At exactly 8 months and 28 days from today (Aug 28), I am going to march along the aisle and am already going to change my name. The surname I have learned to love for quite some time, since my classmates used to tease me as Chuariariap, and Chihuahua.
I never visualized myself getting married, in view of the fact that I wasn’t open to this idea. Civil wedding is okay for me, but I never thought of marching down the aisle, since I knew very well that having a church wedding can be really costly. (Good thing, I am good in budgeting already, and we’re proud that we are not wasting every cent we have saved ever since we started planning – except the 5,000 pesos we downed to City Gardens – sorry I just can’t get enough of it!)
I’ve had past relationships before I met Mark, but I never discussed any plans with them about getting married or so. However, everything had changed when Mark and I started our relationship together. As early as 4 months, we were already open to the fact that we will get married SOON, but only started planning on the first quarter of 2011.
I am very excited to call Mark, my ‘official’ husband while he calls me my ‘official’ wife. Aside from calling him my husband, I am also excited to have someone I call my own MIL (mother in law), FIL (father in law), BIL (brother in law) and SIL (sisters in law) =) But of course, it’s not just me, since he’s also excited as I am, because this has been a part of our dream ever since we started our relationship. To seal our love, and prove it in front of our loved ones, especially to God. Up to this moment, I can’t thank enough that I already found the guy I have been waiting for, and the one whom I am going to spend the rest of my life with. I just couldn’t ask for more. I won’t say the good qualities about Mark – but to introduce him to my parents with 100% guts just proves that he is such an ideal guy.
All of my friends tell me that I am very much lucky to find someone like Mark, who has very good family ties. Nowadays, it’s quite hard to find someone, where the guy’s family also accepts the guy’s wife. Most of the stories I have heard from my friends, FSIL and FMIL are the usual kontrabida’s on every couple’s married life. Luckily, that is not my case, because Mark’s family is very nice, accommodating and gave me 100% acceptance. The acceptance they have shown me truly made me feel that I am already part of their family. – I just hope that I get to spend more time with them, since I only see them during special occasions.
Here are some of the pictures we have with our family members: ♥
Enzo's birthday ;)
Us! (The Yellow team)
Wacky picture!!!
With Mark's brother (best man) and sister-in-law
With Enzo - (Mark's super cute nephew! - ring bearer)
With Pinky, Precious and Karina (my Secondary sponsors!)
Mom and Mark tandem ♥
With my brother & nieces - where am I? I was the one who took this pic. LOL
Looking at this picture, I'm 100% sure that Mark would be a great dad!!! ♥
Little girls look very cute and adorable every time they wear a dress. (as in any type of dress, whether it’s colorful, plain, lots of ruffles and the like) How I wish looking for a wedding dress as well as with the bridesmaid’s dress would be that uncomplicated and effortless as looking for the little girl’s dress.
So this wouldn’t be a challenge for me anymore, since there are many designs that I could choose from the Internet for my flower girls. =)
The dress I want them to wear on my wedding day must be something they can also wear during regular days (going to mass, mall) – so lace and ruffles is out of my list. Also, I don’t want them to get uncomfortable and get itchy with the dress, so – tulle is a big no no for me! ;)
Here's what tulle looks like:
Disclaimer: I have nothing against with dresses that has a tulle, but I just don't want 'em for my little girl's dress
Here are some sample dresses that has a tulle:
In contrast, here are the designs that I want them to wear ♥
For sure, they would look charming and uber gorgeous!
Opppss! Sorry, I can't help but post this cute girl!!! ♥♥♥
Aside from their dresses, I am planning to have them wear a headband, instead of the usual head dress (fresh flowers). This is actually much cheaper and they can also use it after the wedding (estimated cost is only 80. This is also available in the busy streets of Divilandia and Baclaran. Peso power? 20 to 50 pesos). For those who do not have an idea of the price for head dress, other florists give it as a freebie, while others charge it depending on the flowers that will be used. -- Peso power is: 200 and up :)
Here are the sample head bands I am eyeing for. These are also available in SM Dept stores (kiddie section)
The only challenge here is to find something that would much our wedding colors. (brown and pink) Something similar to this :)
To cut down wedding costs, Mark and I mutually decided to have an online Save-the-Date instead, rather than have the cards printed out. It’s not just practical, but the information that we’re going to tell our guests are not that limited. Usually, the information on the STD cards only includes the date of the wedding and the church where the wedding ceremony would take place.
Here are some actual STD cards grabbed from Wink's website:
But since we’ll have it posted online (Thank you so much Wix!), we get to inform our guests, a brief background about the wedding.
The design we were supposed to print out for our Save-the-Date cards, became the background for the main page on the website. But of course, only the guests will be informed the actual link of the website. We don’t want to divulge and inform every one the website link. LOL. Here's a glimpse of how the actual website looks like:
Disclaimer: The background has been truncated for privacy purposes. hehe!
Suppliers list
Guests can check all the information about the wedding. Starting from the wedding date, down to our wedding motif. =) There is also a link on the website for the virtual map where guests can check how to go to the church and reception.
Total savings: 1,500 plus taxes– (1,500 is still 1,500) – we can already buy a lot of stuff with this amount! The last time I checked w/ Wink, their STD costs 15 per piece and minimum order would be 100 pieces. Tee Hee, we’re only eyeing for 100 guests, and I don’t think we have to give each and every one of them an STD card. LOL. We don't want to throw the extra pieces, or keep em' on a treasure box. hehe. But we’ll surely get their services for our wedding invitations. =)
It has been a very dull week for me, and I feel as if there is no more progress on our wedding plans. Maybe it’s because we’re already done planning and booking our suppliers, and all we need to do wait for our wedding day. Hopefully Mark and I didn’t miss anything with the suppliers, because the only supplier we haven’t booked formally is the couturier. (Too early to have our first fitting and measurement taking) =)
While feeling a bit monotonous, and hunger for updating my wedding blog, let me share some of my wedding gown inspirations. IT has been, and will always be my frustration to wear a mermaid or a serpentine cut wedding dress. Too much beads is a no-no for me, since I want my wedding gown to be simple. However, I want ruffles and overlay to adorn my dream dress. ♥
If serpentine and mermaid cut won't suit me, then these would be my alternatives:
Oh, how I wish I can afford to have a Vera Wang wedding gown!
Who would have thought that this gown is made from Divilandia? :)
This gown too!
A Veluz wedding gown. Gee, how I wish I could spend 80K for a wedding dress. LOL
On my top list! (but was inserted on the bottom part) hehe
As far as the veil is concern, I’m still torn whether to wear a bird-cage veil or the ever-classical famous wedding veil (long train - I'm not sure how they call it. I even heard someone calling it trail gown. hehe!)
Without the lace :)
I still can’t decide though. But what I am thinking right now is, I am going to wear a wedding veil (the long one), and wear the bird cage veil on the wedding reception. ;) At least I get to satisfy my ‘wants’. I just hope it wouldn’t hurt our pockets, since from what I have searched online; bird cage veils costs as much as 2,000 to 8,000 depending on the materials that will be used. – but if my creativity strikes, perhaps a DIY would do. (which I believe would prevail). Also, I have a fellow GT sister (sis Karmi), who said that she can make a bird cage veil for me,– oh, and by the way, she made her own bird cage veil too for her upcoming wedding this Sept. 2011. Best wishes sis!!! See pictures below for her DIY bird cage veil.
Fascinators for her entourage
The bride-to-be's lovely veil!
Isn't it beautiful? How I wish I can be creative and crafty as her! ♥
