I was supposed to go to Malaysia today with a group of colleagues for a 1 day Durian trip and guess what??? I was not able to wake up by the time that I did they are already on their way... and my BFF's are hating me right now hahahahhah hopefully they forget all about it by Monday :-)

So since I was already awake I did a bit of work related things..got bored and decided to browse my files and saw this super cute "celebrating love" vector which gave me an idea, too lazy to make an invitation so what's the next best thing? Table numbers!!!!

Here you go... all you need to do is either print them out using your ever reliable printer. Just click the picture and it will bring you to the download page.

I am going to start this post with saying it's possible to fall in love with a gown hahahahaha. I love love love the gown if given a choice. I would wear it again in any occasion.

I meet Nino through Xyrene, if you guys have not been following my journey of finding my dream wedding gown, you could read it HERE.

I would not recommend to any bride to make her gown within 3 months and doing the final fitting 5 days before the wedding day its stressful, there would always be this question lingering in your head what if.... it's crazy. My wedding gown journey could have been a disaster but then I had Nino, he's like my Fairy God Mother.


I did my final fitting 5 days before our day. When I tried on my gown I was speechless!!! It fit like a glove it was flowy, dreamy and comfy!!!!. Nino said that it was not fully done for he needs to put some more blings and on the spot he decided that he would add a black sash for my 2nd look. All throughout the fitting he kept on asking me how I feel, if am comfy, do I like it, do I want something to be changed. How often could you hear this from a designer? He puts his clients need first for he does not mind you changing his design. Of course I said NONE!! I love the gown!!!

Nino delivered the gown a day before the wedding he had it set up together with the mannequin and I got a surprise gift!!! 


 He is so thoughtful.



Ok so what made him my Fairy God Mother other than making my lovely dreamy gown?? Lets back up a few days of the wedding.


This is my sister Chiquitita who did a Julia Roberts, My best friend wedding stint hahahaha. She needs to be different from the rest of the entourage, I bought her a long gown with a different shade of red but she got this idea of since our color motiff is Black and Red that she would wear black instead hhahahah. I was in panic mode because I cant let her wear all black she needed to have a red thing on her. I've SMS Nino asking if he could make a sash for my sister in burgundy and he just answered "Don't worry dear, I would be able to do it" haayy!! Saved!


This picture is showing our secondary sponsor pinning the veil.. well this would not be possible if not for Nino hahahahah I totally forgot about it and just remembered a few hours before the wedding. And again when Xyrene called Nino at 7am he's answer was "Tell her not to worry, If I don't have it in the shop, I will buy one for her" and he did!!! He came at 10 am with our secondary veil!!!

So what else did my Fairy God Mother did??? From the time he came he was always there with me, making me laugh, making sure that I ate (which I thought I would not forget) kept reminding my bridesmaid to make sure that they have chocolates in their bags. He just never left my side.


He was here whenever I needed something, even when I had a crying moment he was there to calm me down and make me laugh. He was there making sure that am OK!!!


He was with me in the van on the way to Church, and was there to touch me up before walking down the aisle.


He was there when I was nervously waiting to walk down the aisle, again making me calm.

Down to our 6 month mark before our sakal day, I still don't have a wedding gown. Yes, I do have a post that I found my this is it wedding gown HERE but then I have a change of heart rather a change of budget hahahahah. Anyways so my Aunt suggested that we should make a trip to Divisoria during my March trip. I haven't been to Divisoria well I guess there's always the first time.

So, I don't want to spend days in Divisoria in search of my wedding gown so I turned to my lovely sisterets in Girl Talk and W@W.

Coutuba fashion house,by:paulsantos

BGG: Bridal Glitz n Glamour

Moiras Wedding Fashion

RG Sabastian FB

I have not said this enough, planning a wedding is not an easy task and no one would be prepared for it, at least that's how I started this journey.

I stumbled upon this article at lovethegrows.com early this year when I was doing some research about our Church requirements Pre-Cana Seminar and our Canonical Interview.

Found it interesting and decided to ask the questions to Jowaness during my trip to manila last June.

We sat down and started to answer the questions, well for most of the questions we had discussed it at a certain point in our 16 year stint as jowaness.

But it was just refreshing to sit down and answer the questions, dont worry the questions are not threatening but it would just assure you that, you do know what you're getting into and that you know who you are marrying. We did not quarrel about our differences but we compromised :-) see we are in a good start.

I know 100 questions are overwhelming, you could do it over coffee, sipping wine, or maybe while watching TV (which we did)

So just give it a shot. Be open and honest. You never know what can happen.

Sex/Romance/Love

Whenever we have difficult feelings about each other, should we (1) remain silent, (2) say something as soon as the difficult feelings arise, (3) wait a certain amount of time before raising the issue, or (4) do something else? If so, what?
If you always say you are going to do something but never do it, what is the most effective way to bring this problem to your attention?
What did you admire about the way your mother and father treated each other?
What is the best way for me to communicate difficult feelings about you so that you are not offended?
Who should know bout the arguments we have?
What makes you not want to talk to me?
Do you feel you could communicate with me under any circumstance and about any subject?

Finance
What justifies going into debt?
What are all your current personal debts?
Do you feel stress when facing financial problems? How do you deal with that stress?
How often do you use credit cards, and what do you buy with them?
How should we prepare for a financial emergency?
Do you feel that lack of money is a good reason not to have children?
When our child is born, will he or she go to daycare or will one of us stay home to take care of the child? Who will it be?
Will we have a budget?
Who will pay the bills?
How do you feel about helping me pay my debts?
What are your feelings about saving money?
Do you prefer separate bank accounts or assets in different names? Why?

Miscellaneous
How would you rank all the priorities in your life: work, school, family, spouse, friends, hobbies, and chuch? Does your ranking reflect the amount of time you spend on each?
Are you closer to your mother or father? Why?
Do you prefer a set daily work schedule or flexible work activities and timetables?
What do you fear?
What influence, if any, do you believe my family should have on our relationship?
Do you believe that our parents should know our financial condition, whether good or bad, just because they want to? How far should this go?
What are your views on pornography?
How would you react if our son or daughter told us they were gay?
Do you harbor any racial prejudice?
How do you feel about having guns in our home?
Is there anyone close to you who feels we should not get married? Why? Should we discuss this?
What health problems do you have?
Have you ever had any psychological problems?
When you are in a bad mood, how should I deal with it?
Do you like pets?

To download: Printable Version

Hmm? this gave me an idea, maybe on our yearly anniversary we would re-visit these questions.. I can't wait :-)
 

I am just so happy!!! I made a post about our prospective wedding band, I did mention that there is this one particular band that I love love but they were out of our budget.

That band is Muzik Qlass, well even though I know they are kinda out of our budget I was insisting to Jowaness that I need to have them, I was consistently watching their videos in their Youtube page and I got more excited when I found out that they sang my favorite songs!!!

So he did :-), he watched them play and he even called me to listen to them sing and they do sound good I listen to Jason sing More Today than Yesterday which is another song that I love (OMG!! am I giving away how old I am?)

After listening to them, I told Jowaness that, I want them, so now its up to him, he has to see if they are really nice, well, Jowaness confirmed that Christine and Jason are easy to deal with.

 So what's next after booking them? Going thru their repertoire of songs and choose the songs that would be played during the ceremony and reception. I and sister Chiqui would enjoy this! :-)

Finding the dream gown is one if not the hardest thing a bride to be has to tick out from her long list of to-do's. I for one was quite stressed out, to top that I am not a size 6 person, I am a plus size bride arghhhh!!!

People would expect me to have my dress done in the Philippines, of course I would love to have it made in Manila but then if I factor the airfares making the gown in Singapore would be the sane thing to do, I have no intention of flying back and forth for my gown fittings.

It's decided am going to need to find my dream gown in Singapore and thus need to put my Googling skills into work. I've found a few bridal gown shop that is within my budget, the next step is to visit their place together with my trusty bridesmaid Lorena we visited and had tons of fun.
 
Affordable Made to Measure Wedding Gowns in Singapore.

1.  Vivian Gown


I've been in contact with Ms. Vivian thru email, you could send her your pegs for qoutation. She's answers promptly to emails. So I just have to make an appointment with her, she did say I could try her gowns.. I was jumping they have my size!!!!!


She has around 5 racks of gowns, so one could go crazy and of course I could only try a few pieces.
I was able to try 4 gowns in all and my favorite are these 2. If you happen to like something it's either you take off the rack display, she could do minor alteration or get a gown made to measure free alteration to your hearts content. Her prices is affordable.

She would suggest was is the appropriate cut of gown based on your body type, she is easy to talk with very accommodating.

Plus points!!! I could take pictures :-)

Price Range: 300 - 800 sgd
Craftsmanship: Very Good
Contact Person: Ms. Vivian
HP 94550375
vivian.gown@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/viviangownSG
website www.viviangown.com

2. A love Affair

 You would have around 4-6 racks of gowns to choose from, unfortunately I could not try to gowns, Lorena for the fun of it tried a gown that I liked.

Ms. Fluer is nice. It would take around 3-4 months for production and if you need to alter the gown she could recommend a seamstress.

Price Range: 300 - 800 sgd
Craftmanship: Good
Contact:Ms. Fleur
info@aloveaffair.com.sg
Phone: 92401768
www.aloveaffair.com.sg

3. Elas Dress

Elas Dress was our last stop for our search, The shop is near our place and she has around 8-12 racks of gowns. And they also have my size. I was able to try on 4 gowns. I was happy and I think I found my dream gown.. which was unexpected. I've envisioned myself in a ball gown, full lace applique, sweetheart tube but then the gown that I fell in love with was none of those, when Lorena saw me, she was " Mama! The gown is you!!!" that was it I was sold.

Ms Ella is friendly, accommodating if only we had more time to try on some more gowns. Opps!! It was Ms Ella who asked my to try on "this is it" gown.

Price range: 600 - 1500 sgd
Craftsmanship: Very Good
Ella - 9335 7479
contact@elasdress.com
http://www.elasdress.com/

I need to choose from Ms Vivan and Ms Ella, I have to make a decision by December both of them have 3-4 month production time. Haiz!! decisions!!!!

For any Pinay Singapore based brides you could check this forum page from the Female Network

You would be able to get some advice and ideas on how you could go about your wedding preps :-)

Filipinos love music in any form, we are so passionate that for sure there would be a song that they could relate it to their own life, or on a time of their life. And YES!! I have songs that could relate into any part of my life :-)

It's part of our culture, Filipinos loves music so much that we cant live without it may it be doing our chores, studying or even when we are taking a bath, we love to hear some melody to hum with and am guilty of this, it doesnt mean that I could sing, Hell Yah! I could sing, opps!! I love to sing but the songs doesnt love me back hahahahahah but it does not stop me from belting out a tune when needed :-)

That's why finding the right songs to be played during the ceremony and reception is such a tedious task for any couple, it's their way of sharing their life to their guests thru the songs that is being played, songs that could make them cry and laugh at the same time and maybe bring them back to their own memory lane.

So, compiling these songs made me an emotional wreck today, it's a tough job but then I realized I start doing it and hoping it would get better as I add some new songs heheehehehhe.

OK, to start compile all your favorite songs, then decide which songs would be played in the ceremony and reception.

For this post, am compiling the songs that I am considering to use our ceremony.

BRIDAL ENTOURAGE MARCH

 Again, one of my favorite song and another rendition from Mr Dennis.

It Might Be You

Ok, this is one of my guilty pleasures I fell inlove with this song because of Aiza and because Papa Aga Mulach made a movie with this as a theme song but then listening to the lyrics...hmmm?? I can see asking Jowaness the same question hahahahah... considering this to be my bridal march too :-)

How Did You Know  

 

 

 BRIDAL MARCH

 

I think it was in 1995, we are both working at Jollibee Padre Faura. I was then a SMART officer and he was a kitchen crew, we didnt even hit it off at the start for I have my own set of Kuya's so I dont even know him well. I had this community project in Quirino Grandstand and I needed someone to accompany me, I asked Ma'am Shell who I could borrow to help me out, I was hoping that it would be one of my Kuya;s for I dont want to be bored so I was like hinting to her but lo and behold she choose Rodel!!! Since I dont want to start an argument with her I just settled with Rodel, well it was awkward and least to say boring, Rodel is not as talkative as I am :-(
Dont know how it happened but eventually he was part of our group, well maybe he hit if off with my other Kuya's ( Bartley, Marlou ) our group was inseparable and I was closed to all of them plus their GF's. Rodel then became my break buddy since he doesnt have a choice, his GF then wouldnt be able to leave until I go for my break. Yes! you read it right his GF then was my assistant :-) He would be accompanying me for my break, buy me iced tea from Wendys and go for yosi break, and just like that we became close friends. Did I mentioned that am a spoiled brat with my Kuya's

I left Jollibee to work for Cafe Elysee, both of us are single and unattached. Among my Kuya;s hes the persistent one that would pick me up from work almost everyday ( remember Iam a spoiled brat ) my staff then would assume that he is my BF and of course I would deny it and explain to them that we are just friends (Kuya and Ate) . When did it hit me?? well, a staff of mine commented " Ma'am no guy in his right state of mind would waste his time with a friend if he doesnt feel anything, friends dont do this to each other and you just have to see you two together, its different! " Boom!! then I realized that there is something there that I didnt realized before hahahahah well I just kept this to myself and just went on with our set up.

I got a job which required me to work in Surigao, June 13, 1999 the a day before I left...well it was a sad and happy day. Iam leaving Manila but then finally we are officially a WE..

14 years later.. with our own share of ups and downs.. We are getting hitched!!!