Jericho and Christine
Jericho and Christine were married last Nov. 22, 2014.
Motif and Theme
We chose aqua because we are both divers so we wanted something close to the ocean. We also wanted our wedding to be timeless and elegant.
What were your fears prior to the wedding? How did you deal with it?
I was really worried about the attendance of the guests. A week prior to the wedding and there are still a lot who have not confirmed their attendance or those who gave very vague answers as to whether they are coming or not.
In the end, we just made a safe estimate for the caterer and stylist on how many attendees are confirmed plus a buffer table for contingency. Good thing we trusted the advise of our wedding planner.
Church: Notre Dame de Vie Chapel- Fernbrook Gardens
We booked the venue one week after our engagement. I have nothing but good words to say about Fernbrook and how our account executive, Kaira, handled our account. Sobrang dali kausap. We brought our own priest, too (my husband’s high school classmate) and had no problems with the chapel.
Wedding Planner/ Coordinator: The 3rd Party Wedding Planners
With more than 15 years in the wedding industry, these guys really know what they are doing. I’ve seen coordinators who are “sabog” during the wedding day but these guys really set the bar for being professionals. After the wedding I had at least three guests who asked who our coordinators were because bilib daw sila sa kinuha namin.
We got the full coordination package and I could say that it was really worth it. They helped us in choosing the best suppliers but at the same time they never insisted on anything we didn’t like. I really appreciated their honest advice and feedback and they do not take commissions from suppliers that we booked. Malaking tulong din sila in getting discounts kasi they are well-known in the industry.
One month before the wedding, they have already finalized everything with our other suppliers and even made avery detailed three-day schedule for us before, during, and after the wedding day. During the wedding, I was totally relaxed because I knew that these guys would be taking charge of everything.
One of the best advice that we took from previously married friends is to invest in a good wedding planner. I’m really glad that we had the them to help us every step of the way. Yes, these guys are not cheap but they are totally worth it!
Wedding Gown: Edwin Tan
At first I was really hesitant to have my gown made by Edwin because I know that he is a celebrity designer. We first went to Adorata Weddings, their RTW shop where all their lovely gowns are reasonably priced. Akala ko he’s masungit but nooo, he’s one of the nicest and most down-to-earth people I’ve ever met.
After trying on three gowns, I still didn’t get the “this is it!” feeling so he looked at my pegs and started to sketch a gown for me. Grabe, ang galing! First sketch pa lang, nakuha na nya agad. I really felt that I was looking at my dream gown right then and there. Our next meetings and fittings were held at their shop na in Wilson since I’m having a custom-made gown instead.
A month before the wedding I wanted to change something in the neckline of the gown and pumayag naman siya. In the photos, you’ll see that the gown looks quite heavy pero magaan lang talaga siya. I also liked the shimmery layer he used that gave off just the right amount of sparkle when hit by light.
Barongs (Groom, Fathers, Best Man): King Philip Tailors
Madali kausap. Perfect fit yung barongs (pants, too) and they delivered ahead of time. Highly recommended!
Entourage Gowns: Krystal Gail Gowns
Located in Pacita Complex, San Pedro, Laguna. Madali kausap yung owner, Ms. Regine, but you have to provide printouts of the design na ipapagaya mo and you also have to provide the fabric. Their beading and quality of work is excellent and that is why we chose them for our entourage. Hindi rin sila tipid sa beads and embellishments so good deal na.
Caterer: K by Cunanan Catering
One of the top comments from our guests is about how yummy the food was. Here’s our buffet menu:
1. Hoisin chicken wrap
2. Blinis with smoked salmon and dill
3. Mini prosciutto with pizza
4. Assorted bread with creamy pesto spread and liver pate
5. Broccoli and cheese soup
6. Insalata caprese with orange, walnuts and strawberry vinaigrette
7. Vongole pasta, tomatoes and pesto drizzle
8. Honey nut prawns
9. Japanese rolled chicken, teriyaki glaze, cheese and leeks
10. Slow cooked beef with cornbread and creamed spinach
11. Organic Lechon c/o Hecky’s
12. Carrot rice
13. Banoffee
14. Strawberry and cream cheese crepe
15. Apple crumble with vanilla ice cream
16. Mango panna cotta
17. White chocolate cake
18. Raspberry Iced Tea
19. Brewed coffee and tarragon tea
Although we didn’t avail of their styling, they still exceeded our expectations because of the extras they provided and because of their great service. They even provided a wishing tree with personalized note cards since I found out at the last minute na wala pala kaming guest book. The name cards, menu cards, table numbers, cake and everything else were elegantly done, too.
Photo: Blacktie Project
We wanted a photographer who does a lot of creative shots and Blacktie did not disappoint. Their photos are artistically done and taken from all the right angles.
Secondary Photo: Jiggie Alejandrino
One of the best out there! We definitely made the right decision in getting Jiggie as backup. His team was one of the first to arrive at the hotel and even before the wedding, we always look forward to our meetings since they’re such a fun couple (he works with his wife). His photos are dramatic and well-composed, yet nothing looks staged. Ang galing talaga! He specializes in portraits and in using natural light.
Video: Ian Cruz Films
One of our favorite suppliers! When Ian found out that husband and I are both avid scuba divers, he immediately suggested that we do a unique Save-the-Date video, and even offered a special rate for it.
After doing our save the date, nagpa-certify din siya with his wife and they are now licensed divers ready to do more underwater videos. We have nothing but praises for him and his team. Sobrang bait, very humble!
During the wedding day, una sila dumating sa hotel and they immediately began filming. Since we’ve worked with them na on our save the date (we filmed it twice, on different locations) we were really at ease with them na. Yung SDE namin, we had no idea that it would turn out like that kasi he never instructed or directed us to do anything. Natural lang lahat. Kaya ang galing talaga how he put everything together.
I tell you, Ian Cruz works magic!
Bridal HMUA: Toto Bagamasbad
My gown designer was actually the one who highly recommended Toto for my hair and makeup. I was initially surprised that this guy is so hard to book! And now I know why: he’s really good. His team is composed of four jolly and nakakaaliw guys and they work wonders really fast.
Entourage and Prenup HMUA: Toni Aviles
My first choice as HMUA. I booked Toni one week after getting engaged even if we didn’t even have a set wedding date nor venue yet. She already did my makeup on three previous occasions and I really love her. I’ve also recommended her to fellow brides and they have nothing but praises for Toni. She has her own way of making you feel like a “Tonified” diyosa. Now if you follow her on Instagram, you’ll see just how good she is. Amazing talaga.
Prenup Stylist: Yvonne Camay
Since we already knew that we would fail miserably if we choose our own outfits for our prenup session, we decided to hire a stylist. Sa lahat ng pinagtanungan ko, Yvonne is one, who stood out kasi magaan agad loob ko sa kanya. Plus, her rates are ultra reasonable! She did not disappoint, too. Todo-asikaso kami on the pictorial day and her pegs really matched the place. Nothing tacky or ikakahiya namin a few years from now. I highly recommend getting a stylist for your prenup session lalo na pag you guys don’t have enough time (and creativity) on your hands. You won’t go wrong with Teacher Yvonne.
Florist (Ceremony): Scenta Flora
Easy to deal with. Nasunod yung mga bilin namin.
Bouquet Florist & Reception Stylist: Flowers Unlimited
Rolan did a marvelous job with the reception! He transformed it into a dream and even the guests were raving about how lovely and elegant the place was. They even had to check if the flowers were indeed real because they’re so pretty. Hindi matipid sa flowers si florist. No fillers, flowers talaga nilagay nila. Nasunod yung gusto ko na hydrangeas for the tables and bilin ko to keep things neat and elegant.
As for the bouquets, they used high-quality flowers. I had peonies as my bouquet, as suggested by Edwin Tan.
Wedding Preps Venue: The Bellevue Manila
Music (Ceremony & Reception): Anima Choir and Strings
Highly recommended! Ang galing nila. People cried because of their version of “A Thousand Years.” We also wanted to give a standing ovation when they sang “The Prayer” habang nasa church.
Gifts for Principal Sponsors: The Daily Green Store
So easy to deal with! Ang bilis pa ng production and very professional kausap. We had customized jewelry and watch boxes in our motif and monogram for our principal sponsors.
Gifts for Famale Entourage: Personalized Bracelets by Crissa Catalan
She used freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver for the bracelets. Nakalagay din yung initials ng abay in each bracelet. It came in a box with our motif and monogram too.
How did the WeddingsAtWork community help you during wedding preps?
WaW provided me with priceless insider information about suppliers and creative ideas for the wedding. The unbiased reviews from previous brides were extremely helpful in screening our suppliers.
What are the advantages/perks of being a WaWie?
Access to a real-life and unbiased treasure trove of wedding information. Being a member of this community saved me a lot of time, money, and heartache from choosing the wrong people to handle our wedding. Thanks to the reviews and help from fellow WaWies, I was able to fully enjoy planning one of the most memorable moments in my life.