My Wedding Checklist - Your Wedding Theme (Seasons of Love)

Here's the checklist that we used for our big day:

1. Pamamanhikan
2. Set the DATE of the big day!
3. List of Godparents, Sponsors, and Entourage
4. Your Wedding Theme: Color Motif, theme concept/idea, your wedding dresses - groom, bride, entourage, immediate family and sponsors 
5. Your Wedding Ceremony:  Church Venue, Officiating Priest/Officiant, Required Documents, Ceremony Proper, Misalette, Choir/Quartet/Mass Songs, Paraphernalia, Wedding Vows
6. Your Wedding Reception Venue: Caterer, Reception Menu, Reception Program, Your Wedding Cake Supplier, Reception Songs, Your Audio- Visual Presentation, Tokens and Favors for sponsors & guests, entertainer/s, program host/s, other wedding traditions
7. Save the Date and Formal Invitations, Your Wedding Website
8. Your Guest List
9. Your Wedding Rings/Bands
10. Important Wedding Suppliers: Florist, Photographer & Videographer, Designer, Stylist & Make-up Artist, Wedding Coordinator, Cake Decorator, Choir/Quartet/Entertainer
11. Round of Parties: Bridal Shower and Bachelor Party, Engagement Party, Despedida de Soltera, Rehearsal Dinner
12. The Honeymoon 

  

Choosing from hundreds of wedding themes and ideas may seem overwhelming at first. But carefully brainstorming on the theme, motif and over-all look of your wedding is worth all the effort in the end!  After all, your wedding will most likely be one of the most important events of your life, and the beginning of your journey as husband and wife!  A theme makes this most important day unique and memorable for you, your spouse and all the special people you choose to share this day with.  It makes all the wedding elements cohesive and ties everything together... and ultimately makes the planning process easier!!!

Here's a quick initial rundown of great wedding ideas that you can draw inspiration from:

Seasons of Love

As the popular song goes, "winter, spring, summer, or fall... all you have to do is call!"    Draw inspiration from the 4 seasons:

WINTER WONDERLAND

 

The winter wonderland wedding theme can be romantic and simply magical especially during December peak months!  Think snowflakes, snow balls, and anything sparkly and nice.  Colors you can play with are light blue, silver and white.  Use furs in your wedding dress and entourage outfits.  Food idea:  ask your caterer to set up a hot choco station to the delight of your guests!  Why not give coco mix in special jars or mugs as wedding favors? You can use faux wooden trees with hanging tealights to recreate a winter forest look! 


 SUMMER FEVER

Summer does not automatically translate to the beach and sand.  Think Bold, Bright and Fun for a truly unforgettable summer wedding.  Solid and bright colors like orange, pink and greens make summer wedding cheerful and light!  You can choose an outdoor venue for your ceremony and reception. Just make sure that you have an indoor back up venue in case it rains though! Colorful paper lanterns, ribbons tied on trees in different lengths, and candles in paper bags create that whimsical and romantic feel.   Instead of the traditional bouquets, you can use parasols for the entourage and provide fans as wedding favors to your guest.  Hire an ice cream cart from trusty old "manong" down the street to cool the heat away.  Instead of the traditional cocktail drinks, serve thirst quenchers like lemonade and mango coolers.




SPRING WALTZ

New Life, rebirth, new journey... what better theme than spring for a perfect start of your life as husband and wife! Stay clear from heavy and dark colors like browns, blues and blacks.  Choose pastels instead... Popular color motifs that you can use are pink-green-purple and pink-aqua-lavender.  Dress your entourage with chic, below-the-knee cocktail dresses instead of floor length gowns.  Add floral touches  or a sweet ribbon as an accent to your floral gown.  You'll never go wrong with decorating your venue with flowers. I love this theme and pulled off some elements from the spring wedding theme into my own wedding.  Sharing with you some spring detail pics from my very own special day:

Inspired by veggies, Eggplant and Lime, these were the color combination that we used for our wedding.  Used the color combination in as many details as I wanted... The flowers you see at the top-right picture are actually pens we used when we signed the marriage contract.   Bought this bells at a textile store and tied organza ribbons.  Each table had bells which had a note that said "Ring the Bell for a Kiss!".  Our guests had fun ringing the bells all throughout the wedding and my hubby was all too happy to oblige to their requests!  Bride was kilig din of course!


Since we called each other hunny, we gave out honey favors to our guests... :)  Lemme know if you want to order any of the above wedding details!

In keeping with the spring theme, I didn't want a pure white bouquet so I requested my florist to give me an assortment of flowers in different varieties and colors... I liked the effect of handpicking in the garden so I chose the hand-tied bouquet (see top leftmost bouquet).  But my florist was super kind and made 2 bouquets for me instead... I had a pure white bouquet (see lower leftmost pic) which I used for the church, and my requested colorful hand-tied bouquet which I used for the reception.  2 Bouquets for the price of 1!!!! Yay!!!  Will ask if my florist if he has a website for his "artworks" and will update this post once I have the go-signal.

 

We had these cute hand-painted pails for our flower girls with flowers and bears instead of the traditional flower basket.  Our flower girls looked like little flower fairies.  Sooo cute!!! 

This is our cute wedding cake... Simply accented by clusters of flowers in every layer and the highlight is of course our cute cake topper!!!!

Place a variety of flowers in different colors, sizes as centerpieces.  Use fruits like green apples, oranges and grapes placed in clear vases too as eye-catching centerpieces.

FALLing in Love!

Color palettes for an autumn-inspired wedding theme are usually orange, brown, red, gold, bronze or copper.  Think mother nature when you plan for your fall wedding.  A bronze sash on the waist breaks the all-white bridal gown.  Serve pumpkin soup and roasted calf/lamb to your guests.  Maple syrup in cute jars can be given as wedding favors to your guests.

These are just some random ideas to start you off in planning for your wedding theme.  Brainstorming on my wedding theme took a lot of time and effort on my part (I involved hubby only during when I shortlisted my top 5 pics so he won't get exasperated and confused!).  But it was all worth it.  Everything came together perfectly because of a very well-thought out theme.

Will share other themes that I have been toying with in planning my wedding in my future posts.  But hope the Seasons of Love helped start you off!!! :)

 

My Wedding Checklist - List of Godparents, Sponsors & Entourage

Planning the biggest and special day of our lives seemed like such a daunting task for my fiance and me. I'm walking down the aisle only once in a lifetime so I vowed to give it my all and made sure that it would be a day worthy of celebrating seven (7) years of love and friendship.  
My advice to all engaged couples or bride-to-be's out there who don't know where to begin is to simply get organized!  After you scour through tons of bridal magazines, browse a million websites and listen to dozens of friendly advices from well-meaning friends and family, it's easy to get lost in the wedding maze of ideas out there.  So grab a notebook that you can scribble on for the wedding ideas that you really like, list of suppliers and all other wedding planning details that's up ahead. Here's the checklist that we used for our big day:

1. Pamamanhikan
2. Set the DATE of the big day!
3. List of Godparents, Sponsors, and Entourage
4. Your Wedding Theme: Color Motif, theme concept/idea, your wedding dresses - groom, bride, entourage, immediate family and sponsors 
5. Your Wedding Ceremony:  Church Venue, Officiating Priest/Officiant, Required Documents, Ceremony Proper, Misalette, Choir/Quartet/Mass Songs, Paraphernalia, Wedding Vows
6. Your Wedding Reception Venue: Caterer, Reception Menu, Reception Program, Your Wedding Cake Supplier, Reception Songs, Your Audio- Visual Presentation, Tokens and Favors for sponsors & guests, entertainer/s, program host/s, other wedding traditions
7. Save the Date and Formal Invitations, Your Wedding Website
8. Your Guest List
9. Your Wedding Rings/Bands
10. Important Wedding Suppliers: Florist, Photographer & Videographer, Designer, Stylist & Make-up Artist, Wedding Coordinator, Cake Decorator, Choir/Quartet/Entertainer
11. Round of Parties: Bridal Shower and Bachelor Party, Engagement Party, Despedida de Soltera, Rehearsal Dinner
12. The Honeymoon 

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS OR GODPARENTS : choose ninongs and ninangs who will be able to provide you and your spouse good counsel in times of need. Couples normally choose godparents who they greatly respect and admire.  Godparents usually are the spiritual advisors and carry out the task of parenting in the absence of the parents.







SECONDARY SPONSORS: would normally consist  of a pair each for the candle, veil and cord ceremony.  The candle symbolize the light of the Christ, the very same light that the couple received during baptism while the veil symbolizes purity.   And the cord symbolizes the bond unifying the couple. 
WEDDING ENTOURAGE: may consist of the following - Matron of Honor / Maid of Honor, Best Man, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Jr Bridesmaids, Jr Groomsmen, Coin Bearer, Ring Bearer, Bible Bearer, Flower Girls


There's really no rule of thumb as to the number of people in your wedding entourage.  But choose people closest to you and who are willing to help you out during the wedding preparations.  This makes your special day even more special!

My Wedding Checklist - Choosing your Wedding Date

Planning the biggest and special day of our lives seemed like such a daunting task for my fiance and me. I'm walking down the aisle only once in a lifetime so I vowed to give it my all and made sure that it would be a day worthy of celebrating seven (7) years of love and friendship.  

My advice to all engaged couples or bride-to-be's out there who don't know where to begin is to simply get organized!  After you scour through tons of bridal magazines, browse a million websites and listen to dozens of friendly advices from well-meaning friends and family, it's easy to get lost in the wedding maze of ideas out there.  So grab a notebook that you can scribble on for the wedding ideas that you really like, list of suppliers and all other wedding planning details that's up ahead. Here's the checklist that we used for our big day:

1. Pamamanhikan
2. Set the DATE of the big day!
3. List of Godparents, Sponsors, and Entourage
4. Your Wedding Theme: Color Motif, theme concept/idea, your wedding dresses - groom, bride, entourage, immediate family and sponsors 
5. Your Wedding Ceremony:  Church Venue, Officiating Priest/Officiant, Required Documents, Ceremony Proper, Misalette, Choir/Quartet/Mass Songs, Paraphernalia, Wedding Vows
6. Your Wedding Reception Venue: Caterer, Reception Menu, Reception Program, Your Wedding Cake Supplier, Reception Songs, Your Audio- Visual Presentation, Tokens and Favors for sponsors & guests, entertainer/s, program host/s, other wedding traditions
7. Save the Date and Formal Invitations, Your Wedding Website
8. Your Guest List
9. Your Wedding Rings/Bands
10. Important Wedding Suppliers: Florist, Photographer & Videographer, Designer, Stylist & Make-up Artist, Wedding Coordinator, Cake Decorator, Choir/Quartet/Entertainer
11. Round of Parties: Bridal Shower and Bachelor Party, Engagement Party, Despedida de Soltera, Rehearsal Dinner
12. The Honeymoon 

FINALIZING THE DATE OF THE BIG DAY!

After announcing that you're engaged, the question "So, when's the big day?" almost always comes next.  There's no hard and fast rule in choosing your wedding date.  For some traditional Filipinos, wedding days kapag bilog ang buwan (full moon) are considered lucky.  You can check the internet for the lunar trend or simply consult the calendar hanging on the wall of your mom's house!  

Many Filipino-Chinese or Chinoys for short consult the Chinese astrological calendar in choosing the most auspicious date/s for their wedding day.  Auspicious Dates are said to be the most lucky dates for certain couples depending on their birth dates where the planets are aligned to their favor.  Based on the couples birth chart (and I heard sometimes their parents birth dates are considered as well), the chinese almanac is considered to identify the most auspicious dates for the couple.

While there's really no hard and fast rule in choosing the perfect wedding date, the following considerations can help you get started in zeroing on the final date of your big day:

• Romantic/Sentimental:  You may select a wedding date that falls on your anniversary as boyfriend/girlfriend, or the day you first met.  You can also choose the birthday of a someone close to you - a family, a friend, someone you look up to, or either your birthday or fiance's!  You can even honor your parents or grandparents by choosing the same wedding day!
• Special Occasions: If you want to be a June bride, then by all means do so!  February, the love month, is also a popular month to wed, and in the Philippines, December tops the all-time peak for weddings.  You can also choose certain dates - September 8 in honor of Mama Mary, January to start the new year right.  In 2008, churches and reception venues were fully booked for couples wanting to take the August 8, 2008 (08.08.08) date.  The same thing happened in October 10, 2010 (10.10.10).
• Convenience:  A lot of couples pick a weekend (a Friday/Saturday or Sunday) for the convenience of family and friends.  You would want the people closest to you to be readily available and not resent coming to your wedding because they have to file a leave at the office.  December in the Philippines, especially nearing Christmas, is a peak season for weddings since relatives go home to spend the holidays with the family.  If you're having an out-of-town wedding, summer weddings are also very popular so that your guests can also enjoy the good weather and go sight-seeing.
• Dates to Avoid:  While December is a very popular month to get married, I would suggest avoiding the last 2 days before Christmas (Dec 23 onwards) and New Year (December 29 & up).  People tend to be really frazzled and stressed out during the holiday season.  Also, while the day of hearts is so undeniably romantic to tie the knot, if you want to avoid exorbitant prices from your florist, do avoid Feb 14 or the weekend nearest Valentines Day.  The price of flowers skyrocket during this time so its best not to have your wedding near VDay.  Other dates that are not considered as good wedding dates are November 1 & 2 (unless you're inclined to do a Goth/Halloween theme) and Holy Week.
• Last but not the least:  There's no harm in consulting your family and friends in finalizing the date of your big day.  Your little sister may have a final exam on that day, or your fiance's brother has a scheduled annual convention on certain dates.  Again, you would want the most important people in your life to celebrate joyously with you!

  

My Wedding Checklist - Pamamanhikan

Planning the biggest and special day of our lives seemed like such a daunting task for my fiance and me. I'm walking down the aisle only once in a lifetime so I vowed to give it my all and made sure that it would be a day worthy of celebrating seven (7) years of love and friendship.  

My advice to all engaged couples or bride-to-be's out there who don't know where to begin is to simply get organized!  After you scour through tons of bridal magazines, browse a million websites and listen to dozens of friendly advices from well-meaning friends and family, it's easy to get lost in the wedding maze of ideas out there.  So grab a notebook that you can scribble on for the wedding ideas that you really like, list of suppliers and all other wedding planning details that's up ahead. Here's the checklist that we used for our big day:

1. Pamamanhikan
2. Set the DATE of the big day!
3. List of Godparents, Sponsors, and Entourage
4. Your Wedding Theme: Color Motif, theme concept/idea, your wedding dresses - groom, bride, entourage, immediate family and sponsors 
5. Your Wedding Ceremony:  Church Venue, Officiating Priest/Officiant, Required Documents, Ceremony Proper, Misalette, Choir/Quartet/Mass Songs, Paraphernalia, Wedding Vows
6. Your Wedding Reception Venue: Caterer, Reception Menu, Reception Program, Your Wedding Cake Supplier, Reception Songs, Your Audio- Visual Presentation, Tokens and Favors for sponsors & guests, entertainer/s, program host/s, other wedding traditions
7. Save the Date and Formal Invitations, Your Wedding Website
8. Your Guest List
9. Your Wedding Rings/Bands
10. Important Wedding Suppliers: Florist, Photographer & Videographer, Designer, Stylist & Make-up Artist, Wedding Coordinator, Cake Decorator, Choir/Quartet/Entertainer
11. Round of Parties: Bridal Shower and Bachelor Party, Engagement Party, Despedida de Soltera, Rehearsal Dinner
12. The Honeymoon

PAMAMANHIKAN

"Uso pa ba ang pamamanhikan?" Taking a look at the rootword panhik, which refers to the act of climbing a flight of stairs, Filipino traditional courtship will include a very important event where the groom-to-be aspires to ask for the hand of the woman he wants to marry.  He does this by going to the woman's house or residence, together with his family, to formally ask the permission of her family to give their blessings.  Today's pamamanhikan or pamalaye in Visayan is simply rooted in this age-old Filipino tradition of honor and respect for the parents of the bride and groom, and seeking their blessings and approval of their plans to start a life together as husband and wife.

Since we've been boyfriend and girlfriend for the last seven (7) years, it came as no surprise as we announced to our families that we were engaged in December of 2007.  Both my fiance and I did not want a formal and traditional pamamanhikan so we decided to invite both of our families at a restaurant where we can just enjoy the good food and relax.  This happened in March 2008 and it was then that he (my fiance) sincerely asked my parents for my hand.  Whatever type of pamamanhikan you decide, the following are some of the things that happen or are expected to happen during the pamamanhikan:

• The Bride and Groom's families meet (If they haven't met before, bride and groom must introduce their parents/ siblings/ family to each other)
• The Groom formally asks the hand of his fiancee from her parents/family
• The Bride's family formally gives the blessing - in our case, my Dad gave an impromptu message which included his blessings for our wedding plans; My fiance's parents followed suit and gave their message for us as well.  The heartfelt messages of our parents made that night very touching and memorable for us.
• Discussion on some of the wedding plans - particularly the wedding date. We originally wanted to wed on February of 2009 so that we can have enough time to prepare since we were holding the wedding in my hometown in Davao, but both sets of parents said that was too far away!!!  With much prodding, we set the big day to October 18!  7 short months of planning to go!
• I heard from friends that the wedding budget is discussed during the pamamanhikan.  Thank God that did not happen in our case since I personally find that tacky!  But if the groom or bride's family offers to pay for all or a portion of the wedding's expenses, then by all means accept graciously.  In our case, both my fiance and I saved up for the wedding which gave us a free hand in planning the wedding of our dreams!

The OC

I have always been a pencil and paper person.  So this is actually an early attempt to try venturing into the techie world of blogs, htmls, and cyberspace.

As a child, pencil and paper on hand, I would scribble and doodle endlessly.  As I grew older, I fell in love with diaries and slumbooks where I would write and write tirelessly for hours, eventually moving on to journals and planners where I would jot down not only my schedules and the usual birthdays & anniversaries, but more importantly dozens and dozens of LISTS of all sorts.  I have a list for almost everything!  

And I admit, there have been numerous occasions where I would drive my hubby and friends nuts!  But in numerous occasions as well, my precious lists have created so many cherished moments with family and friends... holidays, vacations and unforgettable occasions made even more special with the little details. 

  

This blog chronicles the LISTS and CHECKLISTS that have become such a huge part of my life.  Call me super detail-oriented. Call me a nutcase.  Call me an OC.  The list may go on and on...