Ok, I take it back. The lady in the St. Jerome office isn't sungit at all, she's just harassed because she's the only one manning the counter.

Anyhoo, I've made the reservation for the church and it's all systems go for May 1, 2010 at 11am.

Tita Marge also accompanied me to meet with a designer and it turned out that they're actually a two sister operation. Sunshine and Van Lim have been doing wedding gowns for the last 9 years and they're both in their early 30s. Nice huh?

I like that they're obviously experts in their field, they love what they do and they look very sosyal. So when they assure me that the gown will look elegant in spit of its simplicity, I totally believe them.

I'm making my downpayment this week and so that deals with the wedding gown issue. Now to deal with my Matron of Honor's dress/gown...

Ok, wedding updates.

1) Date has been moved to May 1 because May 8 is too near the national elections and some people do not want to miss out on the celebrations leading to everyone's favorite pastime.

2) Wedding and reception will be in the south.

3) I will try to sked the wedding in the morning and the reception for lunch, because apparently, there are less expectations for luncheon weddings. They tend to be less formal and cheaper! People don't have to get decked out and I'll have a perfect excuse not to get beadings and sequins in my wedding dress (not gown).

I realized one thing though, the whole wedding industry is inflated and feeds on the "this is my day and it must be perfect" school of thought. Scary how people can spend hundreds and thousands of pesos on a single day and how others encourage them to do so because purses are loosened just for this "special" occasion.

Oh well, there's one born every minute.

The plan today is to meet with a gown designer recommended by Tita Marge. Although I wonder if I really need a designer because I pretty much have my heart set on this:



It fits the luncheon theme and is devoid of beadwork. Sounds good to me.

I also need to find another church because the one in Multinational is too difficult to go to. Hopefully, I can plop down the reservation today on St. Jerome and here's hoping too that I manage to keep my temper while talking to the extra sungit lady in the parish office.

Everyone tells me to just have my credit card's annual membership fee waived because supposedly, the bank is so determined to keep your business that they'll immediately acquiesce to your request.

So I called and made my request, but the agent refused to waive the annual fee.

Slightly miffed, I said I'll pay off the balance and then have it cancelled

Agent said: Sure, go for it! Your balance is XXX and after you pay, please call back with the request for cancellation.

Nyark.

Oh well, at least that's one less credit card to wreak financial havoc with.

Update (1/23/10)

So I paid off my balance and called to cancel my card. And wouldn't you know it, the CSR asks me if I would reconsider my decision because they're willing to waive the annual fee naman daw.

Ayun naman pala eh.

Why do we have to resort to this rigmarole?!

Annual membership fee was waived for two years and so I'm not canceling my RCBC credit card. Nice and simple.

I'm off to Cagayan de Oro later this afternoon and unlike last week's Cebu hearing, I'll be all alone again to defend the unsullied name of CAI :p

Sherine was my witness last week in Cebu and it was interesting to witness firsthand her two firsts: (1) first flight and (2) first time on the witness stand. Of course, I captured it all with Tilda the Camera.

First time to go 5J.

Have you ever seen the sky as blue as this?! Cebu welcomes Sherine Galang!!

Swearing to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help her God.

Good job She!

I predict a lot of bonding moments with my hotel bed and cable surfing later this evening, with room service thrown in as well.

Here's hoping that tomorrow's return flight will not be delayed so I can still make it in time for Mark and Tina's wedding reception in Fernbrook.

Alright, so the wedding preparations have officially begun.

G and I went to the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Multinational Village to pick up the list of requirements, as well as to check out the wedding scheduled for that day.

Fr. Jok said that we should drop by that day so that we'll also see how the church will be set up for a wedding.

The wedding package of Php12,000.00 includes: flowers, red carpet, decorations, misallette, choir and organist. Pwede na! No way am I going to fuss over a misallette:p

Here's how the church looks like during a wedding:





Congratulations to the happy couple!



The reception was held right next to the church, the same place where Maddie had her baptism reception too.



Outside the church. Hopefully, the scrawny Christmas tree will be gone by May:p



Next two things on the list are to: (1) collect the necessary documents (birth, baptism and confirmation certificates) and (2) finalize reception venue.

Oh sad day, the tech people have successfully banned even Gmail chat in the office :(

So now, no Facebook, no YM, no Meebo, no Gmail chat, no nothing :(

Side view


Front view


Killer's new look for the new decade.

We would like to thank his vet/groomer who was probably high on something while wielding his electric razor.

I think a mohawk would look great on Killer. Hmmm....

Alright, so the main events for 2010 are: (1) get married and (2) go to New Zealand.

The original plan was to go to New Zealand on April and get married in May. But the more I ruminated on it, the more I realized how impractical it was. First, purchasing a plane fare (roughly 42k RT the last time I checked) would severely hamper our wedding budget (not that there's going to be a lot to begin with). Second, it seems unwise to traipse somewhere in the heat of the wedding preps etc.

So you know what this means, Christmas in New Zealand!!!

I'm not sure though if my parents intend to push through with the April in NZ plan because they're not even making visa related plans.

I'm tempted to just charge everything that could be charged, go to NZ in April, get married in May and just deal with all the financial after effects afterwards. Eeeep.