It has been almost a month since the wedding and it’s only now that I got myself to do the long awaited suppliers’ rating, I really am so sorry I wasn't able to do it on an earlier time. I’ve been busy moving (and by moving I meant from one country to another) and adjusting to this so called married life as a housewife (not a working wife…sigh).
So here it is with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest.
Venue: THE COCONUT PALACE
Contact Person: Mabel Ferrer
Contact Number: 0918-9462235
Rating: 9
The Palace was great, beautiful and very spacious. CP is recommended for big weddings. We got our sunset garden wedding but at 4pm the sun was still too high making it impossible to start the ceremony, so we started at 4:30, but still it is too hot (notice the pictures when the guests are covering their faces with the misalettes).
I could have given a 10 rating but they charged us on the day for an additional 50 people because our reservations with Josiah’s was 250 and we just reserved 200 with them. This could have been fine, only, there were less than 250 people who came, but we paid for that extra on the day anyway, they should have just asked Josiah’s of the actual head count, but they won’t, they insisted to have us pay the 50 extra.
Well, I could have given them a 6 because of that, but they didn’t charge us the electrical for the Band Facilities which the band brought in with them, that’s a P4,000 discount.
Caterer: Josiah’s Catering
Contact Person: Nancy/Mherlyn/Maui
Contact #: 631-4145
Rating: 10+
Credits to: Melissa ni Rommel
Everybody loved the food! They were just soo thrilled with the Mongolian Barbeque and the crepes. The arrangement was fantastic, the flowers are lovely and very much alive. The waiters are very courteous. We kind of got the package at a discount of being a w@wie and we had a roll back from their 2005 to 2004 package prices for Coconut Palace so it’s a great deal.
Gowns: Tet Hagape Bridal Shop
Contact #: 09178325285
Rating: 7
She worked just fine and she is very nice, plus she doesn’t charge too much. Problem is, she always re-schedule fittings and she was late on the day. Her call time was 2pm and she got at the hotel at 2:20 I think, basta sila Clarice ang nagbihis sakin, it just so happened that when Clarice and her staff are quite finished she came in to stitch here and there…take a picture. Wait, there’s more, she delivered my gown at 10pm prior to the wedding, but she left the secondary veil, secondary chord, Bible cover and pouch so she just delivered it when she got at the hotel by 2:20pm on the day! Geez, wala tuloy picture yung pouch ko and the chord, eto pa, she even asked me if I like a rosary for a chord, I said no coz we are not Roman Catholics, but when she gave it to clarice, well what do we expect, it’s a rosary! Buti na lang na check ni Clarice, tinanggal na lang nya yung Cross. And late din yung 1 gown ko, that’s for the Tarlac celebration, she just left it at the Diamond Hotel Concierge kasi we are at the reception na nung deliver nya.
Bride’s Shoes: Ferretti
Sta. Lucia Mall
Rating: 10
Bought it about a week before the wedding. I was actually looking for a comfortable pair even since last November but I wasn’t that fortunate. This pair is very comfortable, the leather is soft, the heels are not too high and my feet didn’t hurt at all amidst the running around.
Groom’s Barong: EXCLUSIVELY HIS
Contact Person: Rema of Sta. Lucia Branch
Rating: 9
I ordered Cent’s barong 2 weeks before the wedding and used his old sukat kasi sa US pa sya nun, I just added ½ inch allowance kasi tumaba sya. I had them copy a barong in my magazine and they did it perfectly, gayang gaya with no extra cost. I say it’s lovely, but ayaw ni Cent yung tahi ng collar kasi did daw round, naiilang sya.
Groom’s Shoes: Kenneth Cole
Crabtree Valley Mall, Raleigh
Rating: 10++
Hubby was actually surprised that for a new pair of shoes his feet didn’t hurt at all.
Groom’s Pants: Nike Golf (Tiger Woods)
Rating: 10++
Excellent fit!
Flowers and Ceremony Stylist: LOVE IN BLOOM
Contact Person: Jocelyn Pafin (Owner)
Contact #: 0906-2537271
Rating for the flowers: 10++
Rating for the Supplier: 7
The flowers are very lively and lovely, wala akong masabi, everybody said that ang gaganda daw ng flowers. Sa contract namin I just ordered wristers for the Bridesmaids and the Secondary Sponsors, but come that day, lahat naging mini boquet, so I’m so thankful. But yung ceremony flowers ko should be all white calla lilies, pero yung aisle lang ang nasunod, the arch and the gazebo were full of red and white roses which are lovely din naman, and there are additional flowers at the foot of the aisle flowers which I didn’t order but looked lovely also.
Ate jo’s call time is 12 noon, but she delivered the flowers at the hotel at around 1:30pm pa, so ang tagal namin naghintay for the pictures. And as per Clarice, late na din daw sila nag setup sa Coconut which may have been because of the heat.
Main Photo/Video: San Miguel Studio (of Tarlac)
Contact Person: Dang Hate (Owner)
Contact #: danghate@yahoo.com ; 0917-8130234
Rating: 9
Package inclusions: 3 Photographers, 2 Video, 1 Mini Album (which we got already), 1 12x14 Digital Album, unlimited shots, pre-nup at la mesa eco park, 1 huge avp. Dang is hubby’s kababata from Tarlac so we got her and she gave us a huge discount so we were elated when she gave us the price. I actually didn’t like her samples so got Paul Vincent for backup, but when pre-nup came, galing pala ng main Photog nya si Ryan, he’s from UP Film kaya ang galing ng shots, but the second photog, Kenneth is very provinciano (styles).
Sa laki and dami ng binigay nya sobrang tuwang tuwa na kami, but I couldn’t give a 10 kasi iba talaga yung shots from Paul Vincent and mas nagustuhan naming yun.
Back up Photog: Paul Vincent Photography
Contact Person: Paul Vincent himself
Contact #: 09184153195, www.photonski.com/paulvincent
Rating: 10+++
Credits to: Jacque ni Simon
Package: Photo Coverage only as back up, Paul as photographer, unlimited shots
Paul is just so great, daling kausap, sarap kausap actually, galing ng style nya and sobrang mahal sya ng mga tao. Everyone who saw our pictures sa website nya texted us to say that the pictures were so great, dami pa nagsabi siguro daw mahal yun… di lang nila alam 8k lang yun… Got him from Jacque ni Simon pala… thanks girl!
Wedding Rings: KAY JEWELERS
NorthGate Mall, Durham, NC
Rating: 10
Package Inclusions: Men’s – 10 diamonds, Lady’s – 12 diamonds, with Free Cleaning 2x a year and unlimited free re-sizing.
Nahalughog na ata naming lahat ng mall sa Raleigh and Durham just to find a ring that matches the engagement ring Cent gave me (pati color and clarity ha) and we are just so elated nung nakita naming sya, fits perfectly, matches with my e-ring and passed Cent’s standards. =)
Coordinator: An Event To Remember
Contact Person: Clarice Aviñante
Contact #: 0920-9266471
Rating: 10+
Credits to: Jacque ni Simon
Sobrang heaven sent si Clarice sa kasal namin. It was only a month before the wedding when my previous coordinator cancelled so I was in so much panic that I called up the first OTD I saw here in our yahoo group. Di na nga nila sana ako ia-accommodate but naawa sakin si Clarice when I called her up kasi sobrang iiyak na talaga ako. She’s more than just a coordinator, she’s like a maid of honor, a shock absorber, kakwentuhan about the wedding preps and sobrang nakaka relate sya sa lahat.
On the day pala I freaked out and Clarice was the one who comforted me, sobrang thankful ako sa kanya and her staff. I just can’t add another + kasi medyo may kamahalan, yung iba kasing natanong ko pag 1 month before na lang is 10K na lang. But worth it naman.
Wedding Cake: Judy Uson
Rating: 10
I didn’t order na my personalized cake coz I figured I can use the money for other things for the wedding, but I didn’t go wrong naman, the cake tasted great, it looks good din naman.
Sponsor’s Gifts: Wedding Channel
Weddingchannel.com
Rating: 10++
Wine Stopper for Men, Mini Cheese Grater for the Ladies, and Place card holders
The items were great for gifts and they can actually use ‘em. We got ‘em on sale and we were a bit surprised when we got them because we got a lot more than we paid. =)
Ento Gifts: Wedding Channel
Weddingchannel.com
Rating: 10++
Dolphin Bottle Opener for Men, Beveled Heart Compact for the Ladies
Again the items are great but we paid more this time coz the items were not on sale, but they are still great though, we got the value for our money.
Invitation: PRINTLANE, Recto
Contact Person: Tata
Contact # : 735-0362; 7360416
Rating: 10
Credits to: Maricel ni Arnold
120 pcs invitations, with 150 pcs square tags.
My guests said the invitations looked lovely and didn’t looked as though it was made from Recto coz it’s very classy. Medyo 1 month lang ang inabot coz they still ordered the paper they used, medyo mahirap daw kasi bilhin yun. Tata is also very nice and talagang he knows what he’s doing. This supplier was recommended by Marical ni Arnold, thanks a lot sis!
Wax Seal: Wedding Library
Rating: 10
Wooden handle, metal stamp
It added class to my elegant invitation at a cheap price.
Faux Wax Seal: Seasoncreations.com
Rating: 10++
85 pcs solid red faux wax sticks
Sobrang mura and daling gamitin, dami pa ngang natira. =)
Misalette: DIY
Rating: 9
I could have done better but I have so little time, di na sana ako gagawa kasi parang di naman magagamit, but Clarice said just to give an outline, so I did it the day before, just hours before we checked in at the hotel. Well, as you can see, ginamit naman pantakip ng face ng guests to keep out of the sun. Hehe..
Favours: LANDMARK
Rating: 10++
13 pcs big chimes, 129 pcs small chimes
The decorations were done by SIL’s officemate for free (Victoria Secret Lotion lang ang katapat)
Hair and Make UP: Marie Tangonan
Contact #: 09203735621
Rating: 10++
Bride + 6
She’s the make-up artist of Danarra Hotel in QC but she went freelance, a friend of my SIL who did my and my sister’s make up on my sister’s wedding (gulo noh).
Everybody said I looked beautiful (ear to ear smile) pati si Paul Vincent. A lot of other make up artists kasi don’t know kung pano yung hair na bagay sakin, there’s this one HMU I had a trial on and she made me look 10 years older, but ate marie just accentuated the natural me. She uses imported make ups such as clinique, marks and spencer, Revlon, Christian Dior and the likes kaya nagustuhan ko sya, imported make-ups pero di mahal maningil.
Entertainment: 6CYCLEMIND
Contact Person: Darwin Hernandez (Band Manager)
Contact #: 09178960108
Rating: 10++
1 set of 60 minutes, Band Facilities included
They are GREAT!!! Sobrang galing talaga ni Ney (vocalist) and also everyone on their group. Bob, their bassist is Bong’s friend from way back college, and one of our Secondary Sponsors so we got a good deal. May kasama pang autograph. Hehe.
Inunahan pa kami ng guests to take a picture of them and ang dami nag sabi na dapat daw we informed them so they could have bought a CD for their autograph..hehe… gawin bang concert ang kasal naming… =)
Emcee: Jodie Liwanag
Rating: 9
She’s part of the package we got from Josiah’s but we initially asked for either Mallory or Melissa (daughters of Mabel of Coconut) but apparently they are not available on our wedding day. Jodie did fine, but she forgot to introduce one Prinicipal Sponsor who was actually on the table but she overlooked the name printed on her queue. She’s good, but I have seen and heard other emcees that are better.
Wedding Accessories: Home and Bridal Essentials
Contact Person: Gerri Diokno
Contact #: 09178999394
Rating: 10
Treasure Chest, Guestbook, Tiara, Unity Candles
They all looked lovely and in motif, the tulips were not deep red though but they were fine. Everybody loved the candles and I’m saving them up for our future home. =) I wasn’t able to use the tiara though (kahit gusto ko) coz Paul, Clarice and Marie said that I look great even without it, so I just said goodbye to my princessy tiara…
Hotel Accommodations: Manila Diamond Hotel
Rating: 10++
1 Superior Room for 2 nights
1 Executive Suite for 1 night with early check in
Their staffs are just so courteous I couldn’t say more, they gave in to all the requests I made and they even made nice comments when we were shooting at their lobby. Everybody there treated me and my family like royals.
Honeymoon: Alona Palm Beach Resort, Bohol
Thru PALAKBAYAN
Rating: 10++
We spent at least 10K during our stay for 3 days 2 nights for food, pasalubong and island hopping.
Credits to: Kuya Louie Agaran
The place is like heaven, the food is great, the pool is great, the beach is great, room is great, and everything is great! This resort is recommended to honeymooners on a budget.
The place is very secluded and quiet and there are lots to do here, badminton, table tennis, kayaking, canoeing, diving and massage.
There you go. Did I forget anything?
