Friday, October 29, 2004

TGIF!

...So glad that the week's finally over! I'm sooo lookin forward to the 3-day vacation although Jon n I have got nothing really special planned but just preps and more wedding preps...

After work, I wanted to go to Dampa at Parañaque coz i was reaallllly craving for seafoods but since we were both so famished already we found Dampa too far and we just ate at Marina at Roxas Boulevard (beside Pier 1). We feasted on prawns, ampalaya con carne, steamed lapu-lapu, and a bucket of steamed oysters!!! Yumeeehh!!!

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My granma, who will be making the entourage gowns, arrived from England this afternoon and Jon n I went home for a while to see her. When she saw me, these are the first things that came out of her mouth... "wow, ang sexy na ng apo ko!!!"

...She definitely needs eyeglasses now.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Production Meeting with the Coordinator, Hosts and Band

Got so stressed at the start of the week 'coz I had to make all 7 different schedules meet... me n hubby2B, Jody, the Sentimental Groove ( represented by Rjie and Jojo), and our two hosts, the soon-to-be doctor Aion, and the very much in-demand officemate/radio announcer Dulz. After countless phone calls, text messages and making kulit to everyone, we finally decided to meet at 130pm today at Greenbelt, Makati.

Me n Dulz had to take the half day off as we await for Jon n Aion to pick us up at the office. The two pasaway boys were late coz Aion had just gone off from his duty at the hospital... I kept on bugging Jon over the phone to hurry up... They arrived at the office ten minutes before our scheduled meeting at Makati. Needless to say, we were LATE. (I hate being late! - and that's because I don't have patience to wait for someone else either - I value other people's time and mine too!)...

Anyway... the production meeting went smoothly and lasted for only an hour... And it helped that I prepared and printed copies of the song list the day before (from the church ceremony til the dancing at the reception). Jody presided the meeting as we went through every sequence of the programme. The hosts had their first draft of the script already and we finalized the songs to be played by the band. So there! Next meeting to schedule... with Jody and Annie (Pan Pac)...

...And btw, i'm so glad that the two wacky hosts hit it off well! They seem to have the rapport already and we're confident they will make our wedding the "talk of the town" (oops, sorry, private joke...) hahah...

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Jon got the wedding bann reply from our parish this morning. He was surprised that we had to pay *** just for that... Oh well, I just told him we're lucky it's not 1k+ just like what the other wowie couples paid for theirs...

Sunday, October 24, 2004

Our Wedding Announcement

Today is officially one and a half month before our wedding day!

I spent most of the day at home, just tying on orange ribbons (I finally figured how to make butterfly bows - by my own!) to attach to our invites. I still have about half of them to be done...

Jon n I heard mass early this evening... He was a bit surprised when i told him we're hearing mass at our parish. ( We rarely hear mass there - we often go to another church). You see, this was the third (and last) week since we submitted our wedding bann. He must have forgotten about it so i offered no explanation.

And even though i was anticipating it, my heart still skipped a beat and my knees felt weak upon hearing our names mentioned and our wedding announced at the end of the mass... I tell you, it's a different feeling!!!
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I'm so glad i didn't leave behind my phone at Podium yesterday! When we went to the Smart Wireless Center at Southmall tonight, the customer care officer said i have two options: leave my phone and they'll have it repaired in two weeks OR i bring my phone at the repair center (SEMICON - also at Southmall) myself and have it done in a few minutes - they'll just issue a certification so that i don't pay a single cent. Guess what i chose?

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Gifts for the PS, Guestsheets and BARONG!!!

I got a phone call last Wednesday from Regalong Pambahay informing me that the 14 pieces lamps were ready for pick-up already. Those lamps were supposed to arrive 1st week of November pa and we were so pleased that it came in early. (I'm thinking we're lucky with our choice of suppliers! - I just hope it continues until our wedding day...)

We scheduled to pick-up the principal sponsors' gifts for today after we had our lunch. I brought the butterfly detail with me and put 2 pieces painstakingly at the bottom right of every lamp before the staff gift-wrapped them.


And since we were already at Quezon Ave., we proceded to Ibones at cor. Araneta Ave. to have our guestsheets printed (I made the guestsheets using Adobe Photoshop 7.0). This particular supplier was referred to us by our photographer, Chito Cleofas. The printing just took about an hour.

VIP guestsheet1 --- size 12" x 18"


sample guestsheet1 - size of a short bond paper

My mom told me she saw some butterfly-shaped candles at the Podium at Ortigas last week and since we still don't have souvenirs for the guests, we went there to take a look. Unfortunately, when we got to Living Well, there were no available stocks anymore... Kainis!

We just went to Megamall afterwards to look for Jon's barong. Yes, you read it right... he changed his mind yet again and decided to wear barong for our wedding. What changed his mind? Well, here are some of the reasons...

  • We don't know how he will stand out from the rest of his groomsmen who are ALL taller than him. Boutonnierre in his suit won't be enough, i think. (If he wears barong, he will wear a different colored one to make sure he stands out)
  • Papa Ding wants to wear barong... some ninong will wear barong... so why not just wear barong? (to have a uniform look, dabah?)
  • Chito Cleofas prefers barong rather than suit. He says barong looks good more in pictures. (and since our wedding's at night, i figured, mas "buhay" nga naman...)
  • It's more bagay with our church venue... which is SAN AGUSTIN in Intramuros...
  • He didn't want to blend in with the rest of the butlers/waiters at Pan Pac... (who are all wearing tux)

BTW, i saw one barong in a bridal mag early this year and i just know it would look really good with him. Just like with my gown, when i saw it, i just knew it was "the one"!!! I showed it to him this morning, and he absolutely loved it!

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Oh, and adding to my stress right now is my phone. It's busted! I don't know what happened. One minute, i was trying to call Jon (who went to an ATM booth) and the next minute, i couldn't use it anymore. All i get is the message SYSTEM ERROR!!! We visited SMART Wireless Center at the Podium and they told me that the repair of the phone will take 2-3 weeks (they will just give a replacement phone for the meantime - a 3310) ...and most likely, all data (contacts, pics, applications) stored in my phone will be lost! AAARRRRGHHHH!!!! But since PODIUM is far from where i live, we didn't leave my phone there na lang. We'll just bring it to SM Southmall tom.

Friday, October 22, 2004

My old and trusty template

I'm beginning to get tired of my blog template and I've been on the lookout for nice templates for quite a while already. And i just couldn't find a skin suitable to my liking. Oh, i've seen nice butterfly skins... but everytime I'm halfway through editing them, I realize I don't like it that much... and so I just keep going back to my old template...

Take yesterday... I spent the whole a.m. just looking for skins and half of the day just editing one template I thought I really liked.. And just before I was about to go home (and about 80% finished), I found the skin colors too plain, the design too cheesy, the layout too complicated... Oh, f*ck, why do i even bother!!! My precious, precious time!!! ;)

BUT, I promise to have a brand new, spanking blog... when the BIG DAY finally arrives! Now, what title will i give it???

Monday, October 18, 2004

Full Day Again...

Today was another full day of wedding preps...

Started the day with a 10am meeting at Starbucks GB3 with our OTD coordinator, Jody. Gave her copies of the contracts with different wedding service providers plus the participants list. We also discussed the flow of the reception programme. She'll be providing the script for the hosts. Our next meeting (the production meeting) will be with The Sentimental Groove and our 2 emcees, to discuss with them the programme. And I also have to schedule a meeting with Jody and Annie of PAN PAC.

After the meeting, we went to National Bookstore at GB1 to buy outer envelopes for the invites which we used to mail to our friends/guests abroad.

Went home to have lunch at Jon's and afterwards, addressed our invites. Then to the post office to mail them already. Afterwards, set out to SM Southmall to order 4 butterfly wings at Acclaim which will be made in two weeks. We also saw candles with butterflies which is perfect for the candle sponsors. (picture to follow).

My h2b is still on the lookout for his suit. Jody mentioned Onesimus and I remembered they have a store at SouthMall too. Jon tried on some suits there...

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After some snack, went straight to Shopwise at Festival Supermall for some grocery shopping... Jon saw some halloween masks and the kid had fun trying them on...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, everyone! Ü


Sunday, October 17, 2004

The Divi Trip

Jon n I had to forego our usual Saturday night til Sunday am gimmick to be able to wake up early for our Divi trip today. We went with my mom and two sisters (who each has their own things to buy)...

Although we were not able to see everything that we planned on buying, the 5 hours that we stayed there wasn't entirely fruitless (especially for me! ). For the wedding, we were able to buy:
  • ribbons for the misalette
  • ribbons for the souvenir baskets (but no souvenirs yet!)
  • confetti canons

We were looking all over for the butterfly wings for the flower girls but there was only this one shop which didn't have the colors that i wanted and were not of good quality pa... I'll just have to go to Acclaim tomorrow to have them made...

Next trip to Divi will be to buy tela for the whole entourage na... We're just awaiting for my super granma who will be arriving from England at the end of the month. She'll be the one who'll make the gurls' gowns. We can't wait!

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10:30pm

Gave out our very first wedding invite to Beng (she lives in FARview pa eh) after we attended a birthday party at a common friend's house...


Saturday, October 16, 2004

My lovely lovely gown and our lovely lovely invites!

Was supposed to have the first fitting of my gown (which was two weeks early!) last Thursday evening after I received a text from Bess, but something came up and we had to go to Makati after work. We could have went straight to his shop after but I felt time wasn't enough and they might rush my fitting so i decided to have it scheduled after lunch today. We just dropped by Blue Wave at Macapagal Ave to have snack/dinner at KFC for the third time that week. I am so addicted to their FUN SHOTS and their new salad delytes!
Anyway, back to my gown... Jon drove my mom, sis (my MOH) and me to their shop at around 130 pm and since I don't want him to see my gown, he offered to just go back to fetch us after. When I fitted my gown finally, I realized I lost weight!!! Yahoooo!!! The seamstress had to place pins all around the gown for alterations. I told her "What if i lose weight again? (hey, I'm still hopin to!)" to which she answered, "That's easy, just DON'T!" hahah!
I absolutely love my gown! When I saw it in a US bridal mag early this year, I just knew it was the one!!! Although my gown still had no beading and embroidery, it's already beeyootiful!!!. ..but i'm not putting pictures of the whole gown... it would be a surprise!!!

BTW, i saw my mom teary-eyed while i was fitting my gown... I had to keep my eyes away from her coz I would have started to cry too...

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After almost 2 hours of fitting (will go back at the end of the month again to provide them some swarovski beads), Jon n I went to AMIS PRINTS to pick up our finished invites! I'm so happy with this particular supplier coz not only we got value for our money, they didn't give us any problems whatsoever, they also "delivered" a few days early, plus they gave us additional copies pa! Galing.

Went straight to Glorietta, Makati to pick up the inserts for our bridal registry (Rustan's). After some snack at SPAM JAM, we excitedly went home (Jon's - which will be my home also in 2 months' time) to print the map inserts which Jon proudly made.

Yay!!! Our invites are now ready for distribution!!!

Friday, October 15, 2004

Free AVP!

I received an email from a high school friend some time last week who is so generously offering to do an AVP for us to be shown at the wedding... for FREE! Although Alex (Jon's twin) would be doing the same, I figured one more AVP will be okay...

We met up with Gen and her loveydoves Harold at SBC at Greenbelt3 after work today to discuss details. She brought her laptop along with her and let us see a sample of her work (not a wedding AVP though). More or less, I already have an outline in mind of the flow. I will just have to email this to her plus pics and other materials she will be needing for the presentation. Ü

Monday, October 11, 2004

Nurture Spaaaaaahhhh!!!!

Finally!!! ...Jon n I had been planning to go to Nurture Tropical Spa and Cafe for quite some time already but it's always either the spa was fully booked or WE were fully booked... hahah... Anyway, I took my birthday leave today and left at around 8 am. We had light breakfast at Mcdo ATC - I so missed their longganisa meal! The two-hour travel to Tagaytay City left us hungry again and so we proceeded to Josephine. There we had a hearty meal of bulalo (I got what i wanted! - yummeehh!!!) , shrimpcharon and veggies... yeah, stuffed again!

they had large serving of the bulalo!!!
shrimpcharon is very tasty!

We were early for our 1:30 pm reservation at Nurture Spa but nevertheless, the staff let us stay at our Serenity Cottage to wait for our scheduled whole body massage. At exactly 1:30, we were called by our two masseuse and we were led to our private treatment area just below our cottage... We were asked to strip down to our undies and lay face down on our beds. The 1 hour massage was heavenly. I regularly have my massages weekly (c/o our resident masseuse ;-) ) but this - this was just so relaxing. The pressure was just right, and Jon n I could have doze off to sleep if not only for the voice asking us to turn over... heheh... After the 1hour massage, we were given chamomile tea and minutes after, we were ready for our facial naman for another hour. I just feel so relaxed and so refreshed!!!


The whole place was just beautiful... We had fun taking pictures all around...


more pictures here...

To cap it all off, we had our dinner by candlelight at the most romantic spot (I think) at Nurture.

At check-out, the staff gave me a gift (wind chime) and greeted me a happy birthday...

yep.. so happy happy happy!

Sunday, October 10, 2004

The Birthday Gurl is 25... Ü

i know, i know... i look 16 years old... but, really, i'm 25...
..for years now, i've been celebrating my natal day with my tropa... We'd often eat out, or stay for a night at Discovery Suites in Ortigas and have a blastin' birthday bash... This year, since i'll be leavin' my family very soon (senti mode here...), I chose to spend the day with them (and my hunny, of course!)...
We were choosin between Sonya's Garden or Vivere Skyline at the Vivere Suites but decided on the latter since it's nearer our place. Before having lunch, we heard mass at the Nature Church in Moonwalk and "visited" my dad at the Ossuary Garden there. After the mass, we went straight to the hotel and we were met by my sister and her family.
We had reservations for 8 (+2 kids) and our table was ready the minute we got up the 31st floor. The smell of delicious food greeted us and I was happy coz I wanted to bring them somewhere they haven't been before and here they were, who all seem so impressed by the view... and they haven't eaten yet!Ü

We had the Skyline's buffet lunch and the food choices were plenty! I just couldn't say no to the different kinds of maki although i wasn't allowed any of it. And the desserts were oh so sinful! Needless to say, we were all so full...


Just before we finished eating, we heard someone playing the notes of the "Happy Birthday" song on the piano... I told Mommy jokingly, "Wow, that's for me! hahah"... and then, Jon arrived at the table smiling sheepishly... following him were the staff and the waiters of Vivere carrying cake for the birthday celebrant... I had no idea that it really was for me! I can feel all eyes on our table and me. It was a happy moment... Jon surprised me YET AGAIN... (A little backgrounder: months before, in a resto- i forgot where na, i casually mentioned to him that i've never been sung to before - upon seeing the waiters sing a joyful happy birthday to a celebrant with her friends)... He remembered!!! - and I was so touched. Even my family, I know, was touched by that gesture of his... Tnx hun! ur so thoughtful!

my birthday cake from Vivere

My sister and her family went ahead becoz she had to attend a meeting and we stayed behind for more picture-taking. Mr. Mike Enriquez was dining there also and we had the chance to corner him for a picture when he went to the restroom and we were there waiting for the elevator... I think it was his son who took this picture... Jon even shook hands with him after...Ü

After taking a nap at our house, we went straight ahead to SM Southmall to buy new contacts and eyeglasses for me... We were supposed to go to Greenhills to shop but my contact lens got lost! kainis. We had dinner at Max's (I was craving for bulalo but got karekare instead...) upon waiting for my new eyeglasses to be done...


lyn ching?

Saturday, October 09, 2004

...and then there were TWO...

TWO MONTHS that is..! Woohoo!!! (...and it's our 94th monthsary today )


...woke up early this morning for my usual saturday morning routine (--i make ballooooons! )... I had to finish it early for our appointment at PAN PAC for the 50% downpayment and the contract signing... My hun n I went there right after lunch and discussed some more details with our BSE. We were also able to see a wedding function at the Pacific Ballroom (we were alerted by my tito, thanks to him!) and I was able to visualize na our own wedding... it will be 10x more beautiful, of course!!!

We visited Wings of Dreams right after to take pictures of the butterfly holders (globes and cages) for our butterfly centerpieces which my florist requested so she will already have an idea how to decorate them with flowers...

for the guest tables for the VIP tables

...Then to Megamall afterwards... I bought some butterfly accessories at one store there months ago and i remembered there were lots of butterfly stuff there and I was kinda hoping to find gifts for my gurls... When we got there, not only did i find the perfect gift for them, i was overwhelmed with choices that i couldn't decide what to pick!!! I kept on going round and round the store to compare the items but in the end, i chose these...

jeweled brooches for the gurls

...It was another tiring yet super fulfilling day! ...and it wasn't over yet!

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ALICIA KEYS ROCKS!!!

The first time I heard that Alicia Keys is having a concert here in Manila (see my previous blog abt this), i just knew we had to watch it... but because we were saving for something big, i wasn't sure if watching it would be practical... Nway, to make the long story short, Jon didn't disappoint me... This is one of his birthday gift for me... and SHE is AMAZING!!! She definitely is a first-class talent!!!

I heard that tickets were sold-out days before the concert... And boy, was the Big Dome jampacked! ..Security was pretty tight, but pasaway that I am, I was able to sneak in our digicam. Marshalls and security men were all over the place on the lookout for those makulit people who would still use their cellphones (yes, even cellphones were asked to turned off!)... But, my hunny n I have our ways... hahah! We even have videoS of her (although they're mostly Alicia singing...)

that's Alicia Keys... pramis! :D

BTW, Luke Mijares and Kyla fronted Alicia Keys... I've seen Luke and heard him sing countless times already but Kyla, whoa, KYLA is VERY VERY GOOD!!! She hits the high notes with ease and without sounding like she's shouting or anything like that. She's really great! Another world-class Filipino talent, I must say!

The concert started at part 8pm, but Alicia Keys went out at 9. It lasted for another two hours. And we were treated by her amazing performance... she sung, danced, played the piano, conducted her band, laid on top of her grand piano and teased and flirted with the crowd. Everytime MANILA comes out of her mouth, the crowd just go crazy!!! Her hit songs FALLIN, A WOMAN's WORTH, U DON'T KNOW MY NAME, IF I AIN'T GOT U and the new hit DIARY was so well-applauded. I LOVE ALICIA KEYS!!! I'm so glad we didn't miss this...

Next on the concert scene... USHER RAYMOND??? ;)

Jinky of Freestyle, Jay of South Border and Jon n Yax (teka, who r they? hahah) ---all fans alike