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 ”Cause if you it then you shoulda put a ring on it!” 

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This complete wedding guidebook provides a quick and easy explanation on how to properly plan and execute one’s matrimonial date DIY-style while avoiding the many pitfalls and mistakes of ill-planned weddings. This great reference book contains questions to ask wedding suppliers, practical advice and checklist of activities to make everything runs smoothly.

“Your Wedding Handy Guidebook” - by pioneering events planner, Rita Neri -  is published by Anvil Publishing Inc. and currently available in National Bookstore with affordable retail price of Php295.00.  It is also available online via Anvil’s website.

For inquiries, contact Ms. Angie at 893-0534/0920-920-9615 or email info@ritanereventplanners.com.

Since September this year, we’ve been getting comments from 2012 brides asking when we’ll be posting our list of auspicious dates for next year.  Although we have traditionally posted our annual list every Chinese New Year, we decided to come out with next year’s list earlier than usual as planning a wedding starts with a having a specific date in mind.
If you have already chosen a date and it doesn’t appear in the list below, do not fret! The ‘good’ dates indicated below are meant as general guide only. Weekend dates are in red so they are easier to spot.

Although these dates are based on tung shu (Chinese Almanac) and appeared in the list from at least three different sources, we do not claim that we have the final say on the matter.

We advise soon-to-weds who value feng shui to consult with a professional and trusted feng shui master by giving each of their birth dates and exact birth time (sometimes even birth information of the parents from both sides) for a more accurate analysis.

See our 2012 list of ‘lucky’ dates.

After airing our pilot episode for W@W Chat, we received messages from soon-to-weds who got concerned with what to serve their suppliers on their wedding preps.  They knew the suppliers will be there from start to finish on their big day, but never did they realize that that involved 12 hours of work for people working for their wedding.  Say, a supplier takes his lunch during lull time in the preps, his next meal will likely be around 9PM (or even later) when the reception is about to wrap up or on the way back home.

Q. Which is better, Crew Meal or Food Allowance?

Food allowance takes the hassle off the bride/wedding planner who doesn’t need to think of what to serve anymore. Having a crew meal will ensure that your suppliers are within the area anytime if and when you need them.

Q. What is a reasonable amount for a supplier’s food allowance?

We asked around and found out from the wedding planners the minimum rate: P150 for lunch and P300 for dinner

Q. Is is true that wedding suppliers are not fond of chicken?

It seems that chicken is the most convenient rice meal one could buy so it’s no wonder that it’s the most frequently served packed meal.

Benz did some research and here’s we found out that there are food businesses out there who could cater specifically for the meals of the suppliers.

Crew Meals To Go (crewmeals@gmail.com | 0922.812.5299) and AlGo (almostgourmet.com.ph | 0917.810.0110) are two entities that could fulfill the requirements of supplying the crew meals for your suppliers.  Their rates are in the P140-170 price range; well within the recommended budget of most wedding planners.

Personally, we haven’t tried their meals yet, but they come recommended by those who have.  Email them for their menu. 

A few tips for the destination wedding bride (as published in Inquirer Lifestyle)

• Plan ahead. Give yourself at least one year to organize your wedding. This means not just you and your entourage and family, but your guests as well. Send out “mark the date” notices long before official invites, and request your guests to confirm attendance early so you can settle budget, expenses and accommodations. It’s crucial to note that marrying abroad means you will be subject to the destination country’s currency fluctuations vs. the Philippine peso, so it’s best to save up ahead in the currency of the country you will be in if you have a chance to get low exchange rates while in the planning phase.

•  Find out what’s best to source from here – and there – so you can  make practical decisions. This varies for every bride. You’ll have to do some research and pencil-pushing for  this, to compare the prices of sourcing it there or shipping it from  Manila.

•  Learn about the wedding quirks and nuances of your destination of choice. France and Spain require proof of a 40-day residency. An NBI clearance is among the documents you have to submit if you want to get married in China. And if you had a previous marriage that’s been annulled, you’d still have to wait a year if you want to tie the knot in Italy. Besides reading up on the country and its culture, actual visits are the best way to learn about your selected destination. When faced with challenges and doubts during the preparation stage, the trips will also serve to remind you of why you chose it in the first place.

• Be clear on what expenses you will cover. You can invite whom you want but you’re not expected to pay for everyone’s airfare. You may have to shoulder the expenses of your parents, grandparents, and children, if any. If you’re close, be frank and ask siblings and friends to take care of their tickets in lieu of a wedding present. The practice with other nationalities during a destination wedding is that they do not even have to pay for the accommodations of the guests, but since we are Filipino, we usually do a compromise. [source]