Congratulations! :)

            Congratulations, Janice and Randy! :) It is our honor to announce that you won our free silver package. With all our prayers, experience, and OC-ness, we aim to help you achieve nothing less than a perfect 10 wedding. :)

From Perfect 10 Weddings

We have much to be thankful for... :)

            We've drawn a winner!

            Yes, we have a winner for our free silver package. The couple has been informed through email; thus, once they send in their picture, we shall have an official announcement of their names. :)

            We are also down to the very last slot of our automatic upgrade promo. Those who wish to avail of it, do let us know ASAP. We also have the 10 plus 10 plus 10 promo until April 20, 2010... :)

Your trust, our promise... :) - Parts 1 and 2

            A wedding is a momentous occasion full of joy and emotions. It's a once-in-a-lifetime walk down a holy aisle. Much effort, time, and resources are invested to ensure seamless execution. We're here to make sure every couple has the perfect 10 wedding.

            We feel that the best way to start the perfect 10 preparations for the perfect 10 wedding is to consider every client a friend. (Pasensiya na po at feeling close kami, but really, we feel strongly about this... we made friends with our suppliers when we were preparing for the wedding, and we feel that it is because of this personal connection that they went the extra mile for us. Look at my designer, he truly went the extra, extra mile for he was the one who helped me with my train from the hotel to the church to the photo-op after the ceremony.)

From Perfect 10 Weddings

          
            Thank you to all our friends who have invested their trust in us... we promise to give all of you perfect 10 weddings.

Manila Cathedral and Manila Hotel will not only have old world charm, they will have your particular trademark, J and P. From the ceremony to the cocktails to the actual reception, your guests won't even notice they're waiting for you to finish your picture-taking session by the bay.

North Forbes Pavilion will undergo transformations because of your creative preferences, K and J, and F and R. We'll make sure your personalities shine through so guests who have been there will wonder if they've really been to NFP before... because it looks and feels so different this time.

Bamboo Organ will not just be a historical church, and Citadella will not just be a modern venue for you, M and I. Your guests will feel your warmth and cheer through us, as we guide them from the mass to the reception. :)

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral and The Glass Garden will be resplendent because of you J and P.  We'll make sure you'll be able to utilize the beauty of both venues without breaking the bank, so to speak.

Mt. Carmel and Fr. Horan Hall will have their own particular appeal, despite all restrictions, because you, A and C, decided to book both venues. We'll do our best to help you style it so that your guests won't miss the drapes.

C and C, don't worry, we will help you find the best possible venues for your dream wedding. We'll be with you every step of the way.

             Please continue telling us about your love stories... these will give us ideas on how to personalize your ceremony and reception. Those who asked us to emcee their reception... you can be assured that we'd have more than enough for creating the program because you've also been open about sharing your special moments with us.

             Once again, thank you for the trust you invested in us. We feel so blessed to have found new friends in all of you. :)

Thank you and Congratulations!

        We had a mini-sharing about wedding themes, budgets, and our experiences before, during, and after our walk down the aisle March 21, 2010 at Dome Cafe in Shang. Thank you to our participants, we hope you will enjoy the wine, and congratulations to our free Silver Package winner, Cel and Ilie! :)

From Perfect 10 Weddings

*** The Perfect 10 Weddings Silver Package is more than your regular OTD package. Email us through perfect10weddings@gmai.com. We'll be glad to send you the package inclusions and the rates. Oh, and we can customize it for you, too... we'll pull out all the stops so you can have a Perfect 10 Wedding. :)

A highly customized wedding without hurting the pocket... hmm... ;) - Tip #s 1 - 10

          Couples wish to customize their weddings without necessarily causing a strain on their budgets. We will give ten suggestions for low cost personalization. Check back daily... :)

First Suggestion of Ten: Revisit your flower requirements.

          Do you really need to go the traditional route and have everyone carry bouquets? Remember... flowers wilt soon after the wedding. More often than not, the bouquet holders will toss them... not during your bouquet toss, rather into their waste baskets when they get home (or a few days after, when the bouquet starts looking brown and mushy). Total waste of hard-earned money, if you ask me.

          So, if you're not so into flowers or if your entourage members aren't particular with them, give them a small purse or a pouch to go with their dresses instead. They can reuse the small purse, they'll appreciate and keep the pouch, and you won't have to spend for a bouquet and a thank you gift for each of them. :)

From Blogger Pictures

Second Suggestion of Ten: Check out what you have at home.

           Instead of buying everything (candles, Bible, rosaries, arrhae, etc.), check what you have at home. You may have gotten a really beautiful set of candles two years ago -- still unused and in the box; therefore, more than useful for your ceremony. You may have also won small raffle prizes or gotten freebies from various suppliers during wedding fairs. They give away designed matchboxes, candles, arrhae, and the like.

           Some have reused their parents'/ grandparents' arrhae. At least, they have their arrhae, they have their "something old", and they don't have to spend much (maybe just for cleaning). Others have gotten free arrhae from the provider of their wedding rings or gown. Speaking of gown designers, they usually provide free accessories, so before buying your own, check out what they will give you as inclusions. You may also ask for them ahead, for instance, if you'd like to personalize your pillows or your cord, you can ask your designer to give them to you before the gown delivery date. :)

From Perfect 10 Weddings

Third Suggestion of Ten: DIY Necessary Items

          As you wind up the process of brainstorming, you will inevitably have elements you need to make your theme come alive. If some elements are too expensive or if some elements require you to spend much for raw materials, you can choose to DIY the process -- at least you only spent for materials and not labor.

          However, before you launching into a "raw-material-buying-spree"... think of the following:

a) Do I have the ability to come up with my "imagined" finished product? (you can make a prototype to test your skills, at least, that means you only spend for raw materials of one item, not the 20 you envisioned on top of your reception tables)

b) Do I have the patience and the time to come up with the finished products?

AND THIS IS CRUCIAL...

c) Will these products really do a lot to make my theme come alive? They might be too small to even be noticeable. They might be used for just a few minutes; thus, the time, effort, and resources can't really be justified.

           Emman chose to spend a lot on invitations. Darlene chose to allot the same amount for souvenirs. Why invitations? Why souvenirs?

           Well, invitations give your "chosen guests" a glimpse of what kind of wedding ceremony and reception you prepared. It tells them to either dress casually or dress to the nines, in more ways than "one line at the bottom together with the RSVP numbers". A well-crafted invitation (from content to packaging) tells guests that you consider them special, that's why you thought long and hard to come up with an enticing invitation.

           Souvenirs, on the other hand, communicate your gratitude as a couple that your guests prepared for your event (for girls, that includes buying a dress, going to the parlor, etc.) and actually went out of their way to attend -- no matter how difficult the circumstances are. Spending a little more for a souvenir that's useful is better than spending a few pesos for a souvenir that will be lobbed to the waste can soon after the last reception song is performed by the band. That would have been a real waste of hard-earned money. (Oh, and if you will DIY your souvenir, try not to come up with figurines and "other dust magnets". Put yourself in the shoes of your guests. What would you like to get if you were a guest at a wedding?)

From Perfect 10 Weddings

Fourth Suggestion of Ten: It never hurts to ask for add-ons.

            If you wish to have a certain centerpiece or a particular stage design, your usual option is to hire a stylist. In the case of Emman and Darlene, they decided to ask their caterer for assistance. She agreed to lend her stuff (sofa, table, lamps, notecards,glasses for the notecards, bamboo accents), while they provided the rest (encyclopedias, feather quills, pictures and frames). The flowers are really part of the package.

           While the quills weren't cheap because they were sourced in Eastwood, the frames cost so little because they chanced upon these these at a local bazaar. The printing of pictures was not expensive either. Of course, they DIYed the pictures and quotes, but those were easy to do.

           Over all, it never really hurts to ask for assistance. Who knows the person on the other end might be willing to oblige? (You may have to provide some stuff, but that's still going to cost you a lot less than going for a separate supplier.)

           In the case of Perfect 10 Weddings, the slideshows, layout assistance, composition and editing assistance, kiddie activity packs, games to entertain the crowd, hosting, and even styling assistance come as gifts to the couple. Why? Because we believe a hassle-free, personalized wedding doesn't have to come with such a hefty price tag.

From perfectlydirectedweddings-topbar

Fifth Suggestion of Ten: Ask a supplier to handle several tasks for you.

           Chances are, if you're dealing with one supplier for lots of things, you will be able to get a better price than if you would get each item from a separate supplier. Try to inquire about prices separately then compare the package price. We are certain the package would come out cheaper.

           There are lights and sounds providers who can also handle the projector, the generator set, the drapes, and even the crew meals. That means, it will be easier on the bride because the instructions will be given to just one person and everything that will happen in the program from the sound of the band to the lights and the projected AVPs will be synchronized.

           Another example concerns flowers. If you get your bouquets from the same provider as the church flowers, he/she can probably throw in the boutonnieres, the flower girls' headdresses, and even the car bouquet for free.

Sixth Suggestion of Ten: Ask for help from friends, godparents, and your parents.

            Friends are usually willing to lend a helping hand. Some can lend their car, others can offer to buy their suits or dresses. For as long as the colors are not too difficult to find at the mall, and the costs are not too prohibitive, you can ask them to buy their own stuff -- it's going to be their contribution to your personalized wedding. (If you want to have a black wedding, you can ask them to just wear any black dress or a black coat and tie. You will have your theme without spending a single cent.)

            Darlene and Emman got their open bar as a gift from friends... :)

From perfectlydirectedweddings-topbar

Seventh Suggestion of Ten: Provide your own cocktails.

           Since you will conceptualize the ingredients (or ask help from your caterer) and buy the cocktail food on your own, you will undoubtedly have savings. Just make sure you set a budget and stick to it. It's easy to get carried away when you're facing the cheeses in the grocery or the endless jars of dried fruits, nuts... :)

           Guests take time to prepare for your wedding; thus, it is safe to assume that they also forego snacks, breakfast, or lunch just to be with you. It is really most considerate to provide cocktails so they have something to tide them over till the main meal. You are after all, busy with your photo-ops after the wedding, and you can't expect them to find ways to entertain themselves or to pass by Mc Do in their long gowns, and coats and ties... :)

From perfectlydirectedweddings-topbar

Eighth Suggestion of Ten: Tweak packages.

            Sometimes, the best way to save is to ask for exactly what you need. Take away all the stuff you don't need. Who knows, the provider might be willing to give you a lower price?

            In the case of Perfect 10 Weddings, the package provisions aren't set in stone. That way, we can really be true to our word when we said we'd personalize for our couples. :)

Ninth Suggestion of Ten: Decorate as needed.

             Avoid getting a lot of add-ons. Anyway, you're the star of the show. Your decor will add to how the guests will see your theme, that's true, but go for decorative elements which really have an impact on the big picture. Really small items on the tables won't be seen much. Elaborate drapes that will cover a really nice ceiling will hurt your pocket but will not add to the beauty of the place. Big flower arrangements will end up on the floor because the photographer can't get a good shot. So... when decorating, combine functionality with impact. :)

Tenth Suggestion (this is the last... whew): Get a coordinator who will help you stick to your budget.

              There are so many coordinators out there, but try to get one who will not really suggest out of this world, expensive stuff. Go for the one who seems practical to begin with or in our case, who stayed practical despite the lure of wedding stuff. If she stayed practical for her own wedding, she will most likely be able to help you stay practical for yours. :)

To our dear blog followers... :)

Kindly send the following details to perfectlydirectedweddings@gmail.com:

Name Used (as follower): 

Bride's Name:

Groom's Name:

Wedding Date:

Wedding Venues: 

We will be conducting the raffle on March 28, 2010...
                                                  our pre-Easter gift for our lucky couple... :) 

Thank you very much and have a great weekend. :) 

What makes a person truly beautiful?

          A wedding is a momentous occasion -- a moment when family and friends gather to witness the much awaited walk down the aisle. It's a time when parents of both the bride and groom mingle with guests, especially the godparents -- after all, they will work together to guide the newlyweds down the path of wedded bliss. 


          Ours is a society that puts much premium on parents and relatives; thus, the typical walk down the aisle includes the mother not just the father of the bride. The walk of the groom includes both parents -- 
symbolic of how they are offering their son to God and his bride. 


          But what if the bride walks alone with her dad -- not by choice but by circumstance? 


          What if the mother has chosen to go so that her daughter and caretaker would have a life of her own beyond the confines of the hospital and their home? 


          The daughter must find a way to tell people about how beautiful her mother is -- not only because she was once a beauty queen, but because she literally gave up her life so that her daughter could have her own. 


(And how does a daughter avoid crying while the tribute AVP plays during the reception? The daughter must make the video ahead of time and watch it often enough so that she can shed buckets days prior to the wedding... and during the reception, the daughter must avoid looking at the video wall... just so she can still smile and thank the guests for coming to celebrate with them.) 

Why are themes necessary?

         Since the theme does make things easier for brides and grooms to plan the elements they need for their wedding, it is something that has to be determined early on. That way, they don't end up booking someone who will totally stick out like a sore thumb -- hindi bagay sa theme, kumbaga.



          Themes determine everything about your wedding -- from your bridal gown to your centerpieces... :) (Ok, sometimes, the bridal gown you like determines your theme, since it dictates how classic, how edgy, or how vintage your groom and your entourage will be.)


          There are many ways to determine the appropriate theme, and one of them is talking to people who have been there and done that... like PERFECTLY DIRECTED WEDDINGS. :)

Why do we need extra lights for our reception venue?

From Blogger Pictures

          That was a question I asked over and over... before I actually agreed to get a lights and sounds supplier. I felt lights were an unnecessary expense, because getting lights and sounds meant getting a genset as well since Blue Leaf, despite its really expensive rental fee, doesn't have enough electricity for its clients, especially if all three pavilions are being used at the same time. Ours was a Monday wedding, so no other clients were around; however, we still needed to get a genset.

         My then fiance convinced me to get his longtime supplier and I agreed, only because I knew he wanted it, not because I was thoroughly sure we needed so many lights. 

         I realized how important lights are to a venue when I saw our wedding pictures... :) Blue Leaf's Banyan Pavilion with its plain walls and minimalist - designed ceiling became a theatre. People who saw the pictures were thoroughly impressed. The lights were magical -- we had a theatre atmosphere when we needed it... thanks to Mar Tan. :)

From Blogger Pictures

Weddings... Weddings... and More Weddings

We're truly proud of the people who made this video. :)

Deadline of Signing up for Passing on the Bouquet and Boutonniere

Hi! Deadline for signing up is on March 12, 2010, Friday. :)

The sharing will focus on...
a) how a real couple prepared for their wedding;
b) the glitches they encountered and how they handled such, and
c) what other couples should do to be more prepared for their wedding day (based on the glitches we encountered in our wedding and the recent weddings we attended, plus what we saw as possible glitches on our wedding day had we not prepared for them).

You may send your sign-up email to perfectlydirectedweddings@gmail.com.
Include the ff:
1. Name of Bride:
2. Name of Groom:
3. Who are attending? ____ Bride only     ____ Groom only    ____ Both
4. Wedding Date:
5. Ceremony and Reception Venue/s:

We encourage those who do not have coordinators yet to sign up for the seminar. Those who have coordinators already would most likely get the information they need from their coordinators. The sharing has a limit of 50 heads. :)

Get to know us... watch our video.

From a Ten-themed Wedding to a Ten-themed Launch

               Most couples aim to personalize their weddings – everything from the invitation down to the centerpieces on the reception tables revolve around specific themes. At times though, couples wish to personalize but they don’t know where to begin, or they have a theme in mind, but they don’t know how to execute it. That’s where we come in.
               We make sure your personalities shine through, your ceremony and reception programmes come out seamless and well executed, and your faces have nothing but smiles so your photographs and video/s record only happy moments… ☺

For all your rants and raves – unlimited listening time

For you to be less stressed -- our organizers, personalized slideshows, extra programme elements, etc. 

For your invitations, missalettes, and other written paraphernalia -- our thematic inputs and editing assistance

For times when your creative juices run out -- our personal wedding library and creative concepts are all yours

A dashing groom,

a radiant bride,

beaming parents and godparents

… all because of the PERFECTLY DIRECTED WEDDING.