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August 6, 2014December 7, 2015

Why Are Weddings More Fun in the Philippines?

There are many reasons why saying “I do” in the Philippines is more fun than you could ever imagine. Perhaps, you’ve encountered a news reporting a well-known celebrity who secretly wed in the Philippines. They knew how fun and thrilling it is to get hitched here! Whether it’d be in Binondo Church, La Castellana, or The Glass Garden, the Philippines is now dubbed as the go-to destination for great weddings. There are 1,707 islands in the Philippines, and the number of reasons to marry in the Philippines is as many as that. Since we don’t have that time or space to list all them, we’ve listed them in categories.

1) Filipino service

Worldwide, the Filipinos are collectively known as professionals and hard workers. Not only that, we are very particular on details, goodwill, and work ethic. These are the values important in planning a wedding, so the locals and foreigners are assured that the wedding preparations are in good hands. To-be-weds must not worry as well because Filipinos are very lenient and compliant. Talk about heightened level and quality of services, we can accommodate whatever requests the couples might have even a few days before the wedding day. The very last thing that a couple wants is losing precious times to dragging planning and preparing. This is also the very last thing that our local wedding planners and coordinators want.

2) Filipino joie de vivre

Filipinos are cheerful, finding enjoyment on the simplest of things despite the inherent constraints involved in making a dream wedding come to life. We can inject humour even to the most serious issues that haunt us, in a good way though. Our local wedding planners even take rush weddings with a smile even if it means meeting tight deadlines and having sleepless nights and indulging on caffeine. It is important for us organizers, coordinators, and planners to channel our happiness to the wedding we are planning itself not because we are being paid to do so, but because weddings are our passion. We take pride on our accomplishments–weddings included.

3) Value of money

Average weddings in the US spend about $20,000. In the Philippines, this amount can give a grand wedding – the kind that you’ve dreamt of since you were young. The value of peso gives the wedding industry a win-win scenario being the most affordable weddings for couples from all over the world. A dollar is equals to ₱40++ which means couples can have their wedding expenses 40x as inexpensive compared when doing it elsewhere. So, clients keep coming in and looking into the wedding and honeymoon packages offered by the suppliers, knowing that they won’t go broke after a lavish wedding celebration.

4) English fluency

The Philippines ranked third largest English-speaking countries worldwide. Filipinos are proficient and has a good command of foreign languages, not just English. Communicating with the local wedding suppliers won’t necessarily be a problem regardless of how elaborate your wedding is. Also, Filipinos are always respectful and hospitable, and it will show once you get to talk to any local supplier. Not to mention, our brand of hospitality is not intrusive, or the kind that basically annoys foreign clients. Our heightened level of service will be evident pre-, during and post wedding.

5) Artistry and craftsmanship

Wedding artistry and craftsmanship is also recognized worldwide. Our local people take inspiration from our rich heritage, natural beauty of our country and everyday experiences, and transform them into exquisitely designed Barong Tagalog, for instance. The Filipinos are oozing with talents from the bridal wears down to the floral arrangement, catering and photography. The overabundance of the talents can be harnessed to make your wedding visions a reality. Let’s not forget Monique Lhuillier’s couture bridal gowns, some of the materials of which are sourced from the Philippines.

6) Unique destinations

In Metro Manila alone, there are thousands of choices of wedding destinations for both ceremony and reception. In fact, there are locations suitable for ceremonies and receptions at the same time. There are centuries old churches, lush botanical gardens, pristine white sand beaches, cool mountain chapels, world-class hotels, posh boutique resorts, etc. A couple will never run out of choices of excellent backdrops that can make any given wedding as breath-taking as it should be even though the wedding is happening on the most exotic location imaginable. The destinations are not just for weddings, but also for marriage proposals, renewal of vows (or second weddings for some) and honeymoons.

7) Side trips

Destination weddings are not only about trying the knot elsewhere other than where they currently live. Destination weddings are not one-day events; they usually span to a few days to a week (or even more). The trips are made more worthwhile with the fun and exciting activities on the vicinity to entertain the couple and their guests. Immersing on the local cultures and mingling with the locals is also possible. We understand that attending a wedding on a far-off place is no joke that’s why we, Filipinos, see to it that the experience will be one-of-a-kind and truly memorable.

8) Legal documents

Marrying in the Philippines, as in other countries, require legalities. Nonetheless, the requirements are minimal compared to that of others. The documents can be completed in a month, and the fees are usually smaller than you’d expect. You just have to be at least 21 years old (with parental consent). Certainly, you must have a certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage (foreigners marrying a Filipino/Filipina and local citizens) and certificate of no marriage (local citizens) before you can marry locally. These documents are available in the civil registrar, National Statistics Office (NSO) or embassies. Wedding planners can assist couples with completing the requirements. For weddings outside churches, chapels and temples or judicial chambers and consulates, the officiant must grant a letter of request to officiate the wedding ceremony in a different location.

Destination wedding is the trend right now, and Philippines is in the top choices if not the #1 choice. Saying “I do” in the Philippines is far from being mediocre regardless of the budget. It’s a union like no other because Filipino marriages are not only about bonding two people in matrimony, but also the merging of two families. Above are the main reasons the country is the ideal place to start a lifetime of wedded bliss.

July 23, 2014December 8, 2015

Wedding Food Trends 2014

Philippine caterers and all other caterers worldwide are always on the ball when it comes to food trends, and wedding food trends are not an exemption. There is so much going on to a wedding than chicken cordon bleu and champagne. Add zing to your wedding reception with any of these unique food ideas.

Mini appetizers and mini drinks

Wine pairings are almost always interesting. Nowadays, however, matching passed appetizers like lobster tacos, deviled eggs, caviar, etc. with cocktails, sake, craft or flavored beer or chocolate, coffee, cream or fruit liqueur. At times, the pairs are served together to the guests so the guest will know which app goes with what drink.

Dumplings and dim sum

Dim sums, in all their bite-sized glory, are perfect appetizer alternatives to hold the guests until everyone is settled down and before the main course arrives. Dim sum and dumpling platters are served on each table so the guests can choose and pick their choice. In some weddings, dim sums are placed on mini serving dishes on carts, strolling the venue to serve those who’d like to eat lightly. If this is not possible, the caterer might as well setup a dim sum and dumpling station.

Cupcake or donut bars

While the cake is a staple on weddings, not all are cake people. Perhaps, some of the guests have serious sweet teeth. A mini cupcake, donut or even cronut bar is an absolutely welcome idea. Aside from the donut tower for a wedding cake, some couples chose to have a DIY donut station complete with candy sprinkles, crushed nuts, sugary desiccated coconut, etc. where the guests can play around and create their own donut masterpiece.

Cheese platters

Cheese is an all-time favorite that is getting the VIP treatment these days. Some couples even hire cheese steward to teach the guests about various cheese profiles, making the setup more interactive than usual. Cheese platters are served during cocktail hours and beyond such. Some caterers serve them after dinner or along the cake-cutting. A number of wedding cakes are actually made from cheese wheels.

Candy centerpieces

Candies are also used as décors nowadays. Most commonly, candies are recreated to suit the center tables. Festive-colored candies are displayed not just to make a statement, but also to keep the guests especially the kids busy munching. Candies are 100% crowd-pleasers.

Vegan appetizers

Any wedding should have a vegetarian option or two. These days, however, couples prefer serving more organic, gluten-free and other vegan food options to their guests. For instance, caterers are now serving veggie spring rolls, falafel sliders, grilled vegetable kebabs, risotto cakes, herb-stuffed potatoes, vegan sushi, spanakopitas and blue cheese cheesecake, among others.

Comfort food appetizers

Anything comfort food mini is perfect as appetizer or entrée and side dish. More and more couples engage their guests with tiny grilled cheese over a shot of soup, for example. Other options are baked oyster, smoked salmon deviled egg, waffle fry nachos, golden fish croquettes, garlic spinach balls and mixed mushroom tartlet.

Taco bars

Making tacos is a fun and interactive experience. Tacos can be an all-day, all-night appetizer because guests can pair them with sodas or juices and bubbles. They can also snack on it when they feel the itch to make and taste some. Just make sure the essentials are present such as cheese, guacamole, jalapeño, tomato, onion, lettuce, cucumber, olive, sour cream, salsa, taco meat, etc.

Biscuit and waffle bars

Weddings aren’t complete without any kind of bread. Biscuits, waffles, sandwiches, pancakes, cookies, cupcakes and even mini French toasts will unequivocally delight your guests even during cocktail hours and in the evening before heading home. Some couples even include banana split sundaes to remind the guests of their favorite childhood morning treats.

Soup shooters

Soups are being dressed up fancily as well. As hors d’oeuvres, these drinkable shooters could be chilled pea, cold gazpacho, spiced butternut squash, chilled avocado and cucumber, tomato and basil puree, white bean with bacon, creamy cauliflower and apple or anything that you, as a couple, enjoy. Garnish the shooters with fresh herbs for that ultimate visual contrast.

Coffee-flavored desserts

Keep the caffeinated by serving desserts such as espresso brownies and Frappuccinos with whipped cream. Decaf options such as flavored frothed milk and chocolate milkshakes must be served as well to maintain variety. If you want, you can have a coffee-themed wedding or a coffee-flavored wedding cake if the former is too much for you and your guests to take.

Bubble bars

Not all your guests are drinkers, but for those who are, setting up a bubble bar is the next best thing to do. The bar should include sparkling wines and of course, flavored mixers such as lemonade, peach and strawberry mixers. For the non-drinkers, alternatively, you may setup a soda bar complete with a variety of sodas and flavored syrups where guests can mix and create vanilla-flavored Sprite, for instance.

Cereal bars

Any guest will surely appreciate cereals for midday and midnight snack. Options for cereals are endless. You can just instruct the caterer to put them in keep-worthy glass jars, so the guests would know what cereals they are getting. Put sliced fresh fruits like blueberry, strawberry, mango, banana, etc. as well as milk, yogurt or ice cream to go with the cereal. You may also feature fresh nectarine, honey or heavy cream for variety. Skip the big bowls though by placing mini bowls or any grab-and-go bowl.

Truffle bars

Aside from bacon bars, truffle bars slowly crept into weddings. Bars with truffle burgers, truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, truffle brownie, truffle hazelnut caramel – anything truffle can make any wedding ooze with sophistication. Some bars feature shoestring potatoes or French fries flavored with truffle aioli or sprinkled with truffle oil.

Homebrews

Cocktails bar is still fascinating though some couples chose to take it a notch higher by asking caterers to setup a BIY station. BIY means Brew It Yourself so the guests can show off their wine-making skills. Some couples even transport imported wines from their hometowns for their guests to appreciate.

Captivatingly, wedding food trends of 2014 is increasingly becoming more representative of the newlyweds’ and guests’ favorites. Nonetheless, the current trends are not forgetting flavors and freshness.

July 11, 2014December 8, 2015

20 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Caterer

Skimp on other things, but not the food! Such a cliché, but couples might have heard their folks saying this several times already. Indeed, food almost always consumes the biggest budget in any wedding. Given how meticulous the guests are, newly-engaged couples cannot just choose any wedding caterer.

Here are the 20 mind-boggling-albeit-food-related questions that will help you in narrowing down the choices–choosing the best catering provider among them and making your wedding as memorable as it should be.

1) Can you cater to our chosen location? Is there an additional charge if the location is outside the city?

2) Do you provide a banquet coordinator who will take care of everything on the wedding day itself?

3) Do you have wedding packages? What are the inclusions of each package? Do you have an ala carte food choices?

4) Do you specialize in a particular cuisine? Can you serve Italian, Japanese, or native Filipino cuisine, for example?

5) Do you have preset menus? Can we customize our menu?

6) Can you accommodate theme menus along with the appropriate décors?

7) What food choices will you recommend? What if we want a particular dish to be served? Will you accommodate our request?

8) Are you using fresh produce? What if we prefer organically farmed ingredients? Can you accommodate such request?

9) Can you accommodate our and our guests’ dietary restrictions, if there are any?

10) Which is the best option given our budget: appetizer stations or passed appetizers?

11) Which is the best option based on our budget: plated or buffet? If we choose buffet, are the costs of the other food stations inclusive or not?

12) Are the buffet tables and appetizer stations fully decorated?

13) Are there any package upgrades such ice sculptures, chocolate fountains, cappuccino machines, etc.?

14) What about children’s meals? Are there separate meals for them? How much do you charge per kid?

15) Are the packages inclusive of the wedding cake? Do you have samples that we can browse? Can you accommodate our request if we have a cake design of choice?

16) If we outsource our wedding cake from another vendor, will you require a cake-cutting fee?

17) Are the packages inclusive of desserts other than the wedding cake? Can we choose our own dessert(s)?

18) Are the packages inclusive of other paraphernalia such as the guest book, pair of dove in decorated birdcage, souvenirs, etc.?

19) Do you offer food tasting for free?

20) What type of fabric do you use for skirting cloth? What kind of dinnerware, glassware, and flatware do you use?

Evidently, the questions above are mostly about the food. We might as well dig deeper into asking drink-related questions. Yes, drinks mean non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Consider asking these questions:

Are the packages inclusive of the sparkling wine or champagne for post-ceremony toast or not?
Do we have to pay a corkage fee if we are going to provide our own wine?
Can you accommodate our request for specialty cocktails?
Are you going to serve alcoholic beverages? What brand(s) and until what time?
Can you set up a minibar with bartenders?
Can you serve coffee and/or tea after the meal? What brands of coffee or tea do you serve?

There are catering-related questions that may affect how organized your wedding will be. These questions include:

Are the packages inclusive of the service charge and tax?
What is the ratio of the server to our guests? Will we be required to pay extra for additional servers?
How are the servers and/or bartenders be dressed?
How much time do you need to set up?
Can you assist with other activities such as choosing a theme or looking for a venue?
Will we be charged with overtime fees if the wedding runs longer than contracted? Is the charge per hour?
What are your payment policies? Do you accept check, credit or debit cards or PayPal?
Is a deposit required for holding my date? Will the deposit be reimbursed if we aren’t able to pay the downpayment?
How long until our slot will be released if we aren’t able to pay the downpayment?
Is the downpayment fully deductible from the total cost?
How long can we expect the contract after booking? Are you going to provide us a revised contract if there are any changes in menu choices?
What are the inclusions of the contract?
What are your refund policies? What about the cancellation policies?
What are the other fees and costs involved that we must know of?

Further, your quest for the best wedding caterer doesn’t stop at asking the right questions. There are various factors to consider as well.

1) Per pax

Be reminded that other than giving a quote for a wedding package, wedding caterers mostly charge per pax. Some caterers require a minimum number of persons before entitling the clients to basic amenities such as setup, sound system, Tiffany chair upgrade, etc.

Basically, the basic per person charge is not the only thing to consider. You might as well bring a calculator with you when you visit the wedding caterer in your shortlist.

2) Leftover

Leftover is one most often overlooked factors of wedding catering. Establish what must be done to the leftovers. As a client, you may request the caterer to have them wrapped and let the guests take them home. You may also instruct the caterer to wrap the leftovers and then deliver it to a nearby charity.

3) Cleanup

Yet another commonly ignored factor is cleaning up. So, you also need to establish with the catering provider who will do the cleaning. Cleaning is usually a component of the package, but it is always wise to determine who will be responsible with the dirt and trash.

When planning the menu, you should be realistic about your food choices given the budget and the guests. Ask many questions as you possibly can.

With all these, the catering company representative must willingly answer your questions. All these questions should be easy to answer. Take a cue from how the representative behaves when you ask a question and how he or she answers the questions thrown at his or her way in actuality.

Hesitation on the part of the representative is a clear indication of the kind of service that the caterer provides. Certainly, you must know when to stop asking question and move on to the next caterer in your list.

June 6, 2014December 8, 2015

Etiquette Guidelines for Social Media Use – Wedding Edition

We come to love stories we find online. We want to know the latest updates from people we are connected with. More than anything, we want to talk about these things. That’s the reason why sharing our stories through social media is one thing that we look forward to. Of course, if we have something funny or exciting to share, or good news to announce, we just can’t wait to tell the world about it, right?

Photo: jugotech.com

More than stories we see, we love “love stories”, especially ours to be witnessed as well. In just a few clicks, tap or touch, we instantly share a piece of our love and life’s journey from being with someone officially, to being engaged, and to being wed. And there is really nothing wrong about it except for when we forget about something that is valued in public spaces like the online community. And here comes social etiquette.

We have to admit that sometimes (or most of the time) we are so overwhelmed with our emotions, or we’re just too lazy that we tend to overdo or fail to check our social media etiquette. And it is quite common in the online community that careless posts often result in raised eyebrows, numerous dislikes, or worse, offended feelings from your online social group.

So what is this social etiquette all about? What are the things to avoid? Before we begin with the list, let’s have this scenario first: So, you just said ‘yes’ with a ring on your finger. Yes, you’re going to finally tie the knot! Good news, right? You’re probably thinking now on how to broadcast the engagement up to the whole wedding preparations, but wait–before your mind starts to drift off here are the guidelines/recommendations to consider first in keeping that social etiquette in check:

1. Family first

Posting your engagement on Facebook or Twitter even before telling your parents or family sounds off, right? As your family, they deserve to be told first, or if not first, at least even before anyone else on your social friends list. Tying the knot is a special event in your life for your family, and it is a courtesy to let them know first, especially if they are really particular about this kind of gesture.

2. Sharing or bragging?

We have reasons for sharing our personal stuff online. Some of us do it out of being proud, while some of us do it so we can brag. So you want to post your diamond engagement ring on Facebook. You may have to ask yourself first: Is it really needed? Why would I want to post it? A photo with a ring on your finger may count in as sharing, but a photo focused on the diamond may count in as bragging. You might be asking, “What’s wrong with bragging about it, anyway?” It’s because it might give people who get to see it the impression that you’re just after the (expensive) ring and not with being married with your fiance. Sometimes people sense that kind of thing right away, and yes, they will definitely judge you.

3. Posts flooding: Moderation is the key

We know you’re excited about your invitations, and shoes, and wedding dress, church, and venue, honeymoon, etc. so we understand why you can’t get enough of posting every little detail of your wedding preparation. But please, do consider not flooding the news feed of your friends with your 24/7 updates. Posting an enormous amount of details before the wedding not only annoys your social media friends, but it also dulls the thought of the wedding itself. People will be overdosed by the wedding prep updates that they won’t be as interested as much to look forward to your wedding. Also, you wouldn’t want your friends to ‘unfollow’ you one by one, would you?

4. Save it for the big day

Wonder why most wedding customs prohibit the groom from seeing the bride a day before the wedding? The same reason goes with keeping your gown a ‘secret’ until the day of the wedding itself. Of course, it depends on one’s culture, custom or religious belief. But for many, the wedding gown is considered sacred just like the ceremony itself so it is just right to keep it from the public eyes until the big moment. Also, isn’t it more interesting to keep everyone wondering on how the bride will look on her gown on that special day?

5. Limited photo ops

May it be for privacy reasons or for a request for a solemn ceremony, you–as a couple–may ask your guests to refrain from taking photos at a certain length or time on your wedding. Of course, you have to inform your guests beforehand that you only want your photos to be taken by the official photographer. If you don’t, your guests may assume that they can take a photo of you anytime they want.

6. Limited photo sharing

The same goes in posting your wedding photos. If you don’t want your guests to post a photo of your wedding ahead of you, or to share it with outsiders, then you have to tell them of your request before the wedding starts.

7. “To All” vs. “To You”

Giving ‘thank you’ notes or letters to your guests for being able to celebrate the important day in your life with you is not compulsory, but is very much appreciated. It makes your guests feel special. A ‘thank you’ post on your social media accounts will do, especially if you can’t afford to thank your guests one by one. But of course, always remember that a personal note is still irreplaceable.

8. This is it!

This is it! From being ‘engaged’, you may now change your Facebook status to ‘married’. And just got married you have, so let the world know of the good news!

Keep in mind that etiquette guidelines and recommendations still vary depending on one’s culture or society. One or some points from the list may not matter to a certain group of people, but the bottom line is to keep a harmonious atmosphere within your online community by being wise, careful, and aware of your social media actions.

Source: Social Media Etiquette for Weddings by Diane Gottsman

June 5, 2014November 28, 2015

Blogging Your Wedding Part 5 of 5

Five Blog Hosts for a Wedding Blog

Picking a blog site is the most crucial in creating a wedding blog as you will be writing most entries through the Blog Host. Here’s a list of some of the popular Wedding Blog hosts:

WordPress was named No. 1 blog server in the Top Ten Reviews™ Blog Service Review in 2009.

WordPress is one of the easiest and most popular blog hosting site today. While it is a little confusing for non-techie couples, once you get a hang of it you can customize every feature you want to have in your blog. Here is a link of the tutorial from its main site.

Its content management system (CMS) feature lets you arrange widgets without editing the HTML code, and install themes for your special wedding blog.

Kat Williams of Rock ‘n Roll Bride says, “I use WordPress because it is easily customized and you can style it however you see fits the blog and the writing.”

Signing-up for Blogger is easy, all you’ll need is an email address, much preferably a gmail e-add, and you’ll be able to start posting texts, photos, and videos in minutes.

Blogger features simple-to-use interface that lets you edit your texts, change fonts, or adjust its color, size, and alignment. Customizing the blog’s template can be done by choosing from one of the many designs offered by Blogger, or using the Edit HTML feature which allows bloggers to customize the entire webpage.

It also offers Group Blogging allowing multiple users to contribute to a single blog, which is helpful in wedding blogs where the groom, bride and their friends can post entries using different blog accounts. If the bride chooses to create a wedding blog she can invite her husband and friends to be members of her blog, giving her administrative authority which in turn lets her select which team members can be authors in her blog. Group Blogging is a good way to interact with your friends and family who are involved in the preparation of the wedding.

LiveJournal (LJ) is a community publishing platform, crossing the line between blogging and social networking. This virtual community features self-contained communities and social networking features similar to other social networking sites.

It is a typical blog host which lets you create entries, post videos and pictures, and edit the look and feel of your wedding blog according to your preferences. According to its corporate website: “LiveJournal encourages communal interaction and personal expression by offering a user-friendly interface and a deeply customizable journal.”

One of the unique features of LJ is that it lets you select which of the userpicsor avatar that you have uploaded to appear next to the username in each entry and in prominent areas, similar to an internet forum. Another is the “Friends List” which collects recent journal entries of the people in the member’s friends list.

LJ’s unique combination of platform and social media lead it to have a unique personality in different parts of the world.

Signing up for a LiveJournal account will only need a valid email address and you’re ready to blog away!

Microblogging has been a trend recently because of the fast-paced world that we are in. This allows a person to send brief text updates or through other media such as photos, videos, and audio clips on their blog.

Tumblr was launched in 2007 by David Karp. It is one of the most popular micro-blogging hosts in the world.

Tumblr is one of these popular microblogging hosts which allow a user to post photos, text, links, quotes, music, and videos.

One of its unique features is that you may follow a blogger, “heart” their posts, and “reblog” their posts. Reblogging, according to Tumblr’s website is “the same way YouTube embeds make it easy for a video to become a viral hit. The “reblog” button on all Tumblr posts allows a meme to spread rapidly across thousands of blogs with just a click.”

There are a lot more blog hosts out there. You just have to carefully pick a site that will fit your personality and writing style, as well as your preferences on the blog’s functionality and over-all look and feel.

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 1 of 5

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 2 of 5

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 3 of 5

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 4 of 5

June 5, 2014November 28, 2015

Blogging Your Wedding Part 4 of 5

7 Ways to Keep Your Wedding Blog Interesting and Up-to-Date

Traditionally, Philippine weddings are a celebration that most of us pay a lot of attention to. Weddings in the country should be like a feast; fun and interesting. And just like the wedding celebration itself, a wedding blog should also be fun and interesting.

Keeping a blog interesting is an easy task. You just have to:

Start your blog by telling your love story. This makes your audience be interested as you reveal to them things about you and your groom, how you two met and what happened in between.

Make a compatibility list. After telling your love story, make a list of things that you and your groom have in common. This will stir the interaction between relatives and friends as they will comment how little or how more you have in common.

Present a detailed account of the proposal. This can be done using lots of pictures with descriptions on how and where he proposed. A video (if any) is a great way to show it.

Share the highlights of the engagement period. Friends and relatives are especially keen on knowing these things so be sure to keep them updated as possible. Share details from the engagement party, to the meeting with suppliers and final arrangements.

Share other things that are related to you and your husband-to-be. Such as plans on buying a new house or starting a new job for the family that you will build.

Post lots and lots of photos of every meeting and details about the wedding preparations. Your audience can help you in deciding which suppliers to get as some of them may have experienced what you are going through.

Create polls or games for everyone. You can post a poll for friends, relatives and wedding guests on which caterer to get or which style of wedding gown to choose, or create a contest related to your wedding preparation with which winners will get their prizes on the day of the wedding.

Wedding blogs are mostly fun and a way to unleash all your stress in the preparations. Keep it updated by posting several times a week as this will keep your audience interested, and in the end you’ll end up having a great wedding memento that you and your grandchildren may be able to enjoy in the future.

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 3 of 5

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 5 of 5

June 5, 2014November 28, 2015

Blogging Your Wedding Part 3 of 5

Setting Up Your Own Wedding Blog in Four Easy Steps

Previously, we talked about why you should create your very own wedding blog.

Setting up your own Wedding Blog is an easy task. Just sign up for a blog host (most of which are free) and you’re ready to go!

All you have to do is…

1. Pick a Blog Site

This is the most crucial as you will be writing most journal/blog entries through the blog host. You have to vigilantly pick a site that suits your personality and writing style, as well as your preferences on how you would like the blog to look, and its functionality.

If you are the type who wants to customize everything from the blog’s look and feel up to its font style and want your own URL address, blog hosts offer domain name customization where you get to pick out your own URL, like myrockinwedding.com, at an annual reasonable price of US$10–US$35 payable through credit cards or PayPal. Other blog hosts also offer features which upgrade your blog’s storage sizes for more pictures and videos, customize the look and feel of your blog, and removes unnecessary ads altogether.

Other than having your own domain name and no pesky ads, most of the available blog sites are free and offer customized styles and lets you post pictures and videos, and makes you do pretty much everything that you want to do.

Some of the popular blog sites in the country are WordPress, Blogger, Multiply, Tumblr, and LiveJournal.

2. Sign Up with a Free Photo-Hosting Site

Some blog hosts let you create an album that can store pictures of up to a limited size which you can use to post on your website. But to avoid downloading errors and other delays, creating an account on photo-hosting sites is a good way of solving these problems.

There are various sites such as Flickr, Picasa, and PhotoBucket that allow you to share your pictures with others and create tags so others can quickly find them. These photo-hosting sites also let you post pictures on your wedding blog without having to download photos from your PC; you’ll just need to copy the URL of the photo on your blog, resize, and post.

3. Post Lots of Pictures

Pictures are memories that may last a lifetime. These are visual documentations and representations of special memories and events that happen in our life. A wedding day without a picture is like eating a cheeseburger without the cheese.

When putting up a blog site, it is essential to add visual images as posts filled with plain text tend to tire your audience. It’s also another way of letting your families and friends involved as they not only get to read about all your wedding plans and preparations, they also get to see you in action be it attending a food tasting or meeting with other suppliers.

Your audience will likely want to read (about) and see your many adventures with your groom.

4. Be You

Your wedding is all about you. Avoid being too stiff and formal when writing your wedding blog. Writing a blog should be a free-flow of thoughts about the things that is happening in your wedding, and the best way to describe what is happening is the way how you tell those stories to your friends and relatives.

Family and friends can relate easier when they hear a familiar voice through your writings. Just have fun and do everything your way. This will excite your guests as they get to see and read what you have experienced in the planning and preparation of your wedding. You don’t need to lash out all your irritation and bash out anyone unnecessarily, but you can be thorough without sacrificing honesty.

Do keep your audience updated on the big day so they will know on how it all turned out for you. Post lots of pictures or videos of the wedding.

Update them not only with what happened on the big day. Cute pictures during your honeymoon trip and news about an additional baby to the family is more likely to attract your readers, most specially family and friends.

Don’t be afraid to set up your own wedding blog, but remember that you are posting in online and millions of readers and internet surfers will come across your blog so safety should always be a concern. You can choose to block unwanted visitors and keep it within families and friends or you can steer clear on personal information that you wouldn’t want to be leaked for everyone to know.

Keep it light and fun. After all, who would want to read their own wedding blog with entries about whining on everything all the time?

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 2 of 5

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 4 of 5

June 5, 2014November 28, 2015

Blogging Your Wedding Part 2 of 5

Reasons Why You Should Make A Wedding Blog

Blogging has become a popular hobby among Filipinos. Not surprisingly, this trend has crept in on the world of wedding planning in the form of a wedding blog! Creating a wedding blog is a fun and perfect way to immortalize every step of the wedding planning process. Best of all, you can share it with your family and friends!

Writing a wedding blog can both be enjoyable and even useful for your wedding. If you’re still on the fence about the whole idea, here are a few reasons why you should create a wedding blog:

Share information about the wedding for friends and guests. This will save your sanity when the barrage of questions regarding your wedding details start pouring in. If you’re too tired to tell tita about why you chose blue grey as your centerpiece’s color, you can always tell her to check your blog!
Get feedback from families and friends about the wedding preparation. The blog is also a venue where your friends and family can comment on the chosen theme, motif, food, and basically the entire wedding itself! You never know when someone can recommend people or offer great advice that can make the planning stage a little easier.
A therapy for a stressed couple. Some brides shop. Some indulge themselves in a massage. Most rant to their closest friends for hours about the wedding preparation. You can blog and let the people close to you know how you feel! Your blog can serve as your creative release during the often hair-pulling ordeal that is wedding planning.
A place to gather ideas for the wedding. Blogger and Rock n’ Roll Bride moderator, Kat Williams, started her wedding blog as a place for her to “gather (sic) wedding planning thoughts and ideas for myself”. You can use your blog as a collection of pegs that you can return to while you plan your wedding!
To create a long-lasting keepsake of your wedding. Unless you delete it, your blog will store all your wonderful wedding memories forever. Pictures and blog entries definitely last longer than paper journals and photo albums.

These wedding blogs may also be of big help for other soon-to-wed couples in finding the right wedding supplier as bloggers post their experiences and rate their suppliers with how much they liked their products and services.

There are many other reasons you may consider in creating your own wedding blog, but the most important one is for you to have fun in the preparation, on the actual wedding day, and beyond.

P.S. Visit this blog regularly to find out the next topic about The Hows and the Whys of Blogging Your Wedding!

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 1 of 5

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 3 of 5

June 5, 2014November 28, 2015

Blogging Your Wedding Part 1 of 5

The Why and The How of Blogging Your Wedding

Weddings are a special milestone in people’s lives. Brides and grooms always take the extra mile to make theirs special as this celebration leads them into the joys and pains of parenthood and raising a family on their own.

By making it special, couples want to make their wedding celebrations as hassle-free and memorable to them and their guests as possible. Many couples, especially the brides who sink their teeth in the tedious task of getting involved and making all the arrangements, create a checklist of all the things that they have to do and have done for the almost year-long preparation…

A checklist can be in a form of a daily planner that brides bring everyday of the duration of the preparation period, others may’ve just left everything in the hands of their wedding coordinator, but a recent trend proves to be not just helpful in the checklist sense but also fun and interactive.

What is this trend?

Blogging, of course!

Many may ask what is blogging and why the trend in wedding blogs? That question can be answered as you read along.

>>Blogging Your Wedding Part 2 of 5

June 5, 2014December 1, 2015

10 Things I Wish My Bride Knew: An Insight to the Mind of the Groom When Planning for Your Wedding

Yes usually weddings are more for the bride. The theme, the flowers, the music, the wedding gown, the venue–all of these satisfy a dream that the bride has had ever since she was young. And usually the groom just follows whatever his bride wants as long as it fits their budget.

But what goes on in the mind of a groom when planning for a wedding?

After doing a series of interviews with several grooms, we’ve compiled a list of 10 things that grooms would like to let their brides know about what matters most to them with regard to the preparations.

1) Brides need to be more proactive in finalizing the details of the wedding after the groom has proposed.

In a perfect world, we’d like to think that men would take all the initiative in setting the date of the wedding after they proposed. After all, they were the ones who asked us if we wanted to get married to them in the first place. But apparently, women need to really sit their men down after the proposal to finalize the details of when they are getting married, the venue, the theme, etc. in order to get the ball rolling.

“It’s rare for men to have a vision of what they want their wedding to look like. They just want to get married PERIOD. So it’s up to the wife to decide on the details…” says one groom.

2) Men look at things from a macro perspective, so don’t get frustrated if they leave all the details up to you.

When interviewing a couple, the bride mentioned how her husband was proudly telling people that all the things were set for their wedding way ahead of their wedding date. She just kept silent because in her mind, there was still so much to be done–the gift registry, setting up of the venue, etc. which were all micro details that grooms normally overlook.

3) Complement each other’s working habits.

One couple’s main problem was the idea that the groom was a planner while the bride was a TOTAL crammer. It was the main cause of their fights! So they just ended up learning to delegate accordingly and to adjust to each other’s style of getting things done.

4) Guys don’t know much about flowers–except for roses. So take the initiative to decide which ones you like.

This is pretty self-explanatory. If the guy you’re with is so particular about the intricate details of the floral arrangements–then ladies think twice about this person!

5) Men are visual beings so sometimes the reason why they don’t get involved in the wedding preparations is because everything is just described to them, without clear visual examples.

One of the grooms said that he normally had a hard time when the supplier would talk to his wife about how the venue would be set up without any mock-up representation of how it will look like. So for example, instead of a mere verbal description of how the tables and chairs will be arranged, what the supplier can do is to set up the table the way it will be in the wedding and the groom can then give his insights about his preferences afterward.

6) Food design is very important.

Again, men are visual. We can’t say this enough. So if you are pushing for a certain catering service, ensure that the way the meals are presented to your groom appeals not just to his taste buds, but also to his sight.

7) Know your priorities.

It’s awesome if you don’t have any limitations in terms of budget. But if you do, then it’s best to sit down with your groom to determine what are the components of your wedding that you and him will not compromise on. For example, for one couple their priority was on capturing the memories (via videos, photos), ensuring that the guests were happy with the food, and of course, their rings. So they allocated the majority of their budget to satisfy these three things.

8) Although the budget is of prime importance, for many grooms, this comes secondary to the happiness of their bride.

“Money is secondary to men as long as it looks good. I’ll personally go with whatever makes my bride feel special during the day. The primary concern of most grooms is to make the bride happy,” concludes one of the grooms.

9) But STILL, please be considerate about the groom’s budget limitations.

Ladies you want to make sure that your wedding will not cause you and your groom to get into great debt just before you start a family! So be considerate also about the limitations in terms of what kind of wedding you can have.

10) Don’t forget that at the end of the day, what matters most is that you STAY together and get MARRIED.

Many couples don’t get to enjoy the process of preparing for their wedding because they get caught up wanting their own version of the event implemented. Some even break up in the process due to extreme pressure.

One of the grooms we interviewed highlighted that he and his bride made an agreement that no matter what happens, they will enjoy the process of planning for the event. The moment it gets too stressful, they remind themselves of the ultimate purpose of their wedding–which is really the exchange of their vows as husband and wife, at the core of it all.