our new save the date card

WYB cards... :)

I am no longer a 2012 bride!

Alas, tis another weekend! I've been badly waiting for this week to end!... Coz i've had the most stressful week yet! and the most stressful wedding preparations phase.

Yes, you read the title right. I am no longer a 2012 bride. Our wedding was moved to a much earlier date, Sept 3, 2011. uh-huh, barely 6 months from now... i never imagined that this will happen, that we'll change our wedding date.. coz the original wedding date was so meaningful to us... to our relationship... to our lives.

But that Tuesday morning, I wasn't able to do anything but to heed to my father's request: to make our wedding happen this year. let's just make the whole issue simpler and let's just conclude that he doesn't want a long engagement.

So right after the dreadful phone conversation with my dad, John came to the house after his shift was over. I showed him a calendar and asked him to PICK any date! I was totally clueless on what date to PICK! (i deliberately used the word "pick" since choosing involves emotions while picking just involves the sense of sight... LOL, visual impact of the calendar dates) We had two dates to choose from, Oct 8 and Sept 10 - so that when it's written, it is: 09-10-11! cute di ba? So we went to the church immediately to rebook our date but the Oct 8 was already taken. I didn't even bother asking about the 09-10-11 since I was thinking it is a desirable date (because of it's format) so i might have problems re-booking our suppliers... So i just simply popped the question to the clerk: "available pa po ba ang september 3?" and when she said yes, i said "o sige po, yun na lang, same time gaya ng March namin". but when we got home, I tried to search for a logical reason why we are having that wedding date. So with that said, at least there are some reasons that I can think of: John's birthday is Aug 31, his mom's is Sept 7 - so at least when his mom flies here from the US, she can celebrate both their birthdays together here! :) yey! and also, my brother died on Sept 2, so if the wedding's a day after that, then it's always a festive day after we celebrate his death anniversary. so we won't be too sad afterward. Well, it's just me trying to make some sense out of this date-changing event!

Now here are my updates about the suppliers that we already pre-booked. Niceprint - it was ok with them since maybe they have several teams. HMUA - still ok! thank God! coz the DP was quite big. but one thing that i was truly disappointed of was the lights and sounds supplier. after a few days of waiting for his reply, he txtd me one morning just to inform me that he won't be available for the new date. :( here's my side story: we booked them during the recent wedding fair in Megamall a weekend ago... but I've known about him since 2009. while i was organizing our company's Christmas party, one of my colleagues suggested that particular L&S since they were her supplier during their wedding. but unfortunately, we weren't able to get them because of the short-notice and after all, it was the peak month of December! but nevertheless, from that time on, I programmed my head that I will get them for my wedding after I viewed their portfolio at their website and also from my colleague's raves. Anyway, going back, I also felt sad coz I also booked them for my friend's wedding this April (I'm helping them out since they are based in the Middle East). And I know, my heart will sink when I see their setup on her wedding. But i'll just try to be happy for them coz they're getting a rather fantastic and affordable L&S supplier.

We also booked our reception venue this week since we know we already have the final date. (hopefully!)

At this moment, I have fully gotten over the change of date event. Now i'm working my arse out, double time to prepare for the wedding, hands-on. I'm trying my best to be organized, to be outspoken to suppliers coz i cannot afford to waste any second here since 6 months of preparation is no joke! I'm also trying my best to be extra considerate to the people around me, whom i know are just equally excited for this big event in our family.


With God's grace, I will be having the most beautiful wedding that I've been dreaming of! :) mainly because, I am marrying the most wonderful man on earth and i am surrounded by the most supportive and loving family and friends.

So it's official, I am NOW a September bride. :)

Our Official Wedsite is now Published! :)

Today, John and I viewed our wedsite together and with his go signal, we are now happy to publish our official wedsite...


John and Vesta's Wedsite

Please feel free to visit! :)

Time to Rest Our Pockets.

Earlier today, I went to a bridal fair in Megamall together with one of my girlfriends, Diana... (by the way, she's a bride to be too, that's why i'm so psyched to go there with her coz at least we're on the same wavelength) So anyway, when we got there past lunch time, the place was starting to get packed. And first things first.. I had to book the suppliers that were on my list... these are the ones whom I already wrote in my planner after reading tons and tons of reviews about them and after considering referrals from my fellow w@wies and former bride-friends.


So here's my accomplishment in terms of suppliers as of today... A year and 2 weeks away from our wedding day:

• Church - already booked the date and paid DP
• Photo/Video - Niceprint: booked the date and paid reservation fee
• HMUA - Val Villarin: booked the date and paid DP
• Lights and Sounds - Rejectkrew: booked the date and paid reservation fee
• Invitations - Printed Matter: paid DP

well, i think so far so good... we got some major stuff covered.. this weekend, we are scheduled to have 3 food tastings on our top 3 and most viable caterers who are accredited at our venue. so if that goes well, we'll book our choice on the same day! (God willing) and after that, i think our pockets need to do some loooooong rest! and needs to be replenished. by then, i'll move forward from being a "raketista" to a full-time employee once again to help my fiance in saving up for the more major expenses that will come soon towards the end of the year.... so there...

no more bridal fair bookings for us... but hello to DIY projects!!! :) and im super excited for this one...

PHASE 1 of Vesta's Wedding Jitters

Now that we're officially engaged, it seems that I couldn't move forward in terms of planning our wedding. it feels like im stuck in the middle of nowhere. of course there's only one direction that i couldn't take, and wouldn't even consider taking.. and that is BACK.

here are the things i learned about wedding preps:

1. MONEY MATTERS - budget-wise, you really have to be WISE and i guess with that said, you also have to be practical. list down your priorities. list down the must-have's and the nice-to-have's. have a budget. and really try hard to stick with it.

2. creativity, imagination, ideas - you have to be rich in these! there are only two sides of the coin with this factor. first, you have such great ideas, nice concept, things in mind to make your wedding truly magical. but since everything in this world has a price tag, please review number 1. so you want that fireworks display to cap off the night, or you want that vintage bridal car, or maybe hire the country's well-known symphony orchestra to play your bridal march just to complete that magical feel? so then please refer to number 1. the other side of the coin is to be resourceful and creative. there comes in the DIY or DO IT YOURSELF projects. this may be your invitation, souvenir, table numbers, table centerpiece.. no matter how small the project is, it will still save you a tad of pesosesoses.

3. do your homework: research! - just recently, i joined a wedding forum and i am truly amazed on how b2b's (bride to be's) can really be resourceful in finding the best (in terms of quality and price) wedding suppliers. there you could find the more famous and the bit more pricey suppliers.. or maybe discover some budding but really talented (and a little more affordable) suppliers like make-up artists, cake designer, couturier, etc. there are instances that you might need not actually attend a food tasting event and just read the b2b's blogs about their experience. you wouldn't believe how much adjectives there are in the dictionary to describe an appetizer that is so delicious. also, when you research, you will find out that there are hundreds of shades to one color... red is not only red. there you have the wine red, fire truck red, christmassy red, santa red, mongol pencil eraser's red and what-have-you! just type in a search keyword on your search engine, and you'll discover wonders!

4. attend bridal fairs or wedding expos - usually, most of the well-known suppliers of the wedding industry are present during fairs. and also, the budding but talented ones (as mentioned in number 3) can also be spotted there. collect as much brochures and leaflets as you can! and when you reach home, evaluate them with your h2b (hubby to be). so when the time you go to another event, you can just book them on the spot and get a lots of freebies and avail of their discounts!!! what's nice about fairs is that you can really interact with the owners, usually. this goes for the mid-level suppliers. but for big and well-known supplier, expect to just talk to one of their AE's (account executive).

      OFF THE TOPIC: cool things you can find/experience in bridal fairs:

• free taste - cocktails, appetizers, coffee, cake, chocolates, sometimes food tasting of a catering company
• photo booth shots - no need to elaborate further
• trial make-up - but this can be rather risky especially for those with sensitive skin
• raffle draws
• watch same day edit / avp of celebrities or some random couples
• view coffee table wedding albums of celebrities or some random couples
• free magazines
• free vouchers to spa, derma, salon
• free wedding suppliers directory (similar to the yellow pages)

5. superstitions/beliefs - even if you're the most rational and scientific person on earth, once you're a bride-to-be, you'll find yourself searching google and typing the words: auspicious wedding dates for 2012. :) you'll be getting a pen and a paper and try adding up your proposed wedding date's digits if it will total to 8! and when you're wedding day is close, you will be found in Sta. Clara Monastery, offering a tray of eggs and pray for a great weather on your big day!

6. church requirements - and if you're planning to get married in church, be ready to travel! why is that so? because if you're planning to get married in some other town and not in your hometown, be ready to trace your roots and say hello to your childhood friends! coz you'll be needing to go back to the church where you were baptized and had your confirmation at to get your certificates and have them stamped: for marriage purposes! and if you haven't been confirmed, then get ready to be slapped! (that's part of the confirmation rites, or is it still?) as for us, Bacolod City, here we come!!!

7. remember the saying, "blood is thicker than water" and "be careful in choosing your friends" - coz at one point or another, you will have to trace your family roots, draw a family tree.. or get your highschool and college yearbook from your attic and find your old friends! you might need to do all these in making your guest list!!! unless you can manage to have unlimited guests, please refer to NUMBER 1 again. and to find your more recent friends, just try one of fb's apps: "who viewed me the most"! :)

there goes my list... for now. i know as months pass by, i'll discover some more new and interesting things about wedding preps.. but as for now, imma focus on NUMBER 1 and that is: how to reach and save up for our BIG B - BUDGET!

John and I have been very creative in trying to save as much as we can... or find rakets to earn extra... here are some on our list:

• no more movie dates - dvd-watching is a lot more fun! more comfortable, we can eat as much as we can and we can repeat the movie, or pause it whenever we want! :)
• no more taxi rides - i can say, this is torture to john! but he appreciates how much he saves from riding the various public transport than taking a cab ride. but just last night, he was amazed with the newly callibrated taxis. coz the receipt shows a lot of info about the ride like the taxi company's name, how much distance traveled, how long the stop time is and so on...
• no more fancy gift giving - so our christmas and birthday gifts to each other have been overly delayed...
• lessen our dine-out - we cut down dining out at high-end restos. maybe just once every two months, or just when there is a special occasion.
• no more unnecessary shopping - we have enough clothes that would last a month without doing the laundry so we need not shop for any more clothes. good thing coz we're not really fans of newly released gadgets and toys so this part is not really hard for both of us.
• i do graphics layout and basic makeup as a sideline just to earn a little extra.

so there, my mind is blank right now when it comes to wedding ideas. i might need to unwind and empty out my head so that new things can fill it up once more...

Closing the First Month of 2011

Today is the 1st day of the month of February... my birthday month! :)

And as we close the first month of the Year 2011, i just want to summarize how far or close our wedding preps have gone to...

• John got the engagement ring, please read: about the engagement ring 
• Have chosen our church and reception venue
• Attended 2 food tastings (need to attend more, we weren't satisfied yet.) We haven't found The One yet :(
• Finalized our motif: black and white
• Paid the DP for NicePrint
• Finished our Save the Date Card
• Have a prospect for our emcee/hostess! :)
• John found his Suit design! - that's the highlight actually!!!

And we are looking forward to John's dialogue with my dad! *stress-level: EXTREMELY HIGH*