Day 48: Pre-Wedding Celebrations

after we finally counted our guests and their plus ones, we recognized with regret that we can't gather them all to witness our wedding. of course we cannot simply uninvite them. here's one brilliant idea: a month before the big day, preferably on weekends as i intend to take my leave two weeks prior to the BIG day,  we'd hop on to three locations - puerto princesa, pangasinan and sorsogon. that's not in any particular order yet. on each place, we'd bring together relatives and friends to dine with us and party. cris and i will be wearing the same dress for all occasion to keep up with a 3-in-1 theme. and so will the entourage, if any. we'll play the video on the actual wedding reception. 

uhm, so instead of one grand reception, i'm planning three more. suicidal, right?

Day 47: Skin Care 3

while the metro and other parts of the country is being ravaged by typhoon juaning, there's an insane woman braving the storm to meet with her dermatologist. all in the name of beauty and perfect wedding. with all her courage and determination, she endured seething pain that seemed to last for eternity. ouch, facials hurt! *cranky face here*

Day 46: Wedding Planners

i'm hooting one complain to cris: that i feel like planning this whole wedding on my own. well, surprise, surprise! my techy boyfriend had an application for wedding planning installed in his new cellphone. the same planner i have printed on a magazine which i kept under the bed. ok, ok, i'm behind technology for that. 

so today, we gave our wedding some serious planning. we started pinning money on accounts we would spend much like venue, video + photography, ring and gown. gulp! that expensive? so we jumped to listing guests on each side. gulp again! that many? we realized we need to roll our sleeves and keep our thinking caps on, there's just too much to consider. aaaargh, we ended having headaches.

Day 45: Contact Lens

i am totally against wearing glasses on my wedding. for one, no princess wears eye glasses, right? also i'd be spending bucks for the make up, i wouldn't hide it under frames. since, i can't focus without glasses, my best option is to wear contact lenses. i'm not a great fan of it, in fact, i haven't worn contact lenses before.

i'll start wearing contact lenses a month before the wedding just so i can get used to it. i'm thinking of using coloured lenses. dark brown will enhance my eyes' natural colour and i think it'll blend well with my motiff.

Day 44: Table of Travels 2

here's some good news: this weekend, i just added another destination to my table of travels. yey! the bad news: i'm still a couple short of places to complete the table tags. well, lady luck is on my side. there's a two-day holiday next month, on top of the weekend! hurray! i know i just arrived some hours ago but the thought of a long weekend makes my feet itch. 

my inspiration

Day 43: Secondary Sponsors

remember my dilemma on having a bunch of girl friends but limited entourage count? nikki suggested that i name a few of them as secondary sponsors of cord, veil and candle and the others as bridesmaids. well, i had that already in mind as i googled the wedding traditions. as of now, i have not much choice else i choose by drawing lots. but with that a new complication crops up. so who'd be secondary sponsors and who'd be bridesmaid? yes, this planning-thing is driving me crazier.

Day 42: Flower Girl

she's one of the flower girls: 

crishen

 

Day 41: Wedding Traditions

in the past i have attended couple of weddings as secondary sponsor. for whatever that means. yes, i was in for the sexy, silky, princess-cut gowns. in make ups and updos. a scene stealer at times. but now that i'm freaking over the bridesmaid that will complete my entourage, i curiously google the significance of the candle, coin, veil and cord. here's what the net says:

candle - the light of Christ and the love that the couple must keep aflame.

coin - symbolizes prosperity and the mutual promise of support

veil - the union of the couple as one, the silhouette of a house

cord - a symbol of the couples bond, that they are no longer two but joined together as one.

ok, knowing these wedding traditions did not help me decide  who will be bearers a.k.a sponsors for candle, coin, veil and cord. bummer!

Day 40: Health Up 3

i will be staying a little longer here at the office today. what a perfect time to update this blog! actually, i'm waiting for cris who maybe at this moment is burning some fats. no pun intended. last month, he eagerly bought some running shoes which promised him more calories burned for less work. but the last time i checked, they're still on the box, sealed and with receipt still hanging by the wrapper. yeah, poor shoes! now that he's decided to finally lose some weight, i ain't so sure if this is wedding-related or not. or whether he'd last a couple of days doing some rounds. let's hope he does.  

Day 39: Bridesmaids' Dresses

we are having a garden wedding. the ceremony is taking place during the day, if its in the morning or late in the afternoon, i cannot answer yet. for the nonce, i'm thinking cocktail-length dresses for the bridesmaids are plausible. it may be hot and sunny, so i'm being kind to my friends.

an A-line dress is getting good reviews. it suits all body sizes and shapes. the more popular styles are halter tops and some criss-crossing over the back. sleeveless, of course, for the chic and sassy look. on a personal note, i want a flowing fabric with ruffles and some beadworks. here's my inspiration, a creation of veejay floresca during one celebrity's wedding (photo by lito sy):

a red of this would be perfect...

Day 38: Bridesmaids

i'm presently stressing over which of my lovable girl friends will be by bridesmaids. yes, a bunch of them, and i only need to pick 5! eenie meenie miney mo!

Day 37: Flower Arrangements

recently, i suggested to cris that we avail the services of my friend, whose work impressed me so much, to do the flower arrangement during the wedding. my friend is a straight 'he'. i even showed pictures of his recent creations in FB to convince cris. but, hey, cris rejected my proposition and stated matter-of-factly that the son of his boss will do the job. whoah! that's another 'he'. is flower arranging really a guy-thing now? just asking! :-)

Day 36: Guest Book

i'm on the look out for a wedding guest book. something that the guests will enjoy signing. i'm a big fan of scrapbooks, so i'm making my most ambitious scrapbook so far. but first, and like my previous posts, i'm putting together our pictures, i told you there's not much, mementos and notes, perhaps. compile and make a book out of these stuffs. blank pages will be provided so guests can write their thoughts and wishes using brightly colored pens. something like this:

 

Day 35: Music & Entertainment

 DJs cost too much for a wedding, that i'll skip. i'm presently putting together songs cris and i both like. i'll have music playlist burned to CDs for the occassion. i just need an application to matte-finish the CD cover. i did something like that way back in college, i just have to remember how. and oh, cris mumbled about guesting some local singers for the wedding, i still have to confirm about that and blog here for updates. or maybe we'll just surprise the guests on the reception!

Day 34: Fireworks

i want my wedding blasting with fireworks display! a perfect finale for my perfect day!

Day 33: Table of Travels

i'm busy scouting for accommodations and tour packages for another out-of-town trip with cris. mostly, i do the preps and i haggle for cheaper rates. cris mocks how cheapskate i am. oh, well, i'm footing the bill so i should get more of my money's worth. in fairness, spendthrift cris takes care of anything food-related during the travel.

as i browsed albums after albums of places we journeyed together, i had this idea to show-off the wonders of these tourist spots at the reception. instead of numbers, tables will be labeled with destinations we've been to. but hmmm i have to find pictures of us together. there's not much, cris is 'camera-shy', he'd rather be behind the lens. as for me, ahem, see my FB, i always have the best view with me!

Day 32: Teeth Whitening

click. click. click. i just set a date with a dentist. hehehe i'm using this wedding-thing again as an excuse to go vain. i'm due for a teeth whitening this weekend! well, i'll be wearing a smile all day long on my wedding, most will be captured in photos. i wouldn't want to parade in my white gown baring yellow-tinged teeth. so eeew, di ba?

i'm giving it a try now. its another work in progress, i would have to keep my patience on. again, pain is beauty! i'm loving this wedding preparation! :-)

Day 31: Budgeting 102

were not yet due for payment with our suppliers, so today i invested to a money placement which is a cross between mutual funds and time deposit the small savings i have. its a risk i was willing to take despite knowing that pre-termination is not allowed until  maturity date. looking at the bright side, in this way, i will really not be tempted to withdraw any while my savings is earning a little interest. on top of that, i'm saving anew for some short term needs, so still i'm on a tipid-mode.

Day 30: Wedding Rites

since i wouldn't be having a catholic-rites wedding, i'm doing some research on what to expect from a baptist ceremony. not much i can tell except perhaps that the occasion is officiated by a pastor. i have to ask around, there may be requirements or restrictions i may miss out. and oh, where do we attend premarital counseling, his church or mine? anna, help!

Day 29: Bridal Shower

before i get myself funky and drunk tonight, hey i'm thinking about bridal shower! yes, i am excited like that. still a year and i'm already dreamy of singlehood send-off party. and then the setback. my girl friends are cities away, and probably would be here a day before the big day. i absolutely cannot stay late the last night i would be single. although i'm sure i wouldn't be getting much sleep, who would? 

but i want a wedding shower. if only to see my girl friends reunited once more. i'm thinking of a morning tea party. or picnic. with pastries. and coffee. and hmmm... ice cream or yogurt. everything sweet and sassy. and the girls? all in their pastel-colored sunday dress! who's attending?

Day 28: Bridal Nail Care

call me OC, but after my posts on makeup and hairstyle, i am blogging about nails this time around. as days loom nearer, i know i'll have plenty to worry about. so while schedules are not too tight yet, i'm giving attention to things that i 'll probably take for granted soon. take for example - NAILS *insert grin here*

on regular days, i wear my nails naturally. if polish is a must, i pick light prom-pink for the sweet innocent look, hahah! i'll try some nail arts on my wedding day. but as much as i love red and that is my main motif, sorry to disappoint everyone, i'm not wearing red! i find that color for nails a little skanky. at least for me. here's what i find appealing:

elegant, right?

Day 27: 'No Make Up' Makeup

we used to believe that weddings are all about the bridal gowns. but after shots were taken and pictures glammed up in albums, its the face - makeup and hairstyle - that go down in history.

while browsing the website of Preview Magazine, i found their article on bridal make-up with a modern vintage finish worth a consideration.

washes of sheer pinks and berries. eyes were brightened with thick liquid liner on the lashes and shades of pearl and rose blended out, the intensity concentrated on the outer corners.  a duty rose brushed on the cheeks. sheer glossy raspberry on the lips.

 see more of the article here...

Day 26: Bridal Hairstyle

if there's anything we should learn from the recent royal wedding of Prince William and Kate, it's that everyone took notice of how the bride looks, wears, talks and acts. kate was the object of scrutiny from head to foot. today left me serious thoughts on how to wear my hair on my royal moment...

long locks are stylish but a formal classic updo is just my personality. plus its glamorous, elegant and again... dramatic! topped with glittery and bejeweled accessories. nah, i ditched the idea of wearing a tiara after my fashion consultant, i mean fiance, said that has long gone out of style. here's my inspiration:

Day 25: Skin Care 2

remember how i sought professional help to improve the appearance of my facial skin? all in the name of 'wedding'? well,  i just had my second session of chemexfoliation. and this time, it hurts, big time! end of entry...

Day 24: Chloe On Our Wedding

chloe doesn't really need any introduction, i talk nonchalantly about her. when i'm around my mommy-girl friends who chatter about married life and their babies' many firsts, ehem, i bragged about chloe too, heheheh. having a dog keeps me grounded and makes me walk everyday, i even sleepwalk at night!

to make up for neglecting her last saturday because i  rooted for Shia LaBeouf and some transforming robots, i took chloe to the salon today and gave her a much deserved pampering. i don't think she likes water and shampoo but i know she loves the  squeaky-clean feeling afterwards. while waiting, i toured around the pet  shop, and voila, i saw a red doggie dress. normally, i don't believe in dressing up dogs, except on some occasions. i know this may sound bananas but chloe is joining us on our wedding and will parade wearing something like this:

cute, isn't it?

Day 23: Wedding Songs 2

relative to my previous post,  a while ago, cris asked me for some pen and paper. before that he was on a disturb-me-at-your-own-risk attitude, ogle-eyed on his new gadget of affection. from afar i saw him scribbling while still gaze-locked on his phone. then, he got up and danced around as he proudly showed me a list of songs he wanted to be played on our wedding. finally, some contribution to this one-woman-planning event a.k.a wedding. 

we checked his choice of songs, nah, i had to shake off my head to oldies despite goodies music. oh, and we danced some of it, a rehersal of some kind.  i think we did more laughing than dancing. i hope we won't appear psychologically challenged (read: idiots) on our big day!

Day 22: First Dance

have i told you all that cris is my personal comedian? that he makes me laugh harder than you can imagine? true, behind his nerdy glasses is a naturally goofy person, aside from being quirky and bright. in one of  our out-of-town trips, he caused a foreigner who was very reserved and tongue-tied for the entire duration of the tour to burst out laughing. cris wasn't even trying. did i say, his comedy antics are really really contagious? when we crack each other up, riot follows!

and cris comes up with the most random things out of nowhere. when our relationship was still young and budding, cris, in his boy-next-door smile, asked me for a dance. i asked skeptically, "where's the music?" but he just held my hands and replied "i will sing". romantic, right? and he started right on "bawat yugto ng sandali halos di ko alam, naglalakbay ang diwa sa ligayang nakamtan, gamot na bawal ay ayaw ko nang tigilan hinahanap-hanap ko at inaasam..." and when i started to complain in between laughters and giggles, he explained thats the very song he knew the lyrics of. *insert smiley ROFL*

i'm posting here because cris was having this lunatic idea to  play 'bawal na gamot' for our first dance. call me 'kill joy' but now that i spoiled the fun, he wouldn't be too insistent on it anymore. bleh!

Day 21: Cake Topper

while the yuppies of the world are out tonight for the friday-night-gimik, there's a couple who's not joining the rest of the world. ok, that cris and i, hahaha! for lack of better things to do, we trot in our favorite mall. we used to hang around there when chloe wasn't yet with me. watching movies one after the other, pig out, shop, read books... things change when chloe arrived. anyway, while lousily walking around the mall, we noticed a stall which makes personalized mini-me figures. so we thought, not bad for a wedding cake topper. it's just a lot costly than the ordinary toppers we see on cakes. but we'll get to see our funny self in a miniature version, right?