The Ring Part 2

*And no, this blog entry is not about Sadako.*

Seven months ago, I lost my engagement ring at a public restroom at the Hong Kong International Airport. Ever since then, I've kept on bugging Mox to buy a replacement for the ring. But he would always say that I should wait, that he would give me the ring when I'd least expect it. Plus, he also said that this time, he'd do it right. He'd save up for a real diamond ring and make a fancy-shmancy proposal.

But months have passed, and yet still no ring. Now Mox was already having doubts about buying me an expensive ring because, in his own words, "takaw mata sa mga magnanakaw." Well that's okay; I never wanted a diamond ring anyway. All I want was a simple silver ring, but maybe with a cubic zirconia stone on it so that it would be recognized as my engagement ring in the wedding pictures. Haha, masyado bang advance ang thinking ko? Wedding pictures agad!

So we decided to just buy one together. Oh diba, ang sweet lang. Sabay magshopping para sa singsing. Haha! When we saw the Silverworks store in Robinsons Galle, we immediately went inside to look for my ring. And lo and behold, I finally found the perfect choice. :)

I finally have a ring on this finger again. :)

Ohhh, just look at it. So pretty diba? It looks like a real diamond engagement ring, only much cheaper. Plus, it fits my chubby little finger perfectly! I asked Mox if he could just do the usual "Will you marry me?" thing once again since I already have my ring. And being the romantic guy that he is, he looked into my eyes, held my hand gently...... and gave me the box so I could just put on the ring by myself. Haha! Hay naku, kahit kailan ang sweet sweet mo talaga!

Wedding Dilemma #4: Backup or No Backup?

I never really thought of hiring a backup photographer because it means additional expenses. I wasn’t also as impressed with other photographers’ works as I was with Osep&Mimi, so I didn’t really have a choice for a backup photographer yet, if ever I would decide to get one.

But then we had our freenup with NYOi, and everything changed. Suddenly, I wanted to book NYOi as our backup photographer!  We love how our pictures turned out, and we are already comfortable working with them. Plus, they have super low introductory rates. Imagine, I could get them as my backup photographers for only P6,000! Now I’m thinking of adjusting our budget to accommodate them. Waah! The fickleness of the bride strikes again.

Still, I don’t know if we could afford to get NYOi as our backup photographer, even with their low rates. No, scratch that. We could DEFINITELY afford them. The real question is, I’m not sure a backup photographer is worth spending more money for. Now before any violent reactions, let me explain myself. You see, at the start of our wedding planning, I took into consideration how much we could save in the span of two years. Then I drafted a budget that would still leave us P50,000 for our future savings. Now, we could afford a backup photographer since we have enough money in our account, but am I really willing to use money allotted for our future savings to pay for that backup photographer?

Also, Mox didn’t want to have a backup photographer because he didn’t see the need for one one. “May photographer naman tayo eh. Dagdag gastos lang yan,” he would say. And while I do agree with his sentiments, the maarteng bride side of me still wants her backup photographer. Haha!

To help me decide, I listed the reasons why I should and should not get a backup photographer.

WHY I SHOULD GET A BACKUP PHOTOGRAPHER

1. More photos to choose from. This is actually the main selling point for me, especially since I love having my picture taken. Haha! It’s better to choose a backup photographer with a different shooting style from your main photographer since you’ll be getting pictures taken from different perspectives. So if Osep&Mimi’s shots are vibrant and colorful, then the backup photographer can take shots that have a vintage and dreamy effect. Oh diba, best of both worlds.
2. No details will be overlooked. There will be more eyes (and cameras) for other wedding details that the main photographers may overlook. For example, while Osep&Mimi takes the official wedding portraits, then the backup photographer can take candid photos of the guests.

WHY I SHOULD NOT GET A BACKUP PHOTOGRAPHER

1. Additional expenses. A backup photographer’s fee usually ranges between P5,000-P10,000. Plus, this also means having additional mouths to feed, so more supplier meals are needed. So again, more gastos talaga.
2. Backup photographer might overshadow main photographer. Of course, I’m sure naman NYOi won’t do this, but there are actually some cases where the backup photographer actually acts like he/she is the main photographer! Nakakahiya lang pag nangyari ito eh.Magsasapawan lang sina main and backup.
3. I really don’t need one. We plan to only have 150 guests, and I believe Osep&Mimi can handle a wedding of that size perfectly. So there is no pressing need for a backup photographer... well, except for mere kaartehan purposes only. Hehe.

Obviously the cons outweigh the pros here. So I guess, I already have my answer. Oh well, I'm sure a lot of our guests will bring cameras to our wedding. Maybe I'll just grabbed some photos from them. Tipid moves lang. Haha!

Ihanda na ang mga SLRs. Haha!

Band: Booked!

Most couples might consider a full band as a “nice-to-have”, but for Mox, it was a non-negotiable thing. He is willing to lessen our budget for other suppliers just to have musicians at our reception, and not just any ordinary wedding singers, mind you. Oh no, he doesn’t want any strings, a DJ, or even an acoustic group. He wants a full-on, show band! Concert kung concert ang drama niya. Haha!

So now I had to search for affordable but seasoned bands for our reception. Composed Band was actually on the top of my list. I've heard a lot of great reviews about them from W@W, and I learned that they also allow the audience to come up on stage and sing ala rockeoke style. This could actually be a hit for our guests since most of our friends are also part of a band and would love a chance to rock and roll on stage. Hehe.

When I learned that Tal, a fellow 2014 bride, booked them for her wedding, I immediately sent an inquiry to Dianne, one of their lead singers. She replied instantly, and while their rate was a bit over our budget, it was still pretty affordable considering that they have already been in the business for about seven years. She even gave me a P2,000 pesos discount if I’d get them for both the church and reception. :)

The only catch though, was that I have to book them as soon as possible to get their current rate. Dianne is actually seven months pregnant and would be on leave after September. She said that the band plans to increase their rates once she gets back, which means that I could no longer afford them. Also, they require a 50% downpayment to book our date, which I thought was a significant amount of money to shell out.

But since I really wanted to lock their rates, I decided to meet with Dianne to sign the contract. When I met her at Starbucks Tiendesitas, I immediately knew that I’ve made the right choice. She’s so nice and kalog. And professional to boot! Imagine being seven months pregnant and yet still willing to meet up with clients and do gigs. Wow, saludo ako sa iyo ate! And so, after two hours of non-stop chikahan, I signed the contract and officially became a Composed Band bride. I got them for both the ceremony and receptioon so Dianne slashed off P2,000 from the total contract price. Uy, malaking tulong na rin ang P2,000 discount na yun ah!

Composed Band has a wide repertoire of songs that can suit both the oldies and the young-at-hearts. They can play contemporary music, danceable pop tunes and even mushy ballads. Here’s a sample video of them during  one of their gigs in Tiendesitas. I love the blending of Dianne's and Benjie's voices. Nakakakilig. For other videos, you may visit their website.

I can’t wait to hear them sing and rock the house down on our wedding. Kelangan ko nang praktisin ang boses ko para sa song number ko. Chos! Haha!

COMPOSED BAND

0927-6039596 (Dianne)

Kudos to Our Freenup Suppliers

It’s always been a W@W tradition to give out feedbacks on suppliers right after a bride’s wedding, but since I haven’t been married yet, let’s just start with our freenup suppliers. :)

PHOTOGRAPHERS: NYOi (Not Your Ordinary Images) 

Peso Power: Free!
Contact Details: nyoimages@gmail.com

Rating: 5+++ out of 5

I so love this team! The first time I met with Nikki and Alex, I already felt at ease with them. The first thing they did was to buy me a Java Chip Frappucinno—the first time that a supplier has ever treated me to anything. For that, they already earned plus points in my book! Hehe. But seriously, they were a blast to be with! During our meeting, we were able to tackle all the specifics of our photo shoot—logistics, how many sets of clothes we'd bring, what kind of shots we'd like or don't like, etc.—and had some chikahan moments in between. Ang saya lang. :)

During our pictorial, they were very professional. At first, I just thought they were just hobbyists who only wished to build up their portfolio, but when we arrived at our venue, WOW! There were set lights and reflectors all over the place! Sabi nga ni Mox mali ata kami ng napuntahan kasi may mga nakasetup na ilaw pa. Akala tuloy namin may nagshoshooting na artista. Yun pala, kami ang artista. Chos! Haha!

I already informed Nikki and their team about Mox's aversion to the cameras, but they were able to bring him out of his shell and even got him to smile! We got a lot of great pictures as a result. And I really mean a lot—around 900+ pictures in just 2 1/2 hours of shooting. Wow! :)

HMUA: Berny Tia

Peso Power: P2,000 for on-location hair and makeup

Contact Details: smbeautiful@yahoo.com

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I definitely made the right choice when I got Ms. Berny to do my makeup. I looked fresh and young in every picture! Plus, she's also very maalaga. She would touch up my makeup at every chance, especially since my nose would just become shiny immediately. Bwiset na ilong yan. Haha! She has the most affordable prenup rates at P2,000. With that rate, she would already join you on your shoot. Diba ang mura? Most HMUA offer on-location hair and makeup at P4,000 and above so Ms. Berny's rate is actually quite a steal. 

I didn't give her a perfect 5 though because I didn't like my first hairstlye, the curly half-do. It's nice and all, but I didn't think it suited me, especially with the dress that I was wearing. Mox thought it looked nice naman, but I thought it made me looked older. Although I loved the curls when she finally let all my hair down. :)

VENUES: Starbucks and Timezone in Greenhills Promenade

Peso Power: Free!

Contact Details: 896-2755 (Starbucks) and 571-0910 (Timezone)
Rating: 4 out of 5

I didn't want to spend too much money on our freenup so I searched for venues that would allow us to hold our freenup for well... free. But I also wanted a venue that plays a special part in our relationship. Luckily, I learned that Starbucks and Timezone allow couples to hold their prenups there for free. This suited us perfectly because we love to drink coffee at Starbucks and play arcade games at Timezone during our dates. Oh yeah, I would kick Mox's butt at the basketball games. Haha!

Nikki suggested to hold our freenup at the Timezone branch in Greenhills Promenade because it would be easier to hold a photo shoot there. Starbucks was right beside it so it was a win-win situation. I just had to send a letter of intent to the marketing departments of both establishments, where I put in details of our prenup shoot such as the date, time, number of people and list of the equipment that would be used.

Everything was all easy-peasy but I have to give the venues a 4 though because it took me quite a long time to get the permits from them. I had to follow up on them daily to get an answer. I almost thought I had to think of a Plan B because I still had no permit three days before our shoot. But luckily, everything worked out for the best. :) 

OUTFITS: Models' own (Naks, pinanindigan ang pagiging model. Haha!)
Peso Power: P1,400 for my blue lace dress (Forever21)
Rating: 5+++ out of 5 (Syempre, love your own. Hehe.)

Again, we tried to limit our expenses so we had to make do with our old clothes for this shoot. I only bought the blue lace dress from Forever21 since I had nothing else to wear. I even asked Nikki if it's okay to bring only two sets of clothes since I was already having a hard time looking for outfits to bring! Kawawang bata! Haha. I honestly don't know if the clothes we wore were fashionable or even appropriate for a prenup, but I haven't heard any complaints so I guess it's all good. Hehe.

ACCESSORIES: Con Andres (my MOH)
Peso Power: Free!
Rating: 5 out of 5

Con, my high school friend and my maid of honor, lent me a box full of accessories for the shoot. However, I only used this black bracelet during our Starbucks shoot. I was also supposed to wear a cute yellow fabric flower brooch with my blue dress, but it didn't really fit in with the venue. Nonetheless, I'd still give her a 5 since the accessories were cute, she's my close friend, and she volunteered to be my stylist for my next prenup. Yey! :)

Overall, the freenup was a great experience, and I'm so happy that we've done it. I just want to say thank you to Aisle 1401 for giving Mox and I the opportunity to do this freenup, and of course to all our suppliers for making this shoot a success. I love you all! :)

Official Freenup Pics by NYOi

Last night, our freenup photographer NYOi (Not Your Ordinary Images) gave us the copy of our official pics! Whee!

I haven't seen the raw pics yet since I couldn't find my external DVD drive for my laptop, but I love what they have uploaded in the Facebook. OMG, ang ganda ko lang! Ngayon ko lang nalaman na pwede pala akong maging mowdel! Chos! Ang photogenic kasi ng labas ko in fairness. Although kairita lang ang pagkakirat ng mata ko pag ngumingiti ako. Saka yung mga lawlaw kong  braso at ang matataba kong legs. Jusko, pata na kung pata! Pero keber, maganda naman ako. Chos!

Meanwhile, Mox is a revelation! For someone who claims to be shy and not so comfortable in front of a camera, he's actually the better poser between the two of us. Siya na talaga! Ang gwapo niya! Whet whew! Hot papa! Lalo siyang nakaka-inlove!

I'll talk more about our freenup suppliers in a later post, but in the meantime, here are some of our favorite post-processed pics out of the bunch. For the complete album, you may click this link. Enjoy! :)

Huwaw! Parang may mga anghel sa langit lang ang peg.

The new faces of Starbucks. Chos,

Keber kahit madaming tao sa Timezone, basta hihiga ako sa sahig - Mox

My Perfect Bridal Song

I know it’s too soon to come up with a wedding playlist (excited much?), but as early as now, I have been on the lookout for possible songs that we can use for our wedding. In fact, I already have a list of possible bridal march songs, even though I’m not yet sure if my church would allow love songs to be played during the ceremony. Assumerang palaka lang ako eh. Haha.

I only have two criteria for my bridal march song. One, it must have a beautiful melody that can reduce me (and everyone else) into tears. Dapat tagos sa puso ang kanta para feel na feel ko ang paglakad ko sa aisle. And two, its lyrics must speak about my feelings for Mox. I want something that will describe how much I love and cherish him. Cheesy na kung cheesy, pero pagbigyan niyo na kami. Kasal naman namin yun eh.

I have tried listening to the usual songs used for the bridal march, such as “Panunumpa”, “Two Words” and “Ikaw”, but I felt no real connection to them. I didn't have that warm, fuzzy feeling of kilig, which was a telltale sign that I had found THE ONE. Sadly, these songs just weren't the perfect choice for us.

But as I was driving home last night from my monthsary date with Mox (happy 23^rd monthsary by the way), I heard this song played on the radio, a 1997 single by Jim Brickman featuring Michelle Wright. I suddenly felt that kilig feeling, and right then and there, I knew I have found my bridal march song.

The song fits the bill perfectly. It has this melody that is so hauntingly beautiful that it gives me chills. I could just imagine myself walking down the aisle with that song playing on the background. Plus, it relays exactly what I wanted to say to my fiance, which I'll explain further in a later post. For now, I'll just swoon for a bit as I listen to this song over and over again.

Reception Venue: Booked!

During the initial stage of our wedding preps, I was already set to book North Greenhills Clubhouse as our reception venue. It was near Sanctuario de San Jose, which was our chosen church at that time, and it was within our budget. Best of all, it can easily fit in all our guests AND a live band. I was just waiting for its 2014 calendar to open in January so that I can book it for our wedding.

But unfortunately, I learned that North Greenhills now requires a sponsorship to rent the clubhouse. Since I don’t know anyone who lives in that subdivision, or even around that area, I had to let go of the clubhouse and search for other options for our venue.

I was already feeling a bit stressed about this issue because we couldn’t afford those big event halls such as Oasis and Light of Love. Meanwhile, most, if not all, of the other clubhouses in Pasig require sponsorships. Our last option was Acropolis Clubhouse, but I heard that the clubhouse could only accommodate 150 guests max, and if we added a live band, then it would be too crowded already. So it was back to the drawing board again.

Arbee of Kiss the Girl Events (who's also a good friend of mine) suggested Christ the King’s parish hall as an alternative. The parish hall was not part of our list of choices because I thought bands were not allowed there since the hall was right beside the church, but Arbee assured us that they do allow live bands. In fact, one of her clients will have their wedding at the parish hall and they also have a band. And with that, I decided to visit the place and see if it would fit our standards.

When I saw the hall, I couldn’t help but grin. IT WAS PERFECT. It was spacious; I think it could house around 250 to 300 guests. There's also a little nook at the back of the room where we can put the registration table, photobooth or whatever item that we want. The hall also has a large stage where our band can perform with ease. And best of all, it's right next to our church; our guests would only have to go down a few steps to reach our reception. Convenient huh?

Ang lawak diba? :)

The overhead lights

This is where Composed Band will play! Yey! :)

Iniimagine ko na yung setup namin dito. Excited much?

Taken from the back of the room

The rental fee costs P25,000 for four hours of use plus P10,000 security bond, which will be returned right after the wedding. A P5,000 downpayment is needed to block your date, and the balance must be paid three months befor the wedding. The hall is open for all caterers, so no need to pay any corkage fees, even for alcoholic drinks! There are additional charges though if we'd bring our own band—P500 per electrical outlet used. They also allow drapes and swags to be hanged, but the use of thumbtacks and scotch tape is prohibited.

Actually, we went a bit over our budget when we booked this reception hall, but I believe that the pros outweighed the cons here, so what's a few more thousand pesos to spend? Besides, this really seems to be the perfect alternative to my orignal choice of venue. I could not wait to see how my caterer would spruce this venue up for our wedding. Oh yeah, it's time to parteeeeey! :)