Make your own monogram

What is a monogram? Well, according to dictionary.com:

mon·o·gram

–noun

1. a design consisting of two or more alphabetic letters combined or interlaced, commonly one's initials, often printed on stationery, embroidered on clothing, etc.

2. a single emblematic or decorative letter; applied initial.

–verb (used with object)

3. to decorate with a monogram.

Simply put, a wedding monogram would be a special icon made for the bride and groom. A logo that can be used to streamline all the design elements of their wedding. The monogram can be used on their invitations, giveaways, cake, ribbons, candles, napkins, fans, parasols, carpet, table numbers, anywhere they wish!

The monogram is simply another tool to make your wedding more personal. Something that "defines" you as a couple. Something that sets the mood and tone of your wedding.

Rare are the brides who can not "design" simple logos on Windows-based programs like Word or Powerpoint. Here's one I made on Powerpoint. Very easy to make.

For graphic design idiots like me who have no idea how to use Photoshop or similar design programs, there are a couple of websites that can help you design your monogram. Below is a monogram I "designed" from weddingchicks.com:

Here's another one:
Pretty too, right? You can customize the monogram depending on your wedding color motif.

Living in an era of downloadable wedding templates, you can practically design every aspect of your wedding yourself! I know that we'd want to avoid a cookie-cutter kind of wedding but going through some templates can provide that spark of inspiration when you get into a wedding slump.

Check out a new wedding blog I discovered for more free wedding downloadables: ruffledblog.com. You can download designs for menus, dessert names, postcards, almost everything you'll need for your wedding!

Have fun!

The lost (wedding) seal

Just a few weeks ago, I found myself wandering in Fully Booked while waiting for a movie to start. I was just mindlessly browsing the store and discovered that The Lost Symbol, the newest book of Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons is finally on paperback.

I like the cover page which shows the US Capitol building and a supposed traditional Freemason seal right smack in the middle.

No, this is not a book report so I'll skip to the wedding stuff...


I've always wanted to buy those seal sets (with letters from A-Z) that are available in Fully Booked so I was delighted to chance upon a seal that had wedding bells on it!



Admittedly, seals have lost their significance in modern times. We have just about all types of adhesives that do the job in "sealing" our correspondences. But just think, if we all had our own seals, then our letters, invitations and envelopes would have our personal mark -- aside from the widely accepted handwritten signature.

Wouldn't it be fun to receive a note that had a seal on it? The seal would be proof that the message had not been opened by anyone except the addressee, and further proof that the true sender had authenticated it with their personal stamp.

It exudes a certain kind of mystery, formality and importance. Its use may seem ancient and overly formal but I think it would match some couples' preference for using handwritten calligraphy on their invitations.

A bit of history about the seal.

My first attempt with a blue candle.
I waited for the wax to cool a little before stamping the seal on it.
Made a mistake by making the wax fall on the envelope while the flame was casting soot on the wax that's why it looks a tad bit murky.

Second attempt with a red candle.

Casting your insignia might take some practice, especially with the unpredictable nature of the wax but like all things, practice makes perfect. Aside from your invitations, you can use the seal for gift boxes, your wedding souvenirs, even place cards and escort cards.

Doing the seal may seem a bit tedious added to all the wedding preparations you need to take care of but if you're patient and in the mood for some old world touches to make your wedding a wee bit more special, using a seal might just do the trick.

Meanwhile, I'll be having fun with my new toy!

Marrying Manuals

Nothing can truly prepare you for marriage.

There are no foolproof strategies, how-to books, seminars or maps to help you navigate through this lifelong journey full of twists and turns. In planning your wedding however, there's an entire universe of movies, TV shows, books, fairs, websites and magazines to help you plan the look and feel of your wedding.

Three local wedding magazines recently published new issues and the Wedding Enthusiast gives you a peek into their pages:

Wedding Essentials still holds the record for being the thickest magazine. Their current issue holds drool-worthy table set-ups, creative cakes, flowers and gowns not just for the bride, but her ladies in waiting as well.

Beach Table details in Shangri-La Boracay by Teddy Manuel

Painting John Hay red by Nikki Chatto

Morrocan-inspired elements at Bella Roca

Cake Artist Judy Uson channeling Marie Antoinette for this wedding cake. J' adore!

Cooky, cutesy, crafty creations from Claycakes. (Ok, say that 10 times).

An art deco-themed cake by Teacakes.

I liked this particular challenge that WE asked of several florists and stylists: "Create a bouquet without flowers."

Judy Uson's sweet bouquet made of sugar flowers. I'd totally devour this, literally.

Fabric flowers with twine. Very rustic-chic and feminine. I like.

This beach-themed bouquet is simply adorable!
Just think, the bride need not worry that her bouquet might wilt with the harsh beach environment.
I'd push this further by making all the wedding decor made of shells, corals or pearls for the aisle and tables.

Although I get the objective of the challenge, I just can't imagine having a bouquet of bottle caps and cut-out aluminum cans without the bride lacerating anyone who comes near her. Haha!

Also featured in this issue are ways to dress up the chairs at the wedding reception and different blooms to match bridal bouquets. It maybe a tad bit heavy on the budget to do this to all the guest chairs, so maybe stylized chairs could be reserved for just the couple.

Hawaiian Lei

A chair fit for royalty.

Tablescapes that mimic the bridal blooms.

A sample from my wedding florist, Joyce Aguilar of 2171 Floral Creations.

I also liked the bridesmaid gowns -- especially the bold cuts and bright colors -- that's if the bride doesn't mind being upstaged by her entourage. :-)

Ten years and counting, Metro Weddings recently launched its 10th Anniversary issue. Compared to Wedding Essentials' school annual type of lay-out, I like the vibe of Metro Weddings more which exudes a modern and playful magazine style.

I reminisced as I turned the pages of this issue, remembering the most memorable features of the past 10 years.





While most wedding magazines would suggest things that you should do in your wedding, this issue had an article that suggested what NOT to do -- an AVP that was too long, having not enough food for all your guests, just to name a few.

A newbie in the wedding magazine arena is Wedding Belle. Similar to Wedding Essentials and Metro Weddings, this magazine was overflowing with lovely ideas for invitations, cakes, flowers, gifts, destinations and other wedding details.

The cakes that matched the invitations were simply delightful! Just too yummy for my eyes!

Wedding Belle never fails to feature the newest trends -- fashion, ceremony and reception ideas, anything that is sure to catch the attention of your guests and make your wedding truly memorable.

For its set-ups, Wedding Belle works with permutations of different colors.

Aside from the expected photos of set-ups, flowers and wedding paraphernalia, I like the features on honeymoon destinations and design suggestions for the newlyweds' first home.




These magazines could very well be your starting point in creating an inspiration board (sometimes called a "mood board" for your wedding -- but that deserves a different post. :-)

Pretty, pretty pictures! Go get your copies now! :-)

* no copyright infringement intended

Honeymoon Heaven

I can imagine that most people who will read this post have visited Boracay at least once in their lifetime. But this post is not for those who go to Boracay for golf, meet up with friends who love to party all night, get drunk and wake up the next day wasted on the beach. This is for those who want to see a different side of Boracay. Space. Serenity. 5-star hotel service. This is for those who want to go home spoiled rotten. :-) At the last travel fair, hubby and I decided to buy really cheap plane tickets to the Philippines' beach capital, Boracay. I purposely postponed booking a resort until after the summer vacation because most resorts would still offer their peak season rates. Since I had not been to Boracay since 2006, I had to rely on the resort websites for information and call the resort offices one by one to ask if they had available rooms. To my disappointment, the more established ones had booking officers who were not too accommodating  in providing me a formal quotation for a 3-day, 2 night stay for a family of four. Luckily, my boss attended a wedding in Boracay recently at Asya Premier Suites. I saw the photos she posted on Facebook and well, to cut the story short, envy got the better of me. I called Asya Premier's Manila office and inquired. I was patiently attended to by their sales officer, and not once did I hear an unfriendly tone in her voice. After comparing the amenities and rates of the newest resorts, I decided that Asya was it. Well, it was also after the sales officer mentioned that all rooms were 110 square meters each. :-p For some people, Boracay is Boracay is Boracay. But Asya Premier redefines the Boracay experience. For one, it has its own little harbor. After arriving at the Caticlan airport, we were fetched by a van that took us to the Caticlan jetty. We rode a speedboat and in about 15 minutes, we docked at Asya Premier's private port. Another van fetched us and brought us straight to the resort. That speedy transfer already spells a world of difference from the usual motorized banca rides offered by other resorts.

Asya Premier's port and speedboat

Asya Premier Suites is located at the far end of White Beach. Still accessible but offers more privacy than most of the resorts and hotels located between Station 1 and 3. Each of the suites are located atop a hill facing the Sulu Sea.

The entrance to Asya Premier. The golfcart in the photo is one of the few that they have on standby to take the guests around the resort. (Yes, yes, you don't have to sweat in the blistering heat, your highness).

There goes hubby and our unica hija through the portal to paradise.

As we entered the resort, we were offered cold towels... and warm smiles.

The beach-chic reception area.

Non-alcoholic frozen mojitos! Coooool.

The view of the sea from the reception area.

Wedged between the steps are smooth stones where water flows into little pools.

The sound of water trickling adds a spa-feel to the resort.

We booked the earliest flight to Caticlan so we had to wait till 2pm to check in. The super friendly staff of Asya offered the business center as our waiting area which had a flatscreen and a computer to keep us preoccupied.

After about an hour, we decided to go to the main beach and have breakfast. When we finally checked in, the Asya staff oriented us on the room amenities and resort services. The kids lost no time in getting ready to swim in the pool.

Steps leading to our room.

The anteroom or receiving area.

The bedroom.

There are sliding doors that can separate the anteroom and the bedroom for more privacy.

The veranda.

The view from the veranda.

The H-U-G-E bathroom.

Fluffy bathrobes and towels? Check.

5-star hotel bathroom items? Check. L 'Occitane toiletries? Super check.

Just like in 5-star hotels, we would come back to our room with everything fresh, clean and in immaculate order after a whole day at the beach. Yes, they know exactly how to spoil their guests.

Your own private little cove.

No oil-spilling boats obstructing your view and polluting the beachfront. No boatmen offering boat rides. No vendors. Peace and quiet? Lots.

Comfy beachbeds, attendants to offer you fresh towels or fresh fruit shakes...paradise!

Asya Premier's in-house restaurant, Palay.

The wine room.

The steps luring you to the beach from the pool area.

The pool area where we spent half a day just happily wading until our toes and fingers got all wrinkly.

The resort was 100% occupied during our stay but it felt like we were the only ones there. And that was a good thing. :-P Asya also won me over with the genuine service that each staff member graciously showed our family. Our needs were always anticipated, our requests were promptly attended to and our questions were never left unanswered.

That's my son trying out the kayak.

The view from the Palay Restaurant pool deck.

And as the sun sets, you'd wish you had the remote so you can press the pause button. :-)

In my opinion, honeymoon is hubby-and-wife-time and if you're thinking of spending it in Boracay, staying in Asya Premier Suites will make you wish your honeymoon would last forever. Asya Premier Suites. Truly for the pampered few. Sitio Cagban, Barangay Manoc-Manoc, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, Philippines Tel.No: (+6336) 288.1790 Telefax: (+6336) 288.1789 BOOKING OFFICE Unit 3, 3/F Eight One Eight Bldg. 818 Pasay Road, Makati City 1223 Tel.Nos: (+632) 892.0138 / (+632) 893.5276 Fax No: (+632) 893.5278 www.asyapremier-boracay.com