Taking Charge of our Finances.. Early

Keith and I are inspired by Bro. Bo Sanchez' preaching and books for almost 4 years now. Ever since we attended his Truly Rich Seminar in AFP in September 2009. Now, every Sunday we go to The Feast PICC  to get refreshed and renewed. What we like about the talks is that it is very practical. For me, it has given me "new lenses" on how to love God. It became easy for me to serve Him thru my everyday life -- being grateful for my family and friends, serving others thru my job, giving ourselves into service and just seeing Him thru every trial and successes of daily life. 

One thing that Keith and I have tried to follow for years now are the practical steps that Bro. Bo shared regarding our finances : 

1.Tithe (10% of income)- it was revolutionary for us. Personally at first I was not comfortable with this. In my mind, I still need the money. I can still buy things or food for my fancy and so on. But Keith and I took the challenge when Bro. Bo shared about Matthew 6:21 (NIV) " For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also", that when we Tithe, we allow God and we show Him that He is our treasure. That all of the opportunities and blessings we receive are from Him. 

2. Simplify - gosh! This has always been my downfall.. before :) I am a confessed impulsive buyer. Credit cards then were my best friend. after almost 4 years of working, I realized I was not able to save! :( Now Keith and I took it to heart. Now we are doing our best to clean up our records and start saving up. 

This is the inspiration where Keith and I decided that our wedding should be simple yet elegant on the details. If we could manage DIY's just to save up, we would. We started doing budget timeline. At this early, we try to simplify our spendings for example instead of watching a movie every week, we spend a day in either in their house or ours just to watch dvd's or TV.

It's not easy really, but we start with baby steps. Like Bro. Bo always reminds us that habits are powerful and starting early, makes us a winner. 

<3,

Cookie

Entou Gown Choice : Infinity Dress

As I write our soon-to-be Entourage list, it got me thinking of what dresses and suits they could wear.

Definitely we wanted the dresses that could still be worn after the wedding. It will be our sort of souvenir for our Lady Entourage.

Thanks to a thread in W@W I got to know about Infinity Convertible Dresses.

I love it cause it's flowy and sizes can be in knee or tea length even down the floor.

Photo Source : http://www.mayridress.com/image/cache/data/DRESS%204%20OCT%2010%20(1)-768x768.jpg

and could even choose how to style or tie it

Photo Source : http://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/5694410/il_fullxfull.221708201.jpg

Have already inquire with Cheesecake Infinity Dress in facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/CheesecakeInfinityDress

yiih looking forward for their reply :)

<3,
Cookie

The Infamous W@W Grand EB Gentleman

Thanks to Aisle 1401 for this! <3 

Give them some love at http://www.aisle1401.com/

<3,
Cookie

W@w EB at Le Parc - July 7, 2013

We are glad and fortunate to be a part of W@W. It is a community wherein we help each other thru the fun and crazy wedding preps.

Last July 7 at Le Parc near MOA in Pasay, we were able to get a slot to attend the EB.

Below are my top 5 moments during the EB (as posted in my FB account) :

5. Arriving early (7am) sa Le Parc for Decor Committee, di kasi ako nakapag DIY so bumawi sa pagiging maaga at dami na dalang dyaryo hehe..

Decor Team at Work. Thanks Sis Rizza Bobadilla for the photos ! 

4. Ang dami kong nakuhang freebie plus ang sarap ng food by Richgold, margarush, candy coffee and dessert corner, may photobooth pa!

3. Seeing lahat ng walls ng Decor committee ay pinupuntahan at tlgang na-appreciate! Plus yung games sobrang nakaktuwa lalo na yung sa balloon at mala pera o bayong. hehe

The Guess That Position Game! Dami namin tawa! hehe

2. Starstrucked moments! Mga Idol ko sa waw na finally nakilala ko!-- Joed, MimmaBenz, Freda, Ren, Joyce, Czarina, Rizza dami pang iba plus suppliers like Moki Gray, Camzar and Aisle 1401 .. tapos nag pa group pic pa tayo lahat wiiiin! 

The W@W Group Pic

1. Dancing Gentleman with game na game na seatmates Maan, Tan Marie, Cris, Tine Gonzales (di ko na ma-tag) + Sir Boy Kastner Santos! Nakakatuwa sobrang humble that he danced with us! Pag naalala ko natatawa at kinikilig ako. hehe 

W@W Gentleman with Sir Boy Kastner Santos :)

(will post another.. yung video na.. thanks to Aisle1401! :) )

Till next EB <3


<3,

Cookie

Photo Source: photo source : CamZar Photography 

The Rings Says It All

When we were starting our budget plans which should be prioritized, I never placed "Rings" as one of the Top 5's. I thought maybe we can buy it by next year and gave it a wee bit percent from our costing.

But a B2B friend made me realized how it equally important to choose a very good ring. She said that our wedding rings will be our lasting symbol of our bond and promise to each other. That it is a symbol that "we are" married and that we have a partner for life. With this we need to find really good rings that will last long, durable (since we will not be removing it), and can signify our promise for each other.

So Rings became one of our top 5 :)

We attended a wedding  fair last weekend at World Trade Center hosted by Themes and Motiff.

I told Keith that I felt it was the moment that I wanted to check on the rings available. Note that we don't have any designs on mind. And we don't know anything about rings.. Tiwala lang that we would find "The Ring"

There were several suppliers then, but when we went to Marry Me's booth, we were happy that Sheck (one of the ae's in the booth) explained the rings -- what's the difference between thickness and design and gave us a lot of options.

When I was given the different designs of the ring, I instantly felt that Dome design was my thing. Yes it's common it maybe too simple.. But I just felt it was "it" :)

Two Toned 4mm 1.5 thick Dome Ring
Photo Source : http://www.weddring.com/milgrain-classic-wedding-bands/252-14kt-wedding-band-two-tone-milgrain-classic-7mm.html

  ** this is no the exact ring but just to gave the idea of the ring we choose.

For more info and ask for your own cuztomized rings check

     MARRY ME The Bridal Jewelry Shop

      4th Floor Market Market, BGC

      632-856-7624

      inquiry@marryme.com.ph

<3,

Cookie

Our Photographer and Videographer : Check!

When Keith and I were already setting our priorities for the wedding, we already new that Photo and Video was one of the main thing we are particular about. Because we believe that after the wedding, our lasting reminders is our photos and videos. 

When we were looking for our Photo/Video, we were overwhelmed with a number of suppliers offering their services that we met from Bridal Fairs that we have attended or reviews from W@W and GT.

From our research, Keith and I have already agreed on these following conditions in knowing the "It" factor for our Photo and Video.

1. Style - We wanted the style of the photos to be natural, fun and artistic. For Photos we wanted it to be light, as much as possible use natural lighting and shots that does not look scripted. For Video, we wanted fun and not too dramatic.

2. Value for Money :)

The Quest for a Photographer

I posted in w@w and ask for their help if they know any photographers that rates will be around 20k and thru a sis' reco, we found K Photography Manila <3

Check their blog http://www.kphotographymanila.com/

I appreciate Sha Marina's (owner) prompt response for all my queries. We loved their style of using almost natural lighting, shots that did not look scripted, scanning thru their photos gave you that 'light feeling'. And best of all.. their rates is pasok sa banga! At that time, they had an anniversary promo, and we got them around 23k only (including oot) ! :)

The Fun Videographer

Keith found Aisle 1401 through his own research of wedding suppliers. (most of the time, Keith lets me do the research and ask for his suggestion nalang.. kaya when he asked me to check Aisle1401, aba go agad.. minsan lang to hehehe) When he recommended that I check their work, I was already smitten. We loved the quirky and natural take in their videos.

watch their vids at https://www.facebook.com/aisle1401?fref=ts

Our Pre - Nup Partner

We booked Studio 1 through a bridal fair last January 2013. They were the first supplier we booked.

Keith and I appreciate Ms. Gail and Mr. Lindberg's help for our preps. They agreed to cover our Pre-Nup and added additional Guest Book freebie! :)

send love to Studio1 at http://www.studio1photography.org/#Home%20Page

We won a Free-Nup

NYO Images and Aisle 1401 gave a free-nup Promo exclusive to all w@wies. One of the requirements is a W@w tag, proof that we are a W@wie. Keith and I already saw the post on Aisle's website.. but at that time, we did not have a w@w tag yet. 2 days before the promo ends, Ms. Ana of Aisle 1401, sent me an email asking if we are interested to join since there are still slots available.

With a brave heart, I asked Mimma Benz if we are already eligible for a w@w tag.. and she said yes! (music to our ears! having a w@w tag gives us opportunities for promos exclusive to a wawies and discounts from suppliers)

We sent our entry hoping that we'll be one of the  lucky 3 who will win the promo. And yes! we did! yey! :D

know more about NYO Images at https://www.facebook.com/NotYourOrdinaryImages?fref=ts

<3,

Cookie

The Power of B2B Friendship :)

It was ages before our last post here.

Keith and I admit we were on hyper petiks mode because we have already booked 4 of our major suppliers namely:

Church - Caleruega
Reception /Caterer - Splendido / Ladera
Photo - K Photography Manila
Pre Nup - Studio 1
Free Nup - NYO Images
Video - Aisle1401

I shared before that I was blessed with friends who are also Brides to be's. Thanks to our Connect Group* in The Feast PICC. I was able to meet 3 lovely ladies who are also preparing for their wedding.

I am amazed by these ladies how much they have already booked, their tons of research on suppliers and basically already knowing of what they want to have in their wedding to bits. Whenever I am with them, I am inspired to be OC in all my preps.

Other than these 3 lovely ladies, I am also grateful for w@w :) Even if I am not a frequent comment-er or post-er, I learn a lot from w@wies who post their supplier's ratings, comments even rants! hehe..

Then I realized, nahuhuli na ba kame?

I felt that I was shaken off my sleep. Gosh 1yr and 4mos to go nalang!

So there, Keith and I had to sit down again and check where are we at. Glad for these moments because I feel na, we are really partners not only for this wedding but for our marriage.

We also vow to post frequently on this blog. In a way, this would also be our checkpoint on where we are. At the same time, hoping that this blog would help other H2B's or B2B's.

<3,
Cookie 

*Connect Group at the Feast PICC https://www.facebook.com/TheFeastPicc?fref=ts

The Big "B" - Wedding Budget Matters

So here comes the planning for our big day. And in every wedding plans, the actual execution needs money.

When Keith and I started setting our budgets for the wedding, we admit we really started from scratch. We knew what we wanted but where to start and how is another story.

Keith and I are blessed that for almost 7 years journey of our life, we were able to join Light of Jesus Community and attend The Feast in PICC every sunday. Through it, we were able to slowly change our mindset of How To be Truly Rich. Inch by Inch, we were able to practice saving, setting budgets, be positive and open in looking for income streams and so on. Thanks to our mentor Bro. Bo Sanchez and The Truly Rich Club ( TrulyRichClub.com - Do You Want to Gain Financial Wealth and Spiritual Abundance at the Same Time?)

With a positive attitude we got from Truly Rich Club and guidance from our W@W Wedding Primer (get your own wedding primer and inquire through mail@weddingsatwork.com) , we are glad to follow these guideposts in setting our budget for the Wedding:

1. We must set a realistic budget that we both can save for. -because we do not want to be wed in debts. Our marriage is more important than the wedding itself and we want also to save some for our start up too. Still, we want it to be memorable not only for us but for our family too. We want them to experience our wedding as how Keith and I are happy with our relationship.We ,first arranged each of our personal budgets. then we became honest in sharing what is comfortable for both of us to set aside for the wedding. With that amount, we computed that it would take almost 2years to gather up all the expense we need plus our start up. We took this time as a practice for us to save and manage our money before our marriage.

2. We attended Bridal Fairs and Read Supplier Reviews and Posts in W@W - Keith and I believe in research, because we admit, sometimes prepping gets overwhelming for us at times. Attending Bridal Fairs helped us compare prices and get a picture of how to deal with our future best friends -- suppliers. W@Wies are also generous to share Peso Power and their own review for their suppliers.
 
3. Determine number of our guests and be realistic - most of the suppliers already asks, how many are your guests? So we decided that we must have the #of guests. We decided to go with 120pax only. we wanted it to be intimate and of course, lower guests means lower expenses hehe.

4. Set our priorities to book -  We list down all the bookings we need to do -- Church, Photo/Video, Venue, Caterer, Flowers etc.. and we list the percentage we set for each item. total of 100% multiplied to our total budget. Then we got the budget for each item.


5. Enjoy and Keep Learning - Money matters is a sensitive topic it challenges trust between partners. Keith and I hopes for guidance everyday and do our best to see the learning we can get from each problem we meet. For example, we wanted a particular supplier but adding these supplier will incur additional costs for us. We make it a teamwork to discuss with ourselves like "pros and cons", "how can we afford it?" or "is it a must-have or nice to have"?

Glad to be a W@W member

When we started planning for our wedding, Keith and I were loopy on this. We did not know where to start! We were blessed when Cookie's sister recommended us to join Weddings at Work.

Weddings at Work (W@W) is a yahoo group where soon-to-weds like us gets to share thoughts, supplier reviews even our high's and low's in our wedding preps.

We are thankful for their generous help in answering concerns, specially to Mr. Abet and Benz Rana who created the group.For us, if we meet soon-to-be wed couples, we instantly recommend that they join W@W.

Its already a habit for us to check out topics and messages everyday and it's a happy feeling to be able to share our own inputs on their concerns too. Even my W@W Wedding Primer is like a Bible to us.  hehe. Let this also be our credit that most of my blogs here may have special reference to a section from the W@W primer or inspired from another blog/post from another W@Wie.

We are certified !

Splendid Indeed - Booking our Dream Venue

When Keith and I looked for our reception venue in Tagaytay, we wanted a venue that will have a breathtaking view of Taal, can hold an intimate reception of about 100-120pax, elegant landscape and of course affordable.

We researched for possible venues in Tagaytay from wedding magazines, wedding blogs, our ever helpful group W@W and wedding forums like Girl Talk. We listed all possible venues, route that we are going and sending out emails inquiring venue rates and one early Saturday morning we drove to Tagaytay for an occular.  After a day's work and 5 venues we went to.. we felt we found our venue.

Our initital venue choice was Le Jardin Rosella. We looked in to Paradiso, the biggest among their gardens. It's gardens where beautifully arranged and kept. However it did not have a view of Taal. It can hold upto 150pax or more but it is a little costly for us. But we decided then that maybe we can manage. We gave ourselves a week to think about it.

A week after our occular, we attended a bridal fair in Megamall. Keith and I met Ms. Evelyn Legaspi of Flowers of May. We hit off instantly and gave our ideas for our wedding. We asked her for venues in Tagaytay. She asked us if we have already looked in Splendido and asked their rates. We said that we always saw Splendido ads in Magazines and even passed by it when we were going to one of our possible venues, but we never really looked at it or agreed to take a peak  because we thought it will be too costly for us, but we were suprised when she mentioned that Splendido's venue rate fits our budget.

We spoke to Caren Gatdula of Ladera. They are the exclusive caterer for Splendido. Credits for these lovely picture she emailed to us.

Splendido Golf Club Venue 

I love the Tuscan / Mediterranean design of the venue. It has a homey feel fit for our intimate wedding idea.

Splendido Golf Club Fountain Area

   This picture is from our friend who went with us to Splendido for a visit.

The Spledido Gold Club Tower

Their venue rate for Golf Club is Php 40,000.00 (exclusive of food per pax). They have an upgraded packages which includes the venue from Php 100k to Php 140k. These packages include cakes, floral designs and so on, depending on which package you choose. You can opt for Venue and food only.

We booked Splendido during a Bridal Fair in SMX. They gave us discounts and freebies. They'll be joining another bridal fair by September.

For more info you may contact

Ms. Maricar "CAREN" Gatdula 

Junior Sales & Marketing AssistantLadera Culinary Services, Inc.
Splendido Taal Golf & Country Club
via Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road
Brgy. Dayap Itaas, Laurel, Batangas
mobile # 0917-2461463
tel # (02) 542-5756

email ad: caren_gatdula@yahoo.com

weddingsbyladera@yahoo.com

Booking the Dream Church -- Caleruega

When Keith and I decided where we would like to be wed. Initially, we wanted the event to be done here in Manila. Logistically, it will be easier for our families and friends to attend.

But Tagaytay has a special 'umpf' in our hearts. For us, it is the nearest vacation destination that both families and lovers have cone to enjoy

And the first church that comes to mind when we say wedding in Tagaytay is Caleruega

The Transfiguration Chapel of Caleruega in Nasugbu, Batangas is an intimate and picturesque chapel in Tagaytay. It's well known for being a Retreat Center by the Dominican Fathers in Batangas.

Why we love Caleruega?

1. Intimate -- we wanted a church not too big because we want to see our church full of our guests. I usually attend weddings done in huge churches but most of the time it's sad to see that most guests do not attend the wedding ceremony and go straight to the reception. With Caleruega, Keith and I dreams of filling it up with our family and friends closest to our hearts.

2. Picturesque -- any angle of Caleruega is breathtaking. Period. Hehe

3. Holy -- when you are in Caleruega, you feel God's love through nature. Bro. Bo Sanchez once explained in his talks that 'The Transfiguration' of Jesus (Luke 9:28-36) in the mountain was a symbol of hope for the apostles because days after that Jesus will be suffering for our salvation because that is how He loves us.

Keith and I believe in that same hope and love. We are grateful to celebrate our wedding with that blessing, knowing that our marriage will be full of hope, intimacy and love.

Next Step. Are We Ready?

6 years of being together have taken us to different episodes of our life. Some days we had our rough ends and happy days when we just love being together. But through it all, our families, friends and our God has helped us to see through it all.

Many times we were asked, "Kelan kayo magpapakasal?" (When are you getting married?)

To be honest, most of the times we don't know how to answer them. Because all we know is now, we are just enjoying what we have together.

As we journey through a new adventure of planning our dream wedding and continuously discerning God's will for our relationship..we are blessed to enjoy each other company in each step we take.

Are we ready? Only God knows really.. but in our hearts we are now committed to take the leap of faith.