My wedding kwento (long read)

It was proven – “You will miss the wedding preps when it’s over!”. So here I am, just reminiscing the wedding day…I'll start my storytelling on January 19...it was a sunny day in the Philippines. I was @ our house in Laguna and Randy was already on his way to fetch me. (Wedding paraphernalia were already @ Randy's house in Caloocan since these were fetched by him & his dad on the night of Jan 18). It was 8AM when Randy reached our house...then we headed to Caloocan to fix his things before we check in the hotel. Time check, 12nn, I had my pedicure & manicure while waiting for Randy to finish fixing his things. At 2:30 PM, we went on our way to Ysabelle Fashion (the couturier) to claim my wedding gown & shoes, and some of the ento's & mothers' gowns...and also the body form (manequin) pala...

At 3PM, we already checked in Bayview Park Hotel without any hassle. Randy stayed in his executive room (Room 727) after helping me to fix my things in my suite room (Room 515). It was already 4:30 PM when my brother, Lemuel or Toto, arrived @ my room.
My mother & brother was supposed to sleep with me @ my room. Because I need to send some more documents to Janice (the wedding coordinator), I had to go out to find internet shop...(the hotel is charging too much for wireless connectivity...75/hour! hallerrr!). So I called Randy to go with me and find some internet shop outside the hotel. So we went out and left my brother @ the hotel. It was already 6:30PM when we got back to the hotel. We waited until 7PM when my mother and Randy's family arrived. Randy's 2 brothers and 1 sister had to sleep with him that night. Since, we're all tired fixing our things, we decided to just have a take-out order from Yellow Cab. After having dinner, I watched "desperate housewives" (my addiction!) first before dozing off @ 11PM. I had a hard time taking myself to sleep...I was excited, worried and nervous...whew!

6:00 AM - I woke up from a not-so-tight sleep. I received a text message from one our ninangs, telling me that she wouldn’t be able to come…because of her masteral studies. Waahhh..umagang umaga, I received a bad news na agad…what would I expect for the rest of the day? So I immediately texted Janice to inform her. Janice was on another morning wedding that time but was so sweet to reply still to my message, confirming the receipt of my message. I reviewed again the guest list, the reception program, etc. Then, I tried my best to fit my wedding gown into the body form (mannequin) but hell! I couldn’t seem to fit my wedding gown! The gown’s too skimpy! What should I do? I felt I was gonna cry at that moment…from the look, it seemed that it was very impossible to fit my gown into the mannequin! So, I texted Rhoda (of Ysabelle) which goes like:
Lei: “Waaahhh…I can’t fit the gown into the mannequin. Do you have smaller size of mannequin?”
Rhoda: “Hi Lei, what? Mas sexy ka pa sa mannequin ah! Smallest size na yan eh. Don’t worry, I’ll ask the seamstress to fix that for you…”

Then, I remembered Rhoda telling her people the other day to give me the mannequin for the flower girls…waaahhh! That means…the mannequin was really the smallest size! So, there, I just left the gown on top of my bed…fixed it with the other paraphernalia.

Then I decided to fit the shoes…and gosh! Medyo maluwag sya! The day before, it was OK but on that day, medyo maluwag na sya! Wut to do, yani! So I called up again Ms. Rhoda and asked her kung anong remedyo ang pwede dun. Then she told me that she would ask her seamstress to bring shoe padding for me. So, that resolved it!

8:30 AM - I fixed the wedding paraphernalia on the bed while my brother & my mom (together with Randy & his siblings) went down for breakfast...I had no appetite for any kind of food…Again, I felt lazy so I just watched again desperate housewives..(I’m on my Season 3 then…yey!)9:00 AM - I already took a bath. I stayed inside the shower for 30 minutes which is 15 minutes longer than my usual timing. While inside the shower, I’d been receiving text messages from Val Villarin (Make up artist) and Fiore (Florist) that they’re already on their way. Few minutes after I went out of the shower, the doorbell rang…it was Val Villarin and his assistant, Mike Umayam. Whoa! They were carrying countless luggages…then Val said, “Lei, baba lang muna kami ha. Iwan muna namin to, rest ka muna dyan.” And I said Ok, since I need to dress up pa.

So, there, I dressed up and munched a little of mocha fudge that my mother bought the night before. Then, Randy and his siblings, my mom & my mother came after eating breakfast downstairs. After a few minutes again, my father called, nyay! They are already outside the hotel, with my niece, Kyle (Little Bride) with her yaya, Ira (Flower girl), my other cousins and everyone! Waaahhh…they’re all coming into my room! Thank god, I got a suite room! Together with my father and other relatives, Randy’s family headed to Randy’s room @ the 7th floor…so I bid goodbye na to my soon-to-be (in a few hours’time) hubby to accompany his family to his room. And also…the bridal car with the Hagads (SWAT team) already arrived to the hotel.My room was suddenly filled with people! Time check: 10:10 AM. Lay Tumbaga of Fiore arrived already with the flowers. The flowers were beautiful and delivered in accordance to the contract.

Few minutes later, Val and Mike arrived from their "brunch". Then they fixed their things na…while unti-unting nagdadatingan ang ento members.
First was, Donnabelle Wong, my veil sponsor. Next was Grace Perales (candle sponsor) with her daughter Eunice (Flower girl na super kulit! Hehehe!).

Then, Manang Amy (seamstress from Ysabelle Bridal Factory) arrived. And I was so excited to see her…why? Because I was still worried with the gown. So I hurriedly went to the room and showed to her that I can’t fit the gown into the mannequin and asked her to fix it. She said OK.

Then, Val started fixing my hair already. And Yes…without photographer & videographer. Val decided to just fix his things (the retractable mirror, hahaha!) at the dining section of the suite. Kase raw we should reserve a special place for the pictorial, which was my bedroom. So, there, pinalabas namin lahat ng tao sa bedroom and asked them to stay na lang sa Sala . It was already 11:15 AM when Val finished my hair, that was a quick one…I think the hair was done in just 15 to 20 minutes. Val started putting make up on the mothers, and other ento members.
At that time, I was already in a panic mode…kase wala pang photogs and videographers…waaahhh(kaya ung pictures above were only shot using my cam by yours truly)…pero ok lang, call time was 11AM…15 minutes late pa lang naman. So I called up Randy to his room and asked him to contact Frank or Kelvin or Erik (of Imagineer Digital). So he texted Erik kung where na sila, then Erik replied, “Pa-text na lang po si Frank.” So, Randy called up Frank….Frank told him na they’re on their way to the hotel. Then, I checked na this time yung gown ko if nasuot na sa mannequin! And I said, YEHEY! Galing ni Manang Amy! The gown was already on the mannequin…fitted perfectly! Manang Amy was already ironing all the gowns.At 11:30AM, Frank and his team finally arrived…at the same time, handing me a letter. It was a letter from Kelvin (of Imagineer).Yep…few days before my wedding, I had this premonition that Kelvin wouldn’t be able to cover my wedding…I dunno, but I just felt that way few days before the wedding. And it came true…I can’t explain the feeling I had while reading the letter. I wanted to understand everything but I couldn’t seem to figure out what it is in me that I couldn’t understand what’s happening. I felt devastated, I really was. All the while, I was on a belief that Kelvin will be there on our wedding day. We had 3 sets of prenuptial pictorial with him and nakagaanan na namin sya ng loob. Though may kapalit naman, iba pa rin kung sya talaga ang magshu-shoot kasi nga sanay na kami to pose for him…lalo si Randy na napakahirap namang paartehin in front of the camera. So in order for me to stay composed, I let it go na lang. So the photographers and videographers started to fix their equipment, obtained some of the wedding paraphernalia and arranged those for pictorial. Frank also instructed 1 photog, 1 videographer and 1 assistant to go to Randy’s room to take pictorials while he’s dressing up.

Then, two of the coordinators from Classic Unlimited arrived @ 12nn…as scheduled. I gave instructions about the wedding paraphernalia and I also gave the lunch allowance for all the suppliers present in the hotel. Good thing, I was able to give full payment to all of my suppliers before the wedding day…so no added stress na on the wedding day itself. Few minutes later, Wey Madla (cord sponsor) arrived with Dex David (cord sponsor) and James Lorenzo (singer) arrived. Chika-chika ever…ehehehe!

Then, Val started putting on my make up. I was getting nervous then…the feeling was so unusual…ewan ko ba.So, when we finished, I went back to the bedroom…that’s when we started the pictorial with my jogging pants and sweater. I preferred to wear jogging pants & a sweater for the pictorials kasi I just find it not so amusing when I see the bride in bath robe..I dunno...I just don't feel like wearing a bath robe and then pose for the camera. Parang iba ang dating sakin, hahaha (berde ka kasi, lei...hahaha!)Then after taking shots, Frank instructed Manang Amy to help me with the gown already. So the photogs went out of the bedroom first while I dress up with the help of Manang Amy. So there, I’m now dressed…but hey! I felt something in a rush…ahihihihi…”Manang Amy, nawiwiwi po ako…pano yan?” Frank and his team laughed! O sige, jingle blues daw muna…so Manang Amy assisted me to the CR…when I get to the CR, waaahhh! The CR was jam-packed with my ento members, also dressing up then.
Eh di ko na mapigilan, so sabi ko, “Sige, keber! Pare-pareho tayong girls dito…y not? Eh nawiwiwi nako, hehehe!”. Ayun, Manang Amy was firmly holding my super loooonnng train (eto po yung original train pa lang, wala pang detachable, waaahhh) and the petticoat (na super tigas na ang hirap hirap iangat!), while I was making wiwi…hihihihi!

So, pictorial ulet…then all of a sudden, I remembered the VEIL! Ohmigod! I forgot to wear it, so I hurriedly went to Mama Val and asked him to put on my Veil and the flower pins. So, there…back to pictorial. Then, Frank asked me to put on the garter na, sayang…I did not anticipate this, di tuloy ako nakapag-VEET! Tsk..tsk…tsk...Andami naming pictorials, sobraaaa...Oh did I mention that these little kids had no make up? Yep. Another lesson: Pakainin at patulugin nang maayos ang kids so they won't throw tantrums!!!my gosh!Hirap nila i-control. Ayaw nila magpa-make up! Na-imbyerna tuloy si mama Val...Then, at 2:30PM, everybody was leaving already for the church. Randy called me just to say na magchecheck out na sila and diretso na sya sa church. I gave my 4-meter detachable train to my mom…to bring it to the church na. That’s also the same time na Manang Amy needed to leave already. So, I was left with the photographers, videographers and make up artists. Frank and his team hurriedly ate their lunch at the hotel, siguro mga 10mins lang silang naglunch…wawa! Then, nagpaalam na si Mike & Val to meet me at the reception na lang since ok na yung hair & make up ko.

Then we went straight to a particular part of the hotel na makikita sya in full height….walang kasawaang pictorials! Even sa elevator, on our way down to the lobby, pictorial pa rin!When I reached the hotel’s lobby, I was looking for the bridal car na…Ohmigod! I forgot to call the driver of the bridal car before going down…so hinintay ko pa sa lobby ng hotel yung bridal car since sa may gilid ng hotel sya nakapark.

Then, convoy na lang si Frank…VizMark (Imagineer’s photog) and 1 other guy accompanied me inside the bridal car. Oh by the way, we did not shell out money for the bridal car, it was just one of the gifts of one of our female sponsors. The travel from the hotel to the church was really brief and fast! Special thanks to the Hagads! Galing! Galing! Clap! Clap! No traffic ever!

When we reached the church, the processional had not yet started. So, I stayed inside the car for a while.I already saw Janice, my head coordinator, the principal sponsors, the ento members including Wenda, my bridesmaid, our family & relatives and some other friends. I was satisfied then…thank God, WALANG LATE! Hahahaha…pero may absent na ninang. Ok lang…mas ok ako sa absent kesa sa late, at least yung absent, may abiso…ehehehe!

Then, the processional started. They closed the church doors na so I can make my way out of the bridal car. Janice asked me to stay just behind the church doors na in order for them to put on my 4-meter detachable train…waaahhh…ang bigat!Then, I heard “BEAUTIFUL IN MY EYES” by Joshua Kadison being sung already…it was time for me to walk….down the aisle.I can’t explain the feeling…I wanted to cry but I kept holding my tears back. I can see from afar na teary-eyed na si Randy…when I get to see that he’s crying…I would cry…that’s 101% sure.
Everybody was smiling…everybody was giving me a “thumbs up”…everybody was saying I was beautiful (awk!)…but I couldn’t seem to understand them at that time…I was thinking whether I’m ready for this or not…whether I’m sure about this…whether I’m definite that I want to spend the rest of my life with Randy….and as I reached the altar, I found the answer there. …Yes...I want to marry this man wearing a Chinese collared barong standing in front of me. I couldn’t imagine myself living my life all by myself or with another man…Yes.

The ceremony went smooth however, I felt that the mass was made in a rush..the homily was short, and we did not have our own microphone for the exchange of I do’s. Everyone pa naman was anticipating it to be tear-jerking.

After the ceremony, we held some pictorial inside the church with family, relatives & friends. After the pictorial, the coordinators detached my train na para di na mahirap maglakad. Then we headed to the door of the church na…all the guests surrounded us with a handful of flower petals, confetti and rice. Everybody was joking around…and at the signal of Frank, the guests threw the confetti, flower petals & rice! Ganda! Hahaha…napasobra yung gawa ng confetti! Daming confetti sobra! FYI: My mom is a teacher and she asked her students to make the confetti for us…hahaha…talking about being “masunurin kay ma’am”, hehehe.Outside the church, we threw the doves. Wala na ganong tao that time kasi everybody was hurrying to the reception, hahaha…gutom na ata sila. Pero ako, even though halos di ako nakapagbreakfast, and no lunch, di pa rin ako gutom…ewan ko ba…nasapian ata ako that day.

This time, Randy joined me in the bridal car…again, it only took us mga 5 to 10 mins to reach Baluarte de San Diego Gardens in Intramuros. Thanks again to the Hagads! Hahahaha!When we arrived at the reception, we were astounded! Ang ganda ng set up ng Baluarte! Thanks to Noel of Aramicos Catering and Mervin of Party Channel!!! Hooray! They really did a great job!Since wala pa ganong guests, we headed to the top of Baluarte for some pictorials. All I can say is…parusa ang pag-akyat sa ruins with a long train and a 3-inch bridal shoe.San ka pa! My fault…I forgot to bring flat shoes for the reception. Even though I had an assistant for my gown during the pictorial, it was really hard to climb the ruins! Waaahhh! Before the pictorial, Val made some retouch to my make up.Then, there goes the pictorial.It was still a bright sunny day when we finished the pictorial. Di pa ma-play yung sandamukal naming AVPs to entertain the guests kasi maliwanag pa, di makikita sa projector screen. So, we sit lang ni Randy on one side of the garden…that’s behind the Canyon. We ate the appetizers which were also served to the guests at that time. Nung medyo dumilim-dilim na, they were able to play the first half of the AVP prepared by Rejectkrew. Janice, arranged the ento members, principal sponsors and our family for the grand entrance. Our song for the grand entrance was You & Me by Lifehouse played by Classic Unlimited who also played at the church during the wedding ceremony. Our grand entrance was made with torch parade.Then, the program started…Leslie Vicente lead the opening prayer. Everything went well, the food was great! I am also thankful that our guests did not leave before the program ends. The souvenir stubs were very effective…we had souvenir leftovers pa! hihihihi! And we had so many AVPs – 2 AVPs and 1 onsite photo slideshow from Imagineer and 1 AVP from Rejectkrew (with 4 songs in it).I want to give credits to the following for a beautiful wedding that we had:
(1) St. Vincent De Paul Parish (Church)
(2) Baluarte de San Diego Gardens c/o Intramuros Administration (Reception)
(3) Aramicos Catering Services (Caterer)
(4) Party Channel (Event Stylist)
(5) Classic Unlimited (Wedding Coordination & Strings)
(6) Ysabelle Fashion “The Bridal Factory” (All gowns, barong with pants & accessories & bridal shoes)
(7) Bayview Park Hotel (Hotel preparation)
(8) Rejectkrew (Sounds & Lights)
(9) Pure Gold (Dubai Gold Souq) (Rings)
(10) St. Paul (Mass offerings)
(11) Val Villarin & Mike Umayam (Hair & Make Up)
(12) Imagineer Digital (Photo/Video Coverage)
(13) Eastpark (Invites & Souvenirs)
(14) Jasmine Guitang Wines (PS souvenirs)
(15) Italina – Glorietta & Marcella (Bridal accessories)
(16) Kenneth Cole – Burjuman (Groom’s Shoes)
(17) San Miguel Beer (Refreshments)
(18) IKEA (Candleholders)
(19) Tabora, Divisoria (Other paraphernalia)

Most of all, I wanna thank my ever supportive and helpful sisses @ WEDDINGSATWORK!!! You truly are the BEST! Thanks to mama benz and papa john...hehehe. Ngayon, sa N@wies naman ako makikigulo... =)

I intended to post the "behind-the-scene" photos here for you to imagine what was it like. You can view some of the selected & unedited good shots thru my webshots account (blocked kasi ang flickr sa UAE...so webshots na lang para makita ng lahat). Just click on this link: http://community.webshots.com/user/leirandy

For the AVPs, diko pa sya ma-upload eh...still trying to figure out how since ibang software yun...i'll keep you updated.

For the soon to be brides, just enjoy your preps! Mamimiss nyo yan pag tapos na. Truly being a bride was a great experience and something that you'll remember for the rest of your life. Minsan lang tayo magiging senyorita sa buhay natin at "star of the night" na walang aapela kahit sino! Natural, kasal natin yun eh! hehehe...