The Wedding Edition: Lasting Memories

So we've already established that your wedding day will be one of the most unforgettable moments in your life.

So what does that mean? You need to find someone who will make the memory last for a long, long time. And that entails you finding the best photo (and video) studio to do that.

Granted, a very good photo / video studio is very expensive, and it's one of those indulgences that you must accept IF you want a nice, lasting memory.

Think of it this way -- this is the only documentation you would have on YOUR wedding day. Do you really think that you'd be able to carry a digital camera with you? Come on.

There are a lot of packages that a photo / video studio offers that would suit your needs or your budget. They can also customize a package that would most likely suit your needs and your budget. Ask your preferred photography studio for other options or add ons.

My photo and video services were done by Wally Gonzales Photography, and they've done a superb job -- from the pre nuptial photoshoot and AVP to the wedding itself. We opted to have a pre nuptial pictorial and AVP to show during the wedding. It was a tiring process to do the shoot, and it took very long to do. Now I know why I didn't enter show business. Doing the AVP shoot was tiring, too, but fun. The entire shoot took a little over 4 hours to finish, and we ended up with over 500 shots to choose only 40 from. Now THAT was a challenge!

During the wedding, the team from Wally Gonzales Photography (WGP) were easy to work with, and at the same time, professional. I really, really appreciate this team that worked with us - Bong Sonon & Co. They maintained a really positive outlook and maintained their professionalism despite the early call hours and the long, long process. Although they're a bit pricey, I highly recommend WGP for your wedding coverage. They also did an excellent job for our AVP! I definitely do not regret getting them.

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Get in touch with them:

Wally Gonzales Photography

Main Office: 150 Jupiter St., Miladay Building, Bel-Air, Makati City | 890-1318 or 890-2254

Branch Office: 78-E Cenacle Drive, Sanville Subd., Quezon City | 928-8623

www.wallygonzalesphotography.com

The Home Edition: Getting started

Let's wander away from wedding planning for a bit. Because apart from your big day, you've got to consider one other big thing: Where are you going to stay? Where are you going to start your own family? These are the things that you need to discuss with your fiance once you've decided to get married.

My mom got me this 3-bedroom loft condo unit at one of the condominiums at the Bonifacio Global City, with the promise that I'll be staying there once I get married. Lucky me, right? But then again, not all couples are as lucky as I am. It's also fortunate for me and my fiance that BGC is smack in the middle of both our workplaces.

The unit got turned over to us earlier this year, and as expected, it was unfurnished, save for the kitchen cabinets and the bathroom fixtures. So we still needed to have our unit fitted out with additional cabinetry, shelving and furnitures. And so begins the saga of coordinating with the interior designer, the suppliers, the building administration, etc., etc., etc. Couple that with planning a wedding and, well, you know where we are right now.

We're almost 90% done with the fit-out; all that's left is the installation of the sunscreens, the delivery of the appliances and putting up our own little touches to finally call it a home. Luckily, the unit didn't need that much major renovations, so were were able to do it within a month to two month's time.

Choosing your nest

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing your future home. In my case, we really didn't talk a lot about it since the unit was already bought prior to us being "us". We figured then that we'd find a way to make the unit work for us if we didn't find it very convenient for us, but luck found a way to make everything work out the way we wished it would be.

One of the most important factors to consider would be if the place you're getting would be convenient for you and your soon-to-be husband, work-wise. Like for us, my place of work is around 15-30 minutes away, sans traffic. My fiance's place of work is roughly 10-15 minutes away, sans traffic. So it's very, very convenient for us.

Another important factor to consider is how much would it cost you, and if you can afford it. Again, it depends on how and what the both of you have talked about, or how much your budget would be. Of course, you're also going to have to consider how big your space will be, because how much it will cost will depend on the size.

You also have to take into consideration the area or the community you'll be living in. Sure, you place may be cheap and the location is convenient, but are you going to be safe? Bear in mind that you're not always going to go home at the same time. Is the neighborhood you're going to be in safe for the family you're going to start? Is it safe for you? Because what's the use of living on your own with the intention of starting a family if you're not around to do that.

Or, if you're still saving up, and if you're both up for it, why not just stay with (any of) your parents in the meantime? Up until you've saved enough for a dream home. I'm just saying. :)

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Condominium / Home Developers to Consider:

Ayala Land, Inc.

Ayala Land Premiere - www.ayalalandpremiere.com

Alveo Land - www.alveoland.com

Avida Land - www.avidaland.com

DMCI - www.dmcihomes.com

Robinson's Land - www.robinsonsresidences.com

SM Development Corporation - www.smdevelopment.com

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My fit out contractor and designer:

Antonio's Furniture

email: antoniosfurniture@yahoo.com

The Wedding Edition: Need Help?

Ok, so you've already started planning your big day.You've got your church, reception and photographer. So far, so good.

But then you realize there's so much more to do, and - let's face it - you have a full time job. How the heck are you going to split yourself to take care of all of those things?

This is where the wedding planners and coordinators come in.

Choosing your planners or coordinators

Let's be honest here -- one of the biggest markets today is a wedding. You need a lot of suppliers to pull of one wedding. One way of finding a suitable wedding planner or coordinator for you is to attend a wedding fair or expo, which are usually held once every quarter by different organizations (more or less at least 3 fairs a quarter). There are many choices to choose from, and you attend those to help you choose the best planner for your need.

Also try asking friends, colleagues and acquaintances for referrals, which may be more helpful because they can give you the real story -- if they were happy with the service or what not.

When you've chosen your planner, there are three kinds of services that they might offer you, depending again on your need.

Full Coordination / Planning

They would basically take the nitty-gritty out of your hands. Sure, it may cost more but it'll save you a big headache. The full coordination / planning package assumes that you've done around 15% of the work, and there are still a lot of areas that you need to cover. They'll be the ones to contact your suppliers, ensure that you're on schedule and all that.

Partial Coordination

This package assumes that you've done around 50-65% of the planning. They just supplement your suppliers, make sure that you've done all, and remind you of stuff that you still need to do.

On-the-day Coordination

This is the cheapest package, since they would assume that you've practically done all the planning yourself (around 75-80%). All they would do is remind you of the things you still need to do, get in touch with your suppliers and ensure that your wedding day goes smoothly as planned.

I opted for the on-the-day coordination from Events Manila. Why? For a number of reasons:

1. I had practically contacted all my suppliers. And they told me that (for partial coordination) even if they would be the one to contact my potential suppliers, I would still be the one to deal with them. They would work just like liaison between me and the suppliers. I was better off contacting them on my own (to which they agreed).
2. It was cheaper. 'Nuff said.
3. Events Manila because it was recommended by my photo place. At least they've worked with them in the past so we know that they would be able to work out an understanding on the day itself.
   

To be honest, even though you think that you may pull off planning your wedding on your own, I personally think that a coordinator will be very, very helpful in ensuring the program or everything you've worked hard for goes according to plan. You can't be the one to cue who's going to march down the aisle come D-day; you need someone else who will do the job for you. All you need to do on you wedding day is to look really really radiant and pretty. :)

The countdown: 51 days to go!

The Wedding Edition: The basics

*Author's Note: I decided to start this blog to chronicle my experiences in planning my wedding, coordinating for our new home, and planning our honeymoon... all at the same time. I do hope that you, the reader, can get some ideas IF and WHEN you're going to be planning something.

This blog is actually a bit late already, since I've been in the process of planning my wedding for almost a year now, and it's already nearing my wedding date. But, I thought about it, and this blog can also chronicle other event planning experiences I can -- and most definitely will -- have in the future.

So here it is, the beginning. Please bear with me. :) Thank you! :)*

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Let me start by saying that I have 53 days to go before my wedding day. D-day, as I have marked in my calendar. And by now, I should have accomplished around 75% of the supposed tasks that a bride-to-be has to do -- without turning into a bride-zilla.

My mom used to tell me that during the time she got married, you can prepare for at least a month to 3 months before without any complications or problems at all. No marriage licenses, no pre-cana seminars, no marriage counseling. Just you, your Groom and the priest (and the rest of the cast in a wedding). But now, you literally have to plan more than a year in advance, if you want to keep your sanity.

The Budget

Fortunately for me, I had no budget to stick to, since my mom volunteered to shoulder all the expenses for me to have my "dream" wedding. I had spared her the headache of planning a debut, so this is my sort-of indulgence from my mom. Anyway, if you're planning your wedding and you have a budget to stick to, there are four things that you need to prioritize: your Church, Reception Venue, Attire and Photographer. Trust me, budgetting can be such a pain in the neck. Even for me, and I have no budget restrictions!

Booking your Church and Reception

How long before your intended wedding date should you book your Church? 3 months, 6 months?

If you want your intended wedding date to stay that way, you have to book at least a YEAR in advance. We've talked about getting married since last November. We hoped to get married in Batangas, since that's where my fiance is from, and we were hoping we'd get married in Caleruega. But when we inquired, they were already fully booked for all weekends of December, except Christmas. But who the heck would get married on Christmas Day, right? So yeah, we went to about 6 churches and got lucky on our last. By the fourth church I was already willing to change my wedding date just to be able to be accommodated by the church that I want but thankfully, we were able to find one that fits our date.

Reception venue-wise, I would say that book your Church first before booking the reception. That way, you would be able to plan the most optimal place not far from the church, making it easy for your guests to travel to and from your venues.

If you do not want to have your wedding in a traditional way, there are a lot of venues who offer both the nuptial mass and reception program. This may be more economical and practical if you're on a tighter budget.

The Attire

Again, you, the bride-to-be, have the option to sponsor the attire of your entourage. But if you have a tight budget, I would suggest that you just have a design drawn for your entourage and let them worry about where they're going to have their dress made and how they're going to pay for it.

Traditionally, the bride wears a white wedding gown, but nowadays, it's really all up to the bride. Apparently, white doesn't signify that you're still a virgin, the veil does. So, if you don't really care for white, then it's your decision.

Photos, Videos and more

One other thing to consider when planning your wedding is, 'who is going to cover my wedding?' Getting great pictures is very important since it will be the only memory of the grandest day of your life. Be sure to take into account how credible your supplier is, how long they've been in the business, and be sure to look at samples of their work. Don't hesitate to go back and forth before making your decision. Remember, how you look in your memories will be with you for the rest of your life.

So yeah, when I said above that I should be around 75% done? I can fairly say I'm almost to 80%. Planning in advance really helps with me keeping my sanity.

Case in point: For a church wedding, you have to take counseling if you're under 25. In our case, we are going to be 25 on our wedding day but during the entire preparation, both of us are still 24. Being able to plan a year in advance allowed us to schedule all our seminars, counseling sessions, meetings, etc. So as our wedding day nears, we're not as stressed, since practically all needed documents have been procured earlier.

Planning a wedding entails patience and perseverance. This is a crucial time for couples because arguments will arise, no doubt about that. What you need to do is have an understanding on what tasks each of you will undertake, because frankly, planning a wedding is a job for two people.

I'll post about other topics in the coming days, hopefully my next entries will be as helpful to you as it may be to me. :)