<![CDATA[M+G: A Promise of Forever - Random Thoughts and Ramblings]]>

<![CDATA[M+G: A Promise of Forever - Random Thoughts and Ramblings]]>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:22:00 +0800Weebly<![CDATA[Moving to a new home!]]>Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:00:00 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/04/moving-to-a-new-home.htmlI've decided to start on a new blog - my own personal blog so I could allocate this site mainly for the wedding details - infos for our guests and W @Wies. Visit my new blog site HERE.

See you all there!

G

]]><![CDATA[My DIY: Save the Date cards]]>Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:00:00 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/04/my-diy-save-the-date-cards.htmlSeven months to go and I've promised myself to start tackling other minute details of our wedding whenever I have time. So yesterday, after finishing off and submitting my report, I became agitated when I remembered that time is ticking and we haven't started visiting our would-be principal sponsors and formally ask them to be part of our wedding!

I thought about creating "Would you be.." cards but since we've already notified most of our entourage of their roles, Myke and I opted to give / send out Save the Date (STD) cards instead. Since I don't know how to use Photoshop, I started tinkering with MS Powerpoint. I've used this program before when I created our logo and also whenever I'm into designing something. It was challenging to come up with designs. Choosing the right font is one thing then I had to incorporate our color motif into the cards. But I was really happy with the results. It all came out good and now, Myke & I can't choose which to have printed out!

Oh well. We could also have them all printed out right? Variety is key and all. Tee hee! I'll see what the W @Wies have to say.

G

]]><![CDATA[Good Friday at Lourdes Grotto]]>Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:00:00 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/04/good-friday-at-lourdes-grotto.htmlEvery year, a lot of devout Catholics visit the Grotto in Bulacan during the Holy Week. They mainly go there for the Station of the Cross wherein the scenes are depicted in lifesize statues. My parents and I went there last Good Friday and man, the place was crowded! It was only 8:30 am but there was already a mob at the entrance to the Stations.

It was really hot that day, from the sweltering heat of the sun, the crowd and the burning candles. I guess it's all part of the sacrifice. But apart from that, one thing I've noticed that made me sad was the litter lying all around the place. I guess some of the people who walked to Grotto on Good Thursday spent the previous night there. But *ugh* the sight of plastic bags, used cartons/ newspapers (which were used as sleeping mats) and wrappers on the landscape was really an eyesore. People who went there for penance didn't think twice about destroying what God made for us :( It's saddening and ironic in a way.

I guess despite the disastrous effects (tsunamis, floods, drought etc.), people don't seem to give that much damn about the environment. I just hope we could exert more effort in caring for Mother Nature. Trash bins are where you should put your garbage not just anywhere you want to chuck it out. A little gesture could go a long way, people!

G

]]><![CDATA[Dreaming of laces, beadworks and dresses]]>Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/03/dreaming-of-laces-beadworks-and-dresses.htmlOne of the most important decisions a bride has to make is her wedding gown. From the material, length, silhouette, color, accents - all these details would make one's head swim. So during the start of our wedding preps, I immediately bought a wedding magazine to give me ideas. A lot of the dresses I saw were either fully beaded or swimming with lace (sometimes both) which I felt weren't really ME. I've pegged a few of the simpler dresses which I liked and began browsing thru the Net for some other ideas.

Lo and behold, when I visited the Pronovias site, I felt I was under a spell. I couldn't stop leafing through their online catalog and I was once again in that dazed state - so many pretty gowns and I get to only choose one? :(

What I loved about the site was the wide range of designs that you could choose from - be it a vintage inspired gown, Grecian or minimalist, every dress simply exudes elegance. Even the dress with the simple lines is very feminine, it's look very modern. The ballgowns are simply lust-worthy, if I'd wear a ballgown, I'd choose one from their collection (or perhaps show my designer one of their dresses for inspiration) simply because it's not overly decorated that it's very exaggerated. Basta, love ko to!

Here's some of my favorites:

Love the ruffled neckline

See? How could you not fall for them? *sigh*

G

]]><![CDATA[The Bridesmaid Commandments]]>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/03/the-bridesmaid-commandments.htmlI saw from Janice's post in W @W. It's really funny. A must read for every bride and bridesmaid out there :D

THE BRIDESMAID COMMANDMENTS

1. Thou shall wear your dress with pride.. even if you hate it.
2. Thou shall be pro-active.
3. Thou shall be the best sounding board.
4. Thou shall be her voice of reason.
5. Thou shall take her jitters seriously
6. Thou shall throw a brilliant hen party.
7. Thou shall be nice to the guy the bride is trying to pair you up with.
8. Thou shall be the coordinator's pet.
9. Thou shall keep your speech short and sweet.
10. Thou shall have a blast!

Made you smile, right?

G

*Picture from Bridesmaid.com, 'The Bridesmaid Commandments' from Cosmopolitan Magazine June 2009 issue

]]><![CDATA[Meeting with the couturier and yes, we got our bands :)]]>Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:04:44 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/03/meeting-with-the-couturier-and-yes-we-got-our-bands.htmlWe got our rings! Myke and I went back to the Ongpin store last Saturday to pick up our rings.

As I mentioned on my previous post, mine had to be resized. So we notified them ahead of time that we'll be picking up our rings so they could do the adjustments already. The fit is now perfect :) We had to linger a bit though for the engraving. We wanted to have a Bible quote engraved instead of the usual name and wedding date. The attendants had to be very careful and to concentrate hard when engraving to avoid misspellings. It was kinda hard for them to assess if all those letters could fit into my ring because the circumference was quite small. I was really happy that they were only not able to write the Bible quote but our names and the wedding date as well :)

The Bible quote we had them write was "I found the one whom my soul loves." from the Song of Solomon 3:4. Myke's ring had the first part of the sentence while mine had the ending so his ring says: "I found the one Grace 102310" while mine says "Whom my soul loves Myke 102310". Too bad their engraving machine didn't have the script type font but we're still happy with the result. Will definitely give a note to our photographer to make sure we have a shot of our ring detail :)

We also dropped by our couturier's shop to finalize our color motif and discuss the details of the gowns. Our moms have to visit Ruel soon for their gowns. No sketches yet! Ruel advised that it's better that the moms are present before he sketch them a design because moms tend to be more particular on their gown designs. Hmm.. will deifnitely ask our moms to go to Ruel ASAP.

In a few days, it'll be April and a little more than 6 months to go. I have to start working on our accessories!

G

]]><![CDATA[Wedding bands and hotel for preps: Check!]]>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:00:13 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/03/wedding-bands-and-hotel-for-preps-check.htmlLast Saturday, Myke and I went out to purchase our wedding bands and do an ocular on the rooms at Pan Pacific Manila. We first headed to Ongpin, to a store where Myke and I usually have our jewelries cleaned. Myke had already scouted last year on the said store for our rings. He particularly liked a plain white gold band which he showed me when we met up again. The bands were really simple - matte finishing in the middle and polished borders. The width though is wider than the usual rings so it has a masculine effect but not too unappealing that it doesn't look right when I tried it on.

You might say the rings felt 'right' the first time around so we really didn't look around the other Ongpin stores anymore. We really like the simple design since we both agreed that we wouldn't want any stones on our rings. So last Saturday, we went back there to make the deposit. We would have taken the rings home right then and there but mine has to be resized. It's a bit loose and I'm afraid that it will slide off my finger when my hands are wet. We were told that we just have to notify them when we will pick them up so they could make the initial resizing and I'd have to be there to make sure that the fit is ok before they make the final resizing and engraving :)

Superior Room

After that, we met up with our coordinator Ricci at Pan Pacific Manila. As usual, the concierge told us that they don't have oculars on weekends. Good thing Ricci was there with us and he spoke with the Sales Director (I think) that he's chummy with, he he. So off we go! We got to see the De Luxe Suite (which was what I was eyeing for) and the Superior room.

De Luxe Suite

I like the suite because it has a living and dining area where some of the suppliers and entourage could hang out and I could shut myself in the bedroom, he he :P Both rooms are spacious and we felt it was adequate for our wedding preps. Myke made the confirmation already and we just have to pay the reservation fees a few weeks before the wedding :) Yay!

With the bookings done, we were off to MOA for some R&R. I finally got to watch a movie in 3D! It was a really nice experience. I loved it!

Myke said that he'd want to watch an 3D action or horror movie next. He'd like the see the gory scenes in 3D - probably the guts and bloods splattering on his face. Ha ha! And yes, I'd go with him. I'd love it! :)

So there, rings - check! Hotel - check! 7 months to go! :)

G >> Do I look cool with my 3D glasses? :D

]]><![CDATA[Communion and Confirmation: Check!]]>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:00:00 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/02/communion-and-confirmation-check.htmlYesterday, I've had my First Communion and Confirmation at the Manila Cathedral. Yes, di pa ako nakapag-communion.

I had studied in a Chinese school during my elementary and high school so iba ang teachings nila regarding faith. Naturally, I wasn't able to had the Communion and Confirmation sacraments during my teens. I'm really pleased with how Manila Cathedral handles the requirements for their soon-to-be weds. When we first made the booking for the wedding, they already gave us a checklist of the requirements, may questionnaire din sila para malaman kun g ano pa ang kulang. When they saw na wala pa akong First Communion and Confirmation, sila na ang nag-asikaso. January of this year, they had me call them up at binigyan na agad ako ng schedules for the seminars. So all I had to do was show up and submit yung mga documents na kailangan.

The seminars were really good and well-appreciated by me, na-review ang mga teachings about Catholic faith. Saka the lecturers were very amiable. Buti na rin at inde lang ako ang adult na kukumpilan. Mas madami pa ang adults sa batch namin kesa sa kids, he he :) And the confirmation rite was even made more memorable because it was none other than Cardinal Rosales who officiated it :) My ninang was also happy that I got her as my ninang kasi naka-'bonus' pa siya na makita si Cardinal personally :)

Here's some of the pictures, they're blurry cos Myke took them with his fone camera lang :)

G

]]><![CDATA[Souvenier and Invitations: Check!]]>Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:32:28 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/02/souvenier-and-invitations-check.htmlMyke and I went to the Weddings and Debuts Fair last Saturday, Feb 13. It was our first time to attend a bridal fair that was held at SM Megamall. Medyo magulo and the place was a bit cramped.

When I went to the registration booth, I asked if they are giving maps or guides so we'd know the exact location nung mga suppliers namin. You see, we went there to book the Invitation and Photobooth supplier lang so it would help kung makita agad namin agad yung mga gusto namin. Nakakahilo rin kasi ang magpa-ikot-ikot dun, we refused the handouts/fliers na nga nung mga supplier na meron na kami. My coordinator and make-up artist both had booths sa fair so I'd said hello muna to them. I was happy to know that some of my w @wie friends also booked Cel Sabile. Niloloko ko nga si Cel na sa dami ng referred ko e dapat may additional freebies ako, he he! Anyway, Myke and I had narrowed down our choices for the Invitations - Wink, Invitation Kitchen and Printlane. Actually, before the fair, we were kinda decided to book Wink na after we've browsed their site and found their designs really good. But when I found out na exhibitor rin sila, I decided to check out also Invitation Kitchen cos I found her designs nice rin, and Printlane, well because I wanted to check lang how much letterpress invites cost. Kaso ang mahal talaga! P120+ ang letterpress invites and yung main invite (page) lang ang naka-letterpress! Kung inde tinatapon lang ang inivtation e ok lang sana na mag-invest sa letterpress kaso nakakahinayang e. Guests don't keep the invitations naman after the wedding so goodbye 120 bucks na :(

So down to Invitation Kitchen and Wink na lang. Both Honey (of Invitation Kitchen) and Jen (of Wink) were accommodating. Ok rin naman pareho ang feedback nila from W @W so magkakatalo na lang sila sa aking "request". You see Myke and I already have our logo and I wanted to incorporate it sana sa Invitation namin. Sticker seals are very common na so I've thought of a way to utilizing our logo sa invite wherein functional na siya but at the same time, part siya ng design ng invitation namin. I made a mock-up of my idea and here's what it looks like:

The invite would be one page, tri-fold; I wanted our logo to be part of the flap. Sticker seals are usually put here but some also use wax seals. So instead of those, our round logo would be printed on the flap and the paper will be cut na may semi-circle sa gitna.

The protruding semi-circle will serve as the 'lock' of the invite, by sliding this on a slit on the bottom part of the invite where our logo is also printed. Para pag nakasara ang invite, our logo would appear to be whole uli.

I know medyo magulo ang aking explanation so I've brought my mock-up with me during the fair so the supplier would have an idea what I'm talking about. Die cut pala ang tawag dun :)

Anyway, both IK (Invitation Kitchen) and Wink were able to get the idea naman and both said that they could do it but with a fee of course. So we got quotes from both and I've had the dilemma of choosing between the two. Siyempre, ako na naman ang pinaglast say ni Myke :P In the end, we settled for Wink kasi we were given an ok price naman for what we wanted and within our budget pa naman :) Saka I felt na mas may experience sila with what I wanted kasi. Kung pwede nga lang na i-merge yung IK (designs) and Wink (for technicality) e. With the photobooth, di na kami nag-photobooth hopping. Ok na si Myke sa Baicapture kasi sila ang pinaka-ok based from W @W so ayaw na niyang maghanap ng iba. (Mga lalaki talaga!) After booking, I wanted to check out some butterflies suppliers pa sana but I had a major backache and gusto ko na rin magpahinga so we headed home na. Too bad that I wasn't able to drop by the W @W booth and meet some co-w @wies. Sa next fair na lang siguro :)

So, two more suppliers booked! I've also been in touch na with our Lights, Sounds and LCD projector supplier na so hopefully maayos na rin siya this month :) Sana rin e I could find time na makagawa ako ng aking mga DIY ideas :)

9 months to go!

G

]]><![CDATA[Fol Rana's Second Marathon Boudoir Shoot]]>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:00:00 +0800http://mykegrace.weebly.com/1/post/2010/02/fol-ranas-second-marathon-boudoir-shoot.htmlHad I dared to bare?

I first heard of a boudoir session when I read Ms. Benz' post at W @W that his brother-in-law is offering a free boudoir session for soon-to-be brides. I checked out the Fol Rana's site of course, sino ba naman ang ayaw ng libre? And what I saw were women posed and dressed ala-men's magazine but the shots were so artistic and beautiful that you can't help admire the photographer. It captured the women's sensuality without making it look pornographic. I even showed the link to Myke and jokingly asked if he'd let me do it. He was ok with it.

Well, I didn't join the first boudoir marathon. I waited out what the other W @Wies who joined have to say. So when the results of the 1st MBS came out, I was really amazed. Some of the participants are my W @Wie friends and there they were - ordinary women who look extraordinarily beautiful. Lalo akong bumilib sa talent ni Fol and I admired the participants who volunteered to be models for their courage and allowing us to see how beautiful women really are regardless of sizes and shapes.

Since the first run was a success, I hoped that there will be a second run. The 1st MBS gave me the boost that maybe I should give it a try. What I didn't expect that it was THAT soon.

SOME MAJOR CONTEMPLATING
I had major catching up to do with my W @W digest. Since the start of 2010, I was really busy with work and didn't get a chance to read my mail except on my lunch break. So, when I chanced upon the post on the 2nd Marathon Boudoir Shoot, I checked the date of the post and saw that it was posted almost a week ago. I was almost sure that all slots will be full already based on the responses from the 1st MBS. My mind kept telling me that it wouldn't hurt to ask if there are still available slots but I kept putting it off. I even checked W @W posts to see kung meron bang sumali but all I've read about was di sila pinayagan ng mga fiance nila, another posted that she cancelled her slot because she thought that it will just be an issue between her and her fiance so she might as well let it go. I was really sad because I was hoping that some W @Wie might join para naman may kasama ako (kung sakali). But I haven't heard or read of someone who joined. I shared the link my an office colleague and told her that I wanted to join. She (Ms Carol) was really supportive and encouraged me to try it out, telling me that since I'm getting married, it's the best time to do it.

The weekend was looming then and I decided that I'd wait until the following week to see if Fol can still accommodate me. I told myself that I'd take it as a sign kung meron pang slot na dapat gawin ko siya.

Good thing that my best friend Tina had voluenteered to come with me on the shoot, it gave me an added boost and comfort that someone will be there with me.

NERVES, ANYONE?
Jan 25 - I texted Fol to inquire if there are available slots for the Saturday Boudoir Session. He replied that he'll check the schedule and let me know. I was a meeting when I received Fol'd text that he still has the 8-9am and 1-2pm slot available. I immediately replied that I'll take the 1-2 slot. When I got the confirmation that the 1-2 slot will be reserved for me, my hands went icy cold, literally. I still can't believe that I am doing it. It wasn't until Ms Carol asked me if Myke is ok that the whole world will see my pictures if it's posted on Fol's site that it sank in that anyone can see it. Sh*t.

So I texted Myke that there will be a 2nd run of the marathon boudoir and asked him again if he's ok with it. He said ok. I even asked him if it's ok that anyone can see the pictures that will be posted on the site. Ok lang daw. When we got the chance to talk on the phone, I asked him again kung ok lang sa kanya. He said ok lang, though I could sense in his voice that he was kinda unsure. I told him that he sounded hesitant. He simply said that it was what I wanted to do so he can't stop me from doing it. I still haven't told him that I had already confirmed for the shoot, I wanted to surprise him and in case that I'd chicken out, he wouldn't know. He he.

All week long, I was torn between going through with it or scrapping the whole idea. Yung sinasabi nila na parang may demonyo at anghel sa likod mo at bumubulong, it kinda felt like that. Yun nga lang ang nag-aaway is the sensible (cowardly) Grace and the feminist ("Oh, the hell with it.") Grace.

While looking at the mirror:
Sensible: Di ka nahihiya na makita nila yan? (My eyes darting and zooming in (100x magnification) on my less flattering parts).
Feminist: Indi dapat kahiya yan dahil that's what real women look like. That's what reality is.
Sensible (ini-spotlight pa ang mga nakikita ng mata) : Eww talaga. Di naman kaya maging liability ka pa instead na makatulong kay Fol. Ipa-cancel mo na..
Feminist: No! You can do it! You're not giving credit to Fol if you think na wala kang kwentang subject.
Sensible: Maghahanap ka pa ng mag-aayos sayo. May matinong outfit ka ba?
Feminist: Magagawan yan ng paraan, may oras pa. Kung di mo naman maasikaso e di magpa-makeup ka kay Tina.
Sensible: Hay.. Ikaw rin. Baka pagsisihan mo yan.
Feminist: Pagsisihan mo na pinaglagpas mo yung pagkakataon and one day iisipin mo na sana e sinubukan mo at nalaman kung hanggang san ang kaya mo. Give yourself a chance to let go of your insecurities.
Sensible: Bahala ka nga sa buhay mo.
Feminist: Shut the f*ck up.

See what I mean? Buti na lang at di ako naloka sa kakaisip.

"JANUARY 30 AT HOTEL CELESTE. PLS DONT BE LATE."
Jan 30 - I wasn't able to sleep well. Late na rin kasi akong nakatulog the previous night since Tina and I met up para ma-meet niya coordinator ko. I wasn't feeling hungry either so I just grabbed a pandesal and corned beef. Effective ata na pampapayat ang boudoir kasi mawawalan ka ng gana sa pagkain sa kanerbiyosan. My right eye also hurt due to some infection so my swollen eyelid didn't help ease my doubts.

Tina and I agreed to meet at our office at Ayala para sabay na kami pumunta since Fol reminded us not to be late. Since may tinapos pa siya sa office, I went to the salon para magpaayos. I told the stylist na make sure lang na di mahahalata yung maga ng mata ko. My makeup is ok but I had trouble with my hair. The salon attendant styled it na naka-flyaway siya. I wasn't used to having such a hairstyle but I told myslef to work it na lang in front of the camera lalo na at mag-aalas dose na ng tanghali nun.

When Tina and I were at the hotel, walang tao sa lobby. I'd thought that some girls will be there but it was deserted. I texted Fol and learned that they're running an hour late. So we hang around the lobby muna, all the while thinking and very nervous. I've had urges to grab Tina and get the hell out of there but curiosity won me over. so I stayed.

When Fol texted me to come up na, I've imagined that when I get into the room, I'd crumple into a heap and begin bawling like a child. Sheesh.

I was still nervous when I finally got to meet Fol (I've been calling him Sir Fol until he told me to drop the 'Sir') and when the shoot began, I really felt awkward and really shy because it such an intimate situation. You don't go around in your skivvies in front of people you've only just met. But as the shoot went on, I began to relax a little because Fol and his team are really encouraging. I really don't know how to pose or control my facial features to I'd project the sexiness of the outfit but they were patient with me. So, we kept shooting pictures and it wasn't until Tina and I were at Bubba Gump having our very late lunch that it finally hit me that I really went ahead and did it! *Whew*

At home, when I finally got to see the raw pictures, napa-"wow!" ako. You could really see the photographer's talent when you look at his works despite amateur subjects(/models). Tina had been whining to me why I didn't tell her about the free boudoir session (actually, I did. She just wasn't able to check out Fol's site that I gave her that she had no idea what a boudoir session is. She thought it was a sexy photoshoot to which she had some doubts) and now regretting that she wasn't able to participate.

LOOKING BACK
Doing the Marathon Boudoir Session was both an exciting and liberating experience for me. I got the chance to be a model (for an hour at least) and discovered na mahirap pala maging model! Pero effective ata ng pampapayat ang tension (imagine my having survived 8+ hours with only a teeny pandesal!). Pwede kayang isama sa diet regimen ang boudoir? Ha ha!

So why did I do it? It was therapeutic for me. I used to be chubby but my figure never bothered me. I was actually happy that I could eat whatever I want without being guilty about it later. And Myke is in love with me so nothing else matters. But my like of watching Hollywood gossip had somehow triggered something in me: pity for myself or perhaps shame. My idea of beautiful was definitely not the one I see in the mirror. I was depressed and my self-esteem was on an all-time low. It was when I joined the gym and shed those extra pounds that my self-confidence is slowly recovering. I thought that joining the boudoir session could somehow boost my confidence and it did. Ngayon habang naglalakad, I feel more confident with how I carry myself and sometimes feel kinda smug, he he.

Did I regret it? No. I wanted to shed my insecurities and to do that, I have to step out (albeit gingerly) of the box, out of my comfort zone. I know that joining a boudoir session may be more of a "in your face" approach but that was my personal decision.

Would you recommend it? Well, it depends on you. Dapat e medyo open-minded ka at willing to take risks.I don't think people here in our country are that much aware of boudoir photography. It's great that Fol and the others who are into boudoir photography are slowly introducing it into our society. Despite being in the time that we've seen and heard quite a lot of unconventional things na, medyo hesitant pa rin tayo to fully embrace the concept of boudoir. Kaya ang pictures ko e di pwede ipakita kay Nanay at Tatay :P

Would I do it again? Maybe but perhaps not now, not immediately after I'd gone thru the MBS. Baka awayin ako ni Myke :P

Check out Fol Rana's Second Marathon Boudoir Shoot here.

Oh by the way, my friend was so impressed by Fol's work that she wants to have a boudoir session with him :)

G

]]>