Wicked

Four months late :D Here's our wedding video.  I'm super happy with Niceprint for this.  They pulled off exactly what I was going for.  Plus it's Coldplay on the background *super melt*.

For more wedding details from this reformed bridezilla, click on this link.

Photo cred: Niceprint

I heart Veluz (part 2)

Mr. and Mrs.... Finally!

It's finally official! We're married!!!  The day went by so fast.  I was trying to soak as much as I could and just really enjoy the moment.  So no crazy bridezilla antics, my wedding planner was surprised at how calm I was.  People were commenting that I was probably the giggliest bride they've seen (hmmm, giggly or bungisngis hehe) From the ceremony to the cocktails and the reception all the way to the after party - We were just all smiles.

I love the fact that even with 500++ guests we were still able to talk to each and every guest.  And surprisingly, we actually know all 500++ guests.  Who knew right!?!

Thanks to Veluz Reyes for making my absolute dream of a dress.  Everyone just loved all the intricate detailing of the gown and of course the much-noticed sheep-skinned like skirt.

Thank you to Hubby's friend, Dennis Panlilio for taking the pictures for our movie posters.  And yes! that's really us on the picture.  No cut and paste there!

Thanks to Niceprint Photography.  I know that silly OC bride me had a gazillion check list for Edwin and James but in the end they did their thing and I was more than thrilled.  It pays to trust your photographer talaga since they've been doing it for ages and probably knows more about the perfect angle than you ever would.

Thanks to Detalye Weddings for placing our wedding tokens and seat cards prior to guests arrival (that plus so much more).

Thank you to Angel of Tropical Blooms for transforming One Esplanade into such a lovely, magical room.  Our wedding wouldn't be as special without his touch.

And finally thanks to all our family and friends without whom, last Sunday would not have been as special.

 at the executive lounge for the wedding after-party!

Photo cred: friend's and S-i-l's cameras + a few from Niceprint

Wedding 101: For the DIY Bride

Fun idea from bridescafe.com.  It gives your wedding so much more character.  Plus nothing beats a wedding where thee guests are eager participants right?You never know, one of your guests might be a professional photog in the making.

Wedding 101: Our Invites

Our wedding invites are finally out! Yay... I love it.  Thanks to Beth of Printlane for painstakingly glueing the little swarovski-like crystals.  It's the guests' first impression to our wedding and OC-bride me is extremely happy to know that it's been getting all praises from everyone we've handed it out to so far.  They are loving the understated classiness of it all. Looks very posh daw cause of its simplicity and of course the swarozskis that fiance and I searched high heavens for, (Ok, silly me is nagbubuhat ng sariling bangko once again hehe!)  I especially love the fiance's friends reaction.  Boys are so easily impressed I tell you hee.

Cheers, it's officially 42 days to go!!!

Wedding 101: The Ring

I haven't been able to blog as much as I want to.  I'm blaming myself for this.  You see, this week I was officially known as One Thumb Jake.  Long story short - I accidentally starred in my own horror movie nightmare and chipped off a huge chunk of my thumb nail :O OUCH!!!

Wedding 101: Cute DIY ideas

If you're like me and is not a huge fan of rather busy looking invitation cards, then opt for a classic one for your wedding invites and then go a wee bit crazier or poppier with your STDs.  Here's one idea from a real couple.  You can see the relationship time line on their STD.  How cool is that!

Photocred: My DIY Wedding Day

Wedding 101: I heart Veluz Reyes

Yesterday afternoon, I had my third fitting with Veluz.  This was the first time I get to see what my gown looks like.  The first two fittings were really to just get the lining perfect.  And I can say with no shame whatsoever that this silly blogger has turned into one sappy mush.  Who knew!?

Countdown: 3 months to go

After a year of being engaged, 8 months of trying to plan the perfect wedding... it is officially just

90 Days before D-Day!

Our wedding partners in crime:

Wedding Gown: Veluz Reyes (love love love love, what more can I say???)

Contact details: www.veluzreyes.blogspot.com

Groom's Tux: Randy Ortiz (The fiance saw an acquaintance wearing a Randy Ortiz suit on this one wedding we attended and immediately he was smitten.  This was one of the only things I remember him insisting upon.  So we didn't meet with any other designers for him.  Just like a good pair of CK underwear, it was Randy Ortiz or nothing at all apparently hee)

Contact Info: 0922-6006449, Office is at K-6th street Kamias, Quezon City


Entourage Couturier: Frankie De Leon (He did most of the bridal entourage for my sister's friends so I'm very confident with his designs and skills)

Contact Info: 0917-3999828; Shop is located at 1585 Eureka St., Makati City

Make up artist: Cathy Cantada.  Highly recommended by my gown designers Veluz and Niko plus she's a friend of Jean so was able to get a tinsy winsy discount.


Contact Info: 0917-8516608
 

Caterer: Gloria Mariz (I originally wanted to get Le Souffle but this was the only one thing that my future father in law insisted upon and so...)  We booked from the Greenhills branch.  I'm a bit antsy about the whole outside catering thing.  We still haven't finalized the menu with Gloria Mariz, because my MIL has been very busy the past few months. Hope to settle this before she and the fiance leaves for China next week.


Venue: One Esplanade (such a cool group of people to talk to. Very easy to deal with)




 Contact Info: 0922-8753927 look for Mabel


Church: Mary the Queen

Contact: 7229711 look for Noemi

Florist/Stylist: Tropical Blooms (I can't wait for Sept 10. Finally get to see the mock up for all the flowers and styling we have been talking about for months)

Contact: 09194433936 look for Angel 

Lights and Sounds: SNS lights and sounds (they're the ones who did Ryan-Judy Ann's wedding reception at Le Souffle)

Contact Info: 496-2845 look for Sarah

Music: Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.  Met with MPO twice already.  Finalized all our songs and glad to note that Rodel's been very helpful.  Even agreed to learn a couple of songs that weren't part of their music library yet.


Contact Info: 0917-5374841 look for Rodel

Photographer/Videographer: Niceprint Photography (One of the very first suppliers we booked)

Contact Info: 6365505 look for Judith


Invitation: Printlane (very happy with Beth, she is by fat the most accommodating printer we've sought out) - - of course that's not ours (below) heehee


We're in the middle of closing the "deal" with another supplier. September is going to fly by so fast with all the wedding details we have to attend to plus history is not on our side. September has pretty much been the most hectic month for the fiance and I's social life. Sigh, sometimes I wish I really was anti-social! Or better yet, sometimes I wish I was Ms. M-I-A in parties. 90 days and counting... let the madness begins!

Photocreds: official websites for Randy Ortiz, Mary the Queen, Tropical Blooms and Printlane.

Love Conquers all and other myths

(This article came out on yahoo recently, reposting it with some foot notes from yours truly)

Here is what relationship experts think about the tried, but not always true, love sayings.

by Stacey Colino

1. Say “I Love You” Every Day

Barbara De Angelis, personal-development expert: Say it as often as possible. There’s no reason to be emotionally stingy with the person you love.

Nancy Kalish, psychologist: I agree that it should be said often, but it should be said sincerely, so it means something. Not just “Good-bye. Love you.”

Jake Pua, phonecall hater: Agree! I love these 2 particular scenes from My Best Friends Wedding. First, Dylan McDermont was telling Julia Roberts one of the reasons why he loves Cameron Diaz, “When I hugged her, even in public, she never pulls away. She lets me hold her for as long as I want.” & second, “Kimmie always say that if you love somebody, you say it, you say it right there, otherwise the moment just passes you away.”

2. Play Hard to Get

Sam Yagan, dating-website cofounder: Playing hard to get starts the relationship off on a deceptive foot. If you want your relationship to be based on trust, honesty, and communication, why would you begin it like that?

Greg Behrendt, coauthor of He’s Just Not That Into You: You shouldn’t play hard to get; you should be hard to get, because your life is so busy and fulfilling. My wife and I call it being a MOD―a moving object of desire.

Jake Pua, pretentious love guru: Agree with GB. Don’t care if it’s straight out of the pages from The Rules book, but I firmly believe that if a man wants you, he will and should do all the pursuing. I find girls who make the first move kinda icky and desperate (I know I know I’m judgmental, feminist police shoot me now! But seriously, one of my friends once told me how his now girlfriend used to drop not so subtle hints about them, even giving him some sort of pastry as a gift pre-relationship :O this old fashion Manang is not approving of such gestures.)

3. Your Spouse Shouldn’t Be Your Best Friend

Pepper Schwartz, sociologist: I agree. I think you’re asking a lot of your marriage to have the level of confidentiality, truthfulness, and disclosure that a best friendship has. Your marriage can fulfill only so many roles.

John Gray, author of Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus: I have no problem with partners who are best friends, but you should have other close friends to confide in as well―especially when you are having relationship difficulties and need time away from your spouse. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Jake Pua, never been married idealist: Yes and No. Dear Fiance knows everything about me. That includes all my evil kennivel ways. I am madly in love with him and can never stop laughing especiallly when we’re in one of our crazy adventures AND yet I don’t want to use the label “best friend” on him. He’s that and everything else. But the term best friend is still reserved to my BFFs.

4. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

De Angelis: A little bit of absence can help you appreciate your partner. Too much is dangerous. Relationships need connection, and it’s challenging to stay connected when you aren’t spending time together.

Schwartz: To a point―and then absence makes the heart go roaming. You need a steady diet of intimacy and the other person’s presence to remember why you’re in the relationship. If you don’t see each other often enough, you can start to lead parallel lives instead of lives that intersect.

Jake Pua, a self confessed claker: A month a part was literally hell! I love my friends, don’t get me wrong. And I’m not the type to stay home and sulk but you know when you’re out having fun there’s always that moment when you realize how much you’re missing that other person when he’s away. And then you cursed the whole romanticized idea of "absence makes the heart go fonder"

5. You Can Learn to Love Someone

Judy Kuriansky, sex therapist: That’s true, depending on how you define love. You may not have the love-at-first-sight kind of love, but the deep companion kind of love―in terms of trusting each other and being a team―can develop over time.

Behrendt: No, that sounds like settling. I don’t believe in settling, because it’s not fair to the person you’re with or yourself. It’s not like settling on an apartment you don’t love but can live with.

Jake Pua, ex romantic novel junkie: NO NO NO. I believe in the whole love at first sight, love conquers all mantra. I don’t think it’s possible to teach your heart to love someone you weren’t really A. attracted to in the first place B. passionate about C. connecting with. You can go own fooling everyone, and even yourself in the process, but one day, someday, it will just hit you - you have just settled with one of the most important things in life, love.

Source: Real Simple Magazine, Yahoo 2009

Wedding Update: Much Ado About STDs

Happy happy.. I finally got to printout our save the date cards. Thanks to dear BFF Carol for taking care of the design. It's absolutely adorable and completely meshes with our wedding theme.

With so many important and not so important engagements people are tending to, Save The Date cards are fast becoming popular nowadays. It is usually given months before the release of the wedding invitation especially to people who are a bit forgetful (ahem ahem tong!) or to those who frequently travel or coming elsewhere.

Printed fifty copies to hand out this weekend. :)

It's officially116 days before THE WEDDING. Let the insanity begin!

Confessions of a (Reformed) Bridezilla

We were the perfect couple. And yes, I know that sounds so cliched. Or at least sounds like someone in total denial of reality. But we were in the closest to perfection I could imagine relationships to be. We were this two completely different individuals - who led two separate lives, had our own set of friends and our own set of interests. Sure, there were some similarities. We were both adventurous and love to travel together but for the most part, we were the quintessential opposites. He was the yin to my yang, the calm to my crazy. Yet every single time we were together we just kept on laughing and wishing that the day would go on forever. There were no games, no unrealistic expectations and hardly any fights. If any, things are resolved within matter of minutes and have usually become sources of punchlines. We were that annoyingly so-in-love couple.

Then we got engaged.

6 Months after our engagement (ours was a very long engagement which is how we wanted it to be) we decided to start with all our wedding preparations.

And suddenly this massive wave of girly-ness hit my previously sane existence and I began to see flowers as more than just flowers. Of draperies as more than just draperies. And of lights as something more than just the obvious but that which will set the tone for an entire event.

So I set out to plan the perfect wedding for us. Dear fiance tried to be helpful of course, as he always is, but I would have to agree with him now when he says "Guys are far more equipped to handle sudden wedding issues a lot more coolly than girls." Suddenly our near spotless track record begun to show signs of cracking. I would become irritated over the smallest of details. Things that just months, heck even years, before I have professed to the heavens up above that I care nothing about.

Opinions were met with distrust, eagerness were looked upon as the ultimate sign of feigning interest. Small things were magnified. One of my guy friends even correctly pointed out "He's a guy Jakers, he WOULD NEVER know the subtle difference between dark purple and dark plum. AND you don't want him to know either..."

Nobody knows better the stress of planning a wedding than other engaged couples. And the more stranger-engaged-friends I meet the more I realized our shared experiences are nothing unique. Issues do arise over the design concept, the invitations, the tiniest details, yadidi yadida. It's nothing new. Most of them go through the same petty irritations as we have had. And yet the more I hear of the horror stories that was slowly working its way into our relationship the more convince I am that I am losing my mind.

Then one day "we" finally became "we". (Not in the legal sense mind you)

We finally decided to work on everything together. And like the true partner in crime that he is, the fiance tried his darnest to do his fair share of wedding madness. Sure there were still some minor "irritations" here and there but at least now we can just laugh it off.

It's considerably a lot quieter nowadays.

And no, that's not the calm before the storm. After all the bickering we, more importantly I, have finally realized it's just a day - - compared to the rest of our lives!


P.S. Glad to report we're still that annoyingly so sweet and oh-so-in-love couple.

Looking Forward: My Dream Gown

Love it!!

Wedding 101: The Wedding Design

Last Thursday, the fiance and I met with our wedding stylist. I sometimes feel bad whenever I drag the fiance in one of these meetings. I know guys cannot tell the difference between dark purple and plum, so why bother right? But dear fiance is sweet, he always feign interest partly because crazy bridezilla might have one of her "O! You're not really interested naman eh!" moments.

Wedding Bells for a Friend

After a faux birthday surprise party Friday night, an actual surprise party Saturday night, dear friend finkers got the best surprise of her life when Norvino asked her to be his econo wife forever come Sunday! Awww. Everyone is getting married!! Next time instead of planning engagements and weddings we'll all be busy with baby preps. (oooh umm hopefully not in the net couple of years!)

Finks has promised that she will be blogging about all the oh-so-mushy-details so I won't preempt her. Here's wishing you guys all the best!!

Wedding 101: The Lhullier Love Affair

Because I just adore Monique Lhullier, here's her latest bridal gown collection.

Classic Bride

Wedding 101: Movie Inspiration

This one is from Bridewars. Kinda lame movie but hey this bridezilla will do just about anything for research!




From the Golden Globes. I realized recently that most of these stars gown can actually be wedding dresses. Judge for yourself guys.


Photo creds: E! online

Here's an idea from the Wedding Project. If you are in love with the idea of Marilyn Monroe, hey why not make your table settings reflective of that.

Hot pink roses with diamond centerpieces