Wedding Expo sharing

Last Saturday, I went with my sister, who also happens to be (one of) my maid(s) of honor to the Wedding Expo in PICC. Grabe, it was good that we drove our cousin(one of my bridesmaids) to the airport early morning, and arrived at the expo a little before twelve o'clock. There weren't as many people when we got there, pero one our way out, around 3:30, super daming tao! Kaya for the next bridal fairs, I made a mental note to really go early.

Admittedly, I was a little sad when I saw couples holding hands as they walked through the booths. I missed my Babe... its one of those times when I really wished he wasn't working abroad. But then, he was here with me naman in moments that really mattered (like last Christmas, and when someone really close to my family died) and as promised, he called me up when I was already at the expo to ask how I'm doing and if i'm enjoying the hunt so far. Its a big deal for me since there's four hours time difference, and he could have been still asleep at that time. And its okay na rin since he abhors shopping and going to one shop (or booth) over and over. It would have caused a fight... or not. Anyway, I'm glad rin naman that it was my darling sis who accompanied me to the expo. She's my best girl and the best person to come with me with things like that because we have the same taste and enjoy the same things.

We had fun naman, she got a trial makeup from... oh no I forgot the name. Basta the name of the one who did her makeup was Junie. He's really good. He does makeup for tv celebrities. My sister was so impressed with her makeup, that she wanted to hire him for my wedding and get a different makeup artist from mine! Eh that's so not possible, since the makeup artist I'm getting is a relative, and parang tradition na that he does the hair and makeup of bride and mother and sister of every wedding in our family. He also did the hair and makeup of me and my sister on our proms and debuts. He's really good naman and of course he charges us super minimum lang. So yun, haha. Anyway, my sister's pestering me to get Junie even for the pre-nup lang, and she vows to get Junie in any occasion that she can! Not bad at all... hahaha!

So, aside from Kaye's fondness for Junie and her beautiful makeup, another accomplishment is having booked Angel of Hearts, for flowers for the church and my entourage. I personally met Lawrence, the owner of Angel of Hearts and made chika about the weddings of my aunts who got him as supplier. After which, I showed him the photos I got from the net of how I want the church and the flowers to look like, as in I loaded my usb pa in his computer ha! He was really easy to talk to, he gave me a really good rate with lots of freebies because suki na nga talaga ang family ko. Afterwards, I booked him for my wedding na :) there are some changes with my requirements, but I'll look for him na lang in Dangwa :)

We sampled (and went back several times for) Joy San Gabriel's cakes. It was delish! Originally I didn't want to spend so much on the cake, but upon tasting her creations, I suddenly have to think twice. Hmmm... its really mouthwatering that I have to stop blogging about it coz I'm starting to crave. Ok... now, stop.

I almost booked with Nice Print, kaya lang I had to think twice kasi I need to consult Babe first on how much he's willing to spend for these aspects. Although I'm pretty much convinced na rin that they're the best for us eh. I wanted to meet Meanne of Sensitivity Lights and Sounds personally, but she was busy talking to a client eh I was kinda exhausted na rin walking around the venue.

Anyway, it was a tiring but fulfilling day :) I'm looking forward to going to more bridal fairs in tne coming months. Hopefully, Babe can join me in one of these trips. Sana may bridal fair sa December... that's a breathe of fresh air from all the Christmas bazaars around the metro :)


More preps coming along! Umaandar na talaga toh!

Busy as a bride-to-be

Before anything else, I need to let out one big.... Haaaaayyy....

Why the sigh you ask. Nothing, I just feel so exhausted with work and starting up our business recently. It almost feels like I have no more time for myself. No time to watch tv and marvel on little things, on my interests. Exaggerating much? Well, I go home, take my dinner if I have an appetite, do my routine in the bathroom, pray and dream for a bit, then doze off. The next day I wake up early, no time to make my presence felt with my brothers and sister and even eat my breakfast.

Weekends are packed, because of occulars and wedding fairs and overtimes, and couple errands and service. I don't know if I can even squeeze in some time to watch a movie or read a magazine (that's not related to weddings).

Hey, I'm not complaining. Or maybe I am a little. Its not the wedding preps that's making me antsy. I'm loving it that sometimes I can't stop talking about it. Its not the wedding, its not even the new business. Its the thing that's most unnatural to me - office work. I remember in college, a professor who can see past lives told me that I was once a princess from an exotic land. So maybe that's why I abhor working like a slave. Hahaha. No, its more of an issue with time. You know, I have always believed that life should be spent with the people you love. Your family for instance. And so, I dread leaving for work every morning and coming home at night with no energy at all to have fun with them.

I don't picture myself being a nine to five office girl, running late for the bus, answering calls and emails. Putting in too much time outside the home that when its really time for home, you feel like a lifeless zombie, you don't get to enjoy your time with people who matter.

I pictured a different future for myself; it maybe the same with every girl, I don't know. But this is mine: I want to be able to kid around and stay up late with my husband until we get tired from laughing the entire night. I want to savor the hugging and cuddling and sweet nothings when we wake up in the morning. And to have the time and energy to prepare for him a nice breakfast, fix his tie and his hair, and put colored post its on his books, lunchbox and laptop so he'll think of me throughout the day, and then after work, he'll come home to a fresh-looking sweet smelling wife who has already prepared his dinner.

Of course, I'll still work, but not go to work. I'll write, answer emails, and have everything done at home. Except when I need to be in an event that my company is handling or when visiting and supervising our business in any part of the day. Still I'll have time to talk to my mother on the phone, to watch a movie with my sister, and give advice to my girlfriends. Of course that won't change even when we have our own kids except that I will devote most, if not all of my time for them.

Oh how beautiful life is. But first, I need to claim it, that it will happen. Because for something to be achieved, it should be conceived in the mind. And so it will...

Action is needed of course. Which is why I'm really striving now, to really save up, and prepare for a good future so that I won't have to be struggling by then. So now apart from work, I'm devoting my time to starting up our food cart business in the south. Although I don't know if I have ever worked this hard in my entire life, I could say that I am really motivated, especially since I have set my eyes and my heart on my long-term goals.

Also, although my body's really complaining, its easier than I thought especially because I chose the best company to help me achieve my goals. The Filipino Dream. I was never the entrepreneur-type until I found this company, in the best timing if I may add. Just as I was all set to prepare for my future family. So, not for the purpose of plugging, I really recommend this business to friends who are coupled-up, who have thought of taking the next step and those who just want a better life for their families. Let me tell you, its never too early to start planning and saving up. If you need information on this, let me know and I will help you.

Anyway, I notice my entry is getting longer so I would have to end soon. Yet, like I said, getting married is difficult and stressful at some point, but nothing compares to the anticipation of being with the love of your life, building your dreams together. Haay... this is a kilig-one compared to the stressed sigh I had at the start of this entry. Love... is the reason behind everything. So if I were you, I'd prepare for the big day, and the bigger days to come after that.

Hopefully, I'll be able to post wedding related entries before the end of the week, or rather before the start of another week :)

wedding preps realizations

A few months into the preparations, you might ask: for an event person, what is the hardest part in planning and preparing for your own wedding?

My honest answer: making the decisions!

The coordination and looking for suppliers is a blast, but when it comes to having the final say, I'm finding it really hard to just choose one! Its not like I don't think hard when making the decisions on past weddings that I coordinated, its just that, with that one I make sure to consult the couple or the bride at least, until the day before the wedding for last minute changes or instructions and I just give the go signal on the day itself while keeping their best interest at heart. I don't know why I can't seem to do that for my own wedding. Maybe its because as a young girl and a typical romantic, I've dreamed of that day for a long time and I want it to be nothing short of perfect. So now that it's about to become a reality, I'm scared that if I make a decision and it becomes the decision that will make my wedding a disaster...I might have that shoulda wouldas that I always have at the end of things, and will I regret it afterwards?

And of course its our budget. Never mind my small contribution, its my fiancee's hard-earned money that I'm using! Especially since he has been a real sweetheart with our wedding preps, not being stingy in our budget, not making a big deal on the number of zeros required in cash (he has always been a saver, and very prudent man, not too expensive in lifestyle) just to make sure that we'll have the best on our big day. I need to make sure that everything I spend on is worth every penny. Worth every minute that he has to be apart from me and work abroad. The best groom and husband to be deserves the best wedding. Well I guess I just need to trust myself more when it comes to my wedding. I think I did, and am still doing my research and I'm not deciding on impulse naman, so I shouldn't be too scared, as long as I know I have carefully thought of every decision. And I always consult him naman :)

Next question: What is the thing you're most nervous about when it comes to the wedding?

Well, I'm a planner and I want everything to be ready on my wedding day. And now I'm sure I'll be able to get everything done except for the legal documents.

Its really complicated when your groom is abroad. If I can, I'll do everything, every paper that I need to submit by myself this instant, but of course, both the bride and groom has to make an appearance before the court, and church. So there... adding to my anxiety is the fact that some of these documents has an expiration period and are only valid for a certain number of months. Aaarrgh! Its one of the things I'm really nervous about. What if everything's all set except for the papers, without which, we won't be able to get married...

Sigh... well, Babe's next vacation will be in December so by then, I have to prepare the things that we need to be able to attend the seminars that we need to complete while he's here. Well, mukha lang sigurong mahirap, but I have an aunt naman who went through the same thing because she married a foreigner. Kung nagawa nga niya eh... I'm sure kaya ko rin :) Anyway, my Babe is doing his share of hardwork and sacrifice for this, I just have to do mine :)

For my fellow beautiful brides, try to ponder on the same questions just to give you some insights as you savor the moments that you prepare for the big day... :)

For other friends who are viewing my blog, or will view my blog at one point, mahirap magpakasal. Pero masaya :) You just need to be ready for it I guess...

Cute Blogger Award

I'm not new to blogging, yet in writing about my wedding preps escapades and interacting with fellow blogging brides, you can consider me a newbie. And so as I was tagged by some of my blogging w@wie sisters, I do this enjoyable thingy ;)

1. Each blogger must post these rules
2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves
3. Bloggers that are tagged need to write ten facts about themselves. You need to choose ten people to tag and list their names.

so... here goes =) :

1. I love Capiz Shells. Yesterday I was in Manila Penn and I fell in love with their chandelier with Capiz Shells. I own several capiz earrings and necklaces. And staring at a capiz chimes or decor kind of puts me in a daze sometimes. Which is why will still incorporate this capiz in our wedding theme and gifts for our principal sponsors. Buti na lang we know of a very affordable supplier of these native materials :)

2. I like cake more than ice cream. It makes me kind of a lola in that way. I used to like ice cream more when I was a kid, but growing up I saw that ice cream, despite the array of flavors get more boring as compared to cake, which keeps on reinventing itself. Hahaha. I especially love cheesecake, lemon torte from Sugarhouse and Mango Bravo from Contis.

3. I love going to the beach. I'm a summer person kasi. I had a conversation with a friend about places in the Philippines that we often like to visit, and we concluded that we are different with our preference. She is a Baguio person (like she really goes there at least thrice a year) while I'm a Boracay/beach person. I try to go to Boracay at least once or twice a year, and hit the beach at least thrice. I love the beach. The calming yet exciting sound of the waves, the mixture of oranges and purples and blues in the horizon. The feeling of sand on my feet. The laidback bonding with my friends over drinks and walking hand in hand with my babe by the seashore. I could be there forever.

4. I am a bookworm. I prefer reading books or magazines over watching TV. Its the best way to keep me from getting bored.

5. I am a creature of habit. When I like something, I am loyal to it. In food especially. Even in restaurants that I frequent, I order the same course over and over again for years. Like for Cibo its the Venneziana pasta; in TGIFridays its Chicken Fingers, Ceasar Salad and a strawberry iced tea; for Hawaiian Barbeque its baby back ribs and sour cream baked potato. For gerry's grill its sizzling sisig, adobo shreds and crab rice. Tried and tested for years. Ask the waiters. Hahaha.

6. I have more than 20 diaries in my lifetime. I'm only 23 by the way. And I keep cute notbeooks or journals given by friends or by my dad. One of my favorites was a pasalubong by my friend Ann when she went to the States, its a two-sided journal, one cover has a illustration of a heart with flowers and stuff and the other cover has an illustration of a broken heart and flower petals scattered like it has been ruined. I still use it up to now, to write super happily in-love or totally heartbroken moments. Another one of my favorites was given by my dad from his recent US trip, it has a black and white venetian, scrolly-curly theme, I haven't used it yet and I want my wedding vows to be the first entry in that diary.

7. I like to sing, and when I sing, I internalize as if I'm on a music video.. I say that because my sister internalizes like she's have a concert or a gig coz she sings clenching her fist and putting it near her chin like a microphone. I have that 'malayo ang tingin' look when I'm singing. I have major LSS when I start singing, and when I'm using my ipod in public transportation like the shuttle, I always sing along with the song even if other people can hear.

8. I have been so affected by the Chris Brown-Rihanna controversy. Friends even text me and give me updates coz they know I appreciate it. I watched their concert here in Manila and I have always loved Rihanna as a singer. But I won't take sides coz Chris Brown seems like a sweetheart. I hope they make up soon. But both should consider counseling.

9. I am an advocate. I believe that I am a feminist, in a way that I believe that women are as capable as men in any field. And that they have every right to fight back when they are not treated right. Women should be respected and loved. Women are powerful. I'm a big supporter of anti-poverty and education for children of all ages.

10. Writing is my first love. I love to write and although I'm kind of not practicing it as much in my career, I'm thankful for the gift of blog. :)

So... for other blogger brides or just bloggers out there, join the bandwagon, you're tagged!

booked venue and date. Yahoo!

yey! finally after stressing on it for a while, I have finally made the initial reservations for the church!

Ate Josie, the lady in-charge was nice and really helpful. I told her about my situation, my fiancee being out of the country and she made some suggestions about submitting the requirements and getting a schedule for interview with the priest, pre-cana and other stuff.

Can't believe I just need to pay 5,000 to complete my reservation for my dream church. Haha. It includes na raw the use of the electricity, and sound system. I think I got me a pretty good deal. Plus Ate Josie was really an angel so that was like a bonus ;)

I can't believe I have finally done the reservation; I know its one of the most important things that I have to prioritize and now its like we've taken one big step closer to our wedding :) it feels so good and now I know how my fellow w@wies feel after they've put one big check to their list :)

Next: make the pegs for the dresses and for the theme, draft a guestlist and list of entourage and schedule an occular to Portofino.

HAhahahahappy preps!

movie date with my MOHs

I went to watch 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' with my bestest homegirls this afternoon, my sister Kaye and bestfriend Jai.

I was feeling a little exhausted during the day so I took a leave from work. In the afternoon I felt a little better and in the mood for a movie so I invited Kaye and later on texted Kups (that's our nickname for each other, with Jai and I) and she was happy to take a break from dinner with her new boyfriend (which we definitely approved of).

The movie was fun :) just the movie to share with your bestfriend and sister. Especially since they're the two girls who I can expect to get me out in a rut, like Suze for Rebecca in the movie. The part where Suze was getting married and Rebecca showed up and they reconciled was touching.

After that, we drove Jai to her new apartment (saw it for the first time) and then went straight home. Pretty little time to chat, but we did all we can while Kaye was driving. YEt, I had the best time with my Maids of Honor :)

Anyway, tried to make the reservations at the church today, but apparently the parish office was closed on Mondays. Hopefully I get out of the office early one day this week. Its my goal to reserve the church before February ends. :) and my babe and I decided to start drafting or guestlist so that we'll know how many to expect and how much to allot as budget for the food :) wish me luck :)

Best Valentines day gift

my babe never forgets to send me flowers on special occasions. its really thoughtful. but, for this Valentines, I got something even more special from him, when he didn't really give it to me... REad on:

Dear Tito Robert and Tita Ging,

Hello po!

First of all po, gusto kong humingi ng paumanhin sa biglaan namin desisyon ni camille sa kasal at hindi po namin nasabi sa inyo agad ang aming mumunting plano.

Thank you po kasi for all the years sa relationship namin ay pinagkatiwala niyo po sa akin si camille at pasensya na po kayo kung minsan ay di ko po nasusunod yung mga hiling niyo po na ihatid siya at pati na rin po yung di namin maiwasan na arguments (paminsan minsan lang naman po) and pati po hindi po ako nakakpagbonding sa inyo gaano kasi po medyo nahihiya pa po ako eh. Hahaha

Pero siyempre, laking pasasalaamt ko po sa inyo dahil po kung wala kayo most probably wala si camille and she is all I have ever wanted po, for me she is perfect like her parents. Sa pag-invite niyo po sa akin sa mga gatherings niyo, sa pagpapakilala niyo sa akin sa mga kamag-anak niyo and sa lahat lahat na po. Hinding hind ko po malilimutan yun for the rest of my life. J

Alam po namin na hindi po madali ang tatahakin namin landas and I know naman nandiyan lang po kayo to support us and help us about being husband and wife and building a family. And again, muli po akong nagpapasalamat sa inyo, taas po ang kamay ko sa inyo.

Ingats po parati! And God bless!

Yours truly,

Alexis “koko a.k.a. jericho rosales” Eusebio

Well, I secretly wanted a love letter for Valentines, and although this wasn't written for me, I was so touched when I learned that my fiancee sent my parents an email for now reason at all. It really made my day :)