Prenup: Round 2

As you know, we had our first prenuptial photoshoot last February courtesy of Imaginenation's Liz Ranola and Angelene Ong when we attended the Before I Do Pre-wedding Workshop.  The seminar-workshop was really very practical and insightful, and we highly recommend it to all who are getting married.  As an added bonus, we were given a free prenuptial photoshoot which was a truly memorable and fun experience.  Even if we started at around 2PM and ended at almost 8PM, we enjoyed it so much.  So imagine our happiness when our main photographer offered to do a second shoot with us --- free of charge!  Wow!!! Thank you so much, Lord, for this additional blessing!

So without further ado, here's our second prenup shoot taken at our beloved UP Diliman :-)  Why UP?  Well, we are both alumni of the university.  This is also where we first met.  :-)

Enjoy, folks!

at the Academic Hall overlooking the Amphitheater

Hahaha I felt like a politician's wife here.

With the oblation as a background

M + I

Props we didn't get to use last time

A must-read :-)

My favorite photo from this set :-)

Check out the "vendor"

Cheese flavor!

Did you know that we first laid our eyes on each other on a UPD Ikot jeep?  We were supposed to meet around 4PM of April 18, but then we both arrived in UP a little earlier.....

Check out the sign board :-)

My make-up artist (no, it's not Rae, who did a wonderful job with our first prenup and who will do my wedding make-up) didn't arrive, so I ended up doing my own hair and make-up.  But I think I looked okay with very light foundation and just lipstick, plus Liz was really good in coaching us with the poses, considering we are soooo shy.  So I just let it go and posed anyway :-)  When I finally got my CD of the pictures, I was really glued to the screen of my pc.  The pictures were really vibrant and great, and the outcome was more than what we had expected ---- not because of us, but because we were in the hands of a very artistic and talented girl behind the lens.

I didn't expect that God would give us a second prenup through Liz.  So thank you, God, for this wonderful surprise, and for blessing Liz with so much talent :-)

Next on my blog backlog:  my gown and other updates! Yay!

Still High and Updates

a shot at the staircase

It has been almost a month since our prenup photoshoot with the girls of Imagine Nation, Liz, Angelene and Madoka.  But as you know, I still have prenup hang-over even if it was already a long time ago.

The events of the past few days are just downright crazy.  I defended my thesis last Tuesday, and praise God, I passed it.  I'm graduating this April!  I'm so excited to wear my sablay already.  But first, I need to sit down and finish my paper's revisions.

Which means I'll have to say good bye for now as I haven't caught a wink for the last 36 hours :-(  Boo, eye bags.  After this I really am going back to posting over at W@W and updating this blog.

Oh, and I haven't told you yet.  We bought our wedding rings already :-)  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  I'll save that for another post :-p
  

Prenup hangover

This shoot was done last Sunday, February 26, 2012, but apparently, we still have our prenup hangover ;-)
And who wouldn't?  When you've got three (yes, three!) amazing lady photographers, a very talented make-up artist, and a very good hairstylist, you've got one amazing photo shoot.

Originally, we only had two photographers:  Liz Ranola and Anj Ong from Imagine Nation.  We got their prenup service for free when we joined Before I Do Pre-wedding workshop last November.  However, when we shot some scenes at Little Tokyo, another lady photographer from Imagine Nation, Madoka Kashiwazaki, joined in.  What a blessing!  Plus, I finally met my wedding hair and make-up artists, Nhot Bituin and Rae Venturanza.  I knew I can relax because I'm in very good hands with these talented, creative and highly reliable suppliers  ;-)

I earlier featured the shots taken by our prenup main photographer, Liz Ranola.  Check out her works at http://lizranola.blogspot.com/ and http://lizranola.carbonmade.com/.  This time, let me share some of what Madoka captured.  Please check out her blog at http://madoka.com.ph/.  Oh, and please try their family-run restaurant, Riozen at Little Tokyo, Makati City.  We loved the salmon sushi featured in the shoot, but they do offer other authentic Japanese food that will satisfy your cravings.  We'll definitely be back!

Enjoy the rest of the pictures!

It was still day time when this was shot.  I don't know how they made it into night time but I know only of one thing:  I really do have very awesome photographers.  Thank God for their creativity!

This was shot inside Riozen in Little Tokyo.  That salmon sushi tasted sooooo good.  We're definitely going back!

Our photographers saw the Kanji on the lanterns, and decided to shoot us with those lanterns as background.  I'm so happy with the outcome.  We really did look like we were in Tokyo in this shoot, didn't we? 

Here's Madoka's take of us in that Little Tokyo bridge.  Nice!

Finally, we had our prenup!

When we attended the Before I Do Pre-wedding Workshop last year, the organizers (led by John Mateos Ong) gave a free prenuptial photo shoot to all the attendees. Yehey!!!  What a blessing!  This is truly a double delight, because not only did we learn so many things from the workshop which we can apply even before marriage, but we also got a fun, prenuptial shoot by very creative photographers from Sir Jong's studio, Imagine Nation.

Since early 2011, I've said I wanted a Japanese-themed wedding.  Japan is close to our hearts, and we're very much into almost all things Japanese, and so we were hoping we could incorporate such lovely elements to our big day.  Unfortunately, my mom felt it was too gimmicky, so we had to drop the idea.  But when it was time for our prenup, I didn't even think twice about having a Japanese-inspired photo shoot, since I can't have it on our wedding.  Oh, I went crazy and overboard putting together some things I'd like to see in the photos.  I didn't get a stylist since that will be so expensive, so I just browsed for pegs and came up with Kanji and calligraphy brushes, toys, origami, kendama, letters of our first names and numbers for the dates of our wedding, and some manga and other Japanese books.  I brought out my yukatas, and borrowed some more, in case we'll be wearing different ones.

For make-up, I initially told Rae I wanted a light gray eyeshadow.  But since it didn't suit my complexion, I trusted Rae with a natural, blushing bride look with emphasis to the eyes.  The Japanese women like to make their eyes look bigger, and since it's a Japanese-themed shoot, Rae made my eyes bigger too, in keeping with the theme ;-)  Nhot gave me cute big curls for my shoot that day.  For the wedding preview, he made it into a soft and semi-loose updo since I have a huge face hehehe ;-)

We shot from around 2PM and packed up at around past 8PM.  First stop was Enderun, then Little Tokyo, then back to Enderun.  By the time we were headed for Enderun again for the last few shots, Anj's camera registered around 700++ pictures already, and so did Liz's.  Whew!  I really thank God that I have very patient, very creative and very fun to be with suppliers, especially the photographers.  It's not easy having us as subjects, because we'd rather be the ones shooting the pics.  We're really shy and some of the photos would reflect how stiff we were hehehe ;-)  But since Liz and Anj were so easy to deal with, and since they have very nice ideas, we eventually warmed up to them ;-)  Looking at these pics makes me want to have another prenup!  ;-)

I give all my suppliers a grade of 5++++ (to the nth power) out of 5 for their patience, creativity and of course, for their excellent output!  We had a lot of time to talk during the shoot, and I really felt that they went beyond their duty and responsibility to make us feel at home and at ease.  Rae was even giving me tips how to pose, and Nhot was even giving me advice on what kind of gown to wear since I've put on a lot of pounds already.  Liz and Anj would tirelessly shoot from literally all angles just to get the perfect shots.  And how can I forget Noel Salazar, our main wedding photographer?  He dropped by to meet us, and also helped us feel at ease.  I can imagine how I'll end up with tummy ache because of laughing from wedding preps all the way to the ceremony.  It was truly a blessing to have all of them for this prenup shoot.  

So this is how it feels to be in front of the cameras ;-)  It was exciting and definitely fun, but we were also nervous if we were doing things right.  I'm so excited to get my photos by Monday next week.  And oh, it's Noel who will do the "checking" for my prenup photos.  Enjoy the preview!

Locations |  Enderun (Taguig City) and Little Tokyo (Makati City)
Make-up |  Rae Venturanza
Hair |  Nhot Bituin
Photography |  Liz Ranola and Anj Ong of Imagine Nation Photography

a shot inside the restaurant

looking up

outside one of the buildings at Enderun

I didn't get to use many of the props that I brought.  But that's okay, because when we started shooting at Little Tokyo, the place looked so Japanese.  There was no need for more props.  All we had to do was just pose ;-)

by the bridge at Little Tokyo

:-)

check out the Kanji in the lanterns!

Salmon sushi is love!  

This resto, Riozen, serves authentic Japanese food.  Super yummy!!!!!!

tabetai!!!!

Good thing there was another group doing a shoot there.  We borrowed their umbrella.  Hahaha!!!!!

flare lovin'

last shot at Little Tokyo

Double delights: a pre-wedding seminar and a prenup pictorial!

Marriage is supposed to be for keeps.  It's a lifetime commitment for better or for worse.  So how do you make it last and weather all sorts of trials and problems?

Honestly, I do not know the answers.  Of course, we need to put God in the center of our relationship, and to follow Biblical principles for marriage and parenting.  But the truth is, I know I'll never know what to do until I myself am there in that situation.  So it's best to be prepared beforehand, even at least in theory, to avert all sorts of troubles that may be avoided.

M and I both agreed that we need a lot of marriage counseling, as there are problems and concerns which might find their way into our marriage and cause friction between the two of us.  Thankfully, we have a lot of support from our family and friends, and even churchmates, who pray for us always and are ever-ready to give Biblical advice.  I really thank God that He has given me a man with whose faith I share, and with whose principles I agree.  I am also grateful to God for giving me so many ideas even before I got into a relationship with M!  Yes, I attended all the parenting seminars of my church.  Why, even the sermon series these days are about parenting and taking charge of your family / group! 

When I brought up the topic of a pre-wedding seminar to M, he was naturally for it.  Thank God!  So last Wednesday, I finally had free time in the afternoon so I went to BDO at SM Megamall  and paid the downpayment for what is going to be one of the best decisions M and I have made for our wedding preparations. You see, we both signed up for Before I Do pre-wedding workshop as we know that marriage goes beyond feelings and emotions.  It's a lifetime commitment before God, our families and friends, and we have to be determined to keep this marriage at all costs.

Before I Do is a pre-wedding workshop the aim of which is to educate couples about the many facets of marriage based on sound biblical principles. I didn't know that it was conceived by my churchmate and one of my favorite photographers, John Mateos Ong and huis wife Monique.  The workshop includes topics like Sex & Marriage, Financial Responsibility, Communication, the Five Love Languages, and Biblical Roles of Husband and Wife.  The workshop is interactive because after each topic, participants break up into small groups for either an activity or sharing of experience and shared reflections. Check out what it is all about from this website.

For only one thousand and five hundred pesos (PHP 1,500), M and I can participate in this seminar-workshop on November 5 and take home freebies too.  Wow!  I was literally running to BDO Megamall to hand over my payment.  Only twenty-five (25) couples may be accomodated every workshop, so I was really relieved when we were still taken in.   

And here's the part I like the most:  we get to have free prenuptial photo shoot anytime between November 2011 and April 2012 (except holidays and week ends).  Praise God indeed!  I couldn't stop saying wow while reading their confirmation email.  A free prenup from Before I Do means that I now have two prenups!  Remember, I won a prenup pictorial a few months ago?

So now I have a hundred and one more reasons to slim down and stay fit....I better look good in those two prenups hehehe ;-)

I you and your H2B are serious about preserving your upcoming marriage, do check out Before I Do.  It runs only every April and November.  Hurry, reserve your slot before it's too late!

We won a prenup! うれしい！！！！！！

I couldn't believe it when I saw my inbox.  We won a free prenuptial pictorial, courtesy of Jane's (of Weddings at Work) friend, Ross, who is into photography.  Unbelievable, but so true!

It was a long day at work and I had just gotten home when I decided to check my email.  The topic of a free prenuptial photoshoot was the current buzzword in the W@W community, and bride-to-be's were asking if there would be a free prenup anytime soon.  Jane graciously emailed the group to say that her friend is very much willing to shoot 3 lucky couples for free, provided that they email the concept first and get his approval.

Without reservations, I immediately emailed that I am going to have a Japanese-inspired prenup, complete with yukatta and all.  Here's what I exactly wrote on my email:

Hi Sis Jane,

I hope ma-consider pa kami ni h2b for freenup.  Anyway, here's my try:
Prenup Theme:  Japanese
Location:  UP Bonsai Garden, or anywhere as long as it's garden.  Pwede rin siguro sa isang bookstore like Fully Booked, or sa library na lang ng isang university
Date: Kung pwede sana Sunday or Monday, any time.

H2B and I are bound by one thing in common:  Japanese language, kasi teacher ako ng Japanese, at siya naman nag-aral ng language din na yun.

Pls keep us updated.  Maraming salamat!

And the rest was history.  :-) 

A few months ago, I blogged about having a Japanese-themed wedding.  It's now my turn to translate all things Japanese for my up and coming prenup.  And I couldn't be more thankful for having such a talented, accomodating and wonderful photographer in Ross.  Check out his sample works here and here.

たのしみ！！！

Can't wait to do something similar yet also quite different from the ones already done by W@W 2010 brides...

Marc and Rai @ UP Bonsai Garden, shot by Val Bunao with costumes from the Sinag Arts Foundation (Rental Fee: Php1,500/set)

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Jason and Rich @ The Silangan Gardens, Antipolo, shot by one of my favorite photographers, Toto Villaruel

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