Match Made in Heaven

If I will choose one part of my life that I want to reminisce over and over, it is our wedding day.


Blissful, heartfelt and unforgettable.

When God Made You - Newsong

***click play to hear one of our wedding songs***

The fact that we tied the knot at our most ideal time and for the right reasons, with someone God created for us and whom we can’t imagine living without is priceless, incomparable and unduplicated.

Perfect! More than what we have imagined…

To be married to someone wholeheartedly is a great blessing. It’s a gift by God actually.

When I was younger, I said to myself that I wanted to start a family between the age of 25 and 27. When I reached that age, I still had doubts not only to my partner but more on to myself. So many times, proposals have been turned down. Until one day, at my/our most unexpected yet perfect time things fell into places. Thinking back, it was the time I/we had no single reservation, uncertainty or hesitation…whatever term that would describe such.

It was definitely worth the long wait.

Marriage is sacred. It’s a decision once you make it should be for ETERNITY. Definitely no turning back.

I watched the wedding of Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo (celebs) last night. It was admirable, no traces of showbiz factor. So genuine, overjoyed and also perfect...

I pray to spend looooong years with dear HubBEE (DH) until our hair turns gray, salt and pepper.


Awww...

It's official! =)

We fit together
Like puzzle pieces
Like spoons nestled close
Like two words that rhyme

We’ve been transformed
By loving so deeply
As we’ve traveled together
Through the pathway of time.

March 28, 2008 marked our 10th year anniversary as a couple.
March 29, 2008 the beginning of our lives as husband and wife.

Today, 2 days since our wedding...

I have yet to see the official photos and videos from Smartshot Studio (our official photographer/videographer). Thanks to some friends who played paparazzi during our big day. Geez, the cameras that night were overwhelming! *hahaha*

Here are some teasers. *wink* Mostly, taken by our Kuya Bing (Robert's bro).

Xavier the Groom

Tammy the Bride

Chapelle de Vie Fernbrook Gardens

Very cute shot! With our flower girls and bearers

My 2 MOHs, Tricia and Maita

Mr. & Mrs. Banate

More photos soon! Watch out this page and my Multiply.

Shower Party 03.15.08

I haven’t been to any shower party in this lifetime. I didn’t know that my 1st would be my own party. *smiles* So, naturally I was left clueless on venue, guests, and main event.

Call time was 9pm but I was late for an hour and a half. I had my power nap in the afternoon and overslept. So it took me some time to prepare. Xave and I were actually late in meeting up Khryssy, too! *sorry!* We convoyed going to the meeting place and Khryssy hopped in with me. Of course, shower parties are intended for the ladies so Xave had to step back and we parted ways along Ortigas.

The ladies prepared this all for me. *BIG thanks to all, mwah!* Victoria Suite Room 253 was reserved for us.

It was a funny experience for Khryssy and myself to be driving along Pasig and making that left turn. *hahaha* I was so conscious that some people might recognize my car and realized we were starting to get lost in that vicinity! *bwahahaha!* We didn’t know exactly where to turn left. I had to roll down my window to talk to the guys outside waiting for hmmm, signals. Then we thought, why should we mind them in the first place? We’re just going to a party. Justification not needed. *beams*

Anyway, let me share with you some of the snapshots during the unforgettable party in room 253. *wink*

Maita getting mad na yata because I didn't want to be blind folded...*hahaha*

Here we go....Yikes!
Someone grabbed my hand and place it to the stripper's chest! I felt the skin...He was topless and I freaked out! Next, I felt someone was doing a lap dance on me. I was in tears behind my eye cover but I can't do anything as I've been hearing people shouting "kasama sa bayad yan!" So I felt guilty and tried to compose myself but I hear people roaring and got more scared...Then, somebody removed my blind fold and I saw Xave right in front of me. I threw him my big tight hug and I bawled! *waaaaaaa* It was a different feeling all together. I was scared to death and at the same time relieved to see it was Xave. *whew!*

Everyone was laughing out loud. *huwaaaaaaa!*

Bestman and Groom as "strippers"!!!

The culprits: Tricia & Maita

Connivance in action: Khryssy, Lizzy & Xave

My girlfriends: Tricia, Amby, Maita, Lizzy, Kate and Khryssy

Ladies with the Groom (This is a favorite photo)

All married couples except us (soon-to-bee!) *wink*
You guys really made my night! Thanks for this memorable evening. This is a story worth sharing to our future kids and grandchildren. *hahaha*

Thanks to all!

P.S. My apologies for the late post. We've been soooooo busy with the preps. Some more pictures still to be uploaded in Multiply and Facebook. I'm just waiting for others to hand me my copy of pictures from their cam. Stay tuned. *wink*

18 days to go...

Exactly 18 days to go until our wedding day. I can’t blink. I can’t move. I’m stunned! I’m actually staring on my laptop screen thinking of what to write next…

Am I dreaming??? *slaps my face* OMG, I’m so excited!!!

I can’t wait to see everyone. I can’t wait to be in that beautiful dress my hubby-to-bee personally chose for me. *sweet* I can’t wait to walk down the aisle and see Xave with a big smile on his face reaching for my hand. *sweeter* I can’t wait for our exchange of vows *sweetest*.

18 days, and I will be a wife to a loving, responsible, God-fearing and heaven-sent Xave. 10-year episode of our relationship is about to unfold a new chapter in our life, marriage.

We wanted that special day and eons to come to be filled with love and happiness. Our wedding is just not a day for Xave and myself. It’s for you, our guests who we find very special and were carefully handpicked by the groom and bride to be part and witnesses of us, being one.

Invites will be out tomorrow. Shower and stag parties are in the air!

Let’s parteeeeeeh! ☺☺☺

Prenup Photos

Some photos to share... *wink*

Prenup Pictorial

We had our pre-nup pictorial today after a number of delays due to our very erratic schedule. Finally, we're done!

For many times, we’ve been browsing pictorials of our photographers. I’m a person who knows myself very well, my strengths and weaknesses. I recognize the things I cannot do.

For one, I’m not good in camera projections. *blushes* I don’t know if people will believe me if I say I’m a shy-type of person. (I am. Really! Convinced?) So I don’t know how the output of our pictorial would look like. I’m not into sexy and kissing pictorial. We wouldn’t be effective models. *muwahaha* Surely not for us. Xave and I are crazy couples!

Our pre-nup venue was in one of the rivers/lakes in Rizal as suggested by our photographer. It was a bit windy that day and I don’t know how my hair looked like in our photos. *guffaw* My make up done by Deng Foz. I like my make up very much.

Just to share you this photo which was taken 7 hours after my ‘do’ and 4 hours after the shoot,


which was so challenging as we were asked to climb big rocks beside the falls and crossed bamboo and vintage bridges. Whew! I couldn’t complain. I wanted our pictures to show the different sides of Xave and Tammy. Curious? We are trice as curious, too! We can’t wait to see our pictures!

This is not my supposed to be hairstyle. I just detached all the invisible clips and put my hair down before I take my hot shower and realized I have to take a snap of us. Hmm, make up still intact after our looooong day. I couldn’t believe I still look so fresh. Galing pala ni Deng Foz. *heehee*

Deng Foz is a guy, who does the make up of Zsa Zsa Padilla and Vilma Santos among others. What I like about him is the no-makeup fresh look that is so difficult to achieve. He is such a genius! *wink*

When God Made You

It's always been a mystery to me
How two hearts can come together
And love can last forever
But now that I have found you, I believe
That a miracle has come
When God sends the perfect one

Now gone are all my questions about why
And I've never been so sure of anything in my life

I wonder what God was thinking
When He created you
I wonder if He knew everything I would need
Because He made all my dreams come true
When God made you
He must have been thinking about me

I promise that wherever you may go
Wherever life may lead you
With all my heart I'll be there too
From this moment on I want you to know
I'll let nothing come between us
I'll love what ever you love

He made the sun He made the moon
to harmonise in perfect tune
One can't move without the other
They just have to be together
And that is why I know it's true
You're for me and I'm for you
Cause my world just can't be right
Without you in my life

I wonder what God was thinking
When He created you
I wonder if He knew everything I would need
Because He made all my dreams come true
He must have heard every prayer I've been praying
Yes, He knew everything I would need
When God made you
When dreams come true
When God made you
He must have been thinking about me

99 days to go!

I had my first fitting of my bridal gown yesterday and I hope that would be my last. They say, it’s not good to fit your wedding gown before your big day. I’m thinking of posting some pictures here, and still thinking…As much as possible I want it to be a surprise for everyone but on a second thought, I want to share it with you. *hahaha* Yes, I’m a baffling bride. *muwahaha*

I was practically in total awe when I saw my reflection in the mirror in my bridal gown. Walking down the aisle hasn’t really sunk in me yet until I saw myself in the pictures taken by Amae.

OMG, I’m actually getting married! *guffaw*

We still have a lot of things to do, most often I feel our checklist is endless as it keeps on adding more things that needs to be done. *slaps forehead* Anyway, I don’t want myself to be buried in stress and pressure. I want this wedding preparation to be enjoyable and memorable for Xave and myself.

Umm so for now, let me share with you the gown design of my Bridesmaids instead. Amae was my first Bridesmaid to go to Edward Teng so the design was customized for her body frame. I hope it fits well with the rest of them.

99 days to go...

Some Things JUST Change

I notice, something unusual is happening to me…

Hmm, for the longest time I’ve been wanting to use Pink as our motif. Then, I thought I’ve overly used it already during my debut party. Next level/choice please…

I used to be fascinated with colors and when I say colors, loud and bright colors! And then I like Butterscotch, Tangerine and Fuchsia as our wedding motif. I feel these are the right colors in time for our wedding. Aside from the fact that March is summer time, Xave and I love happy colors. So, why not reflect that on our big day?

Then one day, I had an urge to totally switch to a more elegant and classy tones so that made the Bronze, Gold and Pewter as our FINAL motif. Dark colors for a change. I’m glad our entourage and Xave like it. They say, these colors are easier to use/match and I agree.

Timeless.

P.S. Another good friend is celebrating her birthday today. Happy birthday Cyl! I hope to catch you soon! Miss you girl! *mwah*

Wedding Prep. Updates

What a busy week! Haven’t been online for days and that’s very unusual of me. I’m sure most of my friends are now wondering what’s happening to me to think I quit my job last Monday and in the following days, I am nowhere to find. *heehee*

Here’s the story.

This week was spent doing stuffs for our wedding preparations, which is so long over due now. Xave and I had series of meetings with suppliers to finalized everything and talk about further details.

1. Angelswink Production (AWP) and Paulo Clemente

Officially, we got AWP as our wedding coordinator and we decided to get the Gold package and Paulo Clemente as our wedding singer in the ceremony and reception and event host as well. We can’t wait to hear him sing LIVE on my Bridal/Bride's March and Groom’s March. Yes, you read it right…Xave will be doing his own march which is something new and getting popular nowadays! *wink* He might have a Groom’s cake as well. *double wink* I don’t want our wedding to be focused on me alone, I want Xave to feel extra special too. *heehee*

website: www.angelswink.biz

2. Lito Genilo of SmartShot Studio

We discussed the concept for our Pre-Nup pictorial. He wanted us to do the ‘Trash the Dress’ concept but Xave and I feel that it’s not appropriate with our personalities. It’s not us. I’m not so into kissing and very sexy pictorials. The thought alone is giving me shivers. We prefer something candid, natural and spontaneous. Well, let’s just wait on what will be the outcome soon.

website: www.smartshotstudio.com


3. Edward Teng

Finally, my Matrons of Honor had the time to visit our couturier. I’m so elated with the designs Tito Edward did for Maita and Tricia. I’m so looking forward on seeing them in their very beautiful gowns.

website: www.edwardteng.com/index.htm

Here are some of the pictures taken today:

Edward Teng doing the on-the-spot sketches for Tricia and Maita (Matron of Honor)


Picking the right colors and combinations


Finishing touches


Maita truly, madly, deeply in-love with her gown design


Up close...Maita's gown design


Tricia's love at first sight and can't wait for the 1st fitting of her gown

Up close...Tricia's gown design


Tito Edward Teng and myself with my wedding gown sketch that we stole from the production team just to have this picture taken *heehee*


As much as possible, I don’t want to post pictures of my wedding gown here. I want it to be a surprise to everyone. But because of the requests, *thinking…* Ok, I will have a separate entry for my wedding gown SOON. My first fitting will be in December 20. I will take pictures for you guys to see, PROMISE! I will TRY to talk details of it as well. *wink*

Excited? I am.

Well, that's all for now. More updates pretty soon...watch this space and our WEDSITE.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my dear brother, Timothy and my fellow mugger, Rina R. Wish you guys more birthdays to come! Take care.

Sweet Saturday

It was a long day yesterday. Our whereabouts:


Fernbrook Gardens

Xave and I together with his parents went to Fernbrook Garden’s for the ribbon cutting. Construction is still on going though but somehow we have a glimpse already on how it’s going to look like. Beautiful and breath taking! We can’t wait to see the place to be completely done.

I want these pictures to somehow serve as a teaser...*wink*

Tito and Tita as they walk towards Fernbrook entrance


Mini Basilica (Notre Dame de vi Chappelle) where our ceremony will take place

Top of a hill chapel just inside Fernbrook Gardens. There's a lake underneath the chapel where the Gondola will be stationed (ala Venice). Xave and I are thinking of using the Gondola instead of the Horse Drawn Carriage, Limousine, Bentley or Rolls Royce. Gondola is something new and different. *smiles* Well, it's not yet final though. As the wedding gets nearer, we'll be able to make our plans more concrete if not, final.

Byzanine Garden where our reception will be held


And us, enjoying and loving the moment


Greenbelt

We picked up Amae in JRP for lunch in Italianis Greenbelt. It was a hearty meal and we just talked about the wedding. Tito and Tita are now beginning to ask more details. Right after lunch, we went to JRP again to bring Amae for her afternoon class then, went back to Greenbelt to kill time.

Heard mass in Christ the King.


Eastwood

On our way home, Tito asked us to go on a gimik to celebrate and he chose Eastwood to be the place of the night. *heehee* Dinner and some booze in Ipanema whilst enjoying the live performance of Martin N. Great singer! Tito wanted to go back next week. *chuckles*

That was it! Our long busy day, nothing fancy though but it was good to be complete again after some time. Sweet.

Our WEDsite

I’ve been contemplating on making a wedsite for Xave and myself. However, I don’t know how, where and when to start.

Thanks to the long weekend and to Pops, who introduced me to the Wedding Announcer. She’s the wife of my former officemate, Cocoy. They are newly weds.

Visit our WEDSITE at http://xavierandtammy.weddingannouncer.com

You’ll get to know us, the Groom and Bride and the special people who will be part of our big day.

P.S. Our wedsite is still “work in progress”. So please bear with us as we complete all the pertinent spaces with information.

Enoy reading! *smiles*

5 months to go...

I’m beginning to panic. So many things to do, so little time. Or maybe, we have been procrastinating a lot. *slaps forehead* My head is killing me now. Headache!

It’s a long weekend and I’m spending most of the time in front of my computer endlessly doing research on suppliers to get for our wedding. We have to be finalizing all contracts with suppliers by now. But I’m stuck here staring at nowhere. *guffaw* It’s just so difficult to be temporarily working alone. *sigh* I have to be productive.

Save the Date, done!

P.S. Peeps, I have finally uploaded pics in my previous post, Long Weekend It Is. Check ‘em out! =)

Wedding Finger: Why The 4th Finger?

Why do you call it the ring finger? Why do you need to put the wedding ring in your fourth digit when there are other choices? Here is the attempt to answer this question.

The THUMB represents your parents.
The INDEX (second finger) represents your siblings.
The MIDDLE finger represents yourself.
The RING (fourth finger) represents your life partner, and
The PINKIE (fifth finger) represents your children.

Now, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers and hold them together - back to back.
Secondly, open and hold the remaining three fingers and the thumb - tip to tip.

(As shown in the figure below):


Now, try to separate your thumbs (representing the parents), they will open. Why? Because your parents are not destined to stay with you lifelong, and have to leave you sooner or later.

Please join your thumbs as before and separate your Index fingers (representing siblings), they will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will have to lead their own separate lives.

Now join the Index fingers and separate your little fingers (representing your children), they will open too, because children also will get married and settle down someday.

Finally, join your little fingers, and try to separate your Ring fingers (representing your spouse).

Can you do it? Can you separate each ring finger?

You will be surprised to see that you just CANNOT, because Husband & Wife have to remain together all their lives - through thick and thin!

FANTASTIC!

The Knot

Check time, it’s past 10pm and I’m still in my work clothes! *eeeek* Xave has been out of my sight for 2 days now. *sob* I have to keep myself busy so as not to feel his absence that much.

Ok, I’ve finally explored this wedding website Anele (thanks dear!) advised me to take a look. Doing so, took 3 hours of my time. I find the knot very efficient as I can make electronic budget and guest list. Big help! *smiles*

This wedding prep is making me crazy! It’s hard to find time now that I’m back to work. We really need to get a coordinator the soonest possible time.

Oh, I better hit the shower now.

Long Weekend It Is

I’m exhausted but I’m happy. Essentially, these are the things that transpired:

Weddings…get set go!!! Bridal Fair @ Rockwell Tent
(October 13, ’08 Saturday)

Xave and I went to the bridal fair, hoping to book a designer but we failed. Edd Sy was the only one who joined the event and we were a bit disappointed. We wanted more options. *sigh*

We saw a special gift for our Principal Sponsors (ninongs and ninangs). It’s the same gift Cardinal Sin gave to Pope John Paul II that is currently displayed in Vatican together with the other gifts received by Popes (not by Pope John Paul II only). Impressive isn’t it? We didn’t think twice about getting them. Can’t wait to personally hand them to our Principal Sponsors and to have one, too! *wink*

We met Lito Genilo (by accident) in person! *funny* His the best supplier we have to date. Can’t wait for our February Pre-Nup Pictorial! *heeeheee*

Bataan (Oct. 13 to 14, ’08 Saturday and Sunday)

Today is my nephew Tomi's (Thomas Peter) christening. He’s bigger and fairer now! I was holding him almost the entire day. I love him and I miss already. *straight face*

Tomi's best shot (irritated, hot inside the church)

Tomi with me in a barong

Tomi with Mommy (his Momma)

Tomi with Tita (his soon-to-be Momma #2, or maybe Momsy?)

Xave with 3Ts: Tammy, Tracy and Tomi

Today is also the "Pamanhikan" of Xave's family to my family. It went well. No more awkward feeling as they have met several times already in my almost a decade of relationship with Xave. Seeing Tita and Mommy do their usual "beso-beso" made us feel so differently. Exceptionally in bliss!

I was in the passenger seat all through out the trip. Umm, I have a little confession to make. *giggles* To and from Bataan, Xave kept on playing wedding songs (from the CD we got from the fair and from my iPod). He is actually looking for the best wedding song to play while I walk down the aisle. *sweeeeeet* I can’t help but shed tears *shy shy* whilst listening to these songs either once or over and over. *hahaha* Oh well, I just hope he didn’t see me in tears. *teehee* But I guess, he did. *pout*

We have 2 songs in mind and still searching then, Xave will choose later on. Oh, suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Please leave comments. *smiles*

So that’s it for now, can’t think much. My stomach is making some weird noise, hungry maybe. Gotta go for dinner.

P.S. Tonight is the premier of PBB, let’s see if the names listed below will make it inside. I’m dead curious, really!

Two Hearts, A Thousand Details

Commitment, Intimacy, Partnership…these concepts characterize perhaps the greatest milestone of any individual’s life. A wedding is a cause for excitement and meticulous preparation for both man and woman.

Getting married is neither a piece of cake nor a bed of roses. It is a tedious process that needs careful planning. Things need to be done by priority and according to the need --- we could not just do anything at random. A wedding checklist would help with the things that we need to accomplish first up to the minutest details that we need to bear in mind on our wedding day. After many reading and browsing finally, I got hold of a checklist to aid us on the timetable for our much-awaited wedding.

We still have a long way to go. Now that I’m back to work, I don’t have the luxury of time to do more research and meet many suppliers. I’m left to rely on referrals and this makes me upset. Today, I skipped work to be able to finalize the entourage and some other things with Xave aside from the fact that I’m a bit sluggish lately.

I have to urgently come up with a theme and motif. We’ll be meeting some designers and I need to have atleast a theme and motif in mind. I just don’t know why my brain is not properly functioning. Argh!

Lately, I find time so precious. I simply do not want to waste a single minute idle. With a long weekend coming, I hope to accomplish loads of things to do.

Fernwood Gardens

As planned, Xave and I graced the grand food tasting of Josiah’s Catering in Fernwood Gardens. Xave’s parents where there with Amae sans my family as they are based in the province and decided not to go anymore. Anyway, Xave and I are the ones making most of the decisions if not all. We invited Tricia & Mario and Maita & Robert to us join us. It's nice to share this experience with people very close to our hearts. They are the perfect people to be with us, very supportive and sincerely happy for us. And incase we need some help especially in choosing suppliers their presence is a big relief.

Robert & Maita

Mario & Tricia

So, what did we get?

Of course, our main priority --- venue and church. It’s now official, we got and Fernbrook Gardens March 29, 2008 Saturday 4PM has been blocked off for us. We got 10% discount for paying in full. The discount is very significant.

Xave and I are such camwhores! *hahaha* And we wanted to make sure we get excellent pictures on our pre-nup pictorial and wedding day.

Here’s Xave happily closing the deal with Smart Shot (Lito Genilo)

It’s amazing how generous he can be. We got the best deal more than what they offered when we visited their studio few days ago.

Josiah’s Catering literally rocked our world! *hahaha* She gave us a jaw dropping deal that even Robert and Maita find it unbelievable. (Josiah’s was their caterer, too.) For couples that really have plans to get suppliers, wait for wedding fairs --- best time do book them. Make on-the-spot bookings and you will save a lot!

On top of the hot buffet, we’ll have desert bar with chocolate fountain. For those who want to take coffee after a hearty meal, we’ll have coffee bar in one corner. If you want some booze, we’ll have a cocktail bar that will serve tequila sunrise, flaming shooters, slammers and other mixed drinks. Sounds exciting? Yes, and I wish to taste ‘em all which I doubt will happen. I remember I starved myself when I had my debut, I just couldn’t eat and got butterflies in my stomach. *hahaha*

Well, that's it for now. *wink*

P.S. Today is our 9 years and 6 months anniversary! *smiles* And I thought it would be nice to put this picture of us with the swans. *heehee* Picture taken by Robert.

Goodnight! ☺☺☺