Its the Hormones

It started when I became pregnant. Super emotional ko. Well dati na ako emotional but it seems like its heightened. So imagine emotional na nga ako dati nadagdagan pa nung nabuntis ako. Dramarama mga bes!

May mabasa lang ako sa facebook or mapanood sa TV na nakaka-touch tutulo na lang bigla ang luha ko. Parang tanga lang haha!

I remember when I was still on my first trimester. Napakaselan ko maglihi at super throw up talaga ako the whole day na halos bumaba ng 7 lbs yung weight ko. Mind you it was super traumatic for me na halos wala na ako maisuka pero sige pa rin. Yung feeling na suko na ko ayoko na talaga. Pero syempre wala rin naman ako magagawa kundi kayanin para na rin sa baby ko.

Pili lang yung mga nata-take kong kainin na ulam. Dahil hindi ko talaga kaya yung amoy nila minsan. One time naubusan ako ng ulam. It was ginisang ampalaya with egg. Hindi naman ako kumakain ng ampalaya yung egg lang ang kinakain ko talaga. Pero gutom na gutom na ko noon. Palaging gutom ang buntis.

When our kasambahay told me na wala ng ulam, nasabi ko lang "ha bakit nio ko inubusan?". Then bigla na lang tumulo luha ko. As in hindi ko mapigilan, umiyak ako na parang bata. To the rescue naman agad si mother at nagpaluto ng same na ulam. Di nya alam na naubos ung ulam. Wala rin yung asawa ko nun, nasa work.

Then later on nung kumalma na ko, tinatawanan na ako ni mother. Nakakahiya tuloy haha!

Yung asawa ko dati ng masungit. Pag nagsusungit yun hindi ko lang papansinin tapos mamaya ok na. Nung mabuntis ako naiiyak ako kapag sinusungitan nya ako. Oh kaya kapag hindi nya nabibili yung gusto ko umiiyak talaga ako. Kahit ayokong umiyak kasi napakababaw ng dahilan. Pero hindi ko talaga sya kayang pigilan.

Nakakainis na nakakatawa yung ganitong pakiramdam. Im currrently on my third trimester but Im still so emotional.

My Wedding Day

My head is spinning, maybe due to lack of sleep. I dont know if it was the excitement or still the stress of my wedding preparation.

It was 3am. My suppliers were calling. They were already in the hotel lobby. So I fetch them with my hair still wet.

Then my room was suddenly overcrowded. My family members, some of the entourage and suppliers.

After few minutes of walking back and forth, calling and taking some calls, I realized it's time to start my make up.

Pictorial started and some of my friends were already there.

It felt surreal when Im already wearing my wedding gown. It's a dream come true. I look just like the way how I pictured me on my wedding day. My heart is filled with bliss that Im finally getting married to the love of my life.

Thank God there's no traffic and we arrived at the church just in time. I'm so thankful to Vivian, my assistant that day, she never left my side and always assuring me that everything's fine and to just relax.

I heard my bridal march song (Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin on Violin) started playing. That's my cue and I started walking down the aisle.

Nervous at the first few steps. Im stepping at my gown and for some reason my shoes is kinda loose. But I remember what Vivian told me to do. Kick and step, kick and step. And that is just what I did. Thankfully, I did not trip.

I felt so emotional while walking, my tears wanted to fall so badly but then I saw my parents smiling at me and so I managed to held back my tears and smile. I saw my relatives and friends looking at me, taking pictures and smiling. Then finally Im almost on the altar and I saw my gorgeous groom looking at me with full of love, dreams and excitement as we start our future together as husband an wife.

Wedding Day: December 12, 2015
Church: Christ the King Parish, Greenmeadows, Quezon City

The Prenup Pictorial

When we were still dating, our bonding was watching movies, well even until now. That's how I came up on the idea that we should make it our wedding theme and of course that includes the prenup pictorial.

It was also my secret dream to be a model. So I savour this prenup pictorial to make my dream come true, atleast for a day heh.

So here it is, from my favorite to my super favorite shots.

10.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1. 

Location: PNR Tutuban Depot
Outfit: By the Couple
HMUA: Ina Ferrer
Photographer: Lester Purification

what is happening?

Sooo many things happened! After that last update of mine about my wedding suppliers, I've already got married, Christmas had passed, it's a new year, Im 31, been to honeymoon and etc etc.

Dami ko gusto i-blog na mga pangyayari sa buhay ko and Im afraid makakalimutan ko na naman ang mga yun kapag hindi ko pa rin nai-type dito. Haaay sana sipagin na ko. 

In the meantime, eto nagpapaka-busy sa negosyo at sa pagiging asawa. Nanonood ng favorite series in between. Nagpapakahirap pumila sa mga government agencies para makapag-palit ng civil status at habang nakapila nag-iisip ng bagong business venture. Ayan lang naman ang mga pinagkaka-abalahan ko sa buhay sa mga panahong ito.

It's been almost 3 months since I got married and negative pa rin. Bakit kaya? Everytime na makakakita ako ng baby parang gusto kong tawagan asawa ko na nasa work at ayain umuwi and you know. And everytime na dumarating si monthly period, nalulungkot talaga ako. Sabi ni hubby wag daw magmadali darating din baby namen sa tamang panahon. Ewan ko ba, iniisip ko kasi pagka-kasal automatic baby na agad. It's not that Im pressured because of my age but because kahit noon pa mahilig na talaga ako sa baby and the time has come na for me to have my own.

I am very thankful kasi natupad yung gusto ko na makapag-asawa na by 30 years old. Ngayon naman sana magka-baby na ko this year but I know naman na darating din sya in God's time.

So ayan na lang muna, para lang masabi ko na nakapag-update din ng blog at malay mo sipagin ako dahil dito.

The Wedding: Venue

For me, looking for a venue for reception is the hardest part in planning a wedding. There are so many things to consider. 

It should be near the church, affordable, decent, and for us it should be air-conditioned. Dapat kakasya din ang number of guest na invited.

I hope that this list could help those who will stumble upon this blog who are also looking for a venue in the same area as ours.

Our wedding ceremony will be at Christ the King Parish Church, Greenmeadows.

The following are shortlisted already from more than 30 venues that I inquired.

1. Greenmeadows Clubhouse

Contact: 637-3311; 6373399

Capacity: 150 pax

Sponsorship required

Rate: Php 22,500 + refundable Php 10,000 bond

2. Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse

Contact: 633-0914; 633-0923; 634-7280

Capacity: 200 pax

Sponsorship required

Rate: Php 

3. Valle Verde 5 Clubhouse

Contact: 631-0496; 386-1019

Capacity: 220 pax

Sponsorship required

Rate: Php 13,800

4. Acropolis Clubhouse

Contact: 633-1937; 634-5057

Rate: Php 15,000

5. Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club

Contact: 723-0665 loc. 303-304

Capacity: 200 pax

Rate: Php 32,000

6. CAI Events Place

Location: E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave, Barrio Ugong, Pasig City

Contact: 667-0880 to 93 loc. 4251

Rate: Php 100,000

7. Chardonnay by Astoria
Location: 352 Capt H. Javier St., Pasig City
Capacity: 200 pax
Rate: Php 270,000 (package for 200 pax- venue and catering)

8. C3 Events Place
Location: 18 Missouri St., Northeast, Greenhills
Capacity: 300 pax
Rate: Php 213,000 (package for 200 pax- venue and catering)

9. Daza Pavillion
Location: Camp Aguinaldo
Capacity: 150 pax
Rate: Php 12,000

10. Glass Garden
Location: Evangelista Ave, Pasig City
Capacity: 350 pax
Rate: Php 75,000

There you go. Good luck to our preparation. I hope you could also find the perfect venue for your wedding.

Calaguas Island

I saw pictures of Calaguas island when I was browsing the internet. It was so beautiful that I cant let this summer to pass without going there. So I booked a trip to Calaguas via Calaguas Local. Originally, kami lang talaga ni fiance pero we decided to make it a barkada trip with our close friends. They agreed to come. Pero nung papalapit na ang araw ng alis namen isa-isa na silang nag-back-out. Oh well, they missed an opportunity to be in a paradise. And we're back to just two of us.

We get the overnight package tour from Calaguas Local for just Php3,199 per person. Inclusions are:

 - roundtrip bus transfer from Manila-Daet-Manila via DLTB Bus Co. (Pasay Terminal)

 - roundtrip boat transfer to and from Calaguas Island

 - 3 meals (1st day lunch, 1st day dinner and 2nd day breakfast)

 - tent accomodation

 - Bagasbas beach side trip

For more information about their package, you can visit their website calaguaslocal.com.

We leave Pasay terminal around 9:00pm of Friday, our Day 0. Delayed by almost an hour, supposed to be 8:15pm departure.

We arrived in Daet around 5:30am of Satuday, Day 1. From the bus terminal we rode a tricycle going to Jollibee Daet, our meeting place with the tour guide. We had breakfast in Jolibee, since Day 1 breakfast is not included in the package.

From Jollibee Daet to Vinzon's port to Calaguas Island has a total of two and a half hours travel time.

When we arrived, the view that I saw was not what I expected. I expected it to be an island with a small shoreline, not so much people since it was a virgin island and no boat on the beach but what I saw was exactly the opposite.

But still, it was a very beautiful island with long and wide shoreline, powdery white sand and crystal clear blue water with a mountain backdrop accompanied by small hills and cliffs. Perfect! Well, almost, except for the boats and so many people that kinda ruin the view. Medyo madamot ako, I want this island just for myself.

It was really hot that day, so chill out muna kami sa kubo while waiting for our lunch.

After lunch, mas lalong uminit at medyo takot talaga ako umitim sa mga panahong ito so bumming muna under a tree.

It's already 4:00pm when we decided to swim. Medyo mainit pa rin pero mukang hindi na rin naman mawawala yung araw unless gabi na talaga.

We walked towards the long shoreline. Pagdating sa dulo, picture taking, bumming and back to our camp na.

Buti na lang medyo maaga pa kami nakapag-banlaw kasi later that night sobrang haba na ng pila sa C.R. para magbanlaw.

We ate dinner.

That night, there's a party on the other side of the camp, loud music and booze. We decided to just lay on the sand, watch the stars and wait for one to fall and make a wish and yes, I saw one!

Being tired the whole day, we slept early.

We also woke up early and decided to have a little hike up the small hill at the end of the shore.

The view was breathtaking from up the hill, you can almost see the whole island.

We head back to camp and ate breakfast.

We leave the island by 9:00am.

We buy some pasalubong then went to Bagasbas Beach as part of our itinerary. You can do surfing in Bagasbas beach my beau and I decided to just eat and enjoy the view. Aside from the very humid weather that day, mabibitin lang kami dahil konti na lang ang oras and we are scheduled to leave na.

I will definitely come back. Calaguas Island has a very good potential to be the next Boracay.

The Wedding: Date

Planning a wedding is never, never easy. There are so many things to consider. For example, informing first the parents of your plans and decisions. That is what I failed to do . Being excited and all, we had already set our wedding date and booked the church last May. 

I just mentioned to my mom that me and Jojie were getting married already on October. Ganyan lang ka-casual, after all it is not a big deal anymore because we're old enough. Kay mom ko lang na-mention since mas close kami kesa sa dad ko.

It was only after we booked the venue that we decided to formally announced to the family that we are getting married. We told it first to both my parents. Nothing extraordinary to their reaction as I mentioned earlier that we are old enough to settle down. But when we mentioned the date, my dad responded "bakit October?!" 

No answer came out of our mouths with the intensity of my dad's disapproval to our chosen wedding date. Asking for the third time, only we answered that because it was his birth month.

He told us that it was not a good month to get married because of some "pamahiin". I will not elaborate kasi hindi naman kami naniniwala dun and told my dad na marami namang nagpapakasal ng October. I actually have some of my friends na October nagpakasal and so far so good naman. Sabi nya it is still up to us if we will push it kasi after all kami pa rin naman ang magpapakasal pero kung sya ang tatanungin ayaw nya.

Jojie and I talked about it and decided to move the wedding date. I still want the 10.10.15 date aside from we already booked the church and venue for that date. But Jojie explained to me that it was a family culture that came down from my dad's great ancestors and it is not that we believe or should believe but being a descendant and mostly out of respect dapat sumunod din kami. 

I was relieved that he understands and I agreed. 

Between September and December, we choose the latter. We might lack ample time for preparation if we pick September.

We went to the church the day after. All weekends of December is already fully booked except the morning slot of December 12. Hindi na kami nagdalawang isip pa, being the only available time slot left, we booked it na.

There! Our new wedding date is December 12, 2015 and that is final!

The Wedding: Church

So after the proposal, I didnt think of anything for a month. Medyo high pa ko sa feeling of being engaged eh. Then bigla na lang namen napag-usapan kung kelan kami magpapakasal. He suggested October because it's his birth month and I agreed. We thought October 10 (10.10.15) is a good date.

We have the top 3 churches that we're eyeing for. I immediately called them to check on the availability of the date that we want.

1. Mt Carmel Church

photo source

photo source

It is located in New Manila, Quezon City. We decided to held our wedding in Quezon City because it's the city where we currently live. That is why Mt. Carmel was our first choice aside from having a very long aisle, of course. Apparently, the church is not holding a wedding from July of this year until next year because they were having a renovation. I was really really disappointed because since I was in college I dreamed of getting married in this church. Being in denial, I called them 3 times just to make sure. But I guess and I thought maybe it's not meant to be, so I moved on to our second choice.

2. Sto. Domingo Church

photo source

photo source

It is located along Quezon Ave. I also liked this church because of it's long aisle. Since I cannot reach them through phone (sira yata), I made an effort and went there. Turns out that they were also not holding a wedding for the first two weeks of October because of their feast. I asked pa rin why. They said that they were too busy to hold a wedding. There it goes, another disappointment. 

But I know I have to move on.

3. Christ the King Parish

photo source

photo source

This church is located in Greenmeadows Ave also in Quezon City. This church dont have the long aisle but it has a very beautiful interior and Christ at the center and so I think this will be the perfect church for our solemn and simple wedding. Air conditioned is a plus factor. When I called to inquire they still have an available slot for October 10, finally! Though the available time slot is alanganin which is 1:00pm, we still decided to book it.

So there! The church for our wedding is gonna be Christ the King Parish.

Sagada Day 3 and the Moment

On our 3rd and last day in Sagada, we woke up as early as 4:00am. He fetched the motorbike that we rented a day before and picked me up in our rented guesthouse.

We leave our place around 4:30am. We didnt know the road going to Kiltepan. Luckily, we saw other tourists that were also going to where we were headed, so we just followed them.

On the way, we had to stop because a van ahead of us was caught up on a road pothole. The road was so small that its good as one way. Good thing, we were riding a motorbike and we just passed trough the vehicles which passengers had no choice but to get down and hike up.

We arrive at the viewpoint by 5:00am. There were already few people settled to their spot of choice while waiting for the sun and the sea of clouds. 

It was cold and foggy.

We found our own spot and waited there. This was one of the things that makes me excited to go Sagada. Came 5:30, no sunrise yet. But we waited patiently, taking pictures in between. It was already 6:30 but we can't see the sun. Others gave up and leave. 

We waited still, until it was already 7:00am and we know that its time to leave. Natatakpan ng clouds ang sun at punong puno pa rin ng fog ang paligid.

So we decided to just take pictures of what we have and head back to the guesthouse after. The place was breath taking specially when clouds tend to disappear for a minute and we would see the rice terraces.

There were so many expectators that wanted to take pictures of the rice terraces. So he led me to a spot where there's only two of us.

When we finished taking pictures, niyaya ko na sya na umalis. But suddenly he got something on his pocket and showed me a small red box. Medyo bumilis ang heartbeat ko and I asked him "ano yan?". Then he replied in a question too and on bended knee, "will you marry me?".

I felt so overjoyed and my tears wanted to fall but I held it back and answered, "of course, yes!"

I hugged him blissfully then told him to put the ring on my finger. Unfortunately the ring was a bit small that it wont push trough my ring finger. Kahit anong gawin ko ayaw talagang pumasok...ng singsing. It turned out that he got the wrong measurement of my finger. 

You can say that it was an epic fail. The non-apperance of the sun and sea of clouds and the ring that dont fit but still, for me, it was the happiest day of my life. My heart exploded of happiness to the fact that one of my dreams came true. To be engaged and soon be married to the man that I love, the man I prayed for to come into my life. And Im forever be thankful to God and Mama Mary for giving him to me.

He contacted again the person that he bought the ring from and asked if there's something they can do to the ring to fit. Im still lucky that it can be resized.

And it perfectly fit. I so love this ring. It is exactly how I want it to be, my engagement ring.

This is the end of our Sagada trip but definitely the start of our journey to forever. Yes, may forever!