25 Tips to Enjoy the Day

The big day has come! After months of preparations, this is the day you will finally say your "I do's."

Here are some tips on how you can truly enjoy your wedding day.

1. Know what is important to you. Don't waste precious time and energy worrying about insignificant details. You have heard the saying "Don't sweat the small stuff." Now is the best time to heed it. 

2. PLAN. After setting your priorities, planning is one of the best things you can do ahead of time. This will help you avoid panic and stress and allow you to just have a great time on your wedding day.

3. Make lists and more lists. List down the essentials and everything you want to be taken cared of. Make sure to check your lists from time to time to see what you have accomplished.

4. DELEGATE. You don't have to do everything. You can either get an efficient wedding coordinator or ask the help of your family and friends. Make sure that the assigned person is willing to be in charge. Nothing can be more meaningful than seeing how things beautifully unfold before your eyes.

5. Go to confession a week before your wedding. Do it together as a couple. It is good for the soul.

6. Take a vacation leave from work at least a week before the wedding. Inform your office ahead so you can plan the schedules and tasks you need to finish.

7. Plan your activities well especially the pre-wedding parties. Ideally, schedule your shower parties not later than 2 weeks before the wedding. Better if you can hold it a month or two before. 

8. Pack your gifts ahead of time. You wouldn't want to do gift wrapping night before your wedding and ask your groom to run to the bookstore to buy ribbons.

9. Pack your things one week before. Prepare two boxes and label it- one for church materials, the other for reception materials.

10. If you're leaving a few days after the wedding for your honeymoon, buy things you need ahead of time and pack your bags a week before the wedding as well.

11. Plan out payments a week before. Have those ready in sealed envelopes and assign someone to be in-charge to give them to the vendors.

12. Schedule your spa session, manicure, and pedicure accordingly.

13. At least 2 days before, have a special dinner with your groom without talking about the wedding details.

14. If you really have some last minute errands, the night before the wedding, DROP IT! Let go of the non-essential items unless it is very, very important to you.

15. Don't stress yourself out with the seating plan.

16. Check in the hotel before the wedding, NOT the night before. 

17. Night before, arrange the breakfast be brought to your room. Include lunch if you're having an afternoon/evening wedding.

18. On the night before your wedding, write a special letter for one another. Just scribble down your feelings at the moment. Arrange to have it brought to each other's rooms in the morning. Reading it is such a good way to start your special day. Keep it and re-read it in the years to come as a constant reminder of your wedding and the person you married.

19. On the day of your wedding, have a relaxing and enjoyable bath. Do this early so you won't need to rush.

20. As you walk down the aisle, focus your attention on your groom waiting by the altar. Don't think about the flowers not being what you envisioned, your seating plan not yet finalized, your late commentator, and whatever else. CHIN UP, SMILE! Take a pleasure in every step you make. Savor the moment.

21. The ceremony is the most essential part of the wedding. Pay special attention to the homily, on what you're officiating priest will share with you. Focus on your exchange of vows, rings,  and arrhae. It's so heartwarming to do all these in front of the people you love.

22. In the reception, take time to mingle with your guests and enjoy their company. Most couples are so pre-occupied with the program sequence that they fail to recognize the people who attended. Remember, your guests took time off from their busy schedules to be there. Don't forget to thank them for coming and tell them how much you appreciated their presence. Tip: Keep your program brief so you would have more time with your guests.

23. SMILE. Your joy will surely show in the pictures and videos. Guests always remember a happy couple, not just your food, flowers, dress, etc. 

24. RELAX. Try not to worry about the little details that didn't go as planned. This could turn into cherished moments later. Find humor in it.

25. ENJOY. After all, this is one of the best days of your life.

I love you future brides! ^_^ You all deserve the best! :)

From Thina <3

Touch One Sky

Tagaytay is one the best places here in the Philippines, thanks to its cool weather. Wedding is one of the most beautiful events in a couples' life. When your wedding ceremonies and reception will be held in Tagaytay, certainly it'll be an spectacular occasion.

The high class Wind Residences II

It's a privilege for me to witness One Sky soft launching at Tagaytay city last May 16, 2015. It's not the usual ballroom venue or pavilion, since you can experience a flabbergasted feeling while literally seeing the view of breathtaking sky and the wonders of Taal Lake.

Let Taal Lake overwhelmed your senses

One Sky has everything to make your wedding a day you will treasure forever.

It's a perfect venue choice. You can set up all the details and even the general things you need for your wedding.

The guests and VIPs' entrance hall

Outburst of blessings may come upon this place

Can you stay here for a little while?

You can choose food from these lavish caterers:
Josiah's Catering Inc., Albergus, VS & F (Classic Food International), Juan Carlo, Tamayo's catering, Center table catering, Inc., Hizon's, Bizu, Town's Delight the Caterer, Aramicos, and Queensland.

Yummy Roastbeef with Roastmary garlic crust

Mouth watering sweets

It's an honor to see these personalities

They have cute giveaways, cool photobooth, calm and serene vibes, and awesome flower arrangement.

My color complements, do they?

Perfect bouquet arrangement

Inviting you to for an event to remember

Dream and plan about it. Do not settle for anything less than the best. Reach for the sky and fly with it. Fly with the dreams you set in your heart.

--30--

Books to Remember

Lately, I’ve been feeling cloud 9 as I read some of the books from our popular, contemporary, stellar and incredible writers, who dig deep within the reader’s soul their every words, stories and life.

Lemme’ share with you some excerpts from those books:

1.       Writing’s a lot like cooking. Sometimes the cake won’t rise, no matter what you do, and every now and again the cake tastes better than you could ever have dreamed it would.

 – A Study in Emerald, Neil Gaiman’s Fragile Things

·         This is outrageous because he magically aligned Sherlock Holmes’ character to HP Lovecraft.

Dear Pareng Neil,

Please sprinkle me with your wisdom and talent in creating such depiction and storyline. Promise, I’ll be as dumbfound as you. Just a wishful thinking, I know maybe 1/16 of it might happen. But atleast, and, if it’ll take place I’ll be the proudest.J

Yours truly,

Mareng Thina

2.      “Your turn in the chair next time,” said October. "

I know,” said November.  He was pale and thin-lipped. He helped October out of the wooden chair. “I like your stories. Mine are always too dark.” “I don’t think so,” said October. “It’s just that your nights are longer. And you aren’t as warm.”   

    

  “ Put it like that,” said November, “And I feel better. I supposed we can’t help who we are.”

“That’s the spirit,” said his brother. And they touched hands as they walked away from the fire’s orange embers, taking their stories with them back into the dark. 

 – October in the chair, Neil Gaiman’s Fragile Things

·         Wooh, ang galing mo Pareng Neil!:D November is coming and I’m excited to every story that’ll unfold on that month. J

3.      Yes, I decided, a man can truly change. The events of the past year have taught me much about myself, and a few universal truths. I learned for instance, that while wounds can be inflicted easily upon those we love, it’s often much more difficult to heal them. Yet, the process of healing those wounds provided the richest experience of my life, leading me to believe that while I’ve often overestimate what I could accomplish in a day, I had underestimated what I could do in a year. But most of all, I learned that
 it’s possible for 2 people to fall inlove all over again, even when there’s been a lifetime disappointment between them. I’m not sure what to think about the swan and what I saw that night, and I must admit that being romantic still doesn’t come easily. It’s a daily struggle to reinvent myself, and part of me wonders whether it always will be. But so what? I hold tight to the lessons that Noah taught me about love and keeping it alive, and even if I never become a true romantic like Noah, it doesn’t mean that I’m ever going to stop trying.

– Wilson Lewis, Epilogue of Nicholas Sparks’ The Wedding

·         Upon reading this, I thought I’m good enough to grasp the author’s ending. But, am quite successful since I got a hint of the future sequences. The twist is excellent, passionate and memorable . . . smooth, sensitive writing . . . Definitely a novel that can hold its own. J

4.      A man sits alone in a cave.  His hair is long. His beard reaches his knees. He holds his chin the cup of his hands. He closes his eyes.                                                                                                                          He is listening to something. Voices. Endless voices. They rise from a pool in the corner of the cave. They are the voices of people on Earth. They want one thing only.                                                                                            Time.

- Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper

·         Wonderful Analogy, yes? J Every one is engrossed once a theme of a story is about time. What more, if the tale is about the time itself? Mitch Albom will flutter you to the space of time, sometimes will return you to your senses, and then will cycle you once more on the marvel and mystery of time. His novel simply tells the oxymoron of loving and letting go your time.

5.     His words – and Sarah’s words—drift up to the faraway cave, and the lonesome, bearded man sitting inside it. This man is Father Time.

You might think him a myth, a cartoon from a New Year’s card—ancient, haggard, clutching an hourglass, older than any one on the planet.

But Father Time is real.

And, in truth, he cannot age. Beneath the unruly beard and cascading hair—signs of life, not death—his body is lean, his skin unwrinkled, immune to the very thing he lords over.

Once, before he angered God, he was just another man,

fated to die when his days were done.

Banished to this cave, he must listen to the world’s every pleas—for more minutes, more hours, more years, more time.

He has been an eternity.

He has given up hope. But a clock ticks for all us, silently, somewhere.

Soon Father Time will be free. To return to Earth.

And finish what he started.

- Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper

·         I love the characters and tone of this excerpt. It captivates me and makes me want to finish the book in one sitting. There’s a mishmash of smooth, crisp, and strong emotions as Father Time will return to Earth. The storyline’s pace is agitating yet controlled. J

6.      Consider the word “time.”

We use so many phrases with it. Pass time. Waste time. Kill time. Lose time. In good time. About time. Take your time. Save time. Along time. Right on time. Out of time. Mind the time. Be on Time. Spare time. Keep time. Stall for time. There are as many expressions with “time” as there are minutes in a day. But once, there was no word for it at all. Because no one was counting. Then Dor began.                                                                                                                                       And everything changed.

- Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper

·         Thank you Father Time for monitoring the importance of yourself—it attracts people to become dear to you. J I have my own version of using the word time, and that’s. Time is Now. The story’s meaning embraces the fact that TIME should be used wisely—not too rush and not too slow—use it the way it should be.  Two people will learn that and they signify all the people in the world.J

--30—

Weddings and beyond fair

complimentary ticket      

Last Sunday, after attending The Feast, our Ministry photographer, Cris Legaspi was expecting us to visit her booth from the this weddingfair in PICC forum. Cris gave us a complimentary ticket, which really excites me to see the first, the biggest and the grandest weddings and debut expo for this year. It’s not that I’m excited to get married, but come on; this will be helpful to those who have a wedding plans. When we got inside, the first thing that caught my attention was the voice of an acoustic singer and guess what? It’s from the band, Pillowcase. I’ve heard them perform before and they’re still good. The second thing was the cherry blossom ark that you’ll pass through.

I’ve read that there were 300 suppliers and I actually got a bulk of flyers and letters from them. Prior to visiting Cris’ booth- my eyes feasts from the pre-nup/nuptial packages, cakes, photobooth, gowns, rings, bouquets and catering.

I’m glad that they’re giving away white bag perk, handy for carrying such hassling flyers.

                             

The most fun part was when the photographer named Joseph Claravall talked to us about the free photobooth, which is an Eiffel tower inspired and gave us his pitch about the Unique selling point (USP) of their event coordination. Sounds, impressive huh! You can visit his site here.

Never forget the pastries and cakes free taste! Harharhar!!! : D

                              Proud owner, Cris!       FH flyer flies       Funky FH booth

Finally, we went to Cris’ flickerhappy booth and among all the booths around the fair (coined me as bias, I-won’t-mind!) their booth looks so modern, lively, artsy, down-to-earth yet sophisticated, funky and cool!!!:D (woah-so many adjectives to describe it!) We also met her tandem, M, who looks simple yet rock! She has good news to us, they booked a sensible client.

No, doubt-- check out their photos here.

Before ending our capriciousness inside, she ritually took a mug shot of us. Talk about bonding with friends and mama!:)

 mug shot

Aisle Take the Chance

Lizzie's eyes shine as she saw the bride walking on the aisle. She's coordinating a wedding from an unknown client. She had a sleepless night as she planned everything to make the wedding memorable, thinking of complimenting flowers on the aisle up to her wonderful gown. The glitz on Lizzie's eyes was captured by a man beside her. Andrew, who saw how she worked hard for this glamorous event, is amazed by her diligence. He picked a flower, looked at Lizzie's smiling face and asked her, "Do you want to have that kind of wedding, too?" She uttered, "Yes, of course."

Andrew finally got the courage to ask her that question and Lizzie looked at the aisle again. Andrew took a photo of her and he said to himself, "Tonight is his night." He'll take the chance into asking her for a dinner and tell her what he'd been keeping for so long.

Lizzie went upstairs to check the whole scene downstairs. She secretly looks at the flower that Andrew gave her. She'd wanted to get it also from him 7 years ago. But he never did. The years in between made her busy into her business and social gatherings. Never did she enter into any flings. She asks herself blushingly, "Is this the perfect time?"

A click from a distant took a moment again-captured were her dreams surrounding the church's stunning look.