Friday, August 2, 2013

Gary and Ivy's Wedding in Wonderland Suppliers' Rating Part 2

This post is loooong overdue. I took a makeup class and have been very busy everyday. I keep on finding excuses, and not time to complete our suppliers rating! :(

My suppliers for part 2 would be: 
Gown: Zalby Almoradie
Groom's Suit: Mang Pons Tailoring
Lights & Sounds: Rejectkrew
Projector: Balayan Projector
Photobooth: Celebrations! Photobooth

Gown: Zalby Almoradie
I'm clumsy and unlucky when I wear white. So on our wedding day, I was set on getting a colored gown. Since I have morena skin, I went for the color nude! Parang nakahubad lang. I wasn't too excited about beads, but I love tulle and ball gowns. Zalby is a co-bride and an ex-wawie who became one of my closest friends. We share the same love for Purpledish! Lagi kaming PG pag food tasting. She mentioned that she took classes in FIP, so I started sharing with her the designs I wanted for my gown, and she told me "Parang ang sarap gawin ng gown mo." 

A crazy thought entered my mind and I told her, "Go, I challenge you! Ikaw na gumawa gown ko!" :)

She had her apprehensions at first, given that my gown would only be her 2nd bridal gown. But we both took a leap of faith, I trusted her that she will do her best, and she designed and made my gown.

Pros:



  • Friendly rate (can not be disclosed). I only paid for the materials + labor (she commissioned someone to do the petticoat)
  • I have 2 looks!
  • She will be there at the day of my wedding not only as a designer but also as my friend :)
  • Unlimited consultation, fitting, and chika
As she is my friend, I wouldn't list any cons here.:) I think she just needs to believe in herself and not be too afraid in doing what she loves because she's good at it.

On to the pictures:



First look - Sketch



First look - Actual


Second look - Sketch

                                                                  
Second look - Actual






Me wearing the gown

Ceremony



Reception


Groom's Suit: Mang Pons Tailoring
We were looking for cheap suppliers of suit. Mang Pons is a popular name online, so we went to Kamuning to have Gary's suit done.

Pros:
  • Cheap, the whole package (suit, pants, bowtie, cummerbund, long-sleeves) costs Php5500 
  • Excellent fit for the suit
  • Excellent fit for the pants
Cons:
  • He's quite disorganized, he smokes inside his tailoring shop and his table is so messy
  • The white long-sleeves is made of cheap-looking material and the fit is not good
  • The bowtie is tabingi
  • The buttons he used for the long-sleeves look cheap too :(
  • I think you get what you pay for :(
If you are willing to shell out extra money, go for Onesimus or other suppliers. Minsan lang rin naman ikakasal ang groom, so go to a trusted supplier na lang. Wouldn't recommend him to future grooms, especially if you're OC like my groom, unless you're really budget-constrained. OR you could still get the suit and pants from Mang Pons, since they both have excellent fit, but the inner shirt, you can get elsewhere :)

On to the pictures:



See how thin the fabric is. Nipis nya talaga, almost bakat na!


Cummerbund is so-so. Yung likod ng cummerbund is hindi matibay yung pagkakabit ng hooks


Nasa nagdadala na lang raw yun. :)

Lights and Sounds: Rejectkrew
We booked Elmer of Rejectkrew way before the venue was decided upon. He is one of the top suppliers of w@w and his expertise is at par with waaay more expensive suppliers out there. A little bit of story here, I already paid the downpayment of 1000 and when I told him that we would move the venue to Tagaytay, he rejected me and said na I would get cheaper packages from Tagaytay-based L&S Suppliers. But I insisted on getting him because I know how important mood lighting is. He said that Rosemont is too steep and mahirapan raw truck nila. Sabi ko, I wouldn't trust my wedding to anybody else, because nga it's Alice in Wonderland themed, baka pag iba gumawa, magmukhang fiesta or pambata yung mood. He mentioned pa before na super excited sya sa wedding namin kasi napanaginipan nya raw ang lighting sa Alice in Wonderland. Kaya sabi ko "Sir Elmer, I know ikaw lang makakagawa ng wedding namin beautifully!" Drama much! From the original package rate of 8k, we paid additional 7k for OOT fee, and additional 5k for ceremony sounds setup. I haggled a bit. So may discount. The discount we gave na lang as tips to his team.

Pros:
  • Galing nila! They came early, and hindi na nila pinasok truck, I saw his team carrying the speakers, equipment, down the steep slope of Rosemont. Nakakaawa nga e. Hindi ko kaya maglakad dun even if walang buhat, pano pa kaya pag may buhat. Must be a pain!
  • I love the lights setup. Suited our theme perfectly!
  • My dad said ganda raw ng choice of music and the sounds as well. He is a frequent wedding-attender (he's a pastor and officiating minister) so he knows kung ano ang magaganda at chaka music. No mushy music, no inappropriate lyrics. 
  • Discounted rate pa kami! We paid only 18k for ceremony and reception L&S.
Cons:
  • All brides can attest that he is hard to contact. My tip is call him around 10pm-12mn. :p
On to the pictures:






Projector: Balayan Projector
This is a last-minute booking since we can't find any Tagaytay-based suppliers that offer projector rental only.  

Pros:
  • Easy transaction, and affordable rates.
  • The projector and screen is perfect for the size of our reception venue

Photobooth: Celebrations! Photobooth
We got this as a gift from our Ninong Joel and Ninang Edna who owns Celebrations! Photobooth. Tito Joel is the photographer. 

Pros:
  • I was surprised that there was no stop time (I don't know if this is just inaanak privilege)! 
  • We love the quality of the paper, di nagf-fade and the colors are vibrant
  • I just sent him the photoshop file of our customized template and he edited it to make sure the photos are big enough.
  • Affordable rates (but we got the package as a gift), 5500 for 3 hours!
Sample pictures: 

Ninong Joel and Ninang Edna Tolosa

Us



Monday, June 17, 2013

Gary and Ivy's Wedding in Wonderland Suppliers' Rating Part 1

It's been so long since I last posted. We've been married for almost 2 months na, and I'm carrying our honeymoon baby (agad-agad). I think most w@wies would agree that their wedding wouldn't be as beautiful if they hadn't joined w@w. Wedding planning may not be easy, but it's something I already missed. Withdrawal ang drama! Miss ko na mag-panic, mag-DIY, mag-compute.

Okay, dami kong chika. Here is my list of suppliers. You can easily Ctrl+F if you want to go directly to that specific supplier naman. Hehe!

Venue: Rosemont Gardens, Tagaytay
Photographer: Ernest Santos Photography
Back-up Photographer: Manny & April Photography
Videographer: Photo MNL
Caterer: Purpledish
Stylist/Florist: Florist Gids (Gideon Hermosa of Events Studio)


Let's start! :) All pictures are from Manny and April photography. :)

Venue: Rosemont Gardens, Tagaytay
Our theme was Alice in Wonderland in pastel colors. We opted for a garden since we would be having a Christian ceremony. Rosemont Gardens is 3-in-1: preps  venue, garden venue for the ceremony, and covered venue for the reception.

Ceremony Area
(Setup by Events Studio - Gids Hermosa)

Reception Area
(Setup by Events Studio, Lights Setup by Rejectkrew)


Pros:
  • Affordable, overnight rate is 45,000 when we booked the venue
  • Convenient for guests
  • Picturesque (Ganda lang ng Taal, the garden is nice)
  • Clean restroom with complete shampoo and soap
  • We didn't get to sleep in na, but the guests who slept over enjoyed the stay. Aside from the beds, there are mattresses pa na pwede tulugan ng mga kids
Cons:
  • It was stated in their website that their address was Alfonso, Cavite. We had our marriage contract and Request for Venue (something for Christian weddings raw) state Alfonso, Cavite. At the night of our wedding, when we asked Jovelyn (caretaker) where the municipal hall of Alfonso is, she replied that Rosemont's part of Laurel, Batangas. We had to reprint and notarize the Request for Venue, we requested our officiating minister to draft another marriage contract, we asked our godparents to re-sign our marriage contract, and we had to go to Laurel, Batangas, which is suuuuper far from Rosemont to drop our marriage contract. Haaaay. Such a hassle. When we asked Miss Karla (proprietress of Rosemont) why the website says Alfonso, Cavite, she said it was for marketing purposes. 
  • I think it was partly our fault that we didn't confirm first. Pero after ilang days, they changed na the website information to Laurel, Batangas.
  • The bridal preps room is dark. Wala masyado sunlight. Since I did my own makeup, nahirapan ako to get natural light, also comment rin ng photogs/videographers na yun nga, medyo madilim sa room.
  • Only 1 restroom for guests
Photographer: Ernest Santos Photography
We didn't want to spend too much on photos, hindi kami photogenic, hindi kami mahilig sa pictures. And we guessed marami rin naman makiki-picture sa wedding so we spent only 10k for our wedding photographer. Ernest was my classmate from UP, and orgmate sa IE Club. He also was our prenup photographer.


Pros:
  • Affordable, rate for 3 photographers is 8k lang with free prints na (plus 2k for out-of-town fee)
  • Natural and hindi scripted yung poses (naiilang kasi ako sa scripted/cliched poses, tingin ko di ako marunong umemote, di bagay sakin)
  •  Madali kausap and madali mag-request
Cons:
  • Parang nahihiya siya during our wedding. He's the main photographer kaso nasisingitan siya ng mga tito/tita na nakikisingit sa picture
  • I don't think na-capture nya lahat ng gusto namin ma-capture, nakulangan ako sa shots, specially sa entourage shots
Backup Photographer: Manny & April Photography
I love love love Manny and April! We got them at introductory rates lang! April was a w@wie before then they decided na maging supplier. I love their team!

Pros:
  • They just got married, so they know pano ang poses, panu ang acting, they even helped me sa timeline chuva ng wedding (When to get dressed, when to eat, etc.)
  • Mas madami pa sila shots kesa sa main
  • Bilis ng delivery of output, got our official pictures na naka-package and CD na
  • Here are some of my favorite shots:









Cons:
  • I can't think of any. :) They're good at what they do! And we got more than what we paid for.
Videographer: Photo MNL
I think I'm the first w@w bride who booked Photo MNL. Photo MNL is headed and owned by Kier Bulseco. I got a special discount since Jenny Gelvezon referred me to Kier. 35k inclusive of prenup video and wedding SDE. Libre na yung out of town fee. Here's our SDE: http://vimeo.com/64294300

Pros:
  • Our guests loved our prenup vid and our wedding SDE, many of our guests asan na ba yung wedding SDE namin, and even the prenup a day after the wedding, some guests 
  • Hindi conventional yung shooting style nila, captured yung real emotions
  • Crisp yung audio and HD na yung video na nakuha namin
Cons:
  • We didn't have a copy of the prenup video and our SDE. Hindi kasi kami nakapag-provide ng flash disk. Pero sana may CD/DVD. Pero keri lang. Too bad our prenup video was taken down by vimeo kasi copyrighted yung music! Sayang! Wala tuloy kaming copy!
Caterer: Purpledish
I've posted in this blog before about Purpledish. We've got them at a super discounted rate. 553/head, inclusive of candy buffet, cake, tiffany chairs (a must!!!), wine, etc.

Pros:
  • Affordable! We reserved for 170 pax and paid only less than 100k. Plus additional 10k for OOT. And Php1500 for carving station
  • Freebies! More freebies! 
    • The cake is super nice. Basta sinabi ko lang theme and peg was topsy turvy na Alice in Wonderland. 

    • Instead of photobooth, we availed of the candy buffet for 50 pax. My friends said na masarap naman yung candies and not cheap at all. I love the setup as well, complemented our theme!
  • The desserts were a hit.
  • Our guests came home full!
  • Gary and I have always been a fan of the dishes Chef V cooks! As in. We ate a little before our grand entrance. Gary loved the beef and veggie lasagna (it was served to us hot pa), and salmon. Of course the appetizers I wolfed down in 2 seconds pa lang. Haha! Though we weren't able to eat during the wedding reception, when all the payments were settled sa suppliers and the guests left, we sat in our small couples' table, and devoured the food! Para kaming PG! All I could say is kahit malamig, we loved the food. 




  • My personal favorite is Chicken Roulade in 3-way sauce, and Tofu Sisig. Syempre blueberry cheesecake! Yum!
Cons:
  • One of the reasons why we availed of the promo package of Purpledish was dahil tie-up sila ni Gids. But before the wedding, instead of coursing everything through Purpledish, I had to go out of my way to contact Gids. 
  • Sabi ng VIP, medyo late raw na-serve yung drinks. I specifically requested na pink lemonade ang i-serve para pasok sa theme. Chef said pa na lalagay sa carafe. I didnt see any display ng pink lemonade. This late serving ng drinks added tuloy suya factor. Siguro I should have upgraded to softdrinks or something para mawala ang suya factor. Sabi ni Chef one round ng pink lemonade, then unlimited regular iced tea na. I don't know why ganun ang na-feel ng VIP namin.
  • My mom said malansa raw ang salmon. 
  • I don't know if isolated yung VIP guests sa feeling na hindi nag-enjoy sa food, but kami naman ni Gary enjoy, e same lang naman na sinerve yun sa VIP e. So probably, different strokes for different folks? Hehe! 
  • I surveyed some of my guests, busog naman sila! Though hindi ganun inexpect ko reaction, I was hoping na "Wow, super sarap!" pero may ibang tables na halos masuka raw sila sa kabusugan in a nice way though. Some of the guests nga told us na mukha raw mahal ang pa-cater namin!
Stylist/Florist: Florist Gids (Gideon Hermosa of Events Studio)
If I ever get married again (of course to the same man!), at mayaman na kami, I would get Gids again! This time hindi na freebie!

Pros:
  • As part of our package, we insisted on getting Gids. We added 15k for reception upgrade. Super ganda! I can't rave enough. Let the photos do the justice. 









  • We also had our ceremony setup done by Events Studio:


  • My flower and my groom's corsage was also done by Gids, because I was one hell of a lucky bride and I won Joedshares' giveaway! We're so lucky kasi dream ko talaga na hindi mag-rot yung bouquet so I can keep it pa!
Can you see my smile? Hahaha! Ang saya ko dibaaah!!!

This is a flamingo-inspired bouquet by the way. I won kasi Gids was challenged and excited to do an all-feather bouquet! Hihi! Bet na bet ko ang hawakan. And hindi tinipid sa feathers ha. I love the rhinestones and beads as well.



Gary's boutonniere!


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Part 2 will be up later this week! :)

My suppliers for part 2 would be: 
Gown: Zalby Almoradie
Groom's Suit: Mang Pons Tailoring
Lights & Sounds: Rejectkrew
Projector: Balayan Projector
Photobooth: Celebrations! Photobooth
My DIYs: invitation, boutonnieres, photobooth template, bridesmaids' bouquets, wrist corsages, makeup