We Are Family

Last Saturday was Ryan’s wedding. He is one of our dear team mates here in the office and one of the hands on groom that I know. It was such a success and I can really say that their preparations paid of. They had the ceremony at NSDG and reception followed at the PSE function hall. All of the team members were invited but two were not able to make it. Their motif was blue and brown. The table settings were done nicely too.

All of us had fun at the photo booth. Lookey, Lookey.

We were stuffed with food as we are seated near the buffet table. All in all it was a success and we are all happy for Ryan.

Enjoy the wedded bliss Rye and Pam! :) 

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I love this topic because I can relate to some of the anwers that Aggies posted. The question is:

What are the things you want them to know about life after the wedding?

Like her, our first year of marriage is a bumpy ride. There are times that I feel regret that I married my husband. It didn’t help that I became pregnant just 2 months after the wedding day. My hormones were crazy and we were always arguing. We were from two entirely different families and our way of doing things were really opposite poles so it took hard work to adjust to each other.

Good thing that we agreed to solve our own problems so there weren’t many people involved, just the two of us. Looking back, i realize that most of our problems and issues then were brought about by false expectations about what married life is all about. I’m sharing some of my realizations below:

1. It requires adjustment.
The marriage relationship requires adjustments. You both entered into it with at least some expectations and ideals that were not very practical and realistic. When these are not met, some disappointment may come after the first few weeks. But, remember, you have made a big change in your life. You are no longer living alone or with a family that you have been with all your life. You are now with a new person, one you may be discovering that you don’t know as well as you thought you did. Your schedule is new, your work may be new, your budget is different, and there are new friends and in-laws to get used to. The success of your marriage and your happiness depend upon your willingness to adjust.

2. Learn to be Flexible.
Both should be mature and realize that neither one has the time or the energy to do all the things that were done before marriage. Now is the time to show flexibility and accept the deeply satisfying responsibility of making marriage work. One person can ruin a marriage, but it takes two to make it work. Making marriage work is an achievement. Achievement implies accomplishing something despite difficulties. When the two of you join in this endeavor, a part of each of you blends into this achievement. This joint effort with a mutual goal ties you together; it binds you close; it makes the two of you one. In time this creates a bond of love surpassing anything felt in anticipation of marriage, and in such unifying happiness it becomes a pleasure to adjust to each other’s differences.

3. Disagree without being disagreeable.

4. Learn to communicate in a loving way. Communication is the life blood of marriage. So never never never take it for granted.

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When we were getting married, we are supposed to do the wedding day preparations at Vivere in Alabang. My aunt has a friend who owns a unit there and she said that we could get a discount. It was only then that I knew that Vivere was a condo hotel.

They bought it at pre selling price and now they are reaping the fruits of their investments. I think they made the right choice of investing with the right property. However it was sad that we did not push through with our preps there. One of our principal sponsors gave us a free stay at Westin Philippine Plaza so we decided to forego Vivere.

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Roses are one of the most romantic flowers in the world. No wonder that it is often used in weddings. They convey not only romance and passion but elegance as well. But a lot of people are put off with the cost so they opt to try the other not so expensive kinds.

However, buying wholesale roses will help reduce the cost. Since a wedding will definitely need a lot of flowers, you can order by bulk and benefit from the price reduction.

The best source for this in the US is fiftyflowers.com. They have been specializing in wedding flowers for almost 10 years and their flowers are directly from flower farms in Ecuador and Columbia. This is a nice resource for couples who are planning their wedding.

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We attended Jerome and Joy’s wedding last Saturday. It was a joyous occasion despite the heavy rains that poured early in the evening. They are M0rn1ng’s family friend and my mom in law is one of the principal sponsors.

It was a nice evening of love, fun and laughter. If only her dad was here. Kuya Toti passed away two years ago. But I can see the full support of her family especially her mom.

It is also memorable for our family because it is the first wedding reception that we brought B.boy with us. He has grown up a lot and I was really amazed on his social skills. He knows how to mingle with other people and he even joined the kids dance number. Look how he grooves.

Needless to say, the guests were very amused with his surprise dance number. Hehehe.

Here are some more pics taken by Shang.

Congratulations Jerome and Joy! May you find bliss and happiness in each other’s arms.

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Last Saturday was our dear friends’ wedding at Coconut Palace. They were blessed with a very fair weather. The sun hid it’s hot rays on the mass of clouds and we are amazed on how romantic it will be to say your vows as the sun sets at the Manila Bay.

We’ve known JR since he joined our congregation 3 years ago and we’re happy that this couple got their happy ending. Lois is JR’s first and only love and it is nice to see that their love stood the test of time.

Here are the rest of the photos:

Love all the details of the wedding and the program was very lively and entertaining. Most of the guests stayed until it was finished.

JR & Lois: Congratulations and may Jehovah God bless you union always.

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I’ve known that Filipina women have a dating site and this aims to meet foreign guys who would want to marry them. This works well both ways because foreign men like the Filipino culture and they most likely they will pick someone who is nurturing and caring by nature. The Filipinas on the other hand, get a spouse who is well off financially and will be able to support her and her family back home.

But I was surprised that there are similar Ukraine dating sites around. The aim is basically the same. It features a lot of beautiful Ukraine and Russian women who are looking to meeting American and men from Western Countries.

Seems like everyone’s into multi-cultural marriage nowadays.

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This is the first wedding we attended this year and it was a lovely one. It is well attended by their family members and close friends. Both of them are M0rn1ng’s friends at his previous work place.

I was pressed for time so I have this dilemma of having my makeup done in the salon or doing it myself. Well, I did neither of the two. I remember one of my officemates who’s good at applying makeup. I’m a glad they agreed to help me out. Actually, they did a fantastic job if I may say. Thank you so much Mary and Lav.  Here’s the proof:

With the Dashing Groom.

With the lovely Bride. 

We arrived at the reception a bit late because I came straight from the office. Alabang is a bit far from Makati and we encountered heavy traffic leaving the business area as it is rush hour. We arrived at The Palms at 6:45 pm and all the guests are done eating already. Kakahiya! Good thing there are a lot of food left and we loved all of them, from the appetizer to the soup to the main entrée to the dessert. The chef did a very good job. The ballroom was nicely decorated but what impressed me is the intimacy of the wedding. They just invited around 120 guests.

I was teary-eyed after hearing the bride’s speech. Her last words were: “I’d like to thank my husband for making my fairytale come true.” Awwwww!

To Nebo & Janna, may you have lifetime marital bliss and happiness! We’re happy to witness your BIG Day.

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A friend is planning her wedding next year and she is very excited. I’ve given her my wedding folder which contains suppliers that she could choose from. I got a lot of flyers from the wedding fairs that I’ve attended and we’ve compiled them in one big folder. I’ve also given her links to useful Wedding Websites.

One of them those is WeddingChannel.com. It is one of web’s most comprehensive wedding planning sites. It has free interactive planning tools like Planning Checklist, Budget Calculator and Guest List Manager. It also offers expert planning advice so you can get reliable answers to common planning questions.

I hope these can be of help to her.

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If money was not a problem during our wedding, then I would opt to have destination weddings. It would be a beach wedding in Bohol or Palawan and our exchange of vows will coincide the sunset. How romantic!

For those considering beach weddings and have budget for it why not hold it in Mexico? It is one of the most romantic places in the world and Riviera Maya is also ideal for honeymoon. So with this you’re hitting two birds with one stone. They have upscale beachfront properties that were created with newlyweds, honeymooners and romantic couples in mind. And to unease you of planning the wedding they offer local wedding coordinators which will help you with the legwork.

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When I was planning our wedding, I usually visit TheKnot.com. It has a lot of wedding ideas and tips. Since we have a year to prepare, we have time to do DIY stuff. Take for example our wedding favors, we personalized it by fitting it to our theme and putting transparent stickers bearing our names and wedding date.

For those who don’t have time to prepare or don’t like to do much of the legwork, The Knot Wedding Shop is the best place to go. It has top quality wedding supplies and unique personalized wedding favors. It also has cute cake toppers that can be customized to fit the wedding theme.

I would love to get wedding supplies from them should I be pressed for time.

Popularity: 26% [?]

Cecilio Abad

I’ve been trying to blog for days but to no avail. It’s been crazy here in the office…too much work to do.

Anyway, I received an SMS message last 02/13/06

gud pm…mam dis s clayton po of Cecilio Abad Couture…ask lang po ni Cecilio kung pwd daw pong ilagay nmin ung picture nyo po sa wedding add po namin sa w@w? pls advise wen rcvd.. Tnx po

My reply? Secret…. (hahaha)

By the way, here is my rating for Cecil posted on weddings at work e-group :

Gown (Bride and Mother of the Bride)
Cecilio Abad Couture
1120 T. Ayala Cor P. Ocampo Sts., Malate, Manila
3039672 / 09183448220
Rating: 10++++++++++
Peso Power: Undisclosed

Backgrounder: I’ve read so many good reviews about Cecil here in the group. Kaya lang, we really did not have a big budget for gowns and I thought he was expensive. Gowns was not on top of our priority. I have this design in mind and I thought my trusted kusturera could do the job. I was soooooo wrong. The first time I saw my gown, there was no elated feeling that brides usually feel as soon as they had their first meeting. I couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong but I was certain that I was not happy with the outcome of the gown. (For those who are not familiar with my gown dilemma please look at msg nos. 101133, 99479 )I’ve asked the kusturera to alter it to my liking but she insists that the gown is pretty and it will be ruined if altered. I had sleepless nights because of the gown and I really blamed myself for the outcome. Sana di talaga ako nagtipid. Tama yung sabi nila na you always get what you pay for. I went to RTW in Market! Market! But there isn’t anything there that suits my taste. You see, I was looking for “THE ONE”. You know that it is IT once you come across it. I found that feeling when I fitted an of the rack gown of Edgar Allan. Thought it was very dirty, I love what I saw. Kakaiba noh? I could’ve bought it if the price is right. But it was too steep and what will I do with the old gown that I dislike.

Timing naman yung supplier rating ni Abie ni Howell. I thought about calling Cecil. Kahit sa phone pa lang sobrang bait na nya. 1.5 months na lang nun wedding na naming so I’m really in panic. He reassured me that everything will be alright. He told me to bring the gown to him so that he could assess if we can redesign. I went there with my mom. Because of what happened to my gown, my mom decided to pull out her tela from the kusturera. Dinala din naming yung tela ng mom ko kay Cecil. Pagdating kay Cecil, pinasukat nya yung gown and asked me how I would like my gown to look like. Sabi ko yung mukhang pang princess. He made me a sketch and I was really amazed with his idea. Ang galing! Very original. He also made a sketch for my mom. Next was the price, he asked me kung magkano daw kaya ko. Right there and then gusto ko sha yakapin. I’ve never felt that I’m dealing with a businessman. He really has a big heart. I told him what I could afford and I really felt that he understood what Iwas going through. He explained to me yung mga costs and we agreed on a very good price. When we left, I heaved a sigh of relief. I just have a feeling that we are in very good hands and there is nothing to worry anymore. For those who want to see the old gown please click this link (Gown Album) : http://community.webshots.com/user/n1cemorn1ng

Pros:-Cecil is my super duper favorite supplier. Kasi sha talaga yung umayos nung biggest problem ko during the preps. I’m so happy that he was able to do a splendid job on my gown. From the sooooo ordinary looking to vavavoooooom! Hahahaha! I received a lot of compliments kasi ang ganda daw talaga nung gown.

-We’ve agreed that I would be fitting my gown 2 weeks after my first visit. Pero 1 week pa lang nagtext na sha. Sabi nya na he’s nearly done with the gown and pwede ko na raw I-fit. Sobrang excited talaga sha kasi sabi nya maganda daw yung kinalabasan. I thought grabe!!!! 1 week lang naayos na nya. =)

-First fitting pa lang nagustuhan ko na ung gown ko. Maiyak-iyak pa nga ako eh. Gusto ko talaga I-hug si Cecil.-Sobrang down to earth nitong taong to. He never takes the credit for his works and he takes God that he can make satisfied client. Never din nyang sinaraan yung kusturera. Alam nyo yun, yung tipong In-okray yung gawa sa dating gown na palpak. -My mom loved her gown. First and last fitting kasi yung nangyari. My parents reside in Ilocos kasi and my mom went back here in Manila 2 days before the wedding. Natuwa talaga sha kasi maayos yung pagkakagawa and perfect fit. She also received lots of compliments nung wedding. Sino daw gumawa nung gown nya kasi ang ganda. O di ba? Feeling pretty mama ko? Hehehe

-Inayos ni Cecil yung mga accessories ko. I bought this hairpiece from the NBC Bridal Fair. Kaya lang puro pearls lang. Nag-add sha ng swarovski para mag-match sa gown. But I never asked for it. Inayos lang nya and I was so happy upon seeing it. Kasi naman ganda talaga. And mind you without additional charge yun.-Binigyan din nya kami ng mama ko ng free bag. Sabi lang namin na papagawa kami ng bag. Tapos sabi ko ayaw ko ng pouch bag, sinunod naman nya. Tapos nung ask ko kung magkano yung charge sabi nya free! I love him talaga. =)

-Sunday pa lang delivered na yung gown. Dinala nya sa Westin kasama nung body form. All set na and wala kang makikitang wrinkles.

Cons:None

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May 23, 2005 - Hotel Preps

We woke up around 7 am and my sisters and I went to Westin’s health club for sauna and jacuzzi. We had so much fun and we were relaxed. Nakakatawa lang kasi sa sobrang enjoy ko, my nail polish went off. hahaha! Now I’ve got a problem. Who will do my horrible nails, a few hours before the wedding? Clarice told me to call Eddie and ask him if he could fix my nails. That I did. Sobrang bait ni Eddie. He told me not to worry about a thing for he will take care of it. ^_^

We had a heavy breakfast at Jollibee in Blue wave. Talagang dun lang kami palagi for it is the place nearest Westin. We went back just in time for Mang Boy’s arrival. Ang aga nya dumating. He brought the bouquets. I sooo love my flowers. Ang ganda ganda. Just the way I want it to be. I didn’t quite like how the ento’s flowers turned out. Maybe because it is not what I expect it to be. Nonetheless, okay naman kasi hindi naman pangit. He also brought a long a lot of free loose petals. Maganda din yung bridal car flowers. They will go straight away to the KH (church). I also told them that the vases for the centerpiece were already at the reception venue. They told me not to worry kasi pagagandahin daw nila ng husto yung wedding namin.

I then went down to the reception dapat kasi early check-in kami dun sa room na poolside view. Nakakainis talaga ang Westin. Ang bagal nila. Mga 10 pa daw magiging available yung room. By 9:30 am dumating na yung team ni Eddie. 3 sila. Parang andami naming me-make-upan. That’s the beauty of having a Monday wedding. Walang kaagaw so nabe-baby ng supplier. ^_^ Nakalipat din kami ng room pero 10 am na. Sa hallway, we saw Clarice’s team and Archie. Yung team ni Clarice naka uniform pa. Nakakatuwa black and pink. Nakakatuwa rin kasi magkakilala na pala coord namin and the first thing they said to each other was “ikaw?”. hahaha! O diba ang galing?

Eddie and his team immediately started to work on us. While he was doing my make-up, his niece Marina was fixing my devastated nails. Norman and Gemma magical’s hands were on my mom and sisters. Here are our pictures while we are on the road to being pretty.

Morning was at the room downstairs with my dad. Bonding to the max sila. After Archie has finished taking photos of the wedding stuff, he went down to document my groom’s preps. Hindi talaga kami nagkita all the while. He wanted to see his bride only when she walks down the aisle na raw. Hay naku! That’s Morning for you. He loves a flair of drama. Anyway, ako yung excited na makakita dun sa groom. I didn’t even had a glimpse on what he will be wearing. Ayaw din nya kasi. Surprise daw. Pero I must admit na sha and pinakagwapong groom ever. (walang kokontra!!!!) Eto ang evidence…

Time flew too quickly. Around 12 noon mejo worried na ako kasi hindi pa nakakabalik sila Clarice who went out to buy lunch. Yun naman pala, naharang sila sa baba ng Westin. Kainis!!! Ayaw nila ipa-akyat yung food. Andami pa naman papakainin. 21 kaming lahat sa hotel nun. It was really embarassing to the suppliers kasi late na hindi pa sila kumakain. But, i really made my mind to let go. Bahala na. I’m sure Abie and Clarice can make a way. At 1 pm they had finally managed to bring up food for 10 people. The rest had to go at the parking lot to eat. Hiyang-hiya pa rin ako and super inis sa Westin. Ganun ba talaga na hindi pwedeng magpasok sa hotel ng food? Pero kahit na anong inis ko, smile pa rin kasi ang ganda ng gawa ni Eddie. Mas maganda pa sa kesa sa prenups make-up. The color suited me well and he was able to highlight my features well.

We all had a quick lunch and pictorial galore na after. I will admit that I really practiced how to smile. Sayang kasi kung hindi maganda ang pictures. Na-enjoy namin yung picture taking because Archie and the gang are so funny. Patawa ng patawa. Since the lobby is under repair, we went to the garden and poolside. Buti na lang hindi mainit nun makulimlim so perfect yung weather for pictorials. Yung mga magagandang kuha eh dun sa garden ng Westin. At first akala ko nakakahiya kasi madami-dami ring tao dun. Nakatingin sila. But what the heck, I’ll only get to do this once in a lifetime lang naman di ba? So I waved back to the kids looking at me. Nakakatuwa yung mga kids kasi tuwang tuwa silang makakita ng bride. ^_^

Around 3:30 we are on our way to the KH (church). My heart is thomping wildly while travelling. Para pang uulan kasi biglang dumilim. However, I have faith and trust and all these things i leave unto God’s hands.

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