Trial Makeup with Anne Castaño

we also managed to squeeze in a trial makeup session with Anne Castano. got rave reviews from Mik, so i decided to see how she worked.

we would have gotten there on time had it not been for the terrible traffic along south super hi-way, not to mention that we also got lost along the way since we weren't quite familiar with the area.

Anne is a petite woman but she made up for it because of her stunning looks. we later found out she used to be a model (probably for print ads) in her younger days and then she eventually pursued her passion for makeup and hairdressing. she has been making people beautiful (mostly brides and models) for ten years now.

on the dresser were all sorts of make-up. nahilo ako sa dami kasi i'm not much of a make-up person after all. but i felt like i was a kid again since my mom used to "experiment" on me.

Anne was quite meticulous in her work, never letting up until she got everything right. i noticed she was very particular about the lashes. she admits that that is her favorite part so she always wants to have that "perfect curl."

i liked Anne a lot. i had fears before that she might turn out to be real bossy and maarte. but she's really a doll! she was overly generous with her advice, not to mention ma-chika pa. i felt very comfortable with her.

my mom being my greatest critique, loved the job that she did, especially with the eye makeup. as the night went on, it seemed that my makeup was only getting better and better. totally waterproof pa! it took me almost an hour to take it off. :)

the eyes have it

i suppose with that said, we're going to book Anne na. still haven't informed her though. :)

more pictures of the trial makeup session found here.

we're married!!!

i am now officially mrs. joseph. :)

we arrived on time for our appointment with the judge but only started the ceremony at 8:45 AM. the judge was actually late for 15 minutes so we were surprised that the whole thing was over in ten minutes. we didn't even get to say "I do." he was obviously in a hurry to get things done since he had a hearing scheduled at 9.

signing our marriage certificate

after the civil rites, we proceeded outside of the chambers for signing of the marriage certificate. Joseph's brother and sister-in-law were there to serve as our witnesses. Joseph's mom and my mom were also present. we just celebrated with an intimate dinner with both of our families. our family hosted the little party.

all in all, it was okay. very quick but definitely life-changing. i suppose it still hasn't sank in -- the thought that i am legally Joseph's wife now. it's probably because we still haven't chosen to live in together. we both decided to have the honeymoon after the wedding in December as it is more significant than our civil wedding.

his other half

i'm getting married tomorrow and i can't sleep. a few hours from now, misis na pala ako. everything seems so surreal yet i have no fears whatsoever. i guess i am just excited to finally officially be Joseph's other half.

now, we are whole and complete. :)

more updates

i have been out of the loop for almost a week. we've been terribly busy with preps and reunions with family and friends.

i am also recovering from an undiagnosed illness. maybe all that stress finally got to me. was having diarrhea yesterday and felt so weak. it felt like i was going to have the flu but my fever wasn't high enough. i must have been just dehydrated from all the fluids that i lost. i'm feeling better now but still a bit tired. nevertheless, i have taken this opportunity to blog. :P

anyways, on to updates. here's what we've accomplished since i last posted...

Prenup Pictorials with Mimi and Karl
we went to Tagaytay for our prenup pictorials with Mimi and Karl. the place was actually owned by Freddy Elizalde. it was built on a hill with a view that was breath-taking. we were so relieved that it didn't rain, although the clouds did for some time look quite threatening. it was very humid and we were sweating in no time. i'm so happy with how some of the pictures turned out. all that posing and sweating was all sooooo worth it!!! (see more prenup pictures HERE.)

swiped from Mimi's blog

Food Tasting at The Palms Country Club
the food was absolutely divine! we had the following items for our food tasting:

appetizer: thai-style siomai

cold item: penne pasta tossed with macadamia nuts pesto and bay shrimps

hot items: chicken cordon bleu, sautéed prawns in garlic and pepper, snapper fillet "alla fiorentina"

desserts: marble cheesecake and samurai crepe

we were also able to discuss with Anne the basic table arrangements, cake design, timeline, floral and backdrop arrangements, crew meals and sound system. it was a full afternoon for us, stomach-wise and wedding prep-wise. hehe! :)

Mother Butler Meeting and Church Requirements
we met with Mrs. Jurilla of the Mother Butler Guild and chose the ten-thousand floral arrangement. she was kind enough to suggest that we didn't need that many flowers on our wedding ceremony as the church will already be fully decorated with christmas ornaments by then.

we had our pre-cana seminar last saturday morning. before that though, we were required to listen to the faith catechesis given by one of their priests. since we were required of this, we came in early for it then proceeded to the pre-cana seminar along with around 10 other couples.

we have already submitted all the documents that St James has required of us, except for my wedding banns which i will have to give to my parish in October pa.

Things to Do

get prenup pics from Mimi

finalize guest list and have envelopes calligraphed

buy appropriate undergarment for me

submit to Anne of the PCC the desired floral arrangements for the tables (to check if workable within the package we selected)

meet with Emma for the entourage's gowns

go to divisoria and look for swatches of cloth for the ento's gowns

get married on friday! :)

i'm back!!!

temporarily that is... ever since Joseph came home, things have been pretty busy for us.

on the wedding preps front, here are what we've accomplished in the past three days:

we have applied for a marriage license last monday at the Parañaque City Hall. it is such a big help that we were introduced to Mr. V who assisted us with the application process. he was so kind to accompany us even when we just needed to photocopy some documents. what is so cool is that there was no hanky-panky involved, whatsoever. now that leaves me guilt-free. :) we were done after an hour. he informed us that we can get married on the 26th. yipee! right on schedule! :D

we also met up with Arlyne of La Herminia. she brought a variety of piña silk with sinuksok and hand embroidered designs for Joseph to choose from. Joseph chose a hand embroidered vine-y design with callado. it was somewhat similar to the design that i had chosen for my gown.

Joseph had his measurement taking yesterday at Veluz' place in Project 8. Although Veluz wasn't around, Niko was there naman to facilitate and assist. Joseph gave the tailor his piña silk cloth and they have already discussed style preferences as well.

we met also with Mimi Abesamis, our photographer, to discuss our final album preference (which is the 12x12 scratch-proof laminated leather-bound album with 40 pages). we also had our preproduction meeting for the prenup pictorials that is to take place on the 21st already. since we were absolutely stumped for Metro Manila venues, Mimi was so kind naman to offer a place in Tagaytay where their family usually stays. we were worried about having to pay additional fees since it would already be an out-of-town shoot, but Mimi gladly said that we didn't have to pay anything. great! :D it was quite a lot of fun actually to discuss some concepts for the shoot. we just told Mimi that we wanted something casual and fun, nothing scripted if possible.

as for the days to come, heto ang plans naman namin:

18th of August

meet with Anne of The Palms Country Club for the food tasting session. thanks to Jacq for all the food recommendations! ;)

we're meeting Ate Beth de Leon, my (and Veluz') bordadora. I have to pay them our second installment for the embroidery labor costs as Veluz wants this finished by the end of September. remaining balance will be paid upon delivery of the finished product.

we've also set an appointment with the Mother Butler of Saint James, Mrs. Jurilla. she has asked us to drop by her place so we can browse through the albums and choose the arrangement that we prefer. we're quite decided already in getting the 10k package (the least among the choices) since the church will be decorated na for the christmas season. we don't want it to be overly decorated. so i guess that leaves us to deciding na lang which flowers to use.

20th of August

pre-cana seminar at St James. this will be a whole day affair (9-5).

dinner with my dad. i'm bringing the kids along. this will be the first time that Papa and Joseph will meet. exciting! ;)

21st of August

prenup pictorials in the morning with Mimi and Karl. location is near Crosswinds Tagaytay.

quite a mouthful, i should say. i'll keep you guys posted for more.

silly survey

thanks to Malou for letting me copy this one. :)

A is for Accent: I'm Cebuana but was born in Manila. I only learned to speak Cebuano when i lived in Cebu for eleven years. When i got back to Manila, some people say i have a punto when i speak in Tagalog. These days, I can manage to speak Tagalog without my native accent already and fool some people. hehe! :)

B is for Biggest expense: Books!

C is for Chore I hate: Doing the laundry. back-breaking kasi. i'd rather iron my clothes.

D is for Dad's name: Rick

E is for Essential cosmetic item: lotion (i really have to smother some after taking a bath), loose powder and lip tint

F is for Favorite perfume or cologne: lately, i'm liking body and bath works' sweet pea scent for daily wear. perfume? i don't wear it. :P

G is for Gold or silver: Gold! white gold or the not so yellow gold kind. definitely not Saudi gold! hehe!

H is for Hometown: Cebu

I is for Insomnia: Sometimes i do have episodes, especially when i have so many things on my mind.

J is for Job title: part-time professional, part-time bride to be. :)

K is for Kids: We want at least two, a boy and a girl. but if we can afford it, 4 would be nice! :) no names yet.

L is for Living arrangements: living with my folks. will be migrating soon!

M is for Mom's birthplace: Cebu City

N is Number of apples you've eaten: I'm not much of an apple eater. i guess i've eaten some.

O is for Overnight hospital stays: none yet. thank God!

P is for Phobia: Fear of heights and also of deep water. my knee gets wobbly when i cross bridges on foot. i prefer swimming in pools rather in the ocean.

Q is for Quest: To raise a good family with my husband to be.

R is for Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic

S is for Siblings: 2 brothers (28 and 18) and two sisters (twins - both are turning 17 in October)

T is for Time I wake up: i usually wake up between 6 to 6:30 in the morning if i have to work at the clinic. on day-offs, anything goes. :D

U is for Unnatural hair colors I've worn: a few times when i was younger. can quite remember the shade though. :(

V is for Vegetable I refuse to eat: i don't eat okra.

W is for Worst habit: i can be real lazy sometimes, especialy after being toxic at work.

X is for X-rays I've had: i've had a few in high school and college. it's required by the school before we can enrol. haven't had one in recent years.

Y is for Yummy foods I make: tuna pasta and blueberry cheesecake. :9

Z is for Zodiac sign: Pisces

i'm tagging Jacq, Vannie and Jannah on this one. :D

+++++
happy birthday to my brother Rex. he's in town. this is the first time in ten years he's spent his birthday with his family.


Rex looks real happy! ;)

my trip to lumban, laguna

yesterday, we went to the town of Lumban (pronounced as "Lumbang," as in the "lumbang" tree) in the province of Laguna. we spent the entire day canvassing for prospective embroiderers (or bordadoras, as they would call it).

after hopping from one shop to another, you get to appreciate the kinds of workmanship they produce. some are really good in hand embroidery. this you can see in the callados. some machine embroidery were also very impressive that they can fool you to think they were made by hand too if you did not have the "eye" for it.

although we knew that my gown required extensive embroidery, especially on my train (as it won't be detachable), we were not quite prepared for their price quotations. Veluz estimated it kasi to be within eight to ten thousand pesos lang for the amount of work to be done.

we started out with those shops along the highway. lo and behold, these people gave us prices ranging from thirteen to sixteen thousand pesos! grabe! and so we decided to proceed to Veluz' recommendation, Mrs. Añonuevo (or so i thought!), who lives within the bayan. she might have a lower quote since she did not have a shop really to showcase their products. we got lost along the way because it turns out that the address that Veluz gave us belonged to someone else (or so i thought, again). we called Mrs. Añonuevo up and she guided us na lang towards her house.

we were expecting Mrs. Añonuevo to live in a small house as what Veluz was describing to me when i last saw her. looming up ahead though was a newly finished painted house and a car to add, parked in their garage. something wasn't right. and yet, we proceeded to have my gown quoted. she priced it at fifteen thousand pesos! that's for mixed machine embroidery and hand embroidery (for the callados). i was in shock, of course, because first of all, i didn't know what i was going to say to Joseph, as this was way beyond our budget. second, after all the shop-hopping, we felt that we were going home empty-handed and unaccomplished. so we told Mrs. A that we'd have a good think muna about this and we can just meet in manila if i do decide to have her do the embroidery. (we learned that Mrs. A is one of Tesoro's suppliers. that explains the big house.)

i was so disappointed that i texted Veluz and told her the price quotations, especially that of Mrs. A's. Veluz called me up and asked if i have been to Ate Beth's house na. Ate Beth who? she pointed out that Mrs. A and Ate Beth were two different persons! silly me!!! (this is so embarassing! =P) She told me to go to the address i gave her and she forwarded to me their contact number.

so we went back to #57 on Mabini Street and asked for an Ate Beth, a Kuya Ric, or an Ate Rosie. the old lady told us to go to the house near the bakery. when we got there, we discovered it was also numbered 57! ano ba yan?! (sana hinde na lang sila nagnumber ng bahay! =P) finally, we were at the right house!!!

we met Ate Beth and the rest of the gang, who lived in their very humble home. we learned that they do their own machine embroidery, which was just upstairs. we could hear the sewing machine humming the whole time we were there. they also revealed to us that their hand embroidery is made by some townspeople that they subcontract who reside pa sa may ilog or sa may paanan pa ng bundok. that explains why their work is very affordable. for the same amount of work (machine and hand embroidery), they priced it at eight thousand pesos. imagine, five to eight thousand less than what the shops quoted us!

since they already were subcons of Veluz, i just chose the design which most appealed to me, handed over my padron (or pattern) and piña silk, and paid a deposit (50%). should they have any concerns, they can easily coordinate na lang with Veluz. once it is finished they will just deliver it na lang directly to Veluz. i just told them to text me when the delivery date is so i can drop off the balance of what we owe them at Veluz' place and they can just pick it up there. that easy.

side kwento: they also mentioned some of Veluz' brides. special mention si Faye because they told me na sayang, di ko nakita yung gown niya. it was already finished na daw and was in the laundry na to be washed, ready to be delivered back to Veluz. kakatuwa naman! I also peeked into Ate Beth's notebook, which contained Veluz' orders. i told Ate Beth i was familiar with the names of these ladies. ;)

well, i'm glad that's done and over with. on to other stuff -- paperwork! argghh!!!

+++++
joseph's coming home in two days! the anticipation is killing me! :D

** special thanks to my mom and my stepdad for patiently accompanying me on this trip. :)

in life, we are happiest when...

A man and his girlfriend were married. It was a large celebration. All of their friends and family came to see the lovely ceremony and to partake of the festivities and celebrations. A wonderful time was had by all.

The bride was gorgeous in her white wedding gown and the groom was very dashing in his black tuxedo. Everyone could tell that the love they had for each other was true. A few months later, the wife comes to the husband with a proposal: "I read in a magazine, a while ago, about how we can strengthen our marriage," she offered.

"Each of us will write a list of the things that we find a bit annoying with the other person. Then, we can talk about how we can fix them together and make our lives happier together." The husband agreed. So each of them went to a separate room in the house and thought of the things that annoyed them about the other.

They thought about this question for the rest of the day and wrote down what they came up with. The next morning, at the breakfast table, they decided that they would go over their lists. "I'll start," offered the wife. She took out her list. It had many items on it. Enough to fill 3 pages, in fact. As she started reading the list of the little annoyances, she noticed that tears were starting to appear in her husbands eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Nothing," the husband replied, "keep reading your list." The wife continued to read until she had read all three pages to her husband. She neatly placed her list on the table and folded her hands over top of it. "Now, you read your list and then we'll talk about the things on both of our lists." She said happily.

Quietly the husband stated, "I don't have anything on my list. I think that you are perfect the way that you are. I don't want you to change anything for me. You are lovely and wonderful and I wouldn't want to try and change anything about you." The wife, touched by his honesty and the depth of his love for her and his acceptance of her, turned her head and wept.

IN LIFE, there are enough times when we are disappointed, depressed and annoyed. We don't really have to go looking for them. We have a wonderful world that is full of beauty, light and promise. Why waste time in this world looking for the bad, disappointing or annoying when we can look around us, and see the wondrous things before us?

I believe that we are happiest when we see and praise the good and try our best to forget the bad. Nobody's perfect but we can find perfectness in them to change the way we see them.

We are not trying to condone what is bad. Correction does much, but encouragement does more.

The blue of heaven is larger than the clouds.

* posted in my friendster bulletin board

it's on!

time to raid my piggy bank... =P

iyakin

i realize how much of a sensitive person i am after watching GMA's Wish Ko Lang. they highlighted certain episodes of their third year on air last Saturday. i'm sure everyone is quite familiar with the sob stories they tell of some of our unfortunate brothers and sisters who are not so blessed in life.

i knew i had it coming but what the heck, i continued to watch. i knew that i always cried (actually get teary-eyed lang naman) whenever i witness reunions of estranged family members or sponsored weddings of couples who have wanted/dreamed to get married for the longest time. this was definitely not an exception.

sometimes i find it real silly because in the first place, i don't even know these people at all. i suppose i am just happy for them that someone helped them out in their needs or i get to appreciate how lucky i am that all my needs are met so i don't have to live the same way that they do. i am blessed!

naku, TV show lang yan ha. i can already imagine myself as i walk down that aisle in December. i better advise my make-up artist to use waterproof products. mahirap na! ;)

making a difference

the white band
i stumbled into Van's blog this morning and discovered this widespread campaign in the fight against AIDS and poverty. i have expressed my support by hosting some of their buttons/banners on our site.

if you too are interested to join in this campaign, you can visit any of the following websites:

The ONE Campaign
Make Poverty History
Kahirapan Wakasan

good news!

inspite of the cold and damp weather we've been having here in Manila, it's been raining all sorts of good news lately. i'm doing this in bullet form, as they are short lang naman but definitely sweet! :D

it's our first anniversary! yup, Joseph and i are celebrating today, the 6th of August, a year of togetherness. i know it may seem awfully short but we've gone through a lot so i (or WE) can safely say that we are just like the regular couples out there. though most of our "togetherness" has been spent online, it has never felt more real. here's to more years ahead!!! :D

for a while we have been worried about a policy that some of our co-members at an e-group mentioned. it was about the embassy not allowing the couple to enter Australia together. we were very disappointed because Joseph and I were really keen on going back to Oz on the same plane. we had to confirm this immediately with the embassy because we are now trying to book tickets for the return trip to Oz. and so, Joseph emailed the embassy a few days ago, asking if there is such a rule. the embassy replied the day after informing us that there is NO such rule and that we can travel together!!! :) now we can travel back to Oz and drop by Singapore for a little honeymoon after the New Year. yipee! :D

my friend Vanessa just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last night at the University Medical Center in Cavite. she texted me this morning to announce the good news. can't wait to see their new bundle of joy. congrats Ness & Carlo!

my brother Rex has sort of been promoted at work. he's now back in Cebu (our province) after being assigned in areas in Cagayan de Oro and Negros Occidental. glad he's back home. now, he can visit our grandparents regularly.

speaking of grandparents, my lola Meter has finally agreed to go out of our house in cebu and make pasyal, riding in our little car! for a while, she was just contented with staying at home and not even have the will to try to stand and walk. for those not in the know, she suffered a hip fracture in September last year and has since been wheelchair-bound. for a while we were getting worried because she seemed to be depressed at the onset of her disability. it's good that she gets to go out now. we're praying that this'll continue and she will be able to make it to my wedding in December.

ain't that a chocful of wonderful news? life is good! :D

tag! i'm it!

i've been tagged by fellow w@wie Vannie. Here goes...

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there's no one around you?

reading! I'm such a sucker for books. i'm always at Book Sale or at any bookstore, especially when there's a sale. ;) Books are my weakness and i especially take good care of them too. :)

another thing i could engage in solo would be renting videos on a day off and watch them till my eyes get sore. sometimes i want to watch alone because i want to hear every word and sound. i get irritated if someone is talking while i'm so engrossed in the movie.

ain't it obvious? i'm also an internet junkie. i spend lots of time checking my emails, blogging, surfing the net (for fun or for research), or just chatting with my sweetie. ;)


2. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level?

crying! i find it an effective way to lose all the tension and stress. sometimes i cry by myself or i call Joseph or my barkada and blabber my worries away.

getting a massage at a spa or going to the salon helps too. i think that's the best time to pamper ourselves. :D

also, i spend time alone to get away from the madness. meditate. pray. that's my best answer. :)


3. Tag 5 friends and ask them to post it in theirs.

i'm tagging the following people:

Becky (my sister)
Tin (former w@wie)
Sheryl (a co-worker)
Mik (a fellow w@wie)
Jacq (another w@wie)

+++++
Update
i met up with Arlyne of La Herminia at the Festival Mall in Alabang this morning. it seemed logical to meet her halfway than to go all the way to her house in Muntinlupa (which i discovered was not so near Alabang as you still had to exit the Expressway at Susana Heights pa), especially since the family car wasn't available.

We met at Starbucks (though we didn't order anything.. hehe!) and she immediately got down to business. the piña silk was lovely and it met my expectations. Arlyne also showed me some samples of piña silk with the sinuksok design for the barongs (ranging from PhP 2500-3500 for every 4 yards of cut cloth) and samples of piña silk with sinuksok which can be made into gowns as well (around PhP 3500 per 5 yards of cut cloth). they too were exquisite! i never knew there could be soooo many varieties of piña. and yes, they are proudly Pinoy-made! :D i am impressed!

wedding checklist update

here's our monthly wedding preps update. i've cut it short til september na muna.

12 months before (december 2004)
Plan the Pamamanhikan and announce the engagement.
Choose a wedding date and time.
Draw up a budget with your fiancé. Consult your parents if necessary.
Determine the number of guests you are able to invite.
Look for ceremony and reception sites.
Reserve chosen ceremony and reception sites.
Compile your guest list from the list you and your fiancé will make. (still ongoing)
Notify out-of-town guests so they can make early confirmation of attendance.
Decide on your new home after the wedding. (still ongoing)

11 months before (january 2005)
Select your ceremony officiant and check his availability. (still clueless)
Select primary sponsors Check their availability and personally invite them.
Choose members of the wedding entourage. Check their availability and personally invite them.
Obtain a sample copy of a sample missalette from your officiant.

10 months before (february 2005)
Decide on the color scheme (wine red, forest green and matte gold) and wedding theme.
Finalize your guest list. (still ongoing, almost done)
Consult a Travel Agent regarding Honeymoon Plans especially if you will be traveling to countries that require entry visas. (still clueless)

9 months before (march 2005)
Start and canvass for caterers, if necessary.
Secure birth certificates from NSO.

8 months before (april 2005)
Select the style of your wedding gown and your entourage’s attire. (ongoing)
Ask your mother and your fiance’s mother to choose their attire.
Canvass and select a reliable couturier and/or dressmaker.
Schedule measurements and fittings for your bridal gown as well as entourage’s attire.
Schedule your trial make-ups. (with clamar and anne castano)
Schedule Pre-nup pictorials with Mimi Abesamis.

7 months before (may 2005)
Canvass and select a reliable florist for the church & reception.
Canvass and select a reliable photographer/videographer.
Canvass and select musicians.

6 months before (june 2005)
Select and order wedding souvenirs, and decide on packaging so you can order this as well. Ensure timely delivery of it. (still canvassing)
Shop for wedding rings.
Canvass and select gifts for the Principal Sponsors.
Book a hotel room for your wedding day.
Measurement taking with Veluz. Get also swatches for the entourage's gowns.
Submit final draft/mock invites to printer.

5 months before (july 2005)
Finalize the members of the wedding entourage.
Select the mass readers and program hosts. Check their availability.
Double check full names (including middle initials) of your wedding sponsors, members of the entourage, mass readers and program hosts.
Canvass and select wedding stationery printers and calligrapher.
Start making draft for the missalettes.
Canvass and select make-up artist/hairdresser.
Canvass and select cake maker.
Canvass and book a florist for the the bridal entourage flowers.
Draft your ceremony program.
Start printing of invites.
Come up with solutions for typographical error on entourage card. Explore all possible options.
Start working on your vows, if you are saying your own.
Start printing map inserts on parchment paper.
First fitting with Veluz. Pay second installment(25%).
Buy cloths for gown lining.
Second fitting with Veluz (shantung).
Secure Certificate of No Impediment from the Australian Embassy and statutory declarations for spouse visa application.
Secure original or certified true copies of your and your fiance’s baptismal, confirmation and residence certificates.
Groom: Secure certificate of freedom to marry from your parish in Canberra.
Bride: Request CENOMAR from NSO, to be submitted to Australian Embassy, as part of spouse visa application. Apply thru e-census.
Third fitting with Veluz (shantung).
Begin planning out your honeymoon. (still clueless)

4 months before (august 2005)
Obtain marriage license from your city/municipal hall. Be sure to have all needed documents.
Decide on and finalize wedding details/contracts/agreements with your florist, musicians, photographer, caterer, couturier, make-up artist, and other suppliers of your choice.
Have missalette draft approved by your officiating priest and the church or ceremony venue.
Complete honeymoon plans and book your itinerary.
Book a calligrapher or a social printer for addressing of invitations. If invitations and guest list are ready, go ahead with the calligraphy/printing.
Reserve the Church for a wedding rehearsal.
Joseph's fitting with Veluz (21st of August).
Buy piña silk for bridal gown and for groom's barong. Have piña silk embroidered in Lumban, Laguna.
Confirm fitting schedules with your couturier and provide those concerned with a copy of these dates. (for the entourage)
Trial HMUs with Clamar and Anne Castano.
Prenup pictorials with Mimi (August 24).
Attend pre-cana seminar (20th of August). Upgrade to aircon and pay balance.
Finalize on the menu with Anne of The Palms. Food tasting (August 19).
Order the bridal accessories and paraphernalia.
Get a complete medical check-up.
Get NBI clearance.
Civil wedding (26th of August).
Personally deliver invitations to your primary sponsors.
Meet with mother butler of St James to decide on floral arrangements for the ceremony.

3 months before (september 2005)
Work part-time na lang.
Set an appointment with your wedding officiant for pre-marital counseling.
Submit marriage certificate to officiant or his assistant. Be sure to give all needed documents.
Have missalettes printed. This should give you ample time for corrections.
Shop for your undergarments.
Order and finalize design for wedding cake.
Complete gifts for the sponsors (if needed).
Finalize décor details with the florist, if needed arrange for a mock set-up.
Re-confirm with the musicians and choose songs for the ceremony and the reception.
Start working on your reception program.
Invite participants for your reception program and check their availability like a friend who will sing.
Pay the Palms (50%).
Prepare your AVP if desired.
Organize your calendar to accommodate all pre-wedding affairs (shower parties, etc).
Finalize your arrangement with your make-up artist/hairdresser of your choice.
Arrange for purchase of liquor or bar requirements with the reception venue.
Have passport and other IDs amended. Then, apply for a spouse visa.

+++++
yipee! august is finally here and we're tying the knot soon!!! :D

joseph will be coming home earlier than planned -- all because we wanted to keep everything legal, just in case the embassy comes snooping around. he will be here on the 13th. this just means more quality time with my sweetie. yey! :D

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got the entourage card inserts from QP yesterday. we can now start assembling the invitations so when joseph comes home, we can take them na to the calligrapher.

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went to Veluz yesterday too and got the pattern for the embroidery on my gown, shoes and bag. she also drew some sketches of the female entourage's gowns and also for my mom.

up next: will order eight yards of piña silk from La Herminia and will bring it to Lumban, Laguna for embroidery next week. we are considering Veluz' burdadista who goes by the name Mrs. Añonuevo.