Sometimes I don't understand how I'm feeling about these wedding preps...
Minsan gusto ko nang magtuloy tuloy, ayusin na ang lahat... pero I also constantly remind myself that there is a time for everything. I have to prioritize my work and there are more urgent things to do.
Minsan din we read/hear/see something that seems so fabulous, so nice to have for our wedding... tapos sa moment na yun sobrang decided ka na, kahit pa mahal gusto mo pa rin, sinasabi mo sa sarili mo pasok sa budget, merong paraan!
Meron din namang time na wala kang gana, or simply wala kang time even to think about the wedding preps...
I always look to Momon in times of confusion, and he always quotes Michael Clayton, "I said to myself as clear as this may be, as potent a feeling as this is, as true a thing as I believe that I have witnessed today, it must wait. It must stand the test of time. (And Michael, the time is now.)" Madalas, when I'm completely stumped---wanting too many things at a time--Momon presents a decision that seems so logical I wonder why I never thought of it.
I guess grooms stand at a great vantage point. They are involved, no doubt. We may even be underestimating how much they think about the wedding. But they maintain a certain distance from all the details, therefore seeing things more objectively.
This is a bit unusual for my groom whose motto is "Indecision is the key to flexibility"--which I hate, by the way! But for this case, Momon has proven that he doesn't only tell me the things I want to hear, or agree to my suggestions for the sake of ending the discussion, but he truly helps me make a good decision.
So, I guess I'm not going to rant that my groom is not so involved with the preps. I'd say, he's involved enough--allowing me the freedom to plan my dream wedding with all the drama of doing so, and coming in during crucial times, like a rock I can always lean on to steady myself and keep me on track.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
CINEMAWORKS by John De Guzman
Our Videographer:
CINEMAWORKS by John De Guzman
Other Option/s:
PLAYBACK BY PHEOBEN TEOCSON
PROs
1. Good clean lines, nice videos cut to the beat of the music.
2. Creative
CONs
1. I asked him if I can have a viewing of the output prior to him making it final, and if I have changes sa mga transitions, comments on the chosen videos, can he change it? He said no. Sabi nya ang pwede lang daw palitan is yung mga wrong spelling na pangalan, etc. Pero on the creative side, wala nang pwedeng gawin.
2. He does all the design of the album cover, and will also not revise.
3. I feel he does not capitalize on the natural sound.
4. Overuse of dolly and moving shots.
Our Choice:
CINEMAWORKS BY JOHN DE GUZMAN
1. Clean steady shots. - This is one of the primary reasons why I chose him. I'm not a big fan of handheld shots. I like the camera on the tripod cause it's easier on the eyes. This is the big difference with amateur and professional videogrpahers, they use the tripod.
2. Uses natural sound well. If you visit John's site, the SDE entitled "This Side" had a lot of the natural sound: the priest talking, people clapping, the guests laughing during the preps, etc. I think people tend to forget sometimes that in a video presentation, the audio is as important as the video. I find it really weird--irritating even-- when I see a person on screen, with his/her mouth opening but I can't hear the voice. I feel that a lot of emotions are lost when the voices of the people are muted.
If you watch docu's or the news you'll find that the audio is often two layered--the natural sound (voices, background, etc) and the music. Sometimes there are even sound effects, if needed.
3. Uses dolly and moving shots with purpose. This is my pet peeve. I watch some SDEs of W@W members, made by some other videographers, grabe... hilong hilo ako. Dolly (camera moves towards or away from the subject), tracking and other camera movements must be used with a purpose. Hindi lang for the sake of magamit. And this what I've seen in John's work. He's a filmmaker kasi e, and he knows the meaning of shots, and how to use them properly.
Additional things that swayed us to John's side:
1. The packaging of his video is a lot better than Pheoben's. He offers it in a leather or native case. Meron din crystal (plastic) case.
2. Time table of final video is also faster. Si Pheoben sometimes inaabot daw ng 6 mos kasi sa dami na rin ng kumukuha sa kanya.
3. John is open to revisions, basta lang hindi complete overhaul.
4. And of course, the cost. Pero at this point, the cost is just a bonus. More than enough na yung reasons I stated above.
Overall, they are both good videographers. They are very creative, have great composition of shots and very clean editing. What matters is how they tell the story, how they interpret the videos they gather into a clean narrative of your wedding. For me, this is where the natural sound/voices come in: to enrich the visual story.
The scenes we find on an SDE without voices is just like the scenes we'll find when we browse our photos.So para kalang nanood ng photos na gumagalaw. Our videos will have to go beyond that. Often times we just forget what we said, the vows we recited, the tone of voice, the laughter and reactions of the whole party. If the audio is in place in the videos, I believe that we can truly feel and relive that moment each time we watch our SDEs.
Here's a sample SDE by John.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW HIS WEBSITE.
CINEMAWORKS by John De Guzman
The Story:
Dati akala ko ayoko ng video coverage sa wedding. Minsan naiisip ko... sino bang manonood ng video? Yung mga video ko naman na nagba-ballet dati, inamag na; mga family travels, nanganganib nang amagin! Ganon din ba mangyayari sa video ng wedding namin?
Pero... iba na ngayon. Videos are uploaded, more easily accessible. You can easily replicate with a DVD burner. It's not just a documentation tool anymore, it's a tool for sharing your wedding to those who were not able to attend. Video equipment is now relatively cheaper, and getting a fabulous-quality video is no longer as expensive. Tapos may konsepto pa ng same-day edit/onsite video... ay iba na talaga. Dati editing suites are mounted in rooms, ngayon laptop at external drive, buo na!
Dati akala ko ayoko ng video coverage sa wedding. Minsan naiisip ko... sino bang manonood ng video? Yung mga video ko naman na nagba-ballet dati, inamag na; mga family travels, nanganganib nang amagin! Ganon din ba mangyayari sa video ng wedding namin?
Pero... iba na ngayon. Videos are uploaded, more easily accessible. You can easily replicate with a DVD burner. It's not just a documentation tool anymore, it's a tool for sharing your wedding to those who were not able to attend. Video equipment is now relatively cheaper, and getting a fabulous-quality video is no longer as expensive. Tapos may konsepto pa ng same-day edit/onsite video... ay iba na talaga. Dati editing suites are mounted in rooms, ngayon laptop at external drive, buo na!
Ay sus... all these coming from a person who works in video production. So, you can just expect how tedious my search was for our videographer. Sabi ko kay Momon, kung magpapa-video tayo, let's not get someone whose bread and butter is still photography--those two disciplines are definitely different. For me, pag photo, photo, pag video, video.
Ang tagal na nitong na-achieve. April and May when we started contacting and setting up meetings with them. We only met with two--Playback Productions by Pheoben Teocson and Cinemaworks by John De Guzman. It was July when we finalized our booking with the latter.
Ang tagal na nitong na-achieve. April and May when we started contacting and setting up meetings with them. We only met with two--Playback Productions by Pheoben Teocson and Cinemaworks by John De Guzman. It was July when we finalized our booking with the latter.
Other Option/s:
PLAYBACK BY PHEOBEN TEOCSON
PROs
1. Good clean lines, nice videos cut to the beat of the music.
2. Creative
CONs
1. I asked him if I can have a viewing of the output prior to him making it final, and if I have changes sa mga transitions, comments on the chosen videos, can he change it? He said no. Sabi nya ang pwede lang daw palitan is yung mga wrong spelling na pangalan, etc. Pero on the creative side, wala nang pwedeng gawin.
2. He does all the design of the album cover, and will also not revise.
3. I feel he does not capitalize on the natural sound.
4. Overuse of dolly and moving shots.
Our Choice:
CINEMAWORKS BY JOHN DE GUZMAN
1. Clean steady shots. - This is one of the primary reasons why I chose him. I'm not a big fan of handheld shots. I like the camera on the tripod cause it's easier on the eyes. This is the big difference with amateur and professional videogrpahers, they use the tripod.
2. Uses natural sound well. If you visit John's site, the SDE entitled "This Side" had a lot of the natural sound: the priest talking, people clapping, the guests laughing during the preps, etc. I think people tend to forget sometimes that in a video presentation, the audio is as important as the video. I find it really weird--irritating even-- when I see a person on screen, with his/her mouth opening but I can't hear the voice. I feel that a lot of emotions are lost when the voices of the people are muted.
If you watch docu's or the news you'll find that the audio is often two layered--the natural sound (voices, background, etc) and the music. Sometimes there are even sound effects, if needed.
3. Uses dolly and moving shots with purpose. This is my pet peeve. I watch some SDEs of W@W members, made by some other videographers, grabe... hilong hilo ako. Dolly (camera moves towards or away from the subject), tracking and other camera movements must be used with a purpose. Hindi lang for the sake of magamit. And this what I've seen in John's work. He's a filmmaker kasi e, and he knows the meaning of shots, and how to use them properly.
Additional things that swayed us to John's side:
1. The packaging of his video is a lot better than Pheoben's. He offers it in a leather or native case. Meron din crystal (plastic) case.
2. Time table of final video is also faster. Si Pheoben sometimes inaabot daw ng 6 mos kasi sa dami na rin ng kumukuha sa kanya.
3. John is open to revisions, basta lang hindi complete overhaul.
4. And of course, the cost. Pero at this point, the cost is just a bonus. More than enough na yung reasons I stated above.
***
Overall, they are both good videographers. They are very creative, have great composition of shots and very clean editing. What matters is how they tell the story, how they interpret the videos they gather into a clean narrative of your wedding. For me, this is where the natural sound/voices come in: to enrich the visual story.
The scenes we find on an SDE without voices is just like the scenes we'll find when we browse our photos.So para kalang nanood ng photos na gumagalaw. Our videos will have to go beyond that. Often times we just forget what we said, the vows we recited, the tone of voice, the laughter and reactions of the whole party. If the audio is in place in the videos, I believe that we can truly feel and relive that moment each time we watch our SDEs.
Here's a sample SDE by John.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW HIS WEBSITE.
Anna and Roddy / Same Day Edit from John de Guzman on Vimeo.
Monday, January 11, 2010
My Gown Inspirations
Ay Mym, grabe ang habang research nito!
Masaya pag nakakita ka na ng gown design na gusto mo talaga, kahit papano di ka na lost. Minsan kasi maganda pag nakikita mo sa model, pero pag iniisip mo naman kung OK ba yun sa katawan mo, naku, ewan ko na lang.
So, here are some of my wedding gown inspirations. Actually, halo halo. I labeled the photos here according to the item na gusto ko with that specific dress.
1. Neck and Back
Medyo favorite ko kasi sa pananamit itong si Jennifer Love. Lalo na sa mga outfit nya sa Ghost Whisperer, lagi s'yang fabulous don with the vintage lace, the very delicate designs, ang ganda. And I think we have a similar body type, somewhat, wide hips and small waist.
I like the design of the neck here, yun bang parang sort of popped collar. OK din sakin yung itsura ng sleeve, parang nakapatong lang. But the neckline, medyo itaas syempre kasi pupunta tayo sa simbahan. Haha.
The rest of the dress, OK lang sakin, pero hindi sya masyadong bongga for a bride.
2. Skirt
Sabi sa research, A-line daw ang bagay sa mga gaya kong vertically challenged. Tama ba? Haha!
So, ito below is like an interpretation na of the sort of same design as above, may mga slight changes lang. Pero what I'm looking at here is the skirt. I like the cinched waist because I want to emphasize my waist. I think the skirt here is nice, just enough grandeur, but still simple, and easy to walk with.
3. Train
I don't really want to have a long train, as in hindi talaga.
I'll need the help of my designer sa pagtranslate nitong train inspiration sa aking two thoughts sa taas. Hehe. Gusto ko kasi parang tie-in sa lace design sa taas.
4. Veil
I want a short veil lang, longest na yung sa waist, shortest is yung is sa between ng shoulder and elbow. I want a mantilla veil. :) Something like these two below.
5. Color
Gusto ko sana talaga is super pale pink. Pano ko kaya ipapasok?
Ayan, ang haba di ba?! Sana ma-achieve ko.
Masaya pag nakakita ka na ng gown design na gusto mo talaga, kahit papano di ka na lost. Minsan kasi maganda pag nakikita mo sa model, pero pag iniisip mo naman kung OK ba yun sa katawan mo, naku, ewan ko na lang.
So, here are some of my wedding gown inspirations. Actually, halo halo. I labeled the photos here according to the item na gusto ko with that specific dress.
1. Neck and Back
Medyo favorite ko kasi sa pananamit itong si Jennifer Love. Lalo na sa mga outfit nya sa Ghost Whisperer, lagi s'yang fabulous don with the vintage lace, the very delicate designs, ang ganda. And I think we have a similar body type, somewhat, wide hips and small waist.
I like the design of the neck here, yun bang parang sort of popped collar. OK din sakin yung itsura ng sleeve, parang nakapatong lang. But the neckline, medyo itaas syempre kasi pupunta tayo sa simbahan. Haha.
The rest of the dress, OK lang sakin, pero hindi sya masyadong bongga for a bride.
2. Skirt
Sabi sa research, A-line daw ang bagay sa mga gaya kong vertically challenged. Tama ba? Haha!
So, ito below is like an interpretation na of the sort of same design as above, may mga slight changes lang. Pero what I'm looking at here is the skirt. I like the cinched waist because I want to emphasize my waist. I think the skirt here is nice, just enough grandeur, but still simple, and easy to walk with.
3. Train
I don't really want to have a long train, as in hindi talaga.
I'll need the help of my designer sa pagtranslate nitong train inspiration sa aking two thoughts sa taas. Hehe. Gusto ko kasi parang tie-in sa lace design sa taas.
4. Veil
I want a short veil lang, longest na yung sa waist, shortest is yung is sa between ng shoulder and elbow. I want a mantilla veil. :) Something like these two below.
5. Color
Gusto ko sana talaga is super pale pink. Pano ko kaya ipapasok?
Ayan, ang haba di ba?! Sana ma-achieve ko.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Adarna Food and Culture
We have chosen our reception venue:
ADARNA FOOD AND CULTURE, Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City
The story:
Like I said in my previous blog entry, we initially wanted Sonya's Garden for our wedding reception. Pero Adarna was really the thing that convinced us to move the wedding to Metro Manila. When we dined here, I somehow felt the same awe as I did when we went to Sonya's Garden.
I love love places that are themed, yung bang hindi half-baked. Both Adarna and Sonya's are like that. They have their personality, they have a character na lutang na lutang pero hindi naman nakakaumay. Every corner, every decor is well-thought of, and the execution is a work of art by its owners and managers.
"Adarna Food and Culture is a restaurant that celebrates Filipino culinary heritage by serving historical, regional and heirloom recipes in a warm, elegant and homey setting," says their FB fanpage.
The things we like:
For me, I just like the fact that it's not the usual wedding venue, a place na hindi lang ang bride and groom ang pwedeng makita, but also the things exhibited in the restaurant. I like the thought na "unique" kahit papano ang wedding namin.
The menu is not the usual that we see in buffets, something that we can really explore and play with.
Also, we don't have to hire an event stylist to make the place beautiful. It's already pretty on its own.
I'm thankful that we're dealing directly with the chef and the owners. I love how they share their artistry to make our wedding a success.
Finally, I like that this place is a bit known to be a haven for NGOs, progressive civil society workers, and the like, being that the owner is a women's and girl child's rights activist. Haha, the NGO worker in me!
Still to do:
Since it's not one of the more popular venues, we have to make an extra effort to bring our coordinator, florists and lights and sounds suppliers for an ocular. Hindi pwedeng masabi na nakagawa na sila ng wedding doon. No problem, though.
More photos: http://rmacachor.multiply.com/photos/album/6/Adarna_Food_and_Culture
ADARNA FOOD AND CULTURE, Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City
The story:
Like I said in my previous blog entry, we initially wanted Sonya's Garden for our wedding reception. Pero Adarna was really the thing that convinced us to move the wedding to Metro Manila. When we dined here, I somehow felt the same awe as I did when we went to Sonya's Garden.
I love love places that are themed, yung bang hindi half-baked. Both Adarna and Sonya's are like that. They have their personality, they have a character na lutang na lutang pero hindi naman nakakaumay. Every corner, every decor is well-thought of, and the execution is a work of art by its owners and managers.
"Adarna Food and Culture is a restaurant that celebrates Filipino culinary heritage by serving historical, regional and heirloom recipes in a warm, elegant and homey setting," says their FB fanpage.
The things we like:
For me, I just like the fact that it's not the usual wedding venue, a place na hindi lang ang bride and groom ang pwedeng makita, but also the things exhibited in the restaurant. I like the thought na "unique" kahit papano ang wedding namin.
The menu is not the usual that we see in buffets, something that we can really explore and play with.
Also, we don't have to hire an event stylist to make the place beautiful. It's already pretty on its own.
I'm thankful that we're dealing directly with the chef and the owners. I love how they share their artistry to make our wedding a success.
Finally, I like that this place is a bit known to be a haven for NGOs, progressive civil society workers, and the like, being that the owner is a women's and girl child's rights activist. Haha, the NGO worker in me!
Still to do:
Since it's not one of the more popular venues, we have to make an extra effort to bring our coordinator, florists and lights and sounds suppliers for an ocular. Hindi pwedeng masabi na nakagawa na sila ng wedding doon. No problem, though.
More photos: http://rmacachor.multiply.com/photos/album/6/Adarna_Food_and_Culture
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Santuario de San Jose, Greenhills
We have chosen our church for our matrimonial ceremony:
SANTUARIO DE SAN JOSE, Greenhills
The Story:
We initially decided to have our wedding in Tagaytay. Ang habang deliberation nito, meron pa kaming forms, kinompute pa namin ang travel time, advantages and disadvantages for our wedding party and for the guests. We went with C5 on an ocular trip of churches and reception venues last Feb 8, 2009. We visited San Antonio de Padua Quasi Parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, Chapel on the Hill and Caleruega. For reception venues, we visited Gourmet Cafe and Farms, Colossian Gardens, Josephine's, Ville Sommet and Sonya's Garden. We already booked suppliers with the premise of having our wedding in Tagaytay, with out of town fees stipulated in the contracts.
We were already negotiating with Sonya's Garden and San Antonio Quasi Parish, very ready to deposit our down payments. Then in July, my dad celebrated his birthday at Adarna Restaurant. Ay! Ang ganda ng place, all of a sudden namuo ang doubt sa mind ko kung gusto pa ba namin sa Tagaytay. Then, after talking about it, moving the wedding to Manila came like a natural choice for us.
SO... grabe ang haba ng intro...
Ayan, hanap na naman ng church. This part madali na lang, di na masyadong in-OA ang effort.
Other Options:
We looked at three churches.
First, TWIN HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY, West Triangle, QC
This is a pretty church tucked inside the village of Mira Nila, which is also tucked inside the Tierra Pura subdivision. Ayun ang problem... it's tucked inside so many things. The accessibility is not fabulous!. :( Haha!
If you're the type who loves hidden gems, this is the place. The purple altar and the nice wooden beams are so elegant. The parking is vast!
But really, it's the accessibility factor.
Both of these churches are beautiful and we have no doubt any wedding held in these churches would be equally gorgeous.
Our Choice:
SANTUARIO DE SAN JOSE, Greenhills
I first encountered this church when I attended Agatha Galang's wedding to Shinji Yamada. I was the mass commentator. :)
The church has exquisite interiors, long aisle, ample parking, kumpleto sa special na upuan for parents and principal sponsors, sa gamit, may flowers na, lahat. Sanay na sanay sila sa wedding.
The real clincher is THE AIRCON. Momon is willing to pay an additional 10K for the air conditioning. So... who am I to object! Gusto ko rin ng aircon!
The only available slot for that day is 2PM, pero sige kahit mas gusto ko ang 4PM... ok na rin. Pray na lang ako na for some reason, hopefully not to the detriment of the couple who booked first, that I get the 4PM slot.
Here are some photos, not mine though.
So, there. Til October SSJ!
SANTUARIO DE SAN JOSE, Greenhills
The Story:
We initially decided to have our wedding in Tagaytay. Ang habang deliberation nito, meron pa kaming forms, kinompute pa namin ang travel time, advantages and disadvantages for our wedding party and for the guests. We went with C5 on an ocular trip of churches and reception venues last Feb 8, 2009. We visited San Antonio de Padua Quasi Parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, Chapel on the Hill and Caleruega. For reception venues, we visited Gourmet Cafe and Farms, Colossian Gardens, Josephine's, Ville Sommet and Sonya's Garden. We already booked suppliers with the premise of having our wedding in Tagaytay, with out of town fees stipulated in the contracts.
We were already negotiating with Sonya's Garden and San Antonio Quasi Parish, very ready to deposit our down payments. Then in July, my dad celebrated his birthday at Adarna Restaurant. Ay! Ang ganda ng place, all of a sudden namuo ang doubt sa mind ko kung gusto pa ba namin sa Tagaytay. Then, after talking about it, moving the wedding to Manila came like a natural choice for us.
SO... grabe ang haba ng intro...
Ayan, hanap na naman ng church. This part madali na lang, di na masyadong in-OA ang effort.
Other Options:
We looked at three churches.
First, TWIN HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY, West Triangle, QC
This is a nice church, very simple and humble. Pahiga ang layout, with very open sides, allowing the breeze to come in freely. The altar is also pretty, with a nice elevated sort of gazebo-dome.
The rate is very fair P15,000; and the time available is 3PM. May resident priest na rin, so OK.
Problem lang is walang parking.
Second, OUR LADY OF LA CONSOLACION PARISH, Mira Nila, QC
The rate is very fair P15,000; and the time available is 3PM. May resident priest na rin, so OK.
Problem lang is walang parking.
Second, OUR LADY OF LA CONSOLACION PARISH, Mira Nila, QC
This is a pretty church tucked inside the village of Mira Nila, which is also tucked inside the Tierra Pura subdivision. Ayun ang problem... it's tucked inside so many things. The accessibility is not fabulous!. :( Haha!
If you're the type who loves hidden gems, this is the place. The purple altar and the nice wooden beams are so elegant. The parking is vast!
But really, it's the accessibility factor.
Both of these churches are beautiful and we have no doubt any wedding held in these churches would be equally gorgeous.
Our Choice:
SANTUARIO DE SAN JOSE, Greenhills
I first encountered this church when I attended Agatha Galang's wedding to Shinji Yamada. I was the mass commentator. :)
The church has exquisite interiors, long aisle, ample parking, kumpleto sa special na upuan for parents and principal sponsors, sa gamit, may flowers na, lahat. Sanay na sanay sila sa wedding.
The real clincher is THE AIRCON. Momon is willing to pay an additional 10K for the air conditioning. So... who am I to object! Gusto ko rin ng aircon!
The only available slot for that day is 2PM, pero sige kahit mas gusto ko ang 4PM... ok na rin. Pray na lang ako na for some reason, hopefully not to the detriment of the couple who booked first, that I get the 4PM slot.
Here are some photos, not mine though.
So, there. Til October SSJ!
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