On Wedding Preps: Gown Hunting

For the past months, Rain and I have been looking for wedding gown designers/couturiers here and there. I would ask my friends around, search the net, read on people's blogs etc.

Last February, my cousin and I visited this stall in Landmark Makati that offers RTW wedding gowns made from Korea. I was able to try on some of their gowns. The lady who assisted me gave me 3 different gowns to try on to see what design best suits me. Of

course they were a bit big for my size because these were RTW, remember? :)

I was told this one's called an A-Line type of gown because of its shape that looks like an A. This one's simple, nothing extraordinary.



Trumpet Cut. This one's my cousin's bet for me because it showcases my figure but my sister told me it doesn't fit on me due to my petite/short body frame hehe





This is a balloon type of gown. I like that it has a bare back that makes me look sexy lol but my friends and my parents said I look more like a debutante on this type of gown. I guess I can have the top part of it altered and made into sleeveless one and then have the skirt made into just simple flowy.

Honestly, I really enjoyed my gown fitting session. I didn't know it would be so much fun! 

I got this design from the internet. I found it very simple and elegant. Rain and I then made a decision on the amount that we would be alloting for my gown. I told him I can add a few bucks if I have to. I just wanted to wear something beautiful on my special day, after all, this is every girl's dream, to be the prettiest on their wedding day.

Ball-Gown Scoop Neck Cathedral Train Tulle Wedding Dress

Last April, my cousin sent me this link and asked me to check it out: http://www.marche-ph.com/marche-finds/top-14-philippine-wedding-gown-designers/. I read the article and started sending messages to each of the designers I found on this article, inquiring about the cost of their gowns. I also sent them the above design and asked how much it would cost. Of couse as expected, their prices are beyond our budget except for one designer- Emil Ocampo. He was the only one who met our budget so Rain and I immediately made an appointment to meet him. 3 days before our meeting with Emil, I tried searching for other couturiers since I wanted to have other options.

I found one that's located in Makati which is near to my place. I told Rain that I wanted to go there and so he accompanied me the next day. It's Merlene Marcelo's couture. When we arrived at her shop we were ushered to her office and asked to wait there. Her office looks like one of those old spanish-inspired interiors that made me a bit nostalgic. Some of her gowns worn on mannequins were displayed around the corners. After a few minutes, we finally met her. She was nice and I initially had a good feeling about her. She told me her starting price for a customized gown which is...pricey :) I showed her my peg gown. She asked me to try on 2 of her gowns. She called her 2 assistants and brought in two gowns for me to try on. I tried the first one and I felt it was too grandiose.

She called this one as Cascading because it's made of series of laces.

The second one I tried on was called Cavalier because of the intricate details on it specifically the beadings. I liked this one better because it looks more similar to my peg design so I told her I'd be considering this one.

I really like those laces!

It was funny how these 2 gowns fit on me like it was made for me lol. I asked my friends' opinion about what gown looks better on me and they all said the first one does. They all like it even my sisters. I asked Rain and he said the same thing. He just didn't say it during the time of my fitting because he saw how happy I was when I wore the second one. They didn't like that it has a high neckline and it hides my shoulder blades. They told me that the Cascading gown looks really beautiful on me and is not as grandiose as I think it is. They said it's simple but elegant. My sister said it's fascinating and timeless, wow!

After giving some thoughts on it, I finally decided to choose the Cascading gown. But Merlene's price was still beyond our budget so we went to Emil as scheduled, that was May 24.

Emil's shop was smaller compared to Merlene's but it was full of his clients when we arrived. I didn't wonder why considering the fact that he was one of the top designers included in a previously released article. When it was our turn, he asked for my peg gown and I showed her the first peg gown that I got from the internet and then the Cascading one made by Merlene. He was so amazed with the Cascading gown and he said he can make it for me (in an affordable price). After leaving Emil's shop, I told Rain I felt a bit bad about having someone else make a gown that was designed by a different person and so I decided to go back to Merlene and do some negotiation.

When we came back to Merlene, she agreed to make the gown for a reasonable price with the same fabric and all and so finally we made a deal. I just told her that I want it to be in Ivory white instead of champagne so it will look more like a wedding gown. We went home and sent our deposit to her account and after 2 weeks we went back to her shop to have my measurements taken.

We will be coming back sometime on the third week of this month for my first fitting. Yayy!! This is so exciting! I just wish the final gown will look perfect on me.

Goodbye to my 1st choice of SDE song

Remember my last post about how much I wanted the song "You Are Mine"  by Spencer Combs  for our SDE? And remember what I said about it being so familiar? It turned out it was the same song used by one of my friends on her SDE video. Funny, huh? Why did I not remember that? But I remember liking their SDE video after seeing it during their wedding last March. After having watched a lot of SDE videos, I said I like theirs the most and maybe because it was the song! I just realized it when I told Rain that the song really was familiar and I went over thru my friend's timeline and watched her video and I was right. It was their SDE song. Although there is nothing wrong if we use the same song for our SDE but still I want something different, a song that hasn't been used in any SDE video yet.

So now I'm back to hunting the perfect song for our on-site video (and a list of songs for the wedding day program). I'm getting a bit pressured now because 5 months have already gone and there are so so much more things to do. Although I have booked most of my suppliers already including my wedding gown, yeey! and that I will tell more on my next post, I still feel tense and worried. We're not halfway yet on our DIY projects, we haven't met and talked to our suppliers regarding our wedding theme plans/suggestions, I still have to find suppliers for 1. Flowers 2. Entourage 3. Bridal Car 4. Dessert Bar 5. Acoustic/Band 6. Rings!

So if you happen to read this blog, I hope you can help me by at least providing me some songs I could choose from for our SDE.

Thank you so much!

Whom to invite??

We're supposed to have 120 guests only but we have to allot extra for our suppliers and "uninvited guests". Yes, that's right. I was told that eventhough we're going to be really strict with the number of guests who will be coming on our wedding, we can't have control over unexpected guests so we decided on having a total of 150 guests. I thought listing down the name of the guests we're inviting would be easy but it wasn't. Then one day, I found this pic on one of the blogs I came to visit. Thought it will be a big help to me since I'm really having a hard time choosing my guests. lol

So for those who are like me, hope you find this one helpful too!

The chosen song for our SDE

Eversince Rain and I started with all the wedding planning and preps, I have been looking for the right songs (for our SDE, wedding program) and I came to notice how difficult it really was. I told Rain that for our SDE, I want a song that isn't too loud and perky. I want it to be a bit dramatic and touching in a sense. There is nothing wrong with a lively music but I've seen several music videos and same day edit and I most certainly like the ones with melodramatic music with powerful lyrics. I find them more captivating than the loud ones I guess that's because I am an emotional person (okay, I admit it now) lol

A few days ago, when Rain and I were watching the 22nd episode of The Middle Season 6, I finally heard the song that definitely fits our Same Day Edit. It wasn't new and I think I've already heard it before but I just couldn't remember. I instantly liked it as the music and lyrics were so so so perfect for our SDE.

So before I totally forget this song, when I went to work that night, I referred to my bestfriend (google) and searched for its title and lyrics. I then watched the full music video at youtube and I just couldn't help myself from falling in love with it. I liked it so much and so I am doing a post about it now. I wish I can upload a video of it but I'm so new to blogging I don't know how to do it so I am just going to post the lyrics so you guys can have an idea on why I fell in love with this song.. Oh I can't wait to watch our dream onsite wedding video with this as the background song.

You are mine by Spencer Combs (Feat. Holley Maher)

There is no words to show you how
No song that's come from David's crown
I could take my sole and pour it out
At your feet, but I'll wait patiently, for you

Oh I will, forever and always
Put you before me, to the end of time
But until then, 'til my last breath rolls in
Oh I am yours and you are mine

My heart beats for you alone
No house can hold the love that we own
Everytime you fall from grace to your knees
I'll wait patiently, for you

Oh I will, forever and always
Put you before me, to the end of time
But until then, 'til my last breath rolls in
Oh I am yours and you are mine

Oh someday we'll see
What forever means
My love


Will you agree with me when I say this song is so lovely?

We just got confirmed!

Last May 9, Saturday, Rain and I had our confirmation at Mary Mediatrix of All Grace Parish. Straight from night shift, we just had our breakfast at home and went straight to the church. Our primary sponsor, my aunt, arrived shortly after us. The ceremony took about an hour and a half after which we went to a resto and had a late lunch together. Quite a day, one task accomplished.

with our ninang Dina :)

The Confirmation Seminar

As part of the Catholic Church requirements, Rain and I must have our Confirmation and before we are allowed to have this, we must first attend a confirmation seminar which we did last Saturday, April 18, 2015.

Rain and I actually did not prepare anything for the seminar. We didn't spend time to read and get info about what might be discussed prior so we totally had limited information about the topic. We thought that it would be just like any other seminars we attended before where in the speaker will be the one to talk everything about the subject and apparently, we were wrong about that.

With our requirements on hand, we arrived on time for the seminar. It was held in a conference room beside the church of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace which is where our wedding ceremony will be held in Dec. There were about a total of 8 attendees including us. I was surprised that Rain and I were the only adult ones there. The rest were teenagers (ages 11-13 y/o).

After finding our respective seats, without even introducing himself, the speaker started to ask someone to lead the opening prayer.  Because I was the oldest there, I did the prayer. After that, he began to ask questions, “What confirmation is, why we are there”.  Rain gave an answer but it seemed that he was not satisfied so he repeated the question and said that if no one will answer, we won't move on. This provoked my inner anger and so was the person in the back who happened to be the father of one of the attendees. He stood up and bravely told the speaker that he’s doing it the wrong way. He told him that the attendees went to the seminar to learn and not to be questioned upon. I bowed my head in agreement but what was irritating was that the speaker answered him back in a defensive and domineering manner, like he knew what he was doing and all. So the man asked for his name (which the speaker gave) and took his daughter away. Before leaving, he told him that he will speak to the priest for that but the speaker did not seem to care at all.

We spent the rest of the day listening to him and trying our best to give him the answers to his questions. I decided not to differ with his ways anymore and just go with it because we had to. We needed the confirmation cards to be able to attend the actual confirmation on May 9. To suit myself, I just ignored the annoyance I felt, tried to internalize and ask questions, make comments, and laugh to his jokes. Before we knew it, 2 hours had passed and the seminar was over.  I offered to make the closing prayer after which our confirmation cards were distributed to us.

We were thankful that the seminar has ended and we are now halfway to getting our confirmation. Although, it felt like a bit of old school, I’m still thankful for all that I have learned and re-learned. So for those people who will be attending the confirmation seminar, and if you will have it in the same church like ours, I suggest doing your homework first, research on the topic so that you get to give the correct answers which in turn will help cut out the time spent in the seminar.

More church requirements for us to fulfill! Whew!

On Wedding Preps: Starting our DIY Project!

We have two reasons for coming up with our DIY project. 1. We want our wedding to be “uniquely” us and 2. We’re on a tight budget and doing such will probably lessen the cost of our total wedding expenditures.  

I was the one who picked our wedding theme. I thought that Frozen-themed wedding was cool so we came up with a winter-themed wedding. Our color motif: icy blue with a touch of silver. Rain said it was ok and even thought of it as classy and pretty. 

So after several researches on webs and magazines about designs and creations related to our wedding theme, we came up with the following and these, by far, are the ones we’ve just recently started and are still on the process of making.

1. Guest Favors

Nowadays, I notice that most wedded couples opt to rent photo booths and let their guests have multiple photos of themselves and consider these as their wedding souvenirs. It’s unique because you get to choose the lay out that you want in the photo paper. Guests can also properly take care of these keepsakes by placing them on their photo albums or putting them up in frames unlike the conventional souvenirs such as figurine displays, collectibles, and candles etc. which only get dusty over time.  

In addition to having a photo booth on our wedding, we wanted to give our guests a bit more as a token of appreciation for their presence. We thought of something that will have a unique touch of our theme but won’t have to be expensive. Then I found an old box of perfume that my sister gave me and Rain used it as a sample to create more boxes. We just bought the right paper, got some snowflake puncher, scissors, glue and hola! We’ve got our giveaway box! We’re filling it with chocolate kisses in blue wrap. 

 As I was writing this blog, Rain has already made about 21 boxes already so he still has 129 boxes to make haha!

2.  Winter wedding decors

We found this picture in Pinterest and I found this really exquisite. Wine bottles as centerpieces, painted in white with bottom covered with Epsom salt, beautiful, right?

Here’s another one. Clear vases with twigs, simple and fascinating! I would love to have these on my tables. 

Rain and I went to Divisoria one Saturday and looked for bottles and mason jars that we can use. We found some and bought them. We were supposed to buy twigs as well but they’re heavy so we just planned to buy them on our next visit.

We haven’t started doing this project yet as we’re still searching on where to buy Epsom salt (if it's being sold here in our place)

3. Wrist band/ bracelet for our secondary sponsors 

When Rain and I did a survey on the cost of flower arrangement, we were really surprised to know how expensive it really was so I looked for an alternative to flowers starting off with my entourage. Instead of a bouquet of flowers I thought of giving them wrist bands and I found this lovely picture in the internet. 

During our visit in Divisoria, I was happy to find an almost the same snowflake designs in one of the stores and I immediately bought them! We bought ribbons and other stuff too. We’re still figuring out how to come up with a beautiful wristband just like the picture above so this project is also pending for now.

Of course we also want our entourage to have something in return for their special roles in our wedding. Still in Divisoria, we found this store that sells all kinds of beads and I thought that it will be great to create/customize bracelets for our entourage. I am proud to say that these were already done and were specially made by Rain!

We’re still thinking of what to give for the boys! 

4. Table numbers and Escort cards

 

For table numbers and escort cards, we are yet to decide what paper to use but to begin with, I got these pictures from the internet.

We’ll be using them as samples. Below are the stuff we thought we could use in making them.

glitters and cut-out snowflakes

So there goes our own DIY Project! I’m sure we still have more to come up with. I just hope everything will be done just right on time for our wedding. Oh well, there are still more that we can do in 9 months, right? Wish us luck!