DIY Save the Date Magnets

Here's my try on DIY! I used my phone to take these pictures because I couldn't find the usb to upload the ones I took from my digicam.

I'm almost done with our Save the Date Magnets. I still have to make around 25 magnets, insert them in note cards, print address labels and mail them. This was a 2-month project which is not so "me", but things got really busy the last few months for Randy & I.

The caricature idea came from a w@wie, Haidee. I showed it to Randy and he said he likes the idea, only he wanted it in black & white. So I surfed the net to find the one who can make a nice caricature of us.

Last September, thought of Paulo, my youngest sister's (Maecy) boyfriend. He said he'll try. I understood, he's in college now and I know he's very busy. I wanted a filipino to draw us because i doubt if a non-filipino will understand a barong tagalog, unless a picture is shown. I don't wanna go through the whole ordeal of explaining that I Randy should be drawn in a formal filipino wear and not a tuxedo or a suit.

Randy & I got very busy and almost forgot about the caricature.

By mid-October, Paulo sent me a pic he drew. I was laughing because it really looked like us! Ang galing. All I did was enhanced the drawing by inking the hair, and adding details to the barong & the gown.

By early November, I was already a "suki" at Kinko's figuring how to print a nice image to a nice paper so I can put it on an adhesive magnet. Found a glossy paper (sort of like a photo paper). Then kinko's offered me to do the magnets, it was tempting but I said no. I know I can do it but I just need to find the right materials. See, the magnets I like are the thicker, sturdier adhesive ones...and I only found thin ones at Michael's (1' x 2'). Then at Officemax, I saw the magnets I like...only in a business card (2 x 3 1/2) size. My Save the Dates measurement, by the way, is 2.5 x 3.25. Arghhh!

I inquired at Kinko's about their lamilabels. They are a laminate material with a sticker at the back. I figured, If I use this lamilabel, my image (on a glossy not so thick paper) will be thicker then I can stick it on the thin magnets I saw at Michael's! So I asked how much per piece (8.5 x 11). 2 freaking dollars!!! Out of my budget. (note: by this time, I can hear Randy's voice, we have to stick to our budget, Drei!). So shempre, parang nakokonsensya naman ako.

Finally, I just decided to go with the ones at Officemax. My resourcefulness, creativity (ha!) and best of all...patience will just be tested once again, I thought. I'm not really Martha-Stewart-crafty-kind-of-person but I can, when needed. Besides, I can spend time doing stuff like this since I'm at home most of the time anyway.

I also bought these blank notecards at Target. Bright Pink cards with orange envelopes AND orange cards with bright pink envelopes.



Last night, after we came home from church I started doing them. I was soooo focused that I didn't notice the time. Well, at least I finished 77 pcs (for July 7...hehehehe). I ran out of magnets, that's why. Otherwise, I know I wouldh've finished all 100+ of them magnets! Ha!




This will be the end result of my labor of love...and stress, by the way! (That Kinko's Union City manager drove me nuts! Good thing other staff were very very helpful.)

I will use this stamp...it's pink & orange too!

Note: Thanks to Paulo Santiago for the caricature. Also to Haidee (fellow w@wie) for a cute idea!

From Church to Reception

The map from All Saints Church (Hayward, CA) to San Ramon Marriott Hotel (San Ramon, CA).





It says estimated travel time is 19 minutes. But on a Friday late afternoon, with the rush hour, I doubt it will only take 19 minutes.

We have decided to make our wedding at 4PM. Fr. Carl said it's about an hour & 15 minutes with the pictorials in the church. Our guests can leave to go and have some cocktails at 6PM. That's 45 minutes for them to travel. While Randy & I, with our Bridal Party can take pictures. Dinner will start at 7PM.


Note: Map/Picture was taken from the San Ramon Marriot Official Website's Driving Directions.

Miles

It's so obvious that I'm a stage ninang, huh? I don't have his latest picture in his bumble bee halloween costume, though. (Rose, send it to me, please?) I will make a new collage when I get it.

Miles is the son of Rose & Raoul. Rose is considered one of my true friends. She is also one of my bridemaids. Raoul will be taking pictures..hehehe!

The Pictures of Us

Ok, I have to admit. I got a little bit excited with Picasa. Since yesterday, after Gloria taught me know to do collage, I've been playing around with it. After I showed Randy what I did (the previous posts), he asked me "How about our pictures?".




Honestly, we don't have much pictures. Just a few months after we started dating, he moved to Las Vegas...I followed. But we didn't have time to have fun in LV. The restaurant was taking much of our time & energy to even appreciate the Strip! We were only able to enjoy it after we closed the business. The only pictures we have are from cameras of friends and family...and those that were taken by me using my phone. See, it has only been 2 1/2 years.

I'm enjoying this Picasa thing and look what I did...Colored, Sepia & B&W!

Fuschia & Orange...Raspberry & Mango

Here are some more pictures that I saw in the net. With the help of a fellow w@wie, Glo (hi teacher glo!), I've made a collage of pictures with our wedding colors! If I've copied your pictures, let me know so I can give you credit.

Andre

I received an e-mail from my Ninang Ellen (my mom's sister) with pictures of her youngest son, Andre, who is my godson (and cousin, of course). He just turned 5 last November 4. Incidentally, that was my 1st kidney transplant anniversary.

He's so gwapo and I couldn't help it...I needed to make an entry about him! Bourne Andre Aguilar Victor will be one of our bearers - coin bearer. They live in Manila but I hope & pray that my Ninang will be able to take him with her next year for our wedding.

Here are more pictures of Andre...

Reception Site...Check!

Since August, we were looking for the perfect place to hold our wedding reception. We wanted it to be close to All Saints Church, but we found no options in Hayward area. San Francisco, for me, was never an option for a good number of reasons:

• I do not want our guests to pay extra $3.00 for bridge toll.
• Parking is very hard (and/or expensive) in San Francisco.
• It is much more expensive to have a reception in the city.

We then looked around the Pleasanton-San Ramon-Livermore area and narrowed our choices to 2: The San Ramon Marriot & The Bridges Golf Club, both on Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon, CA.

The Bridges Golf Club is beautiful with it's mediterrenean villa sitting on the golfcourse with a majestic view of the fairways & hills. It's main ballroom (garden pavillion) is very nice. The windows are so big, you have a very good view of the outside and it can actually be the backdrop of the reception. However, our wedding is in the summer, thus, long days. At 8:00 in the evening, it's still bright, and you cannot actually use the nice chandeliers, candles, luminaries (which are free by the way) and how can we possible show the AVP? we have to wait till it's really dark right...and what, risk the fact that our some guests have gone home already? No way! Besides, we will be seated by the window, so how would our pictures look like? Sorr, but details like these are very important to me.

On the otherhand, San Ramon Marriott speaks for its name already. Although, it doesn't have a majestic view, you can never go wrong (i hope) with the hotel's food & service. Aside from the fact that the cost is very close to that of The Bridges, well, we get a free room...a group rate for our guests...and a pre-reception area with an access to the courtyard! woohoo! See? And, I so love their chandelier.

With correspondents between Marriot & us, we were invited for a Taste Panel (Food Tasting) with how they will set up the ballroom, a band, a photogrpaher. This Taste Panel was actaully for those who booked their companies for Christmas Parties at SR Marriott. We were invited because I insisted that I want to see their set-up (at the very least) before I sign the Sales Agreement. As usual, food was great, although they served the Holiday Package which we, of course won't be getting.

Finally, I went to SR Marriot and paid the downpayment that would reserve the date for us...DeLeon-Soriano Wedding, July 7, 2006.

Now, I can move on once again with the wedding preps. It feels so good to have accomplished something and to take a major vendor off my To-Do list.

Reception Site...Check!

Note: Pictures courtesy of San Ramon Marriot Official Website.

On Wedding Colors...Again?!?

Ok, before you hit me with a broom...You have to hear my side. I have been in so much confusion, yes even after my previous post AND have had sleepless nights (ok, i may be exaggerating on this one) BUT, i have changed my wedding color once again.

Yes, from Shades of Purple, to Red, to Orange & Pink, to Tiffany Blue, to Monochromatic Aqua/Turquoise...now it's Fuschia & Orange with a hint of Caramel.

I've always thought that Pink & Orange would look gorgeous in summer. These citrus shades would make our summer wedding more vibrant & festive. So when I showed this the first time to Randy, my mom, and some of my female entourage, they didn't like it. So turquoise it was.

But for some reason, I felt that something's wrong and that although Turquoise is a lovely color, I am somehow not yet sold. So after searching the net, I found Leslie's (a fellow w@wie ) pictures with her bridesmaids.

I also saw this picture of my friends, Dojie & Elaine Hipolito and I am really amazed on how these colors register well in pictures!

Here's another one I found while surfing the net. It's a Jim Hjelm bridesmaid's dress.

Armed with lovely pictures, I showed Randy and then e-mailed them to my mom. And guess what? They liked it! I e-mailed Veluz, my designer and told her I have changed my wedding colors. She then made me feel happier (& prouder) when she said that Blue, actually, doesn't go well with barong. Blue is a cool shade while a barong being a beige-y/off white-ish shade is a warm tone. Having Orange & Fuschia is a good choice since both are very warm colors. To lessen the brightness/intensity of these two colors, Veluz said adding a hint of Caramel as an accent color is essential. She said it would be nice...promise daw!

if you notice, I started using orange font too. I can't find the right shade of pink-- that's why!

So they you go...til the next color choice. hehehe. I hope not!

How We Met: Edrei's Version

I've always known that there is a "Randy Soriano" in SF Days with the Lord, but I've never met the guy. I met Randy the first time in a party back in October 2001 but he never noticed me (and he would tell you he doesn't remember) because he was in a relationship at that time.

After a year (2002), we met again, same place, same party, same celebrant...this time he was alone. I, on the otherhand, was single but not looking at that time. I saw him again a month after but I was not paying much attention.

The next time I saw Randy was at Stef's Bar in downtown SF around March 2003 . It was a SF Days with the Lord Fundraiser. Someone told me in passing that Randy was asking if I have a boyfriend. Since then my girlfriends would tease me everytime we'd see him. Unfortunately, he was semi-kinda-sorta in the dating scene.

The end of all the "once a year meetings" and the beginning of the many days together was during the Holy Thursday of 2003, when the Days with the Lord had the annual Visita Iglesia. I hitched a ride from Maybelle (a good friend of mine & one of my bridemaids) that night. After the mass (our first church), Randy asked me if I drove, and I said no and that Maybelle picked me up. I asked why. He said he was wondering if there's someone who can ride with him since we're doing a convoy going to the churches. I volunteered our friend George. After our second church visit, Maybelle & George had this brilliant idea. For some reason, I just heard them saying that George needs to talk to Belle and that he will ride with her and that I should ride with Randy.

I guess you can say that it was the start of our constant journey together. Since that year, we have been doing our Visita Iglesia and hope to do many more together as husband and wife.