First of all, happy holidays to readers of this dormant blog, LOL. Updating this site more often now happily counts as one of my New Year’s resolutions, if only to share more info with betrothed couples and hopeful brides out there. Forgive my delinquency pls.
Over Christmas, I was trying to compile an animated presentation of our holiday pictures and suddenly remembered this nifty site called animoto.com. First heard of Animoto because our wedding photographer used this website for the audio-visual presentation of our prenuptial pictures. Please see video above, this was shown during our wedding reception.
I remember then, our wedding photographer, Guj Tungpalan of Redsheep Photography gave us a link to the above video so I can embed it in my blog or favorite networking site like Facebook. Read the rest of this entry »
Finally, we got our wedding album yesterday, nine months after our wedding, haha.
The delay is remarkable because this hasn’t really been our priority. We’re quite content viewing our pics from the computer and various photo-sharing sites. Our wedding pictures are also in Facebook.
It was only my friend Tonyo, a graphic designer, who pointed out to me the importance of having an album to preserve our wedding memories. Okay, I was bound to order it from outside but Tonyo gave me a good deal. Six thousand pesos for a wooden album with waterproofing, and inclusive of designing it on Photoshop. A very friendly rate, I must say, and I agreed to it. Read the rest of this entry »
Pearl Farm Beach Resort in scenic Samal Island in Davao is one of the best beach resorts in the Philippines. My friends and I spent time here last July, and I couldn’t help but think of it as a good honeymoon place as well. Think of it: a suite on an island for the two of you, away from the hustle and bustle of the big crowds, a good time to establish your enduring bond after the wedding.
I liked best our view here of the sea. For accommodations, one can have a choice of hilltop rooms (garden view), those houses on stilts or any of the seven exclusive villas. Room rates can be gleaned from their website. We stayed in the Samal Suite, a two-storey suite which had a queen size (matrimonial bed) on the second floor, flatscreen TVs and an iPod dock. Modern contemporary meets Muslim traditional design Read the rest of this entry »
We were fortunate enough to meet hairstyling legend Ricky Reyes recently and be treated to a whole day of primping in his newest salon, the Ricky Reyes One on One on the ground floor of Transcom Building, beside Fun and Tiendesitas in Libis, Quezon City.
It seems the target market of the newest RR venture are call center personnel in the same building and residents of neighboring villages. But we were glad to find that they are grooming the place for beauty parties where you and your friends can treat yourself to a whole day of manicure, hair treatments, facials, foot spas and even a massage. The extensive menu of services makes sure head-to-toe pampering is within reach.
Former sexy star Klaudia Koronel, founder of the OFW forums site mabuhaycity.com, is preparing for her Aug. 28 wedding to Chinese-American fiance Andy Zhang, who is an IT consultant.
The wedding will be held at the Iglesia ni Cristo Central Temple in Diliman, Quezon City while the reception will be held at the Fernwood Gardens, also in Quezon City.
Designer Edward Teng has been tapped to do the bridal gown, which will most likely be of conservative cut, given the bride’s religion. Dina Joson of the House of Magdalene Bridal Shop in Bulacan will do the bride’s reception gown as well as the rest of the entourage. Read the rest of this entry »
Saying ‘I do’ has never been more creative with the assortment of theme wedding packages from the Diamond Hotel, ranging from the cool to the fanciful.
Diamond Hotel theme wedding
For example, the Cherry Blossoms Theme portrays the soft side of Japanese pop art and natural elements. The effect is almost Zen-like with the use of pastels and muted hues and a tranquil feel that soothes the soul. For this package, the hotel’s famed Yurakuen Restaurant prepares a banquet, with platter after platter of tasty Japanese dishes that can only astound guests for their pure taste.
All that Jazz wedding theme
The All that Jazz theme, on the other hand, is for music lovers. The design uses muted colors of blue and purple in materials that resemble the night sky. Deriving inspiration from jazz, swing and blues, the centerpieces are miniature saxophones, trumpets and other instruments. The over-all impression is that of a “modern bar look.” Read the rest of this entry »
Pan Pacific Manila is known as the “butler hotel” because there’s a butler on hand at all times to attend to the specific needs of hotel guests. This premier establishment consists of 21 floors highlighted by the Pacific Lounge on the top floor with an encompassing view of the Manila skyline and a podium complex studded with superb dining facilities.
Pan Pacific Manila is also an ideal venue for weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations. Their Pacific Grand Ballroom can accommodate as many as 450 guests cocktail style and 330 persons for banquet seating. Their four other ballrooms can accommodate 50-60 guests.
Pan Pacific Manila’s Celebrations Package for 50-100 persons is inclusive of the following amenities: Read the rest of this entry »
Easily one of the most popular food in Filipino weddings is lechon, or roasted suckling pig. We normally serve it on big occasions like fiestas, birthdays, anniversaries, parties and of course, weddings. The lechon might be roasted pig (baboy) or roasted calf (baka). The latter is more expensive, but any which way, they’re gooood!
It’s no surprise then that a Filipino wedding won’t be complete without lechon. Usually the server or waiter cuts it up into pieces and piles the pieces up unto the guests’ plate, on demand. The meat may be served with lechon sauce, but in the case of the increasingly popular Cebu lechon, no sauce is needed. Read the rest of this entry »
Because I work in Ermita, the tourist district of Manila, I often pass by Ibarra’s Garden – a popular venue for weddings, birthdays and special celebrations. I haven’t really attended an event here but it does look cozy and welcoming from the outside. If you like structures from another era, this is it. Ibarra’s Garden is an old house that dates back to the 1920s and is American art deco-inspired. It reflects the grandeur of a time gone when people partied in their ball gowns and arrived in horse-drawn carriages. If you know what I mean
The only problem I see with this venue is the parking, a common concern in Manila where land is getting constricted by the day. It would be good news if they have valet parking, but I wasn’t able to ask. Read the rest of this entry »
For an extra special touch to your wedding, try to hold the rites or the reception in a place that’s out of the ordinary, like a butterfly garden, a yacht club or even a ranch. In our case, we held it in Manila Ocean Park, the Philippines’ biggest oceanarium. I fell in love with this place during our first visit and just knew we had to hold our reception there. First of all, I wanted to have a picture with the little sharks, manta rays and other rare fish species. Silly me. Am glad that it all turned out fine, as you can see in the picture.
What’s good about the Manila Ocean Park? First of all, there’s the priceless view of Manila Bay and its glorious sunset, accessible from the balcony or the glass-panelled windows of the Ozeano Fusion restaurant (where we held our reception). Your guests can savor the breeze, and if you’re gallant enough, treat them for free entrance to the oceanarium itself. Here they can get acquainted and educated with the diversity of our rich marine life. Read the rest of this entry »
