I got most of my suppliers from the online community Weddings At Work also known as w@w. The tips and reviews by other brides from w@w are so helpful because they are all based from experience. I owe a lot to this community and my way of giving back is to do my own supplier's review. Here we go!
Prenup Photographer: April Arevalo Photography (5/5)
(+)
* Apy is very accommodating. Hindi ka mahihiya magpose. Haha!
* She's really good in editing photos so if you want to achieve a certain look, she can definitely do it!
* No need to hire a prenup stylist because her style alone is chic, unique and edgy.
* Check out her Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/apy.arevalo
* Very affordable!
(-)
* None
Prenup Make Up: Iza Salazar Make Up (5/5)
(+)
* She's meticulous and knows her craft.
* Uses my favorite brand, Mac and Make Up Forever.
* Very affordable!
(-)
* None
Church: Santuario De San Jose (4/5)
(+)
* Beautiful church especially during Christmas Season. Their decors are nice. Their aisle is just right, not too long and not too short.
* Their staff are approachable. All transactions were hassle free.
* Located inside Greenhills Village so it's secure and private.
* Father Alex Magtibay's Homily was really nice. He made the ceremony very solemn.
* Aircon is just right.
(-)
* There's additional fee of 3,000 (corkage fee) if you will bring your own sound system supplier.
TIP! They have in house sound system supplier. If you will get his services, corkage fee will be waived. We hired him and provided us with amplifier and additional mics. His name is Ronald and his contact number is 0917-8293853.
Venue: Ronac Art Center (5/5)
(+)
* Ronac Art Center is a popular pre-nup venue but very few consider it as wedding venue. But believe me, our guests were so amazed that such place actually existed. It is huge, cool, grand, hip and impressive!!! Check out our sde to see.
* There are a lot of really nice place for post nup in Ronac Art Center. No need to go elsewhere for picture taking.
* Aircon is just right. It gets a bit cold sometimes but they can adjust the temperature.
* No need for upgraded styling. It won't be noticed because the place itself is beautiful. Nice lighting and a huge projector with really nice AVP on the loop will do the trick.
(-)
* Not enough parking space. Some guests will have to park on the streets and at gas stations nearby (Total and Petron).
TIP! They have beer below zero freezer so you can request them to store your beer. We were able to serve our guests beer below zero beer at no additional cost. Love it! :)
Caterer: Passion Cooks (5+/5)
(+)
* Sarap ng food and the service is superb!
* They may seem a bit pricey but you get your money's worth.
* With Passion Cooks, you are sure that there's more than enough food for all your guests. They have generous servings.
* With Passion Cooks, you are also paying for excellent service. Their staff are well trained. Your guests will really feel important.
* With Passion Cooks, you are also paying for peace of mind. Just endorse everything to Maja and she and her team will do wonders.
* After your wedding, you will feel proud that you are a Passion Cooks bride. Everyone will rave about the food, believe me. :)
(-)
* None
Videographer: Marvin Barbarona Videography (5+/5)
(+)
* I just looooove our SDE!!! Please click on the Videos Tab to watch our SDE.
* I just told Marvin Barbarona aka "Mharz" that we do not have vows and that I want our sde to be "chill chill lang". I also told him "I trust you kaya ikaw na bahala". The video he made exceeded my expectations. It's fun, light and romantic. I just love it!!!
* Their team is very easy to work with, very cool and talented.
* You will hardly feel their presence on your wedding day but they're just around capturing all important details of the day.
(-)
* None
Photographer: JHG Photography by Joel H Garcia and Ma-anne Roque (4.5/5)
(+)
* Very talented and I like their style.
* You are sure that all important details on your wedding day will be documented and captured by Mr. Joel and Ms. Ma-anne.
* You get your money's worth. Ikaw na mapapagod kakapose!
(-)
* They want to capture so many photos so they sometimes fail to give enough time for our videographers to shoot.
* It took them a while to give us the final output. Thus, the delay in my supplier's reviews too. But it's worth the wait.
TIP! Get a back up photographer. JHG Photography only has two photographers (Joel and Ma-anne) so most of their photos are concentrated on the couple. I would also like to have pictures of our guests so it would be best to hire someone that is just assigned to capture random and candid moments of the event.
Wedding Gown: Gretchen Pichay (5+/5)
(+)
* I just love her!!! She's talented and meticulous. She listens to what you want but will give suggestions if necessary.
* The gown she made for me exceeded my expectations. It's lace on lace, very feminine and has intricate details.
* I am very particular with the silhouette of a gown because it can either make you look sexy or look fat. Good thing GP really knows a woman's body. It's not enough that your gown has elaborate bead work or extravagant skirt. Silhouette is equally, if not more important.
* My husband kept on saying "Ganda mo baby. Galing talaga ni Gretchen". Hihi! :)
(-)
* Location of her shop is far from my house but it's worth the travel.
On-The-Day Coordinators: Kiss The Girls (5+++/5)
(+)
* Everything was perfect because of Kiss The Girls. Thanks to my lead coordinator, Abby Basa.
* All our guests said our wedding was very organized. Ceremony was solemn. We started and finished on time.
* Reception started on time as well. They facilitated the table game and couples game properly. The music was on cue.
* I made a mistake in the number of crew meals for my family but they resolved it without letting me know. They made that day stress free for me.
* All endorsement I discussed with Abby was done properly.
* Abby replies fast to all my queries. She is not just a coordinator. She became my friend and confidante too.
* She went with me during ocular in Ronac Art Center and assisted me during my final detailing with Maja of Passion Cooks.
* My assistant on the day is also remarkable. Her name is Cathy. She never left me. She's supportive and made me feel calm all the time. She's one of the reason why I was a "bridechilla" on my wedding day. Thank you Cathy!!!
(-)
* None
Band: Pure Sound Band (5++/5)
(+)
* They made our wedding perfect! They're so good all our guests were asking who our band was.
* Ceremony songs were sang beautifully especially my bridal march song which is Panunumpa.
* It was very easy to communicate with them. They have regular gigs so you can catch them live before booking them.
(-)
* None!
HMUA: Tippy Destacamento (5/5)
(+)
* Everything you heard about Tippy is true. He is not just a make up artist but a friend, coordinator, confidante and so much more on your wedding day.
* My mom was very emotional on the day of the wedding. Good thing Tippy was there to calm her and make her laugh.
* If you will watch my sde, you will see Tippy on some of the scenes. This will show you that he is really hands on and will really make sure you will look your best on your wedding day.
* Early and always on time. Works fast!
(-)
* None!
Host: Missy Ferrer-Litao (4/5)
(+)
* Articulate and can do ad lib.
* Good teamwork with my other supplier, Rejectkrew and KTG.
(-)
* Hard to contact.
* Expensive!
L/S: Rejectkrew (3/5)
(+)
* Affordable and on cue.
* Good working relationship with host (Missy) and OTD (Kiss The Girls).
(-)
* I didn't like the lighting. For me it was too bright.
* It's hard to contact Elmer of Rejectkrew. Good thing, KTG and Rejectkrew always work together so I actually communicate with Rejectkrew thru Abby of KTG.
* Our guests wanted to stay and still party but Rejectkrew packed-up early, around 11pm. Wish they could have stayed longer. We stayed at the venue without any sounds, just booze. Boo!
Mobile Bar #1: Margarush (5/5)
(+)
* Pricey but worth it.
* Our guests loved their Lime Margarita.
(-)
* None
Mobile Bar #2: Shakers Big Punch (5/5)
(+)
* Hassle free transaction with Ryan, the owner.
* I requested for 6 cocktails because I didn't want shooters. They were able to do it. I requested for Lychee Martini, Pinacolada, Mangorita, Amaretto Sour Boracay Mocha Blend and Tequila Sunrise. Guests favorite was Pinacolada.
(-)
* They do not have enough cocktail glasses so I had to provide them with plastic cups and straw. I just placed our monogram in the cups to make it unique.
Invitation: Global Invitation (1/5)
(+)
* None
(-)
* When I booked them, they told me I can use my own design. When I went to their shop to submit and discuss my design, they said it cannot be done with the package I availed and they want me to upgrade to digital printing which will cost twice as much as my budget!!
* The down payment I issued them was used for invitation envelopes which looks horrible too! They also did not deliver on time. I had to make several follow ups. Very stressful!
Wedding Cake: Toy Cakes by Chef Kiko (4/5)
(+)
* Affordable!
* Cakes tasted good.
(-)
* The design I sent wasn't followed. Good thing the set up turned out ok.
Other Tips!
MAKE YOUR GUESTS FEEL IMPORTANT
Weddings are really for the bride and groom but it won't hurt to make your guests feel that it is their night as well. During cocktail hour, instead of showing an AVP of just our pre-nup photos, what we showed was a "Thank You and Throwback AVP". It included our growing up photos, pre-nup, pictures of friends and family, pictures from our send off parties and a tribute to our parents. Our guests loved it! They were enjoying the AVP while having overflowing lechon, pica-pica and booze during cocktail hour.
NO MORE WEDDING PREPS ONE WEEK BEFORE THE WEDDING
Try to finish all wedding related stuff one week before the wedding. I got sick few days before the wedding because I was busy doing last minute DIYs. I had to let go of some details because I wasn't feeling well anymore. Don't mind the small details. Your guests will not notice it anyway.
THE KEY TO A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING IS A GOOD WEDDING COORDINATOR
You can have the most expensive suppliers but if your coordinator sucks, everything will just be put to waste. So please give yourself some peace of mind and get the best (not necessarily expensive) coordinators. Look for reviews and make sure you are comfortable working with them.
GOOD MUSIC MEANS FUN WEDDING
Set the tone and mood of your wedding by playing your preferred music. I didn't want a stiff wedding. Our theme was throwback so during cocktail hour, we were playing our guests favorite 80' and 90's music. Everyone was just having fun! I couldn't be happier.
LET GO AND LET GOD
Just endorse everything to your coordinator. Make sure to start wedding preps early. Let your suppliers do their thing. Have fun on your wedding day!!!
Prenup Photographer: April Arevalo Photography (5/5)
(+)
* Apy is very accommodating. Hindi ka mahihiya magpose. Haha!
* She's really good in editing photos so if you want to achieve a certain look, she can definitely do it!
* No need to hire a prenup stylist because her style alone is chic, unique and edgy.
* Check out her Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/apy.arevalo
* Very affordable!
(-)
* None
Prenup Make Up: Iza Salazar Make Up (5/5)
(+)
* She's meticulous and knows her craft.
* Uses my favorite brand, Mac and Make Up Forever.
* Very affordable!
(-)
* None
Church: Santuario De San Jose (4/5)
(+)
* Beautiful church especially during Christmas Season. Their decors are nice. Their aisle is just right, not too long and not too short.
* Their staff are approachable. All transactions were hassle free.
* Located inside Greenhills Village so it's secure and private.
* Father Alex Magtibay's Homily was really nice. He made the ceremony very solemn.
* Aircon is just right.
(-)
* There's additional fee of 3,000 (corkage fee) if you will bring your own sound system supplier.
TIP! They have in house sound system supplier. If you will get his services, corkage fee will be waived. We hired him and provided us with amplifier and additional mics. His name is Ronald and his contact number is 0917-8293853.
Venue: Ronac Art Center (5/5)
(+)
* Ronac Art Center is a popular pre-nup venue but very few consider it as wedding venue. But believe me, our guests were so amazed that such place actually existed. It is huge, cool, grand, hip and impressive!!! Check out our sde to see.
* There are a lot of really nice place for post nup in Ronac Art Center. No need to go elsewhere for picture taking.
* Aircon is just right. It gets a bit cold sometimes but they can adjust the temperature.
* No need for upgraded styling. It won't be noticed because the place itself is beautiful. Nice lighting and a huge projector with really nice AVP on the loop will do the trick.
(-)
* Not enough parking space. Some guests will have to park on the streets and at gas stations nearby (Total and Petron).
TIP! They have beer below zero freezer so you can request them to store your beer. We were able to serve our guests beer below zero beer at no additional cost. Love it! :)
Caterer: Passion Cooks (5+/5)
(+)
* Sarap ng food and the service is superb!
* They may seem a bit pricey but you get your money's worth.
* With Passion Cooks, you are sure that there's more than enough food for all your guests. They have generous servings.
* With Passion Cooks, you are also paying for excellent service. Their staff are well trained. Your guests will really feel important.
* With Passion Cooks, you are also paying for peace of mind. Just endorse everything to Maja and she and her team will do wonders.
* After your wedding, you will feel proud that you are a Passion Cooks bride. Everyone will rave about the food, believe me. :)
(-)
* None
Videographer: Marvin Barbarona Videography (5+/5)
(+)
* I just looooove our SDE!!! Please click on the Videos Tab to watch our SDE.
* I just told Marvin Barbarona aka "Mharz" that we do not have vows and that I want our sde to be "chill chill lang". I also told him "I trust you kaya ikaw na bahala". The video he made exceeded my expectations. It's fun, light and romantic. I just love it!!!
* Their team is very easy to work with, very cool and talented.
* You will hardly feel their presence on your wedding day but they're just around capturing all important details of the day.
(-)
* None
Photographer: JHG Photography by Joel H Garcia and Ma-anne Roque (4.5/5)
(+)
* Very talented and I like their style.
* You are sure that all important details on your wedding day will be documented and captured by Mr. Joel and Ms. Ma-anne.
* You get your money's worth. Ikaw na mapapagod kakapose!
(-)
* They want to capture so many photos so they sometimes fail to give enough time for our videographers to shoot.
* It took them a while to give us the final output. Thus, the delay in my supplier's reviews too. But it's worth the wait.
TIP! Get a back up photographer. JHG Photography only has two photographers (Joel and Ma-anne) so most of their photos are concentrated on the couple. I would also like to have pictures of our guests so it would be best to hire someone that is just assigned to capture random and candid moments of the event.
Wedding Gown: Gretchen Pichay (5+/5)
(+)
* I just love her!!! She's talented and meticulous. She listens to what you want but will give suggestions if necessary.
* The gown she made for me exceeded my expectations. It's lace on lace, very feminine and has intricate details.
* I am very particular with the silhouette of a gown because it can either make you look sexy or look fat. Good thing GP really knows a woman's body. It's not enough that your gown has elaborate bead work or extravagant skirt. Silhouette is equally, if not more important.
* My husband kept on saying "Ganda mo baby. Galing talaga ni Gretchen". Hihi! :)
(-)
* Location of her shop is far from my house but it's worth the travel.
On-The-Day Coordinators: Kiss The Girls (5+++/5)
(+)
* Everything was perfect because of Kiss The Girls. Thanks to my lead coordinator, Abby Basa.
* All our guests said our wedding was very organized. Ceremony was solemn. We started and finished on time.
* Reception started on time as well. They facilitated the table game and couples game properly. The music was on cue.
* I made a mistake in the number of crew meals for my family but they resolved it without letting me know. They made that day stress free for me.
* All endorsement I discussed with Abby was done properly.
* Abby replies fast to all my queries. She is not just a coordinator. She became my friend and confidante too.
* She went with me during ocular in Ronac Art Center and assisted me during my final detailing with Maja of Passion Cooks.
* My assistant on the day is also remarkable. Her name is Cathy. She never left me. She's supportive and made me feel calm all the time. She's one of the reason why I was a "bridechilla" on my wedding day. Thank you Cathy!!!
(-)
* None
Band: Pure Sound Band (5++/5)
(+)
* They made our wedding perfect! They're so good all our guests were asking who our band was.
* Ceremony songs were sang beautifully especially my bridal march song which is Panunumpa.
* It was very easy to communicate with them. They have regular gigs so you can catch them live before booking them.
(-)
* None!
HMUA: Tippy Destacamento (5/5)
(+)
* Everything you heard about Tippy is true. He is not just a make up artist but a friend, coordinator, confidante and so much more on your wedding day.
* My mom was very emotional on the day of the wedding. Good thing Tippy was there to calm her and make her laugh.
* If you will watch my sde, you will see Tippy on some of the scenes. This will show you that he is really hands on and will really make sure you will look your best on your wedding day.
* Early and always on time. Works fast!
(-)
* None!
Host: Missy Ferrer-Litao (4/5)
(+)
* Articulate and can do ad lib.
* Good teamwork with my other supplier, Rejectkrew and KTG.
(-)
* Hard to contact.
* Expensive!
L/S: Rejectkrew (3/5)
(+)
* Affordable and on cue.
* Good working relationship with host (Missy) and OTD (Kiss The Girls).
(-)
* I didn't like the lighting. For me it was too bright.
* It's hard to contact Elmer of Rejectkrew. Good thing, KTG and Rejectkrew always work together so I actually communicate with Rejectkrew thru Abby of KTG.
* Our guests wanted to stay and still party but Rejectkrew packed-up early, around 11pm. Wish they could have stayed longer. We stayed at the venue without any sounds, just booze. Boo!
Mobile Bar #1: Margarush (5/5)
(+)
* Pricey but worth it.
* Our guests loved their Lime Margarita.
(-)
* None
Mobile Bar #2: Shakers Big Punch (5/5)
(+)
* Hassle free transaction with Ryan, the owner.
* I requested for 6 cocktails because I didn't want shooters. They were able to do it. I requested for Lychee Martini, Pinacolada, Mangorita, Amaretto Sour Boracay Mocha Blend and Tequila Sunrise. Guests favorite was Pinacolada.
(-)
* They do not have enough cocktail glasses so I had to provide them with plastic cups and straw. I just placed our monogram in the cups to make it unique.
Invitation: Global Invitation (1/5)
(+)
* None
(-)
* When I booked them, they told me I can use my own design. When I went to their shop to submit and discuss my design, they said it cannot be done with the package I availed and they want me to upgrade to digital printing which will cost twice as much as my budget!!
* The down payment I issued them was used for invitation envelopes which looks horrible too! They also did not deliver on time. I had to make several follow ups. Very stressful!
Wedding Cake: Toy Cakes by Chef Kiko (4/5)
(+)
* Affordable!
* Cakes tasted good.
(-)
* The design I sent wasn't followed. Good thing the set up turned out ok.
Other Tips!
MAKE YOUR GUESTS FEEL IMPORTANT
Weddings are really for the bride and groom but it won't hurt to make your guests feel that it is their night as well. During cocktail hour, instead of showing an AVP of just our pre-nup photos, what we showed was a "Thank You and Throwback AVP". It included our growing up photos, pre-nup, pictures of friends and family, pictures from our send off parties and a tribute to our parents. Our guests loved it! They were enjoying the AVP while having overflowing lechon, pica-pica and booze during cocktail hour.
NO MORE WEDDING PREPS ONE WEEK BEFORE THE WEDDING
Try to finish all wedding related stuff one week before the wedding. I got sick few days before the wedding because I was busy doing last minute DIYs. I had to let go of some details because I wasn't feeling well anymore. Don't mind the small details. Your guests will not notice it anyway.
THE KEY TO A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING IS A GOOD WEDDING COORDINATOR
You can have the most expensive suppliers but if your coordinator sucks, everything will just be put to waste. So please give yourself some peace of mind and get the best (not necessarily expensive) coordinators. Look for reviews and make sure you are comfortable working with them.
GOOD MUSIC MEANS FUN WEDDING
Set the tone and mood of your wedding by playing your preferred music. I didn't want a stiff wedding. Our theme was throwback so during cocktail hour, we were playing our guests favorite 80' and 90's music. Everyone was just having fun! I couldn't be happier.
LET GO AND LET GOD
Just endorse everything to your coordinator. Make sure to start wedding preps early. Let your suppliers do their thing. Have fun on your wedding day!!!