#100HappyDays | March 9, 2014

Day 15

Back in 2013, I wasn't able to attend the said gathering due to our team building.

But this time, I decided to attend the event by hook or by crook!

So..

Hello Wedding Expo!

source: http://www.themesnmotifs.com/

I wasn't able to attend the said event yesterday, so I dragged my friend with me.

It was really awkward to attend, especially I'm not really getting married.. Well, I haven't said YES..

At the registration, the girl asked me if I was with the groom.

I said no.

Distributors are asking me about the wedding date.

I still don't know when.

I just considered other events that might happen this year - birthdays, anniversaries, and whatever.

I enjoyed the exhibit, seriously. My eyes were satisfied with the awesome cake decorations, caterer's presentations, sample of invitations and photo booths, even the mobile bars and perfume souvenirs!

My eyes are fascinated by the wedding dresses. I love them all, actually. :)

My wedding is not yet sure, but I'm assured that I have all that I need in case that will happen.

I have the contacts of the distributors.

I have the list of things to be completed.

Most importantly, I have all those hand outs in which I can compare all the price range!

I just wish I was one of the winners of the diamond rings. LOL!


Thanks for the free magazine. I love the content!

Thanks for the free eco-bag.

Thanks for the tons of handouts and brochures!

Thanks for a great time, Themes & Motifs!

Kudos to all the organizers! ♥


#StayHappy


Follow me on Twitter: @huntressAyin447

On Weddings Part 3: Budget-Wise Weddings

Weddings = Big Expenses

This is one of the most important equations that a couple must remember once they decided to get married. They have to spend much of their money for dresses, flowers, rings, and catering services. They should also count the payment for the photographer, reception, and even the donation for the church. They have to spend on invitations. Long list of expenses makes you want to reconsider getting married, right?


A wedding, big or small, requires a budget. Whether we like it or not, we have to allocate some of our savings to have the best wedding ever. It depends on the couple if they'll spend more or the other way around.


I am a fan of expensive weddings. It's nice to see all those fabulous wedding details and reception ideas. But in our society, spending much for a ceremony might not be a wise idea. I might be dreaming of an all-out wedding, I want a perfect real one in a small budget.


Don't be afraid to attend my wedding my dear friends. You won't starve at my reception. Haha! I'll make sure there'll be food for all. ^_^


For those who have a tight budget, read my next tips. I'm not yet married (and not even considering marriage by this time), but I'm sure these tips will be bit of help for your budgeting problems.


1. Use all the available resources that you have.

If you have lots of cameras out there and a family member/friend who's good at photography, then use those resources rather than hiring a professional photographer. You can just search the internet for ideas on pre-nuptial photo shoots. You can also instruct him/her/them on the angles that you want during the wedding and the reception.


If you have a family member/friend who can cook great dishes, why not ask for their services than hire a catering company? Spend less, right?


Ask your family members/friends about your make up, flower arrangement, and table settings. For sure they learned something about these during their high school days.

Let your wedding be a family affair by assigning certain tasks to those who want to get involved. It won't only cut your expenses, it'll also be your family's bonding moments.





2. Limit your guests

You don't have to invite the whole city for your wedding. You can limit your guests to your immediate family and very close friends. Though, there's no harm in inviting more people, it's budget-wise to limit the people.


Well, I believe this is where invitations will be very useful. Make sure you have enough space, favors, and food for every person who received your invitation. Always imagine them bringing another person or two for their company. It's always advisable to adjust a bit more, but don't overdo it to prevent wastage.




3. Finalize your plan.

The bride-to-be will definitely have lots of things in her minds, and it's really hard to compress it in your tight budget. You can ask the help of your newly-wed friends or family members. Make sure they're married for a span of 2 years and below. It's best to look into their expenses when the gap isn't really big.



Finalize your plan - the venue, the resources that you have, and the invitations. Well, don't forget to finalize your wedding date! Make sure all those people who are part of your entourage can come on that said date.

Hmm. Much have been said, right? I hope you got some ideas on how to make a budget-wise wedding. If you might ask, I'll be doing some of these, especially the first tip. I'm sure my fiance will find a way in giving me the best wedding ever. (I just need to find my fiance first! Haha!)


#Huntress



Follow me on Twitter: @huntressAyin447

On Weddings Part 2 | Church vs Civil Wedding

I told you, guys. I am kinda obsessed with weddings these days. This topic just came into my mind while I'm on my way home. When I searched Google for some comparisons about these two ceremonies, I also found out that these are a common debate to netizens. I believe this is, indeed, a hot topic. Hah!


I believe that every girl have their dream wedding. Some dream of a magnificent church wedding while others are planning to have a fairy tale garden wedding. I've seen barn weddings and beach weddings as I search blogs through Blogger and WordPress. Others love to have an intimate ceremony, where their immediate families are the ones who are present. Others dream of a televised and crowded wedding in the future.


These remind me of the my friends who are already married. Some had a church wedding while most of them are civilly married. I wonder what happened to their wildest dreams and fabulous fantasies. What's the exact difference between church and civil ceremonies?


As far as I know, the requirements of these weddings are just the same: marriage license, birth certificates of the couple, parental consent/advice according if necessary, and pre-marriage counseling certificate. The ceremonies are both valid and legal, too. Let me indicate some of the differences that I noticed in my friend's weddings. I might include family member's weddings too. :)


I was once a bride's maid in my church-mate's wedding. It was one of the funniest weddings I've ever seen! I've witnessed weddings wherein everyone is really serious and won't even say a word as the ceremony progresses. But it's the other way around during theirs. Even the preacher was cracking a few jokes for the congregation.


I attended my aunt's church wedding, too. I never saw all the preparations, but I was amazed by the beauty of the church during the ceremony. Lots of flowers were in the aisle. The gowns are great! I believe they spent a lot on their wedding.


I witnessed my cousin's wedding in Camarines Sur, too. It was just a small church, and the witnesses are just close friends and families.


I haven't attended any civil wedding, but I saw the photos of my friends in their FB accounts. The wedding is held at the mayor's office, with their parents, principal sponsors, and very few witnesses. It's as simple as what you think of it. It's as solemn, I guess, as what everyone's expecting it.


I believe it's a matter of preparation and budget whether to organize a church or a civil wedding. Church weddings require lots of flowers, confetti, and ribbons. You still need to find a decorator for best results. You need to provide for gowns and tuxedos for your bride's maids and groom's men. Lots and lots of expenditures are needed for your dream church wedding, right?


On the other hand, you just have to think of your reception if you're getting a civil wedding. You can even use your own house as the venue. Budget-wise, this ceremony is recommended.


There's no harm in dreaming for an expensive wedding, since it'll just happen once in your lifetime. What's important is that you'll have legal documents and complete requirements so that your wedding won't be declared void. The Family Code of the Philippines states all the conditions of marriages that should be considered before a ceremony.


Well, whether you're getting a church or a civil wedding, don't ever forget to marry the man/woman who is willing to spend the rest of your life with you. The one who'll be with you in sickness or in health. The one who'll stay for richer or for poorer. And the one who will love you honestly and truly from that day forward.


Best wishes!



Follow me on Twitter: @huntressAyin447

On Weddings

Believe it or not, I have two obsessions at the moment: reading the House of Night series and stalking about weddings! Let me give you a hint of my thoughts about weddings in this post. About the House of Night series, I'll post a book review soon.


My cousin will get married this coming May, and as far as I knew, my sister will be one of her bride's maids. I believe my sister is really excited since she already told me to take good care of the sandals that she'll be wearing. Oh my! She still have the chance to buy a new one before the wedding, right? Hehe!


I also asked my parents to come here in NCR for the wedding. It's the rarest chance for our family to have a reunion. My mom told me that my uncle working abroad will come home for the wedding. I guess our relatives will be here too, and I don't want my family members to be absent in the said occasion.


I believe this is the main reason why I have this sudden obsession in wedding ideas again. My followers and readers might remember how I cursed weddings due to my previous breakup. And now, I'm back in this magical world of nuptials.


To start off, I already have tickets for the wedding expo organized by Themes N Motifs and the Wedding Library. The first event will happen on March 8-9, 2014 and the other is this coming weekend. I'm seriously excited for the fair, though I'm not really sure on stuff that I might get there. A souvenir photo might be? Haha!

I've started overloading my Pinterest page with photos about weddings. Those amazing wedding dresses, cakes, designs, themes, and many more. If you have some suggestions there, don't hesitate to email me and attach those photos.


I already have a wedding blog. Haha! Well, it's 'cause of that themesNmotifs.com registration, and I might post some of my dream wedding dilemma and fantasies over there. Or, if I am darn lucky, I can post the details of my real wedding next time. I just want to know who my groom is!


Though I can see lots of separating couples these days, I still believe in the sanctity of marriage. I still hope that there'll be a time when broken families are already mended. I will always wish that concubinage and adultery won't ever happen again. Someday, when everyone understands the importance of marriage and commitment, we will have a happier and lovelier world.


And that will start with me and my beloved, wedded husband.


In time.

Follow me on Twitter: @xiehabiyer