

M Catering Wedding package starts at PHP 750++ per head up to PHP 1,095 with minimum of 150. www.mcatering.ph No. 1 Kalantiaw St., cor 20th St., Project 4, Quezon City

Purple Dish Catering Stated in their package, they only accept one wedding event per day. Wedding package for 2016-17 starts at PHP 990 per head + 10% service charge and 12% VAT, minimum of 150 pax www.purpledishgroup.com Private dining place for food tasting: G/f Cocoon Boutique Hotel, Scout Tobias Corner Scout Rallos St., Quezon City

K by Cunanan Wedding package starts at 990/head up to 1195  + 10% Service Charge and 12%VAT www.facebook.com/kbycunanancatering 103 Green Meadows Ave, Bagumbayan, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Price available upon request, depending on the location and subject to change without prior notice.

xoxo,