Churches

Yesterday, we checked out the churches we were considering for the wedding. Fortunately for us, yesterday being a Saturday, there were weddings at the church we visited, giving us an idea of how it would look like on The Day.

My Dad suggested Sta. Rita De Cascia over at Philam Homes. We temporarily booked the date. (If we decide to push through, we need to give a deposit of Php1k by Tuesday, 17 June.)

Inaki liked it a lot. It was cozy and intimate, simple and classy.


Sta. Rita De Cascia
Wedding Fee: Php13,000, reservation Php1,000
Included: clerical jobs (pre and post wedding); stipend for the priest solemnizing minister; fresh flowers decoration; carpet use; soloist; electricity consumption video coverage; and marriage registration fee at the local civil registrar.

pros: small church makes it an intimate affair, very private-no stragglers because it's in a private subdivision, quiet, ample parking space
cons: because of the relatively low ceiling (in contrast to large churches) it's not very airy and ay be very warm even with the fans; and the nearest (as in walking distance) venue for the reception is the Philam clubhouse (Php12k, 4 hours) which cannot accommodate 120 guests - it looks and smells old.


Next, we went to Immaculate Conception Cathedral at Lantana St. I also like this church, but the size is a bit overwhelming.


Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish
Wedding Fee: Php9,000 - includes mass, organist, soloist, flowers and carpet
Php6,000 - includes mass, organist adn flowers
Php4,000 - includes mass and organist
Php1,500 - no mass, no flowers, ceremony only
Php2,000 reservation fee (non-refundable), Php1,000 upon interview,
Php500 additional for electricity of video.

pros: nice altar, well-lighted, high vaulted ceiling makes it well-ventilated and cool, affordable and walking distance (across the street) reception venue good for 120 pax at the 10th floor of their diocese building, relatively cheaper than Sta. Rita.
cons: church too big for 120 guests, open to the public, making it accessible to stragglers, noise from jeepneys plying the street in front of the church, not so sure about parking


Our last stop was at Christ The King Church on Greenmeadows Avenue.

We weren't able to take a photo because there was an ongoing wedding and I felt inordinately shy going in and disturbing their private affair. We went to the parish office, but I got turned off by the lady because she first served a couple who were behind us in the line. I'll call them tomorrow, to ask about the dates of availability.

Christ The King Parish
Wedding Fee: Php25,000
Includes: fee for aircon, decoration and choir

pros: the church has AC, the altar is beautiful but a bit overwhelming, ample parking space, well lighted, church has a social hall with AC that can fit 300 pax and costs only Php15k
cons: it's pricey, the size is not as intimate as Sta. Rita's


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The requirements for the church are as follows:

• baptismal and confirmation certificates (both original copies, with "for marriage purpose" notation);
• authenticated birth certificate from NSO
• certificate of no marriage/singleness from NSO (CENOMAR) (in Inaki's case, we also need to bring the court ruling and his previous marriage contract stating that it was a protestant wedding officiated by a protestant priest);
• 2x2 ID picture (groom and bride);
• Banns - reply from duly accomplished and signed by the Pastors of respective parties;
• permission of proper pastor - the bride's pastor shall issue a permission allowing marriage to be solemnized outside the bride's parish
• marriage license (from the local civil registrar)

We need to submit all of the documents three weeks before the wedding date. I'm actually chewing my nails on this one. Inaki's lawyer (who is mostly a bearer of news that gives me tummy aches) said that his NSO status will be reverted to singlehood or rather he will be issued a certificate of dissolution of marriage by end of August. This is cutting it too close, and giving us a very small margin for possible delays.

I really want to get married by October 8th.

Counting the weeks: we have exactly 16 weeks before the wedding. Minus 3 weeks for the document deadlines in church, plus 4 weeks for the bureaucratic wheels to process our requests, this gives 9 weeks for the NSO to finalize Inaki's status.

I sincerely hope it all works out.

It's Official

Pop the champagne!

We're now officially engaged!

Nerves

I’m chewing on my fingernails. My feet are cold as ice. I have a fever. I haven’t eaten since 3pm yesterday. I haven’t slept all night.

Why?

Because I’m telling my parents that I’m getting married today.

After lunch to be exact.

Look at What the Mailman Brought

A six-page legal document from the city trial court arrived in the mail today.

It says at the very last page:

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing judgment is hereby rendered declaring the marriage between petitioner (insert Inaki's full name) and respondent (insert promiscuous witch's full name) contracted on (insert wedding date) in (place of wedding) as NULL AND VOID AB INITIO on the ground of respondent's psychological incapacity pursuant to Article 36 of the Family Code.

And just in case you were curious as to the details of her psychological incapacity, here it is:

The respondent's acute, incurable and chronic emtional instability, immaturity, irresponsibility, insecurity, selfishness and eccentricity prior to and during the marriage render her unfit to assume and perform the normal duties and essential obligations and responsibilities of a married woman by reason and her psychological incapacity.

The entire annulment process took nearly two years to the the very day. (It was filed 30 June 2006, and the decision and paperwork came in 2 June 2008.) It will take the NSO, another fifteen working days from the date of receipt of this document to revert his records to singlehood, so that will completely finalize the process by the third or fourth week of June.

But the whole process is over. It's done.

Inaki and I are very very happy!

We're getting married!

Telling Inaki's Parents

It was good timing that Inaki's parents are going to Manila for an appointment. We've been trying to find ways to tell our respective parents about our engagement. The truth of the matter is, much as we would like to announce it, we're waiting for the annulment to be official before we breathe one word to anyone. (Although, my sister, my BFF from LA and our good friend who introduced us know already.)

Yesterday, we went to the bus stop to pick them up and to bring them to the hotel where Inaki booked them. His Dad and Mom were friendly, and I quickly warmed up to them. They checked in and we helped them settle in their room, then we went to Aristocrat on Roxas Blvd. for dinner. Inaki and I planned to tell them that we were planning to get married over dessert and coffee. We weren't able to because his Mom and I were cold and wanted to go out into the warm summer evening, so we skipped the after dinner java and sweets. We drove them back to their hotel, and we went home ourselves, deciding to tell them over lunch today, after their appointment.

His parents checked out at lunch time, and we all went to Harbor Square to eat at Iceberg's. And while waiting for the bill, that's when Inaki told them. He opened by asking if they remembered asking him what his plans were after the annulment. Then he proceeded by saying that we planned to get married. Inaki's Mom reached across the table and squeezed my hand. To say they were thrilled was an understatement. They were sincerely happy. In fact, his Dad was excited at the prospect of grandchildren. Bless his heart. And he berated Inaki to learn how to drive, because I can't be expected to be pregnant and drive around all the time. (I had to laugh at that one. Inaki thinks driving is so beneath him, and that he'd rather bike everywhere.)

Inaki's Dad was also asking when will they go to my parents for the pamamanhikan. We answered that we'll arrange it once the NSO papers are done.

I'm very happy that their happy with our news. :)

That's one thing off our list. Next task is to tell my parents. I truly hope they give us their blessing and they're just as happy. (I have a feeling we need to have a defibrillator on hand when we tell them. They still think I'm five years old.) Once they know, we're fifty percent done with the wedding plans.

I hope, I hope, I hope.

Getting Hitched

Click on photos for larger image.

Source: Dustinland

Wedding Garments in Divisoria

After the text we received from Inaki's lawyer, we went to Divisoria to scout around for wedding suppliers. There are a lot of sewers and clothing vendors in the market place along Ilaya St. I went to random vendors in Yangco market and in Tutuban Center.

Here's what I have so far:

Initial Canvass of Garments (in Php)	Qty	Randylene’s Barong Center (Tutuban Center)	JB’s Bridal Boutique & Souvenir Shop (Yangco Market)	Melda (Tutuban Center)
Wedding Gown	1	6,500 (organza?)	4,500 (organza?)	4,500 (organza) 5,000 (piña organza) 7,500 (duchess silk)
Groom’s Barong (Piña Jusi)	1	1,500	800	1,500
Mother’s Gown	2	1,500	1,000	1,200
Father’s Barong+Brother’s	3	1,500	800	1,500
Maid of Honor	1	1,500	700	1,000
Bridesmaid’s Dress	3	1,500	700	1,000
Best Man	1	500	300	350
Groomsmen’s Barong (Organza)	3	500	300	350

Others gave me a collective quote of Php30k for the whole entourage.

Hmmm, that's almost 1/3 of our total budget.

We'll definitely go back and canvass some more.