The Loss of the Ring

After two weeks of sleeping in an unfamiliar hotel bed in Dubai, I am now back in my own messy but comfortable bed. However, this day has a bittersweet ending because amidst the chaos in the Hong Kong International Airport, I lost my engagement ring. :(

I remember taking it off in the restroom to wash my hands and apply my makeup. I even reminded myself to put it back on after all my bathroom rituals. But somehow, I still forgot about the ring, even though it was right in front of me. Sometimes, I am surprised how forgetful I can be. Kasasabi ko lang na wag kalimutan yung singsing, nakalimutan ko pa rin. I only remembered about it when I was already near our boarding gate. I ran  back to the restroom as fast as I could, but alas the ring was gone. :(

Mox tried to comfort me by saying that he would replace the ring with a new one, this time with sparkling diamond on it. After all, my engagement ring was just a silver band that costs P250. Kayang-kayang palitan diba? But I said no, because 1) I might misplace the ring again, and this time it would hurt not only my feelings but also Mox's wallet; and 2) no diamond ring could ever replace the sentimental value that my silver engagement ring holds. Everytime I would look at my ring, I would always remember the tears I shed when Mox proposed to me inside my car. Iba talaga kasi ang pakiramdam nun eh. And even though Mox will propose to me again, this time on his knees, with a diamond ring hidden in his pocket, it would never match the kilig I felt during his first proposal.

Until now, I am not yet used to seeing my left ring finger bare. I would absentmindedly stroke my finger only to find out that the ring is gone. I could even see an imprint of the ring on my skin. Gah, I miss it already. :(

You will be missed :(

Searching for the Perfect Color Palette

Other than their wedding theme, brides and grooms must also decide on their motif, or as some would say, their color palette for the wedding. This would dictate how the wedding would look like: the colors of the bridesmaids' dresses, the colors of the linens and ribbons used during the reception, and even the colors of the paper used for the invitations. Frankly, choosing the wedding colors  is possibly the hardest thing in planning a wedding, other than saving up for the budget of course. Haha.

I have been searching the Internet for months trying to find our wedding motif. At first, I wanted to use purple because purple is my favorite color, but I felt it was already overused. I also didn't want anything with pink, mauve or peach in it because I felt it was too feminine. After all, I also have Mox to think of and I know he doesn't want anything too girly for him. I thought of green, but I just didn't feel any kinship with it. Walang "This is it" feeling eh.

When we decided on the beach theme for our wedding, our search for the perfect motif became easier because we immediately thought of TURQUOISE to signify the blue of the ocean. Now, all we had to do was to pair of turquoise with another color to create our color palette. I wanted vivid colors that would pop and create a lively, fun vibe for our wedding, especially since it would be held in the summer. One of our choices was yellow, but I've already seen numerous weddings with different shades of blue and yellows together. I wanted to our motif to be different and I wanted it to somehow be related to our beach theme. Luckily, I found the perfect color palette:

Turquoise and tangerine orange are perfect complements to one another because the warmness of orange can balance out the coolness of turquoise. Tangerine orange range also contributes to the beachy vibe because it represents the color of the hot sun. Oh diba, beach na beach ang dating.

I still don't know how we would incorporate the colors in our wedding. We could use turquoise as our main color (bridesmaid dresses, linens, etc.) and orange as the accent color (flowers, ribbons, etc.), with a few splashes of white to balance everything out. Or maybe we could use white as the main color then have turquoise and orange as the accent colors. We'll just discuss this with our wedding coordinator to see how we could pull this motif off. Good thing, I found some pegs that would at least help us visualize the colors together.

Note: All pictures were from Google images. :)

Seat Sale Fever

There was a time when the words "seat sale" would always give me an adrenaline rush. Trying to book a flight was very nerve-wracking and yet I love the satisfaction I get whenever I was able to book one. I used to book flights regardless whether I have the money for it or not. Addict lang eh. But when Mox and I started saving up for our wedding, I had to let go of my seat sale addiction. Masyado na kasing magastos ang luho na yun eh. So now, I ignore all the seat sale announcements so I wouldn't be tempted to book a flight.

That is until another seat sale has caught my attention:

Because its Airphil's second anniversary, they are offering P2 fare for all domestic destinations and P200 fare for Manila to Singapore and Cebu to Hong Kong flights. Oh diba, ang mura! This is valid for travel from July 1 to December 31, 2012. The selling period begins tonight until March 31 so better book now because these seats are selling like hotcakes. Unahan na to mga kuya at ate! Haha.

Thanks to Airphil's seat sale, I was able to book two roundtrip tickets for me and Mox to Bohol in October. Just in time for our second anniversary. And only for P2060 to boot! Wow, this seat sale is much cheaper than Cebu Pac's seat sales so far. Me likey! :)

Dubai's Dancing Fountain

I just arrived from Dubai Mall where I spent hours walking around and visiting every shop. Grabe, walang nasabi ang Mall of Asia sa laki ng Dubai Mall! It took me almost the whole day to explore all four floors of the mall, and I even skipped some shops since I was too tired to go in anymore. I think I'm done with malls for now. Pahinga na muna wallet ko sa pagshopping. Hehe.

But the pièce de résistance of my trip to Dubai Mall was the nightly show of the Dubai Fountain. Set on Burj Khalifa Lake,the fountain shoots water jets over 150 meters in the air, almost as high as a 50-storey building! It has over 6,000 light and color projectors, which creates more than a thousand unique water expressions just in time with the music.

The show happens every thirty-minute interval between 6:00pm to 11:00pm, but each show attracts hundreds of people so be sure arrive early if you want a prime spot. I took a video of the show earlier, but it's a little shaky because I was craning my neck and raising my camera high above my head just to get a proper look. Yeah, it sucks to be a short girl. Haha.

In other news, more wedding-related this time, we will have another food tasting session on Saturday (our fourth since the start of the year). This time, it's with Swan Catering at their office in Quezon City. I just hope that my flight to Manila could already be booked so that I don't have to worry about missing this event.

UPDATE: My  flight was moved to Friday night so I would arrive in the Philippines on Saturday afternoon. That means I would miss the food tasting with Swan Catering. Boo! :(

Lucky Number 17

Today marks our 17th month as a couple, but since I'm still here in Dubai, I just made a little something to brighten up Mox's day, even though I'm so far away. *Wow rhyming. Haha!*

We are now 17 months old. :)

Photographer: Booked!

Before I left for Dubai, I met with our prospective photographer to discuss their wedding packages and view their portfolio. They are one of the few suppliers who already accept 2014 bookings, so it would be an advantage for us if we could book them as early as now.

And luckily, everything went so well during our meeting that we booked them on the spot. So my fellow brides and grooms, let me introduce to the photographers who will capture the heartwarming moments of our special day:

I fell in love with their use of bright, vivid colors and their ability to capture the candid moments of every wedding. The vibe of their photos is fun, lively and fresh—just what I wanted for my wedding. They also capture in black and white for a more dramatic feel. Plus, dealing with Osep, the main photographer, was a breeze! I had a great time during our meeting because we just laughed and chatted like long lost friends. There was no air of arrogrance from him, considering that they already have lots of great reviews from their brides and grooms. I was also surprised to learned that we were of the same age. Akala ko kasi matanda na siya eh. *Peace Osep! Haha.* And the best part of all is that their rates are relatively affordable. Of course, I am willing to shell out more cash for photos since they would be our only remembrance of the event, but luckily, I was able to find a great photographer within our budget. :)

OM Photography is actually my non-negotiable supplier so when I learned that they are willing to accept 2014 weddings, I immediately grabbed the chance to meet with them and book them. Osep told me that I am the earliest bride to book them (25 months in advance!), and that Mimi was so happy to hear about it that she posted it on their Facebook page. See, may advantage rin pala ang pagiging excited sa kasal. Haha!

Here are some of my favorite OM photos. Check out their website for some of their other works. :)

Finally, we can checked off one supplier from our checklist. Now, all I have to do is come up with a great concept for our prenup pictorial. Nakakapressure! Haha!

OM PHOTOGRAPHY
0947-8128910
osepmimiphoto@gmail.com

Let It Snow!

It's my first day here in Dubai and up to now, I haven't adjusted yet to the four-hour time difference. My body clock is still running on Philippine time, which is 2:49am right now so I'm already feeling sleepy even though it's just 10:49pm here in Dubai.

This is a very tiring day, not just because of the jet lag, but because we've spent an hour and a half skiing. Yes, you heard that right. SKIING IN DUBAI! Who would have thought that a Middle Eastern country would have snow. Well, it's artificial snow, but still! Yeah, we were pretty excited to go down the mountain of snow, but after falling countless times, we all just wanted the session to end. We were such pathetic skiers that kids were already beating us down the slope. Waley kami sa mga batang yun. Haha!

The ski slope

Ski gear on!

"Professional" skiers

Trying to ski

Epic fail

So now, my legs and muscles are already screaming in pain. And to think this is just Day 1 of my 15-day training here in Dubai. Hay, 14 more days to go.

Goodbye Philippines...

... and hello Dubai!

Hindi yan ang hotel ko. Asa naman ako. Haha!

I'll be leaving for Dubai tomorrow and will stay there for two weeks. This would be my first time to travel abroad alone and my first time to go to a country not located in Southeast Asia. Excited na nga ako eh! Although I have to admit, I'm a bit scared because I don't know what to expect when I'm there. I'm also going to miss my family, my dog and of course, Mox. But I'm really looking forward to all the trials and triumphs that this new adventure will bring. Ajah! :)

And since I'll be out of the country until the end of the month, I decided to make a move now on my wedding preparations. And so, I will meet with one of my prospective photographers later! Wish me luck. :)

Excited Much?

People are always shocked whenever they would hear that I’m already planning for my wedding as early as now. Ang tagal pa naman daw ng kasal ko, madami pang pwedeng mangyari. Even Mox tells me that it’s still too early to prepare every time I would beg him to accompany me to bridal fairs or food tastings. After all, two years is more than enough to plan a wedding right?

Well, this can be true, but from what I learned from my fellow brides at W@W—an online community for soon-to-weds—it’s never too early to start wedding preparations! Planning a wedding doesn’t necessarily mean we would book suppliers immediately. It entails research, research and even more research! We must first create a budget plan, draft the initial guest list, think of a wedding theme and/or motif, do ocular visits on possible churches and venues, and look for affordable suppliers that fit the budget. And only then can we finally book our chosen suppliers. Oh diba, ang dami pa palang dapat gawin. Parang di kakayanin ng isang taon ito… Or maybe that’s because I'm just being OC. Haha.

There are many advantages in planning your wedding early. One, you can reserve your date early with your chosen suppliers, meaning less chances of losing your non-negotiables to other brides. This is very helpful, especially for couples who wish to get married during the peak months of December and January. Agawan na kasi yan ng mga magagaling na suppliers eh so kelangan mabilis kang gumalaw. Parang race lang eh noh? Hehe.

Two, you can lock the rates of your suppliers. Every year, suppliers increase their rates by at least 10%, which can be a big deal for budget brides like me. By booking early, you would be able to lock their current rates, so you won’t be affected by any price increases. But keep in mind that there are some suppliers who do not allow price locking, so best ask them beforehand if they do.

And three, by booking your major suppliers early, you can concentrate more on the minor details of your wedding. You will have more time to make DIY projects, which will not only make your wedding unique, but can also cut down the wedding expenses. Pwede na rin yung pangbonding moment niyo ni hubby. Hehe.

The only downside of booking your suppliers early is that you may feel “booking remorse”.  It is the sense of regret after having booked a certain supplier, especially if it was an impulsive decision. It may be because you have read negative feedbacks on the supplier or you feel that you can find a much more affordable option. The only way to avoid booking remorse is to just trust that your supplier will deliver on your wedding day. And it never hurts to pray. Hehe.

Of course, there are times when I would feel embarrassed whenever people would comment on how early I’m preparing for our wedding. Baka kasi isipin nila na masyado naman akong excited. But come to think of it, there are some who are even more excited than me. I even feel pressured sometimes because there are brides who are getting married in the latter half of 2014 and yet they are already in the process of booking their suppliers. Feeling ko tuloy nahuhuli na ako sa wedding preps ko. Haha! During last weekend’s bridal fair, I even saw a bride scouting for suppliers for her wedding in 2015. Oh diba, talk about EARLY preparation!

Kami na ang excited magpakasal. Haha!

Food Tasting # 3: VS&F Classic Food International

Aside from scouting for prospective suppliers, Mox and I also attended VS&F’s grand food tasting during the bridal fair last Saturday. We were already hungry because we haven’t eaten anything yet, but we thought we should just wait for the food tasting so that we wouldn’t spend money on food. Oh diba, tipid moves for the win! But we had to wait for the unveiling of the Kitchen on Wheels—VS&F’s mobile kitchen for out-of-town weddings—before the food was served. Good thing the waiters served some dumplings and sushi with chili sauce during the launch so at least our hunger was alleviated a bit.

VS&F's Kitchen on Wheels

At the food tasting, all of VS&F’s tables were set up to fit the nautical theme so we weren’t able to see other actual samples of their setups. Their motif was navy blue, red and white; their centerpieces were wooden model ships; and their table numbers were glass bottles filled with sand. Hmm, maybe I could use that as an inspiration for my own table numbers since ours would be a beach-themed wedding. I’ll take note of that for my future DIY projects.

Unlike the last two food tastings we’ve attended, which were buffet setups, VS&F used plated service, with different set menus for each attendee. Frankly, I like that better because I don’t have to put all entrees in my plate just to taste them; I could just take a bite from Mox’s plate. Less food equals lesser chances of throwing up from overeating. Haha! Sadly, I don’t have any pictures of the food because cameras weren’t allowed inside the fair so hopefully my descriptions would be enough to satisfy your curiousity and hunger.  Hehe.

For the soup, I had the Cream of Spinach while Mox had the Seafood Chowder. The cream of spinach was surprisingly good considering I don’t like spinach, but the seafood chowder was the clear winner.  The soup was thick and creamy, and there were bits of crabmeat, squid and shrimp in the soup. Sabaw pa lang, nakakabusog na!   

For the salad, Mox had the Asian Salad while I had the Waldorf Salad with Caramelized Walnuts. The Waldorf salad was delicious! Aside from the usual leafy greens, the salad also had apples and potatoes. The sweetness of the caramelized walnuts balanced the sourness of the mayonnaise, so there was no umay factor. The only downside is the salad was in a cocktail glass so it was difficult to cut the potatoes and apples into bite-sized chunks.

I could not remember most of the main courses, except for the beef dishes. I had the Roast Beef with Gravy while Mox had the Lengua with Mushroom Sauce. I was disappointed with the roast beef because it tasted bland, even with the gravy. Puro taba pa yung karne! The lengua tasted much better because the beef was very tender and the sauce was creamy, although I couldn’t taste the mushroom in it. Oh well, my taste buds are not that sophisticated anyway. Basta masarap, okay na yun sa akin. Haha!

We were supposed to have entrees that were cooked on the spot, but since the AEs were so busy attending to other people, they forgot to bring it to us. Well, we were too full to eat anyway so no harm done. There was also a dessert bar with six kinds of desserts, but we couldn’t really tell which was which because there were no names. But one thing was for certain: they were all delicious. :)

VERDICT: In terms of food, VS&F was a winner. There were so many dishes that we liked. However, I couldn’t say anything about their setup because I have yet to see other actual samples. But based on their nautical setup during the event, I think they are very flexible and can easily adapt to whatever theme or motif you have in mind, albeit with extra charge. But once again, their packages, even the cheapest one, are still way beyond our budget, so it’s a NO for me.

VS&F CLASSIC FOOD INTERNATIONAL

VS&F Compound, Winston St., cor. Fortune St., East Fairview, Quezon City

937-1037 / 937-4989 / 938-8814

info@vsfcatering.com.ph
 

Bridal Fair Madness

Last Saturday, Mox and I went to the 20^th edition of Themes & Motifs’ Wedding Expo Philippines at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia. It was our first time to attend a bridal fair together so I was very excited to show him around, look for possible suppliers together and let him carry my bag full of brochures for a change. Lagi na lang sumasakit balikat ko dahil dalawang bridal fairs na ang nilibot kong mag-isa habang buhat-buhat ang malaking bag na yun. So now, it’s his time to shine. Siya naman dapat ang magdusa. Haha!

It was easy to go around the fair because the suppliers were sorted according to their category. For example, all caterers were grouped together in one row, while the photographers and videographers were all located in another row. I particularly had fun at the row where the photobooth suppliers were located because most of them offered free trials so we got lots of prints to take home as souvenirs. Oh yes, the camwhore in me is very satisfied. Haha! I wanted to try all of the photobooths there but Mox was already tired from “smiling” (or at least doing his version of a smile) so I had to stop. Here are some of our photobooth pics at the fair:

From Studio On Wheels

This is actually a photo magnet from Clip Photobooth :)

From Pose and Print

From BaiCapture

From Fantasy Kiosk

Fron Lenscape

From Giggles Photobooth

I was supposed to have an airbrush makeup trial with one of the HMUAs there, but Mox was already getting cranky from standing too long that he demanded to go home already. We even had a little argument because he asked why I had to go around each and every booth to get fliers when our wedding was still so far away. What’s with men and the lack of enthusiasm with the wedding preps? Hay, mga lalaki talaga oh.

P.S. Okay, scratch my last sentence. I just learned that Mox was asking a friend earlier about her caterer for her wedding. Apparently, he plans to schedule us for a food tasting in the coming months. Finally, he's now opening up to the thought of actually preparing for the wedding. :)

Church Hunt # 2: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Despite our busy schedule with the food tastings, Mox and I were able to squeeze in a few hours to scout for possible churches. On top of our list was Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine in New Manila, which was five minutes away from Oasis, where we had our food tasting with Lina Vitan.

Mt. Carmel is a favored choice for weddings because of its large, ornate array of stained glass windows, giving the church a romantic and serene atmosphere. Another major plus is its long aisle, where brides can truly savor the moment of walking down the aisle. Meanwhile, the reception can be held in their function hall, which is just behind the church, so it is very convenient for guests who do not have their own transportation. 

Photo from Blissful Wedding

The wedding rate is P15,000, but you have to hire their in-house choir for an additional P4,000. If you want to use your own choir, you must pay a P1,000 penalty. They also offer a stress-free wedding package that includes the use of their function hall. The package also comes with most of the amenities that a couple needs like photo/video and caterer.

VERDICT: Unfortunately, Mt. Carmel did not hold the same appeal to me as it did with other brides. It was my first time visiting the church and I was blown away by how large it was... and not in a good way. Sure, it is a beautiful and majestic church, but there is no "This is it!" feeling for me. I only want a small and intimate wedding, and Mt. Carmel is too grand for my taste. Also, I'm scared the church might look empty with only 130 guests. Baka kailangang pa naming humatak ng mga random people para magmukhang puno ang simbahan! Haha.

Another thing that I didn't like was its long aisle. Unlike most brides, I am scared to walk down a long aisle with everyone's eyes on me. Nakakapressure kaya yun at nakakatense! I'm very shy so the thought of being the center of attention for the day makes me nervous. Yes, I'm the bride that doesn't want to be the star. Weird right? I'm also notoriously clumsy. Expect me to trip at least once while walking, and to think I'm already wearing ballet flats or flipflops for that matter. What more if I'm wearing a long gown with a train and high heels? The chances of me tripping will double! Nakakahiya kung madapa naman ako sa gitna ng paglalakad diba? Added stress pa yun! So to minimize the risk of any unwanted accidents, I would rather have my wedding on a church with a short aisle. At least, ilang steps lang ang kailangan para marating ang altar. Haha!

Still, Mt. Carmel remains on our shortlist because it is  located near Mox and me (he's from Pasig and I'm from Marikina), and it has its own function hall, which is a non-negotiable for me. We will search for other churches, but if we still don't like them, then Mt. Carmel will be our church of choice. Basta ang importante, sa simbahan ako ikasal. Hehe.

OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL SHRINE
Broadway, New Manila Quezon City
348-4291 / 724-5938 / 725-1508

Food Tasting # 2: Patio de Tata Roque

After our food tasting with Lina Vitan, it was now time to go to Patio de Tata's food tasting at their commissary in Marikina. I printed some directions courtesy of Google Maps to aid us on the way, but I was pretty confident that we would be able to find the place easily. Ako pa?! Eh laking Marikina ata ako noh! Kaya, no, we would not get lost! Ah, the famous last words. Once again, my navigation skills were useless. We took one wrong turn and that was it: we got frickin' lost in my own hometown! Ang yabang ko pa, nawala rin naman pala kami. Bwiset.

After going around in circles for what seemed like the nth time, we finally found the commissary! Yey! The commissary is very pretty and can actually double as an events place. There were already a few people sitting at the tables and a wedding singer provided the entertainment for the event. Compared to Lina Vitan, Patio de Tata's setups were more creative and dazzling. I particularly liked their parasol centerpiece in one table. They also had a sample setup for the couple's table, which was very elegant. Sabi nga ni Mox, parang pang-kasal talaga. Haha.

The couple's table

Patio de Tata also had more entrees served during the food tasting. My plate was already filled with food and yet we haven't tasted all the dishes served. Since we were still full from the previous food tasting, we weren't able to really enjoy our meal. Masakit pa kasi mga tiyan namin eh. Also, since we got most of the entrees in one go, we couldn't distinguish one dish from another. Nagkahalo-halo na kasi mga lasa nila. Some tips for future food tastings: Never get all entrees at once. Chew slowly and truly savor the food. Kaya nga food tasting ang tawag para matikman talaga ang pagkain. Take down notes, because with all the food that you'd eat, you would bound to forget some of their names. And the most important tip of all: Wag maging masyadong matakaw dahil baka sumakit ang tiyan at maglabas ka ng sama ng loob ng wala sa oras. 

What I loved about Patio de Tata's food tasting was the wonderful array of desserts there. There were so much to choose from: from creme brulee to blueberry cheesecake and strawberry panna cotta; from cream puffs to choco eclairs and mini mocha cupcakes; from creamy buko pandan to leche flan. There were some banana and mango crepes as well. For someone with a sweet tooth, this was pure heaven. Ang sasarap nilang lahat! Get ready to drool people.

They also served sushi and mixed green salad in cute cocktail glasses. The sushi was okay although the maki tasted a little bit bland. But still, the presentation was uber cute! :)

For all those party people, don't worry because Patio de Tata got your back! They also have a mobile bar where people can all get drunk with their colorful cocktails and other alcoholic concoctions. But we didn't drink anything because we're already bursting and one more sip could lead to vomiting afterwards. Yeah I know, it's gross.

VERDICT: For budget-conscious brides like me, Patio de Tata is one of the caterers that give you the bang for the buck. Their packages are very affordable and if you're really good, you could even haggle for some freebies. I wanted to book Patio de Tata that day, but unfortunately they are not yet open for 2014 weddings. So in the meantime, let's look for other caterers, but Patio de Tata will remain in my shortlist. :)

ADDENUM (MAY 2012): I just learned that Patio de Tata now accepts 2014 bookings. I'll attend their next grand food tasting in July to once again taste their dishes and see if they are up to our standards. And yes, this time I will take down notes. :)

PATIO DE TATA ROQUE CATERING
26 Capt. Miyong Street cor Santisimo, San Roque, Marikina City 
401-4781 / 401-4782 / 546-8820
patioroque@yahoo.com