on coordinators part 2 (ok na!)

Our Monday Yesterday..

i was still in search for a coordinator, olie was looking for a photographer.

we were initially scheduled to meet with Queen Gutierrez of Just Like Ours yesterday after office but she texted me that she had to attend to a wedding rehearsal that was suddenly scheduled. i started going through Nette's email of other possible coordinators (thank you so much, Nette!). i called them all and even performed the pre-screening interview over the phone.

i had met with these 2 last week.. i was supposed to book Wini already but... refer to my previous entry..

1. Witty Jobs (Wini, 12k, includes emcee, 7 in the team -3 boys, 3 girls and Wini- for 200-250 guests, Terms: 3k DP, 9k Wedding Day, resides in Marikina, commutes) --- i met her
2. Impromptu (Gladys 09209504640, 4 in the team - all girls, 7k for bookings made before April 2005, Terms: 50%DP, 50% Wedding Day) --- i met all 3 partners

i didn't consider this one because olie knows some of the members of the team. i'd rather not deal with money matters with friends...

1. Out Of the Box (Christine "Kitte", former w@wie, 10k w@wie rate, Terms: 20% DP, 80% Wedding Day) --- i was introduced to her at Westin Bridal Fair

Nette already booked her so i didn't meet her na lang.. same date kami ni Nette eh.

1. An Event to Remember (Clarice, former w@wie, 8k w@wie rate for weddings before July 2005, 6 in the team for 150 guests, includes RSVP, Terms: 50% DP, 50% a month before the wedding, office is in QC)

Over na sa budget ito.. Max ko na po un 12k (with emcee ni Wini ha!)

1. Grand Banquets (Connie, 15k, includes RSVP) --- i was introduced to her at Westin Bridal Fair
2. Demoiselle (Paulette, 18k, 5 coords for 200 guests, Terms: 50% DP, 50% a week before the wedding)
3. Events Experts (Jody, 15k, Terms: 50%DP, 50% on wedding day if cash)

This one i didn't like, based on text messages pa lang.. maybe i'm just too impatient. again, refer to my former coord posting.

1. Getting Married (Kutchie, 12k for 150 guests)

i was scheduled to meet with this one Monday afternoon but she rescheduled to Tuesday

1. Just Like Ours (Queen, former w@wie, 12k w@wie rate for 2005 weddings booked before July 2005, includes emceeing, 4 in the team includingt 2 hosts, Makati-based)

Yesterday, these were the people i contacted

1. Mementos (Juliet, 8k, based in Muntinlupa, 3 clients pa lang, 4 in the team - 1 boy)
2. Bridester (Raquel, former w@wie, 8k promo for Q1 2005 bookings, lives and works in Sta. Rosa Laguna, Terms: 50% DP, 50% Wedding day if cash, 9 members but only 4 in the team who will be in the actual wedding, part time, no w@wie client yet)
3. You're Invited (Nina, 9k discounted rate, Las Pinas people, 4 in the team for 200 guests, Terms: 30%DP, 70% 2 weeks before)

i lined them all up for meetings this week.. Monday its You're Invited, coz Queen postponed our meeting for tuesday. Wednesday, Olie has bowling so i didn't schedule any meeting. and Thursday its Raquel of Bridester.

Meeting You're Invited - Van, Johanna and Nina

WE ARE GETTING THEM! hahaha.. i'm so happy. i really feel comfortable with them. they have a lot of suggestions, they are enthusiastic and basta. marami silang ideas. they were prepared and they really enjoy what they do. we talked about business, rackets, etc. even if we weren't sure to book them, they gave advices and ideas and excel files (soft and hard copy) to facilitate our preps. basta, gusto namin sila. so we are for contract-signing this weekend. YIPEE! (obvious ba, happy talga ako!)

and this morning, i already have their excel comparison for photo/video suppliers to help us with our decision-making (we are booking our photo supplier on Sat!)

i cancelled the other meetings i set so as not to waste the time and effort of the other coordinators as well.

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to nette, thanks for referring these people. to bea, thanks for the feedback! i look forward to working with them as well.

Westin Bridal Fair

i just got home from the Weddings at Westin bridal fair. haay.. soo kapagod.. i've somewhat lost the enthusiasm, energy and excitement to prepare for my own wedding.. i've noticed this in the past few bridal fairs we attended. its like i cannot muster the enthusiasm to go through the flyers handed out, to pay attention to the people explaining the inclusions of their respective services.. i don't know why. parang minsan i just want to get over it, be done with it.. pero bigla ko maiisip syempre, i still don't have a gown (among other things!) kaya di pa rin pwede matapos ng ganun na lang ang wedding.. hehehe.

anyway, the wedexpo was nice. olie and i came with mama. they had a raffle wherein the mechanics stated that we have to have the card countersigned from all the exhibitors to join the minor raffle and book during the fair to join the major raffle. the major prize was a trip to bangkok. but heller! one look at the card and i knew we won't be able to accomplish having everything stamped/countersigned. syempre naman, we've been to a lot of fairs already. we've met some of these people, so i doubt if we'd still go to the booths of those we already know we are not getting.. oh well. but olie decided to go ahead with the signature campaign. grabe talga patience nya! di ko kaya un! honestly. although he didn't get to finish everything (napagod na din kasi, and i didn't help! - bad girl ako!), he was able to do a lot (about 90% i would think). haay. i really feel guilty.

tapos in the end pala, even if you don't complete the signature, you can join the minor raffle. hmm.. these organizers...

highlights:

Lee Llamas - i found him snobbish. we were lookin at his works and andami nya freebies for bookings during the fair (prenup, album, video). basta, one of his comments was that prati na daw nya kami nakikita sa fair.. well, yeah, that's true. and when i said we have video na, pwede ba iba na lang free.. he replied e kaya nga free eh! so masungit. really!

Coordinators - a coord who approached me asked me when my wedding was. when i said that it was still next year, she said, wow excited na si ma'am. to which i replied, actually hindi nga eh. gosh! is that a proper reply of a bride????

Another coordinator appealed to me. She seems simple and ok, personality wise. But she was also from Antipolo. The concern that i had with wini arose. but i my fears were easily set to rest. Olie was right though. When she pointed a pix of church aisle flowers (28 pieces) that she said that she made overnight, she might be short staffed. Or, i would think, really, flowers should be prepared the night before. Else, they'll wither before the wedding.

W@wies - i met fellow w@wies - Angie, Toni, Kitte, Marj, Cristina.. (i hope i didn't leave anyone out)

Others - i was able to talk to Connie Enriquez (coord) and Merlene Marcelo (gown). I was hoping to meet Veluz but she won't be arriving til 6 that afternoon.. Olie was able to look into other possible photographers..

Looking for the perfect photographer - fits your taste and your budget - is such a task. i do feel guilty leaving it all up to olie to decide.. i mean, there are so many choices that i grew tired just going through them.. some works stand out but they are so expensive. there are those works whose layout we don't like. ETC. i feel guilty again that i'm leaving it all up to him. mahirap na nga, di ko pa sya tulungan. di ba ang bad. haay. i resolve to help him with the photographer decision-making.

Photographers met - Wally Gonzales (seems like a really nice and simple man), Rey Mondez (award-winning but somewhat snobbish according to Olie) and this other guy that olie seem to like but he's new to my hearing (meaning we haven't met him in the previous fairs). There was also a freelance guy who works as an IT person in Inquirer and does photography on the side.

Wedding photoshoot - there were exactly 4 wedded couples having pictorials that afternoon. ganda ng sunset!

Fashion Shows and Talks - we were able to listen to the beauty talk from a PDI columnist and her guests (one of which is Jessie Mendez). there was also a talk on Fueng Shue and Wedding Do's and Don'ts by Rita Neri and a Fueng Shue master. There were also fashion shows of lingerie and sleepwear, evening gowns and bridal gowns.

Food - we had snacks at their cafe. yummy! ang sarap ng kanilang chocolate chip cookie. we also had tiramisu and strawberry frosted donut. they are also good.
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i really should get back on the wedprep excitement mode.
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we'll be booking our photographer this coming saturday. whoever he is.
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gown and coordinator na lang. haay.

i seem to have an idea na of the gown i want. yun nga lang, just ideas. nothin organized and finalized. im not even sure it is bagay sa akin.

EDSA holiday

i was UP last thursday! why? coz we had a long weekend ahead of us.. Thursday evening we tried looking for Merlene Marcelo's dress shop.. we somewhat got lost but we saw the shop (we think!) yun nga lang they were closed na... we were thinking of going to Greenbelt but traffic was really jammed so we just headed home, via C5. we dropped by Starbucks at Petron along SLEX to chat and relax before heading home.. would u know, even at that Starbucks i was looking at their mags, hopin to see a bridal mag there.. :-)

come Friday, a Holiday.. i had to wake up at 5am (ooh so early!!!) in time for a photoshoot for ISACA. call time was 630am at the Greenbelt Park.. after the photoshoot, i had takeout food from McDo and headed to Olie's residence.. where i continued my sleep. hehehe.. ;-)

in the afternoon, we went to Megamall to buy ink for his printer (which we are taking to my place as well) and some paper to do some test prints for the misallete.. yehey! i did forget to post but i made a softcopy of the misallete already.. it was kinda fun going through the different types of paper.. its just that the place was so cramped (at National Bookstore) and there were a lot of people looking for specialty papers as well. it was somewhat difficult coz we didn't know what color we were actually looking for. we haven't finalized the theme/ motif and i want to have everything match it as much as possible.. anyway, we got some neutral colored papers (which can work with any of the shades we were considering) to work with first. we also checked my email at an internet kiosk at the 5th level.. syempre pa, ma-miss ko ata w@w emails ko i don't check them. we had dinner at Jollibee (o di ba tipid!) before leaving.

when we got home, hmm. we couldn't make the printer work! hmpf!

but i learned how to use the Adobe Illustrator for digital layout.. hahaha.. i can make our album na lang.. more practice first.. hehehe..

today, i asked Olie to come to our place early.. we are to go to Ms. Alice's father's internment at Sucat, have the printer fixed and maybe, if there is time, watch a movie, go to Tagaytay, etc. A lot of activities lined up! hahaha..

come Sunday, we are to go to Westin for the fair.. i hope to meet other w@wies there..
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this blog is turning to be a log of my activities.. shoot!
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on my gown

haven't decided who to get as a gown-maker/ designer.. i don't even know what design i like.. haay, i've been browsing the magazines i have.. but i haven't found anything i really like.. i like the train of one, the neckline of another, the shimmer of another.. o di ba.. halo halo.. but i haven't really found a bodice that i like!!! huhuhu.. pa-girl pa naman ako.. tapos ngayon heto, i don't know what i want.. pang RTW lang ata talga beauty ko.

search for coordinators part 1

for sure there will be a part 2, kasi ala pa din kami coordinator eh.

i emailed/ texted the following companies/ persons to send their OTD packages for our initial screening: Out of the Box (Christine "Kitte" Daria), Impromptu (Gladys), Events Experts (Jody Liwanag), Demoiselle (Paulette Tan-Dimaano), Witty Jobs (Wini Sanchez), Getting Married (Kutchie), Eventscape Planners (Chinkie), An Event to Remember (Clarice) and Just Like Ours (Queen Gutierrez).

Impromptu was cheapest at 7k if booking is made before May 2005. There are 4 in the team, all girls. We met them last Sunday. They are new in the business.

A couple of members of the Out of the Box team are Olie's friends/ acquaintances. I didn't want to deal with possible conflicts in the duty that would ruin frienships so we decided not to consider them anymore.

We also met Wini, who was also Leslie and Jayson's coordinator. She seemed ok.

I was also able to talk to Queen over the phone. Queen was also married at SOJ in 2003. She also considered Villa Imaculada, although she didn't push through due to inconsistent feedbacks on the food served by the Tamayo's then. She was very friendly over the phone. I asked to meet her in person but she said that she won't be able to accomodate me until the first week of March. She has 2 weddings to attend too plus her grandma was hospitalized.

Kutchie naman. We saw her at the Megamall bridal fair but we weren't able to talk to her since she was busy with other clients and we had other priorities then. So i texted her, asking her to email me the details of her OTD package. After lunch of the following day, i still didn't get her email so i texted again, reminding her/ reconfirming whether she had already sent it and if so, can she please resend it. So she replied that she is just sending it then. I was already browsing through their website during this time. But when i received her email, boy! was i disappointed! she FORWARDED her own email (with the fwd.. heading pa ha!) to me.. it was their generic email asking pa which package am i interested in and when is the wedding to be. naku, my standard introductory text always (and i mean ALWAYS!) includes the package we want, our wed date and our names. hmm..and aside from that, it didn't include an attachment. it just said to view their website as their package is there. if she was just gonna refer me to a website, she could have texted the address yesterday. when i asked if she can meet as last saturday, she replied by asking me who i am. i take it she doesn't save the names and numbers of people who inquired with her. so i didn't reply anymore. but she is persistent in calling/ communicating. kaya lang she informed me that she usually meets her clients at valle verde. so medyo di rin convenient for us. kasi we prefer to meet at the Makati Area. so we didn't pursue her anymore.

So as of yesterday, we were ready to book Wini. I was supposed to meet her at 4pm Glorietta but when I texted her where I was she replied with "Ok. Traffic lang", which was really ok with me... After about 10 minutes she called. She was asking if it was ok to cancel the meeting since traffic was really jammed at c5 and she doesn't want me to wait. She said that there was some sort of activity at EDSA which caused the traffic. So i said fine. She said she'll drop by our office at around lunchtime but she didn't come. She didn't even send a text message.

at sometime before 2pm, she txted me asking where can we meet. syempre, i somewhat feel dismayado na. i understand that my wedding is in 2006 but im still a client. so i replied with, "i thought u said you were dropping by our office at around lunchtime. olie has bowling later. what time are you available?" to which she answered that she is at north edsa leaving for makati. somehow, it seemed to me that i have to be the one to estimate what time she'll get to makati. hehehe. it would have been better though if she committed a specific time and not leave it up to me to estimate her arrival. so i talked to olie and we both had second thoughts in getting her. we worry that due to the distance from her residence (Marikina) and our preferred meeting location (Makati), meetings might be delayed, cancelled, postponed. so i just replied that maybe we should meet some other time.

we weren't sure anymore. so we'd rather talk about it more thoroughly first, and consider other options na din siguro.
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i was able to have lunch with some friends - Joy, Maru and Joseph.. i just found out that i didn't greet verna on her birthday last monday.. oh no! am so sorry. Maru was almost back to her normal size. :-)

i was encouraging joy to attend bridal fairs.. well, what the hell. why force people if they're not yet ready.
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and im glad the internet connection is back to its normal speed.
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olie's workload is getting heavier since jojie (his boss) is leaving soon. haay. so now i can't bother him every so often coz he is always in a meeting.. well, good that he is productive.
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now i have to look again for a coordinator.. haay.

an off day

i took a day off today. why? i dunno. just plain bored.. so i'm here at an internet cafe checking my mails, instant messaging, blogging, etc.

i'm meeting wini cia-sanchez in a while. we are booking her na.. nkakatawa pa nga coz angie informed me that they are no longer booking Impromptu.. impromptu with the cheapest coordination package. haay.. as i was saying to olie, maybe God wants us to make a conscious choice.. that regardless of the price, we are choosing wini.

finally, even olie agreed that its really wini.

in a while i'll be posting my coordinator stories sa w@w.. after booking wini.. until then.

common wed suppliers

on angie's coordinator and nette' photographers

we met with impromptu saturday morning at shangri-la mall. they were late (all three of them were present) but i was really really late. well, no prob for us kasi olie was there on time. impressions: they are young.. too young for my taste. well, at least they are cheap. only, angie already pencil-booked them. i was more interested din naman dun sa coordinator we met last thursday so i really don't mind.. cguro God's will. hahaha.. mapapagastos lang additional.

in the afternoon, we met with mimi and karl. we are getting them for our prenups. it was tentatively scheduled for march 12 at Caliraya. but we might ask to reschedule if we want to watch Norah Jones' concert on the same day. we'll see...

sunday - another drama day!

a dissatisfied girl has the drama fits!

monday

had a meeting scheduled at 830 am so i couldn' t go on leave, even though i felt like it.

angie's keen on getting impromptu.. (yipee?) at least i can tell olie that we're getting a more expensive coordinator due to their unavailability.. hehehe

i tried to setup a meeting with queen kaya lang medyo busy sya this week and her grandma is in the hospital. the earliest she can meet with me is March.

Negative ONE

365 DAYS TO GO!!!

greetings! hahaha. soo formal. i can only imagine how this day will be a year from now.. cguro, nagpapanic na ako.. cguro kinakabahan? excited? hmm.

last night, i was talking to olie over the phone.. it was around 1130. sabi nya, cguro daw, this time next year di na daw sya mkakatulog sa sobrang excited...

its exactly 365 days till i acquire the title/ prefix to my name MRS... a year to live out my single life, a year to prepare for the next stage of my life.

i wonder what's in store for today.. <>
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last night we were able to meet with a potential coordinator. we liked her. she was simple and she seemed to know what she is talking about. both olie and i are not OC, unlike most couples, (particularly the bride) so we both know we'd need help with the preps.

we'll be meeting with other potentials in the coming week. :-)

Our first real prenup

Here are my favorite pics from our prenup with EBE:

a love for eternity

a love for eternity, originally uploaded by oliegra.

finally! i got a picture of my ring to post here at blog. :-)

i was just melodramatic... when olie and i got together after office last night, all is well again. we continued talking about our wed preps and lakad this coming weekend.. continue the countdown!

u know, my trial makeup with eddie bruan wasn't really bad. i got the pics taken by olie in UPD and when we got home, the eye makeup wasn't as dark as i thought. anyway, i'm posting a link for the w@wies to refer to..

i am really looking forward to celebrating our negative 1 anniversary tomorrow.. after all, we didn't have any special date/ anniversary/ monthsary to celebrate our couplehood..

cheers to my fellow 18 feb 2006 brides in w@w - nette, angie and data!

dates..

there are now 3 w@wies with the same wedding date as we do. aside from data and benc, angie and max, nette and mike also moved their wedding to this date. hmm.. ayan, if we want the same suppliers, di pede.

i have decided to do another TMU with Eddie Bruan. para di naman masayang. naka book na kasi eh.
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i have made it a habit to post my thoughts here. kaya lang parang lately, i have nothing to say. my life's losing its excitement. i feel so blah!! i'm bored with work.. and a week constitutes 5 work days! so its only on weekends that i feel ALIVE! but nothing's in store for me this weekend.... just a meeting with Mimi (for prenups only, if ever). nette got her already for our wed date. no big loss. we were really just considering her for that eh. :-)

haay. on coordinators naman. Clarice and I were texting yesterday and i was planning on scheduling a meeting with her within the week. fortunately, i found out that nette already got her as a coordinator. both of our times will no longer be wasted since she is no longer available on our wed date... hence, the hunt for the coordinator continues...
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reflections of past supposed to be celebrated events like my birthday and our first valentine's day

pre-bday: pampering at the salon & a new outfit
my usual celebration of bdays: lunchout with friends, no work done, fashion-arte porma, family dinner

on my 26th yr: it was like an ordinary day. yeah, there was the salon. just that. no excitement, spark, thrill.

similar to this year's vday. i thought it would be better, special. now that i have olie to spend it with. not just any bf but olie who i'll be spending the rest of my life with.

i love looking forward to celebrations. but knowing olie, i didn't put my hopes up. flowers? maybe. don't care so much. i feel it is mostly done for compliance with the tradition. i'd rather get flowers on a regular day, not expecting it. flowers just because. well, about noon of vday, i asked him of our plans, and even before we left the office... i was expecting a dinner at least. nothing fancy and prepared (because nga of his nature.. but how i'd love that!) oh, and you know, he said, bahala na. (hmpf!) so i had to take things in my hands and said we'd have dinner at CPK nga... haay.

so now i'm thinking.. this is for the rest of my life.. i'm a person who loves surprises, celebration, parties.. and i love the anticipation and excitement beforehand.. and i will be with a person who "goes with the flow" so to speak... will it really work out? wouldn't it drive me mad??? i love the highs and lows, anticipations and excitement, even if it ends up in disappointment.. i'd rather have that than a so-so experience... and i'd be with a guy who is constant naman. hahaha.. well, nobody's perfect. compromise i guess. whatever. bahala na! (so filipino!)

our first v-day

my first v-day with GPL.. i was welcomed with 3 chocnuts and a single white rose (thanks to chris! lahat kami binigyan nya..)

olie gave me a dozen long-stemmed and really red roses (melt..melt..melt) .. and 3 toblerons! yummy! --- sweetness ---

we had dinner at our favorite salad resto - CPK.. syempre we had "The" salad - original barbecue chopped salad and peperoni pizza. need i mention we also had their raspberry iced tea? well, for some reason, it wasn't as delicious as we remembered it. matabang. there were a lot of people celebrating the hearts day. we even had to line up to get in the resto. the cab that took us from GPL (here in Paseo, Buendia) to Glorietta (Ayala) cost P70. it was that traffic!

little did we know that aside from the bombing in mindanao, 2 bombs exploded under the Ayala MRT station. the whole area was closed to the public. buti na lang we had dinner first. else, we would have been there during the explosion.

due to the incident, which we discovered when we got there to ride the shuttle parked under the same station, we had to walk back to Landmark to get a ride home. buti na lang din di pa ganun kahaba ang pila and we were able to get on the first Pacita bus that arrived soon after. i guess most people were still out. kasi naman ang bilis namin kumain. hehehe..

speaking of toblerons, might as well have one.. hungry eh.

btw, i posted some of our prenup pix with EBE at UPDiliman at our community webshots.

and i booked our reservation for Corregidor for february 25 yesterday...

pre-valentine's day days

friday night....

we watched Mr. Dreamboy (starring Piolo Pascual and Bea Alonzo). Truly, kakaiba nga ang ending. and dinner at Powerbooks, walkway.

saturday...

we went to Tamayo's in Intramuros to meet with Tintin for contract signing. (sarap ng pastries!)

had to drop by at GPL afterwards. we can't find the slip of paper that says we won the prenup session... naku naku naku...

thank God, olie found it.

we were suppose to meet data at the bridal fair in megamall, but she already left. ok ang fair! very productive! we were able to talk to Ariel Javelosa! also, we tasted the yummy yummy choco fountain! hehehe..

QT! QT! QT!

found out that my license expired last friday.. had to drive carefully to home..

sunday

i had my doubts in bringing the car due to my expired license. i cancelled the meeting with mimi abesamis because of this. oh and in the end, i still brought the car. kasi naman medyo malayo at mahirap na taxi-han ang guadalupe then around UP.

proceeded with my trial makeup session with Eddie Bruan. got lost along the way.. well, ganda naman ng output. i'm more comfortable with my simple, plain self eh.. he took pictures of before and after the session.. "jasmine trias" look nga daw eh.. tuwa naman ako sa kanya kasi natuwa sya na makeup-an ako. i booked him afterwards.

we had lunch at pazzo in powerplant (sarap! yummy! takaw takaw ko.. we ordered baked mussels, pomodoro pasta, calzone and we even had ice cream). maaga pa kasi. 4pm pa un prenup session namin with Eddie Boy Escudero a.k.a EBE. and we bought a box of bread pastries from Breadtalk to give to him.

for our prenups, whew! mahirap pala mag model.. people were looking at us.. so i just waved and pretended to be a star. i have to hand it to EBE. grabe, he really has the "eye" and artistic talent! naki higa higa pa sya sa damuhan. haay.

after a really tiring photo shoot (the sun hid from us! hmpf!), we went to shangri-la mall to have the pictures develop and to quench our thirst! naku, here i go again.. after my makeup session with Eddie Bruan, i got inspired to purchase more makeup kit items - applicators, curlers.. gastos. we got the pix and proceeded home.

this morning

i have to work na.. well, at least we were able to book HMUA and a photographer.

btw, happy valentine's day to all!

another friday. whoop-dee-doo

its another friday (thank God!)

haven't accomplished anything this week. just browsed the NET, read w@w emails, blogged, attended meetings.. blah! blah!

oooh! and i cancelled the cruise thingy for saturday (that's tomorrow!) its lovapalooza at roxas.. i want to go to that area. well, that's zero Vday date for me then.. whatever.

right now, im so bored. work is bluh! bluh! preps is going smoothly.. im not really into the convention preps thingy..

but today, i prepared a detailed wedding checklist for us.. (see My Links)

and 25th of feb is a holiday. we've made plans to go to Corregidor... hope it pushes through.

signs and trends at work

sabi nga ni verna, ayaw ko na naman dito sa work ko.. the signs are here - late gumising, tamad pumasok, bored.. etc. etc. haay, so true..

ang excitement lang ng buhay ko, at this rate is my weekends - wedpreps and out-of-town plans.

we are planning on going to corregidor in the coming long weekend... i hope it pushes through. vigan sana kaya lang katamad bumiyahe. bka di ko na feel sa haba ng bus ride.. minsan nga feeling ko kung umalis ako dito bka di na ako bumalik.. how i look forward to a weekend escape! even magazines and chocolates don't quench my thirst for whatever it is that is missing.

most of the wedplanning is done now (the oculars, and field trips). what lies ahead are the decision-making, contract-signing.

it is but february and i've already missed out on a boracay-bohol-cebu travel opportunity with Tito Ricky and Tita Amy this week. and i'm bound to miss out on the HK-Shenzen whatever travel with Tita Angie early this March. i wish i could go and travel just like that! but i can't. not because of work (hehe! can you just see my priority) but because i have to save up for our wedding. ayoko din naman na wala akon'ng contribution. shucks... and i had a lot of plans for my self pa. panu na kaya yun??? i really don't know. for now, lam ko i do want to travel pala this year and continue my MBA and take the exams. but the wedding is looming ahead. i have to prepare for it financially as well. i wonder why. kahit anung taas ng income, always and always, i think of expenses or investments?! di ko na din alam nga kung talga ba mahulo ako. i think not naman. paminsan lang. di na rin naman masyado sa food. shopping bihira. haay. i really don't know. sabi ko pa naman lalabas ako this year... and boracay! those were my travel goals for the year. would they be set aside for our wedplans???

leaves and lives

leaves -- not the green ones but those that can be scheduled, emergency, sick, unscheduled, vacation ones.. (oh, how i long for those of the last kind...~sigh~)

i was on leave again yesterday. woke up late.. felt good though.. sleeping in.. haay...

although i did meet olie in the evening... not much to tell.

my life's turning into a day in day out routine with only the wedpreps to look forward to with excitement..

oohhhh! i almost forgot! made reservation for a sunset cruise on saturday.. an advance valentine's celebration of sort..

bz bz wkend!

over the weekend here was my set of activities...

saturday

supposedly from 830-500pm, Meralco Management and Leadership Development Center in Antipolo for the ISACA-Manila Planning.

actually, i woke up at 7am. had to rush to meet Bhuboy (secretariat) who's gonna ride with me from Robinson's Galleria to MMLDC. We got lost and had to ask4 people in order to find the place.

the place was great for pictorials. lots of scenic greeneries. good food was served as well.

after which, i met olie at Padi's Point (in Antipolo pa rin) and headed back to Makati.

we met 2 of the Threelogy (Jon and CJ) 730pm at Starbucks, Jupiter. we were able to book them (YIPEE!! paid our DP and signed the contract already)

oh. btw, it was my papa's bday to day.. so we headed straight home. we joined my parents, my youngest brother Ron, Tita Angie and Tito Rene for dinner.

sunday

we have scheduled Food Tasting with Tintin (our AE for Tamayo's/ Villa Imaculada) for 3 - my mom, olie and me. we got there, a little past 11, showed mama around, took some pictures, and syempre ate.. masarap ang food nila. though, i didn't like the pork barbecued spareribs. but the rest, especially the soup, masarap. pasado din kay mama. we were able to discuss the details with tintin, and pay our DP to block the date. so now we have a venue (another Hurray!!!)

after Intramuros, we proceeded to Forbes for their Bridal Fair. I got tired from the heat and wasn't in my better self when we got there. again there are the usual suppliers.. i wanted to go but mama was still enjoying the music provided by Velvet mood. we went home early enough.

we heard mass at 7pm.

whew! andami noh? we made progress!

this morning

this morning, i was able to chat with fellow feb 2006 brides, 2 of which were also slated for the same date as i am..

in addition, i texted barbi chan, ross regala and eddie bruan for a scheduled trial makeup. barbi is not available on sunday where i am scheduled to have a prenup pictorial session with Eddie Boy Escudero. So is Ross Regala. But Eddi Bruan even called me on the phone. so i pencil-booked with him. I hope all goes well during our TMU on Sunday.

side comments and thoughts...

mama is into the wedpreps as well, she was browsing through my magazines last night even when i went to sleep already.

i miss being alone with olie, and having those relaxing activities.. although wed preps is exciting, sometimes i wish we could have just each other and our thoughts and no pressing appointments and schedules to go to... minsan lang naman.

a birthday and welcome dinner

last night, we had dinner with some friends - (in order of appearance :-)) verna, bajoy, maleen, joseph and chie.. venue: Gerry's Grill and Starbucks Glorietta. i had fun.. tawa nga kami ng tawa eh. missed their company. too bad, benj, ken, odin, ij and maru weren't able to make it.

got home at half past midnyt. (kawawee naman olie, had to go home to pasig pa) still manage to read verna's book gift. finally slept at 330am.

thanks to joy for coffee and cosmetics.
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wed talk

was able to schedule mama to come with us sa food tasting on sunday. also discussed the guestlist (somewhat)

26 yrs and 1 day..

my 26th bday felt weird. i celebrated it with those that were not close to me. i wish i set my dinner with friends last nyt instead. :-(

had to treat people in the dept. tradition eh. hmm.. im not as rebellious as i usually am.. cguro nga, ive learned how to work with people.

i did have olie with me. prati namn. he sent me balloons and white roses nga pala.(thank you!)

ewan ko. basta it felt different. no spark or anything this year. unlike in the previous years.. i was really excited pa naman. i didn't know what i was expecting but i ended up disappointed. demanding lang ba talga ako'ng sadya? dapat ba makuntento na ako? i mean i have olie. i have a steady income. no prob naman sa family... health, ok din..

i guess im always looking for magic. kaya din siguro di ako tumatagal sa relationships.. kasi once na nag settle down na after the initial high, i get bored. actually, yan nga n prati ko na concern now that im planning to tie the knot (aside from my insecurities na sya un magsawa!)

haay. ang labo ko. cguro nga its about "paninindigan" (kakanood yan ng teleserye!"Till death do us part" and "Hiram")

now, im just waiting for 5pm for my life to begin again.
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wed talk!!

we are now pencil-booked at Villa Imaculada for our reception venue! olie was able to talk to tintin (AE of fellow w@wie Elaine and Aris) and we are scheduled to do our food tasting and pay our DP on Sunday!

we are also scheduled to meet Threelogy on Saturday night. :-)

photo supplier na lang kulang... to book on March WedExpo for discounts and freebies.
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i'm to have dinner with SGV friends tonight at Gerry's Grille Glorietta 2, 630pm.

turning 26

its my birthday today.. 26. hmm. age of maturity i should think. when one is 25, ok pa. pwede pa ang fun. pero now that im 26, parang feeling ko dapat isep isep na about the future.

lots of sms greetings... thank you for remembering to Joseph, maru, maleen, reward, odin, wa, mama, Jun E, ali, ernie, cris, portia, jean, ellen, nancy, tita lulu, mon e, zeny and ken. thank you to tita fe and verna too.


syempre, si kitty cat.. thank you for everything. :-)

a friend called kanina to greet me (ayan ha, no names!)she was asking me if i was really just 26.. hmm.. napa calculator me tuloy. pati ako nalito. e talgang 26.. there are times when i wish im still 24..

bday wish(es? why not di ba if i can have more than one...)
1 good health for me, my family, my kitty and my friends
2 true love
3 successful career
4 lasting friendships
5 realization of dreams..

im really thankful to God for everything that i have - my family, olie, my friends, my health, my work.. hmm. andami. blessed talga! sana more blessings!

to olie, u have been my source of comfort and strength.. for the more than eight months we've been together you have never failed me.. you were always with me, constant, sweet and loving.

kitty, i look forward to waking up next to you each morning for the rest of my life. i love you. mwah!

places and venues..

fri nyt..

mama came with us when we went to Market! Market! at the Fort. i wanted to see the Ready to Wed shoppe of gowns... la lang. just curious.. ang ganda nung displayed skirt... hmm.. exciting pala ang mag gown looking...

sat side kwento

we were supposed to attend the baptism of Nina, Maru and Aybeam's baby girl .. fullname Lou Aywin Wrestly Amor. but we didn't make it to the ceremony... nope, we didn't get lost or anything.. no accident whatsoever.. late lang talga kami kasi antagal ni maleen dumating! hahaha. there, i said it. we were supposed to meet at McDo greenbelt at 1015 am.. baptism at 11 (ang baptism pa naman such a short ceremony.. in 5 minutes tapos na!) come 1045, nun pa lang kami paalis ng Makati to go to QC. odin was there already.. and right we were late.. ang naabutan namin wedding!?! yun pala nasa small chapel sa side un baptism. haha. so in short, kaming 3 di naka attend nung binyag!!!anu ba yun??? 3 reps for the batch of 11... si verns may sideline teaching at BIR ng ACL, si IJ at Subic for work, Chie may compre for school, Ken still sleeping, joy at Bicol, benj cannot be found, joseph hmm.. bka nagkalakad. dunno what happened.

so, di kami umabot.. tapos medyo eat and run pa kami.. konting chika then alis na din.

venue hunting

excited kami.. dire-diretso sa Ramon Magsaysay... kala namin eto na un para sa amin.. at pagdating dun, isang malaking katatawanan ang gumulantang sa amin.. ang arte din pala ni olie... kala ko ako lang.. kasi naiintindihan ko na may budget constraint.. so kung hanggang dun lang kaya namin eh di pasensya ako.. pero tawa kami ng tawa.. di namin maintindihan why we even considered the place.. (hahaha. ang arte namin pareho! kala mo naman may budget for the high-end pretty places) sayang un camera na dala namin.. ni di namin magawa na pictur-an.

so off-we go.. no choice. mapalayo man sa venue eh di namin afford ang Coconut Palace.. abutin ng 50k venue lang.. and more stuff to worry about kasi nga outdoor reception sya.. we're looking for and indoor reception venue na hindi underground at hindi hotel. so un na nga, punta na kami sa Villa Imaculada sa Intramuros.. ok na talga sa amin ito.. simple, malinis, maayos... now, kung ok din ang feedback sa food, service and kung pasok sa budget, ok na kami.

be fockerized!

so we finished early. we headed back to greenbelt. i was planning to go to the parlor pero andaming tao.. nagpa schedule na lang me for monday 630pm.

we ended up watching meet the fockers... hmm.. and along the way, na bad trip ako kay olie.. ah basta. panu naman ang mga mata.. naglalakwatsa! hmpf! (the away lasted until monday, btw.)

gloomy sunday

olie went sa bahay. naku ang bruho, nag read lang ng newspaper at nanuod ng the buzz! hmpf.. tapos sumabay na siya kina papa since luwas si papa pa manila. ah hmpf! syempre puro drama that night..

and monday came...

no olie and gra came to work! aba nakisabay pa sa akin mag leave! hmpf! maka pag date na nga lang.. finally naka pag parlor and naka pag usap na kami.. ok na ulet.. sweet na ulet.. tuloy na ulet. kami na ulet... happy na ulet.