Planning Our Wedding ...

"Why is it that everything leading up to "I DO" involves a flurry of " TO DO's"? 

I can say that being engaged for a year is enough for us (Allen and I) to prepare the wedding we want.  Based from my experience as an event specialist, whether a couple plan to walk down the aisle one year or one month from now, they need to ponder the following questions

1) How much time do they have?

Aside from the fact that Allen and I will be needing couple of months to cover our wedding expenses, we really want to have a long engagement so that we can plan our wedding very well., for this is once in a life time event for us, well of course I am looking forward for our 25th and 50th wedding anniversary but of course, for sure our first wedding event will be the most memorable one.  Also, I believe if it is a long engagement like one year or more, the couple may find free time during the middle of their engagement. :)

(2) How elaborate do the couple want their occasion to be?

Every couple specially the bride would always wanted to have everything on their wedding day and some of these are only nice to have.  If the couple is very particular and very elaborate on their occasion I can say that they should think realistically about what they can accomplish in terms of their budget and time.  This is one thing I've learned not because I am into events business but I've learned this as being a bride to be....

Often times Allen and I discuss every wedding elements and rank them from most important to least.  We tackle things that we know we have the resources, we make sure that we are on the same page about the overall feel of our wedding... of course Allen and I don't want to spend the entire engagement arguing as I 'd mentioned on my previous blog we want to enjoy this phase of our lives.

3) Who's helping the couple plan and pay the bills?  

 

Allen and I are so blessed for having such a supportive family.  Our families specially our immediate family are always there to help us plan our wedding, and one thing that Allen and I are very thankful of - is that our family always respect our decision for every wedding plans we have.  They will just give recommendations or suggestions but of course the decision will be finalized by us - Allen and I.

I have encountered a lot of couples who are encountering challenges like most of their family specially their parents are taking over of their wedding plans and at the end they will find that  their wedding plans are get invaded by other people's ideas.  Always remember the fact, that this is your wedding and not your parents' wedding nor any other person's wedding.  I guess I can say, that Allen and I are blessed for we don't have any challenges like this.

One of the greatest challenge Allen and I have now is the fact that we plan and prepare our wedding separately (I'm referring to physical) since I am currently working here in US and Allen is working in the Philippines. Despite of our situation, Allen and I make sure to communicate every wedding details and wedding preparations through some technologies Allen and I are being utilized.  Since, Allen and I are both IT graduate, we are making use of the following technologies that help us plan and prepare our wedding together:

• Email - Allen and I signed up one email account (allen.raine2010@gmail.com) this is the email address that we give to all our wedding suppliers and potential suppliers, so that anyone of us can check it. 
• Smart phones -  Having a smart phone (blackberry for me, Nokia E series for Allen) make our communication very easily, we receive email with pictures attachment - so every time each one of us encountered pictures of some wedding inspiration we can easily exchange pictures and ideas thru email and receive it via mobile.  Aside from that, we can even chat (Yahoo Messenger) via our phone and through Skype mobile we can easily call each other anytime with no long distance charge :)
•  Wedding Wire (www.weddingwire.com) - this is the tool that Allen and I are using to monitor all our wedding activities online.  Wedding wire is a software that offers online search, project planning, and community tools for assisting with the wedding planning process.  This tool is not only good for couple but for vendors or suppliers as well.  It has a lot of planning tools available for the couple, some of the tools Allen and I are currently using:
• Wedding website - www.weddingwire.com/allenraine 
• Checklist - this is where Allen and I monitor our to do's and check if we are still on track.  It has a reminder notification if such activity is due. 
• Budget -  this is where Allen and I monitor and track our wedding expenses
• Vendor - this is where Allen and I manage all our vendors all suppliers
• Guests - this is where Allen and I manage all our wedding guests.  It has an online RSVP tool that we can easily track confirmed guests 
• Others (too many to mention)

Well, I can say Allen and I simplifies our wedding planning by leveraging technology good thing we are fond of using those technologies.  But what keeps our wedding plans and preparations on time despite of our distance is the fact that I have a very hands-on groom. 

I am so thankful for having such a very hands-on groom, Allen do most of the legwork of our wedding preparations such as meeting up with the suppliers,  signing of contract to our suppliers, ocular, canvass, etc.  I know it would be more fun if we do things together... but this is what we have now. We are just thankful that despite of the distance Allen and I have, not to mention the time difference... I can say both of us are having fun planning and preparing our wedding, and that is what really matter to both of us  :)

 wedding meeting with honey via skype :)

Save The Date....

A "Save The Date" is an item stating the date of a wedding so that the guests or recipients will know and will keep that date free.  It is usually in a form of a card / post card, it can be a refrigerator magnet, or any unique item.  A "Save The Date" are then usually followed by a formal wedding invitation. 

So when to have a "Save The Date" ?  If a couple is marrying during high-travel times like holiday weekend just like our wedding date "January 2, 2011" wherein new year's party and family reunion is usually being celebrated, a "save the date" is an expected courtesy. And having a "save the date" will give our guests specially our guests who are part of the entourage the heads up about our wedding plans, like we are planning to have an out of town wedding in Tagaytay.  

When do we send them?  Well, they said as a general rule, it's best to start spreading the wedding plans at around six months prior to the wedding date and eight months for out of town wedding.  This gives the guests plenty of time to book their travel, save a bit of cash, and of course, ask for the days off from work.  Any earlier is better, if it is given later it might as well be an invitation... 

Allen and I with the help of my brother already drafted and finalized our "save the date" and to follow our timeline we need to distribute it this 1st and 2nd week of May 2010.... Below is our "fairy tale save the date" made by Francis.

As per my opinion as a wedding specialist, there is no need to send "save the date" to everyone.  "Save the date" should be given first to guests who are part of the entourage and liturgical participants and guests  that you definitely want to attend.  Of course, we don't want to print 100 "save the date" that is not environmental friendly... so emailing it to our guests  will be the cheapest way to distribute "save the date", except for the guests who are part of the entourage, of course we have to meet them personally out of courtesy specially to our "ninongs" and "ninangs" to invite them. :)  Also, it is always a best idea to give them a means on how to get their response, an online RSVP is a very good tool, the way Allen and I did. 

Wedding etiquette tip - If someone receives a save-the-date and will be unable to attend, they are likely to offer regrets far in advance. You still need to send a wedding invitation as a common courtesy.





 

Wedding Logo ....

April 25, 2010 wedding mode day - my brother named Francis who is a graphic designer here in US initiated to do our wedding logo ... Allen and I are so much thankful for his offer... and we were overwhelmed with the output.... 

My brother presented us two layout, we had chosen layout 2 and made some comments to polish it and below is what we've got. 

Thank you so much bro! 

The making of our wedding logo

- by Francis (Faye's brother)

Allen and Faye -  fairytale wedding logo

Happily Ever After..... (Wedding Theme and Motif Preparations...)

After the wedding date is set, wedding theme is one of the next thing the bride and the groom need to think about.  It is because, wedding theme will have something to do with the venue and other details of the wedding. 

Allen and I did not think of having a wedding theme. What we have consider is just to have a wedding color motif.  Before we book our ceremony and reception venue San Antonio De Padua and Taal Vista, Allen and I had discussed what wedding color we may use and these are: (1) Chocolate Brown and Turquoise, (2) Black and White, (3) Royal blue and Silver.  

These are the colors that we really like, but of course we have to choose 1 set of colors. And we came up of having Chocolate Brown, Turquoise, with the touch of silver.  Why chocolate brown? - Allen and I are really bias on this color, specially when choosing our garments most of them are in shades of brown.  Why Turquoise? - blue is my favorite color, since we cannot pair blue to brown because they are both dark, we check the color palette and check colors with shade of blue that can be combine to chocolate brown, and that is how we came up with Turquoise.  And since, we want it to be more elegant we added the color silver for an accent. :)

April 8, 2010 - we went to Joann (a fabric and craft store at Del Amo Mall - Torrance California) to finalize our wedding color, with the help of my brother who is a graphic artist.  We came up on the swatches below:

While planning is still on-going, we came up with an idea of having a fairytale wedding - since Allen and I really dream of this wedding since Year 2008 and now  that it  is happening because we keep on believing... as the song goes "No matter how your heart is grieving, If you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true"....

But having a wedding theme is really expensive, for the fact that you have to coincide every wedding details such as the arrangement, wedding favors, invitations, etc.  And deciding a wedding theme should come first before booking a venue - because the look of the venue shall coincide with the theme.  (For a fairytale venue - a bride and groom can consider to have garden venue such as fernwood, fernbrook, etc)  

Anyway, Allen and I already have our wedding venue before we came up with our wedding theme. For us not to spend so much with our wedding theme,  Allen and I decided to have an elegant fairytale wedding theme to some of our wedding favors only and that includes our wedding motto "Happily Ever After", our wedding logo, wedding stationery,  and other wedding favors that we can afford.  For  Allen and I had promised that we will stick to our budget, since we really want to save for our house and business.

Below are some of the fairytale wedding favors inspiration we have... 

Having a fairytale wedding is unlimited, there is no limit the way Allen and I can really go and plan the wedding of our dreams. Every little of our wedding plans and preparations may be touched by a magic wand, with the help of our Godmothers (I'm referring to our family and friends).  I can say, this is the start of our "Happily Ever After".

Planning A Wedding ...

One of my objective of having a wedding website is to share how Allen and I plan and prepare for our big day. Eventually, I want this site to come in handy for existing and future clients of my events coordination business. (Can't wait to be a full time event planner again...)

Yes, I am a wedding coordinator, a planner, an event specialist by heart.  It is my passion to do all the nitty-gritty details that come with conceptualizing, designing, and coordinating an event, most specially social events. I really love doing it specially for others... but now planning and preparing for my own wedding is really different, different in positive ways - for little by little I am having more fun doing it for me and Allen.... though I know more friends and family are expecting too much that our wedding day will be a perfect wedding, for they know that coordinating and planning a wedding is just a piece of cake for me. 

But I usually say this to our clients there will be no perfect wedding unless they enjoy their big day... of course unavoidable circumstances may come but if you'll get affected on it, for sure your big day will not become a happy day .... 

A professional coordinators will always do their best and find ways to avoid these circumstances, but of course there will be situations that may happen beyond their control... and sometimes these situation happens whenever bride and groom do not listen and trust their coordinator.  Just to mention one good example, one of the task of a coordinator is to conduct "time check" and monitor if "certain activity is still on time e.g. pictorial"..... some couple ignore this whenever a coordinator keeps on reminding them that time is up... of course a professional coordinator would love to maximize all your event suppliers but if you don't follow them expect that it will have an effect ..... like reception program will be delayed, guests might get bored of waiting and eventually they might leave the program early.  


Oh well, I am hoping that Allen and I might not encounter these situations ... we are hoping to have a good working relationship to whomever wedding coordinator we will hire on our wedding day.  ----- Yes Allen and I decided not to have OEtAl resources (event assistant and business partners) to work on our wedding day, for we want them to be part of our big day as guests and friends.

For now, Allen and I promise to enjoy each wedding preparation.  For we both believe that planning and preparing a wedding is supposed to be a joyful experience and not a painful process of "Do This" and "Do That".

Wedding Date and Venues

It was only this month of March 2010 when Allen and I finalized our wedding date.  Of course,  we really wanted the 10.10.10 we started scouting for a venue October of 2009 but I guess we were too late then because we cannot find for available ceremony venue that we prefer.  Most of our relatives suggested to have it on December since it will be a good month for reunion as well, so Allen and I decided to have our wedding date the same wedding date of my parents - December 18.  And since December is the month wherein most couples in the Philippines are getting married; again, we can't find a venue that we prefer.  Our Lady of Lourdes in tagaytay and Taal Vista Hotel is already booked on that date. 

Allen and I crossed out Taal Vista and Our Lady of Lourdes venues.  We became interested at Madre De Dios Chapel and Tagaytay Highlands for our venues.  Again, December 18 is already booked  and Tagaytay Highlands offer Jan 2, 2011. So Allen and I discussed of that date, and we came up with the idea of why not make it Jan 2, since it's new year then and it will be a new ... new year for both of us ... a new good beginning as real husband and wife...  Our parents both agreed on that date as well :)

As a very hands on groom Allen pencil book Madre De Dios and Highlands and had his ocular 1st weekend of March 2010.  Ate Maris (my sister) with my niece Ken and his ate Fe joined Allen at Highlands and I am so much thankful for having a very supportive family specially my sis.

Allen likes the place so much but according to him and to my sister it was too far and it will be very inconvenient for our guests to attend specially those guests who will come from far places.  Again crossed out the venue, then Allen told me why not inquire again at Taal Vista since we already change our wedding date.  Luckily, Taal Vista is available on Jan 2, 2011 at the ballroom hall that Allen and I wanted (ballroom 1 new wing).  We made a booking right away then scout for church since Our Lady of Lourdes is not available on Jan 2, 2011 --  San Antonio De Padua became our 2nd option for our ceremony venue.  Allen had his ocular last March 14, 2010 at San Antonio De Padua and made his booking, he told me that San Antonio De Padua now became his 1st choice because of its very peaceful and solemn location.

Finally, venues are now set..... can't wait to prepare the other details of our wedding :) 

Ceremony venue pictures taken by Allen during his ocular :)

 San Antonio De Padua Quasi Church - front view

 San Antonio De Padua Quasi Church - inside view 

  San Antonio De Padua Quasi Church - outside view (with our car Lois')

Ate Maris and Kenichi having fun at Tagaytay Highlands