This is really final.. we booked our church!

After several months of searching and arguing, we have decided where to get married. I took Christian to Sta. Maria Goretti Parish along UN Avenue in Manila yesterday. I wanted to show him the church since it is small and really nice. This church is where me and my family usually hear Sunday mass when my dad was still well. The church is actually inside the compound of Pope Pius XII Catholic Center. A mass just started when we got there so we decided to hear mass, it is a long time since we heard mass.

Hearing mass there actually worked for me since Christian was able to have a feel of the church. He shared with me that he really likes it since it is small and we really wanted a small church. The air conditioning inside the church is an added bonus as well not to mention the painted murals in front is really nice. Too bad we weren't able to take pictures since we forgot the camera...

After the mass, we went straight to the parish office to inquire about their wedding services. Christian did not know that I already called in and inquired about the information and I have prepared the reservation payment as well in my wallet! (LOL!!!) So off we went and paid the reservation. I am so happy that we got what we wanted in a church --- small, plain, simple and solemn. I got some pictures online of the church. I will post more pictures soon when we go back to view the reception hall that they have.

Pictures courtesy of Sta. Maria Goretti Parish's website. The altar already has a mural painting, they said that it was just recently renovated.

Church and reception venue.... almost checked!!!

After almost 4 months of search and various oculars at numerous churches and reception venues, me and Christian agreed that the church will be at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City. We previously talked about having the ceremony in a small church but due to budget constraints we decided to have it in Immaculate Conception Cathedral instead. I never imagined myself getting married in a cathedral... I don't like a long walk down the aisle! The reason for this is that I am not really good in heels.... so I will now end up having a pair of flat wedding shoes! I just saw the outside of the church when we did our ocular a few months ago but I searched for pictures online of the altar of the church and what can I say it is indeed beautiful.

Photos of the church came from Immaculate's official website.

I remembered my sister, Andie, had her nurse capping ceremony here and I bet it is really big inside. I just hope that it will be sufficiently be filled with guests. I am keeping my fingers cross for that. That is why we want a smaller church to have an intimate environment but then it is God's will to have it here.

For our reception, I went to checked out the clubhouse at Northeast Greenhills. The place is within our budget and our on-the-day coordinator is from the village. The covered area is small but the administrator for the clubhouse said that we can use the garden area. They will also have some folks at the area to help out with the parking of the guests.

I can say that it is really nice and we can simply jazz it up to make it look nicer with luminaries and other stuffs that I planned to DIY with my mom and sisters...

You can see the garden venue from the covered area.... It is big and can really accommodate our less than 100 guests.... Just a little jazzing up of venue

Nice lights....
Photos came from multiply sites with list of venues

We are almost done with our suppliers. I just need to reserve the photobooth supposedly this weekend but the bridal fair was cancel due to the Ondoy tradegy so I will have to book it during the next bridal fair to get the freebies and discounts. Next month I will need to look for other gown supplier for my gown and my entourage's dresses and to pay the sound system supplier. We still have to discuss about the mobile bar that we want. We just have to go next week to Immaculate and Northeast Greenhills to pay the down payments.

So far so good...

Caterer - checked... reservation paid
- detailing by December or January and payment of 50%
Photo-video - paid reservation
OTD Coordinator - contract signed, payment after event
Lights and sounds - need to 50% but already reserved for our wedding date
Rings - good to go... c/o my cousins
Invites - already booked... gift from Ate Pamela

Soon to book...

Church - next week
Reception - next week
Photobooth - next bridal fair... gift from one of our principal sponsors, Tita Prexy

Need to look for...

Gown - need to look for other options
Hair & Make up artist - no idea where to start but hoping my friend is really ok with her doing my make up
Flowers - need to scout around Dangwa (Manila's flower retailers district)

Only 7 months to go... By next month, we have to arrange our wedding documents. I am not to patient with lines. Need to find an alternative for it.

Looking for a venue...

I am already getting annoyed in getting the venue for our wedding reception. I even have my mom calling out churches and different halls. When I talked to her today, I guess she is right in saying that it is not hard to find the place since there are tons of venues out there. The main issue is the budget constraints. I guess I should let go of my ideal place to get married and stick with the budget and look for a suitable place. I will just have to ask Christian about the budget that we can work out to get the venue and the church already.

You can check this out:


I hope you guys can read it. It is so hard to look for a venue and church. since we want the church be near the reception hall. We are keeping our fingers cross to find the one! If you are looking for your own reception venue and church you will need to ask these information:

Church
Availability of schedule
How much ang fee
What are the inclusions
Reservation fee

Reception
How many hours your basic package
May ingress or regress time
Accredited caterers
Electricity charge
How many guest they can accommodate

Good luck to our search!!!

In search of a church and reception venue

After we pencil booked the date of our wedding with the caterer yesterday, we went off to Our Lady of Consolation Parish (OLCP)to check the church as well as the Bulwagang Recoletos for the reception venue. I was able to browsed on the net the night before about the venue and it looks decent for a good wedding reception. In the end, when we got there I felt good about the church and the place is really quiet and it brings out any kind of solemnity one wants. The church is a just right to fit a number of guests, not a small chapel that we wanted but it is definitely smaller than Malate Church.

We went to the parish office to inquire about their wedding rites package and it costs Php 16,000.00 inclusive of everything even the electricity charge. Lucky for us, there was a wedding on the site when we got there. We were able to see the set of the church for a wedding. It looks plain and simple just the way we want it. The flowers are nice as well and it is all pretty. Good thing that the church is well-lit even if the door will be closed because of the tall glass windows on both sides of the church.

After inquiring with the parish church, we went to the next building where the Bulwagang Recoletos is standing. It looks really ok from the outside and when we got in, they are setting up for a wedding reception. The venue is not bad, but the ceiling is quite low for me but then it is really clean and intimate. We took pictures of the place. Christian said that he gives the place a check on our list if he is going to be asked. He is saying that it is near our place, near to his relatives and friends. The rate of the rental is not bad too.

In the end, we are still looking around... still not decided on where to get married...

You can check other photos in the below.

There was an ongoing wedding when we arrived at the church. This was the set up being prepared by the caterer in one of the halls at the Bulwagang Recoletos. I am not a big fan of the color orange!!!

The outside garden of the Bulwagan is really nice.

I like how the altar looks but not really keen of the purple walls. It looks like purple yam cake.