Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Have One's Cake and Eat it Too!

I can't believe some of the wedding cakes being sold reach up to PhP20k! Just to put things into perspective, PhP20k is enough to buy 23 big Mango Bravo's or 22 caramel cakes from Estrel's. That's a lot of cake.

At PhP20k, an all-edible three tier cake would yield about 30-40 slices. That's PhP500 per slice!

To cap it all off, I can't even recall how the cakes looked in previous weddings I've attended (except Jill and Choy's wedding cake - was really nice).

How can something so forgettable  be so expensive?!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Bizu Dessert Buffet - Choices, Choices and More Choices

If you have ever walked in to Bizu wanting to get some dessert, getting excited seeing the countless variety of sweets to choose from, yearning to try them all out, feeling the dissatisfaction of being forced to choose just just one or two from the spread, feeling happy about your choice after tasting it, and then feeling doubt as to whether you should have gotten something else when you see someone at the counter ordering something else - that's how Yeng and I felt choosing the dessert buffet from Bizu.

French Macarons Bizu Treats
Pictures from Bizu's official website http://www.bizupatisserie.com/home.aspx

Here's how Bizu's selection looks like:

Small Chocolate Indulgences
Chocolate Truffles (Assorted)
Samba- Classic milk and dark chocolate mousse
Nirvana- Dark Chocolate Mousse and Pistachio Creamer
Amour- Orange Chocolate Mousse with crème brulee Roca- Rich Chocolate ganache with vanilla custard
Opera- Dark Chocolate and Coffee Buttercream
Baba- Hazelnut Mousse and Caramel Creamer
Chocolate Ganache Tartlet
Chocolate Cup with Pistachio Cream & Strawberry
Napoleon with Trio of Chocolate
Chocolate Éclair

Fresh Fruit Samplings
Babylon- Raspberry mousse with crème brulee surprise
Limone- Calamansi mousse with strawberry and raspberry
Yoga- passionfruit and yogurt trifle
Pavlova with kiwi, blueberry and mango
Lemon Tartlet/Fresh Fruit Tartlet
Apple Tartlet
Lemon Éclair
Strawberry, Mango or Blueberry Chiboust
Fresh Fruits in Skewers

A Selection of Brilliant Flavors
Tiramisu in Demitasse Cup
Madagascar Vanilla Crème Brulee in Egg Shell
Cinnamon Crème Brulee with Grand Marnier
Carrot and Walnut Bar
Cream Cheese Brownies
Vanilla and Caramel Cream Puffs
Grand Marnier Religeux
Assorted Macarons de Paris
Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
Vanilla Éclair

Thank Goodness It’s Sugarfree!
Naomi- Milk and Dark sugarfree chocolate
Sophia- Sugarfree tiramisu
Jolie- Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts


Kakatakam! It's not countless after all, but it is a lot. I didn't even include the chocolate fountain option (since you have to pay extra for that. Yeah we're cheapskates).

Bizu's dessert buffet is a selection of 8-12 types from the choices above, with about 4-5pcs allocated per guest. Yeng and I eventually chose 10 items from the list above. We'll keep our choices to ourselves in the mean time. For those willing to guess what they are, Yeng will treat anyone who gets the most correct guesses. Hehe.

Friday, March 19, 2010

For Grooms Marrying Tall (Not Taller) Brides

Each time Yeng goes for a consultation with her potential designers (yes she is still choosing), one thing she never forgets to mention is that she won't be wearing heels. The next couple of minutes would be a routine, with the designers asking her and myself to stand up side by side, after which they make the "hmmmmm" sound with matching nodding heads,and while avoiding my eyes say "oo nga".

I'm used to this and yes, Yeng does look taller than me. But I'm taller than her by a small fraction of an inch which doesn't really count anymore, except to me and my pride.

So anyway, she will be wearing flats for our wedding and I'll be doing my best to look taller.
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Based on my ultra scientific research method (googling), here's a compilation of tips and tricks on how to look taller (without looking like an idiot).

1. Monochromatic dressing is a very effective trick that makes everybody looks slimmer and taller instantly. Color is the first thing most people notice about an outfit. Dressing in one color produces a strong unbroken vertical line that elongates the body. Wear a monochromatic belt, pant, and shoe combination for the longest line possible on the leg. Jerome Lorico has designed a monochromatic look for me, but I'm still partial for a white shirt. I'll maybe have both made and take it from there.

2. Keep the jacket somewhat short, which will help make your legs appear longer. Choose patterns that stress vertical lines. Wear pants somewhat high on waist, and make sure they have healthy break and shorter cuffs or no cuffs. I'm good with this, I'm all for the Dior Homme look.

3. Avoid double-breasted jackets. Double-breasted coats, pocket flaps and single vents as these styles will make you look heavier. Pants should have long rise, and the waist should sit at natural waistline. A belt underneath a paunch only accentuates the weight and makes legs look shorter.

4. Keep your hair short. I'm currently wearing my hair quite long. Not Steven Segal long, more like Jonas Brothers long. I've read that shorter hair generally makes you look taller. When the neck shows, the figure looks elongated. Anything bulky around the neck will make you look shorter. I wasn't planning on maintaining this length anyway and for sure I'll get a proper hair cut a week before the big day.

5. Avoid wearing garments made from stiff materials. Stiff fabrics will make you look square and boxy. Similarly bulky fabrics simply add mass, making your body look bulkier and shorter. Always go for the finer, lighter weight variety. Fabrics, however, should have enough weight to fall naturally without clinging.Since were going for a beach reception, rest assured I won't be wearing anything stiff. It has to be light enough that I won't sweat myself out in San Juan.

6. Ties have to be the right length. After being tied, the tips of the tie should reach the waistband of the trousers.Additionally, I'll be going with a narrow/slim tie that I've read should also add to the vertical lines.

7. It is better for short people to tuck in their shirts. Leaving it untucked and long just serves to shorten you by creating the illusion of shorter legs. Tucking in not only looks neat but prevents you from looking like you’re an eight-year old wearing one of Dad’s button-front shirts for art class. No problem for this one as I don't plan on getting married witgh my shirt untucked.

8. Don't wear platform shoes. Don't look desperate by wearing platform shoes ala Kim Jong-Il. Not only are they uncomfortable, they are also obvious and instead of looking tall, people will notice how tall you are because of shoes, meaning that you are actually short. Wear shoes with thicker soles but are still proportinal to the lines of the shoes. I still don't know what shoes I'm buying, but rest assured it won't be a platform shoe. I'm sticking to my wing tips and/or cap toes.












I don't understand why Tom Cruise is getting all the media coverage for his shoes. It's tall, but they're not ridiculously tall. Why doesn't Bono get the same treatment, when he wears Kim Jong-Il type shoes.?

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Honeymoon Planning Part 2

This is the second part of Honeymoon Planning where Yeng and I are figuring out where to spend our honeymoon. Read part 1 here.

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Another option for us would be to spend our honeymoon in the US. This can't be discounted because Yeng's parents and her two younger siblings have been US residents (in Illinois) for the past 3 years now, and the chance to visit family is always nice.

There are a couple of places in the US that we still have haven't visited but are in our list of "must-visit"places. Off the top of my head are: Las Vegas, Washington DC, and Florida. Seattle also comes to mind. And even if we've already visited New York, its worth going to again even just for the Broadway plays, and there is of course Chicago (where family is).

Having said that, we just visited the US this past Christmas and I'm not sure if we'd like to visit again so soon. The lure of experiencing other places may just be too much! Anyway, we are keeping our options open, we still have a couple of months to go to figure it out.

Here are a couple of pictures I took while we were on vacation in the US this Dec-Jan.

Los Angeles
Orange County Disneyland Main Street Mickey Mouse Cars Universal Studios
San Francisco
Palace of Fine Arts Fisherman's Wharf Golden Gate Bridge
San Diego
San Diego Zoo Sea World
Chicago
Sears Tower Dinner with Yeng The Family in Chicago
New York
Washington Square Park Rockefeller Center Swarovksi Star New York Metropolitan Museum New York Central Park

Friday, March 12, 2010

Discovery Weekend!

Yeng and I will be spending the next 48 hours discovering ourselves while attending the Discovery Weekend!

What to expect, what to expect...?

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Honeymoon Planning Part 1

Probably one of the most difficult choices to make in preparing for a wedding is the choice of where to spend the honeymoon.

Yeng and myself are relatively traveled. We've been to a couple of destinations within the Philippines and outside as well. For those who follow Yeng in facebook, she just loaded a couple of hundred photos from our recent US trip. In addition to these trips, I have also done a bit of travelling alone, usually after business trips.

Probably one of the criteria for choosing our honeymoon destination is someplace we've never been to before. As there are thousands, this doesn't really eliminate a lot. But at least its a starting point.

As I've never posted any of the pictures of our/my travels. I'll post a couple of pics in this series of "Honeymoon Planning" just to give a flavor of where we have been to already.

For this post, let me share with you some pictures from Barcelona, Spain that I visited back in 2008.

Sagrada Familia
Sagrada Familia Sagrada Familia
Parc Guell
Parc Guell - Main Terrace Parc Guell - Draco
People of Barcelona
Studying Catalunya Barceloneta Beach
Gaudi Houses
Batllo House

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The After Party

As Yeng and I have written in earlier entries, the wedding we are planning is really really small (by Pinoy standards). As in 60 guests small. This is to maintain the intimacy of the occasion and hopefully manage the costs of a destination wedding (and as Yeng would remind me, because I was makulit/mapilit).

Friends always go "Wow galing, but how did you manage to invite all your friends, relatives, officemates, etc.?". We actually didn't manage to invite all of them to the wedding, but, yes, we are inviting them to celebrate our wedding.

On Jan 14, 2011, exactly 6 days after our wedding, Yeng and I will be hosting a dinner party to celebrate our wedding. This will just be a simple dinner with friends, family and relatives - probably with a very small program.

This is actually an added challenge for us (and our budget), but we think it's worth it. It would be a good way to share our blessings with friends and relatives.

As of now we have booked the clubhouse of Greenhills West, we are still on the hunt for a suitable caterer. Any suggestions?

Friday, March 5, 2010

Down to Two

I had a hard time looking for a designer for my gown. I know there's a lot of designers doing bridal gowns now. But because I'm the type of bride who wants a nice gown but who doesn't want to spend much on it, I had a hard time looking for one that fits my budget. I inquired from about ~10 designers, met up with 5 of them, and now I'm down to 2 choices. I loved both their designs. I loved how my meetings with them went. They helped me visualize the gown I vaguely have in mind, gave me a few ideas, and told me what would look good and not.


The first one is a young designer. He's new but he's really good. He dresses the stars and is now making a name in the fashion industry. He gave me 4 designs to choose from, all of which I loved. He kind of followed mostly the pegs I sent him. And the rate he gave me was just about my budget. We instantly clicked, he's like the gay friend I've always wanted to have.

The second one has done more bridal gowns than the other. I saw some of his work from a bridal magazine we bought. I have a feeling that his rate is higher than the first though (he hasn't given me his rates). But he gave me an offer I just couldn't resist - he's going to lend me not just one, but three dresses for our engagement shoot. I was initially planning to have one nice dress made for the engagement shoot, now I don't have to do that if I decide to get him. He's the sweetest designer I've met, and like the first, he's the kind of gay friend I'd love to have.

I still don't know how I'm going to make this decision. They both gave me great designs and they both became instant friends to me and Dale. The only thing that will make this decision easier is if the second designer's rate is outrageously higher than the first. So let's see, I have til next week to decide. After which, I'm off looking for a designer for my female entourage and for a hair and make up artist.



P.S. Look at the ticker!! Grabe ang bilis, 2 months have passed already. 10 months to go!!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Tailored vs Off The Rack

There was a time once when the groom's attire was an afterthought. A mere side dish to the main course that was the bride's wedding gown. For suits, RTWs would be the norm, as long as the tie matched the motif. And for the barong, altered off-the-rack pieces from Onesimus would be just fine. Anyway a suit is a suit and a barong is barong. Right?

I remember my first tailored barong (more formally know as the barong tagalog). It was for my Kuya's wedding and I was a secondary sponsor. It was tailored in Lucban, Quezon where residents claim is the birthplace of the Barong Tagalog. I'm not sure about that, but if it were then I won't be surprised. That barong had, what I believe, a classic barong fit: a little bit long and a little bit wide. Nowhere near the slim fit pieces preferred by the younger generation nowadays.

I've had a couple of barongs tailored since then, mostly by the tailors of the groom having the wedding I'll be wearing the barong to. And each time I had a barong tailored the more I would appreciate a tailored piece vs. off the rack. It may be because of my (limited) height and wider than usual shoulder that off the rack pieces don't really fit me.

Now, my first tailored suit was made last year. It was always so difficult getting an RTW to fit me that I always had it altered anyway, so I thought I might as well just get a tailored one. Not only did it fit me better, it also cost less! It was tailored at Anicete's tailoring where I'll have my male entourage's attires tailored as well. You may contact them at 0918 3181238. Look for Mr. Anicete.

Now, for my own attire, I'm again looking at getting a tailored suit. Some may say that getting a known suit designer would cost a lot, but after doing the math, it's not far from what you would pay for a nice suit at Zara. A suit at Zara costs about ~8k and matching trouser would cost ~3.5k. A nice inner shirt would be about ~3k, and  a vest if you could get one to match your suit would be about ~3k as well. A tie at Zara would set you back ~2k. Now that's almost ~20k! If you were to contact some of the more well know designers you'll be very surprised that their pricing isn't that far from this number. With a tailored suit, you'll be paying almost the same but will be assured of a better fit.

I've already met with three designers and I'll be making my decision soon. All of their designs were great so it just comes down to pricing and the rapport I had with them.Of course going for Mr Anicete is cheaper, but I want to stand out from my entourage hence a proper designer is in hand.

Hopefully, when our wedding day comes, my suit won't merely be a side dish to Yeng's gown, but something that would compliment her gown. It can be the puto to Yeng's dinuguan. Complimentary yet the star is still the dinuguan. 

Yeng, if you reached this point, I know you've just cringed at my analogy. Hehehe.