Decisive Moments: Choosing our Photographer

While some couples would splurge on the caterer’s 5-course meal or grandiose reception venue, we’d rather spend on keeping memories of our wedding day. Being photography enthusiasts ourselves, TJ and I somehow have the same opinion on how we want our photos to be – artistically beautiful, of course, but reasonably priced.

Choosing a photographer is much like shopping in Divisoria – everything seems the same but you’ll have to be very keen in choosing the best in style, quality and price. And because there is quite a handful in the market, you have to know beforehand what your criteria and requirements are.

We initially considered F. Topico Mayuga Photography since the owner was a good friend of my future mother-in-law. They were okay and it would’ve been the most convenient choice, but we didn’t have a comparison so we decided to look further. We looked into Raymod Fortun’s photography since I’m a very big fan but unfortunately, he was already booked Dec. 11. We looked some more and finally came across Decisive Moments’ ad in a wedding magazine I bought.

Their ad read “The Wedding through the Eyes of a Photojournalist” and that’s what attracted me most. What I really wanted was a photojournalistic approach in photography. I wanted more of the candid moments than choreographed poses, naturally lit photos instead of digitally enhanced ones. I wanted them not only to be visually beautiful but to be able to convey emotion and mood. It was good to know that their chief photographer, Mr. Mel Cortez, used to be a photojournalist for a broadsheet.

Before looking for options, we had already set a budget price ceiling for the photo/video service and that guided us very well. Jane was kind enough to e-mail me their affordable packages and even entitled me to 30% discount if we booked them within the week.

Things got really exciting so we paid them a visit to see samples of their work and discuss the package further. The good thing is that it already had almost everything covered and we were just given the option for add-ons. (Remember, in booking a supplier, get the basic package first and then upgrade later on should your budget permit.) We reviewed each item and asked if we can trade one with the other and they agreed. William was so energetic and very helpful in giving us suggestions (and further discounts!). He was so contagious that he was finally able to convince us to get them.

Photo/video eats a big chunk of the wedding budget so it was really a “decisive moment” for us. But we’re happy to have secured our second supplier and got style, quality and price in one great package!

—-

Decisive Moments Photography by Mel Cortez

Suite 902 Burgundy Place, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City

Mobile: 0922-8299333

E-mail: decisivemoments@yahoo.com

Website: http://melcortez.multiply.com

Save the Date (and the Church)!

The biggest challenge of having a December wedding is getting ahead of everybody else especially the super eager brides who take the 16-month preparation seriously. Because there were a number of reasons why we can’t have the wedding on our third anniversary in September, we chose 12.11.10 as our wedding date instead. Knowing how in demand these “special” dates are (just like the 08.08.08 about 2 years ago), we decided to get ahead in booking our church as early as October last year.

*             *             *

TJ :: Finally deciding on our church was really a no-brainer for Kay and I. The Our Lady of Consolation Parish Church inside Mira Nila Homes in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, was perfect for us in every way we had hoped our church would be.

We initially considered the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice (more commonly known as the UP Chapel) since that was where we used to hear mass. But after giving it much thought, we decided against it. Being left without our original option, Kay and I decided to look for churches in Quezon City. Kay stumbled upon a list of churches within QC online and we immediately scheduled our church tripping the Sunday that week, January 18, 2009. First on our list was the OLCP. Which was also our last. It was during one of the readings when I whispered to Kay that I fell in love with the place, which was her sentiment too. Everything about the church veered us towards our decision. The architecture was quite modern. The ambience was light and homey. The acoustics and sound system were absolutely marvelous. The aisle was not short nor was it that long, just right for Kay’s walk of fame. And the choir loft provided us with an option for the photographers to take one of Kay’s fave wedding shots. An overhead shot of her walking down the aisle, her train delicately trailing her. So from then on, we frequented the OLCP for regular Sunday masses and it was on October 25, 2009 when we officially locked our wedding date with them.

KAY :: As TJ mentioned, the UP Chapel was our first choice – it was unique, simple, serene. But somehow we realized that a lot of things that we wanted in the wedding couldn’t be possible in this kind of round architecture. Being a choir member, it was also very important for me that the church had the best sound system as I wanted our wedding to be filled with beautiful music. That’s when I was reminded of this church where we sang years ago for our high school adviser’s wedding. I quickly e-mailed Mrs. C and got details of Our Lady of Consolation in Tandang Sora, and the following Sunday, TJ and I made sure we paid a visit.

True enough, it was love at first sight. A lot about the church has changed. The altar is now painted with a deep purple accented by sprinkles of gold. The newly painted chandeliers added a rustic charm to the once plain church.  The choir loft was still at the far back, and the sound system was pretty good!  The chirping of the birds during the morning mass affirmed the serenity of the place. Right then, I knew we  were getting married there.

*             *             *

In choosing your church, we recommend that you first list down all possible churches in your desired area. Don’t be deceived by famous (and expensive) churches!!! More than the grandiosity, it’s important that you choose a church where you can have a solemn and meaningful ceremony. San Agustin Church, for one, is not the ideal church. Sad to say, but we’ve attended several weddings there and the outcome has not been pleasing – they rush the ceremony to the point that the bride hastens her march and the priest skips his Homily! You wouldn’t want that happening to you. Visit churches during Sunday mass so you get a feel of the whole place (ambience, sound system, size, ventilation, etc.). Think about your church as much as you would for your reception venue. Besides, it’s the most important part of your big day.

The “FIRST” Step in Planning a Wedding (IDEALLY!) – Telling your Girlfriend’s Parents!

The title says it all. First step in planning a wedding is telling the parents of both sides that you’re getting hitched. Ideally, that is. I decided to, umm, take the unconventional route. Start our planning, and then tell Kay’s parents.

Ask any soon-to-be-wed guy, or any married guy for that matter. It’s not as easy as it looks. Sure, rapport has been established between you and your bride’s parents, considering you’ve established yourself as a household fixture already. But the thought of delivering this kind of news, the “Hi Tito/Tita! I’m marrying your daughter and taking her away from you already” kind of news, is pretty unnerving. Especially if you have a future father-in-law with a very intimidating presence. There’s just no way you can totally prepare yourself for that situation.

Kay and I originally targeted December 8, 2009 as our “moment of truth.” But the death of a very dear family member 4 days prior held us back.  We decided not to specify a date anymore, instead, agreed to get it done and over with before December 26, 2009, her  kuya’s wedding.  BUT, more unforeseen events happened so our “moment of truth” kept on getting pushed further, and further back. To cut the long story short, we only got to let her DAD know about our plans last January 20, 2010 (Kay told her mom about our plans earlier, in the hopes of having her prepare her dad for the “big news”). Here are some snippets of that conversation with her dad.

TJ: “Tito, niyaya ko na pong magpakasal si Kay, at pumayag na po siya.”

Kay’s DAD (with her mom watching on): “Ma, tama ba narinig ko? Ikuha mo nga ako ng cotton buds.”

TJ: “Hehe (nervous laugh). Opo, tama po.”

Kay’s DAD: “Kelan niyo plano? Handa na ba kayo? Handa na ba kayong magka-pamilya?”

TJ: “Sa December po. Handa naman na po kami.”

Kay’s DAD: “Wala naming problema sa akin yan. Ang sa akin lang ay yung request ng mama niyo.”

Our conversation went on for a few more minutes, with dad asking a couple more questions about our plans. In the end, Kay’s dad was really cool about the whole thing, thanks mainly to Kay’s mom who prepped dad beforehand. All I can say about that whole experience is that all my uneasiness and sleepless nights leading to that moment were actually unnecessary, BUT normal for any guy asking for the blessing of his girl’s parents. A little tip to guys out there planning a little rendezvous with your fiancee’s parents: Relax. Haha! Showing your future in-laws, that you’re nervous might give them a negative impression about your readiness for the married life.

So with that behind us already, our planning “officially” started. A couple of suppliers in the bag, but more of that on our future posts. Ciao.

Key to a Succesfull Wedding = Planning Together

Let me start this entry with GREAT news! Fr. Jboy Gonzales, SJ just confirmed his availability to officiate our wedding ceremony. 🙂 We’ve been fans of his inspiring homilies and natural wit since his days of service at the UP Chapel and so we wanted him to be our priest. His confirmation caps the major preparations for the wedding! THANK YOU, Fr. Jboy. You really made our day.

Going back… perhaps you’ve read several tips and do’s and don’ts from several wedding magazines, if not from the latest W@W Wedding Primer. It’s 10 months before our day and midway through our preparations and I’ve learned the single key to a successful wedding: PLANNING TOGETHER.

I know some brides are swimming over magazine piles, searching the Internet on weeknights, braving flea markets on weekends while the men just give them the pennies. I beg to disagree that weddings are just a girl’s thang and I have a very wedding-eager fiancé to prove this. Keep in mind that your husband-to-be’s opinions and preferences are just as important as yours.

Decision making is a lot easier if you plan things together. Besides, we’ll probably be doing this for the rest of our married life so we might as well practice on this during the wedding preparations. In our case, here are the few first steps we took together:

1. Set the budget – TJ and I agreed on the budget early on and swore to never go overboard. We opened our joint account last year and that’s where we both put our savings. Yes, even saving up is a conjugal effort! It makes us both responsible not only for the wedding but our future.

2. Research – Looking for potential suppliers was a lot easier with two minds working. While TJ got info on the net and templates from friends, I frequented Filbar’s for back issues of wedding magazines and read group mailers. After putting things together, we discussed and picked out the best choices.

3. Set the calendar – TJ got me a Starbucks planner during the Holidays and I decided to make it our wedding planner where all events are plotted. This lets us keep track of our accomplishments. We’re both custodians of our wedding planner and notebook. Whoever feels like writing on them can do so as much as he/she likes.

4. Go on field trips – We go as a team in appointments with suppliers and in doing errands. It’s easier to create relationships with suppliers if they get a quick grasp of you as a couple. Our first impression of the suppliers also weighed a lot in making decisions. It’s funny how we know the final answer just by looking at each other!

Our wedding can be the single most tedious day of our lives but planning together makes it a lot easier and more fun. It serves as our weekly bonding activity and our weekend date. In less than 2 months we were able to book our major suppliers, which we’ll share with you on later posts.

I’m plain lucky to have an equally excited groom! So if your guys aren’t curious at all, kick them with some girl power and find a way to make them involved. It’s both your day anyway.

Surprise, surprise!

(written by Kay in September 2008)

I remember a friend and colleague once told me that she knew right from the start that I would like TJ, that he’d be my type even if we haven’t even met. Honestly, TJ was initially not my ideal guy for a variety of reasons. Although I was known as a magnet for guys possessing the same physical attributes as his (kalbo, payat, etc.), the mere fact that he smoked and was a heavy drinker was a bit of a turn off. Besides, he was in another relationship back then and I was just taking my time after moving on from a previous 4-year relationship. Nevertheless, despite the obvious differences, we quickly managed to reach our common ground and I found myself a new best friend in him.

Fast forward after several months of a great friendship, the very liberal guy and the girl next door became a couple in September 2007. I admit I made it too easy for him since he need not court me. I guess I just felt that we knew each other well enough as friends that we didn’t have to impress each other anymore. We talked a lot, did many things together, enjoyed the same things and activities, knew each other’s friends. We were both fancy-free and adventurous and knew exactly what we wanted in our partners, which we fortunately found in each other. I think it also helped that right from the start, we wanted this to be the last for both of us. So the first time he told me the three magic words, I only had the same thing in mind.

This may sound like just another love story, perhaps just as cheesy as a new telenovela. We literally faced an angry mob, who tried to tear us apart, for months; financial issues that made us struggle; individual imperfections that let out relationship monsters from time to time; career obstacles that made us lose focus; inconsiderate variables like time and distance that occasionally cause us to disengage. He’s actually right in saying that the past year seemed like ages to us, and these are the same reasons, including the best times that we had together, why we are here now celebrating our first anniversary.

The Proposal

My idea of an anniversary celebration was simple – get away from the city to a place we’ve never been to and experience a new kind of adventure together. After weeks of research, we decided to go to Pagsanjan, Laguna since it was the most feasible given our schedules. Shooting the rapids could be the most unromantic gesture to celebrate our first year but it didn’t really matter. Everything we do together is plain and subconsciously romantic, even if we’re all messy, stinky and drenched in water. This also goes to show how we really are as a casual and fun-loving couple.

To cut the story short and before you click away from this page, here’s what happened:

We had a candlelit dinner by the river by 8:00 PM. I didn’t really consider this as a surprise since I already saw a photo of this dinner set-up in the resort’s website. I simply thought this was the staff’s kind gesture for their ONLY guests that weekend. While they were setting up the table and TJ was running to and from the room to get some stuff, I was busy shooting photos with our new DSLR. By the time the table was ready, we sat down and ate dinner together. TJ was unnoticeably quiet then and he told me he wasn’t that hungry because we had merienda earlier. I was getting a bit irritated because he kept on looking at his phone and has smoked several cigars already. Did I mention he even finished a few glasses of the wine we were having for dinner? He eventually started talking and we were casually reminiscing memories from the past year. His tone was quite serious but light and he was in his hopeless romantic mood that most of you may not even be aware of.

He first said he was sorry for not having anything to give me on our anniversary, which I was perfectly fine with because the trip was already a gift in itself. Then he brought out a letter telling me it’s the only thing he had for me and asked me to read it in front of him. It took me about 10 minutes or so to completely absorb everything he has to say in that 7-page anniversary love letter. I doubt if any other guy can write something as long and as honest as that. I was really happy to read about his thoughts – those that I already know and those that I never thought he had in mind. Right then, I felt I was lucky enough to be the girl, whom he chose to do these lovely things for. TJ can be the cheesiest and sweetest guy ever, you know. I was speechless.

I was not drunk but was crazy enough to think that he’d just let the night end as simple as that. I wasn’t expecting anything more either. But after a moment’s pause, he took my hand and told me that there was something else that he still wasn’t able to tell me in that very long letter. Random things rambled inside my head figuring what it could be, until he handed out a box, opened it, and took out the most beautiful ring I ever saw. He was smiling and looked a bit nervous when he asked me, “will you marry me?” I immediately answered with an “Ummmm” and threw him a suspicious look. I swear I was caught off guard and I never had the tiniest idea about any of this. I slapped his back and just said “Yes”, wore the ring on my left ring finger, hugged and kissed him repeatedly until reality sank in. God, the ring looked so pretty on my hand that I didn’t want to take it off. It had just the right fit.

After that, he bravely admitted that it was all a conspiracy among his friends: Fiel was the one texting him earlier during dinner, making sure he won’t spoil the proposal; We were with his officemates Friday night, and they all knew what was going to happen that weekend; Mariel helped him out with the ring; He made sure we were the only guests in the resort that weekend. And little did I know that everybody else had already read his letter before I did as he posted this on his Multiply. I was surely the last to know. What a big surprise!

THE RING

TJ is perfect for me and my life would not have been as great and complete if he weren’t with me. Whenever I wear this ring, I’m reminded of every single detail of that night when he proposed to me. I know not a lot of girls receive this kind of gift, and I really feel happy that he took a great effort and lucky that I have the chance to wear a beautiful remembrance of him for as often and as long as I want to. It still gives me tingles because having a physical proof of an engagement is far from just talking about possibilities of getting married in the future. Here’s something to constantly remind me that in time, I’ll be walking down that aisle and he’ll be waiting for me right in front of the altar. There are definitely a lot of things ahead to be excited about.

Hello world!

he’s the man. she’s the boss.