Foto-booth will spice up my wedding reception!

Basically, Foto-booth is a mobile photo booth rental for birthdays, debuts, weddings, corporate events and children parties. I have first read about it several months before I even seriously started my wedding preparation. I saw a couple from Manila used it on their reception and I was interested to have it on my wedding as well. Unfortunately, I've learned at that time that there's no vendor yet in Cebu. But a few weeks ago I found out about Foto-booth. It is the FIRST mobile photo rental in Cebu and I was so glad I found them while I was doing my search for my wedding. I didn't think twice, I contacted them right away and they are so prompt with their responses. I have booked them last week and I'm pretty sure my guests will enjoy having unlimited photos taken for free as a souvenir. All photos will be printed in 4" x 6" format in a customized layout pre-chosen by me. After 24-36 hours, all photos taken during the event will be posted on the vendor's multiply website. Below are some Foto-booth samples taken at weddings and debut.

*photo courtesy of Foto-booth multiply site*

Our official wedding videographer

Time for some wedding updates here...

Franz Arrogante will cover the important moments of our wedding through videos. There will be 2 cameras shoot for the entire wedding day and everything will be covered from the dress-up in Marriott, to the church ceremony and down to the reception in Casino Espanol. A 3-5 minute video highlights of the wedding will be shown at the reception in an MTV style. Two DVD with 20-25 minutes final output as well as a copy of the raw footage will be provided to us. They say the wedding only lasts for a few hours but after that, all you have are the memories captured through photos and videos, so I made sure both will be taken care of by one of the best professionals in town. We're getting closer to the big day!!!

*photo courtesy of Franz A.'s multiply site*

Roadside assistance for you

There are plenty of people here in the U.S. that owns RVs, motorhomes, travel trailers and the like. It is convenient especially if you spend lots of time travelling across the country. It will save you money for your hotel and food expenses. However, it can also be traumatic for drivers when vehicles break down especially in remote areas and you don’t know which motorhome towing company you need to go to. Safety and convenience should be the priority in choosing the right towing company for you.

One-stop shop for tools

Are you in an industry that needs cad drawings for free? Reid Supply Company is the answer. You wouldn’t think you can still get stuff like this for free, but make no mistake about it, it’s for real. This company has a free CAD library full of product images ready for download. Whether you’re in the Aerospace, CAD and Engineering, Construction, Food Processing, Government, Manufacturing, Medical, Oil, Gas and Alternative Energy, and Packaging, they can help you fulfill your goals. Browse their catalog now!

Sorry for my long absence

I can't believe that it's already been a week since I last updated my blog. I don't usually wait this long to write some updates but things have been going pretty hectic lately. After work, most of my time and energy had been spent researching for wedding suppliers. It's not easy planning your wedding when you're thousand miles away from everything. Good thing there's internet, it's really been such a helpful tool for me.

For the past week, I have been busy taking care of important stuff. I've sent out our church requirements through UPS. I have been waiting for the bridal shop to call me about my wedding dress, they said it should be delivered within this week. The waiting is killing me, lol! I really have to have it as soon as possible so as to take care of the alterations immediately.

After spending quite some time looking for people to complete my wedding dream team, I have finalized my florist, make-up, video and wedding planner choices. Hopefully, my mom would be able to meet them all within this week for the contract signing, that way I can feature each of them here on my blog.

My Wedding Dress

...is a Monalisa Royale by Maggie Sottero.

It has always been a dream of mine to walk down the aisle and feel like a princess. When I first laid my eyes on this gown through the designer's website, I knew right then and there that this is the dress I'm going to wear on my wedding in the Philippines. We went dress shopping for 2 days. The first bridal shop that we went to does not carry Maggie Sottero's designs but I still went ahead and try something that looks a little bit similar. It was pretty, but I would still want to find a place that carry the Monalisa Royale. The last 2 shops that we visited are authorized dealers of Maggie Sottero and I was ecstatic that they had the exact dress that I wanted to try on. Just as what I've thought, the dress was gorgeous. Hubby went with me but I stayed the whole time in the dressing room, that way he won't be able to see me on it. But he laughed so hard when I told him that I fell in love with myself when I saw myself in the mirror with the Monalisa on, lol! We bought the dress last Saturday. I got lucky that there's one on my size in their warehouse so they are going to have it ready for me in 10 days. It needs to be altered because I'm so short for the gown but at least we have plenty of time to do that before I fly to the PI in November.

The website describes the gown as a one-piece, corset, strapless, full A-line gown with sweetheart neckline. The gown features regal embellished embroidery accented with Swarovski crystals, bugle beads, seed beads, glass beads, and sequins. Embellishments ornament the bodice and center front skirt panel. The caught-up cutaway skirt is richly decorated with motifs that also accent the caught up skirt back. The embellished chapel length train finishes the style. It is available in All White, White/Pewter accent, Ivory/Pewter accent.

I got mine in Ivory/Pewter accent. Woohoo! I am so excited. I can't wait to actually wear it on my wedding day. Now, I'm gonna start to think about what accessories go best with it. I'm actually thinking of getting a set of 3-row pearl choker necklace and earrings. Instead of a tiara, I might wear an elegant but simple crystal headband. I'd like to have my hair down with little curls but I'm not sure if it will look good on me. We'll see. Awwww! I'd better stop rambling, hehehe! I'll share more photos about it as I am getting everything finalized. Oh, by the way, if you've read this far, thanks a lot for taking time to know more about me and our upcoming wedding. It's my pleasure to share this with you, guys!

I feel closer to home

Before I had my job, I was feeling bored, lonely and homesick here in the U.S. I’m pretty sure many Filipinas feel the same way when they first got here. I guess it’s normal to feel that way. We’re fortunate that our hubbies are loving and understanding enough to help us deal with the major adjustments that we had to go through. One of the many things that I’ve missed most about Philippines is the Tagalog soap operas on TV. I remember there were few nights after dinner with hubby when I just couldn’t help myself but cry because I miss my TV shows back home.

Two months after I got here, we decided to switch to Direct TV. Hubby used to have Dish Network but they don’t carry Filipino channels. We are satisfied with the Direct TV service. Our package has over 150 channels plus 10 Filipino channels including TFC and GMA Pinoy TV. It’s a bit pricey than what he used to pay but we think it’s worth it. It made me feel connected with the people back home. Currently, they are having good deals with their viewing package. You might want to check them out and see if you also want to make yourself feel closer to home. You would enjoy doing business with them because Direct TV System is excellent and user-friendly.

Plans of going back to school

I had a Bachelor’s Degree in College back in the Philippines but I realized that if you can’t find a satisfying job here in the U.S., going back to school is an option. I have thought about that for quite some time and hubby has nothing but support to whatever decision I’d like to make in the future. After our wedding in the Philippines, our immediate goal is to have a baby, God willing. But I am also entertaining the idea that I might go back to school for an Associate Degree in Health Care. I’m not quite sure what it is yet but I’ve looked many online degrees and a degree in Health Information Technician or Medical Records Technician sounds appealing to me. I’d like to be in a health care environment but I want something that doesn’t necessarily need me to be out with patients in a hospital. I have a very good knowledge in computer data applications and I don’t have problems working with minimum supervision so I think it will be good for me to be in this field.

My weekend has just started

I have been pretty busy lately. I’ve visited 3 bridal shops to look for my ultimate wedding dress. I had my first ever branch visit to Springdale for work yesterday. I was scheduled to work for 4 hours today. Later this afternoon, we went to the last bridal shop and finally made our purchase for my dream wedding gown. I’ll talk about it more on a different post. Right now, I’m just exhausted. Furthermore, I’m kind of stressed out with getting this one more church requirement for our wedding. We can’t seem to get a hold of anybody on the phone and we’re uncertain of what’s the best way to get this recommendation from the church. This is the only requirement that we have not taken care of and it’s keeping us from formally booking our church. Weddings are truly stressful to the highest level, lol! Anyway, let me end this post so I can review the term life insurance quotes that I got on the mail. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Your first step to a new you

I know that exercise is not always fun. I’ve had moments when I just want to laze around the house and not even give our treadmill a glance. But I am still grateful that we have one. At least, I don’t have to do extra hours to get dressed and drive to the gym for exercise. I remember when we bought it 2 years ago, we took a whole lot of time to find the one that we want amongst the hundreds of treadmills that we saw in the stores. We did a great deal of research because we didn’t want to spend our money on something that’s going to break on us after a few usage. We're glad we made a good purchase.

The miracle of clear skin now available for all

I am one of the unfortunate acne sufferers on earth. I think my skin problem got worse when I moved here in the U.S. It has probably something to do with the climate I believe. I have tried tons of over-the-counter medications but I have yet to find the best acne treatment out there. However, I have high hopes on my current Obagi acne treatment. I am entering my 6th week of this medication. It has not gotten rid of all my problem area yet but I am seeing improvements. I plan to stick with Obagi for 3 months and see if this is the uber-medication for me.

Looking for that perfect wedding attire

Now that we’re only 5 months away from our Philippine wedding, we have started looking for bridal shops for my wedding dress and his groom attire. On October 27, 2007, our first church wedding here in the U.S. took place. Since my groom had worn a tuxedo on that day, I’d want him to wear a wedding suit on our wedding in the Philippines come January. I just want him to look different on our wedding photos since we’re gonna get married twice. I’m also gonna be wearing a different wedding gown this time around. Hopefully, I would be able to find the perfect dress for me. I already printed the designs that I like and we’re going to shop around in the next few weeks to find that dress. Goodluck to me, lol!

The right dance shoes can make a difference

I have to say it has been a long week for me and for all the Filipinos who have mourned the death of our former President Cory Aquino. However, life goes on, so to speak. It is my only wish though that we would continue to nurture the legacy that this amazing woman had left for our country. We should not let our desire to be free die with the woman who had restored it upon us. Let her death be a reminder to us all that it’s wonderful to be free and so we should make it our responsibility to guard it with all our hearts.

On a lighter note, the mother of the People’s Champ, Aling Dionisia as she’s fondly called, has been visible on Philippine television lately. She guested on several showbiz-oriented talk shows and even performed dance numbers on ASAP and Wowowee. The last time I heard is that she even portrayed a role in the latest Ai-Ai delas Alas and Erap movie. Wow! I know she can dance, I’ve seen her a few times did some ballroom dancing on TV. One time, I saw her did a showdown with the other dancers on Wowowee, lol! She's past her prime but she can still wiggle those feet on the beat of some ballroom music. Of course, she and the rest of the dancers were wearing comfortable dance shoes. I think if you're a dancer, most especially if you're seen on TV, wearing the correct footwear is essential. The last thing you would want to happen is to trip while you're dancing just because you're not comfortable with what you're wearing. So if you love to dance, perfect dance shoes is your number one tool.

Filipinos love Cory Aquino so much!

*click image to enlarge

As of this writing, I am watching the last mass for Cory Aquino on T.V. I don't know her personally but I am deeply affected by her passing. I could not count how many times I've cried since she passed away. I'm sure millions of Filipinos feel the same way. As a matter of fact, the image above says it all. This was during the procession when her body from La Salle Gym was transferred to Manila Cathedral. Undoubtedly, she is dearly loved by the people in my country and we will forever be grateful for bringing back freedom to our country. We will miss you, Tita Cory!

I got my amended passport back!

I must admit that I got nervous when my friend mentioned that the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago no longer accepts mailed-in applications for passports. Well, this part is true and I'm aware of it because it's clearly stated on their website. If you're renewing your passport or applying for the first time, personal appearance is required thus they won't accept applications through the mail. However, my passport is still good until year 2012, and I only need to have it amended as it still bears my maiden name, so mailed-in applications are still accepted. I was pretty sure of this until my friend asked me if it's really fine to do this. That's when I started to worry, lol! But there's nothing to worry anymore because today I got my passport back with my married name on it along with a copy of the report of marriage form with the civil registry number as proof that our marriage in the U.S. is also acknowledged there in the Philippines. Yay!

My New Place on IPhone & IPod Touch

One of my most cherished possession right now is my cool IPod Touch gadget. It does not only have my mp3 collection, but a selection of videos, networking sites, games and other cool and exciting apps as well. I always carry it with me so whenever I have my lunch break at work, I get to play my favorite StoneLoops! But as I’ve said, there’s more to it than just games, videos and music. Recently, I downloaded a free iphone apartment app. My New Place is a useful and handy app for those who are in search for new houses and apartments. It’s so easy to use. Just download it to your IPhone or IPod Touch, punch in your desired zip code, cities or state and voila! results would display in seconds. Sweet! It’s truly convenient. That’s why I love this cute little techie thing!

Thank you...Goodbye...Madame Cory Aquino!

Philippines is in mourning. The lady who had lead the country in taking back our freedom from the dictatorship of the Marcos regime succumbed to cancer on August 1st at the age of 76. I couldn't help but was moved to tears by the outpouring of love and sympathy from the Filipino people for the former President Corazon Aquino. They didn't mind waiting in line for long hours just to get a last glimpse of the late president at her wake. I was only 9 years old when People Power lead by Cory Aquino happened back in 1986 but I can vividly remember the images of armed military in uniform and the huge tanks that Marcos sent to scare the millions of Filipino people who came out to the streets of EDSA to oust Marcos from power. It was a bloodless revolution in the history of the world. That was made possible because of the brave leadership of a simple housewife who was always proud to be born a Filipino, our Madame President Cory Aquino. This lady had gone through a lot. Her husband Ninoy who was a Senator then, was murdered because the dictator thought of him as a threat to their evil scheme. But that didn't stop him from fulfilling his dreams to give us our freedom for his dear wife Cory continued the quest and was victorious. She may have gone to join our Creator, but she will always be remembered as a symbol of freedom and democracy. We will miss you, Madame Cory! May your soul rest in peace.

Let me leave you with this inspiring excerpt from her speech before the U.S. Congress 7 months after she was proclaimed President of the Republic of the Philippines.