Rings!
The search for our wedding rings started as early as June. Like my usual SOP and probably like most brides, I always go for my first loves. Hence when I came across MokumeGaneya I just couldn’t stop daydreaming about it until we could get to meet with their jeweller. Their rings are just so pretty!! I can’t stop gushing about it.
Mind you, it’s only the mokume gane rings of Mokumeganeya that I love because I find the mokume gane make of other jewellers a tad scary. The jeweller in Mokumeganeya said that this is because of the silver component of the ring which is the main reason for the “black streak” on the ring. Even from before, I don’t want silver wedding rings and having known this new piece of info from the jeweller, I told him I don’t want silver in our wedding ring.
Oh yes, you couldn’t go as customized as you could get with Mokume gane rings. With this kind of ring, couples can choose what metals they’d like to have their rings be composed of. These metals are then melded together and pounded into one sheet about 8 inches length, cut into two (one for the guy, the other for the lady – this fact is quite romantic don’t you think?) and then made into a ring. Since it originally is a sheet of alloy, naturally there is an obvious line on your ring where the two ends met.
This was the main reason why I decided not to go for mokume gane. I would like our ring to be a seamless and continuous one, endless, without beginning and end.
One other reason though was that our rings would cost around 550,000yen. Gulp. Because I didn’t want the silver component (silver is usually the base material) in our rings, the jeweller said the other alternative for base material is white gold. To achieve the colors, pink, green and yellow gold will then be tossed in. Platinum is added on the inlay of our rings and diamonds added to my ring. Hence, 550k yen.
I was floored with the amount. Although I know Hubbie thinks it’s expensive, he gave me the choice whether to go for the ring or not because he knew how I wanted mokume gane for our wedding ring.
Boy was it difficult! I know that we have major expenses our way, what with the wedding and starting our new home hence splurging is impractical. I asked myself if I can wear that expensive a ring knowing there are other important things to attend to. Of course the answer was NO. And mainly, there was this breakline that I don’t want to see in our wedding ring.
Problem was that I didn’t see a ring that I fell for. We looked at Mikimoto, Michel Klein, 4C (I don’t know how to add the degree sign haha) shops but no “it” factor for me. I browsed Tiffany website but I wasn’t enamored with it. Probably because it seems I am just considering Tiffany because of its name/brand and not because of its designs. So I decided to visit the Tiffany store in Minato Mirai.
But I got intercepted in the way by Lazare Diamond in Motomachi. And there, I fell for our wedding rings. They beckoed towards me and sparkled before me way more brilliantly than Mikimoto did. This is it.
Originally though, I opted for the leaf design of the diamond inlay. But I decided against it because it looked like the shape of a wound. The Virtue wedding band was another choice but I didn’t like the grooves. Ultimately I decided to go for a continuous Pt1000 platinum ring wherein diamonds were simply yet seamlessly inserted that it almost looked as if it was molded together with the platinum band. Of course Hubbie opted for my ring’s partner, a Pt1000 platinum ring without the diamonds. We both agree that diamonds are for women haha.
I don’t think I was able to get a good picture of our rings to give it some justice but for now, this’ll do. Rings, please wait for Dino Lara okay? Then, you’ll have the pictures you deserve.
By the way, since we already had our civil wedding and our church wedding is still months away, we exchanged our rings on Christmas Eve in the old Christ the King Cathedral Church in my hometown in Tagum were I had fond memories of my childhood. Our little private ceremony was so sweet and special that I wouldn’t do our “exchange rings” any other way.
green thumb
In just a matter of 2 weeks, Hubbie was able to grow this plant from a handful of grass into a lovely bouquet of lowers!
Hubbie is quite a green thumb isn’t he?
COE!!!!!!
I just can’t contain my happiness. Neither can Hubbie. The process of us being together involves a lot of waiting. We wait to see each other on our trips. We wait for documents. And the waiting for the documents can make you crazy I tell you (although the waiting for the day of our trip is torture as it is as well). We have one more document yet to apply for and wait. That would be sort of like the final lump in the throat before we can plan full force for the few months ahead.
But for now, let’s enjoy this one shall we? =D
(document deleted)
It was released by the Japan Foreign Affairs (Nyukoku kanri kyoku) last Wednesday (exactly 6 weeks after application but roughly around 4 weeks discounting holidays), arrived by mail last Thursday. But since it’s a registered mail, Hubbie has to personally receive it. Hence we were only able to see it just now.
It’s indeed a good blessing to receive our COE at the same date as our 4th month as husband and wife. Thank you Lord!!! ^_^
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Hubbie’s story: It was almost 12 o’clock and he was on his way out our room to check on our mailbox. The mailman was supposed to deliver the mail at 9~12. But on his way out, he met the postman haha. In his surprise he exclaimed “that’s mine!”. haha, cute.
Rainy Summer?
I had to show Hubbie the Church we’re getting married in and our reception venue. Hence when we went to Tagaytay-Batangas for our interviews, we had to squeeze in the visits in our schedule.
And i’m glad we did. The place was even more beautiful that day, January 4. There was a clear blue sky and yet it wasn’t hot. It felt like Japan in early May. And in the afternoon as we saw the sunset when we got out of Ville Sommet, it felt like early autumn.
When we went to Caleruega at past 4, there was a wedding so we couldn’t get inside the church. Hence we just roamed around the premises enjoying the scenery. The fine blue sky coupled with the cold weather created an effect that when you look out the horizon, it doesn’t look like a tropical place. It definitely reminded me yet again of breathtaking Tuscany (I wonder when can I get to visit the place again).
We liked it so much we had difficulty leaving the place in that we had to make a stopover by the roadside to take some snapshots.
Anyway, Hubbie and I think the couple who were having their wedding that day was very lucky to have such a beautiful day for their wedding day. Then Hubbie said, “Let’s pray for good weather on our wedding day. Let’s start praying now, everyday”.
And I totally agree with Hubbie. Never underestimate the power of prayer. I really think starting the praying now is a great idea especially with the news below that it’s gonna be a rainy summer this year.
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ann/20110120/tph-it-s-going-to-be-a-rainy-summer-no-d-fb8bb4f.html
Thankful for Atsushi
Planning a wedding can be really exciting. It’s lots of fun and it’s a good venue for growth – both emotionally, intellectually, psychologically, socially – anyway, growth in almost all facets of your life.
But yes, it can be emotionally intense. And if you are really in the thick of the action in your wedding preps, you’d need an emotional anchor.
Hence, I am really thankful for Atsushi who understands my thoughts and what I feel and who can balance my emotional side with his sensible side. He is sense and I’m sensibility. Although there are times we do switch sides.
And I am thankful to God, for sending Atsushi my way. Truly, His plans and what He wants for me are way better than what I thought I wanted.
I am far from perfect. So one thing I wish. That in the course of preparing for our wedding no feelings would be hurt. If there are friction and tension among different parties, I hope that it’s just temporal. And most of all, I hope (okay that’s two wishes hehe) that Atsushi and I would be spending our wedding day with the people we most care about and who care most about us.