The Team
Insights is the brainchild of an experienced and multi-faceted team from Hizons Catering, bound
together with the same mission of helping every soon-to-wed couple go through their wedding
preparation with ease and enjoyment.
Teng Asmolo
Baby Hizon
Mrs. Hizon is the owner and CEO of Hizons Catering. Armed
with a passion for cooking, she established the company in 1987
with the goal of having a business without having to leave her
maternal duties. Shes graduated at the Adamson University
with a degree in Psychology. She studied culinary courses at the
California Culinary Academy and goes abroad from time to time
to research about new trends in the catering business.
The Writers
Kerra Balabis
A graduate of Broadcast Communication from the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Kerra is a jolly and
fun-loving person who joined the company in August 2009
as a writer. She is a Marketing Officer for Hizons Catering
who has passion for fashion and enjoys a good book, online
shopping, and hanging out with friends during her free time.
Joseph Hizon
Raymond Da
vid
a Salle
omics at De L Degree in
duate of Econ
s
Joseph is a gra ila. He finished his Master ent and
em
an
University M e Asian Institute of Manag e company.
aging th
omics at th
Econ
mother in man
ager
nce helped her s Caterings General Man
has si
vative
y Hizon
o
He is currentl e proponent of many inn king and
has been th
enjoys coo
. He
who
the company
projects within photography.
r
has passion fo
Raymond is th
e
of Hizons Cat Sales and Marketing Man
ager
ering. A grad
uate of Busin
Administratio
ess
n
Tomas, he has from the University of San
to
b
Since then, he een with the company for
5 years.
has played a
significant par
keeping the sa
t in
le
operation run s and marketing departm
ents
ning effectivel
y.
he takes intere
st in photogra A techie person,
internet for n
phy, surfing th
ew
e
gadgets in the ideas, and scouting for th
e latest
market.
Arra Saturno
Arra is a graduate of Communication Arts from De La Salle University- Dasmarinas (DLSUD) and has worked
for GMA-7 before finally joining the company as a writer in 2009. At present, she is also a Marketing Officer for
Hizons Catering who has a passion for music, especially song writing. She also loves reading novels, movie
marathons, and good conversations.
The Planners
Drew Menor
Judith Dayri
ervisor
g Teams sup
tly the Plannin n working for
en
Judith is curr ing, and has bee
of Hotel
izons Cater
at H
. A graduate
for four years at La Consolacion
the company Management
06 as a
nt
and Restaura ed the company in May 20 When
in
er.
College, she jo ecutive and events plann
the
ex
banquet sales dith loves to sing and play
Ju
not working, daughter at home.
er
guitar with h
Grace Cawagas
Franchesca Pineda
or more than twenty years of experience in helping people plan their wedding, Hizons
Catering has been lucky to be part of every clients most important day. It is an opportunity
both challenging and rewarding. An average of 1,588 weddings per year gave us a play
ground for ideas and an open door for learning new things about this industry that we love.
If theres one main thing that weddings have taught us, its that there is no standard formula
in wedding planning and preparation. And you can never gauge the importance of a wedding
by how small or big the guest list is, or how grand or simple the details are. Every wedding is a
unique experience, with unique needs. Every wedding is important.
In this book you will read random pieces of advice, bits of facts about the elements of a
wedding, and some wonderful quotes that hopefully would inspire you as much as it
had inspired us. You will also come across wedding personality guide, which we
called bridesonality that may help you determine your wedding persona and give
you a good grasp of how you will go about withyour preparations, and how you can
utilize your resources with the best possible options.
This book is made with the purpose of helping soon-to-wed couples gain a better
understanding of how weddings are planned and prepared here in the Philippines.
Based from actual wedding preparations witnessed by our team, we hope that you
will find every page useful to your own wedding preparation. And though this book
contains advices and suggestions, the final call is still up to you. Remember that there
is no standard formula, no secret ingredient. The very essence of your wedding is
in how each detail reflects who you are as a couple, and how you make every
moment count.
Every bride wants her wedding to be perfect; and though there is no such thing
as the perfect wedding, you have the power to create your own beautiful
memories that will last forever.
&
who have been the very reason why we have made it this far,
This book is a sign of our gratitude for giving your invaluable trust
Once in a while,
right in the middle of
an ordinary life, love
gives us afairy tale.
Author Unknown
Many people get the wrong impression that wedding and marriage
are one and the same. When we talk
about marriage, it is the entirety of
your life together as husband and
wife. It is that forever after that
fairytales constantly speak of. And
the process and specifics of marriage
wouldnt, and couldnt be contained
in any single book.
Wedding on the other hand is a different and more concrete subject. If
marriage is the forever after, wedding is the grand ball at the castle.
It is the celebration that sets you for
that lifetime commitment of love to
your partner; and planning and preparing your wedding is what would
be discussed in the succeeding pages
of this book.
The Proposal
In an overlooking hill with stars spread all over the sky, the man of your life suddenly
kneels in front of you, and from his jacket took out a small box with a ring on it. He
then utters the words: Will you marry me?
All women have their own version of a romantic proposal. However it is done, the
bottom line here is that this is the start of a lifetime commitment of two individuals
who will soon embark on a journey to oneness.
The Announcement
Filipinos, being family-oriented in nature, would love to see their loved ones on their
very special day. The announcement is telling the elder relatives of your intention to
marry as a sign of respect especially to those whose grandparents are in the province. It
is just like a courtesy call and introduction of your partner. This is also where you will
get your blessings from your elders and a chance to invite your prospect god parents
or principal sponsors.
Be ready to tell your love story to many people, your partners educational background
and work information over and over.
The Pamamanhikan
The pamamanhikan is where the groom and his parents pay a visit to the brides house
and formally ask for the hand of the bride from her parents. It is usually done over
lunch or dinner. The groom is expected to speak to the parents about his intentions of
marrying her bride, then his parents will also call on the brides parents to gain their
approval and to plan the wedding.
Nowadays, the pamamanhikan is more of a discussion of the details of the wedding. It
is where the first major wedding plans are made like who are going to pay what, how
many guests, and the suggested venues and churches.
This tradition can be very awkward and the couple may feel uneasy especially if its
the first time for their parents to meet. A way of breaking the ice for both parties is for
the groom and his parents to bring a gift or home-cooked specialty that they can share
during discussion.
This sounds so much of a hassle for any marrying couple. But at the end of the day, it
is all worth the effort because Filipinos would love to have the blessings of their loved
ones on the most important day of their lives.
Despedida de Soltera
It is the party organized by the brides family to show their approval and support of
the upcoming marriage. This happens usually a day before or days before the wedding
and is attended by the significant people who will be part of the wedding and also of
the relatives from both sides. It is the best time to introduce the two families to each
other and have a little bonding before the wedding itself.
The BRIDEsonality
QUIZ
Before continuing on to the book. let us first
take a quick test to determine your
bridesonality. Each topics consists of five
(5) questions that you will have to answer.
Take note of it in a piece of paper. The letters
with the most answer determines what
kind of bride you are for each topic.
Your results may vary per
chapter, so it is best if you
take note of it. It will
be very useful as you go
through the chapters of
this book.
a. An introvert. You sometimes want to be alone and are much comfortable being
surrounded by your closest relatives and friends.
b. An ambivert. You relish having an alone time with yourself as much as you are
comfortable with family and friends.
c. A social butterfly. You love to party and be in the company of family, friends and
colleagues.
2.) How can I make sure that my guest will be on my wedding venue on the scheduled date
and time and according to plan
a. Look for the best means of transportation for my guests
b. Coordinate with them a month before my wedding and know their transportation
plans, ask for a friend who can lend or use her car for other friends who doesnt
have one
c. Rent a vehicle for them especially for out-of-town venues, have them booked as
early as possible
a. Are intently listing the names of close families and friends, carefully omitting those
who are not familiar to both you and your fiance
b. Are checking the names in the guest list and are including some of the names your
parents want to invite
c. Are working with your wedding planner in how to organize the seating
arrangements of your guests which include families, friends and colleagues
b. Look for a possible sponsors or wedding packages that includes the bridal car
5.) Day one in making your initial guest list. How many guests have you listed so far?
a. 20. Your immediate family and best friends.
b. 75. Your relatives and barkada.
c. Everyone!
b. A sleek Mercedes Benz Bug Eye thats included in the catering package
c. A Ferrari Enzo sports car or a vintage Rolls Royce that will surely catch the eye of
everyone
3.) When choosing the right team to cover my wedding I will go for:
3.) I can make sure that my Wedding Stationeries will reach my probable guests through...
a. Attending important gatherings where my probable guests will be present and
personally hand my wedding invitations
b. Delivering the invitation personally, going from one place to another to hand out the
invitations to my guests
c. A private courier will do
1) Whats one phrase that can best describe your wedding flowers?
a. affordable and simple
b. artistic and reasonable
c. elegant and one-of-a-kind
2) Where would you most likely go to look for your wedding flowers?
a. Dangwa or local market
b. Local wedding florist at your town
c. Wedding stylist
3) If your church offers free floral arrangement for your wedding ceremony what would your
reaction be?
a. Perfect! I wouldnt have to worry about my ceremony flowers after all.
c. We appreciate it, but we prefer a wedding stylist to arrange the ceremony flowers.
a. I will personally go to Dangwa to scout for the best bargain and I will do my wedding
flowers with the help of my relatives or friends
b. I will go to Dangwa to look for a good Florist that can make elegant flowers that are still
easy on the pocket
c. I will hire a wedding florist or stylist and discuss with him/her how I want my wedding
flowers done
5) If you could sum up your wedding venue into one word, what would that word be?
a. decent
5) Whats the most important factor that you consider in choosing your wedding flowers?
b. convenient
a. budget
c. stylish
b. usefulness
c. aesthetics
The Honeymoon
1) What type of accommodation would you prefer for your honeymoon?
a. a simple transient house or Inn
b. a classy hotel
c. a lavish private villa
2) What is the most important factor that you would consider when it comes to your honeymoon?
a. affordability
a. budget
b. variety
b. comfort
c. distinctiveness
c. luxury
4) What type of service do you plan to have for your wedding banquet?
a. do-it-yourself buffet that offers self-service
b. catered buffet complete with waiters and food attendants
c. a service-style banquet that serves plated food
5) Which of these food selections would you most likely serve at your reception?
a. steamed rice, chicken barbeque, beef caldereta, buttered vegatables, juice
b. seafood fried rice, lengua, chicken pastel, fish fillet in lemon butter sauce, lumpia bar, iced
tea, softdrinks
c. paella, angus beef fillet mignon, grilled lemon halibut, chicken cordon bleu, sweet tea, red
wine
4) On your way to your honeymoon destination, which mode of transportation do you picture
yourself using?
a. bus
b. private van
c. plane
5) How much are you willing to spend for your honeymoon?
a. not too much, we prefer to spend the money for other future needs
b. fairly enough, we would like to have a memorable vacation within our means
c. all the way, beautiful memories are worth every centavo
b.
c.
3. How much budget will you allot for your wedding rings?
a. We dont think that an expensive ring is necessary.
b. A reasonable amount that any couple will spend for a wedding ring.
c. Any amount! As long as we are both happy.
5. Who among these movie characters reflects your personality the most?
a. Drew Barrymore in The Wedding singer
b. Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner
c. Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex and the City
3. How much would you like to spend in your hair and make up?
a. As much as possible I dont want to spend any money in my make up
volunteering!
b. I can ask for some assistance from them, but I prefer to trust the important aspects to the
professional s (wedding coordinators)
c.. Whatever amount is needed to make me the most beautiful person on my special day!
c. Sit back, relax and enjoy every moment of the most important day of our lives.
4. Do you know the latest trends in make ups?
4. In planning your wedding, what is the role of your family?
a. I have no idea.
c. To show support and to check every now and then if the planning is doing well.
5. What do you like to be in your wedding day?
a. It is unnecessary. I have lots of friends and family who can do the tasks for free.
c. A princess and everybody in the church is staring at me as I walk down the aisle.
Mostly As
Then you are most
likely a Penny-Wise
Bride
Mostly Bs
Then you are most
likely a Value-forMoney Bride
Mostly Cs
Then you are most likely a Splurge-on-thebest Bride
erhaps Harry was right; you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible once the subject of
wedding is placed on your doorstep. You start to take out wedding magazines and talk wedding receptions and all the wedding stuff, but before the preparation is directed elsewhere, you must first
remember to set your wedding date.
When we talk of weddings the first month that comes to mind is the marrying month of June. Well, that is
true for some people, especially those who lived in North America and Europe, because June is the time
between Spring and Summer and the start of summer vacation, and since we are greatly influenced by the
western culture we have come to accept this as a fact.
But here in the Philippines, December is considered more by many couples for their wedding date. It is a
perfect time to celebrate a wedding because of the right weather (not to hot, just enough coolness to make
your guests comfortable even on a garden wedding at noon) and the right atmosphere (December is the
Christmas season and most people would be enveloped by the Christmas spirit, thus they become more
generous in giving gifts and sincere in promising to attend your wedding). These reasons are practical and
convenient.
The countrys summer season (March to May) is also one of the best times to tie the knot. This is perfect for
beach and garden weddings where you will get plenty of sun and good weather. Be sure though, to bring
your sun block or have a venue with a good ventilation. Another solution to the heat problem is to set your
wedding early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
The rainy season (from June to October) is the off-peak season for weddings, especially on the months of
June to August which are the rainiest days in our country. This season is the best time to get discounts
from suppliers, though. To solve the rain problem you would have to opt for a covered venue with ample
parking space so that guests wouldnt have to walk far under the rain to get to your reception.
From years of experience, the best recommended time to get married would be after the busy month of
December. January and February is a good time because the weather isnt too hot, much like December
is, and it isnt as busy as December. It is perfect for any type of wedding, be it on the beach, in a romantic
garden or in a covered venue.
Why It Matters
Choosing a wedding date matters because it is the day you decide to say I do to the person you want to
be with for the rest of your life. It has to be just right and perfect, customary to traditions, and favorable to
everyone involved.
The right date will also determine how many people can attend and which suppliers are available.
Although most suppliers are available in any date you choose, suppliers like your wedding photographer
and videographer, wedding singer or band, and wedding reception venue may already be fully booked.
You will learn later on, as you go through your planning, that your wedding date will be affected by a lot
of different factors, and you will have to decide which of these factors are on top of your list.
Your Traditions
The Philippines is a diverse country, not just in
the flora and fauna but also in the people living in
it. Our country is composed of various races and
enveloped by different cultures which made us
unique.
Traditions and cultures are big factors in
determining your wedding date. Since most
Filipinos are traditional by nature, we tend to base
most of our decisions with them.
Filipino Customs and Traditions that may
affect you in choosing your wedding date:
Since we are a country bounded by
Customs, Beliefs and Traditions, we are
going to tackle on how these can greatly
affect in choosing your preferred Wedding
Date.
Sukob
No, I will not be talking about the
blockbuster horror flick rather the
inspiration behind it.
We all know that in the movie the two
lead stars were estranged sisters who were
married on the same day of the same year.
After their weddings, things got a little
freaky until most of the characters died
of freak accidents because of the so-called
sukob.
If you and your sister decided to get married
on the same day of the same year, things
arent really going to be that morbid. No one
will die, I assure you. This superstition is
one of the many others that our elders have
lived by.
It is believed that if you and one of your
immediate relatives (especially sisters, or
cousins perhaps) are married on the same
year, better known as sukob sa kasal, one will
be lucky but one will have a bad luck.
Another version of this is that a soon-to-wed
person whose immediate relative had just
died cannot be married within the same year
In the five to eight months time span for planning your wedding, youll have to need help by this time, but
it still is possible to be less stressful youll just have to:
Research on the first month. Scout all possible suppliers, venues and churches to see if they
are still available;
Organize your schedule, especially for those who are working;
Hire a coordinator. Maybe not the best and highest paid in town, but the one that understands
what you want;
Ask for help. Assign your closest relative or your best friend to answer queries related to the
wedding when youre not available, let them work closely with your wedding planner. Make sure
that they are willing to help, too
Four Months and Below: Leave it to the Wedding Planner
This is the most stressful time span you can have in planning your wedding that even the best wedding
planner youll hire would be stressed out:
Youll have little time to get a lot of things done on your own;
Your wedding DIY ideas will have to be shelved unless youll hire an army to get them done;
Your preferred church and venue will most likely be unavailable so dont keep your hopes up and
always have more than one backup plan;
Youll have to dedicate most of your time not just in the planning of your wedding but also in the
processing of the required documents;
Youll have a hard time looking for suppliers especially if your wedding will be on peak seasons.
With this time span, youll have to:
Hire a wedding planner. This is very important, especially for the working couples. Four months
or less will be an impossible timeline if you dont.
Tap all your connections. If you know a lot of people in the wedding industry then youll have to
personally talk with them. Its time to use a little charm to get the best workforce for your wedding.
Dedicate most of your time in planning. If you are working, ask for a leave or use your charm to
ask your boss to give you more time for the planning of your wedding. If you want to be as hands-on
in the wedding planning as possible then another option is for you to leave workthat is if you are
confident enough that youll find another one soon after the wedding.
Advance notice. Inform most of the people you want to invite through text, email, or tag them on
Facebook, this way youll have a general idea of how many of your preferred guests can make it to the
wedding. Do inform your chosen principal sponsors in advance, too. Do not wait for the invitation to
come because it might be too late.
autiful place
Such a be
with friendys.e house elf
to be
th
-Dobb
ne very important wedding question that you will have to find answer to: Who to invite on your
wedding day?
A lot of soon-to-wed couples, especially those who are in a tight budget, encounter problems in making
their guest list. Many of our former clients experienced difficulty in deciding whether to stick with their
original digits. They would often call weeks before their wedding to add a few more extra to their number
of guests. Even so, there are couples who still experience food shortage or insufficient tables and chairs
during their wedding reception because of unexpected guests.
Determining the number of guests is helpful in finding out how much youll be spending for the wedding
itself. It will determine the cost of the food and the beverages, the number of souvenirs and invitations, and
even the transportation. All these can play a big factor in planning your budget as well.
Initially, a wedding guest list is simply a list of people which you plan to invite to your big day. This is
the list of the people you will provide an invitation, food, and souvenirs for, and the people that you will
arrange in the venue layout. It would be composed of all the people who you want to be witnesses of your
most special day, so basically this would be the most important people in your life.
Why It Matters
Not having a guest list would mean chaos! Just
imagine, like in the province or in the time of
our grandparents where wedding is a feast and
everyone can join your wedding celebration. Gatecrashing is a common thing in the rural areas
where even people from the next baranggay or the
relatives of your baranggay captain come to eat
at your wedding. Well, that would be okay in the
province because expenses arent that pricey and
your 50K could run a long way. But you are in the
city, and letting these uninvited guests come into
your wedding can spell disaster, not just in your
budget but particularly in the serenity of your
wedding, and that is a big no-no!
Having a wedding guest list will also give you an
idea of how many you have invited and who these
people are, to avoid being surprised that your ex
came, or worst, your partners ex attended without
your knowledge.
in your B-List.
Creating a B-List is important and a less stressful
way of finding replacement for the guests that has
declined your invitation.
One way to organize these set of invitees is to put them in a table. An example of a Guest List looks like
this:
Figure 1.1 The Wedding Guest List. This is a sample of a simple wedding guest list format.
Using MS Excel program will make it easy for you to calculate, manage, and finalize your head count.
Also, you may utilize this database for monitoring and assigning things to your guests such as seat and
table numbers, invitations, souvenirs, stationeries, etc.
Of course, this is not the standard way to make a guest list but rather a guide for soon-to-wed couples to
organize their wedding list. You may find other tables online, but heres my take on creating a wedding
guest list.
Name
The first two columns will be the last and first name of the invitee. Remember to write their entire name,
and example of a written name in the invitation envelope would be:
Mr. & Mrs. Adriano Gatchalian
So it should appear as:
Role
The Role column denotes the role of the person in the wedding as presented in figure 1.2; or the
relationship of the invitee to the couple, as in figure 1.3.
Figure 1.3 Showing that the Role column can be filled out with what the
relation of the invitee to the couple is.
RSVP
The RSVP column is where you will put the answer of each invitee. A simple
yes, if hes coming; or no, if he is not.
Now your guest list expanded from 9 to 20 people; this can mean youll be having 20 people to help you in
your wedding preparation.
2) List your friends and relatives who are part of your entourage
After listing down the names of your relatives the next step would be listing down the names of friends
who will be part of your entourage. Usually, the Catholic Church requires at the most three Secondary
Sponsors and three sets of bridesmaids and groomsmen.
In this case, there are already nine (9) people filling up your guest list because Angela has two (2) brothers
and her parents while Brad has three (3) siblings and his parents.
Since it is common among Filipinos to have a big family, with other relatives living in the same house or
compound, you may also include in this list the names of other relatives that may be living with you. It can
be your fathers single sister or your cousin who has been with your family since she was a child, or your
grandparents whom youve chosen to take care of after they retired. So the list will become like this:
Lets now add these 20 people from the previous 20 immediate families. Take note that in this part both
Angela and Brads relatives (Angelas brothers and cousin and Brads Sister) are part of the entourage so
we should omit them to avoid duplicates. With the duplicates omitted the 20 additional guests will now
become 11, plus the previous 20, so that fills 31 slots in our final 150 guest list.
Dont forget to list everyone who has helped in your wedding. From the list that weve had, the total
number of helpers is 22 people. Add 22 from the previous 43 and well get 65 people.
With 65 people off the guest list you now have 83 remaining open slots. You can divide this into four and
youll have 21 people each to fill in, plus one extra person. Give the first 21 slots to your parents, the other
21 slots to your partners parents, the next 20 slots to your partner and the last 20 slots is all yours to fill.
Your guest list tally will look like this:
Having six sets of principal sponsors would make our current guest list 37. But we should also take note
that these principal sponsors are most likely to bring their spouses so that would become 12, add 12 from
the previous 31 and well get 43 people filling up the guest list.
2
20
11
12
22
83
Of course, this will only apply to couples with 150 guests. If you plan to have less than 150 guests, lets say
100 guests, then you shall divide the remaining open slots to four or you may want to talk it out with your
parents on whether they shall give you control over who you wanted to invite or that they may just want
to add five (5) or six (6) friends on the list, then you can have the rest.
With that said, you shouldnt be disheartened if you cant invite everyone on your wedding day. Its
simply about sharing this special milestone with the people who are special to you.
Take note that in the list some cousins and siblings are already married so you might also have to include
their spouse and children on the list. Add these family members and youll get a total number of 45 people
which will fill out your initial guest list.
2) List your friends and relatives who are part of your entourage
Second step is to go on and list the names of the people who are part of your entourage. These might not
necessarily be consisting of your families, but they can also be included.
We should take note that some of the names on the list are family members of the bride and groom so
before adding the entire list to the total guest list, we should remove the duplicates. The duplicates would
be eight (8), so well have to remove them, and we will come up with the final number of 13. So, add 13 to
the previous number of 45 and well have a total of 58 people.
4) List the names of other friends and guests that you would want to have in your wedding but are not on
the entourage and family lists
Upon listing all the names of your family members and the people who are part of your entourage, it is
now time to list the names of friends who wasnt included yet. This will include college friends, common
friends, childhood friends, and even work friends. But take note that you are limiting your guest list to 200,
so you cant invite all your neighbors.
Oh, before you start to scribble away the names of all your friends you must first talk it out with your
partner. Of course, he may also want to invite his set of friends. And both your parents will have their own
set, too especially when they are paying for most of the expenses.
From our example, we already arrived at 80 guests plus you and your partner, so you still have 118 left if
you went for a wedding for 200 people. You have the choice to either divide the 118 slots into four (for you,
your partner and both your parents), or ask your parents who they wanted to invite and if its not so many,
you and your partner can split the remaining number of guests.
But if we stick to the plan of dividing the 118 into four, to be fair to everyone, two of you will have 30 slots
to fill and another two will have 29. I think that would be enough to include your closest friends, right?
Tallying the guest list, we will arrive at this:
Bride & Groom
Immediate Families
Members of the Entourage (without
duplicates)
Principal Sponsors
Other Invitees
Total Number of Guests: 200
2
45
13
22
118
Most catering companies in the metro do offer wedding packages for 200 guests, including free amenities
that will cost you if you acquire it separately, giving you value for your money. So, you might want to
consider this before anything else.
We have arrived with 22 people because we have included in the count the names of the spouses and the
children of the principal sponsors. Add this to the previous number and youll get a total number of 80
people.
not a circus.
But organizing a big crowd such as this can be
a tough job to handle even if you have your
coordinators to help you do the job.
To be able to do this, you must categorize each
name on your master list into different sections. One
way of grouping these would be: brides family,
grooms family, entourage, brides friends, grooms
friends, bride and grooms common friends, brides
colleagues, grooms colleagues , children, and so
on. With these different sections you can work with
your planner on how to properly seat these guests
in each table that you have assigned for them.
A sample grouping method would be like this:
1) You and your partners family and relatives
List the family members that you have invited to
attend your wedding celebration. This will include
relatives that have migrated to other countries.
In this list, the brides families included relatives (grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins) that have
migrated to other countries and are living out of town. Tallying the numbers from the list of the bride and
grooms families, we filled 76 seats.
2) Your Entourage
List the members of your entourage, including who they will take in your wedding day.
The principal sponsors and wedding entourage includes the companions of the invitee. Adding 59
members of the wedding entourage and the 42 from the principal sponsors we get the number: 101. We
will then add the 101 to the previous number of guests then well get 177 total number of guests so far.
ou have already decided on the date of your wedding and have made your guest list, now
would be the perfect time to look for your wedding venue or venues.
Your wedding venue can be divided into two parts: the ceremony venue and reception venue.
Here in the Philippines, the ceremony traditionally takes place at a church, or a place of worship and
the reception venue at a garden, clubhouse, hotel, or a rented reception place like the Oasis Pavilion in
Quezon City or Palacio de Maynila along Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
Why It Matters
Your wedding venues are more than just places where you say your I DOs, set-up a buffet, or hold
a party. It is where you will try to create life-long memories of your first day as a couple. It is where
your wedding celebrations will take place. Years after your marriage you will look at your wedding
photographs and you will always have a glimpse of how your wedding venues looked like.
Before making any decisions, take a look at the factors you need to consider and evaluate whether
your allotted budget for your wedding venues is worth every centavo.
Familiarizing
yourself with
the important
factors is one of
the best tools
that you can
use in order
to get the best
venue for your
wedding.
The
ave to be expensive.m friends
esnt h
autiful wedding do tistic, ask a lot of help fro
A be
be: resourceful, ar have fun from the planning stage
key is to
s
mily, and to alway ried life.
and fa
e start of your mar
up to th
Ambience
w/ aircon
Capacity
100pax
Time
Frame
6 hrs
Rate: P 15,000
Venue
100 slots
B
4 hrs
Venue
60 slots
C
w/ aircon
6 hrs
150 pax
checking
out the place to see if
it
really is the one place where youd like your most
important day to happen.
Also, dont rely on online pictures from venues
websites. Most of what you see in the pictures is
computer edited or not updated. Seeing the actual
and updated look of the venue is still the best way
to evaluate if the venue will give you your moneys
worth.
If you are planning to invite prominent people
on your wedding, then consider the security of
the venue as well. Also check if they have enough
parking spaces especially if you are going to have a
big guest list.
If you wish to make your guests really comfortable
all throughout your wedding, pick an airconditioned church as well. They may be a bit pricey
compared to non air-conditioned churches, but if
theres one thing that you can splurge a little extra
on, it would be the comfort that you and your guest
would feel during your most important day.
Wedding Motif
Have you already decided on what your wedding motif would
be?
Here in the Philippines, many Filipinos still cant get over
the concept of a single color motif. But with the many
colors to choose from, a multiple color motif can add
more life and style to your wedding design. You just
have to find the right combinations that will match
your personal style.
But if you are still hesitant and confused on what
colors to use for your motif, familiarizing yourself
with the COLOR WHEEL may just be the trick you
need.
A color wheel is a graphical representation of the
relationship of colors in a circular form. It shows the 3
basic levels of colors: primary, secondary, and tertiary;
and how they interact or affect each other. Using a color
wheel to determine your wedding motif or theme may seem
hard or geeky but actually it provides a lot of help. And youll
be surprised at just how easy it can to blend and pair colors if
you understand their nature.
Analogous
Analogous colors are colors that are next to each
other on the color wheel.
This type of scheme creates
a group of colors that have
one main hue. Examples
of this color scheme are
green, yellow green, and
yellow.
The Analogous color
scheme is easy to work
with. But avoid using
to many hues in this
scheme as it may ruin the
harmony of your design.
For example, you can
either choose to make
green the main motif
of your wedding, and
use yellow and yellow
green as supporting accents.
Triadic
Complimentary
Monochromatic
Complementary
colors are opposite of each other on the color wheel.
These color hues would greatly complement each
other. Examples are yellow and purple, red and
green, blue and orange
This type of color scheme offers more contrast
than other color schemes. Complementary colors,
if used well, can create a vibrant atmosphere to a
celebration. For best results, combine cool colors
with warm ones like blue and orange.
Accented Neutral
This type of
color scheme
can be achieved
by pairing
neutral colors
and one or
more small
doses of
other colors.
Examples of
this type of
combinations
are: (brown &
beige w/ blue)
and (grey &
black w/red)
Garden Theme
Colors: Shades of Green, Yellow, Pink, Brown
Venue: Botanical Gardens, Parks, Spacious backyard with a nice
landscape
Centerpieces: Flowers and Fruits in a basket, Hand-tied fresh flowers in
a cute vase, Potted flowers
Souvenirs: Plant seedlings, potted herbs
Wedding Theme
When mere colors arent enough to explain or describe the ambience you want for your celebration,
wedding themes can help you make it happen.
A wedding theme pertains to a specific idea or concept that you want for your wedding. It can be
inspired by a favorite movie, a particular era, your sense of style, or something that you really love to
do like travel.
Choosing your wedding theme need not be a complicated task. One important thing you may want
to ask yourself though is this: Does our wedding theme reflect our personality as a couple?
Brides Bouquet
Maid of Honors
Bouquet
PURPOSE
Bridesmaids Bouquets
Secondary sponsors
Bouquets
Best mans,
Groomsmens, and
symbol bearers
boutonierres
Mothers corsages or
bouquets
Fathers boutonierres
Female Principal
sponsors corsages or
bouquets
SAMPLE PICTURE
Presidential Table
centerpiece
Entrance Dcor
Aisle Dcor
Altar Arrangements
Couples Table
arrangement
Exploring the
many possibilities
when it comes
to your wedding
flowers will help you
come up with perfect
floral arrangements
without exhausting
your wedding
budget. All
you need is
determination and
lots of creativity.
A TRIP TO DANGWA
Here in the Philippines, there are a lot of options
when it comes to wedding
flowers. The most popular
ones, though, are roses,
tulips, chrysanthemums,
gerberas, and carnations.
Majority of these flowers
are available locally, except
for a few like tulips and
Ecuador roses. Most of
the flower supply here
in the Philippines comes
from Baguio, which is
considered the countrys
flower capital. But the most
popular destination for
buying flowers is Dangwa,
in Manila. The flowers
there are sold at relatively
lower prices compared
to other markets because
their supply comes directly
from Baguio. With the
florist is to
Keeping yourself opentake away
minded with every option
the burden
for your wedding flowers
off of your
will help you achieve the
shoulders.
It is your
perfect floral arrangements
big day and
without compromising your
the idea of
budget. What you need to
standing in
front of a
do is prepare ahead of time
huge crowd
and find the right people
is already
that you would be most
nerve
comfortable working with
wracking.
If you want
a worryfree day for
you and your soon-to-be partner, you need people
who know their job and would help you achieve the
memorable event you wish to have.
FILIPINA BRIDESONALITIES
YOU, YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS, AND YOUR BUDGET
http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/
You can also try searching videos on www.
youtube.com:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV_
slWig7us
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=4yHC4udQKsA
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=AKA5BTGLknE&feature=fvw
Tel #: 3145737
Mobile No: 0917.387.1910
(Assistant) Kuya Jon 0916.321.1303
Look for caterers that includes
floral arrangement in their
packages, and discuss with them
the style you want to achieve. Most
of the caterers nowadays offer
floral arrangement as an amenity
together with their catering service.
Hizons Catering, for instance,
provides style and design which are at par with
other florists because of the in-house designer and
events planner who will help you in the preparation
of your reception. Hizons Catering also provides
a selection of entourage flowers through Andreas
Flowershop by Hizons. Youll have the convenience
of having a centralized supplier for the different
elements (food, design, planning, and flowers) of
your wedding.
Choose flowers that are not only in season but
also has a longer life span. If you want to make
the most out of your wedding flowers choose
the type that can last for a long while even after
your celebration ends. A good example is using
carnations instead of the usual local roses. Its a
little more expensive than roses, but you can be sure
that its form and appearance will last til after the
wedding as compared to roses. You can even take
home your table centerpieces and offer it to your
local church as a decoration or use it as ornament to
you new houses dining table.
n almost every country and culture, a celebration would not be complete without
food. It is a sign of abundance and prosperity. A wedding celebration for that matter
always includes a feast of good food. Even the Bible has stories that tell about wedding banquets, like the story of the wedding at Cana (John 1: 1-12) wherein Jesus performed a miracle by turning water into wine.
Filipinos by nature love to eat and a wedding wouldnt be complete without a delicious,
mouth-watering feast. And a Filipino feast is composed of a wide selection of foods that
usually includes soup, various meats, seafood, vegetables, sweets, and of course rice.
Aside from the bride and groom, food is one of the stars of the wedding reception. Almost all the guests anticipate what the couple has prepared for them.
Why it Matters
If there is one element of your wedding that you would really want to think carefully
and maybe spend some extra peso on, it would be on your wedding feast. You can add
some little extra ornaments and candles on a simple venue and make it look stylish. But
bland food is something that is hard to make-over on the day of your wedding. Surely
you want to make your most important day a memorable one; but lets hope its not a
memory that would spell disaster.
Below are some important factors that you may want to take a look on:
This
much I
knew: If
you are
what you
eat, then I
only wanna
eat the good
stuff.
- Ratatouille
4. Banquet Service Style Your Banquet service style is a big factor on how formal your
reception banquet would be. It will also be a
determinant of your wedding food budget.
A Sit Down service is more expensive basically because of the extra service charge
for the waiters that will be preparing and
serving food to your guests. It is difficult to
achieve this kind of style for your wedding
banquet if you are planning on doing the
preparation on your own and only with the
help of your family and friends. It would be
safer to hire people who are trained for this
task to avoid problems during your wedding. Also, the choice of food on the menu
will affect the cost. But what you are mainly
paying for with this type of service is the
convenience that your guests would feel on
not having to stand-in-line to get food, and
the elegance that it reflects to the totality of
your event.
A Buffet banquet is quite cheaper than a sit
down style. You can also give your guest
more freedom to choose what food they
want to put on their plates. The downside of
a buffet though is that it can be a hassle to
your guests, especially to the elderly, if lines
become long and they have to stand-in-line
Salad
Caesars Salad w/ Grilled Chicken, Greek Salad w/
Candied Walnuts & Sun Dried
Tomatoes & Feta Cheese
First Course
Cream Dory stuffed w/ Spinach and Sun-Dried
Tomatoes served with Linguine Noodles
Second Course
Grilled French Rack of Lamb in Red Wine Sauce
served with Mushroom Rice Sauted Spinach w/
Bread & Butter
Desserts
Tiramisu
Drinks
Iced Tea, Softdrinks
Soup
Cream of Chicken Soup
Buffet Menu
Plated Menu
Soup
Creamy Potato & Leek Soup, Creamy Spinach
Soup
Salad Bar
Iceberg lettuce, Turnips, Carrots, Cucumber, Sweet
Onions served with Caesars Dressing, Thousand
Island dressing, Italian Dressing
Hot Buffet
Pasta Neopolitana and Fettuccine with Sea Foods
Cream Beef Mushroom Calamata
Roast Porkloin with Apple Raisin Sauce
Hawaiian Barbeque Chicken
Grilled Fish with Crispy Garlic and Lemon Butter Sauce
Lumpia Bar with Peanut Sauce
Steamed Rice
Dessert
Fruit Campote, Vanilla Mousse, Chocolate Mousse,
Panacota, Almond Jelly, Leche Flan, Buco Pandan
Drinks
Iced Tea
Plated
Service meal courses
are served
in separate
plates,
arranged
beautifully,
and are served
in a sequence
Russian
Service - in
this type
of seated
service,
waiters carry
the platters
of food and
go around
the tables to
offer it to the
guests
French
Service like Russian
service, food
items are
offered by
waiters to
the table per
guest. The
difference is
in the number
of waiters
who serve the
food. French
service uses
two waiters
- one to hold
the platter and
one to serve
the food.
Lauriat - a
traditional Chinesestyle banquet service
wherein food items
are served in large
platters, and placed
in the center of
each table. It makes
use of a lazy susan
so that guests can
alternately get the
food conveniently.
Cocktail - A more
informal service
style wherein
food selections are
passed around by
waiters and are
served on bite-size
pieces. Drinks
are also passed
around in the same
manner.
If its a classic Filipino wedding, then focusing on Filipino cuisine is the best way to help
keep the mood of your celebration.
If you plan on catering your own wedding, make sure that cleanliness is observed all throughout the preparation
and serving process to avoid any food
contamination. Keep hot foods hot and
cold foods cold to avoid serving spoiled
food during your event. Acquiring proper tools and equipment are also necessary like food pans and food warmers.
FILIPINA BRIDESONALITIES
YOU, YOUR WEDDING BANQUET, AND YOUR BUDGET
The Penny-Wise Bride
I only have a limited budget, but I hope I can still have a memorable and delicious wedding feast.
When hiring a caterer is not really feasible for your
budget, catering your own wedding may just be the
best choice for you. If you plan to do so, here are
some helpful tips that you may want to take note of.
Manpower You may be able to help during the planning, but it would be best to let
someone else take over at least 2 days before
your wedding. That way you can give yourself time to relax before your big day. You
have to really find someone whom you can
rely on to do all the dirty work for you. That
someone shouldnt be your parents, or anyone whos part of your entourage.
In the provinces, the culture of bayanihan
is still very evident even up to now. It is a
great Filipino value that we should be proud
of. Gather your family & friends, and utilize their skills in cooking. If you have an
aunt who makes excellent viands, ask her
if she can give you her recipes. You will be
amazed at just how much your loved ones
can help you. They are Fairy-God-Mothers
just waiting for us to make the call.
Your
Wedding
Attire
there is a wide array of choices for your wedding gown so consider yourself one lucky bride! From
the high end couturiers, bridal shops that do wedding gown packages, Ready To Wear gowns from
department stores, to cheap wedding gowns in Divisoria and Quiapo and even Wedding Gown Rental in
Marikina! So do not fret, there is a perfect gown for you somewhere out there. You can also check out our
Suppliers Directory *link*.
Know Your Budget - Its best to have an idea of what you would like to spend before looking for your
wedding gown. This will save you the hassle of going to bridal shops out of your price range or allowing
them to bring you dresses you cannot afford.
Have A Wedding Gown Worksheet You can jot down notes and ideas you have in mind with the
worksheet. It can also contain your vision, trends and styles, what cloth would you want for your gown
and your prospect bridal shops. Having a worksheet not only serves as a reference but it will also help you
in managing the budget you allot in your attire.
Here is an example of a wedding gown worksheet.
Supplier
Style
Fabric
Price
Comments
Contact Details
A-Line
Satin
20,000
925-0107
Almaceda Couture
Halter
Tulle and
Satin
45,000
Pricey
925-0103
Lebumfacil
Dresses
Bodycon
Satin with
Chiffon
15,000
Too tight
417-6553
THE ACCESSORIES
Though you look perfectly beautiful in your wedding gown, it is still necessary to add some bridal
accessories. These will serve as accents in your over all look and would make you look more beautiful.
Here are the basic accessories for a Filipino bride.
Headpiece This can be a tiara, a garland of flowers, pins,
headband or a jeweled comb put on top of your crowning glory.
You may want to keep it simple and complementary with your
gown to prevent it from overpowering your entire look. You
wouldnt want everyone to just focus on your head, eh?
Veil Your veil is one of the most defining aspects of your
bridal appearance. There are many types of veils according to
their length and width. You need to consider how it will work
with your dress, face shape, body shape, hairstyle and wedding
location.
Jewellery Aside from the wedding ring that you will be
wearing after your ceremony, you still have to wear necklaces
and earring for added accent. Choosing your necklace
depends on the neckline of your gown. Meanwhile, choose a
pair of earrings that do not compete with your headpiece or
veil, thus, dangling earrings are no-no. Always remember that
the main attraction is you and your wedding gown, not the
jewellery.
Lingerie Lingerie is still an essential part of your wedding attire because it provides you
support in the body areas where you needed it, creating a clean and smooth line under your
dress. Make sure you fit your lingerie in your gown fittings!
Shoes To complete your attire, youd have to invest in good and comfortable shoes as you
will be wearing them from the ceremony to the reception. Being a bride who needs to walk
down the aisle and walk around the reception to greet guests, you have to have comfortable
shoes. Choose shoes
that have sturdy heels
and would look great
on your ensemble. You
can prepare two kinds
of footwear for your
wedding day. One for
the ceremony which
is a formal and heeled
shoe and one for the
reception which is
can be slip-on sandals
that will allow you
to walk comfortable
during your banquet.
Oh, bridal shoes can be
customized too!
GROOMs WEAR
For sure, you will look stunning on the day so it is important that your groom look his best.
So wedding preparation shouldnt just be left up to you, the belle of the ball, but also to the
groom. He should also make sure that he looks handsome on his big day.
Mind you, looking good doesnt mean that your groom just has to have a new haircut and a
fresh shave. Just like you, there are accents in your soon-to-be husbands attire that will make
him the prince during your big day.
Morning Suit Morning Suit is very essential as this is the attire that your groom will be
caught by your Photographers and Videographers as a part of their documentation. Your
groom should choose an outfit that compliments what you will be wearing and one that he
is comfortable with.
Belt - the Grooms belt may seem a rather insignificant accessory for his wedding attire, but
choose the wrong one and it could seriously compromise an otherwise fantastic wedding
outfit.
Shoes A well-polished black shoes should be worn to complement your grooms suit. They
should look smart with no scuffs or marks.
The time of the wedding is a big factor in choosing your grooms attire. Here are some
ideas on what to wear during what time of the day.
Time and Nature of Wedding
What to Wear
Informal Weddding
Formal Daytime
Formal Evening
The Entourage
The members of your wedding entourage play very
important roles in your wedding. Your entourages
duties are mainly to assist you in all aspects related
to your wedding to ensure that everything goes
smoothly. Thus, your entourage is also entitled to
wear gowns and suits that will complement your
theme, motif, your wedding gown and of course
you.
Here are the basic members of the entourage in a
Filipino wedding:
Maid of Honor or Matron of Honor
She is considered the equivalent of your grooms
best man. She is usually your sister, cousin or BFF.
She joins you in making plans and arrangements,
gives you moral support and accompanies you in
your shopping.
Best Man
The best man is the chief male assistant to your
groom during the wedding. He can be your
brother-in-law, cousin-in-law or he is your grooms
bestfriend since childhood.
Bridesmaids
Your other sisters, close cousins and friends
take this role. There is no limit in the number of
bridesmaids you can have, as long as they are
committed to make your wedding hassle-free for
you.
Groomsmen
They are usually your
grooms barkada
or close relatives.
Their main purpose
is to escort your
bridesmaids and help
in ushering the guests
before the ceremony.
Flower Girl
A young girl not
usually more than
6 years old. Her
primary role is to
walk ahead of you,
to shower your way
with fresh flower
petals for you to
walk on. Flowers
girls can also be
FILIPINA Bridesonalities
The Penny-Wise Bride
I only have a limited budget, but I hope I can still find a fine wedding dress for my
wedding.
When your
practical side
is kicking and
says no to
extravagant
budget, here
are several
ideas you can
do to cut down
the cost when
it comes to
your wedding
gown:
Hand me down Something old, something
new, something borrowed and something blue.
Does this ring a bell to you? Why not try the
wedding dress of your mother, with her blessings
and the sentimental value of the gown, no doubt you
will feel very happy wearing it on your big day. You
can just tweak some minor detail if you wish.
Wedding Gown Rental Because many Filipino
soon-to-wed couples realize that theyre on a
tight budget, many brides rent a suitable wedding
dress of the big day. It wont only flatter you on
your wedding day, but it will save up a lot on your
wedding budget. Popular Bridal Rental shops can
be found in Quiapo and Marikina. Prices are from
P3,000-P5,000.
Let your entourage provide their own attire
It is becoming a trend for all attendants provide
their own attire. You can assign a uniform style and
color for the entourage to complement your motif
and gown albeit theyll be providing it on their own.
- P700 and up
Bridesmaid
- P600 to PhP1,200
Flower Girl
- P600 to PhP800
Barongs
- P600 and up
- P800 and up
P800 and up
Mothers Gowns
- P1,300 and up
accessories
such as
arrhae,
headpiece,
garters,
cords,
pouch bags,
pillows, first
veil and
Edwin Uy
Price Range: P75,000-P100,000
537 Boni Avenue Ext,
Mandaluyong City
info@edwinfuy.com
Telephone Number: 532-9369
www.ewinfuy.com
Edward Teng
G/F Columbian Intl Tower
500 Santol St., Sta. Mesa, Manila
edwardteng@yahoo.com
Telephone Number: 716-5710
www.edwardteng.com
Mitch Desunia Haute Couture
Phone: 877.659.9801
www.moniquelhuillier.com
Vera Wang
Price Range: $2,000 - $7,000
www.verawang.com
Since the Philippines is a home of many talented
designers and artists, it is not hard to make a very
elegant gown by a famous wedding gown designer.
To name a few are:
Inno Sotto
innosotto@yahoo.com
Telephone Number: 521-81-95
Rajo Laurel
6013 Villena cor. Maalac St.,
Poblacion Makati City PH 1210 Email:
info@rajolaurel.com
Telephone Number: 895 5688
www.rajolaurel.com
If you really want to have the wedding gown of
your dreams then have your fairy godmother wave
her needle and cotton to make the dress. If he/she is
notably known then you can benefit from his or her
experience on any advice given related to materials
designs and styles.
Just make sure to set an appointment with your
couturier 6 months before your wedding date or
earlier, to give you and your designer sufficient
time for conceptualizing, fitting and altering your
gown.
Get a Trash the Dress Photoshoot After The
Wedding Trash the dress is a photography
style that features a very elegant clothing with
an out of place environment like garbage dumps,
abandoned building, muddy lawn or in the
beach. Usually Trash the Dress is done as the pre-
Why It Matters
Color
Yellow Gold
Silver
White Gold
Silver
Silver
Platinum
Silver
Titanium
Silver Grayish
Gem
Diamond
Sapphire
Ruby
Emerald & Topaz
Amethyst
Garnet
Opal
10
9.5
9
8
7
6.5
5
Hardness
No scratches, inclusions
and air bubbles or other
flaws.
IF Internally Flawless
It is clear internally,
but with flaws outside
the gem.
SI1-SI2
Included
I1-I3 Included
Wedding Day
Most brides are confused on what to do with their
engagement rings during the wedding day because
traditionally, both wedding and engagement rings
are placed on the left hand ring finger.
You can remove you engagement ring and put it on
the other hand during the ceremony and put it back
on top of the wedding ring after the ceremony of
during your reception.
What some brides do is to keep their engagement
ring on its usual place during the ceremony until it
FILIPINA BRIDESONALITIES
Shop for synthetics or other stones. If a diamond is not in your budget, you shop for stones that
are a diamond synthetic. You will be able to get a diamond look for a fraction of the cost. Or look
into buying a ring that has a different precious stone and is only accented by diamonds. Is your
birthstone a sapphire? Look for a beautiful sapphire ring that you will both love.
Have your ring customized down to the littlest details. How many carats would you like? You want a
titanium or platinum metal? What cut do you prefer?
are the few tips to help you out in picking the best
make up artist for you:
Professionalism A make up artists job
looks like an easy task compared to the job
of the caterer or your wedding coordinator.
But nonetheless, the stylist is still your
wedding supplier. If the stylist is not on
time during your meetings and has done
mistakes during your trial make-up, what
more during your wedding day?
Experience You can tell how long the
make up artist has been through his
expertise in the photography elements that
are related in the make up like lighting,
exposure and tone. A stylist must have
knowledge in the art of photographic make
up since you can only say that you have a
perfect make up through the pictures and
videos. He must know if your make up can
work in a black & white, sepia or true color
photo.
Brand of Make-up Knowing what kind of
make up a stylist is using is very important,
especially when you have a sensitive skin.
Its also an advantage if you know what
chemicals your skin is sensitive from, so you
can discern if the artist is the perfect one for
you.
Talent & Skills See the make-up artist
portfolio, look at the images and observe
if hes creative and innovative when it
comes to bridal make-up. Imagine if he
can complement the style of your wedding
gown, your theme and your motif.
If you want your hair and make up done
by the same artist, look for a portfolio that
shows his works on both areas. Remember
that not all make up artists are proficient on
both areas.
Compatibility It is important that you
are at ease with the person that will do
your look on the most important day in
your life. You can be confident and really
feel beautiful if the stylists attitude and
personality complement yours during your
make up session.
KINDS OF MAKE UP
Traditional Make Up Traditional make
ups are the most commonly used make up
by the stylists. This type of make up can
be used in anytime and is easy to apply
whether you are at home or rushing on the
streets outside. You can also experiment
on different ways of applying it since it is
available everywhere.
Mineral Make Up Mineral-based make
up is taking its place in the market at the
present time. It is made of ingredients that
contains anti-inflammatory propeties and
doesnt irritate the skin. It is best used for
people who gets acne and pimples easily.
Airbrush Make Up Airbrush make
up uses an small air compressor that is
sprayed as a mist of color that covers the
face gently. It gives an appearance of a
flawless complexion because air brush make
up is light and it looks more natural. It is
very convenient too since it doesnt need
retouching for a long period of time.
Having a hard time choosing what type of makeup you would like on your big day? Here are
the pros and cons of each kind written by the
expert, Fairytalehairmakeup.com: http://www.
fairytalehairmakeup.com/Makeupcomparison.html
DEALING WITH YOUR MAKE UP ARTIST
1. Have a portfolio or picture selection
available for brides-to-be to view along with
the bridal makeup used. Often, it is difficult
for a bride to express into words the look
she is going for. Photographs can help you
communicate.
2. Set up consultation. This should be done
a few weeks ahead of time. During the
consultation, note the time of day the
wedding will take place, flowers, dress
style and color, hair color, bridal hair style,
eye color, time of year, and personality. If
possible, communicate with the stylist to
BRIDAL HAIR
Cherish the opportunity to look delicately
spectacular in the eyes of your groom and your
guests. Choosing the right make up, dress and
accessories should harmonize with the hairstyle.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF BRIDAL HAIR STYLES
There are numerous bridal hairstyles, classic and
new, that are fit for each person. Bridal hairstyles
can be any style from updos to flowing down. To
name a few are:
1. Long Smooth Curls - This style is very
simple but attractive with extra long layers
that have been curled loosely all through
the hair. For beach weddings, this hairstyle
should be considered.
2. Short and Sassy Wedding Cut - Short
wedding styles are just as stylish and this
one gives brides with shorter locks a sassy,
fun alternative with a coronet for an refined
finish.
3. Polished Updo - A hairstyle that proves
how elegant updos can be, this one is
manageable and not too bulky with a strong,
swept fringe and a cute bun below the
crown and allows jewelry to be displayed.
4. Loose Messy Updo - Brides do not have
to have a bundled chignon and this updo
styled with unrestrained tresses offers a
optional selection for different personalities
and really brings the face to the forefront.
5. Long Flowing Hair With Curls - This simple
down do hairstyle presents a plain mid-part
with curls towards the end of the hair. The
tiara is the perfect way to enhance a simple
style and brides with healthy shiny hair will
look gorgeous.
6. Bridal Side Ponytail - For brides not
wanting an updo and want something
flashier than a simple down do, the side
ponytail is definitely a fine choice that is
both relaxed and highly elegant.
accessories
3. Schedule hair salon sessions early and keep
good care hair.
4. Wear a button shirt for your final bridal
hairstyling so taking it off will not mess up
your hair
Filipina Bridesonalities
The Penny-Wise Bride
Have your friends do your hair and make
up Of course, all of us have kikay or gay
friends who loves accessories, dressing up
and putting color to their faces! Why not
have them do your look for your special
day?
Buy generic make up If your skin is not
sensitive, you can slash a big chunk of your
budget off your hair and make up. You dont
need to buy branded cosmetics such as Mac,
Shu Eumura, Maybelline or Loreal. Just stay
with the local ones since youre only going
to use it once.
Faye Young
Price Range: P15,000-P25,000
Tierra Pura, Tangang Sora, Quezon City
www.makeupbyfayeyoung.multiply.com
Keon Salon Make Up Studio
1 Conggressional Ave. Bahay Toro, Quezon
City
982.0729; 441.0494; 0917.8225366;
0922.8835366
keonsalon@gmail.com
hotos and videos are important keepsakes of your wedding day, and these are the documentation of
what took place on your big day that you can share and enjoy with the people that you love.
You would want to spend a lot more to make these lasting memories.
Wedding coverage, as we know it today, started in the 1970s where portable cameras and compact
flash bulbs became commercially available. Photographers then would usually use black and white
or colored films producing low quality photos. As you may have noticed, most wedding photographs
of our grandparents are in black and white or in poor quality colored prints that are taken inside the
photographers studio.
Prior to the 1980s, wedding videography was a luxury only the rich and the famous can afford. The
commercial introduction of the first consumer camcorders gave way to wedding video documentation as
something for the masses. These videographers use consumer video cameras, thus producing low quality
audio and video with bulky equipments which most clients would see as interference to the celebration.
But as competition grew and technology moved forward, these staged wedding photos and low quality
videos evolved into what we know today as the wedding coverage.
Why it Matters
Budget
SEPARATE
Basically, it boils down to the price and how much time it will consume in meeting and coordinating with
each team, especially for the budget-conscious couple. But if you really do want to hire a separate team for
each then you might want to save up and allot more budget for the wedding photo and video coverage.
another date.
A post-nuptial shoot right after the wedding is part
the wedding photography package, so scheduling
for a post-nuptial on another date after the wedding
is a little too impractical especially if you already
have a pre-nup album.
It is as much pricier as getting a pre-nup, so thats
another reason for it to be tagged as impractical.
This can be recommended though for couples who
has not had a pre-nup photo shoot, an additional
to their keepsake albums. This can also be done a
year after the wedding, or together with the new
additional to the family so that youll not only have
a post-nup album but a family album as well.
Let your creativity run wild during the shoot, may
it be after the wedding ceremony where youll scout
for unlikely locations such as a vacant lot or an
on-going construction site of a condo or building
near the church, or set a date after the wedding day
and sport some costumes from your favorite anime
shows.
Fashion photographers such as Jay Alonzo and
Keith Dador are perfect for this job. Some other
photographers include MangoRED and Cherry
Blocks are among others.
Trash-the-Dress Shoot
This can be a part of the post-nuptial photo shoot
where the bride and groom trashes the dress
by getting it wet, dirty or even reaching the
circumstance of tearing and destroying the wedding
dress. This is symbolic because a wedding dress
can only be worn once (except if youve rented or
borrowed it from someone else) and by trashing
the dress will symbolically mean that the wedding
is over and that the dress wont be used again,
an alternative solution that the Westerners have
instead of storing it away.
Symbolic as it may have meant for others, I dont
see how you can afford to trash a Vera Wang
wedding dress just because youll find no use for it
after. There are other more practical alternative such
as bridal gown and bouquet preservation offered by
suppliers such as Precious Memories and The Bridal
Conservatory among others. Other couples do get a
little creative just to try out this new trend: they buy
a ball gown or a cheaper alternative wedding dress
to trash.
If youre deciding to include this in your postnuptial shoot then do save up for the cost and
get the best photographers that you know. This
wouldnt work out if youll ask a traditional
wedding photographer so you would have to
hire wedding photographers who specialize on
contemporary and fashionably bold styles.
Wedding Videography
These are the types of wedding videography that
are popular today among soon-to-wed couples and
promoted by wedding videographers themselves:
Save-the-Date Video
Save-the-date videos are the latest alternative to
save-thedate cards
sent to an
engaged
couples
friends and
relatives to
announce
their
wedding
date. This
is usually
followed by a formal invitation a few weeks after
the save-the-date was sent.
One of the latest trends in wedding videos, the
Save-the-Date video is patterned like movie trailers
showing couples in different video clips, or it
can be a parody of the couples favorite movie, to
announce their wedding date.
A Save-the-Date video is trendy and its a unique
way to announce the date to the people you want
to invite to your big day. But doing so can be quite
pricey especially if youre going to hire the best
people to do the job. This hasnt been included in
wedding video package, unlike the Same-Day Edits
(SDEs), so youll have to ask and pay specifically for
this service.
A good way to save up and still do this is to make it
your wedding invitation. Youll have the option to
burn it in a CD and give them away to the people in
your guest list, or just post it Facebook and tag all
the people you want to invite.
Ask your friends for help. Ask your friends and Im sure they know a thing or two about
photography and video editing, or they might know somebody who can help you do it for free.
With their help you can actually have a pre- and post-nup, a love story and save-the-date videos,
and even the boudoir photo album!
A photo and video coverage is important to every wedding so you will very
much be torn between getting Jason Magbanua and MangoRed or just follow
your Moms advice and get your communitys official wedding photographer
because hes also been the one to cover your parents wedding.
Be creative. Use your imagination and let your creativity run wild, especially if youre doing DIY
pre-nup albums and save-the-date videos. Get all the props you can use from your house or from
your friends and have fun.
Of course you cant get JMag or the MangoRed with the kind of budget youre
having; as my friend would joke: if you really want them, lets hire them but
the wedding would have to wait for another few years.
Find a sponsor. Yes! You can actually ask one of your principal sponsors if they can pay for your
wedding coverage as gift.
There are solutions to avoid your Moms recommendation though, so dont freak out
much yet. The thing youd have to do first is to sort out which of the things youll need.
Yes
No
Pre-Nuptial Photo Shoot This is one of the things you can do without, but if you must
insist then the solution would be to get your friend who knows a thing or two about
photography and have them take pictures of you and your groom on location. This can
be in a park or a vacant lot, let your imagination run wild. Be sure to check out sample
works of wedding photographers online to get an idea of what you can do.
Boudoir Photography This is one of the unnecessary things for a wedding budget.
Though its a good wedding gift, you can give it to your husband on your fifth year
anniversary. That way you can rekindle the fire and also save up for the cost if you
want to hire a professional photographer to do the job.
On-the-Day Wedding Coverage This is a necessity! You can ask around and get
wedding photographers to do the job for you in a cost much less than what the top
wedding photographers offer.
Get the service only package. You can get a photographer and videographers Service Only
package if you really are tight on the budget. Then you can ask someone to edit the raw files for
you or you might want to challenge yourself into doing it.
Whether it is MangoRed and Jason Magbanua or your friends experimenting on the cameras, the most
important thing is that you dont worry too much and have fun. A good wedding picture shows how
much fun you, your partner and your guests had during your special day, so better show that camera your
biggest smile.
The Value-for-Money Bride: I do have a budget for a full wedding photo and video coverage but it is
not enough to hire the masters.
You have the resources but it is not enough to hire the best of the best in the
wedding photo and video coverage industry. That is not a problem. Most
caterers and wedding coordinators can recommend a team they think youll
like.
Wedding Videography
Yes
No
Save-the-Date Video This is unique, in an expensive kind of way, so just shun off the
idea of getting one. Its really not that important, anyway.
Couples Love Story While this is a very cool way of entertaining your guests, you
dont have to hire a videographer to do this for you. Its too expensive!
Same-Day Edit These are mostly offered by high-end videographers, but small
players on the industry are giving it a try, too. Though it is unnecessary for you it
wouldnt hurt to try it if the guys you hired to cover the wedding include this in the
package.
The key is, as long as its not necessary you dont have to strain your budget just to get it. But there are
ways you can do to be able to get them if you really want to, what you just have to do is:
Being a budget bride is really tough because you have to work around your
budget and fit everything that you want to include in your wedding.
Wedding Photography
Wedding Video Coverage This is one thing you can do without. It is not as important
as a wedding album because people wouldnt be as much interested to view it as they
are to see the prints on your wedding.
Lets face it! You dont have enough resources to pay for the services of highend wedding photographers and wedding videographers. There are other
suppliers who may not be exactly them but are as good as them.
First, let us figure out the services that youre going to need.
Wedding Photography
Pre-Nuptial Photo Shoot This can be done with the help of a few friends and a lot
of conceptualization. Search for online concepts, and base your shoot entirely on the
wedding theme as you can use these pictures for the invitation and the love story video.
Yes
X
Boudoir Photography This is one of the unnecessary things for a wedding budget. It
can wait a few more years.
On-the-Day Wedding Coverage This is a necessity! You can ask around and get
wedding photographers to do the job for you in a price that is just right.
No
X
X
Yes
No
Couples Love Story This is too expensive if done by a professional. What you can
do is to upload all the pictures that you and your partner have from the beginning of
your friendship to the time youre both planning for the wedding. Compile each picture
and make a video out of it, be sure to add text to tell the story. There are a lot of sites
online that allows you to compile these such as One True Media and Stupeflix. For the
more patient ones you can download or acquire a copy of video editing softwares, or
use your Windows Movie Maker to make the video. There are a lot of tutorials online
that can teach you how to operate these complex video editing softwares; youll not
only have a DIY love story video, you also gain knowledge that you can use for future
celebrations.
Same-Day Edit Most wedding photo and video coverage teams include this in the
package, some may offer an early-recorded AVP instead.
Wedding Video Coverage This is the essence of hiring a videographer in the first
place. Do get someone who can provide you a video of good quality.
Here are some ways you can do to get the services that you want:
Research! This is the best way to go, especially of you and your friends decided to DIY the prenup photo shoot. There are tons of references online. You can get ideas from the different wedding
photographers, you can even get superb quality images using your point and shoot camera.
Be practical, dont strain your budget. So what if you cant afford the best? You can still hire people
who are as good as those who have already established themselves in the industry. Look up those
photographers who are just starting yet are promising, or get to know other photographers through
their credentials.
Choose the package. This is the best way to get the complete photo and video coverage without
spending too much. Most wedding photographers do offer this package, making it economical and
practical.
Raise Funds. If you really want a particular team to cover your wedding but they are way above
your budget, dont fret! There is a way, and what better way it is than to raise the fund yourself?
Though this might be a little tricky and will need a lot of work you can ask your friends for help.
You can start by collecting the things that you dont use anymore and do a garage sale. You can
even ask your friends to donate some of their stuffs for the fund-raising, Im sure theyll be glad to
help in any little way they can.
The Splurge-on-the-Best Bride: I want the best of the best to cover my wedding
and I want good results.
Your wedding is fast approaching and you are choosing between which
photographers and videographers to choose to cover your once-in-a-lifetime
wedding. Choosing the perfect team to cover your wedding is crucial because
this will determine how good the album and videos youll show your kids and
grandkids be.
After youve determined which team youll get, its now time to see which service
you will have to get and how to make them work for you:
Wedding Photography
Yes
Boudoir Photography This is a good gift to give your husband on your wedding day.
Its the best way to show your sexy and playful side, so why not try it out? Anyway, it
would exclusively be just for him, right?
On-the-Day Wedding Coverage This is the most crucial thing. Be sure to hire who
you think is the best team/teams to cover your wedding. The best thing to do is to hire
both traditional- and photojournalistic-styled wedding photographers so everything
will be coveredfrom the formal portraiture of you and your husband to the candid
shots of your best friends had too much to drink.
No
Post-Nuptial Photo Shoot You can do without this, especially if you are planning on
getting the Trash-the-Dress Shoot.
Trash-the-Dress Shoot This is something new and fun, but you dont have to trash
that Vera Wang dress. The secret is to get a local designer make the same dress for you
and use that for the trash the dress, or buy a whole new wedding dress for the shoot
itself.
Wedding Videography
X
Yes
Save-the-Date Video This is a cool way to announce to everyone on your guest list
the good news before the invitation is done so they can block off the date to attend
your wedding. Some couples do save the dates in their own way while some get really
creative and make a trailer for their wedding film.
Couples Love Story A couples love story is a romantic way to show your guests
well your love story. It can be in a form of an interview with the people that have
witnessed your relationship through the years, or in the form of a short film just like this
one by Jason Magbanua (http://jasonmagbanua.com/blog/2010/01/26/a-horny-storyhan-gaisano-and-oliver-gans-short-film/).
Same-Day Edit This is the way to WOW your audience. A good wedding
videographer is known for his short, but fun with the right kind of romance, music
video straight from the coverage of the preparation and ceremony.
No
Wedding Video Coverage A wedding video coverage has been ringing a buzz since
the development of technology, providing the public with high-end camcorders to
record those sweet moments. The latest trend in wedding video coverage is creating the
Wedding Film, which is as good as a wedding album. Be sure to hire the one you think
can give you a good wedding film you and your grandkids will enjoy several years
from now.
You dont really have to get everything just because its good. You just have to get what you think is
necessary for you and what you think you will treasure for the rest of your married life. Here are some tips
to remember:
Get the best. Its your wedding day and you should have the best of the best.
Book ahead. Booking ahead the photographers and videographers that you want for your wedding
is the right thing to do unless of course you want to move your own wedding date just to wait for
your chosen supplier because someone already got them just a few weeks earlier than you did.
Keep in mind that these photographers and videographers have hectic schedules, too.
Find the connection. Just what Ive said earlier, you have to find the connection. A good
videographer and photographer can only give you good videos and photographs if you connect
with them.
Heres another question that haunts or will haunt you: How many photographers should I get? The best
thing to do is to get two teams of photographers to cover your entire wedding; one team who specializes
on candid photos and one who specializes on the formal portrait-type pictures.
You would want the entire thing covered but you dont want it to be a circus, so just limit the team to two,
or three including the videographer.
fter settling on your guest list, and the date and venue for your wedding, are you now ready to
formally invite your guests?
A proper announcement together with an invitation card has been a tradition practiced not only
here in the Philippines but in other countries as well. Almost all celebrations, not just weddings, make use
of invitation cards to have a more formal and courteous way of inviting the guests.
But in a wedding, there are more wedding stationeries than just the invitation. This will include the Savethe-Date cards, the program copy, and thank you cards to hand out to guests who have graced your
occasion with their presence.
If you thought that the only printed material a wedding will need is the invitation, think again. Read on
and find out more.
Why It Matters
Budget
Personally Handed
Its cheaper to do
this especially if your
preferred guests live
near your house.
Professionally-Made
Stationeries
Most printing
companies have
machines to do
the job for them.
Calligraphers do give
your stationeries their
personal touch.
Missalettes
Program
Table Names/Numbers
Divisoria.
Caterers can provide specialized table names
and menu cards or food tags, just ask your
planner or the one who handles the details
of your wedding and theyll gladly make it
for you.
Do send a Thank You card to all the guests
who have made it on your wedding day.
Though these can be printed out on cards,
it is better to write them down yourself to
better express your gratitude and make it
look more personalized.
For the Penny-Wise Brides: I dont have enough budget, but I still want to
make my invitations special.
Even if you cant afford to get every Wedding Stationery on print you can
still have them by doing it yourself. But let us first determine which of the
stationeries is essential:
Wedding Stationeries
Yes
Save the Date Card You can have your Save the Dates even if you dont do it on print.
You can send your Save the Date through email, text, or Facebook.
Invitation This is the most essential one among the wedding stationery because youll
be handing this one to your guests and principal sponsors. If you dont have enough
budget for the bulky invitation you can DIY it or print it in a photo paper and put it in
an envelope and send them out.
No
X
Missalettes This is unnecessary. You can ask the church where youll get married if
they have copies and they will most likely give you some for free. Besides, your guests
wont even be reading them since theyd be busy looking at you and your groom on
your wedding day.
Menu Card This wont be needed if youll be serving common home-cooked dishes,
and most caterers will provide food tags.
Escort/Seating Card For a wedding with as little as 100 guests with no wedding
coordinator but your sister and mom, you can help them organize the guests in as little
as 20 minutes with the help of seating cards. Simply print as much copy that you can
squeeze in a bond paper, print them out and they can be handed to guests so theyll
know which table they should sit.
Table Name/Number It is unnecessary to provide for table numbers. Your caterer will
provide them for you.
Thank You Card Even if its a cardboard paper you folded and wrote a thank you
message to guests, a thank you card is also essential. Show your gratitude by personally
writing down the messages and DIY the cards.
Table Name/Number This will be provided by your caterer. Just ask them to
personalize the design to harmonize with your wedding theme, or specify the design
and theyll gladly do it for you.
Thank You Card You can buy a box of ready-made cards on bookstores and write or
print on them your Thank You messages.
X
X
X
Provide a copy of the invitation only for the principal invitees, like the parents of your family friends or
your barkada in one invitation, this way you can have 50 invitations for 200 people.
Hunting for the right supplier in Recto or a printing shop near you is part of the game. Be sure that before
you book them they can offer you what you really need and want and that they can give you your moneys
worth.
DIY Wedding Stationeries is a project that you and your partner, and friends will enjoy. Be sure to have
enough time for it or assign a specific time to make them with the help of your family and friends.
Research and make a draft of the design that you want making it a master copy that your little helpers
can copy. Choose materials, like beads and buttons for the design that are of the same color but different
shapes or are distorted. Youll be surprised at how unique these imperfections will turn out to be.
The Splurge-on-the Best Bride: I want the best and the most unique
wedding invitation that will perfectly harmonize with my wedding
motif and theme.
Dont be afraid that it wont turn out as beautiful as those that were professionally made. What you will
create is a simple and personalized stationery that will truly reflect you and your grooms personality.
You are as excited to announce to the world that you are getting
married the day he popped the question. Be sure to announce it with
a blast that exudes your excitement in the preparation, planning, the
wedding day, and the start of your married life. This can be reflected
on the wedding stationeries that youll be handing out to your guests
before and after the wedding.
Lets find out which one you should get and how youll let your
excitement engraved in the stationeries.
Wedding Stationeries
Yes
Save the Date Card Save on the cost by making a home video that you can post
on YouTube or Facebook and tag your friends, or send your friends and family text
messages to announce the good news.
Invitation There are beautiful sets of affordable invitations you can choose from in
Recto; you can choose a design on the internet and ask them to copy it for you and they
gladly will for a cheaper price. Other printing companies also offer discounted prices on
Bridal Fairs and Exhibits, and during off peak seasons.
Missalettes 95% of Filipinos are Christians and most Christian wedding ceremonies
will most likely be the same. Besides, let your guests attention draw to you because it is
your wedding day!
Program Most wedding invitation packages may include the program, which will
include the list of your entourage and the flow of the wedding ceremony and reception.
Menu Card This will be provided by your caterer for your VIP guests, as well as the
food tags for all the other guests.
Escort/Seating Card There are computer software that help you design seating cards.
Print them on a white board paper with the design or simply put a border around the
details written in the card and print it on a board paper with a design, cut it and hand
them away to help your coordinators arrange your guests.
No
X
X
X
X
Yes
Save the Date Card Make your upcoming wedding the talk of the town by
providing them a Save the Date card that encloses a trailer of your wedding film.
You can hire a professional wedding videographer to film the trailer, burn it on a
DVD, personalize the DVD by designing it with a movie poster from your PreNuptial photo shoot and send it to friends and relatives. Be sure to burn it on a
DVD so that your friends and family can enjoy the teaser trailer in HD.
Missalettes Following the Mad Hatters Tea Party theme, you can customize
your missalettes and hand them out for your guests to follow the ceremony. This
is extremely helpful to foreign guests whore not accustomed to the replies and
flow of the ceremony.
Menu Card Menu Cards, especially for plated dinners, can be printed on a Mad
Hatters Tea Party decorated theme placed in each plates. You can put cakes with
an Eat Me design on top of the Menu Card.
No
Thank You Card These are sent a week to a month after the wedding and
should still follow the wedding theme. You can burn on a DVD the copy of your
onsite MTV with a message of thanks at the end of the video and send them with
a red wine placed on potion bottles labeled Drink Me, a final toast to the end of
your single life.
Indulge in your childhood and let your imagination run wild in thinking of ways to create better and
much more unique ideas that you can incorporate in your wedding.
Dont just go for the traditional prints-on-paper stationeries. Give your guests treats by providing useful
items together with your wedding stationeries like hats, and pendants, and this way you can share with
them the fun and excitement you feel for your special day.
ON-THE-DAY COORDINATION A coordinator can be hired for the wedding day alone. If
you have done all supplier bookings and wedding preparations tasks already, all you need is an
on-the-day coordinator who will make a Wedding Day Schedule for you which states what time
you should wake up, the time your supplier arrives, start of make-up and who goes first, time
and sequence of pictorial at the hotel room, call time for your family and entourage members for
pictorial, time you leave the hotel, arrive church, start reception and so on.
They will also coordinate with your suppliers to ensure that they comply with the requirements on
time.
Consultation only - This is like a mini wedding planning course, best taken at the
beginning of your planning. The coordinator wont be at your wedding but will teach you the skills
to planning your own day. Some will charge by the hour, others by the meeting. You can book one
meeting only or go back as many times as you like.
The Value-for-Money Bride I have enough budget ; I want to make sure that I get the best value in
hiring a coordinator.
Go for the semi-full wedding coordination Wedding planning is really a hard task, but it is there for you
to experience and enjoy at the same time. Semi-full wedding coordination will be your guide for a handson wedding preparation. Your coordinators will be working with you if you need advise regarding any
element of your wedding.
Teena Barretto
Hitched Weddings & Events
0920-9284609
http://www.hitchedweddings.com
hitched_events@yahoo.com
Rita Neri
Rita Neri Event Planners
info@ritanerieventplanners.com
ritaneri.events@gmail.com
ritaneri_events@yahoo.com
0920-920-9615
Why It Matters?
While it is essential for a couple to have a bridal car
(be it a lavish stretched hummer or a white sedan
borrowed from one of the principal sponsors), you
should also provide a transportation for the guests
if youre having an out-of-town wedding. Of course,
you wouldnt want your guests to have a hard time
finding the church and the reception, would you?
FILIPINA BRIDESONALITIES
The Penny-Wise Bride: I want to be as comfortable as possible, and make sure my guests do feel
the same as well, without worrying too much about the cost.
The Value-for-Money Bride: I want to have a beautiful bridal car thats right for the whole
wedding and that will not strain the budget.
Why It Matters
enue, wedding attire, flowers, cake, accessories, motif, theme, design, food, transportation - all these
elements, when put together, gives you the body of your wedding. But when it comes to the
soul of your celebration, the wedding program comes in.
Wedding program is made up of series of events that takes place during your entire wedding, from the
ceremony all the way to your reception.
WEDDING CEREMONY
It covers the first part of your wedding where most of the wedding rituals are performed. A wedding
ceremony is the solemn and intimate part of a wedding wherein the couple exchanges their vows.
The parts and order of the ceremony varies from different religions and cultures. Below is a summary of
the different parts of a wedding ceremony based from some of the various types of wedding that you can
observe in the Philippine setting.
3. Homily (includes the bible readings and exchanging of vows by the couple)
4. Ring Ceremony (the couple exchanges rings
as a symbol their commitment to each other)
5. Prayer
6. Doxology (hymn of praises)
7. Benediction (prayer asking for guidance and
blessing done at the end of the worship service)
8. Signing of Marriage Contract (in this part
of the ceremony, the couple signs the marriage
contract)
9. Recessional (the couple and the entourage exit
the ceremony venue)
Islam wedding ceremony
Wali - The immediate male relative of the
bride, he will represent her in the fulfillment of the contract. Ideally the father of the
bride becomes the wali, but in his absence,
the closest male relative will take the part. A
prominent leader of the Muslim community
can also take the place of a wali if there is no
male relative.
A woman relative cannot act as a wali for
the bride.
The role of a wali is important in a Muslim
wedding ceremony because a marriage
contract will not be valid without a wali.
The Bride should agree to be represented by
her wali and to all other conditions before
the marriage
There must be atleast 2 male Muslim witnesses or 1 male and 2 female witnesses. The
witnesses should have reached puberty and
posesses good moral character.
Sadaq or dower in the form of money must
be given by the groom to his bride during
the fulfillment of the marriage contract. It is
a symbol of the mans commitment to take
good care of his wife and their future family.
Parts of the wedding ceremony:
1. The witnesses and guests take their
seats.
2. The wali of the bride and the groom sit
facing each other.
3. Short ceremonial speech by a learned
man is delivered
4. The wali of the bride addresses the
WEDDING RECEPTION
In a reception, a wedding program script is like a checklist that will help you and your MC (Master of the
Groomsman The
groomsman is
the bridesmaids
counterpart and is
responsible for helping
the groom with any
errands before and
during the wedding.
He will also serve
as the bridesmaids
escort during the
wedding ceremony
processional.
Secondary Sponsors
In tradition, secondary
sponsors are
composed of 3 pairs
Your Honeymoon
A
fter months of preparation and a whole day of celebration with your family and friends, happily
ever after comes next.
Here in the Philippines, not all couples give much importance to planning their honeymoon. Filipinos are,
by nature, practical people and most would prefer to spend their budget on building their own house, or to
save it for future expenses that a married life entails.
But before settling for forever after, its actually important to spend a honeymoon with your partner. It
need not be an extravagant vacation; in fact, your honeymoon is not about money or luxury.
Date / Schedule
Wardrobe requirements
Accommodation
Transportations
Itinerary
Meals
Important Documents
Aside from random tips and advices on how you can have a memorable honeymoon that works well with
your budget, Ive also compiled here a random list of honeymoon destinations (5 for each bridesonality).
Each couple has unique personalities and likings, and it is now up to you to determine how you can make
it memorable. Remember that beautiful and unforgettable memories are priceless and are worth the effort.
The Penny-Wise Bride I only have a limited budget but I hope I could still find a great
honeymoon destination for me and my partner.
1) Tagaytay
Stay for a night or two at one of their famous
Bed & Breakfast places
Enjoy the cool breeze as you tour their famous spots like Palace in the Sky and the
famous Taal Volcano
Have a picnic-for-two at Tagaytays Picnic
Grove while waiting for the sunset
Coffee lovers can enjoy a caffeine indulgence
at Bag of Beans store
Experience the romantic adventure at Tagaytay Ridge zipline and cable car
Links:
www.tagaytay.com
www.tagaytayzipline.com
http://www.pinoytravelblog.com/
roadtrip/22/overnight-options-tagaytay
2) Baguio
Stroll all around Baguio and visit their various parks
Take a romantic boat ride at Burnham park
Enjoy picking strawberries at La Trinidad
Strawberry farm
Experience a lovely dinner for two at a cozy
restaurant along Session Road
Make a wish a you climb the 252 steps of
Lourdes grotto
Links:
www.baguio.gov.ph
www.gobaguio.com
http://www.baguiodirectory.com
3) Batangas
Go to their wide array of beaches and enjoy
a breath taking sunset while holding hands
along the sea shore
Visit historical sites like the shrine of General Miguel Malvar in Sto. Tomas Batangas, and Jose P. Laurel memorial library in
Tanauan City
For those adventurous couple, take a hiking
trip at Mt. Makulot and enjoy the breathtaking view of the surrounding towns
Take a glimpse of the South China Sea
through the Punta de Santiago Lighthouse in
Calatagan Batangas
Links:
http://www.batangas-philippines.com/
things-to-do.html
www.batangascity.gov.ph
4) Subic
Be one with nature when you go trekking
down the Pamulaklakin forest trail and learn
jungle survival 101 from the local settlers
called aetas
Experience the thrill and excitement of being
in close contact with tigers at zoobic safari
Go to Ocean Adventure theme park and
observe the marine life as you watch the
dolphin and sea lion shows, and maybe even
get to swim with their dolphins
Indulge yourself with imported goods when
you visit their Duty Free center
Links:
www.subic.com
http://www.visitsubic.com
5) Laguna
Relax and rejuvenate with your partner at
Pansol Lagunas famous hot spring resorts
Go on a road trip and scout for the local food
specialties such as: Buko Pie from Los Banos,
and Monay bread from Bay Laguna
Visit the house of our national hero Jose
Rizal at Calamba Laguna
Spoil the kid in you by spending a day at
Enchanted Kingdom Theme Park in Sta.
Rosa Laguna
Links:
http://www.lagunatourism.com.ph
http://tourism-philippines.com/laguna
www.laguna-hotspring.com
The Value-for-Money Bride I have enough budget and I want to get the best value
for our honeymoon.
1) Boracays White Sand Beaches
Create a replica of your dream house, or
better yet castle, with Boracays white
sand
Go swimming and snorkeling in their
crystal clear water
Shed off some extra pounds as you play
Frisbee or beach volleyball
Have a romantic underwater walk with
the sea creatures as you go reef walking
Relax those tired muscles with a massage or spa service while watching the
sunset
Links:
http://www.boracayisland.org/
http://www.myboracayguide.com
http://www.boracayph.com
2) Bohols Chocolate Hills
Witness the majestic view of the infamous chocolate hills
Get up close and personal with the
charming tarsiers
Have lunch at a floating boat while traversing the Loboc River
Visit the Baclayon church and take a
glimpse of the Hispanic-Christian era
Frolic under the sun with their selection
of beach resorts
Links:
www.bohol.ph
www.bohol.gov.ph
3) Ilocos Norte
Travel back in time with Vigans array
of antique Spanish architecture
Visit one of the most beautiful churches
in the Philippines, the Paoay Church
Go to Batac and take a look at the Marcos Mansion and Mausoleum where lies
the glass- encased, embalmed body of
one of the most controversial presidents
in Philippine History, Ferdinand Marcos
Take lots of pictures along the stretch
The Splurge-on-the-best Bride - I have plenty of budget to work with and I want to
have the best and most memorable honeymoon one can have.
Reminder: If you are planning to take an out-of-the-country honeymoon dont forget to secure and
arrange all the necessary documents like passport & visa to avoid any hassle
1) Amanpulo
Enjoy the powder white beaches with
the promise of exclusivity
Learn windsurfing with their top-of
the-line equipment and gentle beach
waves perfect for an outdoor adventure
Go bottom fishing for snappers and
groupers at Amanpulos fishing spots
Pamper yourself with a luxurious spa
in the privacy of your own casita
Explore the beauty of Pamalican island in a romantic moonlight cruise
Links:
http://www.amanresorts.com/amanpulo/home.aspx
2) Bella Roca
Experience a Mediterranean ambience
at the heart of the Philippines with
their greek-inspired architectural design
Reserve a private dinner at the tea
room while waiting for the sun to set
An early morning breakfast treat at
the terrace area is also a good way to
start a romantic date with your spouse
Go kayaking around the island of Bellarocca and take as much picture with
the islands spectacular view on the
background
Links:
http://www.bellaroccaresorts.
com/?file=kop1.php
3) Hongkong
Shop in hongkong-style as you scout
for the best finds for you and your
spouse with their three interconnected
malls in Kowloon
Go to the largest entertainment complex and themepark in Hongkong
ow that the jitters and the party mode has toned down, your happily ever after starts. Here
is the list of things that you may have to consider. All the hard work in the planning and
preparation for your special day may have ended on that perfect day, but after the last bottle of
wine has been drunk, the honeymoon trip made, and the Thank You cards sent to your guests there are
still a few things you have to do:
Organize Legal Matters
This is the most important thing that should be
first on your checklist. Organizing legal matters
after the wedding will include:
Getting a copy of the marriage license
Youre going to need this especially if youre going
to update all other important documents for the
name change. Usually, a duplicate copy is given to
the couple after the ceremony but you can also go
to the NSO to obtain a copy.
There are four ways to get a copy from the
National Statistics Office:
1. In Person. Go to your nearest Census
Serbilis Centers. In Metro Manila there are
six of these which are found in NSO East
Ave. in Quezon City, Makati City, Pasay
City, Caloocan City, Muntinlupa City, and
Pasig City.
2. By Postal Service System. You can request
a copy of your marriage license through
couriers like LBC, or ask your local travel
agency if they can get the copy for you,
though this may be a little more expensive.
3. Through Teleserv. In partnership with
Pilipinas Teleserv, Inc., a call center based
service designed to provide convenience
to customers built by the government,
you may now ask for a copy of various
documents such as birth, marriage and
death certificates, and passports through
this hotline by contacting (02) 737-1111 for
NSO Documents Delivery, and (02) 7371000 for the DFA Passport Appointment
System.
4. Through the web. Recent developments have
Acknowledgements
Jamie Lihan of Imagine Nation
Imagine Nation Photography (www.imaginenationphoto.com)
Jun Valbuena Photography (junvalbuena@yahoo.com)
Raymond Vince Cruz Photography (http://www.rvcphotography.net/)
Ariel Javelosa Photography (for Vina Mobeuis wedding pics) (http://
www.arieljavelosa.ph)
George Putong
Karen Kate Pico
Rose Jade Asmolo
Ms. April and Karen Yu (April and Karen Yu Flowers)
Mr. &Mrs. Ramil and Weng Apa-ap
Mr. & Mrs. Andre and Vina Mobeuis
Mr. & Mrs. Vincent and Venelyn San Pedro
Mr. & Mrs. Jerico and Khristina Ramirez