Friends' Weddings

There's no doubt I love Friends. Here's a list of the weddings (of the main characters) done in the entire 10 seasons of the TV series.

1. Rachel's wedding

credit: http://www.friendsultimate.com/

Of course, Rachel didn't push through with the wedding. She realized she wasn't in love with Barry, the orthodontist. So she ran away. This is actually on the pilot episode of Friends.

2. Ross and Emily's wedding



The fateful wedding of Ross where he said Rachel's name instead of Emily's. This is also when Monica and Chandler started hooking up (well, technically they did it the night of the rehearsal dinner). I love the romantic setting of Ross and Emily's ceremony venue. The cathedral has sentimental value to Emily because this is where her parents got married. But a few days before her own wedding, the place was torn down because of renovations. Instead of postponing the wedding, they had it in the middle of the ruins and put on Christmas lights and candles everywhere.

3. Ross and Rachel's wedding



The "world's worst hangover" as Rachel puts it. Well, it was all a drunken mistake. They were all in Las Vegas and Ross and Rachel got drunk and was stupid enough to get married. It was Chandler and Monica who were "planning" to get married but were put off when they saw Ross and Rachel at the chapel.

4. Chandler and Monica's wedding



I was more excited in Monica's wedding preparations than their actual wedding. She had "the book" which she kept ever since she was a teenager. Her book had all the things you need to know in preparing for a wedding from the centerpieces to the wedding gowns. I actually love their engagement story (the proposal) more than their wedding. I cry everytime I watch that episode.

5. Mike and Phoebe's wedding

This is the wedding I love the most. From the snowstorm (yeah I thought it was so romantic to get married outside Central Perk with all the snow), to the wedding march (The Beatles' Here, There, Everywhere), to the entourage's gowns, Phoebe's wedding gown (it's so Phoebe, the wedding gown not being white), to the wedding vows(I loved it when she said Mike's her family). It was such a heartwarming wedding. I always end up crying whenever I watch this episode (like the proposal of Chandler to Monica).

It would have been wonderful to see Ross and Rachel get married. But the writers probably thought against it as it would have been so predictable. And out of all the characters it was Joey didn't marry from the start to the end of the series. Well, I guess if he has gotten married they wouldn't have the spin-off.

PTV

No not the local channel...PTV as in Phoeben Teocson Videography. Our wedding photographer is offering a promo..they're giving a 10k discount on their basic+on site AVP package to the first 10 couples who will book them under their new name.


Bim and his team were formerly known as Playback Videos. haha Can't help it...I thought of 'the artist formerly known as Prince'. Bim, you should be known...Phoeben Teocson formerly known as Playback Videos. Corny! Anyways, their style is very unobtrusive and you wouldn't even know that they're there filming your wedding. Plus since they are a bunch of young guys (I've only met Bim but I'm assuming other members of his team are around his age), their editing style is very hip and cool. Here's a confession: I watch their videos at the office (super bagal kasi ng connection dito sa bahay) and usually I mute the volume of my PC. Ganon na lang ako kabilib sa videos niya na kahit walang music e naantig pa rin ako. Naks! Lalim non ah. Another plus is that Bim is also about to get married so he's in the same shoes as any other engaged couples out there. In short, alam niya kung anong hinahanap at hahanapin ng mga couples. I remember what he said when we met him na okay daw kung iiyak yung groom dahil maganda sa video. Hay naku natumbok nya! Aside from shots of the bride (me!) syempre I want to see in our video (and photos as well) yung reaction ni Joema when I'm walking down the aisle to meet him. Minsan palang namin na-meet ni Joema si Bim but we were both at ease talking with him. Inside joke lang namin na Joema since both our videographer and photographer are skinhead na yun yung requirement namin...kumbaga testimony of being a true artist yung pagiging skinhead. Dapat daw either skinhead or long hair haha. Now if only we have the budget for an additional photo montage.

Seven Churches

We did our usual round of seven churches last Holy Thursday. We actually went to our usual churches but the seventh one was different this year. The last one we went to was Archbishop's Palace. I wanted my parents to see the church where I will be getting married. So anyway, this is where we've been to this year.

1. Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish, San Roque, Marikina - the first church we go to is usually where we recite the Stations of the Cross. A little trivia, every year that we do our Visita Iglesia (we only started a few years back) we always ALWAYS had to buy prayer books for the Stations of the Cross. This year was no different. My mother was able to keep two booklets from previous years but she still had to buy another one so that each one of us have one each (my brother didn't come this year). This church is where Penny and Pao are getting married next year. :D

2. St. Paul, SSS Village, Marikina - there was a retreat when we got there so we just got seated on one of the pews at the back. The priest was talking about Spe Salvi, the book that was released by Vatican. We didn't stay that long so I didn't get to listen more about the book. Anyways, we were already in the car when I noticed that I didn't have my phone. Shucks! I left it in my seat. Dang! Was so preoccupied taking photos (with my phone) I forgot it na pala.

3. Immaculate Conception Parish, Concepcion, Marikina - we were delighted to see that the front doors of the church were open. We usually get inside the church by the side door. Since, we really don't go here to hear mass we were also surprised that they changed their altar. From the previous simple crucifix, their altar is now gold with an image of the Lady.

4. Holy Sacrifice Parish, UP Diliman, Quezon City - the last four churches we visited were basically the same churches Joema and I went to when we were looking for the church for our wedding. I really love how airy this church is. It was so hot last Thursday but once inside this chapel I felt the coolness of the air. I was getting hungry by the time we stopped by UP Chapel so after our prayers inside the church, we bought lumpiang togi (one of my favorite meriendas in UP) outside. The price of the lumpia went up from P10 to P12 and I think it was smaller than what I usually bought.

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5. Sta. Maria della Strada, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City - I don't really go to church here at della Strada but it's not my first time either but I only realized now that it was a big church. Anyways, I especially liked their ceiling. Does it seem that I went around these churches for aesthetic reasons? haha Hindi naman. Maybe it's just the bride in me. Preparing for a wedding and looking for THE church really lets you take a different perspective in the churches that you go to. Suddenly you happen to notice the pews, the altar, the ceiling, the door, the aisle haha.

6. Our Lady of Pentecost, Varsity Hill, Quezon City - it was only my second time at this church so I was a bit worried I won't remember the way going there. Plus when Joema and I went there we rode the tricycle so we didn't bother with the directions. And this time I was able to go inside. The altar and decorations inside the church are simple and minimalist, very modern. Although the church looks small outside, it's actually big in the sense that it has three floors.

7. Archbishop's Palace, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City - this one was different from the rest because we're the only ones inside the church when we got there. Going back here, after visiting the other churches that we were choosing from before, made me realized that we really did choose the best church for us. :) Can't wait to get married here.

Big C

Those of you reading this blog or if you just happened to pass by...please, please, please say a short prayer for my cousin, Ate Floriza. She's diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. We don't have the details yet as my Tita Zeny was crying incosolably when my mother talked to her. When we went to the province this Holy Week, my lolo and lola told my mom that the cancer actually started in her liver. Tito Efren, Tita Zeny's husband, died a few years ago of liver cancer. It's just devastating news for my tita. Ate Floriza has a 5 (or 6) year old daughter, Faye. So aside from the well-being of my cousin, we're all praying for my tita and their family and of course Faye. Please help us pray for them.

Doctor Doctor I am Sick

I just got back from the doctor for the interpretation of the bloodwork, urinalysis and x-rays done for my annual physical exam administered here at the office. She said I had high triglyceride. But this is the same result from my APE last year and based on my record I was told to get another blood test after two months but I did not return. (Read: Kasalanan ko na hindi ako bumalik) I told her nobody called me to remind me. Sabi nya hindi na daw ako kailangan tawagan para bumalik dapat daw ako ang bumalik. Anyways, I then remembered that I DID return for another blood test and I told her the results was sent to my office but of course, I can not interpret it on my own. Then she proceeded by telling me that this time I should return after a month but I have to follow a strict diet - no meat, only fish and vegetables (if I want meat chicken breast without the skin), no oily and fatty foods. She explained that if after a month and the results are the same then I would have to take medicines - for life! Argh!

Now, I'm upset. I don't know if I'm upset because of what she said (i-threaten ka ba naman na pwede ka ma-stroke bigla at such a young age noh!) or because of my argument with her. Kasi naman in the middle of her explanation sabi ko "Ay hindi ako papayag! Basta bumalik ako for blood test!" Ahahahaha. Bad trip! Hay naku!

Living Space

I would love to have something like this in our condo.

We can sit..

lounge..

entertain friends...

sleep...
and work...

All in our own little space.

More of Matroshka Living Concept here.

GG

This is soooo Gossip Girl - Manila version.

Caterer Hunt

We've had a few misses when it came to finding the right caterer for us. We actually went to three food tastings but let me tell you stories about these two account executives (AE's) from different caterers first. Horrible stories I tell you! But let me say that at first, even before going to the food tasting my main concern was the set-up. I didn't really care if the food tastes great or not, I just want the venue to look pretty. And I didn't want to spend a dime on event stylists so I was on the lookout for caterers who will not only satisfy my taste buds but satisfy my visual "hunger" as well. So this is basically my category when I shortlisted my first two caterers.

AE#1: I emailed my standard queries: package, availability, details of our wedding, etc. She sent me with a standard menu with their amenities. I replied back asking if they can customize the menu and fit our budget (Our budget was lower than their cheapest package) because I really love their set-up. She emailed me that yes they do that. I then requested for a meeting. No replies after an email and a text message so I resent the email again to two different email addresses. She replied that she's not available on my preferred date and that she's free only on weekdays. I then called her up to tell her we can meet her on a Friday. Before the end of the call we agreed to meet up on a Friday at 1pm and she told me she'll send me a text message to let me know where we'll meet her. Day before our scheduled meeting, I texted her (around lunch time) to confirm our meeting and ask her where we'll meet. No reply. I again texted her around 4pm to tell her that I needed to file for a leave so please confirm if we'll push through with the meeting. Still no reply. Around 6pm I received a text from her informing me that she has been texting me all day, morning and afternoon, and has told me that she will not be available...let's move the meeting to Saturday instead. Hello? Isn't she the one who initially begged off to have the meeting on a Saturday and specifically told me she's only free during weekdays???? I didn't reply after that. Around 9pm that night, she has two missed calls on my phone. I text her oh-so-politely that we already made plans for Saturday (just so she can sleep that night and not be bothered). She replied back that she'll just email me the customized menu over the weekend and that she'll schedule us for a food tasting the following Saturday.

Until now, I haven't received that email she was talking about and I have not tasted any of their food.

AE#2: As with the first caterer, I was impressed with the styling that they do. I got a copy of their package from the bridal fair at SM Megamall last February. Their prices we're over our budget but I really wanted to get them because of their set-up. I needed to convince Joema that by getting them we are actually saving because we're getting a caterer and event stylist in one. I surfed the net and came upon a blog entry of one of their former clients - a bride who is not too happy with the way they did business with them and how the AE treated them. I left a message in the blog saying that I've met the AE and am now having second thoughts in getting the caterer after reading the bride's review. After a few days, I got a personal message at my multiply account from the AE and then another message from my personal email address. OMG! She tracked me down. Multiply has this feature where you can see the people who viewed your page and I saw her account on my page. Maybe after viewing my multiply page, she searched her documents for my email address (I did sign an info sheet on their booth during the bridal fair). I wouldn't do her any justice if I don't post her reply verbatim on this blog post...

[Name of AE] here, I've just read your comment earlier and i came up typing this message for you. What [name of bride]said was her own opinion, i wanted to answer to atleast give my side about the truth but it was not appropriate for me because i have to consider my company since i'am still connected to them. All i can say is it wasn't fair for me. I wasn't the controller of that event, i'am just a follower! Unfair to put the blame on me alone. It was a breakfast wedding but guests eat past 11am how can i assure the food was still ok? She should consider her guests before she even decide of a garden wedding, 9am is not that hot but as i said past 11am was really hot. If i'am that rude i will tell her that same date what was her guests telling about her wedding..I'm saying this to you for you to think what you really want and consider your guests always! I know the truth and that's the most important. I've been into this bussiness for about 3years and not just a [name of bride] can ruined it. We've been waiting for her to sue as but just as i thought she would do because she knows, in our letter to her it wasn't just our fault.

O di ba! Nosebleed! Magsama sila nung nanalong Binibining Pilipinas World! And to think, that before she sent me this email I already confirmed my slot in their food tasting. But after reading this, I didn't even bother going.

Kauai Vacation

Being the travel bug and beach lover that I am, nothing excites me more than the prospect of going on vacation on a deserted island and spending time with Joema. And why not spend a grand vacation at Kauai vacation rentals. Luxury homes and condos are for rent where you can spend countless hours just basking in the sun and living the life. Not only can you choose from the many vacation houses, you can also choose which part of the island you want to live in while you’re there. So what are your requirements when you go on vacation especially on a beach? I don’t really like too crowded beach fronts and of course I want soft powdery sand in between my toes when I have my afternoon walk with my honey. So I think Haena vacation rentals are perfect for me. The pristine pink beach in this area will surely take my breath away. Haena is considered to be the most gorgeous area on Kauai. This would have been perfect for our honeymoon. But since we’ve already booked our flights, I will have to put this on my wish list at the moment. Maybe we can go some other time. Now, if you want other activities other than swimming and sun bathing, like playing golf perhaps? Then Princeville resort is the one for you. You can choose from the many Princeville vacation rentals where you want to spend the night after a tiresome day of golf. Take your pick from the many choices that they have to offer.

Save-The-Date Sticker

As I mentioned last time, I started distributing our Save-The-Date stickers to some friends. I got the idea from a Martha Stewart magazine I bought from Cheryl. Shoutout to Cheryl who sold me her magazines! EDIT: The owner of SaveTheDate stickers left a comment here at my blog, and I want to credit her for her idea. Thanks for the info Deb. You may visit her site at Buzy Bee Press or SavetheDateStickers.

Below is a photo of my inspiration from the Martha Stewart website:


So let me share with you how I made our STD stickers.

1. Print out the labels on the round stickers and the card that goes with it. I had a trial-and-error print for the stickers. Couldn't find a printer template for a once-inch sticker that's 4 rows 3 columns. I used a template based on 5 rows and 4 columns and made some adjustments. It's a word document so it's pretty easy to edit. For the card, I used MS Publisher template for their 3x5 index card but made some adjustments as well. Note on the sticerks, I couldn't find colored stickers (like the one from Martha Stewart) so I opted for white ones. Well, actually there are colored ones but they are all neon. Blech! So I just made the fonts in our color motif.

2. Cut out the card and sticker. Use very sharp cutter for this. And then glue the the sticker to the card.

3. For the envelopes, I bought wonderful printed papers (used for scrapbooking) for the lining. I made a pattern based on the envelope and used it to trace the printed papers.

4. Cut the patterns and then paste it to the envelopes.


5. Voila, we have our STD stickers which are families and friends can use to label their calendars.

Materials I used:

Specialty board
Brand: Elit
Cost: P19.75 (10 sheets per pack)

1-inch round labels
Brand: Cosmo
Cost: P22.00 (6 sheets of 4x3 labels per pack)

Envelopes
Brand: Envelopes No. 4 Prestige Paper Products
Cost: P18.25 (10 pieces per pack)

Scrapbook Paper
Brand: All About Scrapbooking
Cost: P44.50 (4 plain paper and 4 printed paper per pack)

Everything bought at National Bookstore.

Losing Weight

Well, if you've been reading my blog for some time you'll know that I'm kinda vain. I feel guilty when I don't go to the gym atleast once a week. As of the moment, I'm really scared to gain weight especially now that I'm getting married in a few months. Fortunately, with proper diet and regular exercise I maintain my present weight - although I gain a few pounds once in a while. But for some people, dieting and exercising isn't enough. So a few of them opt to do the alternative - take weight loss pills like phentermine - 21phen.com. But what is phentermine? Phentermine is an appetite suppressant, that is, you lose your appetite when you take this pill. With combination of diet and exercise, the proper use of phentermine can help overweight people lose weight. I guess as with any other things, you just have to make do with what works for you. If you think you need diet pills then go ahead and buy yourself some phentermine.

Awake

In line with my "crushing" Hayden Christensen at the moment, I watched Awake last night. The movie's premise is about this phenomenon called anesthetic awareness where patients undergoing surgery are not able to go to sleep after being injected with anesthesia rather they are fully awake but paralyzed. Hayden's character experiences this phenomenon when he was operated for a heart transplant. I didn't like him here as much as in Jumper hehe. Anyways, the thought of going through anesthetic awareness just creeps me out. I was thinking what if Joema experienced this when he had his surgery. Good thing he didn't. I remember him telling me that he fell asleep during the surgery - you know how (from Grey's Anatomy) the anesthesiologist lets the patient count backwards. Anyways, I liked the story of the movie. It's a bit short though. I would have wanted to see what happened to Hayden and Jessica Alba afterwards. Oh, Jessica Alba was hot in that bath tub scene!