//WE Magazine's Beautiful Weddings 2008

Do check out Wedding Essentials Magazine's Beautiful Weddings 2008. On pages 158-160 is a secret I've been trying to keep from my friends - my article about our wedding! We got a confrimation that our story was selected only when we got a copy of the magazine.

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(PRESS RELEASE) Who doesn’t like a beautiful wedding? Whether you’re planning one, or are already married, few can resist the allure of looking at photographs of lovely wedding details and reading the stories of how these lovely weddings were put together.

People read wedding magazines for inspiration, and Beautiful Weddings, from the same team that is responsible for elegant Wedding Essentials {WE}, the bestselling wedding magazine, and Wedding Essentials: Destination Weddings presents the 2008 edition of Beautiful Weddings.

Beautiful Weddings features tips on styling the wedding entourage, menus to savor, real bride makeovers, and even advice for plus-size brides using real plus-size brides to be.

But the heart of Beautiful Weddings are the wedding stories. Over 200 wonderful entries were submitted for consideration, and with difficulty, the {WE} team, headed by quintessential editor Marbee Shing-Go and talented art director Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, finally chose the 30 weddings which best embodied the spirit of Beautiful Weddings. With touching stories, inspiring ideas, and lovely details, each wedding story was unique in itself.

An additional surprise, a first in the history of Philippine publishing, were the 30 individual covers of Beautiful Weddings (in addition to the regular cover), each featuring one of the 30 weddings. Talk about a memento you can’t get anywhere else! Couples featured in Beautiful Weddings 2008 each received their own copy of their customized covers; as a special service to each couple, their relatives and friends can order these covers through the couple themselves.

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Snagged from http://www.weddingsatwork.com/wawnewsblog/2008/10/14/whoa-wes-beautiful-weddings-2008-has-30-different-covers/

Here's a copy of our own cover. Don't have a copy of it yet though.

//national family day

22 September 2008, National Family Day - An initiative that encourages parents to sit down to have dinner with their children. According to a study, children who regularly eat dinner with their families are less prone to substance abuse, and are more likely to have better grades.

I guess it doesn't hurt to start early, so this evening, I decided to cook something special for Janice and our little boy Gyro. I found the recipe in the latest Yummy Magazine, but thought I'd do something different my marinating the chicken in a mixture of lemon, mandarin orange, white wine and garlic powder, using rosemary as an additional spice, and adding sliced peaches as sidings. I call it citrus glazed lemon chicken.

Now Janice is having a little problem with trying to stick to her weight gain plan. Each time we visit our OB, we get reprimanded for exceeding the month's weight gain target.

We think we know why. =D

//thank You

... for keeping our baby boy healthy.

... that we finally have a nickname for baby gabriel eduardo.

...we are humbled by Your perfect love for imperfect beings like us.

//real men cry at weddings

One of the things you learn is that some events highlight the things that are easily taken for granted.

Such is the case of our wedding. I am now convinced that what makes our wedding so beautiful, wasn't just how Janice and I experienced it, but what it meant to people who love us.

One of these people is a friend we fondly call Stip. Stip was not the kind of friend that you might call as someone who is simply "a friend of the couple" because Janice and I have built a this fondness with him separately.

Stip is a complex individual hence it is easy to misinterpret his motives and his intentions, what with his unconventional mix of interests. A guy who does a lot of intellectually challenging (read:nerdy) work for the refinery, he is also the guy you need to liven up any party. You'll either find him partying or climbing a mountain or shooting plastic pellets during weekends, but despite his inclination for the active life, he is the kind of guy who'll take you out for a drink to talk about your heartaches. Simply put, he's the kind of guy you can depend on, rain or shine.

Janice and I have always thought him to be mentos (hard on the outside, soft on the inside), but it was only after he posted his own personal account of our wedding in his blog that we got some proof to reinforce this. It feels great to know that our wedding truly has become an event not only for the bride and groom, but for those people who have known each of us as separate individuals, and who have been a part of our journey as a couple.

Stip is celebrating his birthday next week. I remember a time when we always gave each other small gifts on the other's birthday. While I may never be able to express my gratitude for his friendship, I am hoping that with these words, I am able to at least let him know that it is an honor to be the first couple to ever make him cry at their wedding.

Happy Birthday Bro. =)

//onsite wedding video

the onsite video, by chug cadiogan of reel deal video, can be viewed here:

http://reeldealvideo.com/blog/?p=206

thanks chug! we'll see you in may!

Confessions of a Hands-On Groom

Three days to go.

You'd think that by now, I'd start to get cold feet. On the contrary, I'm actually excited about our wedding.

Although Janice and I started preparing for our wedding day a little over 11 months ago, my own personal preparations have begun much earlier than that Sunday morning in Tagaytay. Around two months before I popped the question, I have studied the ins and outs of buying an engagement ring. Add to this the "buwelo" I had to gather before I started to make my move, I'd say I have been preparing myself for almost 2 years now.

I will never be able to recall a defining moment in our relationship when I was finally sure that Janice would be the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. It was not a divine sign, nor a dramatic moment, nor a magical night underneath the stars, that led me to this conviction. In between the fears, the tears, the uncontrollable laughter we've shared, it just grew, and I knew, that our happy beginning is not a question of "if" but merely a question of when. As we nurtured our relationship, I was starting to pack my bags, preparing to take the train to marital bliss.

Preparing for a wedding is an adventure. Primarily because it is always your first time, and you will never be ready for it. You simply jump into the darkness, and learn along the way.

Weddings have traditionally been the bride's kind of thing. But having known a couple of male friends who themselves got their hands dirty with the bridal DIY glue, I was somehow encouraged that there is nothing wrong with me for being excited with all of these. I am proud to say that I am a hands-on groom. I was the one who found my bride's make-up artist, discussed the design of our unity candles with our online vendor, surfed the net for the perfect venue for our prenuptial pictorials, and a lot more, to the point that Janice claims I have done 90% of the work.

Sure, wedding preparations are fun. But the truth is, your wedding can only be as good as the effort you put into it. The truth is, there are elements you have to let go of, ideas that will never work out the way they were conjured in your head. The truth is, two people in love will disappoint and frustrate each other, either through miscommunication or negligence. The truth is, things will never work out perfectly the way they were planned. Preparing for a wedding is a roller coaster ride. It goes ups, comes down, it goes too fast then stalls; it takes a lot of fortitude and faith to keep the wheels rolling towards that envisioned destination.

It is during the homestretch that we discovered the value of Faith in our relationship. Barely 2 weeks into the wedding day, I found myself consoling my bride who was crying over her less than perfect wedding gown. I found myself trying to reassure her that things will be okay, as long as we have faith in Him and firmly believe that He is watching over us. A week into the wedding day, I found myself, with my faith dangerously wavering, trying to convince myself that all these things are trials from God, and that we should, as the Bible puts it, be joyful for them. Last Sunday, God once again manifested his Love for us, and turned things around. Janice now can't wait to march down the aisle with a wedding gown she loves.

Preparing for our wedding has been a long and exciting adventure for both of us. In our desire to make our dream wedding turn into reality, reality joined the fray and helped us grow together. Fate interfered and multiplied our faith a thousand fold. In preparing for our wedding together, we have now prepared ourselves for our marriage.

Our Partners

Officiating Priests: Fr. Ces Magsino & Fr. Gerry Garcia

Father Ces is a second cousin of Glenn's mom. A Philippine Science High School alumnus himself, Father Ces served as Glenn's spiritual advisor during his high school days in Pisay. Janice first met her in one of the family reunions in Batangas.

Father Gerry is a close family friend of the Castillo family. Having been a scholar of Glenn's lola when he was studying in the seminary, Fr. Gerry soon became the family's regular takbuhan for their religious and spiritual needs. Fr. Gerry officiated the wedding of Glenn's sister Ate Shirley to her husband Kuya Jojo, and baptized each of Glenn's pamangkins.

Church: Chapel on the Hill, Batulao, Batangas

It only took one visit for us to this Chapel to decide that this is the right place for us to exchange our vows. A small, intimate church resting on top of a hill in Mount Batulao in Nasugbu, the Chapel on the Hill, we instantly fell in love with the place because of the solemnity, serene environment, the cool breeze, the lovely view of Taal Lake, and the Labyrinth floor that the Chapel is known for.

Reception: Parasol Garden, Josephine Restaurant, Tagaytay City

This restaurant has always been a favorite place for both of us. Some of our favorite moments together were spent on the benches overlooking the lake. We never would have thought that this very same place will soon be witness to the celebration of one of the happiest days of our lives.

Photography: Nelwin Uy

http://www.nelwinuy.com/

Nelwin is one of our first W@W discoveries. We've heard of a lot of good things about Nelwin and we're very happy that he's now part of our team. A very down-to-earth guy, we knew the first time we met him that we'll have fun working with him and his wife Tei.

Videography: Reel Deal by Chug Cadiogan
http://reeldealvideo.com/

Chug has tons of talent, a wacky sense of humor, and high standards of professionalism. Having made the on-site video for Earl and Jackie's wedding, we were amazed at how finely crafted his work was, and how he was able to vividly capture the best moments of the wedding, in such a short time. We think he's a great discovery and it will only be a matter of time before his talent gets unraveled.

Wedding and Entourage Gown: Angelo's Barongs

Angelo's Barongs provided the wedding and entourage gowns for Janice's sister, Jackie, and Earl's wedding in 2006. Seeing their work, and how affordable their packages were, we decided to book them as well.

OTD Coordinator: Notions and Motions Events Management

http://eventsbureau.net/index.html

We met Hazel Evangelista at a Bridal Fair in PICC. On that day, we were not even looking for a wedding coordinator, and we just happened to drop by her booth. Janice's token questions to her turned into an animated discussion, and 30 minutes later, we walked out with a reservation for her services.

Hair and Makeup Artist: EJ Belen-Litiatco
http://ejblitiatco.multiply.com/





EJ is one of our favorite finds during our supplier hunt. From our shortlist of HMUAs, she was the only one who responded to our query within the day. EJ is a shy but very friendly person, and Janice immediately felt comfortable working with her during her trial makeup. Taday, her hair artist, has a special way of making clients feel relaxed: laughter! EJ's services come with a very special bonus: moral support and advice from her lovely mom!


Church and Reception Music: Serene8 All-in-One Ensemble

One of our finds from Weddings at Work, Serene8 is a versatile option for those who want to be practical without sacrificing quality.



Invitations: Printsonalities
http://www.printsonalities.com/

It took a second look before we finally decided to have our invitations made by Printsonalities. What started as a choice for practicality (they had an office in Edsa Shangrila Hotel) turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. Although their samples from previous clients are a far cry from what we had in mind, in terms of design and style, we were nevertheless convinced that they could deliver the goods.


Flowers: RCJC Flower Shop

Another discovery from Weddings at Work, their shop is located right at the center of Mendez Crossing in Tagaytay. The proprietor, Ms.Cora Perey, is simply so energetic that we were confident that our flowers are handled by professionals who knew what their craft.

Bridal Car: Charlie Alvarez

Have you seen those vintage Jaguars that are so magnificently brandished in a lot of wedding photos? This guy owns them. And drives them in those weddings! A former president of the Philippine Vintage Car Club, he is a true hobbyist. We visited his home in Mandaluyong City, and we were surprised at how he and her wife were so pleasant and so easy to talk to.


Custom Jewelry: Rose Celine Javalera
http://linlingo.multiply.com/

We will probably never remember how we chanced upon her website, but we were truly impressed with her work. Lin is an entrepreneur who has her hands on a lot of ventures, and jewelry making is probably more of a hobby than a business to her.


Unity Candles: Junlyn Miranda
http://unitycandles.multiply.com/

We first met Junlyn in a bridal fair in Rockwell. Her work caught her attention but it was only after we realized that we couldn't possibly do our Unity Candles ourselves that we decided to contact her with the help of Weddings at Work. Each of her Unity Candles are unique, and she designs and creates them according your theme.

Wedding Resource: Weddings at Work
http://www.weddingsatwork.com/

Glenn joined the W@W mailing list and did 90% of his supplier search from there. What a bright idea it is turning out to be!