Rate: Php12,000 (3 hours rent) + Php5,000 (Extra charge for cables, set-up fees etc) + Php20,000 (Security deposit-refundable)
Rating: @@@@

Pros: Price was very affordable to have a ballroom type of ambiance and already fully air-conditioned, wall to wall carpeting with amazing chandelier type of lighting fixtures and a stage.The walls also have a distinct iron wrought design that gives it life. The price also includes the security, technician and janitors for the washroom. It has its own cocktail area that was the perfect place for our registration table, photobooth and well errmm cocktails of course! Not to mention a lot of parking space!

Cons: There are a lot of extra charges for the set-up time (100/hour – no aircon with lights), total electricity consumed, OT pay for the security, janitors and technician. All of these were charged to us after the event and were charged to the security deposit. Okay lang siya generally since cheap naman yung rental ng place. I just wish na may transparency doon sa ibang charges.

Also considered: We originally booked Sonya's Garden then Balai Indang. We also considered the poolside area of Forbeswood Heights Condo in the Fort

Rate: Php10, 000 (3 layered fondant cake, base layer edible + 20pcs 4x3 mini cakes + 2 pcs 18x3 sheet cake) Flavor: Apple/Banana Mud cake, Apple Rum
Rating: @@@@

Pros- I only met Emily Uy once in Makati Shang, and during this meeting she sketched a cake design for me plus we had the cake tasting at the same time. When I first met her, I really didn’t have any idea on how I want my cake to look like so what we did, she asked us what are our interests, color motif and the likes thus she came up with a coffee inspired cake. As a twist, she incorporated feathers and some fresh flowers.

Cake Design: @@@@@

Taste: @@@@@

Cons: For the payment, what we did is just deposit the remaining balance in her Metrobank account. We’ve been exchanging sms re the payment so I thought okay na. Come wedding day, she asked Dindi about the payment. I think nakalimutan ni Emily na settled na lahat. Good thing natago ko yung deposit slip.

Also considered: Judy Uson

Rate: PM me for the price
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Pros: Sandro was Ryan’s classmate since Prep in Ateneo, and their friendship grew as the years went by. As his gift to us, he wanted to take pictures from our preparations to the reception. He is still relatively young in the photography business, but his keen eye for detail and his ability to direct people to take the perfect pictures is already there. He is an up and coming photographer and better watch out for him in the near future.

Cons: Since he is Ryan’s friend, Ryan kept on telling Sandro to stop taking pictures during the reception so that he can enjoy our wedding. Of course he was still our guest and we wanted to make sure he was well taken care of.

Rate: PM for the price
Rating: @@@@@@@@@@

Pros-

Prenup AVP: Parang MTV style ang video na ginawa ni Jez and we had fun during the shoot. Since sinabay namin siya with the prenup pictorial sobrang nag-enjoy kami. We used the song “Breathe In, Breathe Out” by Matt Kearney and it fits the whole concept of the video.

Onsite Video: I love our onsite avp. We used the song “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz since we don’t want the traditional slow song since hindi bagay sa personality naming ni Ryan.

Cons: None- sobrang daling kausap ni Jez

Rate: Php 4,500 (1st 3 hours with flowers) + Php 1,000 (succeeding hour)
Rating: @@@@@

Pros: Okay naman yung car, maganda rin yung cd na pinapatugtog nila and bawas stress haha. Johnny even upgraded our car and we really appreciate it.

Cons: None

Rate: PM me for the price

Rating: @@@@@@@@@@

Pros: I love talking to Me-ann. First meeting naming umabot kami ng 2 hours hehe can you imagine kung gaano kami kadaldal?! I told her na I wanted to have mood lighting since gusto kong magmukhang kakaiba ang PSE. I told her I’m not particular with the color of the mood lights basta meron. We also availed of the sound system, we just provided them with CD’s na patutugtugin during the reception para naman yung songs na gusto namin yung i-pe-play.

Cons: None

Rate: I have a special arrangement with him
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Pros: I just want to share with you my testimonial to Cecil’s work. Nandoon na lahat ng gusto ko sabihin about him.

I first met Cecil last January 18, 2008. Ryan and I were still scouting for a designer of my wedding gown. I already made some research before and I was confident that Cecile is one of the best people in the industry; I knew my gown was in safe hands. However, due to budget constraints, we decided to approach another designer, and it was one horrendous mistake.

Fast forward, close to 2 weeks before the wedding, I was very disappointed with the outcome of my wedding gown. The skirt was bulging in the wrong places, and the fitting made me look bigger. The beadwork was not in line with my taste. The bolero and even the veil just seemed wrong. This gown caused me sleepless nights and wedding day nightmares DAYS before my wedding. I really wanted to feel like a bride and with the gown that I had, it was impossible.

After sulking over this, I finally said to myself that I had enough. I texted Cecil on the early morning of Sept 18 (few days before my wedding) and was literally asking his help to alter my gown and help save my big day. He replied to go to his shop and that was when my fortunes have turned for me. He was very accommodating and he made me feel that everything was going to be okay. He finally gave me that sigh of relief that I was going feel like how a bride should be, beaming with pride and with joy written all over my face. He first asked me to fit my old gown, and I was not surprised that and he decided to make me a new gown. He drew a sketch, and this almost brought me to tears because I loved what he had in mind. I knew he was really heaven sent!

It was an emotional roller coaster ride for Ryan and I was very happy that Cecil and his whole team were with me during the ride. I am grateful to Ekyat, Marcy and Clayton for all the help. For making me feel that "this is it! I'm going to be a radiant bride on my wedding day" and to Cecil, for being such a good person, for helping me kahit last minute. He really made me feel like a bride. I love my wedding gown, from the lace to the intricate beadworks. Added bonus is the bag they made for me- I really loved it!

My friends loved the gown and they were raving on how well made it was. My boss(who is half-Indonesian) said that the gown looks expensive (wow!). Angie and Ogie even commented on how beautiful the gown was and how it brought out my radiance that is fit for a bride. I know that this gown only took 7 days to make. But because of this the memories that it left me will be part of me and will be cherished for a lifetime..

Cons: None!

Rate: Php11,500 (Bride+2 Heads+Groom+1 extra)+ Php1,500 for the trial make-up
Rating: @@@@@@@@@@

Pros-

Trial make-up: They were very early during the TMU and we instantly hit it off. I love them! Sobrang funny and they can be frank but just let them be since nagpapakatotoo lang sila. Angie used Shu Uemura products which is good for asian skin so nag-blend well siya sa skin ko.

Wedding day: They were the first to arrive din sa Astoria and natuwa naman sila na ready na ako for my make up. Mabilis gumawa si Angie and Ogie, malinis and that’s what I love about their work. Since I have a round face contouring lang ang ginawa ni Angie and for Ogie, binagay niya yung hair ko sa shape ng face ko. Angie is not fond of using false eyelashes and natuwa ako because mahabang tingnan yung lashes ko. For the reception, he added a Swarovski headband and yun another look na siya instantly. Ogie was raving pa nga since kaka-book lang sa kanya ni Cheska Garcia that time and he did John Lloyd’s hair for a commercial kaya kuwentuhan galore-paano ka ba naman kakabahan di ba?!.

Cons: None

Also considered; None

Rate: Php 5,000
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Pros: Dennis is easy to deal with. We just called him and asked him the size of projector that will best fit the stage of PSE and yun na. We just deposited the money and emailed him the deposit slip. Sobrang linaw ng projector niya and tamang tama yung size so lahat ng guests kita lahat ang slideshow.

Cons: None

Also considered: None

Rate: Php10- per line
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Pros: Madali kausap si Lincoln and he works really fast. I love the calligraphy he did to our invites. Good thing when we delivered the invites, natuwa sila sa total look ng invites namin

Cons: None!

Rate: Php 9,600 (2 nights stay in a one bedroom suite)
Rating: @@

Pros: We booked the 1 bedroom unit and okay naman siya. Malaki na rin and kasya ang lahat ng suppliers.

Cons: I really don’t like the service, upon check in pa lang nakaaway ko na yung guy sa front desk. Since we booked 2 days and paid the 1st day in full during reservation, the guy from the front desk asked us to pay for the 2nd day na rin na nagulat ako because upon reservation ang sabi sa amin we just have to pay the security deposit worth Php3,000 and the rest upon check-out. Credit card pa naman ni Ryan ang gagamitin namin and he’s in Antipolo that time. The guy requested na baka puwedeng mag-drop by si Ryan sa Astoria just to pay so I was really furious! I told the guy that I wlll call Ryan and siya na lang ang makapag-usap dahil inis na inis na talaga ako. Also, medyo madumi yung room pagdating naming-may dust doon sa TV and mukhang hindi siya nalinis mabuti. May leak sa bathroom and weird ang water heater nila.

Also considered: A.Venue Suites, Crowne Plaza, Somerset Millenium

Rate: PM Me for the price (I have a special arrangement with them kasi)
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Pros: Sobrang nasulit ang photobooth. We just decided to book them for an hour tapos during cocktails para lahat focused sa program. It was a hit for our guests since they loooove to pose and have their pictures taken

Cons: None

Rate: Php 3,350 ( 50 pcs cupcakes= 10 cosmopolitan, 10 screaming o, 10 BJ, 10 don cappuccino)
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Pros: I met Reena twice, she’s easy to talk to and there’s a twist with her cuptails that’s why I decided to book her. We love the cupcakes and we love the packaging!

Cons: None

Envelope Sleeve for the invitations:

Rate: Php 2,200 ( brown wrapper from wrap shop, double sided tape and turquoise colored vellum paper for the label)
Pros: Labor of love ito! I think kasi na sobrang bare nung invite namin without an envelope so I decided to create one. Sa sobrang tamad ko na pumunta sa office ng Star Paper I just purchased the brown wrapper from Wrap shop. Lahat manual from pagugupit and pagdidikit. I got the end result that I wanted and our guests love it!
Cons : None-it was all worth it!

CD Sleeve

Rate: Php 800 (brown wrapper from wrap shop, double sided tape, white vellum paper for the logo, 70 pcs CDs and printing of the monogram)
Pros: For the male guests, we decided to give them personalized CDs of our favorite songs ( She’s So Lovely by Scouting for Girls, Sweet Sweet Baby by Michelle Featherstone, Better Together by Jack Johnson, All I Want Is You by U2 etc.)
Cons: None!

Sandalwood Fans

Rate: Php880 (80 pcs Sandalwood fans from Divi @ 11pesos each) + Php100 (Blue and Brown wooden beads from Morning Glory+ Yarn from National bookstore)
Pros: It’s so hard to find the perfect beads for the fans. Good thing there’s Morning Glory na maraming choices for the beads.
Cons: Medyo matrabaho lang mag-cut and magtali ng yarn but worth it naman.

Small bottles for the CP Tags
Rate: Php 550 (110 pcs bottles)
Pros: For the female guests we decided to give them CP tags so they can use it. We just bought the bottles from Divi and then I printed the label.
Cons: None

Matches

Rate: Php150 ( 2 pcs matches from Rustans, ribbons and faux stones)
Pros: I am very happy with the finish product. I just used the extra brown paper na pinagtabasan ng envelope sleeve from the invites and used double sided tape para idikit ang ribbon.
Cons: None

Missalette

Rate: Php2,000 (80 pcs)
Pros: Effort talaga ang missalette naming, cover pa lang sobrang daming layering na. I used Star Dream board in Ivory and the brown wrapper from Wrap shop and turquoise colored vellum paper with cut outs. Natuwa rin si Dindi sa Missalette dahil sobrang effort ang pagpersonalize ditto.
Cons: Nakakapagod lang mag-cut and magdikit!