we’re moving our blog

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Marjorie

I have wanted this for the loooongest time. Ever since we started this blog. But we were just so busy back then. Not than I’m less busy now. In fact, I’m much more busier now. But I figure, if we won’t do this now, it’d even be harder to do it later, after going back to work. So we’re doing this now.

We’re finally moving on. And have our own self-hosted blog. Not really to monetize (though it certainly will be a plus when and if we’d get good traffic in the future). But mainly, just because. Well, one is that we want our own theme that’s particularly ours. And also since I spend a lot of my time blogging, it’d be great to have it on a place that is really designed as our own.

So we’re moving on.

This blog started with this header. Photo taken by Russell Olaguer during our early autumn prenup back in September 2010. (Hubs really look so cool here! ^_^)

Screen Shot 2013-03-04 at 4.56.11 PM

A month after our wedding, we changed it to one taken by our official wedding photographer Dino Lara.

When our daughter was born, of course our chocolate hill journey is now with her.

Right now, our new blog site is still a newborn, minutes old.

In a while, i’d be exporting/importing files and the new site would have content. But work is just getting started.

So excited for the new, exciting things to come! 🙂

And with this I pray for an overflowing cup on this new endeavor. 🙂

our wedding video is finally in

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Marjorie

Finally, after waiting for more than a year (yes, it was well over what was agreed in the contract), we finally have our wedding video with us. And it being a Jason Magbanua video, it sure was well worth the long wait. Sure I bitched and complained around in twitter on it being so late. Who wouldn’t?? Albeit when we finally got our parcel, we could say that it was really worth it. No mediocrity at all with the presentation.

We were travelling when they had to finalise our video cover. And since we’re travelling, I couldn’t give them photos for the cover, hence they asked some from our photographer Dino Lara. I needn’t have to fret what photos would they choose. Both Dino’s and Jason’s team have excellent taste so as expected, the photos chosen were among my favourites.

Even when I asked of it, Jason’s secretary didn’t ask us anymore for courier fees for sending the package to Japan. I think it was their way of making up for being late. Fair enough.

Was laughing how hubs was reacting while watching the video. It reminded me again of how much courage he needed to muster to kiss and hug me like he did in front of our loved ones knowing that going along with tradition will really make me happy. Thank you A.

Of course I was teary eyed the whole while we were watching the video. And more so while watching my dance with my father. There was a time years back when I thought I wouldn’t be able to give him that. But by God’s grace, I met the perfect man for me, who gave me a beautiful wedding where I was able to dance the big dance with Papa.

We laughed and were yet touched again by the speeches. Thank you for the words, beloved friends and mentors. We will always cherish and be grateful for them.

And speaking of speeches, I think I owe our guests an apology. My speech was soooo unorganised! But with my massive migraine at that time and of course the emotions churning inside me, I hope you understand why so and really, all I needed to say is “thank you” which I said quite A number of times haha. I dearly hope for your understanding our dear friends.

It was also really nice how, aside from the usual scenes to be selected – preparation, ceremony, program, vows, speeches – jason’s team added another scene selection in the DVD: our song number. It was of course the first time I saw and heard the songs we rendered. And again I can only be really thankful that I was able to sing like that despite my terrible terrible migraine.

Will try to share some parts of the DVD in the future. If and when I figure out how to rip parts of it. Teehee.

God is good. Thank you Lord for all the love and blessing.

on albums and baskin robbins

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Marjorie

First day into our vacation and a long-awaited exciting package has arrived already.

Our main album,the black one, must have weighed more than five kilos! Dino and team are just amazing. Someday soon, I’ll try to post some, especially those that looked like paintings.

Had a mall outing with my family-in-law. Dropped by Baskin and Robbins. Love Potion #31 and chocolate mint. Love.

Supplier review: Flowers of May

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Marjorie

We already had Vatel Manila for my bridal bouquet and entourage flowers. But we still need a florist to prettify Caleruega some more.

I inquired on some other florists but, creative as they are, we just can’t afford them anymore as we’ve already splurged in a lot of stuff and we were already running out of budget.

Then I came across Flowers of May.

Liza was really nice to talk to. The packages they offer doesn’t include the red carpet but she agreed with my request to include it in our package in exchange for the flower arch at the entrance. She also was very nice in accepting my very risky requirement: to use only certain kinds of flowers that I’ve chosen for their symbology and that if she’s gonna use one that isn’t on my list, to check if it has a good meaning. This requirement is VERY RISKY as I run the danger of limiting the creativity of the florist as well as not having certain beautiful flowers on our wedding because of their not so nice symbology. But good vibes is what I really want hence with every difficult request to our florists, I also pray that they receive it positively and without much complaint. And Liza certainly didn’t complain.

What also made the deal just perfect was that the quotation Liza gave me was just right within the total cost we had budgeted for our flowers, for both entourage and Church. With Liza being very accommodating, I followed my instincts. We had Flowers of May for our wedding.

And certainly, I wasn’t disappointed.

I was nice to see these gerberas as I walked down the aisle.

Happy colors!

The altar was so abundant with flowers, our sponsor candles seemed like they were set in a garden.

Thank you so much Liza!! 🙂

Supplier: Flowers of May
Rating: 5/5
Contact info: +639189369438, +639189366750, liza_n_legaspi@yahoo.com

All photos by Dino Lara; purely unedited save for the text to show our wedsite.

Review: Dino Lara Photography

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Marjorie

I think, the fact that I frequently mention Dino here in our blog already screams how Dino is one of our favorite supplier, even from Day 1.

We’d always be thankful to him on how on Day 1 he thoughtfully obliged us and suggested how we can have the “first look” photoshoot to maximize our locations since we have a 6pm ceremony. I will always remember the wash of emotions I had and how my eyes teared-up as I hear Dino describe how our “first look” would be. See, when I met up with Dino, Hubby and I were less than one week civilly married and the totally emotion-less civil marriage we had in Japan had us dreaming and yearning for a beautiful Church wedding. The civil marriage system in Japan really doesn’t beg for any emotion whatsoever – well, except for the emotion of wanting to have the most beautiful and touching Church wedding EVER. So I think nobody would blame me if I’d get emotional even when Dino was just describing how it would be done on our Big day.

And come first week of January, Dino obliged us as well and met up with us even when it was right smack in the middle of his super peak schedule. Dino was very patient with all our questions as well, silly as they might seem!

Come wedding day, well, his team was just superb. Together with Jason’s team, they made my hubby, who was otherwise really shy, seem naturally expressive. Looking at our raw pictures now, somehow, the emotions, that usually Hubby only shows when nobody sees us or when nobody around us knows who we are, were captured in the pictures. Dino was even able to make hubby tickle me!! haha.

I am still in the middle of selecting photos that will be included in our main wedding album (yes, main. We’ll have around 5 albums I think, 2 big ones and 3 small ones). Photo selection is quite a difficult task, I tell you, if you’re only to choose 350 pictures among 5,500 beautiful ones! And yes, even when they were just raw copies for now, I can only sigh as we look at our pictures. Beautiful.

Can’t, can’t wait for our photo albums.

Thank you Dino. You helped make our dream come true, and even perpetuated it, with the help of your beautiful pictures.

Supplier: Dino Lara Photography

Rating: 5/5

Contact details: dinolaraphotography@gmail.com; +63920.9125069; +632.8834408

laundry string photos

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Marjorie

I was instantly charmed when I saw this idea on a bridal website. When Erika suggested it, I was really into the idea already. But Hubby is shy in sharing pictures and I have to consider him.

Thankfully though, more than a month before the wedding, Hubby was already very much convinced with this idea. Was very thankful as well that his family, Otosan and Okasan, was very generous in sharing their pictures. The time when we scoured their family albums was actually one memorable time for me. Because even Obachan and Ojichan were taking out old photos that they were keeping in their drawers and shared them with everyone in the dining room. I particularly love that moment when together, Obachan and Ojichan were pouring over the old family album, laughing and pointing out something on the picture. Sweet.

We displayed a hundred pictures from our childhood up to our latest prenup. There were even pictures of the weddings of my parents’ and Hubby’s parents.

But having this string display earned us more than having something to display during reception.

We also earned memories as we “unearthed” old memories. Lovely.

I requested Hubby to buy the wooden pins at the last minute. Good thing that his flight to Manila for our wedding was in the evening so he had a few hours to drop by the 100yen-store in Kannai to buy these wooden pins. And yes, he had his guitar and big luggage with him when he went in looking for these pins. Thank you Hubby! 🙂

Raw photos courtesy of Dino Lara.

On Chocolate Hill

A chocolatey journey, with Yui!

Tag Archives: dino lara