Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas with Loved Ones
Monday, December 24, 2007
Greetings
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Spiritual Reminder
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Tobit and Sarah's Prayer
"Blessed are you, O God of our fathers;
praised be your name forever and ever.
Let the heavens and all your creation
praise you forever.
You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve
to be his help and support;
and from these two the human race descended.
You said, "It is not good for man to be alone;
let us make him a partner like himself."
Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine
not because of lust, but for a noble purpose.
Call down your mercy on me and on her,
and allow us to live together to a happy old age.
Amen, amen." Tob 8:5-7, NAB
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Wedding Tips
Spiritual Reminder
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Wedding Tips
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Wedding Song
The Prayer
Andrea Boccelli
I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know.
Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way.
Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe.
La luce che tu dai
Nel cuore restera
A ricordarci che
L'eterna stella sei.
I pray we'll find your light,
And hold it in our hearts
When stars go out each night,
Remind us where you are..
Nella mia preghiera
Quanta fede c'e.
Lead us to a place ?
Let this be our prayer
When shadows fill our day
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe.
Sogniamo un mondo senza piu violenza,
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza.
Ognuno dia una mano al suo vicino,
Simbolo di pace...di fraternita.
La forza che ci dai
E desiderio te
Ognuno trovi amor
Intorno e dentro se.
Let this be our prayer,
Just like every child.
We ask that life be kind
And watch us from above.
We hope each soul will find
Another soul to love.
Let this be our prayer,
Just like every child.
Needs to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E la fede che hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salverai.....
Monday, October 8, 2007
Marriage Preparations
The Discovery Weekend is a weekend experience held in the Philippines for engaged couples or "steadies" who are seriously considering marriage. The purpose of the program are the following:
- to assess each one's relationship to oneself, to each other, to God and the Christian community
- to experience, develop and deepen their relationship through a method of communication and dialogue which they can bring into their marriage
- to witness to the many dimensions of marriage openly, honestly and realistically through a team of three married couples and a priest
- to be able to plan their marriage and not just their wedding
The Discovery Weekend is for couples seriously considering marriage. They can be engaged to marry in a week's time or going steady for a short period but contemplating marriage. The weekend is not necessarily for perfectly matched couples nor is it designed to help unstable relationships. The program is intended to enrich and deepen the couple's relationship to better prepare them for marriage. So any couple may join the program, regardless of the status of their relationship-as long as marriage is in their minds.
Texts from Discovery Weekend Website. For reservations, schedule, and more info, check out www.discoveryweekend.org
Wedding Preparation Templates
Wedding Candles
Her motif was all shades of green and the unity candle was perfect. Finding a matching taper was a challenge, though. I looked for ordinary apple green candles and wrapped it with chiffon green, tied with a satin bow and accentuated with flowers. All materials I got from a department store and cost me only a little more than a hundred pesos!
My friend and her family loved this!
Paul Tan Jewelry
Engagement Ring and Wedding Bands
Our wedding bands were nicely done by Paul Tan. A silver-gold-edged band made of 14K gold, he also made my unique and nice engagement ring.
He was very flexible – very willing to consider our budget without sacrificing the quality of his jewelry!
I just have to mention that my husband personally designed my engagement ring – and he said that he never had a hard time explaining the very design he made to Paul.
Many of our couple friends got their engagement rings and wedding bands from Paul. We even came up with a name for ourselves – the fellowship of the ring! Ha ha ha!
Rave: Like, like, like
Rant: None
Manila Vocal Ensemble
Wedding Choir/Reception Band
A group of music teachers from various schools in
When they got back in
Except for Glory to God that they replaced with another version withhout our knowing it and for some technical glitches (lack of proper coordination between COTH and our coordinators), they were heavenly especially when they sang the bridal march (a separate review on this).
They also sang in our reception and they showcased their songs that wowed the audience abroad (and our guests and us, too!). They can sing almost all songs – after all they were all musically gifted!
Their group is composed of 4 female and two male singers (one male singer played the organ) and they did pretty well!
Rave: Like, like.
Rant: They could’ve told us they will not sing the version of the song that we requested and my husband said he noticed some off-key notes from the organ. But for the unbelievably low rate they charged us, they were certainly worth more than what we paid for !
Velasco Arts & Crafts
Barong Materials
The very nice material of my husband’s and the male entourage’s barong came all the way from Kalibo, Aklan. The material mede of pure piña fiber was hand-embroidered and made from the fiber plant in Numancia, Aklan. I learned that some (if not most) of the barong materials being embroidered in Lucban, Quezon come from Numancia, Aklan. The materials we got was a lot cheaper then those from Lucban. It just so happened that our province is near Aklan so it was not a problem sourcing the materials.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
V-Craft Society Printers
Wedding Invitation and Thank you Cards: V-Craft Society Printers
SM Megamall/Mall Of
I have long known the fine, quality, and excellent products of V-craft. I have been a fulfilled, happy corporate client for close to a decade now. I dreamt and always wanted to have my wedding invitation done by V-craft. It took a while for this dream to realize because it took me sometime to find my husband (or for my husband to find me he he he) : )
The moment I called them about our wedding invitation, they were not only happy for me but more elated to do our invitation! They came out with the very invitation we wanted at the price we requested – and not a single inch of quality suffered! Our wedding invitation was simple yet very elegant. In fact, a lot of our guests raved about it.
I can and will never compare the work of V-craft to other printers. They are simply the best in town! Our wedding invitation and thank you cards were all superb! In fact, I kept a couple of both as tokens.
I can always rave about how good and accommodating both Ms. Lyn and Esper were!
Rave: Like, like, like. (Will definitely get my future printed paper products from them!)
Rant: None
Thursday, September 20, 2007
RCJC Flowers
Wedding Flowers: RCJC Flower Shop
Crossing Mendez,
Cora Perey, the owner of a humble stall of flowers at Crossing Mendez (on my recent trip to Tagaytay – I saw that her shop has improved a lot!), was a real blessing. For the same arrangement that we had the other flower shop quote for us, her price was a big bargain – 50% off than the others! I requested for specific flowers for my wedding and she readily agreed.
Very accommodating and nice, she made the negotiation and this part of preparation a real breather for me. I never had any problems whatsoever with her. Payment was convenient too as I only deposited our reservation fee in her bank account – the rest was due on our wedding day.
She was also the in-house florist of both Evercrest Hotel and Chapel on the Hill. That made me all the more confident and secure in getting her services.
She delivered only the freshest flowers on my wedding day! All my family and guests raved about the beautiful flowers that adorned the altar, and the aisle and of course the bouquets, corsage, baskets and halos of our entourage. The flowers at the reception were also beautiful – fresh and nicely arranged! It lightened up every wedding photo we have!
Wedding Flowers Package:
For Entourage:
1 Bridal Bouquet
9 Hand-tied Bouquets for Maids of Honor, Brides Maids, and Secondary Sponsors, and groom’s sisters
4 Halo and Flower Basket for Flower Girls
10 Corsages for Lady Principal Sponsors
2 Small Bouquets for Mothers
1 Special Car Bouquet
For Church:
2 Garden Aisle (Calla Lily)
2 Cascading Arrangement (Entrance Door – will be used at the reception afterwards)
2 Flower arrangements for candle stands at the altar
1 Unity Candle Stand Flower arrangement
I mini-garden arrangement for the altar
1 small arrangement for tabernacle
1 small arrangement for the podium
1 red carpet – from stairs to the altars sprinkled with loose rose petals
White tulle on stairs
For Reception:
1 Medium Spring Arrangement (couple’s backdrop)
1 Special Centerpiece (Couple’s table)
2 Long and Low Centerpieces (For presidential tables)
18 Individual centerpieces on round pots
64 pcs small glass with cobalt blue votive candles
Freebies:
2 baskets of Flowers for Offertory
1 basket of fruits for Offertory
Loose Rose Petals
Flowers used: (All fresh) Roses, Malaysian mums, Gerberas, Blue Hyndreas, Calla Lilies, Foliages
Rave: Like, like, like, super like! (I have been referring her to friends and those who got her services rave with me!)
Rave: None
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Evercrest Golf Club Resort Hotel
We immediately liked the idea of having our wedding reception at El Patio Restaurant (Evercrest Golf Club Resort, Inc.) which was right across Chapel on the Hill. We knew that it would be easy for our guests to simply park their car in the secure parking area of the hotel and walk right across to the chapel. Although the chapel has enough space for parking, most of the guests opted to park in the hotel’s area. It was such a breather to see hundreds of guests joyfully walking to the reception venue from the chapel which was literally, a stone-throw away.
The restaurant, the only venue in the hotel that can accommodate a big group, was quite a challenge for coming up with a good seating arrangement for two hundred and fifty guests (our final headcount was actually close to three hundred!). The shape of the restaurant was a big test to address. The hotel AE, Diane, was creative enough to come up with a solution – place the buffet tables on the porch area (guests will have a good view of the well-maintained golf course and at the same time, feel the cool december breeze on their faces).
It was a convenient place for us to house our family, hold our reception, and the presidential suite, then newly renovated, was a perfect place for my preparations.
They closed the restaurant after breakfast and they started to fix the place for our dinner reception. The staffs were nice and friendly. But do not be deceived. Read my rants.
Wedding Reception Package:
One Presidential Suite
One Junior Suite
Buffet Dinner
Set Breakfast for 4 (Presidential Suite)
Set Breakfast for 2 (Junior Suite)
Three tier Wedding Cake with Color Motiff (grr!)
Pair of Doves and Wedding Cage
Guest Book
Venue arrangements:
Elevated Presidential table for bride and groom
Dance Floor
Table for Cakes and Gifts
Registration Table
Cobalt Blue Motiff (skirting for bufett table only)
White Tulle set up with series lights on the ceiling
Rave: Like (for convenience and good presentation of the restaurant, and for the fun we had there) but I will definitely NOT hold any special occasion there AGAIN.
Rant: A lot!
1. My AE left me on the day of my wedding, turning over her supposedly task of overseeing our wedding reception to another staff that I was not even able to meet saying that her Saturday duty is only half-day. I remembered it right the first time she told me that she stayed until the reception is finished for all of her clients. She informed me that she was leaving while I was having my make up and so I couldn’t react violently (well, I really could have – grrrrrr!)
2. Many unopened bottles of wine were left – only a few were consumed for the ceremonial toast. My cousin/ninong brought it all the way from Vienna, Austria. We only went downstairs for studio pictorial, the bottles were gone – all of them, when we came back.
3. We never saw the rest of left-over foods (we could have given it to our family members who were also billeted in the hotel).
4. Foods served were not as palatable as those served during our taste test. I hardly ate that night but seeing the food presentation in the picture later on and hearing the feedback of our guests, I could’ve gotten a trusty caterer instead.
5. Our wedding cake was a big disaster! For a five grand, it looked like a one grand bargain item! Even if I gave our AE the photo of the exact cake I wanted, the result was simply awful! There were splotches all over, the finish was not polished, it looked like it was rushly made! Maybe it was also one of the reasons our AE didn’t stay! The jewel of our reception was a fake! : (
6. The girl who did my nails (and that of my brother and cousins), who was highly referred to us by the hotel AE, literally held us up! She charged us P500 each, ate dinner at the hotel (our expense) and slept at the presidential suite with us! (Well, she actually did not sleep but “checked on” every wedding accessory she could lay her eyes on! – poor kuya, he did not sleep at all – “guarding” our wedding paraphernalia!) What more, my cousin’s nail polish came off after she took shower the following day – my wedding day! Well, the price you pay for having a wedding in a far-flung place where salons hardly exist : (
7. I left my personal bible at the presidential suite – a worn, out, reliable old bible that I never got back – despite several times of following up.
8. Haaah! Talk about wedding disasters!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Chapel on the Hill

Don Bosco Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas City
0916-250-3559/743-5614
I first heard the place from our company chaplain. A new chapel built on a hill and especially made for weddings. I have always dreamt of a wedding chapel with scenic and refreshing view. Chapel on the Hill (COTH) was the perfect place!
When we had our first ocular visit, we decided right there and then that it will be our wedding chapel. We also visited the nearby Caleruega chapel but the lack of good parking space made it a lot easier for us to choose Chapel on the Hill. Besides, COTH is run by Don Bosco Fathers and we happened to have several Don Bosco Priests friends.
Lorie, the chapel staff, was so easy to deal with. The Chapel gets booked early and although we came almost a year before our wedding date to reserve, we had to move dates several times because the dates we chose were booked already. We first thought of December 28 (but this date usually gets booked second to December 8), then December 10 (our Community’s Christmas party was scheduled on this date – meaning 75% of our guests may not make it), so we settled for December 3.
And December 3, 2005, indeed became a special day for us.
It was quite a challenge for us to get our church documents in place. Being both Manila-based, we had to travel to Calaca, Batangas for our canonical interview and to submit our documents to Bishop Buonggaling. He was a fatherly and a very good priest who made sure we understood the decision we made, and the sacrament (of matrimony) that we were to receive.
The chapel, with its featured labyrinth brick floor, was filled with close to 300 guests on our wedding day. It was an intimate and very solemn wedding. We were literally surrounded by our loved ones and friends in the sphere-shaped chapel. For me, it was the most solemn and spirit filled mass of my life, so far. Our family and guests agreed. Our wedding mass lasted for almost a couple of hours, including pictorials.
Although COTH has its own set of guidelines, they were not as strict as the other churches. We were allowed to prepare our own missalette, add prayers, and other rites that were uniquely ours. It was, of course, a big help that our wedding priest, Fr. Martin M. Macasaet, SDB, was a Bosconian himself and known by COTH staffs.
COTH Guidelines and Requirements:
A. Necessary Documents to be accomplished 3 months before the wedding date:
1. Marriage License*
2. Baptismal Certificate*
3. Confirmation Certificate*
*should be inscription: For Marriage Purposes Only
B.Pre-cana Seminar (in our case, Discovery Weekend (DW) was considered - a separate review on DW will be posted soon)
C.Marriage Banns
4.License Number of officiating priest
5.Names and addresses of principal sponsors
Rave: Like, Like. (Will never tire visiting this beautiful chapel every chance I get!)
Rant: The aisle (rattan chairs were movable) was too narrow, especially when my husband and his parents, and my parents and I were walking down the aisle. (Maybe they did it to place more chairs to accommodate our overflowing guests – I never had the chance to check).
Veluz Puno-Reyes
Bridal Gown and Accessories: Veluz Puno-Reyes and Niko Hernandez
www.veluz.biz
2-pc set bridal gown
Illusion tulle veil
Shoes
Bag
Petticoat
Pillows for Ring and Coin
Leg and Bible garter
Sponsor’s Veil and Cord
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Kuks Reyes

Hair and Make-up Artist (HMUA): Kuks Reyes
A super–nice and friendly make-up artist whose name I stumbled upon my friend’s list of wedding suppliers. The first time I spoke with him on the phone, I know that I won’t have a hard time with him. True.
On my wedding day, Kuks and his team arrived early. He was with three more MU artists who did the HMU of the ladies in our entourage. Kuks concentrated on me, my mother, and my mom-in-law. As expected, he came up with a really nice hair do for me – pretty neat in front and really creative at the back. He held my long, black tresses in a pony and designed it into a ribbon and flowerrettes - I must say his signature design. I saw other HMUAs did the same design but not as polished and sleek as Kuks’. Then, he placed swarovsky and pearl headpiece (courtesy of Veluz) nicely. My moms raved about how he made them look stunning that evening.
He stayed until the end, always on his feet to fix my hair or make-up. My family and entourage who availed of his services cannot stop raving about how good he was!Rave: Like, like, like. Will definitely get him again (and maybe bring my own make-up kit, for a change). Have referred him to many of my friends already who were all happy with his service.
Rant: None
Wedding Portrait

Photo: Archie Paul Paungan Digital Photography
Gown, shoes, & bag: Veluz Puno-Reyes
Hair & Make-up: Kuks Reyes
Location: Evercrest Hotel Golf Course
December 3, 2005
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Archie Paul Paungan
Photo/Video: Archie Paungan Digital Photography
Wedding Package Inclusions:
Unlimited digital photo and video coverage
2 Photographers
All Digital pictures saved in CDs (shot at hi-resolution jpeg format)
Choice of up to 250 shots for digital lay-out
40 digital lay-outs 11x14 size with photo-canvass protection
Choice of wood album or textured leather album
16 R/16”x20” photo with classic wooden frame (portrait shot)
3ccd Digital Video Camera Setup
2 Videographers
Digital video coverage with direct audio patch
Non-linear Video editing (VCD – raw/VCD/DVD – MTV style editing)
Studio set-up at the reception
Free: Outdoor pre-nuptial pictorial (location of choice)
2 mini albums (5x7)
Signature frame
Photo:
Resolution: 6 mega pixels
Canon 20D 8 MP Digital SLR
Digital memory/compact flash cards
Video: 3ccd video camera(s) and 1 ccd video camera
Digital video tapes
*********************
R a v e : Like, like, like. Will definitely get his services again if an opportunity comes (in fact, I already got him for one important office function) and has arranged pictorials with a model friend.
Our Wedding Suppliers
I have been itching to share with brides-to-be the wonderful team behind our equally wonderful wedding last December 3, 2005. It's been a year and a half since that beautiful day and I know that these details will help those preparing for their own special day. Here is our wedding team, just don't forget to tell them you got their numbers from me. Check them out!
Photo/Video:
Archie Paul Paungan Photography
Photo/Video
www.archiepaungandigital.com
www.pbase.com/photo_arch
Email: archie_paungan@yahoo.com
Cell no. 0919 2204891/0920 6156355
Tel no. 8255930
Beautiful (had to put that!) Gown:
Veluz Puno-Reyes
www.veluz.biz
Fresh Flowers:
RCJC Flowers
Ms. Cora Perey
Crossing Mendez, Tagaytay City
Tel. 046.860.1247
Wonderful Hair and Make-up
Kuks Reyes
Tel. 363.3563
Wedding Chapel/Church:
Chapel on the Hill
Don Bosco, Batulao
Nasugbu, Batangas
Tel. 743.5614
Dinner Reception and Accomodation:
Evercrest Golf Club Resort
Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas
Tel. 712.9293
Nice, elegant Invitation:
V-Craft
Tel.928.6458
Heavenly Choir/Band:
Manila Vocal Ensemble
(world-class group of music teachers that has performed here and abroad)