Photo/Video - check!

A good Photo/Video is my non-negotiable (And what is Mr. Pea's non-negotiable? Candy Corner! Hahaha!).

I really want a nice memorabilia of our wedding because we're only gonna be married once, I want to capture all the special moments and keep it with me and maybe show it to our grandchildren someday (drama-dramahan lang ang peg). So finding a good photo/video supplier is a must.

I mean, yes tipid pa rin (initial budget is 25k for both na - ayaw ni Mr. Pea ng separate supplier pa ung photo sa video). But if we can find a supplier na ok ung package (translation: madaming freebies, hehe) and kahit lumagpas ng konti sa budget - go na kami. But as it turned out, we went waaaaaaayyyyy over our budget for this. But no regrets. We're very happy with our Photo/Video Supplier: Studio1 Photography.

We talked to Studio1 last May 26 at the Before I Do bridal fair. But we've booked them the next day pa because Mr. Pea wanted to check pa ung website ng 2 other photo/video suppliers na ok din daw ang rates (sorry I forgot na ung names ng suppliers). But as it turned out (again), Studio1's offer was better than them. Very sulit! You can check their website for their sample works.

We got the Classic Package:

2 – Professional Photographers, 

1 – 40 Pages 10” x 10” Magnetic Album, 

1 – Photo DVD (1,200 – 1,500 Photos in Large Digital Format), 

1 – Pre-nuptial Pictorial (Half-day shoot with in Metro Manila), 

2 – 40 Pages 5” x 7” Parent/Mini Albums 

2 – Professional Videographers, 
1 – Lightman Assistant, 
2 – 3CCD Professional Video Cameras, 
2 – Wedding Videos in DVD Format, 
1 – Pre-wedding Video/VTR (Video Interview), 
1 – Wedding Raw Video in DVD Format, 
Professional Lighting System, 
Uniformed Staff/Crew

Free – AVP Slideshow in DVD Format, 
Free - 16” x 20” Blow-up Canvass Photo Mounted in Elegant Frame, 
Free - 10 Pages 10” x 8” Panoramic Digital Guest Book, 
Free - Onsite Video (SDE)

Peso Power: 48,000

Nakakatuwa din pala magbook sa fair ng mga suppliers kasi may Raffles sila hehe. You can win an overnight stay somewhere or free supplier or cash! Sayang, di kami nanalo hehe.

Walk down the pink aisle with me...

Cake - check, but...

At the same bridal fair (Before I Do) last May 26, we booked our cake supplier - Cherry Blossoms Cakes.

This is the package that we availed:
- 3 layer fondant cake - (can be customized)
- 37 pcs. 3"x3" mini cakes - (can be customized)
- 12 pcs. cupcakes
- 1 faux cake at the top
- 1 topper - (can be customized)

Peso Power: 12,825

Sample photo from their website:

Iba pa dito ung  3 layer fondant cake to use for cake cutting.

We originally planned to give the 37 mini cakes to our Principal / Secondary Sponsors, Flower Girls, relatives and friends. Un na ung souvenirs nila. Then for the rest, isip na lang kami ng iba. Then after mga 1 month siguro, napaisip kami ni Mr. Pea - baka magkainggitan ung mga tao kasi hindi lahat meron mini cakes. Tapos we're thinking na parang kulang kung mini cake lang ang gift namin sa mga sponsors - so baka need pa kami buy ng extra gifts for them. Parang lalo yata napamahal.

Then I saw the websites of Goldilocks and Red Ribbon.

Goldilocks has wedding packages that are really affordable. Here's their Vow Wedding Package (photos grabbed from their website):

Package comprised of:
- 2 layer fondant-inspired mocha wedding cake
- 4 round mini cakes (for sponsors)
- 12 polvoron cakes (for guests)

Peso Power: 6,500

This is their Romance Wedding Package naman:

Package comprised of:
- 3 layer fondant-inspired mocha wedding cake
- 6 round mini cakes (for sponsors)
- 24 polvoron cakes (for guests)

Peso Power: 7,000

I like the Romance Wedding Package. I think it's more sulit na compared sa Cherry Blossoms and hindi na nakakahiya ibigay ung cakes sa sponsors kasi junior size na sya. What I don't like lang sa package na ito is ung colors. I think it's too dull - to think na Colorful ang theme namin. Our cake should be as lively as our theme, don't you think?

Red Ribbon doesn't offer packages but still their cakes are affordable and pasok sa budget pa rin. And for me kasi, I prefer Red Ribbon cakes compared to Goldilocks. Also colors can be customized according to our motif (sa Goldilocks kasi hindi pwede).

Here are some of the cakes na nagustuhan ko sa kanila (photos grabbed from their website):

Precious. Peso Power: 1,900
- height: 8.6"
- fondant
- moist chocolate pound cake with fudgy chocolate filling

Summer Blooms. Peso Power: 4,000
- height: 18.4"
- fondant
- moist chocolate pound cake with fudgy chocolate filling or rich rhumbutter cake with fudgy chocolate filling

Unforgettable Moment. Peso Power: 4,200

- height: 21.4"

- fondant
- moist chocolate pound cake with fudgy chocolate filling or rich rhumbutter cake with fudgy chocolate filling

I also saw Estrel's Caramel Cakes. And sa picture pa lang, mukhang masarap na. I might contact them for quotations kaso nahihirapan ako - lagi busy ung line nila. And ang worry ko dito, they don't deliver kasi. Baka mamroblema pa kami on the day of the wedding kung sino pipick up - or worse, makalimutan pa.

Sample photos from their website:

Maybe I will try na lang ung Estrel's cakes for other occasions, pero sa wedding namin - isip isip pa.

So for now, Mr. Pea and I were thinking to forfeit na lang ung 1k down payment na naibayad na namin kay Cherry Blossoms. Kasi if we compute, for example, kukuha na lang kami ng cake (kahit hindi naman matangkad ok lang sa amin - basta meron for cutting), then buy gifts for sponsors then souvenirs for guests = di kami aabot ng 12,825 (na cost ni Cherry Blossoms).

I'll post na lang next time once we've decided on a final cake supplier na.

Walk down the pink aisle with me...

HMUA - check!

Last May 26 at the Before I Do bridal fair at SM Megatrade Hall 3, we've booked our very first ever supplier - Realm Hair and Make Up Studio - our Hair and Make Up Artist (HMUA). Yey!

Yes, I know we're supposed to book Cel Sabile (her booth is the main reason why we went to the fair in the first place) - but here's what happened. Mr. Pea and I went to Cel Sabile's booth around mga 1pm siguro - nakalunch break sya so nagpaikot ikot muna kami. After about an hour, lunch break pa rin. After ilang minutes pa, wala pa rin. So sa kakaikot namin, we saw Realm Hair and Make Up Studio. 

Sir Paul was very polite and their packages were very affordable. I asked if I can have a trial make up with them and he said of course. Sorry I can't show you any pictures kasi I have none hehe. I didn't expect kasi na I will write a blog about our wedding planning eh. All I can say is I think I look pretty sa make up ko (hehehe) and Mr. Pea agreed with me (oha oha!). Very light lang ung make up ko. They also curled my hair and nakapony lang sya sa side ala Kristine Hermosa's hair sa wedding nya.

www.weheartweddings.com

Ate Leslie (make up artist) and Kuya Alvin (hairstylist) were both very nice. And I really like the way Kuya Alvin curled my hair, feeling ko kakaiba sya sa regular na kulot - basta hahaha! I forgot most of the brands that were used by Ate Leslie but for one - HD Make Up Forever. And in fairness, I think hindi ako masyado oily sa gamit nya sa aking make up - biggest insecurity ko kasi ang oily face ko (huhuhu!).

After eating lunch, we went back to Realm's booth and booked na. I asked Mr. Pea if we should go back pa to Cel Sabile's booth to check their package but he said no na. I think nakagaangan na ng loob ni Mr. Pea si Sir Paul kaya nagustuhan nya na din agad ang Realm (sila kasi ang nag "bonding" - hehe - while Ate Leslie is doing my make up).

This is the package that we availed:
- 1 Airbrush for Bride 
- 1 Grooming the Groom 
- 4 Heads Traditional
- Prenup Make Up (up to 3 looks)
- Free Swarovski Hairpiece for my hair

Peso Power: 13,500

Walk down the pink aisle with me...

Bridal Fair # 1

Mr. Pea and I went to our first bridal fair (Before I Do) last May 26 at SM Megatrade Hall 3. Although we've set our wedding next year, we don't have plans pa to prepare kahit it's barely 11 months na lang. Feeling namin it's too early pa. I asked Mr. Pea to accompany me that day because my friend (whose wedding will be on September) told me that her Hair and Make Up Artist (HMUA) Cel Sabile will have a booth there and will offer free trial make up to those who will register. Naexcite naman ako dun sa free trial make up (lalo na dun sa word na "free" hehehe). So I asked Mr. Pea if we could visit kahit sandali ung booth - pumayag naman sya.

Side kwento: before we arrived at SM Megamall, we were wondering "anong sasabihin natin if tanungin tayo saang church? saang venue? anong time?" - while eating lunch at KFC Metro Point. We're sweating ourselves over little things na we don't even know if itatanong nga ba sa amin ng mga suppliers. Then we thought, wala pa naman kami balak magbook eh so keber na ulit - maliban dun, we have no idea talaga anong isasagot kasi we don't have anything planned pa eh, except for the wedding date and estimate number of guests (180 max).

When we arrived, we're wowed by the number of suppliers there. Kanya kanyang kuha kami ng flyers, kahit ayaw namin hintuan ung mga booth eh hinaharang kami hahaha! Nakakatawa nga si Mr. Pea - pag may suppliers na magdidiscuss sa kanya, tatawagin nya ako agad kasi nahihiya sya pag mag isa lang sya nakikinig sa suppliers (shy type lang ang peg).

Anyway, what happened that day was we've booked na our HMUA, cake and photo/video. O di ba, mas nauna pa kami magbook ng mga ganyan kesa sa Church and Venue hehe. Kasi Mr. Pea and I were discussing over lunch if we should book na ba. We really thought that the packages offered at the bridal fair were more than good deals na talaga. So after having lunch at the Food Court, we went back to the fair and started booking na.

As we were heading home, there's only one thought in my mind and that is - THIS IS IT NA! We're preparing na for our wedding. So exciting!

Walk down the pink aisle with me...

Budget Bride

When Mr. Pea and I decided to get married, we initially had a budget of around 150k-200k for less than 200 guests. My friend (who is also a wedding coordinator) made a sample draft for us (complete with suppliers) amounting to 150k-180k but only for 150 guests. As we were listing down our initial number of guests, the final count totaled to 180 guests - with only 80 guests coming from Mr. Pea's side and the remaining 100 from my side, hehehe. The budget of 180k (max) is still feasible I say. We just have to strictly follow the draft. At first, I was really pleased and calm and papuchu puchu lang hehe. I really thought that we will be able to follow the draft according to budget. But that didn't happen.

Mr. Pea and I started booking suppliers which are way over our budget. It was like nakalimutan na namin (more on ako ang nakalimot) ung nakaset naming budget kasi ang hirap minsan kapag ang dami mong gusto hahaha! At ang mahal na rin talaga magpakasal ngaun, sa totoo lang. We've decided to increase our budget to 280k but if makaya pang mas mababa dito eh di much better.

So for now (and I hope masunod na talaga ito) - this is the breakdown of our budget:

Church - 15,000 (booked)
Venue - 13,000 (booked)
Caterer - 106,650 (booked)
Photo / Video - 48,000 (booked)
Wedding Rings - 2,000
Attire / Accessories - 20,000 (c/o my Tita, all in na yan pati Groom's Suit)
Cord / Veil / Pillows / Candle / Bible / Garter / Arrhae - 2,000
Invitations (and all other printing needs) - 3,000 (DIY)
Flowers - 1,000 (DIY)
Cake / PS / SS Souvenirs - free c/o caterer
Photobooth Souvenir - free c/o caterer
Offertory - free c/o OTD coordinator
Prizes for Games - gift certificate (free)
HMUA - 13,500 (booked)
Bridal Car - c/o a friend (free)
Transpo for Family + Food - 8,000 (hopefully 3 vans na ito)
Lights and Sounds / LCD Projector and Screen - 6,500 (booked)
OTD Coordinator - 13,500 (booked)
Hotel Accommodation for Preps - 10,000 (hopefully 2 rooms na ito)
Food / Gifts for Suppliers / Relatives and Friends - 8,000
Music - CD lang
Emcees - my best friends
Honeymoon - gift from a very very good friend of ours!

Total Budget: 270,150

Walk down the pink aisle with me...

Once Upon a Wedding...

I'm a firm reader of Fairy Tales. I used to hang around our school library and just sit there and read endless stories about them. For some people, they seem to have outgrown their love for Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty etc - but not me. There's something about fairy tales that make me go back for more. The plot is always the same - the story always ends in happily ever after. Maybe that's the reason why I've always believed that my Prince Charming will come one day and sweep me off my feet. And boy, did he came!

This is a blog about our wedding planning (if ever you care to read about it - and I hope you do *wink*). I'll talk about our adventures as we find and meet with suppliers and face difficulties and challenges (hope there's not much of this) along the way. I'll let you in to some of our pegs for the wedding and mostly talk about anything related to the BIG DAY.

Walk down the pink aisle with me...