Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wedding Discoveries: DIY Series: Martha Stewart Templates
Wedding Templates from Martha Stewart.
Get the Luminarias Directions and Templates here.
Get the Menu Directions and Templates here.
Get the Table Number Directions and Templates here.
Wedding Discoveries: DIY Series: Favor Box Templates
Get the templates here.
Get the templates here.
2 Open Slots for our First Run
Thank you for your trust in our team. In order to deliver the high quality service that we promise, we will now be closing our calendars for our FIRST RUN. That would be the months of March, April, May, August, and September.
We have one slot each for June and July open for bookings.
To visit our website, click here. To request for our rates and packages, email us at inquiry@onceabrideweddings.com.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
2010 Wedding Trends
Article from Your Wedding Company
Shorter trains and veils are popular as are pretty boleros, faux-fur wraps and shawls. For colder weather, brides choose wraps of faux-fur, velvet, heavy satin, or pashmina. Light weight fabrics, including organza, lace, tulle and chiffon, make perfect wraps for the Spring or Summer bride and reduce sun exposure on bare arms and shoulders.
Brides are choosing centerpieces that are in the same color tones, but of different sizes. This gives the reception tables a more interesting look and a less "coordinated" feel. Unique vase fillers include glass marbles, sea glass shells, acrylic ice, water absorbing crystals/beads, and fresh fruits such as lemons and limes.
The tuxedo is still the most popular choice for the ring bearer. Ring pillows often come in colors, other than just white and ivory, and include bead, pearl, ribbon or floral accents. Popular fabrics include velvet, lace, and satin.
Stationery adorned with ribbon, beach, feather, rhinestone buckles, or floral accents remains in high demand. Ribbon is used for decoration, or to simply hold the invitation together. Handmade stationary is a more personal, and with the popularity of scrap booking, stamping, and various computer programs available, there are endless creative options. Many couples choose to add this personal touch to their wedding.
Wedding Dresses
Romantic, flowing dresses in floor-length styles remain popular. Brides today choose dresses with flowing, soft fabrics, ruffles, satin sashes (at the waist), and delicate floral details. Most dress silhouettes are refined and include the delicate overlaying of fabrics such as chiffon, tulle and lace. Gowns with crystal, cubic zirconia, and/or pearl embellished bodices are very popular at the moment.
The modified A-line skirt also remains prominent on the fashion runways (slim through the waist and flared at the bottom) although many designers have included ball gowns and tea-length styles in their lines as well. Strapless gowns are perennial favorites, but this season has brought back the off-the-shoulder look for brides who want to accentuate their neckline or draw attention to gorgeous jewelry. In the US, we are continuing to see color in wedding dresses which have been popular for some time internationally. Champagne, platinum and even black are currently popular.
Shorter trains and veils are popular as are pretty boleros, faux-fur wraps and shawls. For colder weather, brides choose wraps of faux-fur, velvet, heavy satin, or pashmina. Light weight fabrics, including organza, lace, tulle and chiffon, make perfect wraps for the Spring or Summer bride and reduce sun exposure on bare arms and shoulders.Pearls, rhinestones, and crystals remain the top jewelry choice for necklaces and earrings. Crystal brooches are also a popular accent for wearing on the dress, in the hair or on the bouquet handle.
Wedding Bouquets
Ninety five percent of wedding bouquets are hand-tied, where the flowers are gathered together and the stems are wrapped in wide satin ribbon. Brides wanting more glamorous bouquets choose beads, brooches, jewel pins, pearls, crystal/rhinestone picks, and monogrammed ribbon to dress up plain ribbon-wrapped stems and blooms. With the continuing popularity of the beach and garden themes, brides wanting a more rustic and natural look to their bouquet add elements such as shells/starfish, feathers, berries and pinecones.
The rose continues to be the most popular and elegant bouquet flower. Lilies, peonies, hydrangeas, tulips and orchids represent the trendier choices. Arrangements with a just-picked and looser casual look have replaced the more tightly-bound bouquet shapes of previous seasons. Vivid flower colors will continue in popularity.
More and more mothers are carrying small posies instead of wearing the traditional corsage. Silk flowers are also popular for their versatility and life-like appearance. Visit our extensive bouquet gallery for ideas and inspiration.
Wedding Reception Decorations
Brides are choosing centerpieces that are in the same color tones, but of different sizes. This gives the reception tables a more interesting look and a less "coordinated" feel. Unique vase fillers include glass marbles, sea glass shells, acrylic ice, water absorbing crystals/beads, and fresh fruits such as lemons and limes.
Faux rose petals, diamond confetti and shells/starfish remain the most popular confetti. Also, flowering vines or individually cut flowers are placed directly onto table linens. Reception chairs are decorated with either tulle, fabric overlays, floral swags and/or ribbons. Other popular decorating items include Chinese lanterns, garlands and balloons. Disposable cameras, placed on each table, allow guests to capture candid moments.
An increasingly popular trend is the candy buffet or confection bar. This consists of a variety of candies or treats placed in varied sizes of glass containers and grouped on a table. Pretty silver spoons or scoops in each container allows guests to fill small boxes or bags as take-home favors.
Bolts of economical tulle fabric are typically combined with white lights and/or floral garlands for draping between pews and decorating banisters and ceilings. Click for more tulle decorating ideas.
Candles, always a popular choice for centerpieces, lend a romantic feel to any room. Choices include pillars, tea lights, tapers and floaters. Since some facilities do not allow candles, alternatives include faux tea light candles, battery operated LED lights, and fiber optic lights.
Head tables are replaced with a small table for just the bride and groom.
Today's couples most often pay for their own weddings and make their own decisions about what they want for their wedding day. Using a budget calculator allows them to allocate their money and prioritize wants and needs. They want to enjoy a wedding that is uniquely theirs, and one that displays their own sense of style and personal taste. Personal touches appear throughout the entire wedding, and can be found in attire, favors, decorations, stationary, photography, themes, flowers, gifts, and locations.
Wedding Favors
Couples now opt for more unusual, useful, and personalized favors to thank their guests for coming. In many cases, the favors do double-duty as place-card holders, table decorations, and even centerpiece arrangements where larger favors are grouped together in the center of the reception tables.
Favors can be ready-made items, although currently less popular, or hand-made and embellished with ribbon and accents that coordinate with the wedding theme or color scheme. This is definitely an area of weddings that has gone DIY in recent months.
Children's Attire
Flower girls are sporting fairy wings and cute wands, although baskets of rose petals, posies, pomanders, and dainty purses remain popular. A-line dresses and dresses accented with chiffon overlays steal the show. Floral head wreaths or dainty tiaras finish the look.
The tuxedo is still the most popular choice for the ring bearer. Ring pillows often come in colors, other than just white and ivory, and include bead, pearl, ribbon or floral accents. Popular fabrics include velvet, lace, and satin.Wedding Cakes
Cakes decorated with handmade icing flowers, shells/starfish and delicate dots and scrollwork remain popular. Couples are choosing cakes that fit with the location, theme and season of their wedding. Four to five layers is the average size for a wedding of 150-200 people.
Buttercream or smooth fondant frostings are most common. Popular cake flavors include lemon, chocolate, carrot, spice and "white" although some couples are choosing non-traditional flavors such as gingerbread, espresso and hazelnut. Flowers, sculptures, and large monogrammed letters are replacing the traditional bride and groom cake top.
Wedding Photography
The photo-journalistic (candid) approach to wedding photography is preferred by many brides to the traditional posed shots. Capturing the day's events as they happen helps tell the story of your wedding. Naturally, posed pictures are still enjoyed and requesting that some of the photos be black and white is common.
Wedding Themes
Currently, the top wedding themes are "beach", "garden", "winter wonderland", "vintage glamour", "woodland/rustic", and "Tiffany Blue" (aqua) and "sparkling diamonds."
Wedding Stationary
Stationery adorned with ribbon, beach, feather, rhinestone buckles, or floral accents remains in high demand. Ribbon is used for decoration, or to simply hold the invitation together. Handmade stationary is a more personal, and with the popularity of scrap booking, stamping, and various computer programs available, there are endless creative options. Many couples choose to add this personal touch to their wedding.Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wedding Discoveries: Christian Weddings - Churches
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship
2574 P. Floresca St. Manila Charismatic Restoration Church 1024 Felix Huertas St. Manila , Philippines
Grace Park Baptist Church 171 3rd street Philippines
Higher Ground Baptist Mission of the Philippines, Inc.#121 Ordinance Street 72 San Miguel Road Philippines 6 Maria Clara Street Malabon City
2297 Juan Luna Street Manila , Philippines Cosmos Street Happy Land zone 8 Tondo Manila 1012 Philippines
Manila , Philippines
#5 Yakal St., Cristian Subd., Concepcion , Marikina City , Philippines
(0632) 9410827
Blessed Hope Evangelical Church of the Philippines
(632)561-4163
1067 Pasong Tamo cor. Malolos St Makati City , Metro Manila , Philippines
(632)-896-2337 / 895-1702
(632)-896-2337 / 895-1702
Church of the Holy Redeemer
Alley 4 corner Road 2 Project 6, Quezon City , Philippines
632-3146493
Evangelical Christian Church of Manila
091 9326 8828
Cadena de amor Street, Pingkian Village 3, Quezon City Philippines
09208315013
(02) 3602150
Higher Ground Baptist Mission of the Philippines, Inc.
09067022527
Icthus World Outreach Centre
09 19822 7517
Lighthouse Christian Community
Alabang, Muntinlupa City , Manila , Philippines
807-64-06
(632) 2888274
(63-2) 253-0698
Open Heaven Mission
Word Sanctuary Christian Church
(0632) 757 0746
Wedding Discoveries: Christian Weddings - Garden Ceremony Venues
If you will have a Christian Wedding, there are many venues to consider from gardens to beaches. Some popular choices are listed below. Tagaytay garden wedding venues will be listed at another series. Note that these venues hold wedding ceremony and reception as well.
1. Fernbrook Gardens - www.fernbrookgardens.com
2. Fernwood Gardens - www.fernwoodgardens.com
3. OASIS Manila - www.oasismanila.com
4. Light of Love Events Place - http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/Light+of+Love
5. Blue Gardens - http://www.thebluegardens.blogspot.com/
6. La Veranda - http://www.laveranda-marikina.com
7. Gazebo Royale - www.gazeboroyale.com
8. Amaranth Garden - www.amaranthgarden.multiply.com
9. Solea Garden - www.soleagarden.com
10. The Glass Garden - www.theglassgarden.com.ph
11. Patio Victoria - www.patio-victoria.com
12. Coconut Palace -831-1756 / 832-1898
13. Casa Espanol - http://casaespanol.tripod.com
14. The Mango Farm - www.themangofarm.com
15. Gardens in Intramuros - http://www.intramurosadministration.com
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wedding Budget Tips from a Once A Bride
Beautiful weddings are not all about how much money you can spend on it. Of course, it will be so much easier if you have a gamut of financial resources to fund the wedding, but it doesn't follow that just because you have a limited budget, your wedding will not be a s beautiful.
Here are some money-saving tips based on my personal experience during the wedding preparations:
1. Know what you want and what your priorities are.
Both the bride and groom should start with creating a vision for the wedding. How many guests would you like to have? Would you like to consider having a wedding theme? If so, what ideas would you like to explore? What wedding details matter most to you? How much are you willing to spend for the wedding?
Me and my husband decided that we wanted our wedding to be unlike any other wedding that our families are familiar with. We are both from Quezon Province and so most of our families are only familiar with the wedding tradition of Tagalogs. Having this vision, we were able to set our priorities. Our priorities were the venue and food. We didn't consider a frontyard reception and we don't want to serve the usual menu (afritada, pochero, caldereta, etc.) during the weddings in Quezon that we've attended.
So these are the wedding details that we splurged on. We chose Fernbrook Gardens for the venue and Hizon's Catering for the food.
To save on the venue cost, we paid Fernbrook in full so we can haggle for more freebies and discounts. Offset amenities you don't need like the invitations that usually come with the package.
Get the best deal from your caterer by joining their Grand Food Tasting. Get all the freebies and upgrades you can negotiate before you pay the booking fee. Why? Because it will be very difficult to haggle after you've already paid the booking fee. All these should be in writing to avoid memory problems from your Account Executives.
You can also save a lot by offsetting catering amenities that you don't need to amenities that you do need. For example, we took out the Signature frame and Doves because we don't need it, we offset it to 6 kids setup.
2. Identify "must haves" and nice to haves"
Wedding is a lot about setting priorities. So you need to separate the must haves and the nice to haves so you can be true to the budget you've set.
Some of our must haves are: venue, food, invitations, photographer, videographer, souvenirs, wedding attire, wedding rings, musicians, emcee/host, "on the day" wedding coordinator, flowers, LCD projector and screen, bridal car, hotel for bridal preps, and wedding cake.
Our nice to haves: photobooth, mobile bar, photo gallery, event styling, mood lights, fondant mini cakes, and fireworks.
3. Research about potential wedding suppliers, compare, and select.
The Internet can be an invaluable tool for getting an idea of what things cost and you can also e-mail many companies to get estimates -- without phone calls or time-consuming legwork. Don’t make final decisions about vendors until you've selected a date and a venue.
On the Venue
Look for a venue that fits your budget and is meaningful -- and widen your idea of what the perfect venue might be. Note that venues can often book a year in advance, so booking the venue early is highly recommended. Extensive research can be very helpful here, finding a not yet popular venue will give you more savings.
On the Caterer
Don't limit your choices to the popular caterers (unless your venue has accredited caterers). There are many caterers that can give you sumptuous banquet at a lower cost. Make sure you attend a food tasting event and possibly sneak into one of their weddings (not during the wedding but while the setup is ready and no guests are in the venue yet) to see their setup.
On the Photographer and Videographer
You might want to consider service-only packages so you can get your dream photographers and videographers at a lower cost. The wedding album and full-length wedding video can be dealt with after the wedding. Also, if you have photographer/videographer friends, you might want to tap their talents for a huge savings on your expenses.
Invitations and Souvenirs - and other printed materials like missalette, menu, place cards, thank you cards, etc.
DIYing these wedding will not only be savings for you but also a bonding time for you and your groom. I always enjoy the times when me and my husband are cutting and folding papers, putting ribbons, etc. It gave us an opportunity to practice teamwork!
If you don't have a printer which can produce the quality you want, try doing the layout yourself and have it printed at a printing press or in Recto. Your graphic designer friend can also help with the layout. One of my w@wie couples actually spent only P28.00 a piece for her invitations by doing the layout and assembly as DIY and having it printed in Recto.
You might also want to give out practical and useful souvenirs so it will not be put to waste. You know what your guests will usually do to display-only souvenirs right?
Photobooth
Instead of renting a photobooth, you might want to have a backdrop tarpaulin printed and post on a wall and have a few friends play with their DSLRs as your guests pose while waiting for the reception to begin. You can then send the photos by email or print and mail them to your guests which can also serve as thank you cards.
On Wedding Attire
If your designer of choice is not within your budget, look for other suppliers who can make your dream gown at a lower cost. You might want to go for new and upcoming designers and your trusted mananahi. Divisoria is a haven for fabrics, you might want to buy your own fabric and have someone create your gown and pay only the labor cost. As for the groom's attire, if you want barong, you might want to consider suppliers from the Pina fabric capital, Lumban Laguna. They are around 50% cheaper than suppliers in MM. For a suit, off the rack will be very convenient, if you want custom-made go directly to the tailors because designers usually outsource the groom's suit to tailors anyway.
On Wedding Rings
You will typically get as much as 30% discount when you booking during bridal fairs.
On LCD projector and screen
Borrow from your office or negotiate for this to be a freebie from your photographer or videographer.
Here are some money-saving tips based on my personal experience during the wedding preparations:
1. Know what you want and what your priorities are.
Both the bride and groom should start with creating a vision for the wedding. How many guests would you like to have? Would you like to consider having a wedding theme? If so, what ideas would you like to explore? What wedding details matter most to you? How much are you willing to spend for the wedding?
Me and my husband decided that we wanted our wedding to be unlike any other wedding that our families are familiar with. We are both from Quezon Province and so most of our families are only familiar with the wedding tradition of Tagalogs. Having this vision, we were able to set our priorities. Our priorities were the venue and food. We didn't consider a frontyard reception and we don't want to serve the usual menu (afritada, pochero, caldereta, etc.) during the weddings in Quezon that we've attended.
So these are the wedding details that we splurged on. We chose Fernbrook Gardens for the venue and Hizon's Catering for the food.
To save on the venue cost, we paid Fernbrook in full so we can haggle for more freebies and discounts. Offset amenities you don't need like the invitations that usually come with the package.
Get the best deal from your caterer by joining their Grand Food Tasting. Get all the freebies and upgrades you can negotiate before you pay the booking fee. Why? Because it will be very difficult to haggle after you've already paid the booking fee. All these should be in writing to avoid memory problems from your Account Executives.
You can also save a lot by offsetting catering amenities that you don't need to amenities that you do need. For example, we took out the Signature frame and Doves because we don't need it, we offset it to 6 kids setup.
2. Identify "must haves" and nice to haves"
Wedding is a lot about setting priorities. So you need to separate the must haves and the nice to haves so you can be true to the budget you've set.
Some of our must haves are: venue, food, invitations, photographer, videographer, souvenirs, wedding attire, wedding rings, musicians, emcee/host, "on the day" wedding coordinator, flowers, LCD projector and screen, bridal car, hotel for bridal preps, and wedding cake.
Our nice to haves: photobooth, mobile bar, photo gallery, event styling, mood lights, fondant mini cakes, and fireworks.
3. Research about potential wedding suppliers, compare, and select.
The Internet can be an invaluable tool for getting an idea of what things cost and you can also e-mail many companies to get estimates -- without phone calls or time-consuming legwork. Don’t make final decisions about vendors until you've selected a date and a venue.
On the Venue
Look for a venue that fits your budget and is meaningful -- and widen your idea of what the perfect venue might be. Note that venues can often book a year in advance, so booking the venue early is highly recommended. Extensive research can be very helpful here, finding a not yet popular venue will give you more savings.
On the Caterer
Don't limit your choices to the popular caterers (unless your venue has accredited caterers). There are many caterers that can give you sumptuous banquet at a lower cost. Make sure you attend a food tasting event and possibly sneak into one of their weddings (not during the wedding but while the setup is ready and no guests are in the venue yet) to see their setup.
On the Photographer and Videographer
You might want to consider service-only packages so you can get your dream photographers and videographers at a lower cost. The wedding album and full-length wedding video can be dealt with after the wedding. Also, if you have photographer/videographer friends, you might want to tap their talents for a huge savings on your expenses.
Invitations and Souvenirs - and other printed materials like missalette, menu, place cards, thank you cards, etc.
DIYing these wedding will not only be savings for you but also a bonding time for you and your groom. I always enjoy the times when me and my husband are cutting and folding papers, putting ribbons, etc. It gave us an opportunity to practice teamwork!
If you don't have a printer which can produce the quality you want, try doing the layout yourself and have it printed at a printing press or in Recto. Your graphic designer friend can also help with the layout. One of my w@wie couples actually spent only P28.00 a piece for her invitations by doing the layout and assembly as DIY and having it printed in Recto.
You might also want to give out practical and useful souvenirs so it will not be put to waste. You know what your guests will usually do to display-only souvenirs right?
Photobooth
Instead of renting a photobooth, you might want to have a backdrop tarpaulin printed and post on a wall and have a few friends play with their DSLRs as your guests pose while waiting for the reception to begin. You can then send the photos by email or print and mail them to your guests which can also serve as thank you cards.
On Wedding Attire
If your designer of choice is not within your budget, look for other suppliers who can make your dream gown at a lower cost. You might want to go for new and upcoming designers and your trusted mananahi. Divisoria is a haven for fabrics, you might want to buy your own fabric and have someone create your gown and pay only the labor cost. As for the groom's attire, if you want barong, you might want to consider suppliers from the Pina fabric capital, Lumban Laguna. They are around 50% cheaper than suppliers in MM. For a suit, off the rack will be very convenient, if you want custom-made go directly to the tailors because designers usually outsource the groom's suit to tailors anyway.
On Wedding Rings
You will typically get as much as 30% discount when you booking during bridal fairs.
On LCD projector and screen
Borrow from your office or negotiate for this to be a freebie from your photographer or videographer.
On Musicians
You might want to consider your co-employees or friends to sing at your wedding. A local church choir can also make your ceremony music as lovely! A list of your fave songs can also be downloaded in your IPOD for a seamless playing of your most-loved music. If you have a budget for this, you might want to consider an all-in-one group who can play both in the ceremony and reception because they are usually more affordable. Make sure you attend a demo before booking them. Be specific with the terms and riders in the contract.
On Hotel Preps
Aside from the 5-star hotels who are usually very strict with photo ops and bringing of food inside, you might want to consider condotels which are more flexible and lenient with photo ops.
Other cost-saving tips:
1. Avoid overhead by look for wedding vendors who work from home so you don't have to pay the overhead, and invest more on the product or service.
2. Honeymoon - book in advance and take advantage of promos from airlines. I am not a fan of "worry-free packages" because it always turn out to be more expensive because of the limitations that come with it.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
DIY Discoveries: Invitations Series
Looking for printable Wedding invitations that you can use to invite friends and family to your intimate wedding event? Below you'll find links to several printable wedding invitations that you can download for free.
Download the FREE Printable Damask Invite Set from Mujika here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
Download this FREE Template Set - Wedding Invitation, Save the Date, Menu, Program, RSVP, place/escort cards, and a lot more from Pash Weddings here.
More to follow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)