HELP PLEASE: STD Video Contest

Nope, this is a different STD. In the wedding and events world, STD means Save The Date. There is a contest going on and the price is a FREE animated Save The Date video - and we joined!!!

We badly need to win this contest because of two reasons:
1. We don't have the opportunity to make a STD photo or video because we are a long distance couple.
- H2B is in Canada and even if he wants to go come here to shoot for STD, plane fare is such a killer!!! So, we decided that he focus on money-making, save the plane ticket for the wedding to lower down expenses while I arrange everything for the wedding (including winning contests like this. hehe!)

2. We need to hype up the wedding to make our overseas families and friends come over.
- About 60% of both our families are overseas. As far as US, Canada and Australia some are as near as Hong Kong (most are actually in the US and Canada, very far and with steep plane fares too!) So we need to have a gimmick to make them book a flight for our wedding (it's going to be in May too not December/Christmas season which is their best option to balikbayan) Our guest list is about 120 names only and if most of them will not fly here for the wedding, a good 40% chunk of guests will be cut off - not so many loved ones will be celebrating our wedding with us... :(

So those are the reasons why we badly need your help in making us win the contest.

Here's how you can help:
1. Like their Facebook page found on this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Date-Cartoons/219087838107118

2. Like our entry found on this link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=219300548085847&set=a.219219131427322.68707.219087838107118&type=1&theater
Just to be sure, our entry is with caption: Ren and Glee - Audrey Hepburn meets the Ultimate Rockstar. Picture is below:

Please, please, please, pretty puhleeeaaasse... Like our entry! Help us win!
And if it's not too much to ask, please also campaign for us. :)
GO GO GO!!! LET'S WIN THIS!!! :)

DIY: invite prototypes

I'm so tired from work but wedding preps is giving me a natural and unusual high so, I was able to make two prototypes for our DIY invites after work. My fiance sent me the layout for the main invite that we did so it's just a matter of me printing and assembling it into a nice pocket-fold invitation. 

materials from Binondo

I've read from w@w about this certain store that sells cheap paper products for invites and other wedding stationaries so I went last weekend. The store is called Techbros and it's located at #483 Yuchengco Street, Binondo. I bought a lot of stuff which cost me around a thousand bucks. Thanks to that metallic black paper that costs P91 a piece but aside from that, everything else was super affordable. Actually, even the metallic paper board is still very cheap as compared to the stationaries you find in the mall so overall, I really got the bang for my buck!

board papers for border and envelopes.

We still don't really know the specifics that we want for the invite. The size, border, envelope and how to actually execute it so I tried to print a sample and played with the two possible border/envelope that I've purchased in Binondo.

prototypes. i think i know which one will prevail

After half an hour or so, I was able to come up with two prototypes. I know for sure that we might still rework some of the details but these are ready for presentation with H2B later when I wake up. I have a feeling which one will he choose and I actually like that one too!!!

Hair and Make-up by Realm HMU

So I've previously booked Realm HMU at a bridal fair in SMX Convention Center. Even before that though, I've been communicating with them because they're the most affordable HMU supplier I've come across in the many research and bridal fairs I've attended. I was just waiting for them to join another bridal fair so I can avail of their discounts.

About a month or so before I booked them, I've been telling H2B that I wanna book them already because they are the most affordable and I really don't need a fancy make-up. (Later I'll tell you about my not fancy wedding gown too) But he keeps on telling me that it's too early to book HMU yet. When I saw them again in the SMX bridal fair, I really had to push him to say "yes". Well, it's my money anyway but we have to be at the same page of course. So finally, he said yes maybe because our date, church and reception have been finalized during the time. I had my trial make up during the bridal fair but I know that whatever the outcome is, I'm still gonna book them anyway. Budget I think is my main driver... so different from H2B because his priority is the quality of the output.

before the magic happened

I was observing the people in the booth. I want a team that have a good heart because this will make the wedding day much easier when the time comes. I didn't notice anyone having an attitude even with this particular bride-to-be who is playing difficult (who in the end, didn't book them anyway. haha!)

When it's my turn to seat on the magic chair, I was excited. They took my before shoot (above. eeeewww!) Then the magic started to happen. I was made up by Ludy Fernandez. I like how gentle her hands are. Usually, when someone curls my lashes, I feel a bit uncomfortable but with her, I don't feel any bit of that discomfort. She wasn't afraid of using colors and was actually happy when I said that we will be having a rock-inspired reception - gives her permission to use colors other than brown and bronze for the au naturel usual look of brides.

can't find my dark circles anymore :)

Ludy advised that I research on a particular look that I want and she'll gladly do it. During the time, I don't have anything on my mind but a few weeks after our trial make up, I now know what my two looks would be. I'm so excited already! :)

with Ludy - my fairy godmother

DIY: main invite

H2B and I finally finished designing our main invite! Woohoo!!! I so love it!!! And I'm so proud of it!

don't you think it suits our rock n roll theme?

I've scratched our surnames to keep our identities (as if our unique names doesn't give our identities away. haha!)

Lookie at our names, Ren & Glee - turn it upside down... it's ambigram!!! Those will also serve as our "monogram" since we both fell in love with it. We're actually getting a tattoo with it because we are so loving it!!!

More than a year before the wedding and our invites are already in the works. We don't plan on giving out save-the-date cards and we are DIYing our invites so we got to start early. Now, we have to figure out what the entourage card, map and directions and RSVP card would look like. We have ideas already but sometimes what you perceive can't be executed like you hope so - we have to give it our best efforts anyways at keep our fingers crossed.

Til our next post! :) Cheers to creativity and teamwork! :D

lame post

This is actually a lame topic but, what the heck.

So I took some time off from work today to do a wedding-related errand. I went and see the live performance of Silver Blue Band. I came to the venue around 8PM and stayed for a little less than an hour. Went straight home afterwards because someone from work has been calling me. I texted that someone but she didn't reply and I decided not to open my office email so, I had time.

While I was deciding on whether to push through with booking the band or not, I kind of went through all my wedding-related stuff... my little red notebook, wedding magazines and piles of flyers from bridal fairs. Yes, I have been to several bridal fairs already but I have not booked any supplier from these fairs (except for that failed booking) But I have met some of my suppliers from bridal fairs so I continue to go to bridal fairs. I was told not to go to bridal fairs too often because I might have a change of heart with regards to my booked suppliers but I don't listen. For me, I'll go to as many bridal fairs as I want because I can handle it and I want to get inspirations. So brides to be, don't listen to what everyone is saying... you can be different. 

Anyhow, I realized I no longer need those flyers so I filtered those from vendors that I still need like mobile bar, OTD coordination, etc. Browsing through them, I realized I could have booked some of the high end suppliers given our budget. I should have not filtered them out during the selection process just because I thought they were pricey. But that's fine... I'm super happy with our booked suppliers. I know our wedding will be just fine because we choose them. So now, I'm done browsing and I decided to trash those that I no longer need. Now, I have more room for flyers on the bridal fair this weekend. Haha!

DIY: wedding cord

A lot has happened since my last post. I've accomplished a lot of stuff but I'm too busy to post. Maybe this coming Holy Week I can blog about them. For now, let me share to you my first DIY project - our wedding cord.

I've finished it about 10 minutes ago; very fresh! Haha! I'm just too excited about this accomplishment that I've to move heaven and Earth to spare some time off my busy schedule to blog about this. Enough of the talking, let the pictures speak for themselves.

early stages... the materials at the background.

I've to say, making the cord is a series of trial and error. I've lost count of how many times I have to redo everything. But when I've correctly measured how long the cord should be, what kind of beads I'll use and stuff, everything went on smoothly.

Finished product :)

This cord is made up of beads, glass beads, swarovski crystals and garterized string. I've arranged the beads according to the rosary and matched them with our color motif.  It's not a intricate as what you usually see for a rosary cord for weddings so it only took me a few hours to finish it.

It's not rocket science, you know but this is definitely, labor of love! And I'm a proud maker of this cord.

Cheers,
W2B

2nd ocular

B2Bs and H2Bs ought to know, when  in doubt, do an ocular! And whether you liked what you see or not, it's still worth the effort because you got rid of your doubts anyway.

It's the 2nd time I did an ocular this weekend. The first time was October last year when I went to Zambales to find a nice resort and church. After that ocular, I thought I found my wedding church and venue but after a few days, we realized that we're better off somewhere else.

This weekend, I dragged my friend Jan to accompany me while I do oculars in the South. We first went to Hotel Kimberly in  Tagaytay. I wasn't really planning on having a Tagaytay wedding because it's overdone but my friend's visit to their booth in a wedding fair got me intrigued and so I ended up visiting their Tagaytay branch. Much to my surprise, the hotel is actually prettier in person than in their website! (which rarely happens) I fell in love (or did I?) Their facilities and services are impressive! They got a thumbs up from moi.

Next stop was in Club Balai Isabel, famed by the Oyo and Kristine nuptials. The resort was nice but the staff, not very much. It was disappointing to experience first hand how their staff acted like novices in what they do. I thought, with a pricey rate like that, Balai should've trained their staff on how to provide superb service. Even with amazing facilities, I said to myself, I will never get married there because I won't get a bang for our buck.

Still not contented with our two stops, me and my friend still went  to San Juan, Batangas to check out Palm Beach Resort. In all honesty, I still want to have a beach wedding just because we both love the beach so we went there with high hopes that maybe, this is it! The road is newly asphalted, locals are nice and helpful and the weather was just perfect. Going to the resort, the road was challenging and I felt good... this is so us!!! We were off the beaten path, we were home! The resort facility was awesome too but the beach, not quite. The staff are accommodating although you could tell that they're not trained for it. I would've considered it except that there is no nearby church or chapel and that every move you make has a corresponding price to pay. Their staff also didn't have answers for me although I have emailed them my concerns already a few days before that ocular. So, we went home totally eXing the whole Laiya and Hugom beaches.

After I gave my report to H2B, he was already sold to Hotel Kimberly. But, I'm still not ready to let go of my beach wedding dreams so I said I'm going to look for Bataan or Aurora beaches when I get home. So I did research of a few beaches where I can have our wedding. Problem is, the beaches are still not that pretty for us to spend our moolah. We will be paying for their resort facilities not the beauty of the beach in front of their resort. We also noticed that hotel staff are way better than the resort people so Hotel Kimberly nailed the customer service part. Reality check also told me that it's hard to hold a wedding in a place where weddings are rarely celebrated at. Experience in holding weddings is key. As much as great customer service just because you'll be dealing with the staff way before your wedding date. Therefore, Tagaytay wedding it is for my "Breakfast at Tiffany's" inspired nuptials.

Next question is, among the different beautiful churches around Hotel Kimberly, which would give us the "This is it!" chills? Hope we can find out next week. Wish us luck! :)

1st booking: FAIL!

I was at the Weddings and Debuts 2011 Bridal Fair in Megamall during the weekend and I booked a photo/video supplier. I think I got excited with the amount of discount that I got from this specific vendor so I called up H2B and asked for his sign off. Unfortunately, he was at the middle of his deep slumber so his decision to give the supplier a go was not at all rationale. I on the other hand, was not thinking too because I was charmed by the discount. I was also very eager to have my 1st booking and to finally convince myself that yes, I am getting married. All these factors helped in how my 1st wedding vendor booking failed.

Reality is, when you are in these discount fairs, you are easily swayed to sign a contract and give your downpayment. Why wouldn't you? Any savings that you could get is very important, most especially when you are spending big bucks for your wedding. On the bright side though, at least I learned my lesson on the early stage of my wedding planning. And that I wouldn't suck it up with the supplier just because its cheap.

Wish me luck in looking for that perfect balance between quality work and affordable rates.

long overdue

No, I did not forget about this blog... I was just uninspired to write until now.

Ever since I went MIA, I've been to a couple of wedding expos, food tasting events, inquired to a few churches, and did more wedding-related stuff. I've actually researched enough and I'm comfortable to say that I now know what wedding planning is. And when I came to that point, and finally realized what I want for our wedding, I stopped researching and focussed on saving moolah. :)

I've come along way from my wedding obsessions. Every now and then, I get inspirations for my wedding and I jot it down to my tiny red wedding notebook. I think that it's better this way because I know for sure, that all my wedding ideas came from what me and H2B really love and not from what I see from other couples. I don't claim that my wedding ideas are unique but I am proud to say that they are so very me and H2B. :)

So far, wedding planning is still in our heads... no bookings done yet but we have identified what/who we want as suppliers. We just can't start booking yet because 1. money's not enough yet and 2. date is still under talks (which is kinda keeping me down). June 1 has been our date ever since but things got complicated when we finally announced our plans to our families. Both him and I have parents and close relatives abroad so we have to give them heads up which caused us to rethink our wedding date because of all these concerns from families. H2B have convinced me give it up. Truth is, I would still marry him even not on June 1.

So there, I hope I'll have the willingness to blog more on our plans so this blog will be jam-packed and fun to read when the day comes.