ThInGs ThAt MaKe mE KiLiG

My Baby called me coz he couldn't contain himself... to tell believe that while he was taking a bath this morning, his Dad disturbed him by knocking and asking...

"Ano ba, hindi na ba tayo mamamanhikan?"

His reply was a very unromantic, "NOT NOW" but i'm kilig nonetheless.

And we know that it's basically the effect of my baby having e-mailed all his relations from abroad and their close family friends... to tell them of the news and to refer them to this site (I think, for them to actually believe that we are going to be getting married soon na).

I know I've already written about how HAPPY the GRAND GESTURE made me... sometimes I even think it'a made me forgotten how it was to depressed... am just that happy and fulfilled!!!

*~*

Went to the Photo Congress yesterday with my Baby... there was a free photoshoot being offered and we decided to go for it.

It was all kinds of awkward posing lovey-dovey with him (think, my arms wrapped around his neck... or his arms wrapped around me) while other people watch, but it was a fun experience shared with him... we also need all the practice we can get for our weding photoshoot...

Let me see... 14 more months to really prepare...

*~*

And on that note, 14 months to go and have we accomplished anything yet? Let's see...

CHURCH
We're already 90% decided on Paco Park. We also haven't stopped going to Mass there... and every visit, we'd get more and more ideas on how we want the place decorated...

RECEPTION
Still no sure choice. Orchidarium seems to be a good place but it's rather expensive. Actually, most gardens are rather expensive, and requiring some 10% of your contract price from the caterer... which frustrates us because we'd really rather PhP30k go to food eaten rather than cover charges.

CATERER
We fell in love with Manila Catering's set-up (yellow parasols on yellow and orange tables) and their packages, but I've heard feedback that says their food is kinda bland. Our top choice remains to be Hizon's, because we know their food is great (we're ok with just a good enough set-up in our color motiff, but we're not willing to compromise the food... our families our hearty eaters... and so are we). We're considering Batis Asul too...

PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER
After last night, we're considering two possibles... Vignett and Black and Silver Photo. They have the cutest mini-albums. And they're run by married couples... which feels symbolic for me. Vignette's couple were also married at Paco Park and they're based in Ermita, a real super plus point for them. Black & Silver however offer pre-nup pics in their packages for a non-traditional signature book (as opposed to the traditional signature frame which keeps falling the whole night as guests try and sign on them).

MAKE-UP ARTIST, HAIRDRESSER
Like hell... all my baby and i have accomplished is saving up for a foot spa together.

He insists on me having my hair in a bun though, something I'm unwilling to give in to. A bun would only make my already round face... rounder.

But based from Visual make-Over, hairstyles with fullness and height at the crown, off center parts, short hairstyles with a swept-back direction or styles longer than chin length are what suits a round face best.

And yes, he still doesn't want me practicing on wearing make-up. But i've also read that purples and reds suit a morena skin best.

BRIDAL GOWN, ENTOURAGE GOWNS, KUSTURERAS, ETC.
As i've previously posted, I've already picked a gown for my secondary sponsors. I'm letting my sister pick her own design for her gown as Maid-of-Honor. My Jojo is still wondering what to wear (barong, suit, or this long-sleeved chemise-type top). I'm still wondering if i'd go for the basque-waisted (ala Ella enchanted), flowing skirt gown... or the 2004 Miss Teen USA gown that's so elegant and simple. Of course, Jojo prefers the simple gown... but I've always wanted a basque-waisted gown (which I might also really need to cover up my tummy).

I've also decided i'd forego the veil. And I was happy to find out that wings can be had for as little as Php180/ea. That sure is nice to know if I decide to have my flower girls wear wings, with their wreaths and baskets of flowers.

GUEST LIST
The ideal reception would include our immediate families, and our relations up to 1st cousins and their spouses... their kids, if they're in the entourage (not that a Filipino family can really avoid having kids and babies at weddings), our high school and college friends, and our colleagues. Intimate, right? But that already demands some 300 mouths to feed... and we're still hoping we can limit the guest list to just 200.

BUT we're also open to a small wedding too... we intend to pay for the whole shebang ourselves (not that we won't appreciate sponsors, donations, alms, etc) but don't want to dig ourselves in debt the first two years of our marriage. The important thing is getting married...

It's just that we love our families way tooo much... and we're suckers for reunions way too much.

MUSICIANS, SONG LIST, ETC.
My Baby wants to have his relatives sing at the ceremony... if we cannot hire a children's choir. Not that I underestimate his relations' singing voices, for they're actually great, but I told him i'd rather hire a professional who'd really reserve that day for us, and won't back out because of work or other matters, and somebody I can sue if they end up not delivering what was agreed upon... because I don't want to be bothered or upset by no-shows.

My Baby also wants our mothers to sing... I belive that both have good voices too, and am quite sure that my own Mother would be too shy to do it in front of all those people. Jojo then tells me he'd cry if our mothers do that, and am like, why would he want to cry? Still, he insists he'd ask that for a wedding gift... let's just wait and see then...

ENTOURAGE AND SPONSORS
I've already decided that we won't have bridesmaid anymore, and would limit the flower girls to 3 super cute nieces. We're having problems with primary sponsors though... we keep thinking of really special women we'd want to bless us, but we can't come up with men. I'm hoping though that we can limit our primary sponsors to just 5 pairs.

INVITATIONS
We found a nice design we want to have copied... to match our wedding rings.

RINGS
Like what I said, we've already found a design we'd like... it's really beautiful and unique and yet simple too. Jojo is just worried that Pinoy jewellers might not be good enough to properly emboss what needs to be embossed. We've also decided it's going to be a two-tone rose and white gold band, without stones.

CAKES AND DESSERTS
Jojo is adamant that we'd get that 'dirty ice cream' from Batangas. We're also considering getting mini cakes for a cake tree, which can serve as additional dessert and also souvenir (there'd be boxes available for them) for the guests.

In the darkest places of my mind, I'm also daydreaming of getting chocolate fountains, with Belgian chocolates flowing, in dark chocolate and white chocolate... sigh, but they're so expensive...

Another dessert idea is ordering cakes from Becky's Kitchen to have them served to guests. At least they're guaranteed yummy and sinful... the guests will sure be satisfied :)



Honeymoon? I have no idea... I think we'd be too poor for one.