Back to Wedding Preps:

Six weeks before the day, I feel the need to do a checklist again.

The past few days were a bit productive for us. After Discovery Weekend, we went to Amadeo, Cavite on Tuesday to distribute invites and to sleep there as we were scheduled for a canonical interview very early on Wednesday morning at St. Francis Xavier in Nasugbu, Batangas — which I tell you is at very end of Batangas (well, that’s what I feel it about it. Ang layo talaga super.) The pre-cana interview was done in 15 minutes, after waiting for an hour in line. After that, went to Caleruega to make the deposit for Veritas Hall and to do an ocular again, this time, Steve, our florist/event stylist, was with us, so it was very easy for us to do some brainstorming how will dress up the place. More about it later.

The only area we are having a (major) problem on is the caterer for the reception. While most couples book their caterer first, we book them last! Hahaha. Just kidding. We actually have a caterer already, a family friend who does functions for us ever since, kaso when my MIL was booking her for an apo’s 1st birthday, she mentioned that she was hesistant/worried about the wedding, since it was out of town, it’s in the morning so it would be double pay for her waiters, cooks, etc…etc..etc. She didn’t say out loud na ayaw nya, pero parang ganun na din. So, we are looking for a caterer again. Since the list of guests have been growing (more on this later), we need to cut down again on the per head budget (it was originally at 400-500/pax, which is good na din). At ang hirap!! If money is no problem, we would have booked whoever is a high end trusted caterer and be done with it. Kaso, di pwede. As of the moment, most of the invites have been sent already, and surprise! Most of them had RSVP’ed yes! While it is really touching that people will be going out of their way, on a weekday, and morning pa, and out of town pa ha, to see us finally wed, it is becoming a nightmare for us! Hahaha. Right now, the 150 guest list is at 202 and growing…patay kami. So far, we have three caterers shortlisted. We are just after good food at reasonable prices (read: around 300/head) kahit magluto lang sila, kasi our event sytlist would take care of everything, from the set up, to the couple’s table, VIP and guest tables and even the centerpieces. Chairs and tables, we can get from a supplier in Cavite (my parents are based in Amadeo, Cavite now). Basta, masarap lang ang luto at hindi kami mapapahiya sa guests namin. Mahirap ba na requirement yun? (Asa pa ako!)

We were supposed to go to Blue Petals in Paranaque yesterday but Edil and I got into a misunderstanding that made us decide to cool off separately first. Haaaaaaaaay, after DW, away na naman. Not as bad as before though, because we both know how hot-headed and temperamental we can be. So, pag ganun, mas maganda muna wag muna mag-usap at baka makapagbitaw pa ng di magandang salita. Nasayang nga lang araw namin kahapon. Bwiset.

I’ll do the checklist later.

EDIT:

42 Days to Go:

To Do List:

Church and Ceremony:

1. Pay balance (10K) on May 24. Ask Cristalle for the bank account of Caleruega at Security Bank.
2. Publish marriage banns. Send marriage banns/permissions from our Churches thru LBC to St. Francis Xavier plus the copy of DW certificate.
3. Reproduce approved version of missallette. - 10 to 20 pcs.
4. Have Printed Matter do front cover of missallette (concept - OK - a collage of our pre-nup pictures in geometric designs - I hate flowery designs (no offense to anyone) - colors are halved - pink on top, brown at the bottom - with 06.24.05 as its text together with a little caption at the bottom center - Kung marunong lang ako mag Photoshop ng mahusay talaga! tsk tsk…need to study on it, siguro after the wedding)
5. Get pouches for the salt, rice, and sugar.
6. Memorize wedding vows!
7. Have fans made c/o Printed Matter. - 15pcs. (@150)
8. Have tissue pouches made in vellum paper - optional, if there is time.
9. Finalize song list. Enlist help of Nikko (cousin).
10. Assign Lector, Readers, Offerers.
11. Have mock up set up c/o Steve.

This is the original set up I like. Steve would be scouting for ice buckets in Divisoria (but I saw one in Dapitan Arcade at 15 a piece). No tulle on pews whatsoever. I requested for a white carpet (I hope he source one out), and pink petals on the borders of it. Very very minimal. I just told Steve to focus all the flowers on the altar - and the columns on the altar. He will also be doing the holder for the Unity Candle as Caleruega doesn’t have one. The price for everything? 3K. (For real!!) He is charging materials at cost. Bahala na daw kami sa PF nya. I’m going to pay him good kahit di ko pa nakikita final output nya, Steve has been doing most of our functions ever since I was 15. Tried and tested na sya talaga. I just specified flowers are all pink and white, no yellow, nor green foliage, and no mums. Defintely. Sabi nya, oo daw, he will source flowers na kasing presyo ng mums pero hindi mums, hahaha, may sinabi sya na flower na I forgot. Sabi ko lagyan ng brown stems as accents, sabi nya no need. The pews and the altars are brown already. (Set up idea c/o Martha Stewart).

This is another set up I showed Steve and Edil was quite partial on this one. But Steve told us, dun na lang sa ice buckets kasi it’s recyclable - meaning he can transfer it to the reception area after the ceremony (I told him kasi lahat ng flowers sa Church ilipat sa reception after - para mas tipid …ilipat sa reception/receiving table..wherever!) I told Steve yung arch sa Caleruega lagyan na lang lang ribbons and tela with little topiaries on the columns since it will only be visible during picture takings. Lalagyan pa din nya daw ng arko. Meron naman daw syang materials, flowers na lang. Ang sarap ng feeling knowing this supplier really knows how to execute what you really really want. I will defintely recommend Steve to w@w once my wedding is over. Mahirap kasi mag-recommend pag walang pictures. He doesn’t keep a portfolio of what he does since he is like Mang Boy Mahusay of Dangwa too (only he is gay, more proper and 100x more formal, I presume).

Gown, Accessories, Suit for Edil and Matthew
Gowns and Suits/Barongs for Entou:
*Schedule fittings and buy little stuff
1. Gown being made already..wala akong masyadong arte dito since my gown in itself is very very simple. Ni wala ngang beadwork. Marami na lang layers sa baba, with only a sweep train. What I am focusing right now is losing weight. The top of my gown will be made in June pa, depending on my weight loss, since it can go from corset, to the original design to another version. Yung focus ng gownmaker ko is the layers on my gown which, she says, should be more expensive than beadwork since mahirap daw yun. Konting lambing na lang para di pa din taasan ang presyo, hehehe. She will be charging labor only since I provided all the materials. 12k-15k, price negotiable. I’m scheduled for fitting next week.
2. Entou gowns are in the process of being made already. I sourced all the fabrics and designs and just gave the tela to my entou, which is either family or close friends. Gift na lang nila ang tahi, which, feedback from friends say, cost them around 700 bucks. They are tea length dresses with pink flowers on it and ribbons lang naman. The fabric is all chiffon, which is cheap, but the accents were a bit expensive. OK lang than having a couturier do everything for us.
3. We are having problems with the male entourage though - we still can’t decide whether it’s going to ba barongs for all of them or suits. We went to Gardini’s yesterday and the rent is 700/ suit and pants, and they dry clean it before you rent it out (no deposit required). But 1) if we get them barongs, sa kanila na yun and the tahi is only 400 bucks (we have an agreement na sila ang labor kami ang fabric) 2) if we rent the suit, parang sayang ang 400 na share nila…
4. Edil is having his suit done at Gardini’s (kung ako masusunod, sa Onesimus, but then, it’s his suit!) I picked up the swatch already and I insisted that he wear a three-button suit, at dito kami medyo nag-away kahapon. He doesn’t know I’ve reserached the Internet about the “technical” terms on suits (lapels, buttons, inside shirts, tucks, etc) just so hindi kami parang tanga sa mananhi, e kesyo ganito daw, ganyan…..hay, quiet na lang ako. After all, he didn’t make pakialam about my gown, which he has yet to see. I trust naman Edil’s taste. I think I’m just too overbearing at times? Hehehe. Need to work on this trait of mine, or else I’d end up a nagging, know-it-all wife. E ako pa man din, I hate it when my Mom nags. Yaaaaaaak!
5. Matthew will be donning a vest and bow tie (I actually can see my little boy being so cute and gwapo at the same time, parang binata! Hahaha!).
6. Contact Marietta (family modista) to have flower girls’ gowns to be made. The pink cummerband for their accessory will be made by Ma (MIL, since she knows how to sew too).
7. Accessories:
Bride:
Veil, Garter, Secondary Veil -c/o Lulu
Shoes - Since I’m a size 10, I need to decide where I will be having these made. I have the design in my file folder already. Im just still deciding whether I go high-end or not at all. Ang hirap mag decide. Especially since my shoes will be peaking in my dress. Hay. Mawawalan ako ng oras nito.
Jewelry - c/o Tita Alou. Im just borrowing earrings since Im leaving my neck bare.
Bag - I have a design as well, kaso I’m thinking of not spending anymore for this one. I wont be using a white bag with a huge flower on it everyday! Hahanap na lang ako sa Divi ulit.
Groom:
Shoes - Edil wants to splurge on this one so bahala sya dito.
Tie, Hankerchief, Polo Shirt - I’m splurging on this one. Hehehe. Hahanap pa ako ng tela so a tie can be made for him and the bow tie for Matthew.
Watch - Im buying this for him as a (surprise) gift come wedding day. (I hope he is too tamad read this crap.) Sana lang may pera pa ako by that time. Ha!
Entourage:
Bead earrings and bracelets done by cousin Pom. Cute stuff. Less than a hundred bucks, plus, it’s no charge for me

Flowers for Entourage:

Bridal Bouquet - Carnations and Roses. (different shades of pink with brown accents)
Mothers - Stem of Magnolias
MOH, BM - similar bouquets but smaller in size
3 Jr. Bridesmaids - posies
3 Secondary Sponsors - I specified a single big flower (like a ranunculus, pero cheaper) since they will be wearing sexy dresses with ribbons flowing na lang
3 Usherettes - wrist corsages
7 FlowerGirls - pomanders, I specified small circle foams lang kasi my girls are going to be around 4-5 years old lang (baka nga di pa maglakad ung iba!) .
2nd Bouquet

Steve quoted 3,500 for all of these. tapos ung loose petals ko, isang sako na lang daw. Hehehe. Again, I think the flowers for the entourage need not be expensive kasi after the ceremony, it won’t be seen na as most of them will be going to different tables. Sabagay sabi naman ni Steve, hindi sa flowers, nasa arrangement. I agree. Sabi ko lang, kahit mahal ang buoquet ko, OK lang, hehehe. I also specified the type of roses I want, gusto ko bukang-buka (sorry for the term, medyo di ko type, pero yun lang maisip ko na description), I mentioned Equadorian roses, pero sabi ni Steve, may Holland roses daw na ganun din, kelangan mo lang malaman when it would bloom/make buka. I would have wanted peonies sana pero depende pa kung papayag Tita Rose ko sa budget (since she will paying for all of my flowers as a gift.)

Reception:

I still need to scout for the fabric but the centerpieces are all OK. Edil wanted drapes on the ceilings and Steve said it is do-able (sabi ko, totoo? E di ba mahal yun?! sabi nya, hindi daw, tela lang yun, kasi hindi naman super taas ang ceiling, sana magawa, problem is walang hooks sa Hall, takot kami baka mapagalitan ni Fr. Bosi, hehehe). Topiaries will be in the six columns of the hall. Plus the entrance to Veritas (steps leading to it), will be covered as well. We will be doing a mock up on the centerpieces 2 weeks from now, kasi gagawin pa ni Steve. But Im having doubts about the brown runners, sabi kasi ni Glo, gloomy daw tingnan, which may point sya. Baka patahi na lang ako ng pink runners with brown borders kay Ma. Ang sarap na marunong sa tela, ituturo ko lang sa magazine, may makikita na mas mura sa Divisoria! Hahahaha! The brown bowls I saw in Dapitan Arcade as well, and siguro sabihin ko na lang kay Steve yung flower, gawin rose petals…

Guest cards - c/o Printed Matter. Kaso with 200 guests, baka di ko kayanin gumawa pa ng seating arrangements! Im thinking na ilagay na lang names nila sa receiving table tapos when they get their names, they are told which table to sit at, tpos sabay bigay ng favor and pen to write the guest sheet. (I just notice that when you leave the guest sheet at the table, most of them dont bother writing at it!)
Favors - Magnets c/o Printed Matter (again). Im having three designs, and baka maubos ko din ang magnetic sheet nila, hehehe. Sana makahanap pa ako ng kahati.
Posters - Pictures c/o Mimi and Karl, lagyan na lang nga konting arte ni Edil. Printing c/o Printed Matter.
Wish cards - design, Ok, reproduction na lang (I still haven’t decided if DIY or Printed Matter din).
Thank You cards - deisgn, OK, reproduction na lang.

Edil told me to spend the money I have on things I need and I think I will just take care of the small details I want on the reception area. Naawa na din ako kay Edil at ang dami na naming gastos!

Eto na lang muna. Tamad na ako mag-isip. Nakukulta utak ko, hehehe.

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