Labels: family

mon·o·gram /ˈmɒnəˌgræm/ Pronunciation Key - [mon-uh-gram]

-noun-

• design composed of one or more letters, typically the initials of a name, used as an identifying mark.

• a single emblematic or decorative letter; applied initial.

For months, I’ve been experimenting on our monograms. And though Loel is the techie one, he lacks the artistic ability to create something that will pass my discriminating taste, hehe.. So for hours and hours I sat in front of my laptop doodling and hoping to come up with something that will look like our emblem.. I always end up hitting delete after several grueling hours. I simply cannot come up with the perfect one.

What I tried to do was to interlace our first names’ initials [L & J].. Then sampled naman with our last names this time [Delmo-Pasco]. Hay naku, pangit pa rin. I used Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Publisher and still ended up with some elementary designs! Hay..

I even tried this material, which teaches the step-by-step procedure of creating a monogram using powerpoint, but I’m still not satisfied with the output.

And so I gave up and sought the help of some friends but im too shy to bug them. Nahiya ako mag follow-up kase I know they’re busy too.

I was driving Loel crazy, bugging him for his suggestions. And he explained meekly that we can just erase the idea of having our monogram and save myself from additional stress.. Hay talaga.. Siempre hindi ako pumayag! Im bent to have our own monogram! This is our insignia, the one that marks the day of our wedding. Basta for me it’s important.. ;P

So, I searched and googled and I came up with the idea of just having a single letter in some vintage / gothic font.. Alas, I’ve found the answer! Eto lang pala solution! Now, if we can only decide which one to use.. hehe..

Labels: wedding

I can’t believe it.. we have less than four months until the wedding! whew! which only means we definitely need to send out our STD’s (save-the-dates). I know we should have done these 2 months ago but the old habit is kicking in. Beside procrastinating things, we’re having a hard time figuring out our official monograms (and Boying is not helping me out! Argh!). I initially was against the idea of releasing the STD’s without our final monogram, but I guess having to wait for it means major delay in the STD’s and the formal invites.

So today, I visited Konsepto to check what they can offer. But I find their STD magnets too steep. Another option is to DIY (do-it-yourself) these little stick-ons but I can sense that it will only cause me another headache and heartache as im not too crafty.. I levelled average on these area :P

And while im contemplating on my next move, I experimented on some lay-outs while waiting for my fave mp3s to download. =)

Check them out:

my first attempt using our photo by cliquebooth of m + k

Using Banded Damask Lay-out.. Does it look vintage-y enuff?

Plain red with our first names as logo..

How about with our monogram? Like it?

Something informal & fun.. Argh! I can't choose which one! :(

For more inspirations on how to create your own STD’s, you may read these helpful tips from The Knot.

Labels: wedding

That time, I thought he just didn’t like Loel for me.. Though what he said was also true.. hehehe..

They have bonded well since then especially after our Singapore visit last December 2007 where we got to spend time together as family. Ganun pala talaga. You will know a person better when you’re stuck with each other almost 24/7..

So when Loel told me that he is coming home last April to again ask mom for my hand, I advised him to first tell Kuya of his plans. He was quite apprehensive of the idea, so Loel kept delaying this till the night prior to his flight home. I won’t share na how it exactly happened kase baka magagalit si Loel.. But it was soooo funny.. How Loel finally blurted out he’s coming home for the pamanhikan after having dinner at kuya’s pad.. and how kuya reacted.. Priceless.. :)

Some kwento.. After the pamanhikan, I informed kuya of our wedding date. I told him he has a year to decide whether to get married ahead of us or I just have to take the plunge first. He replied, if that is the case.. I have to wait a very, very long time.. So I guess, mauuna na nga ako.. Hehehe..

And today, I got good news from him.. He sent his early Christmas gift for us ni Loel! Yey! Thanks kuya for always making us proud! For guiding me all these years. For accepting Loel as part of me. And for generously assisting us even without us asking for help..

I love u tol! :)

Labels: family, wedding

I was never good in math. This is my waterloo. Numbers puzzle me. And my knees tremble during accounting sessions..

So when they ask how many guests do we expect on our wedding day? I give them a blank face.

The numbers game is very crucial for any wedding preparations. Suppliers ask this vital information which serves as the basis of almost all of their quotations.

Let’s see, these are the facts to consider:

• Caleruega, our chosen chapel, can accommodate 100 max sitting capacity.

• Ville Sommet, the sprawling garden for our dinner reception can accommodate 500 pax or even more.. While the Glasshouse [of Ville Sommet] can hold 300 to 350 number of guests.

• I am more extrovert than Loel so expect that I gained more friends and acquaintances than him. Aside from that he works overseas and we’re not expecting all of his friends to take the trip back home for the wedding.

• We came from the same province. But from different towns. And in the province, almost everyone is a tita, tito, a kamag-anak.

• And speaking of relatives, we came from a relatively huge and extended family.
  

• We both studied in the province until our secondary years. In fact we graduated from the same high school. We would want to see most of our friends who witnessed the story of us.

• At our age, there are very few batch mates who remained single. Most of them are now settled with kids. A big chunk of this group has opted to reside and work abroad.

• We have a budget which we plan to stick with. Hopefully.

So there do the math. =)

Initially, we thought 150 guests are enough. That would comprise of our close relatives and chosen friends. But when we do the counting, we realized na madaming magtatampo. We have a few good numbers that we need to sacrifice kse hindi aabot sa cut-off. Hehehe..

How about 200? That would give us a hundred each to allocate to our own set of families and friends. Besides, we’ve gone this far on our wedding preps, so we might as well share this with more important people in our lives.

But hey, don’t forget the suppliers. Which will account to about 20 to 25 pax. We need to feed them too after all, they will be our partners for our wedding day..

Over and above this should go through negotiation between the bride and the groom. Just now momi mentioned few names that we don’t intend to invite. If we could still afford it, we can just prepare a simple after-wedding party in our province to compromise. But we just can’t [afford to] invite everybody. =)

Momi expressed her fear na baka naman wala na maka attend kabibilang nyo. That’s one of our two fears. Since this will be a destination wedding, some might find it difficult to travel all the way to Tagaytay. [Pero worth the trip naman ang Caleruega, db?]

So what’s our other fear? To see unfamiliar faces. We just dread that the day will come and we will be greeted by people that we haven’t met. Acquaintances that we spoke only once. People that does not necessarily matter to us.

We’d rather have our day spent with an intimate crowd of people who truly loves us, who cares for our well-being, who sincerely wishes us well, who will stand beside us and guide us as we begin our new life together. =) [And people who will willingly travel to witness us as we stand before God as husband and wife and who will opt to stay after dinner to join us for the ballroom dancing] ;D

And with that, I will leave you with an excerpt from an article I’ve read somewhere. Sori, forgot to note down the source.. I will use this as a guide when we’re finalizing the guest list. Which reminds me that Loel has yet to give me his list. I asked him to prepare his own list last June. And the year is about to end and still without the list.. Hay..

Everything Etiquette

Who Should I Invite to the.. Shower, Rehearsal Dinner, Wedding?

If we’re having a small wedding do we invite co-workers? Can we invite guests to the shower who won’t be invited to the wedding? Can we invite some guests to the ceremony but not the reception? There are a lot of tricky etiquette questions when planning your guest list. Here are some general guidelines.

Guests who are invited to your bridal shower should be invited to the wedding. An exception, according to Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette, would be if your co-worker threw you an office shower.

If you do not want children to attend your wedding it is improper etiquette to specify “no children” or “adults only” on the invitation. Instead, you should spread the word to friends and family that you would rather friends and relatives not bring children. Most guests will ask if it’s okay to bring children, some will not. You could even spread the word that only children of family members are invited but some people may bring their children anyway.

Invitations to all your single friends do not have to include a guest. While many couples invite their single friends with a guest (Mr. Brad Pitt & guest) it is not required. If you have a large family and/or a strict budget don’t feel obligated to include “& guest” on all the invitations to your single friends.

When planning your guest list, keep in mind that some guests will be unable to attend. Generally, 10 to 20 percent of your list may be unable to attend according to Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette. Our suggestion would be that if you have a lot of older relatives or out-of-town guests that number may approach the 20 percent. If your guest list is smaller and family and friends are all local, the number of guests declining may be very small.

Plan your list out before making cuts. Etiquette dictates that close family should be the priority. Co-workers and colleagues further down on the list. If you are closer with a co-worker than you are with your own family, then by all means be sure to invite that person. If you have 50 cousins, consider inviting only first cousins.

Destination Weddings – Post wedding reception. Many couples who choose a destination wedding have a reception at home, or another location, after the destination wedding. This allows friends and family who were unable to attend your destination wedding to celebrate your wedding. In this case, it is perfectly acceptable to invite guests to the reception who didn’t attend the wedding.

Who gets invited to the rehearsal dinner? Immediate family – parents, grandparents, siblings, the bridal party and their spouses and the ceremony officiant. If your parents are divorced, stepparents are usually included.

Question: Wedding Invitations to Coworkers
I just started teaching at a new school in September (very small school...8 teachers). Should I invite them all or none? We are trying to keep it small we are on a budget?"

Answer:
While it's a nice gesture to invite co-workers to your wedding, you shouldn't feel obligated to do so. Your guest list should include those people with whom you and your fiance want to share your special day. If you're on tight budget and inviting another 8-16 people (if those invited have the option of bringing a guest) will stretch your budget to its limit, you probably should forego inviting your co-workers. Likewise, since you just started your new job, it's not likely that your co-workers will expect you to invite them to your wedding, as you may not know them well yet. I do believe that since your co-workers are such a small group, you should either invite all of them or none of them. Most likely, if your friends and co-workers know you're trying to plan a small wedding, only your family and closest friends will expect to be invited to share in the celebration.

Basically, it's a judgment call on your part. Keep in mind that it's best to be consistent on this point once you and your fiance have made your decision, meaning neither you nor your fiance would include co-workers on your guest list. Also, you and your fiance might want to decide if all or none of your unmarried guests will be given the option of bringing a date.

Question: Small Wedding, Large Family I am planning to have a very small and intimate wedding celebration with just immediate family and close friends. I am however from an extremely large family (67 cousins on my father's side) and have attended numerous weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, etc. My sisters would like to have a large shower for me, and say that it is fine to invite people to a bridal shower, even though they won't be invited to the wedding. Is this pushing it?

Answer:
While it's traditional for members of both the bride's and groom's families, your wedding attendants and close friends to be invited to your bridal shower, in recent years showers have become large parties. Though it wouldn't be improper to invite your extended family (cousins, etc.) to the bridal shower, most people invited to the bridal shower do expect to be invited to the wedding and reception. However, extended family members with whom you are not close may not expect a wedding invitation. A bridal shower should not be a huge extravaganza which includes every person on the wedding list. An affair such as that suggests that the bride is only interested in the gifts she receives, not in the company she shares with her guests. Remember, showers are meant to be intimate parties.

My advice to you would be to speak with your sisters and be honest with them about the type of shower that would suit you. If you don't feel comfortable at large parties, let them know. You may also want to make your wishes known to your mom and your fiance's mom, so that whoever the potential hostess(es) is/are, they'll respect your feelings. Even if your bridal shower is to be a surprise, you can drop some hints as to the type of celebration you'd like. I think it would be best if your shower guest list consisted of only people who are on your wedding ceremony/reception guest list---this would avoid any awkward situations of someone being invited to one event and not the other.

Question: Wedding Invitations to Cousins
What is the proper etiquette regarding invitations to cousins. We have a large list of cousins - some closer than others. Is it considered obligatory to invite all cousins or no cousins. Can there be a reasonable cut off such as age?

Answer:
It is customary to invite cousins to your wedding celebration. Though it's not obligatory to invite every cousin, it would be a nice gesture to do so, after all they are closely related to you and your fiance. In large families, often times only those cousins with whom you are very close emotionally or close to in age are invited. If you are not planning to invite children, in general, to your wedding, then it may be appropriate to invite only those cousins over a certain age. However, it's a tough balancing act deciding where to draw the line among your family members and not offending anyone.

My advice would be to err on the side of inviting all your cousins and letting them decide how to respond to the invitation. If they don't feel very close to you or are far away geographically, they may decline to attend. But this way you haven't excluded any immediate family members or hurt anyone's feelings. It's easier to draw the line on limiting your guest list when it comes to acquaintances such as coworkers, etc. I hope this helps you handle your dilemma. If you have any other concerns, feel free to email me or call me again at your convenience.

Question: Bridal Showers & Wedding Invitations
My family recently threw me a rather large bridal shower. Most of the people there were extended family that I have not seen since I was very young. I was not aware that they would be invited, or that they would be present. I can not invite all of the people who were at my shower to the wedding. I am on a tight budget, and myself and my fiancee have large families on both sides. I feel so rude and improper for not inviting everyone who was at the shower to the wedding, especially since they gave me gifts. What should I do? I know people will be offended, including my aunts who gave me the shower. Thanks.

Answer:
Although most guests who are invited to a bridal shower do expect to be invited to the wedding and reception, you shouldn't feel obligated to do so. If at all possible, you may want to err on the side of inviting as many of your extended family as your budget allows and perhaps trying to trim down the list of friends to be invited. if your extended family doesn't live nearby, they may decide not to travel to attend your wedding.

Another suggestion may be to let your aunts who threw the bridal shower for you and the rest of your extended family know that your wedding budget is quite limited. Perhaps then they won't feel slighted if they don't receive a wedding invitation. Also, maybe if you discuss this with your parents and your fiance's parents, they may be inclined to help you with your wedding planning budget. My last suggestion would be to throw an informal party or gathering after your wedding (it could even be after you return from your honeymoon) where you include all those family and friends you weren't able to invite to your wedding due to budget constraints. Everyone will still enjoy getting together to wish you and your new husband well!

Question: Inviting guests to bridal shower who are invited to the wedding reception, but not the wedding ceremony
My son and his fiance are planning a small wedding with family and just a few friends but a large reception. Friends would like to host a shower but is it appropriate to invite friends to the shower that will not be invited to the wedding but will be invited to the reception? Thank you.

Answer:
It's not unusual for the wedding ceremony to be private, with a large reception following it. While traditionally this occurs when the marriage would be a second marriage for the bride or groom, these days it also can be because of space constraints. If, for example, the ceremony location can accommodate only a small number of guests but the reception location can accommodate a much larger group, you can let it be known that while you are limited in space to an intimate group (small group) at the ceremony, you'll be able to include a larger number in the reception celebration.

So the long and the short of it is, yes I think it would be appropriate for those friends attending the reception only to host a shower for your daughter-in-law-to-be and/or your son if they wish. After all, the shower is supposed to be a happy occasion to honor the happy couple and wish them well.

Question: Inviting Coworkers to the Wedding
I can't decide what to do about inviting coworkers. By the time I get married, I'll have worked with them for 1 1/2 yrs. The office is about 12 people and we all work closely together. But of course spouses would need tobe invited too. People know about my wedding and often ask me how the planning is going, etc. They have all been invited to each other's weddings, and I don't know what to do. Adding 24 people is a lot, especially when our guest list right now is about 130. I feel like inviting them to the ceremony only is rude. Any advice?

Answer:
You should not feel obligated to invite your coworkers to your wedding just because they've all invited each other to their weddings. This is especially so if budgetary or space/seating constraints are an issue. Nor should your coworkers expect to be automatically invited. Generally, if you invite all your coworkers your fiance should do likewise. Often, inviting both the bride's and groom's coworkers greatly increases the wedding expenses.

You and your fiance should discuss this issue together and be consistent in your actions, whichever way you decide. So if you're not inviting anyone from your fiance's office, your coworkers shouldn't be invited either. Perhaps when your coworkers ask you how your wedding plans are proceeding, you can briefly mention your budgetary or space constraints. They'll then understand not to expect an invitation.

Question: Can you invite guests to the ceremony only and not the reception?
We have lots of friends within the church family. Is it appropriate to invite these folks to the ceremony only and not the reception which follows at another destination. (ie: mountain resort)?

Answer:
Thanks for your recent etiquette question. In response, I would say that most often those guests invited to the wedding ceremony should also be invited to attend the reception. But it is possible to invite people just to the ceremony. Sometimes, rather than having a separate reception card printed to be included with the wedding invitation, the invitation itself would read "...an afterward at the reception [location}" or "...reception immediately following ceremony" to let guests know they're invited to attend both the ceremony and the reception. But when the guest list for the ceremony is larger than the list for the reception, a separate card is enclosed with the wedding invitation for those who are to be invited to the reception. Such a separate reception card may read "Reception immediately following the ceremony [location]". I'm sure your stationer can show you several samples of these types of reception cards with sample wording.

One word of caution though, don't be surprised if some members of your church family come to the reception, even if a separate reception card isn't included with the invitation. These days many guests presume that if they're invited to the ceremony the invitation extends to the reception afterwards as well.

Inviting guests to the wedding ceremony but not to the wedding reception...

Question:
A friend has asked me this question and I am not sure of the proper answer. Her daughter is getting married in August. They are on a limited budget and can only afford to have 200 people at the reception. But, they would like everyone to attend the wedding if they would like. How do you invite folks to the wedding without including them for the reception? Thanks!

Answer:
The simple answer is that when the guest list for the ceremony excess that for the reception, a separate card is enclosed with the wedding invitation for those guests who are invited to the reception as well. The use of a separate reception card sets it apart from the combined wedding invitation which informs guests that the reception immediately follows the ceremony. I'm sure the printer your friend plans to order the invitations from can assist in the format and wording.

Of course, keep in mind that often these days a combined invitation is used. So there's always a chance that a guest who receives the wedding invitation without the enclosed reception card may presume they're invited to the reception as well. It may be best for the bride, groom and their families to casually mention to their friends (I'm presuming that all family members would be invited to attend both ceremony and reception that budgetary and space constraints limit the number of guests to be invited to the reception. It may help avoid confusion and hurt feelings.

Question: Inviting Co-workers to the Wedding
I just started working with a small firm of 8 people about 4 months ago. We work closely together, but I'm still trying to "fit in". They all know I'm getting married and have asked me to show them my dress and stuff like that, so naturally, I have per their request. I have met some of their spouses, but do not spend time with them outside of work, although I do know a lot about all of their personal lives. My question is, should I feel obligated to invite them? Do I invite them to attend on their own or do I invite them to bring their spouses or a date? Finally, if it is proper to invite them, should I give them an open invitation or personal invitations sent to their homes? I am really in a jam--I don't necessarily want all of them there, but if I leave someone out, I'm afraid my work environment will be a nightmare! PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Answer:
The simple answer to your question is you should not feel obligated to invite all your coworkers, no matter how long you've been working there. However, if you do decide to invite your coworkers, since it's a relatively small group I would recommend that you invite all of them so no one feels left out. Bottom line, I think you should be consistent. If you do invite them, you should give each of them a written invitation. You can either hand deliver them at work or mail them to their home addresses, as you would to your other guests. If they're married, you must address the invitation to both the husband and wife. If they're not married, it's your judgment call if you want to extend the invitation to a guest as well. Again, be consistent. If other single wedding guests are being invited to bring a guest, your single coworkers should be as well.

If you opt to not invite them, you can let them know that your budget/space limitations preclude you from inviting them. You can mention this casually when they ask how you're wedding plans are coming along. Also, although I'm sure they all mean well by asking to see your dress and about your wedding plans, that doesn't necessarily mean they expect to be invited to your wedding.

Question: What percentage of the guest list is reserved for the parents of the groom?
I am mother of the bride. I am paying for the entire wedding. What percentage of the guest list am I required to give the parents of the groom? In short, I would strongly recommend that you discuss with the bride and groom the division of the guest list.

Answer:
Traditionally, the bride and her family pay for most of the wedding ceremony and reception expenses, regardless of how the guest list is divided. From my experience, most of the time the guest list is divided into thirds: 1/3 to the bride and groom; 1/3 to the parents of the bride; and 1/3 to the parents of the groom. Another option is to split the list in half, with 1/2 to the bride's parents and 1/2 to the groom's parents, assuming the friends of the bride and groom would be included in their parents' respective 1/2 of the list.

However the list is divided, it's best to discuss the parameters before everyone starts making their guest lists to avoid any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Hope this information is helpful.

Question: Can you invite someone to a shower but not the wedding?
I have a friend who owns a dance studio. She can't invite everyone to the wedding, She doesn't know who to invite to the shower. Does she invite everyone, or just the people invited to the wedding? How does she respond?

Answer:
Usually, people who are invited to the bridal shower expect to be invited to the wedding. If your friend must limit her wedding invitation list because of budgetary or space/seating limitations, the bridal shower invitation list should be limited to those people who are being invited to the wedding. Your friend can informally spread the word about her budget/space limitations and I'm sure everyone will understand and not be offended.

Question: Who to Invite to Rehearsal Dinner

What is the proper etiquette for who gets invited to the rehearsal dinner? My fiance and I were discussing the list and I say all relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents) and he says just immediate family and the bridal party.

Answer:
The grooms parents traditionally host the rehearsal dinner and the guest list will always include immediate family and bridal party, and any participating ceremony people (readers, etc), but beyond that, it is totally the host and hostesses decision (hopefully consulting you!) Many people feel like they want to see the out of town guests or relatives and that is how the dinners have gotten so big. Hope that helps!

Labels: wedding

Sabi nga ni Boying, basta lakaran nawawala sakit ko, hehe.. that is true last Saturday night when I chose to still join my MBA friends to our Christmas Party in Tagaytay. I wasn’t feeling great lately as im down with fever & cough.. Hmm, stress is catching up on me.. that and the ever changing weather maybe.. I thought I would be spared from this seasons’ free fever and flu since I had anti-flu shots last September.. Well, apparently I wasn’t that lucky..

Anyways, so after a lot of planning and organizing by Jay and Annie the old MBA gang was finally able to match everyone’s schedules and the long overdue weekend-get away pushed thru.. Despite my lack of energy, i hitched my way to Southridge, Tagaytay and ready myself for a lot of food & fun!

starbucks coffee after the best lunch of the year, tama ba benny?

never too sick to spend time with friends :)

with my best buds from MBA, annie -- my bridesmaid & jing -- our secondary sponsor

the morning after with the beautiful ones :)

...and here's the most awaited Destiny: Book 2 Pictorial!

there, we almost made it in time for the opening of Maging Sino Ka Man Book 2, hehe..

thanks for the fun times guys, you are all super! Kitakits sa April ha? :)

Labels: vacation