some cute babies

This is YUMI...



one of our flower girls.

We originally want just 3 flower girls... actually, I orginally wanted 7 of them, wearing different colors... :) But then they became 3, and now... they're becoming many again...

mostly because cousins are volunteering their youngs... and who am I to say NO when I could be doing the same 5 years from now? ahehe..

anyway, YUMI (short for MAYUMI) is such a precocious, intelligent, super-active child. She won't stop dancing unless you tell her to... she kisses everyone you ask her to... she has sooo many antics, she's sooo pretty... she's just really going to take the limelight away from us, I know it...

and this... is PYRO



6 months younger than Yumi, he's also going to be the youngest in the entourage (so far... but if I include Naomi and Jessica, they'd be the youngests).

Jojo and I already know that his father might be ushering him out of our Church soon as he comes in... and re-discovers the ECHO at St. Pancratius Chapel.

And being very, very talkative and just plain noisy... we also know he'd be stealing the limelight from us.

Actually, our list of kids who'd be kicked out of the Church is growing... lolz.

But honestly, we so adore these kids and it's a privilege having them on our wedding. Am sure it's really going to be more memorable for us...

For we do not seek perfection in non-disruption (not that we're asking for brownouts etc)...

Our wedding celebration would be perfect if we'd feel that sense of family in the middle of all the activities and food...

And if a babbling tot is what would it take... fine :)

I just really hope our cousins and nephews would wait till everyone is finished eating before they topple chairs and ice carvings.

*~*

I believe my Baby and I can say, with all honesty, and despite their imperfections and limitations and issues and pasts, that we love the family we're marrying into.

*~*

Booked Vignette Photography. Loved their album. And so far, Mr. and Mrs. Ignacio have both been very easy to talk to and bargain with.

And again, because they were married at the same Church, it's like being showered with good vibes.

*~*

Got the quotations from the venue we dare not fall in love with. It's actually within our budget... if we limit our guests to 200.

Beloved and I will still talk about it. And maybe attempt to bargain with Barbara's. Wish us luck?
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Misc. Updates and Kwentos

I think i'd just give a rundown of what we've accomplished (or not, wehehe) so far.

Church and ceremony
I forgot na when we actually booked our Church. We have yet to pay the remaining balance and meet with the Officiant we want.

Reception
Still very much awaiting the proposal from the venue we checked out last Saturday. It was actually very big and proved to be very promising in terms of elegance, ambience, etc. But we dared not fall in love yet, lest we cannot afford the place.

Wedding Gown and Other Outfits
I've already found a design I really like, even had the photo developed. It's now one of the first things I see everytime I wake up. I'm considering a separate pannier type (removable attachment... o whatever the heck is the proper term) though for pictorials prior to the ceremony.

We've checked shops in Divi... Jojo liked one shop (where he bought his office barongs)... the Double O Boutique (i think... it's located along Pasilio H, and occupies some 3 stalls). I'm still leaning towards Mrs. Bautista though, because of the rave reviews about the quality she puts into her gowns.

Cake
Uhm... no real kwento about this one.

Flowers
I've asked the famous (or infamous, depends which bride you talk to at w@w, ahihi) Boy Mahusay for a quote on the Church and Entourage flowers. Mostly, it's gerberas, mums and some roses here and there. Only, my beloved and I originally want fruit topiaries inside the Church... but seeing that it's more expensive, our options are still open.

I'd also be asking Mang Chris (in-house florist and photographer at Paco Park, who holds office at St. Vincent Parish) to give us a quotation for the same stuff... hopefully his will be cheaper. And him I really like so chances are, we'd be getting him anyway.

Besides, his photo album already contains pictures of fruit topiaries... so he knows what we want.

Photo & Video
Booking our supplier this Friday. I really intend to bargain that he give us high-resolution copies of the unlimited shots that come with the package we want. I mean, after all, he'd give the same to those who only got him as a photographer... why won't he do the same for us who also got him for our videographer... and ordered a wedding album from him? :)

He's kind... I know he'd give in.

Wedding Program
Uhm... am not anymore sold on the idea of a handfasting ceremony being included in the wedding ceremony. But we'd be consulting the Officiant anyway if it can be allowed. I hope he'd also be amenable to uhm... personal vows (which we haven't really made yet) and he'd give the really conservative Sirach readings a rest.

I've also been thinking of NOT throwing my bouquet, and not having the usual garter toss. Syempre I want a program that's unique and personal without being tiresome and complicated.

Invitations
A friend has offered to gift us with money for it. And a family friend has offered to print them for us. Now, there's room in our pockets to consider ordering personalized gift wrappers too...

Musicians
None so far. I'm looking at the two cheapest professional groups i've sourced... but we can't really decide until we've finalized the reception.

Honeymoon
Really no budget for this... but a trip to the beach anytime will be nice.

Discovery Weekend and the like
Sigh. Can't schedule this yet because we're both busy and booking the photo/video and reception are top priority for the moment.

Medical check-ups
Somebody spank us... we have yet to get cost estimates for all the tests we intend to get.

Relationship
My Baby and I have lately been stressed... partly due to the wedding preps, partly due to differences of opinion on what's important for the future we're trying to build together.

Oh, the Guest List
Well, technically... we've lost two key persons. One will be buried this Saturday, the other one on Sunday. But going to the wake has brought to fore relatives upon relatives... and relatives with kids at that.

I do not want to dwell on this one just yet. Ahehe.

*~*

Spending Friday with my friend Allee... who is getting married exactly a week before I do... WAS fun. We went to the same suppliers and interviewed them and asked for quotations and ate cake and exchanged ideas.

Girl bonding.

And it's nice realizing she's still the best friend I loved back in college.

She's just too dang noisy too.

And we both fell in love with ping-pong flowers by the way. Super nice...
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Needing your prayers, peeps

We found a reception possibility... which, of course, we still have to inspect for parking, nice CR, running water, and general nice ambience.

And it's actually a little steep.

So please guys... offer naman a silent prayer my way...

1) That it's still available for my date.

2) It won't require __% off the caterer contract.

3) Oh yeah, that it's really a nice place worth it's venue fee.

4) We can book it.

5) We'd enjoy our reception there.

Thank you all soooo very much.
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Hopeful, Resigned

HOPEFUL... because my parents gave me some money which allows us now to pay deposit on something... add this to the fact that mid-year bonus is just a month away...

HOPEFUL... because we have pencil booked a photographer/videographer. (Only, the package we like exceeds our budget by P8k... hmmm)

RESIGNED... that the reception venue we've booked while looking for other possibilities, just simply cannot generate excitement from other people... including family, colleagues, and our photographer...

HOPEFUL... that my parents and my sister will get back in time for their fittings and such... so that my sis can also attend my bridal shower (and feel ko, baka ako pa mag-organize nyan, bwahaha)
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Sad, Confused Rant

I have been a W@Wie since last year. Their yahoogroup and website has opened me to a multitude of options, insights, advices and possibilities. In a way, they have even brought me friends... fellow brides-to-be who I can exchange information with, ask advice/feedback from, and generally count on to boost my morale.

Especially when am down.

And am kinda down now.

One aspect of W@W is that you get to talk about your preparations, who you are considering, who you've booked, what you will have, what you experienced, who is commendable, etc.

And like what i've advised some co-W@Wies... it's easy to get lost in other people's preparations... other couples who either have more money than you do, or possess better skills in organizing a wedding...

And when you find yourself still not having booked any major supplier other than the Church where you intend to wed... it's easy to find reasons to cry.

Then again, it is our fault. We didn't exactly save... even if we had two years to prepare. So, while I watch fellow December brides taking care of and tackling nice-things-to-have (like chocolate fountains, on-the-day coordinators, etc) because they've already booked their venues, caterers, photographers, gownmakers, bakers, jewellers, etc... I bite my lip and wonder WHEN i'd be making my next booking.

And then I wonder... if i'd have to settle for all my suppliers all the way... because the ones I want would already be taken once I finally have either the money or the time, and have actually made the decision to book them.

Also, because it's been hectic for my family... and my beloved has had to spend weekends working... our accomplishments have been minimal at best.

Sometimes, when am really petty, I even believe that I have to cry for days first before I can get results.

Not that we're not trying.

Although I feel we could try harder.

Not that we're not making the preps a priority.

Although I feel we're not really focused.

And again, we ARE strapped for cash.

Fortunately for us, none of us wants to credit card ourselves to death, or take out loans left and right.

So, ok... let's just say, we are strapped for cash NOW.

And actually, we COULD limit our guests probably to save ourselves some money. Esply since some nice venues cannot accommodate the number of guests we expect (it's now at 250, heaven help us).

And I keep thinking if we have already discussed priorities or not.

And it doesn't help that... say, am willing to limit the guests... as long as I get the best photographer and videographers I can afford... and he's not really keen on the idea.

We don't even follow the calendar we mapped. For March, we failed to meet with possible officiant to discuss the wedding ceremony, restrictions, personal vows, etc.

But then again, I am AGAIN, comparing our accomplishments to that of others. Again, December brides already having booked major suppliers come to mind.

And again, there's that wonder and resignation that i'd have to settle for who is available... and not who I really wanted to hire.

And sometimes yes, it becomes a vicious cycle inside one's mind.

Not that am not happy in love.

Not that my Jojo isn't a nice, kind, wonderful man.

Not that am no longer excited.

Not that the wedding wouldn't be beautiful.

Not that i'd still feel bad about such things years into the marriage.

But for now... let me just say...

How I wish we booked the reception venue we really like early... and are just interviewing possible caterers right now...

And that I have the money to book my photographer and videographer... and am now already charming him/them to be generous and exchange certain freebies in the package for... other freebies we can really use... like pre-nup pics.

But I guess... sticking with what's real...

I should just pray that either we find a venue we can really fall in love with, that fits our budget... or we can fall in love with PCA (which we've already booked by the way as a last resort)...

And that we can find a photo/video package/team that we can really work with, that's also within our budget, and preferably with an office here in Manila... who will capture all the beauty and spontaneity and cheerfulness of my wedding.

Sigh.

God, that's not so TALL an ORDER right? Surely we deserve the minimal pomp and the reasonable kapritso?
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Save the Date

I have failed to actually research when one should be giving away Save-the-Date cards... anyway, this is one thingie I picked up from my fellow W@Wies and I have attempted to design my own...

Alas, photoshop and arcsoft continue to make an idiot out of me...

Still...


Designed by POLO


Designed by my Baby
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