Marriage is much more than the festivities on the day of your wedding. It’s just the beginning of a lifetime journey with your partner. But of course, because you are too much in love with each other, you want the best wedding for both of you.

From engagement high, after all the congratulations, people will begin to ask when and where the wedding will be. Relax, don’t stress, and pick the target churches and reception venues first. Work around whichever is your priority- the date of the wedding or the venues?

Just try enjoy the preparations, do not unleash that bridezilla and groomzilla in you. Easy to say but real hard to do.

If the wedding you’re planning is what you both really want and not just something that you think is nice and glamorous or what others want for you, then no need to worry about anything. Remember, it’s a wedding, not a show.

Sharing bits of our wedding and some of our helpful suppliers who made the day simply PERFECT. We never aimed for extravagance and glamour or to be featured in a magazine. We just want everyone to be comfortable and have a good time celebrating with us. Nothing stiff, just natural.

CHURCH

Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral Parish (40 Lantana St. Cubao, QC) which costs P9,000 inclusive of mass, carpet, organist, soloist, flowers. I believe this is an underated cathedral. This cathedral is breathtaking the moment you walk in. There was a required pre-cana seminar in the parish (we attended one Saturday half day only). We’re lucky to have Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco as our priest. He was so accommodating and we met with him once and had an enlightening chat with him.

We fell in love with this  cathedral one Saturday when we heard anticipated mass there the year before we got engaged.

RECEPTION

Club Filipino Greenhills. They have consumable rates depending on the type of hall you will get. You have to be a member or sponsored by a member to rent their event halls. The food was consumable depending on the hall/ halls you’ll rent out. There’s minimal corkage fee for different types of food and drinks you’ll bring in.

We didn’t put any decors and drapes since the venue was low ceiling. We don’t want the place to look smaller with ceiling drapes. Anyway, we weren’t particular about the venue design and all as long as there’s enough space and room for the guests to move. We wanted the guests to be comfortable the whole night.

We didn’t want the stage design too since we wanted to go personally around to the tables for group photos. Again, we wanted the guests to be relaxed on their seats.

During meal time, we just had a table where we ate with our friends. So no solo special table for us as a couple. We were able to chit chat with our friends and that’s why we were able to eat during our wedding day. No presidential table too. We want our parents to sit with the family and have their relax time together.

INVITATIONS & MISALETTE

Our supplier was WINK (Written in Ink) http://www.wink.com.ph. We didn’t get the embossed ones since it’s more costly. We booked them in a bridal fair and got a 20% off voucher plus free sealers. Really good deal. Invitation just cost P90 each set and got 135 pcs.

It’s best to meet with the sales representative of WINK personally to better discuss the details of the invitation.

I worked on the save the date, map, misalette myself with the help of my dad.

WEDDING CAKE

No other supplier in mind for us. It was just Costa Brava’s white marshmallow cake, our any occasion favorite cake. The cake was perfect and we didn’t get to bring home any. Looks like everyone enjoyed the cake too.

I just met the owner of Costa Brava, Mrs. Judah Liu, who was very hospitable and I gave her a picture of the look of the cake we wanted. One meeting and that was it.

FLORIST

Our supplier was San Ramoune  Flowershop. The package included 1 mother bouquet, 1 maid of honor, 6 bridesmaids, 3 secondary sponsors, 1 throwaway, 2 offertory, 2 flower girls, and additional flowers on the altar of the cathedral since it was big and needed a little more.

We personally talked to the owner Ramon Pastor 0918-9208093. Met with him just twice I think to fix everything. He was very welcoming. We trusted because of the beauty he always put in the later of Sanctuario de San Anotnio parish in Forbes. He worked on the budget we gave him.

WEDDING GOWN

Our supplier was Malu Veloso located in Podium Mall, Ortigas. We gave a budget and gave my gown peg too. She also did my prom gown back when I was in my junior year in high school. Long time ago and now she made my wedding gown too!

Went for a simple classic, lace style with bolero that I can wear in the church. I removed the bolero in the reception  for more relaxed look and feel. I felt so comfortable the whole day. It wasn’t heavy at all.

They key also is to have comfortable shoes.It doesn’t need to expensive unless your preference to have a branded expensive one.

BRIDESMAIDS’ GOWNS

We were happy how the gowns of our bridesmaids turned out. We got an affordable supplier from 168 mall in Divisoria. One floor there is dedicated to gowns and wedding stuff. Prices vary per design but ours were approximately from P1,500 to P2,800. We just chose the color and cloth and our bridesmaids had the freedom to choose their style.

We were not particular about the gowns of the other people who had a part in the entourage so we didn’t have those made. We just told them no dark colors please.

PHOTO COVERAGE

We booked Imagine Nation. What’s good about them is that you can choose what style you want. If you want wacky and fun style, they have photographers who are experts at that. We were happy with their service too. We got the raw pictures days after the wedding while we were in our honeymoon, so fast and efficient. Booked them at the bridal fair too.

Photos were clean, simple, and captured exactly what we wanted them to capture on our special day. They do not edit their photos to create so much drama and effects.

VIDEO COVERAGE

Wang Videography. They are the sister company of Imagine Nation. Booked them during the bridal fair too. They gave us raw videos of our wedding and one edited version. Like Imagine Nation, they were efficient and professional. We love them too!

ON THE DAY COORDINATION

We got The Brides Maid’s and Co. They are really experts in what they do and just what we wanted, they blended in the crowd during the wedding day. No obvious coordination going on, no people in black with two-way radios rushing and panicking. Our contact person was Gia Bernardo So 09189273679. They have full coordination packages too.

PHOTOBOOTH

Click d’ fun Photobooth. We saw them randomly in the bridal fair and booked them on the spot at 6k for 4 hours. This served as the wedding souvenir for our guests.

The quartet that played was my mom’s friend’s group so we got a good deal with their professional performance in church and at the reception.

Sounds and lights supplier was also very good. They helped create a beautiful atmosphere at the reception. Also, our DJ friend took over for after party music.

I need not detail all other suppliers and people who helped us during our wedding. Every supplier, big or small, gave meaning to our special day.

We made our own videos- childhood videos for each and couple video-shown at the reception. We just made them through iVideo on our iPads. Looked pretty professional but really easy to do. Saved us a couple of thousands too.

The program was simple and straightforward. We didn’t have games, long speeches from a lot of people, and performances. The throwing of the bouquet happened after  recessional at the church. That’s the traditional way to do it and that’s how we wanted it to be.

We started as a couple 10 years back before our wedding day and still a whole life ahead of us, we’re just getting started.

For those planning their wedding, remember, the wedding need not be too expensive and extravagant. It’s a celebration of the unbreakable promise you made to God. Enjoy the journey and savor every moment.

Happy wedding & happy marriage!

~Tina~

*** All photos c/o Imagine Nation Photography ***