The V Experience: The Appointment

I love her to bits!!!

Okay, so after a millenium, I am writing the....uh... third (?) installment of my Veluz experience. I hope people will still read this.

Anyway, so you all know how and when it all happened. Now here is what came about on our first meeting.

After Ms. Gercel and i spoke over the phone (a few hours from reading Ms. V's email, that is), we've settled on having my appointment set with Ms. V in three days. I honestly didn't care the time conflict the appointment may encounter as all I ever wanted was to see her and talk to her in person and see her sketch my gown and all that.

Our appointment time was 4 hours from the moment I get off from work. At the time, Nico and I was still contemplating as to how we would get there the soonest. Excited much? :p

We left Araneta before 9 in the morning. We took the MRT then decided to take the LRT route to Quirino instead of the initial plan of taking a cab ride to Ms. Veluz's shop. We were there before 10.

I don't think my heart ever relaxed that day.

Everything went by like a blur. Since we were early for our 11am appointment, we had to wait.

I saw her emerge from the back office/fitting room where she was with the client scheduled before us. I was hearing her converse with the bride who has having her fitting. They were talking in a very sosyal way. Nosebleed ako. I whispered to Nico, who was preoccupied browsing through the magazines and pictures of Veluz's creations, "Baby, puro english-an sila. Nakaka-intimidate!"

And imagine how it felt even more nerve-racking to me when the bride came out of the fitting room: dressed in a black corporate tailored suit, her curves accentuated and her skin just screams out "alta-sosyedad".

Kamusta naman,Nico and I were in our usual casual wardrobe from work. We looked like usyuseras in a red carpet scene, for crying out loud.

I only felt the intimidation and nervousness fade when Miss V said hi to me and signaled, "Wait lang ha!" with her wholehearted warm smiles. I felt like melting at the sight of a high school crush.

So there, after more minutes of trying to look busy and not inip, I was asked to proceed to her office. The room was spaceous, and everything in it spelled class, elegance and warmth. I remember a few words in the first five minutes of the meeting.

"Kamusta?" she said in her most cheerful and ever welcoming tone.

The conversation was also a blur but there's one distinct moment that I will forever remember. As she was making kwento and all that, she mentioned about this bride's blog that she got to read. My heart was ultimately hammering as I listened to her describe how sad the fate of this bride was because this bride wanted so much to have her create her wedding dress but she won't be able to. My teary eyed expression at first burst out completely into soft sobs when it finally dawned to me that the blogger that she was referring to was me. She said something like, "Wow! tingnan mo nga naman diba! Ikaw pala yon!" And yes, it was something like destiny. Like fate. That I was to become an actual Veluz bride as I dreamt to be.

I couldn't believe it. She'd read my writings. I felt embarassed and swept away by the mere fact that she has bumped into my blogsite. It felt like my writings were unworthy of her time to be read and all the drama. Sabe na lang nya, "Ano ka ba! Ayan umiiyak na sya! Ate, pakisukatan na nga si Apol at naiyak na sya eh!"

Basta!

I came home with all-smiles. Teary-eyed due to an overwhelming gladness I was feeling. I didn't mind the tiring byahe that we had heading back home to Cavite, not to mention the puyat and stress we got from coming directly from work to Miss Veluz's shop. Everything felt very sulit. As in!

Crash and Burn

Been MIA for quite a number of weeks now. Well you see, work has been more than demanding lately with a couple more responsibilities and associates being endorsed to my plate. Pretty much I can say that I am all burned out at this point considering the stressful nature of my job. On top of that, our beloved and ever so loyal home computer crashed down. It was as if it reached the point that it doesn't want to work anymore (like owner, like computer maybe? :p) and it decided not to boot up. Just like that.

For that, I have to suffer a complete internet diet. And oh, we still haven;t picked out the images for our wedding album because of the recent events. How about topping that?

Hopefully, the forsaken computer will decide to wake-up without taking it to the "doctor".

The V Experience: An email

This is where the dream began.

So there was this topic from our wedding e-group in which I posted a reply to about gowns and Veluz. As you all my readers know, I've always been very vocal and open to the issue of desiring to be one of them Veluz brides but at the time, I had a different designer who was to make me my wedding gown in a cheaper rate. After a while, I checked my email and got a message from a fellow W@Wie about Veluz. She said, "sana tinry mo. no strings attached naman kung makipag appointment ka or magpasketch." and also mentioned a few information about the payment details.

Being the obsessed crazy Velus fan that I was, I immediately wrote a new message, addressed to Miss V's gmail account.

I knew it was a long shot. A very loooong one, for that matter. because considering the situation I was in during that time, even if she replies, I just know we cannot, in my wildest fantasies, afford to pay. And of course, taking into account the fact that my email can be compared to a tiny dust out of all those numerous emails she was getting, I can only expect about 0.000000001% response from her.

But for some miracle, she did! She responded! And I hyperventilated. Hahahahaha! Imagine my shock upon checking my inbox that blessed morning. I was at the office then and one of my agents noticed my discomposure, s/he said, "TC, okay ka lang? Bakit nanginginig ka?" :p

Oh, God must have really loved me.

....to be continued.

Vent Out: Unwanted Pahabol - Long Read

It's been exactly a month from our wedding.

Anyway, I was supposed to finish the selection of images for our wedding album and write more wedding kwentos most especially my V experience and complete our suppliers' ratings but I don't think I'm in the mood. Why? Because one of our 'almost-'wedding supplier is stressing me on top of the work pressure I'm getting.

This is the supplier that we booked when I was at the height of excitement for our wedding preps but this supplier was someone I just settled on getting. At the time, it so happened that this supplier's name was kind of sikat in our e-group for its service affordability and being super nice kausap. yes, the supplier was indeed a very nice person to talk to. However, I didn't expect this supplier to give me this kind of feeling after my wedding, considering that this supplier didnt even have a role on the actual wedding itself...

So we dropped this supplier at least 4-6 weeks before the wedding. The supplier asked why, and of course, it is my responsibility to let them know the reason, for courtesy's sake. After finding out our reason, they asked if we would still avail/claim the final output. I said, "bahala na po kayo kung anong plano nyo but dont worry po, I will pay the remaining balance." The issue was settled then.

From 2days before the wedding until last week, the supplier had been consistently texting me when will I be settling the payment for the remaining balance. It was 25% of the actual price. For 25%, I felt harassed and insulted.

Before I continue this story, let me just write the following:
1. The supplier's first concern was the budget I have for the service.
2. Upon acknowledging the amount I was willing to pay, the supplier will then only discuss how we would go about achieving what we want for the wedding.
3. We weren't given any contract of our agreement. (my fault, I didn't ask for one, I was too trusting with my suppliers)
5. The only documents/proofs that I have from that supplier are the receipts of our payments.

Okay, so you dear readers have a slight idea as to how I view this supplier's business attitude, noh?

I promised this supplier that I will settle the remaining balance today, July 6. He mentioned that there will be a storage cost per day if the payment is not made by July 6. We had the funds to pay and of course, I was very willing to pay even though it kind of means we're throwing away hard earned money for something that we weren't able to make use of. Unfortunately, because of my own procrastination, I fell asleep and I didn't get to pay the deposit to his bank account. I am most happy to take harshness for my partial negligence but please, was it enough to send me messages that imply something like I am a delinquent client who will make takas from my responsibilities?

I perfectly acknowledge my flaws that I forget things and that I tend to be too busy with work wherein I end up losing my time on just sleeping my butt off to catch up on rest. But saying "Naging stigma kasi ang hindi mo pagse-settle eh" as if I intentionally DID NOT settle the money I owe because it's my characteristic as a delinquent citizen or something. It was kind of disappointing. It would've been understandable if we did claim this supplier's full service and then we did not pay but hey, we would pay, time was just too stiff for us and take note; we didn’t get to utilize anything at all from their product and we don’t even have any trace or proof of our transaction except the receipts and a picture of how the supplier's product was supposed to look like. Other than that, do I deserve such a mark and reputation as a delinquent client/payer? On top of it all, we're not even talking about a five-digit amount of cash. Modesty aside, the amount we're talking about here is merely equivalent to the taxes being deducted from my semi-monthly salary.

I've had a couple of big suppliers but never did they make me feel harassed about paying. I may have asked one supplier if it was okay to make the final payment after the wedding (which, for the record, was paid in full at least halfway towards the completion of the service, 2weeks before the wedding) but again, they were all very, very polite and accommodating and I never felt that the whole business was just about money.

My husband and I will always be super thankful for having the people who took part on making our dream wedding come true and I must say that I am just glad we dropped this certain supplier who I see at this point as someone who cares more about the money they'll get rather than being concerned about the quality of their work, service, and their relationship with their clients.

By the way, I will make sure this supplier gets their money as soon as the bank opens tomorrow and I will tell them that I don't want anything to do with them anymore, the product is all theirs, I am not interested on even getting the sight of it.

The V Experience: the dream

It was an early Sunday back in February. We were on a Tuesday-Saturday schedule then and I was at work, preoccupied with wedding planning. It was after our last break at the office and everyone was feeling sleepy and tired and we all just wanted to head home to sleep or to bond with our families. After all, it was a Sunday.

So I was browsing and googling, looking for wedding inspirations when I stumbled upon this blogsite.

The exquisite designs, the meticulous details, the touching stories and eksenas of the brides. I was mesmerized. I was falling in love.

As I read through the blogs, I didn't realize I was on tears. Oh yes, the cry baby that I was, I cried over images of beautiful and breath taking wedding dresses and the gloriously described moments of those women on their weddings.

Ahh. I just knew I wanted to be one of them. I just knew I would love to be in one of the dresses that the blogger created.

I didn't know much about her at that time. All I know was her name and her pieces. And that I could only have her to be my designer in my dreams.

I wanted to be a Veluz bride.

The V Experience

I've been meaning to write about THE gown drama ever since it dawned to me that my bridal dream was coming true but I had to hold myself back as I wanted it to be a 'surprise'. A lot of people thought that I would be in a wedding dress that is made not by my dream designer and I was then ready to let go of my only dream as a bride but wait, the Lord apparently had bigger plans. T'was a plan more pricey but nonetheless way more exciting than what we had at the time. Besides, it was what will make me happy and Nico will want anything that makes me happy. Sweet, I know!

Okay.

So most of this blog's readers probably know I had a Veluz gown on my wedding. ^_____^ I couldn't be more thankful than I still am right now for that. It was kind of an impulsive moven but every tiny bit of it was all soooo worth it!

Yes, all those cryptic blogs I wrote before is about THE wedding dress. I took a couple of shots during our visits at her shop but no, there weren't any pictures of the actual fitting session. Will post a series of blogs about this experience as soon as I get to spare a couple of hours to go online at home. ;)

Wedding Kwentos #2: Keep Putik Away!

So I believe last Saturday was the day when the skies poured out all remaining waters in the clouds as it rained all morning and until the end of the church ceremony on our wedding day.

Imagine my worries and horrors when I realized that the veranda suite where we were staying for the preps is a walk on puddles of water towards the lobby and the hotel entrance/exit. Here's the thing, Island Cove Hotel is not your typical hotel wherein the rooms and the suites are all in one tall building with numerous floors and elevators. The suites that they provide for brides like me for the wedding preps are the executive veranda suites located outside the main building wherein the pathway towards the suites are surrounded by trees and plants and is an open space walkway. Meaning, puddles of water and mud and wet leaves and plants are all over the pavement and we would get wet if we don't walk carefully and with umbrellas.

The evening prior to the wedding day, I've been contemplating on switching rooms with Nico and his groomsmen. Their hotel deluxe room is inside the building, free from getting wet if you go outside the room. But we realized I just had to make the best out of what we have. Turned out, the rains became an advantage for taking pictures. It made the background look more green and fresh. The only thing I was left to worry about is my exit from the suite towards the lobby. I was worried about my Veluz gown of course. And my white Veluz wedding shoes.

My mom suggested to wear plastics to cover the shoes and walk back to the lobby on it. I said no as I'm sure, one way or the other, the shoes will still get dirty. So what did I do to resolve the dilemma? See the photos below. :p

See what I was wearing when I when I stepped out of the room?

Photos by: Atty. Raymond Fortun

Our Wedding Kwentos #1: The Arrhae

Starting with this post, I will try to blog our wedding kwentos and eksenas. The first I'll post is the story of our arrhae.

I've always wanted to use some of my sister's wedding accessories that she used when she got married ten years ago. My mind was keen on using their cord and arrhae until we picked up my dress from Veluz's shop. The package includes the wedding cord and the arrhae pillow without the arrhae. My nanay and my sister insists that there should be an arrhae included in the package but I said they only provide our pillows but not the things we'll put on it.

With that argument resolved, we then proceeded to looking for my sister's arrhae (2 days before the wedding) as I mentioned that I wanted to use hers. Dethe (my sister) said, "Dapat yung aras nyo eh inyo lang talaga, hindi yun pwedeng nagamit na."

Long story short, we stopped looking for her old arrhae and decided that nanay will just buy one for us.

Friday morning, my nanay was up early. SHe left to buy other stuff that she needs and our arrhae na rin. She was home by 9am and she showed me what she bought.

There it was, our very own arrhae. Fresh from the palengke. :))

But who would ever thought that our arrhae is actually bought from the public market? Lookie below.
Photo by: Dreamline Digital Photography

Old Times

We got the raw pics from our main photographer last Monday. We've browsed through it but never really got to admire how beautiful the pictures were. I have two of my favorite shots by our main photographer, Kuya Peter (Dreamline Photography).

These photos remind me of old movies.





Photos by: Dreamline Digital Photography and Videography

Officially Married!

Photo by: Raymond Fortun

Rain, rain, go away, come again after Saturday

Noooo!! Please, I'm not asking for a super sunny weather on Saturday. Just please don't give us rains and strong winds. Can they move those clouds a little more over to the right? Then stay there until June 7.

Madudumihan ang gown ko!

Zilch

We are three sleeps away from our wedding day. I'm almost falling for the the first sleep of the three but no, I had to blog something.

Unfortunately, despite the numerous things that I've experienced for the last two weeks before our big day, I can't seem to get all my thoughts collated in one file to be put in writing.

I want to blog about my birthday.

I want to post something about yesterday.

I want to write about today.

But I just couldn't get myself to compose a decent blog lately.

Am I really stressed?

The Prenup Experience

Two weeks before the wedding, we had our engagement shoot. We only had about an hour of posing, though, because it was uber traffic and we arrived at the photographer's office at around 5pm. With little time left of natural light, we had to cram.

I did my own make-up. The clothes we wore were only bought in the morning of the same day. And I am leaning towards wearing the same dress for my preps. ^_^

Here's a sneak preview of the shoot. As for the rest of it, click here

A Non-Wedding Post

Okay, okay. So I have 13days left. But that's still 13days, right? For the meantime, I just want to say this (or write, rather) out loud.

I heart Chuck and Blair!

Hair matters

So here are my actual choices for the wedding hairstyle. My Angel told me to have my hair in a 'puffy' hairstyle framing my face to soften the look.

Being a Gossip Girl fan and addict, I truly love love Blair's hairstyle here. Blair's, okay? Not Chuck's. :p

Another Leighton Meester hairstyle that my heart desires.

I totally forgot her name but doesn't she look fab on this do? Ooohh, and take note of the eye make-up, too!


Hail, Queen Amidala! Natalie Portman in her 2009 Oscars look.

And because I remember the things that my Angel suggested, I distinctively heard her say, "You know, ala Jessica Alba?" So here's my best bet for Ms. Alba's hairstyles, taken from the Oscars

I am totally confused. Can someone help me here? :p