Wedding Suppliers: **notes were written prior to wedding**

• Cake
• Caterer
• Church
• Coordinator
• Couturier
• Entertainment
• Entourage Gowns
• Event Stylist/Florist/Musical Director
• Hair and Make-Up Artist
• Honeymoon Package
• Hotel Preparation
• Photographer (Main)
• Photographer (2nd)
• Reception Venue
• Save-the-Date Invites
• Screen/Projector
• Travel Agent
• Videographer

 Church: SAN SEBASTIAN BASILICA

Location: Quiapo, Manila
Date Booked: 16 July 2005

i've always wanted a garden reception. the only place i had in mind was fernwood garden. i was hearing a lot of good things about it, how good it looks. i haven't been there but i've seen its website and fell in love with the place. but when i went back to the philippines for my holiday, we were talking about my wedding casually, and there were some not so good comments about fernwood (from people who have attended events and have actually been there). first, they said it's too far. 2nd, they said it's too malamok..next they said, "nd naman ganun kaganda dun, parang gubat" and the worst was from my sister, "siguro idol mo si gladys reyes!" (she had her reception there but duh! i had that place in mind even before gladys decided to get married! ewe!!!!)..but still, fernwood remained as my top choice.
 
then i joined the weddings@work yahoo group. i was able to get some really good ideas about which suppliers to get. i came across this new place in aurora blvd. called OASIS . i went to their website and instantly, fell in love with the place! they only have one pavillion (that can hold the number of guests i want), but hey, who's complaining. at least, ours will be the only one partying all night long (no kapitbahays!)..hehehe..BUT, at the back of my mind, is it good enough to replace fernwood? fernwood looks good in pictures (e mahilig ako sa pictures d b..obvious naman!) and oasis is not a PROPER GARDEN (for me..). but i still inquired about their rates/packages. mind you, i've been doing everything thru email lang. the owner (melody), replied to my emails very promptly and was very accomodating. plus, their rates are very cheap (totally not what i expected!) as compared to that of fernwood (within the budget pa naman ung fernwood - and actually, budget is not an issue. goodluck na lang..minsan lang to sa buhay ko no!) but every penny counts! =p so i asked my mom to go and have a look. also asked hubs since he just lives in new manila, very near oasis.
 
first my mom. i asked her to call oasis and fernwood to inquire. she called fernwood first but she was told they don't give out details thru phone. medyo nd daw accomodating ung nakausap nya. then she said, "i don't know how to go there..tska parang malayo" hala! e at first, I was greatly relying on her to do the oculars and stuff (since at that time, I haven't found the right coordinator yet). then when she called oasis, she found them really nice, not to mention, polite! so she went and had a good look. she said it really looks sweet. the pavillion is quite big and the surrounding garden as well. eventhough it's along aurora blvd., once you're in (and since the pavillion is a few meters pa from the main road) you won't hear daw the traffic noise outside. really good feedback from her. then i got an email from melody. sabi nya, chika to the max daw sila ni mommy and alam na daw nya life story ko! (tama bang itsismis ako ng mommy ko!). from then on, i knew i would change venue but fernwood was still lurking at the back of my mind, teasing me..hahahaha!
 
next hubs. i wanted to have a 2nd opinion (baka biased lang si mommy!). he said he passed by but never had the time to go in. he said it looks good from the outside but not a 'real' garden as compared to fernwood. it looks like a big clubhouse with a surrounding garden and said it's just like the coconut palace (ung dating). so, napaisip na naman ako! then, finally, one saturday, he was able to drop by oasis (with dr. martinez!). he said, "ang ganda!!". even dr. martinez (his boss, my ex-boss and my future ninong..hehehe!) found oasis really nice. medyo mahirap i-please un ha!
 
i also asked most of my friends to visit oasis' website and i got really positive reactions from them. celine said, "ang ganda nya..parang nd sa manila!". then i showed the website to my colleague at work. she said, "it's really gorgeous! you know what? i'd love to see you walk down the aisle..i'll gatecrash your wedding" (in british accent! hahaha!)...so there you go, all my apprehensions have vanished! so, goodbye fernwood..hello, oasis! =p
 
Inclusions:
- use of venue for 5 hours
- cooling system
- elevated stage with spotlight
- basic sound system
- standby generator
- secured parking
 
More Information
Contact Person: Melody Mallare
Telephone: 632 721 4585
Website: http://www.oasismanila.com
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 Caterer: HIZON'S

Date Booked: July 2005 

i emailed all of the accredited caterers ng oasis. hizon's was the first to reply. actually, madami nagsabi ok naman ung hizon's. and also sa forum, mostly positive feedbacks nababasa ko. they have given me very reasonable packages and as it turns out, they offer the best amenities. un nga lang, dami namin ie-exclude sa package so i'm not sure kung sulit pa din. my mom went there for the food tasting (twice!). she said, masarap daw ang food. the set-ups are also nice. kaya lang we'll be hiring a separate event stylist na to follow our theme so i wouldn't know how they would have delivered. so i guess, the bulk of it would be the food - but no question about it. a lot has testified on how great their food tastes.
  
Inclusions:
- choice of menu
- signature frame
- decorated wedding cage w/ a pair of dove and floral arrangement
- sword parade during cake cutting or torch parade
- tiffany chairs
- table with floor length covers (embroidered mantel or lace runner)
- complete silverwares and glasswares- waiters and food attendants in uniform
- ice for the drinks and purified drinking water
- Emcee: Gladys
- red carpet- menu tags
- bubble machine or fog machine
- ice carving
- luminaries
- beverage fountain
- pasta bar
- dessert bar
- chocolate fountain good for 80-100pax in lieu of cake
- kiddie meal @ 200php each
Exclusions:
- 6,000php for reception set-up
- 2,500php for sound system
 
More Information
Contact Person: Angel (used to be Ella)
Telephone: +632 928 3672
Website: http://www.hizonscatering.com
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 Wedding Coordinator: PERFECT MOMENTS

Date Booked: August 2005

yup...that's how i envisioned my wedding to be -- PERFECT. nothing's perfect but perfection really starts from careful planning and putting bits and pieces together with creative minds, keen eyes and skillful hands. add to that - perseverance and patience and of course, tender, loving care =p
 
it took me a while before i was able to book my wedding coordinator. i heard and read a lot about different suppliers but none really passed my criteria - efficiency, creativity and trustworthiness (sama mo pa value for money =p). i am also not sure what type of coordination to get:
- full coordination: from scratch. from conceptualization to implementation
- semi coordination: at least 5 major suppliers booked
- on the day coordination: self explanatory (i have to do all the preps)
 
at that time, i have started with the preps already so full coordination is out of the question. can't get semi because i have only booked 3 suppliers at that time. i don't want to ask my mom to do the preps for me. i know she'll gladly do it but kawawa naman kasi mahirap din magasikaso ng preps d b? toxic masyado plus, being my nephew's full time nanny =p, she can only do stuff for me every weekends; so on the day coordination is also out of the question
 
fortunately, a co-w@wie's recommendation for a very good coordinator caught my attention. she's an overseas bride as well so that made it easier for me to decide. i contacted her coordinator (she's also very popular in the forum!) and luckily, they are starting a new package, they call it 'turn over coordination'. so what i've started, they will just carry on and will help me with the rest of the planning and implementation. plus, the price was right! she even gave me a discount =p. i did not bother inquiring with other coordinators, i was so set in getting her..so i did!
 
but then, it’s not all bed of roses. There was a time when I haven’t heard from them, no emails, no updates. being an OC bride and an overseas one for that matter, i panicked because i have a lot of stuff i wanted to accomplish, suppliers to book. i emailed them and left messages on their YM, no response. i started to doubt my decision. They were waiting pala for what’s ‘in’ in 2006. and they have been very busy with other clients. I told them my concerns and we’re able to iron out our differences. So far so good. Hope this will continue till after the wedding!
 
i'm hoping that my dream wedding will become a reality. with their help and the support of my family and friends, not to mention, the good suppliers we have, perfection will be just a stone's throw away! =p
 
Inclusions:
- help in conceptualisation of theme and motif and materials to use
- manage the budget
- review contract with suppliers
- advise on documentation and documentary aspects
- advise on creative and practical aspects
- recommend 2-3 suppliers for unbooked requirements
- set up and attend meetings with suppliers
- make payments to suppliers upon request of couple
- search for and evaluate new suppliers
- handle and coordinate logistics requirements
- schedule fittings and appointments with designer
- wedding day planning and coordination
- chocolate fountain, sugarless belgian choco good for 80-100 pax
- rsvp
 
 More Information
Contact Person: Erika Stesha Que
Telephone: +632 536 6879
Website: http://www.perfectmomentsph.com
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 Couturier:  VELUZ REYES

Date Booked: August 2005

after booking the church, reception venue and caterer, i thought i could take my time in booking the other suppliers. i thought wrong! december is a very popular month, not just for weddings but for a lot of other functions. so talagang unahan with the best suppliers around.

biglang nag panic ako! this was because i have already set my mind on getting this designer (ms. veluz reyes) to make my gown. she only accepts 3 weddings max a day..probably because she wants to really make tutok with her brides’ gowns. i chose her because of the good quality of her work plus being far away from home, it will be difficult for me to attend the fittings. she has a lot of overseas clients and lahat sila, all praises kasi sobrang perfect ng fit. and most of them did not physically attend a fitting.

I sent her a picture of the gown I like. She said she’ll make various sketches daw incorporating the design I want then after I choose, she can tell me what fabric or materials we can use..tapos dun pa lang nya masasabi ung price. but she wasn’t able to send them right away because she has been really busy. as it turned out, dami pala naming December 16 veluz-hopefuls! Sa w@w forum, it seemd that 2 w@wies have already booked her.. and a lot more inquiring…so panic ako, if that’s the case, isa na lang available slot! I emailed her right away kasi I don’t want to expect tapos hindi na pala pwede d b. I mean, ok lang naman sa kin if she won’t be able to accommodate me anymore but at least, I have the right to know agad whether she’ll dump me or not..fortunately, she said, she promised me some sketches so she was leaving a slot open for me, un nga lang talgang chaos pa that time...
 
a few more days, she was finally able to send me her sketches. They all look appealing kaya lang no explanation of what the fabric is or kung ano ung trimmings. e nd ako masyado magaling mag-imagine! =p. but still, I asked tantan, my mom, aiza and my friends to choose from the designs. They all chose “design B”. honestly, it wasn’t even one of my options. But thinking hard, I realized it will suit me best because I wanted something simple but elegant. Like what tantan said, he wanted something that will still make our guests look at my face (talk about stealing my thunder! Hahaha..tama bang sa gown tumingin!) but will still appreciate my gown. Veluz then emailed me the gowns’ descriptions and I informed her that I’m leaning towards that design (B). timing din, my sister sent me this picture of a new gown and I instantly fell in love with it! I sent that pic to veluz who in turn said she also love the gown!…veluz and I both went online so we can discuss the details further. She said she can make me something similar but will make some changes to make it maarte ng konti..hehehe!
 
chatting with her, i thought, tama nga ung sabi ng mga ‘happy veluz brides’…sobrang ok ni veluz kausap. It’s like we’ve known each other for so long na and kakagaanan mo talaga ng loob. I asked her how much she’ll charge me. Yikes! Way more than my budget..hehehe! syempre I tried to haggle pero 500 lang nabawas! Hahaha..para lang alang butal =p. since talagang gusto ko sya, we closed the deal
 
initially, we have agreed on a tube top, simple design for my gown. it was made of soft gazar or duchess satin but i had a change of heart. parang it's not the one. i also wanted my gown to be made of chiffon, similar to that of my ento. after several emails, i was finally happy with the design she came up with. don't get me wrong, i love the other designs she made, ala lang 'this is it' feeling. so now, final na talga!
 
she will also be making hubby's suit. kakatawa nga kasi i have set a budget na for that. when i told veluz about it, sabi nya, kinukuripot ko daw si hubby! hahaha! sige na nga, i adjusted it a little para si veluz na din gagawa. =p
 
Inclusions:
Bridal Gown: long gown in chiffon with an extended train at the back. alencon lace with patterned beadwork of cut beads, flat sequins, pearls and swarovskis accentuating the waistline. satin sash on the waist.
- illusion tulle veil
- shoes
- bag
- pillows for rings and coins
- leg and bible garter
- sponsor's veil and cord
- complimentary headpiece
 
Groom's Suit: pants, jacket, dress shirt and vest (classic look not faddish: 3-4 buttons unless gusto ni hubby ng trendier look)
 
More Information
Contact Person: Veluz Reyes
Telephone: +632 837 9184
Website: http://www.veluz.biz
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 Entourage Gowns: TET HAGAPE

Date Booked: October 2005

we've always planned of shouldering our female ento's gowns (sorry guys, mas mura magpatahi ng gowns kesa ng suits nyo e..hehehe). we couldn't afford veluz anymore plus she's got loads on her na so we opted to go for the next 'sikat' in the forum. sabi nila, she's magaling without the really high price tag.
 
Inclusions:
- fabric (chiffon) and labour
 
More Information
Contact Person: Teresa Hagape
Telephone: +63917 8325285
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 Florist/Event Stylist/Musical Direction: INTERPLAY

Date Booked: (Entourage Flowers) November 2005
(Event Styling) February 2006
(Musical Direction) February 2006

we initially booked them just for the enoturage flowers. the reception set up is already included in my caterer's amenities kaya lang i worried whether hizon's will be able to deliver. dami ko nakikita na puro mums lang ung flowers nila and that will definitely NOT go well with my zen theme. so i decided to shell out some more money just so i could have the right 'feel' and 'mood' at the reception.

lala has now a lot on her hands! she will play a vital role in the success of the wedding. pero im confident naman that they will deliver really well.
 
lastly, i got beth sanchez to be our musical director. worried kasi ako with the musical aspect of our wedding kasi im not that musically inclined and i have got no idea what songs to play and how to deal with my instrumentalists. sayang naman ung 'mood' nung event kung nd sasabayan ng good music.
 
Inclusions:
Flowers:
- Bride: hand-tied bouquet using holland tulips, hypericum berries fillers and foliages with motif ribbon lace adorned with pearl beads
- Moms: mini bouquets using casablanca lilies, pink holland variety of roses, carnations and berries as fillers with foliages and motif silk ribbon lace
- Principal Sponsors: mini bouquets using pink gerberas, fuchsia pink roses, dendrobium and fillers with motif ribbon lace
- MOH: hand-tied bouquet using holland variety of fuchsia pink roses, pink snapdragons, 2-tone pink lisanthus, white carnations and misty blue filler and foliages wrapped with motif ribbon lace
- Bride's Maids: nosegay bouquets using imported variety of fuchsia pink gerberas, holland variety of pink roses, pink snapdragons, white carnations and misty blue fillers and foliages wrapped with motif ribbon lace
- Secondary Sponsors: mini bouquets using dark pink carnations, pink snap dragons, holland variety of pink roses, pink dendrobium, misty blue fillers and foliages with motif ribbon lace
- Flower Girls: pomanders and headdresses using dark pink carnations, holland variety of pink roses, queen anne's lace as fillers with pearl bead handles. halo of carnations, roses and fillers
- Groom/Male Entourage: boutonnieres using carnations, hypericum berries and misty blue and fillers
- Add Ons: throw-away bouquet and loose petals
 
Reception Set-Up:
- Couple's Table: zen arrangement of orchids, papyrus, twigs and oriental foliages with white candles on cylindrical glass vases
---> background (option a): japanese divider with bamboo sticks and white orchids and hanging japanese lanterns
---> (option b): hanging pomander of green dendranthemum, orange and burgundy roses and paper lanterns
- Presidential Table: white orchids on a terra cotta pot with bamboo stick surrounded with black stones, echeveria and white stones on a black square plate, green papyrus on mini terra cotta pot, white candles on a wooden box will highlight the arrangement, table napkins will be wrapped with green ti leaves and adorned with white orchids
- Guest Tables: wooden box arranged with green foliages, orange roses, orchids and twigs. candles set of a bed of petals will highlight the arrangement, white orchids on a terra cotta pot with bamboo stick surrounded with black stones and orchid petals
- Entrance Arrangements: zen arrangement of bamboo sticks, orchids renaissance leaf on a tall cylindrical glass vase
- Ceiling Arrangements: white silk cloth wagged from end to end of the ballroom adorned with japanese lanterns of different sizes
- Buffet Tables: zen arrangement of horsetail, bamboo, orchids, alstromeria liliums, foliages on a round terra cotta pot
- Ambient Lights: par 64 lamps 1000watts (24 units), par 56 lamps 1000 watts (8 units), power pack, dimmer light control, royal cord cables, circuit breaker (150 amps), main cable line, light tower 94 units)
 
Musical Direction: song research, prep of church and reception repertoire based on theme and overall event production, coordination with musical providers, coordination with musicians, coordinations with event coordinators, musical scoring and direction during reception.
 
More Information
Contact Person: Lala/Beth
Telephone: +632 871 7260
Website: http://www.interplaycreative.com
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 Main Photographer: RENE GAVIOLA

Date Booked: September 2005

rene gaviola was not my first choice to cover our wedding - he's not even on my list! finding the right photographer hasn't been easy. it's really tricky bec. all you can see are their 'perfect' portfolios, and god knows if they just tinkered with them to make them look 'more appealing'! besides, there are a lot of good photographers around and finding the right one is like looking for a needle in a haystack! not to mention, trying to please some people (my mom and sister), not because i want to please 'please' them but i value their opinions so much i can't commit to anybody unless they somehow approve of them. as we all know, the photos (and video) are the only ones that will remain once the cake has been eaten...flowers have wilted..guests have danced to the music... they are the only ones that will remind us of our most special day. so i have to choose the RIGHT one..
 
rene was not on my list, not because he's not good nor his work unimpressive. it's just that, i haven't heard of him before. i haven't been married before nor organized such a big event for me to scout for someone like him! so when i joined the weddings@work egroup, i learned about a lot of things - things to prepare for, suppliers to book, bits and pieces to make my dream wedding come true. and there i found him.
 
when i saw shelley's (fellow w@wie) prenups with rene, i immediately liked his style..his work caught my attention and i thought, he might be the one...the only other concern is, will mom and aiza approve? they are very picky and could be brutally frank...i think they just want the best for me...the verdict? well, they liked him! they said his style is unique and looked really elegant..whew! after months of searching, i have found him! and book him i did!
 
Over the months, i've seen more of his work and he never fails to impress me. the best thing about him is his relationship with his clients. he reaches out and gets to know them. for me, that is the most important part - knowing his clients' personalities so he'll be able to bring out their best...and the photos that he'll take will truly capture that moment's emotions
 
one thing i love the most about him is that he's always trying to perfect his craft. and when my wedding day comes, he'll be very good and our photos will even be better than what we hoped for.
 
Inclusions:
- US Made art book
- prenups
- parent album
 
 
More Information
Contact Person: Rene Gaviola
Telephone: +632 671 2188
Website: http://www.renegaviola.com
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 Videographer: BUDDY GANCENIA

Date Booked:  September 2005

"Remember your wedding with more than just pictures. Remember it with a moving scrapbook that captures the moment vividly, so that when you watch it ten, twenty, thirty years from now, it’ll feel like it happened only yesterday"

precisely how i want to remember my wedding day, not just with quality pictures but with quality video as well. something that would last for years and years, something that we can share with our great great grandchildren..

that's why i got mr. buddy gancenia to cover our grandest day. his expertise and extensive experience in all aspects of production work made me single him out among all other videographers in the wedding scene. and his style is very different. very impressive talaga! ako pa..i want my wedding to be kakaiba but still you'll see the simplicity and elegance of everything =p

I also got him kasi i know he'll complement our photographer, Rene Gaviola, as they have worked together in most wedding coverages. they won't be blocking each other off. hahaha! he also booked us inspite of the limited time we have to prepare for the avp. (that's only 2-3weeks shooting and editing time!). galing talga!
 
he also gave me huge discounts so i can afford his onsite mtv =p
 
i know everything will turn out magnificent because i have the help of the most brilliant people around.
 
Inclusions:
- 2 cam reality wedding video
- prenuptial documentary
- 2 dvd reality wedding video edited master authored w/ menu and chapters
- 1 dvd prenuptial documentary edited master
- 1 dvd copy of reality wedding video edited master and prenuptial documentary edited master
- onsite mtv
 
More Information
Contact Person: Buddy Gancenia
Telephone: +632 419 7147
Website: http://www.buddygancenia.com
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 2nd Photographer: KIX TAVORA

Date Booked: February 2006

i booked him as 2nd (back up) photographer. we have so much faith in rene gaviola and we're very happy with our choice but being cam-whores, we want all the pics we can get! i have heard of kix in the forum and there are a lot of happy and satisfied couples raving about him. i've had a good look on his webpage and his work is quite good - vibrant colours, very alive pics. i'm pretty sure he and rene will jive really well and will give us all the pics we want. he'll focus on the wedding accessories, guests and other angles.
 
Inclusions:
- photos in lightscribe DVDs with custom label and cover
- unlimited shots (no prints)
- average of 150-250 shots (single scene shots, not bracketed ones), retouched if necessary
- 5-7 days delivery via door-to-door
- extra light
 
More Information
Contact Person: Kix Tavora
Telephone: +632 933 9530
Website: http://www.photos.ph/kix_tavora/kasal
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 Music: JJS ENTERTAINMENT

Date Booked:  December 2005

it took us a while in deciding whom to get as our instrumentalists. ever since we started planning the wedding, i've always wanted a children's choir to sing at the church and, at least, a quartet for the reception. right now, we will let go of the choir idea and not concentrate much on the church. pano, san sebastian only alloted an hour for us kasi before and after us, me weddings! so tight ang sched. sayang naman if we would splurge tapos nd naman pwede. so, the main part would be at the reception


it was a toss between JJS and The Sentimental Groove. we opted for JJS bec. at that time, there are loads of positive feedback about them. anyway, they will be working with our musical director, beth sanchez.
 
Inclusions:
- sextet (still deciding which instruments to get)
- sound system
- 2 vocalists (1 male, 1 female)
 
More Information
Contact Person: John Santos
Telephone: +632 776 6094
Website: http://www.kasal.com/vendor/jjs001/index.html
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 Hair and Make-Up Artist: MADGE LEJANO

Date Booked: November 2005

i thought hard whether to book this na or not. i was having second thoughts bec. i want to have some trials first before i book anybody. have to make sure i would look good both in person and in pics. so finding the right artist is crucial. but my biggest problem is, i won't be able to have the trials until we go back home and that would be just 3 weeks before the wedding and it might be too late! kaya lang most hmua accepts just one wedding per day, so unahan pa din with the best suppliers. i don't want to end up having the espasol look just bec. all the capable artists have been booked up! so i have finally made up my mind that i will book my hmua asap and would just base my decision on who will be highly recommended and with an impressive portfolio.
 
she's actually my 3rd choice (1st was jasmine mendiola, 2nd was angie cruz). she's 3rd not bec. she's the least magaling but bec. she's the most expensive among the 3. aside from her asking price, she would still charge me for trial make up kahit booked ko na sya.
 
erika and i inquired separately kasi sa sobrang busy nya, medyo matagal sya magrespond. at least dalawa kami na kumukulit sa knya, that would be too hard to miss. she replied to me and fortunately, she's still available on my date. i tried to haggle pero un na daw un. she'll be my good friend naman daw sa wedding and won't leave me till after the reception. on a positive note, i liked her dedication.
 
ala ng isip isip. i asked my mom to deposit the payment to her account para one less thing to worry about.
 
Inclusions:
- bride and groom
- 3 extra people
- trial make up
 
More Information
Contact Person: Madge Lejano
Telephone: +632 632 7011
Website: http://www.makeupbymadge.com
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 Cake: ALEX FRANCO

Date Booked: March 2006

Alex Franco is widely known for his luscious and enticing chef-d'oeuvre. he is a little pricey but backed by years of experience and satisfied clients, you'll know it's all worth it!

i know he's expensive but never thought it is feasible =p. now i know! *lol* another good thing about him is that he does NOT accept down payments. he will collect the payment AFTER the reception. isn't that a good deal?! he said he has already placed my name in his calendar and will talk more about the details nearer time.
 
i got him to make me a 5-layer all edible cake. unfortunately, he doesn't make sugarless cakes. hubby is diabetic kasi so we will need to look for someone else to make one kahit a few slices lang for the cake ceremony and para naman me dessert pa din si bebe ko..hihihi... anyways, am on it na din.
 
Features: 5 layers - all edible, refrigerated. heavy sponge. all butter based. chocolate mousse fillings with fresh mangoes and australian caramel sauce on all layers. us-made whipped cream.
 
Inclusions:
- ceramic wedding couple
- miniature doves in bird cage with floral arrangement
- 16 pullouts with wishes
- chocolate fudge brownies (30pcs.)
- free rent of steel-based stands
- no delivery charge
- 1 free cake
 
More Information
Contact Person: Alex Franco
Telephone: +632 533 1450
Website: http://www.alexfrancocakes.com
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 Screen/Projector: WEB DEVICES

Date Booked: March 2006

i thought of borrowing na lang from ust (through hubert and my former boss, dr. m) para tipid. the projector would be for the avp and onsite mtv. they have diff. projectors - lcds and dlps and feeling ko naman, papahiramin nila ako (hahaha! mag assume daw ba!). pero i've been thinking din na pano kung nd pd, syempre, property pa din ng ust un and kahit gaano ako kalakas (at mag assume na naman!) sa knila, bka hindi pumayag. besides, there is a former w@wie who rents out projectors. she's got good reviews and dali din daw kausap
 
i contacted velvet and right away, nagkasundo na kami! hahaha! she said a projector with 2000 lumens would be enough na daw for my 200++ guests. i asked her kung kelangan ng 2 projectors/screen to cover the event. sabi nya, she's been to oasis and no need na dahil ala namang obstructions. 1 would be more than enough. so i asked my mom to pay the DP and everything's sorted already!
 
Inclusions:
- projector
- screen
- technician
 
More Information
Contact Person: Velvet San Diego
Telephone: +63917 834 4803
Website: http://www.webdevices.blogspot.com
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 Hotel Preparation: DIAMOND HOTEL

Date Booked: March 2006

this has been one of our priorities. december ung wedding namin and sympre, daming mag check in sa mga hotels at that time - madaming kaagaw. as early as possible, gusto ko na sya ibook. i was looking for one near san sebastian basilica. i have narrowed the choices down to 3: manila hotel, diamond hotel and hyatt regency hotel.
 
i have set my heart na on manila diamond hotel. it's all positive fb in the forum: good service, nice rooms, not so expensive and quite near san sebastian. manila hotel is so expensive plus since it's quite old na, not that good for photo ops. hyatt seems to be more expensive than diamond hotel so i scrapped that off as well.
 
plan:
15 december - (bride) check in sa standard room lang
(groom) check in sa deluxe room and will stay there till after the preps. he doesn't need a big room naman e.
16 december - (bride) check out sa standard room. then EARLY check in sa suite for the preps (am hoping to transfer around 9am)
(groom) late check out, bet. 1-2pm. his thingies will be in the suite na din so talgang he will just need to vacate the room
17 december - check out suite
 
Features: not so expensive, nice staircase, can bring food from outside, good customer service, loads of photo ops
 
Inclusions:
- 1 standard room (4,500php)
- 1 deluxe room (5,500php)
- 1 suite (8,800php)
 
 More Information
Contact Person: Leah Sorreda
Telephone: +632 528 3000
Website: http://www.diamondhotel.com
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 Save-the-Date Invites: PRINTED MATTER

Date Booked:  September 2005

sobrang excited ako noon so as early as september, i had the save-the-date cards printed. i did the layout myself using 2 of our experimental prenup pics. since it's digital, the most obvious choice would be printed matter. i think that's what they specialises in. i emailed the layouts to erika and she coordinated it with printed matter. after a couple of weeks, erika collected them and had it delivered to my mom's.
 
the invites were like post cards. the finish is matte and it's splash-proof.
 
Inclusions:
- 100 pcs. main std invites
- 28 entourage invites
 
More Information
Contact Person: Kerwin or Phoebe Chua
Telephone: +632 715 6338
Website: http://www.printedmatterinvites.com
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 Travel Agent: PIC-UK

Date Booked: March 2006 

we wanted to book this as early as possible (and we did!) bec. december is peak season and airfares could double in price if left for long. and we did the right thing! just a week after inquiring, the rates have gone 26£ higher! we wanted pa naman the lowest rate we could get. that means foregoing any chances of flying with emirates again (my fave airline!). we just couldn't afford it. it's rates are almost double with the airline we booked with, qatar. pero, bawal maginarte! next time na lang pag me budget na ulit. this time, pang budget airline lang kami! hahaha!
 
tantan convinced me to fly with qatar airways bec. it's the 2nd cheapest airline around (gulf air being the chepeast one - pero nd mo talga ako mapapasakay dun: 1] delayed flights, 2] cramped seats, 3] food - eeek!). tantan promised me i would get the extra money we would save from this. hahaha! 30k++ din un (pang dentist sya actually). i did my research muna before i totally gave in. good reviews naman and good value for money din. tantan said we don't need naman to fly with sikat na airlines e. me kasi, i feel they charge more bec. their service is exceptional and you have to be really comfortable when flying long hours - sakit kaya sa pwet! anyways, let's see if it's really value for money.
 
we bought our tickets from PIC-UK. they are our suki and what i like about them is that eventhough it's owned by japanese, they have pinoy staff so hindi ka mauubusan ng english! hahaha! they will give you a lot of options (try different combinations to get the best price: airports, airlines, times, etc.). very helpful and so far, sila ung me best deals to pinas. un nga lang, sa dami siguro ng clients nila, ang hirap minsan makasingit sa line nila. it took me several attempts just to make the booking. but i should say, they work fast and they make sure that you get the tickets ASAP! we got ours the very next day we booked them - with free posting! talk about good service!
 
More Information
Telephone: +44 870 033 9948
Website: http://www.pic-uk.com
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 Honeymoon Package: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES

Date Booked: 27 March 2006 

Ever since we saw the amazing race, manila edition, we fell in love with palawan. Besides, it’s the only place among the most popular tourist spots in the Philippines that we haven’t been to. So this is the most obvious choice for our honeymoon.
 
we initially wanted to stay at lagen island in el nido but i can't find a very reasonable package for us. we really did not want to spend 70k just for 3days 2nights. we did not want to pay so much for a place where we won't be staying in the whole time. we're not really 'loungers' but more of 'explorers' - sort of back packers.
 
then i saw the palakbayan deal of philippine airlines for puerto princesa. we had 2 options: hotel fleuris and dos palmas. pero may gulay, laki din ng difference nila sa price! dos palmas is really enticing pero their package is just for accomodations and flights pa lang (triple na agad nung sa fleuris - and that's before tax pa ha!). ala pa ung mga tours na gusto namin gawin. and we felt na pag dos palmas kami, we wouln't want to go anywhere else. parang you would be too lazy to go around.
 
we decided we'll stay at hotel fleuris (d naman kami maarte *lol*) then spend a day at dos palmas. and since mas mura sya, we extended our stay to 5days 4nights so we could do everything we want.
 
anyways, the reason why medyo ayaw namin mag splurge for this honeymoon is because tantan and i are planning to do a major holiday-ing next year. it's either we'll go to the states to visit our families or a road-trip (yup, as in drive) around europe. d ba mas exciting un? *lol*
 
Inclusions:
- 5 days, 4 nights hotel accomodations (Hotel Flueris)
- airfares
- airport-hotel-airport transfers
- all taxes
- Tours: honda bay island hopping, underground river, city, dos palmas
- daily breakfast and lunch during tours
- entrance fees/snorkelling equipments/boats/misc.
 
More Information
Telephone: +632 855 8888
Website: http://www.philippineairlines.com
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