Part 2: Suppliers’ Rating – Caterer, Photo & Video

Ratings would be as follows:
5 – Excellent!
4 – Well Done!
3 – Good Enough!
2 – Poor!
1 – Never Mind!


CATERER: ELOQUENTE

Rating: 4

Cost:
335/head – Anthurium Package (Includes: set-up, tiffany chairs for couple & VIP table, bridal car, cake, ice carving, guestbook, dove, wine & sword parade)
5,100 additional – cake upgrade
400 additional – choco fountain set up and operation
1,900 additional – fruits for choco fountain

SET-UP:
Memond and I love the set up! PSE Auditorium was dressed well. As we approach the venue ng grand entrance namin super natuwa kmi at nakuha pa namin magtinginan at magbulungan and we both said “Ang ganda!” Sabay taas ng mga swords ng mga waiters. Kala nmin 2 swords lng. They were 8 pla. Hehehe. Nakakatuwa! Feeling king and queen tuloy kmi as we walk down the red carpet along with “Father of the Bride” background music.

Guest Tables: Maganda rin naman kinalabasan though they didn’t follow the centerpiece we agreed on. It should have been tall white calla lilies binded with raffia instead of pink and white roses. Infairness with Eloquente they informed me naman the night before na wla cla mahanap na calla lilies – nahilo na daw sila sa kakaikot sa Dangwa. Ung pgkadress nila ng monoblock chairs are ok too, ok lng naman pla na hindi kmi nag upgrade to tiffany chairs. Hehehe.

VIP Tables: This is nice too! The centerpiece is cool though different kinds of flowers ang nilagay nila maganda ang kinalabasan. Meron pang capiz lumies.

Couple’s Table & Backdrop: The best of the all. How we love our table! Ganda ng flowers na ginamit sa table nmin, hindi sya ung the usual set up nila. We opted for the pillars background though nagagandahan ako sa trellis and gazebo kya lng d kasi bagay sa indoor mga un eh. Pillars are ok naman na, pero sana they used the same flowers tulad nung sa table nmin.

Cake Gazebo: D ako masyado nasiyahan with this one – parang ang masyadong makulay. Again, sana same flowers as our table. Not that bad naman :-)

Food Station: It was pleasing to the eyes and malinis at masarap tignan. Even ung chocolate fountain sinet-up and operated (pati pag melt ng bars of Belgian choco) nila ng maayos though kmi ang nag provide ng machine and dippings – for a low additional cost of 400. Additional 1,500 for extra fruit dippings

Generous naman sila in terms of set-up. They provided our extra requests such us, registration table, cocktail tables for the table planners and projector table – though extra – they provided good linens that match the set-up.

FOOD:

Menu:

http://raymond-rhia-weddingpreps.blogspot.com/2006/09/menu.html

Taste: Some of our guest says it’s masarap. Some naman says it’s maalat and matamis daw masyado ung macaroni salad – or bka maselan lng tlga sa food kasi mga Kapampangan mga nagsabi nito. Hehehe. I can’t comment that much sa food dhil hindi ko tlga sya ntikman. Pero atleast busog ang mga guest namin at hindi naubusan ng food.

Cake: The default free cake wasn’t that nice so we decided to upgrade, additional cost is 5k for fresh flowers – parang bumili na rin kmi, namamahalan kasi ako or sadyang kuripot lng. Hehehe. This was actually unbudgeted, kaya lng mukha daw kmi kawawa sabi ni Memond kung hindi kami upgrade – tapos birthday ko pa daw kya dapat lng na khit paano e maganda-ganda ang cake nmin. Mahigpit na pinagbilin namin na wag lalagyan ng figurine – aba nung cake cutting na gulat ako may bride and groom na figurine on top of our cake, gusting-gusto kong bunutin – I actually attempted to remove it pero madikit sya sobra, kay never mind na lng. Hehehe. Nagmukha tuloy cheap. Another bilin na hindi sinunod is big no no to Malaysian mums, sangkaterbang yellow malaysian mums nkita ko sa cake nmin, sana ginawa na lng nila lhat roses. Harhar. Parang d worth it ang upgrade, sana bumili na lng kmi. The taste? Ok lng.

EXTRAS
Bridal Car: White Mercedes Benz. Pwede na kaysa wala. Pinili namin ito vs the sound system (accdng to our String d daw kase maganda) and emcee (we have our friends to do it for us)

Ice Carving: Ok naman for added aesthetic.

We never expected na ganun kaganda kakalabasan for the package price. We still recommend them specially sa mga frugal couples, sulit naman ;-)

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PHOTO: NELWIN UY

Rating: 5+++
Prenup & Slideshows & Raw Wedding pics

Cost:
40k – Package B (2006 rate)

Inclusions
Standard - 2 Digital Potographers, Nelwin Uy as main; 40 pages 8 x 10 “The Book” digital story book album; Unlimited digital shots, DVD Gallery as proofs (Hi-res photo files); 16 x 20 blow up portrait in special frame; 10 pages guestbook (wire bind)

Freebies - On location pre-nuptial shoot; 2 mos online photogallery; AVP of Pre-nup pictures; On the spot slide show of pictures; 2 mini albums for parents (Free for on the spot booking at the Kasalan 2006 Bridal Fare)

One of our favorite supplier - no need to elaborate further! The proofs speaks for themselves! Mga guests na namin ang humatol! “Ang galing ng photographer nyo!” Napabilib sila sa artistic shots and bilis ng pag-gawa ng on the spot slide show ni Nelwin. Manghang-mangha! Ahihihi.

Though Nelwin is sick during our wedding dahil sa continuous 5 days wedding coverage nya, he never failed to deliver, maganda pa rin gawa nya. :-)

Official Pics
Hotel: http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/photoalbums-30352.html
Church: http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/photoalbums-30362.html
Reception: http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/photoalbums-30423.html
Slideshow: http://nelwinuy.multiply.com/video/item/10

_______________________________________________________


VIDEO: SHIERDAN PAMINTUAN

Rating: 5+++
Teaser & Pre-Nup – Love Story Narration – Old to Dating Pics & OnSite in One

Cost:
9k – 2006 rate
undisclosed – teaser

Inclusions
Standard: 1 cam set – up

Freebies: Pre-Nup – Love Story Narration – Old to Dating Pics & OnSite in One (additional minimal cost for the teaser)

Another favorite supplier! Khit nalate sya on the wedding day ok lng bawi naman nung I-flash na sa projector ang aming 4-in-1 AVP. Mwhihi! Lakas nmin kay Dan. Malakas din naman sya sa amin – I made 2 referrals eh. Pwede na nga daw ako magtayo ng networking business. Hahaha!

Dan is very professional and easy to deal with kahit sa tawaran portion. Hahaha! He’s very cool. He granted our requests ;-) Hindi naman nalelate during our meetings and shooting, sa wedding lng tlga. Hehe. He replies naman kaagad sa text at nakikipagkulitan pa, except sa email. Haha!

It’s worth every penny we spent khit wla pa ung final video output. Parang lugi pa nga sya sa amin eh :P

Watch our videos below to know why we love this guy so much!

Teaser:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2093472619386668279
Pre-Nup – Love Story Narration – Old to Dating Pics & OnSite in One: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4548337977736603914&pr=goog-sl

Part 1: Suppliers’ Rating – Hotel, Church, & Venue

Dear W@wies,

It’s pay back time!!!

Before I officially start our suppliers’ rating I would like to take this opportunity to thank this support group for making our wedding preparation as easy as possible and enjoyable – most of our suppliers came from w@w. Without your help guys our wedding wouldn’t be as beautiful as it turned out. Special thanks to Mama Benz & Papa John for putting up w@w. A salute to you po!.

We do hope that you’ll enjoy reading our post and find it helpful. You may PM me at rhiamary.dizon@digitel.ph for queries.

Btw, contact details are listed at
http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/vendors.html

As promised . . . here it goes w@wies

Ratings would be as follows:
5 – Excellent!
4 – Well Done!
3 – Good Enough!
2 – Poor!
1 – Never Mind!

HOTEL: ASTORIA PLAZA

Rating: 5
Cost (Corporate Rate):
3,500 - 1BR Suite (60+ sqm), includes 2 buffet bfast
5,500 - 2BR Suite (120+ sqm), includes 4 buffet bfast

The perfect hotel for our wedding preps simply because it situated between church and venue.

The hotel is nice, clean, spacious and good lightning. The staffs are friendly and accommodating. Food? Not bad naman. Pwede na, kaysa sa ala carte. Hehehe

The bad side of if wla lng sya grand staircase para mag picture taking and the parking in the basement is super init, parang nkaka suffocate and smells bad.

_________________________________

CHURCH: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE GRACIA

Rating: 4.5
Cost:
9.5k – discounted price (2.5k discount from w@wie Mayen due to slot transfer), includes coordinators, flowers, commentators & priests

The first time Memond and I saw NSDG, we instantly fell in love with it. We love its old, mid-size structure, basta maganda sya. It has ample parking space kya lng nga ung environment around is not that good malapit sa crematorium tapos squatters area along the way. No air-condition and mainit tlga. Kya tumagaktak ng husto pawis ni Memond, buti na lng hindi ako pawisin. Hehehe. Amidst all this nega things we still opted to go for NSDG – ganda kasi tlga e.

The staff here are very accommodating easy to talk to kya lang sometimes mejo mahirap tumawag. On the wedding day – ung usherettes nila according to our coordinators mejo may katarayan daw mga may edad na daw kase. Hehe. One more thing pa pla they even asked my coordinator kung nasaan daw ung gift para kay father. Tama ba un? (pero nagbigay naman kmi and we diretly gave it to father)

On officiating priest: In house priest – si father naman may kasungitan, parang may period (hehehe). During the mass proper sabi ba naman sa amin (in a masungit na manner) “Hanapin nyo nga kung saan na, naligaw nko – ang liit kasi ng sulat.” (pertains to the misalette). We actually made a special misalette (with big fonts – 14 pa yta size nun) for father, twas their usherette fault kasi ba naman sila naglagay ng misalette sa altar bsta na lng kinuha sa things nmin. Our coordinator told them na that wasn’t father’s copy and they attempted to change it, wag na daw. Hayun nasungitan tuloy kmi ni father. Hmp.

_________________________________________

VENUE: PHILLIPNE STOCK EXCHANGE

Rating: 4.5
Cost:
4k/hr – event proper (min of 3 hours)
20k – cash bond (refundable a week after the event (less damage cost & Personnel OT pay – if any))
100/hr – set up
100/outlet – electricity
400/hr – fountain
140/hr/person – personnel fee (x2 for Sundays)

This was actually the last option venue we are looking at kasi hesitant kmi to go for PSE Auditorium because may 20k na cash bond – as in cash, PDC not allowed and it was a way out our budget. Supposedly I am Dec 2006 bride, so medyo mahirap maghanap ng venue. Our other venue options are booked na so we opted for PSE Auditorium. Buti na lng ng mag change date kmi it is still available at no extra charge. Ipinaglaban ko tlga PSE kasi I really like it. Buti na lng at napapayag ko si hubby :-)

I actually booked PSE without Memond seeing it (he was on a business trip kase); I was with MIL during ocular. Since approved sya kay MIL ok na rin kay hubby. Nag visit na lng kmi ulit after his trip para naman may idea sya how the place looks like. Good thing he liked it!

It was Rowena Martin that I used to talk to then eventually I was transferred to Cielo Dizon - Rosco nag re-shuffle daw kasi sila ng assignments, madali syang kausap and very accommodating – malamang kya it was easy to negotiate with her kasi we are both Kapampangan and at the same time we have the same maiden name - Dizon. Kya siguro after 3 days nakapag refund na kmi ng cash bond supposedly 1 week processing un and one more thing hindi na kmi chinarge ng extra hour sa place after the event. Hehehe.

Ang nakakainis lng when we refunded the cash bond they charged us 3k kasi daw may chocolate stain ung carpet. Sympre gulat ako dhil super mahal ng charge, it’s 1.5k/carpet square – 2 daw namantsahan. Mahal daw kasi ung shampoo ng carpet kya ganun. Parang overcharged naman.

Oh btw, if you are planning to get PSE as your venue - bring your own soap ang tissue for the restrooms. We did! Buti hindi ko nakalimutan :P

OUR WEDDING PICTURES & SLIDESHOWS

Raymond and I would like to share our captured moments last May 27, 2007 - our big day!
Atlast, found time to upload them! Happy Viewing!

Feel free to post comments :)

P.I.C.T.U.R.E.S.
Preparation
http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/photoalbums-30352.html
Church
http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/photoalbums-30362.html
Reception
http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/photoalbums-30423.html

S.L.I.D.E.S.H.O.W.S.
http://raymond-rhia.weddingannouncer.com/ctext-609573.html

OUR WEDDING STORY

I am back!!!! Oh how i miss blogging - this time new URL and skin. Hehe.

Mrs. Samonte here to share our wedding story :-)

Our wedding is a BLAST! Thank God! He gave a sunny Sunday. Egg offering sa Sta. Clara is effective. Though there were some minor glitches hindi naman halata. It is still the best day of our lives. **wink**wink*** I can’t explain the feeling of being a bride, on the wedding day itself. Something different. Mixed emotions. Pero hindi ako masyado kinabahan dahil I know we are prepared and I am confident na the wedding will turn out as it was planned, and it was. Astig ba? Hehehe

The last leg of wed preps is super nakakangarag takbo dito at doon, pero carry lng nmin ni Memond – relax mode pa rin kmi. Hehehe. Ewan ko ba hindi kmi masyado na tense at nakakatulog pa rin naman. Hahaha. Maybe because it was a year and a half of preparation and we clearly know what we want.

The night before the wedding nakatulog naman ako maayos dahil siguro pagod ako. Hehehe. And sinigurado ko that all the materials needed are in place. On the event day itself nkapag heavy buffet breakfast pa ako, hotel compli. Takaw. Hahaha. Just enough to put something in my tummy dahil alam ko di na ako makakain ng lunch – at hindi na nga.

Hotel Preps (Astoria Plaza)
As early as 8am suppliers started coming. Unang-una team ni Mang Boy, followed by HMU Team of Thea Tan around 9, sumunod si Nelwin Uy at 10 – at super bilib sya sa mga wedding details na DIY nmin ni Memond. Terno-terno ba naman. Hahaha. He even loved our fuchsia pink and canary yellow motif. Ganda daw pla ng combi sa picture – very photogenic. At ang pinakahuli dumating si Shierdan Pamintuan sa hotel at 11:20, late! – anywayz, forgiven dahil my surprise naman daw sya sa akin, as a birthday present. Hahaha.

Ang aga nmin natapos. 1:30 pa lng everything was set, kaya super dmi ko pics with Nelwin – kaya laking tuwa ko, dahil I really love posing. Naiinip nga kmi kakantay sa hotel sa oras. Relax ulit. Hahaha. Pati si Nelwin nainip kaya nagyaya na umalis. Ang aga namin tuloy sa church.

Church (NSDG)
At 2:20 nasa Church na kmi, 10 mins advance sa call time. Nainip ulit ako kakaantay sa loob ng bridal car. D2 ko naramdaman ang kaba, dahil wala ako ginagawa, ininterview ko na lng si manong Chauffeur at pinagmasdan ang pagdating ng mga bisita. Ang pangit lng nauna pa ako kay Memond. Harhar. Pero di naman na obvious ng mga guests, mga 10 mins lng naman. To think same hotel naman kmi, 1 door apart lng. Miscommunication.

At exactly 3, the wedding started. When I heard the Canon in D played – d na ako mapakali. Parang ang bilis na ng oras. When they are about to close the door, one of my church coordinator/officemate approached me and assisted me with my entrance-good thing someone was there to remind me to relax. Nung marining ko na ang “With You” by Martin Nievera naiiyak na ako. Pero sympre pinigilan ko. When the door opened my parents are there in the middle aisle waiting for me, parang naiiyak. Dko na lng sila tinignan, just holded their arms at tumingin kay Memond na nka full smile, eto pla ang tip para maiwasan umiyak. Haha. According to my close girl friends and relatives e nagging very emotional daw sila. Kakaiyak daw ang bridal march ko.

Dko namalayan that patapos na pla ang ceremony . . . ang bilis. Recessional na nga. Everybody was waiting for us at the church façade para magsabog na ng confetti and petals. Super ganda ng effects! We had 2 big confetti poppers and 20 small ones, plus 20 petal cones. Ang dami-dami! The air is filled with confetti and petals. Hehehe.

Reception (PSE Auditorium)
We had photo shoot first at he the PSE Helipad. Grabe hirap umakyat sa spiral stairs wearing my gown. Pakana ni Nelwin to eh. Pero it’s all worth it pagkakita nmin sa helipad. Ganda! Overlooking the Mandaluyong and Pasig area. Good thing hindi ako afraid sa heights.

While we are having are pictorial here. Guests are ushered, distribution of guest cards, serenaded, canapés served and our pre nup AVP is played while they are waiting for us and they were asked to sign their wish cards – para di mainip.

After photo shoot konting retouch, hair do and attire modification. Bridal Party Parade immediately followed, then our AVP Teaser (a brief introduction of us, I introduced Memond and he introduced me) was played before our Grand Entrance – Father of the Bride song was played during our Grand Entrance . . . feeling king and queen kmi. I sooo love this part! Parang everybody was so happy, I can see the smile in our guests faces tapos PSE auditorium was well dressed, makulay na hindi masakit sa mata it blended well with the lights of the auditorium. It was really elegant and classy! Dinner was served immediately along with pictorial with the guests while being serenaded by Impressions Music Ensemble; all songs are in the form of bossa nova, followed by well wishers, wedding traditions and 2 AVPs (onsite pics slideshow & onsite/interviews/old to dating pics/love story narration video (4 in 1))- super namangha mga guests sa slideshows nmin - ang artistic and ang bibilis gumawa ba naman ni Nelwin (Photo) and Dan (Video).

Base on feedbacks the wedding was so organized and beautiful. Very Rhia daw. Hahaha. Ibinuhos ko kaya lhat ng kaartehan, kaOC-han ko dito. Grabe daw ang details na ginawa namin, ma-tiyaga daw. Watch out for the supplier ratings, so as you can picture what I am referring to :-)

Special thanks to my friendships for the overflowing support. The party wouldn’t be a success without the help of my friends – they are the main key; our very own wedding coordinators and 2 of them are our emcee. Sabi ng suppliers they worked like a pro. Gagaling daw nila.

In short, it was indeed a dream wedding come true.

Ang hirap pla gumawa ng wedding kwento. Hahaha Sorry super haba na nito. I hope you enjoyed reading it and at the same time nkatulong sana.