Unique (non-traditional, rebellious) Wedding

[ToughEmpress]

Hi MOD. Please move or PM me if meron ng same topic. Sorry, so tamad to browse the topics.

From the start, bf and I have already agreed on a few things already. Like on choosing a very few people na we are emotionally connected and not just dahil kakilala lang or kaibigan as witnesses to our wedding. Criteria is there should be that connection. Also, we are skipping unnecessary (we think!) 'traditional' activities or things sa weddings.

1. Wedding Theme - nothing too specific basta it should be laidback, happy and celebration of love (and hopefully will serve as renewal of love sa mga married and still together guests)

2. Ceremony

a. Bridesmaids and Groomsmen - we decided to make our Ninongs and Ninangs to stand as Bridesmaids and Groomsmen, too. In the first place, first 4 of 6 pairs ng principal sponsors are mag-asawa talaga lahat. We think it's more reasonable to make them as your veil, cord and candle, etc. since mas alam nila the purpose of these symbols. Well, our chosen PS naman are not yet too-old and we think will be up for this.

b. Seating arrangements in the Church - Ninongs and Ninangs are magkakatabi. Hindi nakahiwalay ang babae sa lalaki.

c. Ring/Bible/Coin Bearers - kids are all within the immediate families on both sides and not younger than 6 yo.

d. Attire - Principal Sponsors, semi-casual but elegant dress or jumpsuit, no-no to ninang gowns.

e. I'll be having my closest male friend to be my Man of Honor.


3. Wedding Gown - finalized and with bf's permission too for a Blush Pink Wedding Gown - yey!!

4. Guests - comprised of strictly chosen close family, relatives and friends kaya max of 100 and right now, nasa 80+ pa lang kami. Kasama na dun the kids of the principal sponsors na hindi naman namin masyado ka-close. hehe. This one kasi is unavoidable since after the wedding, their families will be a part of ours na rin naman.

5. Reception

a. No VIP tables for the principal sponsors

b. No couples table and chairs infront, we will be joining with the rest of the guests.

c. Aiming for rectangular tables so that it can accommodate more persons and we feel this is more intimate.

d. We plan na sit-in ang food serving meaning hindi buffet style para hindi na pipila ang mga guests.

e. Dove/Throwing of Bouquet/Wine/Cutting of the Cake, etc. - We plan on skipping all of these and instead do the Sand Ceremony and the Boxing of something na nadiscover ko sa Pinterest

6. Favors - this is multi-purpose. we plan on having these photo-framed bible quotes as deco sa tables and this will serve as favors na rin sa guests. lalagyan na lang namin ng names each frames.

7. Flowers

a. Bouquet - i intend to have the fabric or felt bouquet so I can use it pa sa promised Caleruega Wedding sakin ni bf on our 10th year anniversary.

b. Candy Bouquets for female kids included in the entourage.

c. DIY Fresh Flowers for the Principal Sponsors.


So far, eto pa lang naisip ko. You are free to react if you find our plans weird. I'd love to hear from you. And add up on your own unique plans para magka-idea rin other brides

[Anyamcbeal]

Hi sis ToughEmpress. I just can't help but reply on your post. Just sharing that our's will be somehow, somewhat different than the usual weddings (i dont have anything against the traditional one's though) like what you have in mind sis. I am a december 2013 bride by the way, and we are done mostly with the bookings.

First, our wedding wont be in manila, we opted to have it in cebu to stay away from the busy city. And to have our guestlist exclusive to just few family and closest friends. Our total headcount is 27 pax, that includes us as well. We only have Two pairs of sponsors and the the secondary sponsors are my three best friends since highschool with their respective husbands as their partners as well. My five year old daughter will be my maid of honor.

Reception will be on the beach with no programs at all but music and dancing, and drinks all through the night. I am doing the all of the paraphernalia's for the wedding. And when I say Diy, i meant all handmade,handcrafted and handwritten by me, that's how personalized i wanted everything to be.

The affair being 3 days, we plan to have the get-together dinner before the wedding on a videoke house for laid back and comfortable atmosphere. Then will have a little tour of mactan the next day after the wedding.

For this wedding, our focus is to have the ceremony as solemn,and as memorable as possible, that is why we tried to look for the smallest chapel in the area, thank god we found one. Then everything else followed.

Our goal really is not to be entirely rebellious or different. We just want to enjoy this wedding, with no pretentions, with the best people who would want to see us really happy in every sense of the word.

And like you, we choose to be laid back, but with a little theme.Boho-chic to be exact. We wont be having any traditional ceremonies like cake cutting etc. Instead of a tower cake, we will have birthday cakes, because my birthday is on the same month. The speeches will be done on the get-together dinner, definitely not on the reception hahaha!

Oops sorry long read, but I am happy to share my thoughts. Have a happy preps sis:)

[ToughEmpress]

^Wow, sis! Thank you for sharing. I'm sure your wedding will be really meaningful add to that, destination wedding pa sya.

Reception will be on the beach with no programs at all but music and dancing, and drinks all through the night.

- I like this idea, sis. Will serve as celebration talaga and not just focus sa couple. 

[simplybrilliant]

Hi sis Tough Empress,

Our wedding will be this May 24 na - our church wedding after 10 years of being civilly wed couple.  And like you, madami din akong tingin ko not so traditional.  Here they are:

1.) Ceremony
- Mr. and Mrs. ninong/ninangs and secondary sponsors and their kids are our bearers/fg's as well
- Hindi na parents ko maghahatid sa kin kundi ang 2 boys ko.  My parents will march along with the kids then iiwanan na nila mga kids halfway to wait for me.  Sort of "ihahabilin nako sa 2 boys ko".
- Mga ninong and ninang ko, since mga close sa amin, sinasabihan ko din na they can wear whatever pang ninong/ninang dress sa closet nila at wag na gumastos pa, though may color motiff pa din for the secondary, fg's and bearers.

2.) Reception
- Very laid back.  As I may say a "backyard reception".  The usual catering set-up pa din but we will be having a "beer drinker's feast", barbeque, videoke and dancing after the formal program.  Sa Beatriz garden reception namin, so good thing walang limit and time and our guests can sleep there na after -- kaya one to sawa din ang aming hapi hapi and party party.
- We will still be having the traditions but this is what we do:
kagaya ng concept mo na your wedding will be a celebration of love sa lahat ng couples na nandun... heto gagawin namin:

NO PRESIDENTIAL TABLE
- Ninongs/Ninangs will have a designated table na kasama family nila and friends.  Ang guestlist namin nsa 100 kasama na kids ng mga guests.  Kung umakyat man guest count eh coming from the office namin yun ni hubby pero maximum of 120 lang siguro.

CAKE CUTTING
- we will do the tradition first then after namin, all the couples will duplicate the cake tradition in their respesctive tables...so lalagyan namin ng mini cakes na bawat table.  The same will be done sa wine toast.

GARTER AND BOUQUET
- secret pa sana to.  Hopefully, wala kaming sponsors an member ng gt..hehe.  We will have a game first...tatawagin namin ang ilang single guests...I'm sure kakabahan mga yun kasi mga single friends ko, iniiwasan to sa lahat ng wedding to the point na magbibihis na sila ng maong after coming from the church para di sila matawag...I'm sure di naman nila gagawin sa wedding so we'll call them in front...kaba kaba sila, ayaw ayaw sila but ang gagawin lang namin is make them judges sa games para sa ninong/ninang.  Ang game for the ninong/ninangs eh "naughtiest pick up line" -- yung tipong "chicharon ka ba? kasi ang ingay mo pag kinakain kita"...hehe.  Then ang mananalong ninong/ninang bibigyan ng price na pagbukas nila eh bouquet at garter pala... so we'll tell them na they re-live the times na bata pa sila at nasa wedding sila...hehe.  so I can imagine ang medyo matanda ng ninang na nilalagyan ng garter.  hehe

BRIDAL CAR
- We will use our own car. 

WAY FROM CHURCH TO RECEPTION
- We will put yellow balloons sa cars and we will be having our "rider's club" kung san member si hubby to lead the cars to the reception... or kung my mga mahuli man -- nasa daan lang members ng riders club to usher and ang clue na guests namin mga nakasakay sa cars are the yellow balloons.

INVITES
- heto talaga ang pinaghihirapan ko pa till now kasi I really wanted this -- NEWSPAPER INVITES.  Hindi pa yata ako nakakakita nito... sa far as I know. Papacopyright ko nga after.hehe. As in newspaper cya.  Ang headline, about sa wedding namin. Then there's a page na i fefeature mga ninongs/ninangs with their pictures at ilalagay namin dun kung bakit namin sila napili.  Same with the secondary and all the members of the entou --- nakafeature sila kung bakit sila napili at we really have reasons kasi the closest and people who touched our lives ang entou namin.  Then we will have a section for our parents -- mga thank you's.  Our love story.  I will also have the editorial... my sister is helping me din for other articles... nandun na maps and directions -- gifts -- section na "messages from across the globe" na ilalagay namin mga fb messages ng friends abroad na gustong gusto sana makapunta but ang layo nga nila..... basically, lahat ng laman ng dapat wedsite ilalagay ko sa newspaper nalang since mga ninong /ninang si na mahilig sa FB.  At pag dineliver namin news invites eh early morning may kasamang kape...hehe.  I want to surprise them with the features -- I want them to realize na they are so important kaya sila nasa wedding.
- hirap nga lang kasi I have to access their FB's, hanap ng magandang pics nila...yung mga walang fb, sinisikretuhan ang maids na magbigay ng pictures ng bossing nila..

hayyy, haba na sis pero... Just want to share... pati excitement ko.

[j.adore]

Looooove this topic! Finally, something I can relate to
Finished detailing with my "style consultant" last week at ang nasabi lang niya sa akin ay "iba ka" hahaha

wedding gown - I'll have it in my favorite color kasi di ko talaga type white, cream, ecru, etc. Hindi din siya ala-ball gown na mahirap gumalaw. Ayaw ko mag "suffer for fashion" on my big day.

veil - Wala ako nito.

groom's shoes - Sabi ko sa kanya, pwede niya suotin kahit ano gusto niya pero di pa siya decided kung magpapakaformal o yung mga favorite niya na sneakers/rubbers. Personally, I think he should go for the latter

flowers - NONE as in wala akong flower girls, hindi flower bouquet ko at ng mga SS kasi di ko din type ang flowers
Yung sa reception table set-up, malalaman ko sa meeting with the caterer kung pwede maconvert sa ibang bagay instead of flowers kasi kasama siya sa package talaga nila.

dog bearer - Only dog lovers like me would understand since he is part of our family and he's been around for quite some time already gora na ang venue basta hindi magkakalat o manggugulo (diaper ang solution). church, di ko pa alam kasi bawal daw pero baka naman mapakiusapan yung parish priest kasi creation of God din naman siya

dress code - Siguro maglalagay ako ng hiwalay na papel sa invitation na may mga picture para may idea mga guests sa susuotin nila. Yung hindi naman mahirap hanapin pero nakaka-OC kasi talaga pag may di sumunod Pet peeve ko ito kahit sa ibang kasal na guest lang ako.

date/day - September at Monday! Anniversary namin and it's non-negotiable since any other date does not feel special at all.

guests - Mga close lang talaga namin invited and because they love us, attend sila kahit hindi popular date/day ang wedding namin

RSVP - 100 guests lang kami so kailangan talaga masunod ito. Kakausapin ko na lang sila na seryosohan kasi balak namin mag-place card sa tables so kung wala pangalan nila, di sila allow ng caterer/coordinator.

bridal car - We'll also use our own car and it's not white.

long tables - We'll opt for this instead of circular ones saka para din maka-mingle mga guests. Meron pa din VIP table kasi kasali siya sa package ng caterer tapos dun na din kami ni Fiance, hindi na separate couple table sa harap. Awkward kasi saka baka makita pa nila gano kadami kinain namin

reception program - Short thank you speech, father-daughter/mother-son dance, couple's dance (yung lively not the usual sweet dance)
So far eto pa lang. Di ko pa naisip kung gagawin mga traditional ones o more of games and fun activities na lang. Yung tradition kasi kung gusto ng parents namin, gora na!

no photobooth, no mobile bar, no candy buffet, etc.



Sis simplybrilliant, super love the invites idea! Wala dito sa Pinas pero abroad madami na hehe I Googled it http://www.newsfavor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Newspaper-Style-Wedding-Invitation-0001-300x300.jpg
Pwede ba magpagawa sayo if ever? Though di yata bagay sa theme namin. Check ko pa.

[simplybrilliant]

^pwede kita refer sa printing press sis if ever...pero the contents, mahirap gawin. muntik na nga ako sumuko at papagawa nalang ako traditional invites pero gusto ko talaga yun eh.  it's a way of saying thank you kasi to everyone...I can express there mga things na di ko masabi sa kanila in person.  Thanks sis sa link ng newpaper invites....up to now wala pa kasi ako name ng newspaper, ayun! galing pakopya nalang ng "THE LOVE JOURNAL" nila

[j.adore]

Sige I'll contact you sis! Meron din "The Wedding Times" or parang ganito http://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/6260292/il_fullxfull.333043801.jpg

[simplybrilliant]

Thanks again sis.  Lam mo ba maloka loka ako mag-isip kung ano magiging name ng newpaper -- dami nga pala, MY HAPPY TIMES; THE WEDDING SPECIAL etc.  Lam mo di ko naisip i Google to dati ah... meron ako nakita sa Google before pero parang magazine invites naman.... eh masyado na mahal yun.

[j.adore]

Happy to help sis I vote for The Love Journal!
Best friend ko si Google Image Search sa wedding preps kasi. O kaya Flickr tapos Pinterest

[Anyamcbeal]

I super like this thread!!

Just sharing again. My invites will be a personalized, hand-written letter for each and everyone of the guest (around 15 invites lang naman ang need namin). Unlike the other type invites, I wanted to write them a letter that tells them na they are invited sa wedding, i actually spent two months conceptualizing and making mock invites and finally I am on the roll to reproduce them by hand. Medyo tedious nga lang pero very inspired naman ako kaya I know kakayanin ko ang 15 pcs. Hindi ko na sya lalagyan ng names ng mga sponsors etc, instead, I'll ask my stylist to put up a little chalk board on the chapel door and write the line-up of the sponsors, in advance naman alam na ng mga friends ko kung anung role nila so I know it wont cause any confusion. The bouquets and buttonierres, i'll start pag naipamigay ko na ang invites, anyways,I have on hand naman na the materials I will need ( these are from my craft collections from few years back pa, good thing mgagamit na sila finally).

I have no plans of wearing jewelry, instead, those chunky turquoise bracelets na nkikita ko sa pinterest hehe. My friends will also wear any accesories na gusto nila, I am giving them no restrictions kasi I also want them to feel and enjoy the vibe of the theme.

What else? For now, yan muna. Happy preps girls!

[ToughEmpress]

@j.adore: I'm an animal lover, too. I really love to make my dog a part of the ceremony and the reception kaya lang she's so big, labrador kasi and semi-trained lang sya. At age 7, lie-low na naman ang pagka hyper nya pero she barks often since hindi sya masyadong socialized. Our motiff is yellow in accordance to her color and supposed to be secondary color namin is black para naman sa second lab ko kaya lang in the long run parang ayaw ko ng may black sa wedding namin. We want the event to be happy so dapat happy colors.

[mooncake and leaves]

great thread

not really going for unique. just really looking to save. here's what i have in mind so far:

guests-40-50
engagement ring-i don't want a diamond. at this point, not even sure i want one with a stone.
attire: rented tux for him: rtw dress for me
p/v: nada, won't go with a professional. maybe.

we won't have: photo shoots, photo booth, favors, open bar, wedding cake. we'll have a cake probably; it just won't be a custom-made one na tagged talaga as wedding cake. thinking about just buying several yummy cakes and cupcakes from our trusted shops around the area. baka bili na lang din kaming bottles of red and white wine. no band, no dj. bahala na si manong iPod.

we'll diy: invitations, giveaways, centerpieces, bouquets. i have an amateur florist friend so i'll ask for her help. if not, puwede naman matuto.

honeymoon--staycation! basta may spa, ok na.

biggest splurges would be food and venue. i like those rectangular tables too.

yan muna. napahaba haha sorry.

[j.adore]

Sis Anyamcbeal, thought of that before but I have bad handwriting hahaha saka more than 50 pieces siguro sa amin kaya medyo mahirap. I was thinking if we have an invitation and then I put in my handwritten letter siguro..

Sis ToughEmpress, I've seen on the net big dogs that are part of the wedding as well. Kaso mahirap yata kung hindi behaved? Unless may bantay.. When is your day? Baka pwede pa i-train or something para iprepare sila

Sis mooncake and leaves, aside from not following tradition, I'm also on a budget We don't even have honeymoon in the budget since we'll move in our new condo meron naman pool dun, pwede na hahaha

[mooncake and leaves]

^ ok lang yun. i'd do that too if we could. i pnly includrd the honeymoon because wala, pangarap ko mag-spa lol babaw eh no.

[j.adore]

Hindi naman sis kasi kanya-kanyang trip din yan

Btw, eto pala yung naalala kong site na pareho dito http://www.rebelliousbrides.com/

[shegie_285]

share ko lang din sa amin [textspeak!] our wedding was  simple, not very traditional, and laid back lang din. less stress na mas budget-friendly pa. we didnt have a theme din, everything was just about 'us.'

VIP Tables - my hubby's thought was - walang VIP lahat pantay-pantay. we only had 2 pairs of principal sponsors and they sat with people that they know. pero we had one rectangular table for myself, hubby, best man, MOH and our parents. then lahat round tables. We had 90 guests lang din so lahat ng table malapit sa amin. 

My mom wanted the money dance - this is very rebellious for hubby - he's Irish. ayaw nya kaso my mom wanted it to show the Filipino tradition.

We only had a couple dance - although sometimes i think i deprived my dad of the father-daugher dance. pero naisip ko kasal na kami  so technically nabigay nya na ako sa hubby ko. naisip ko din sa debut naman me father-daughter dance, sa kasal its about the couple na.

Hubby was so kuripot to rent vans from the resort to church (my bridal golf cart was included sa wedding package). So he, together with the best man, hailed a tricycle to go to the church. php75.

Dress code - The mothers and the female principal sponsors picked what they wanted to wear. naisip ko mahirap pag patahi pa lahat. Female secondary sponsors lang ang pinatahi. wala din silang bouquets kase kinuha ko ang budget nila for my bouquet.

We had the normal program (cake cutting, wine etc) but mabilis lang - party na agad and an open tab.

We had buffet para ma-experience ng mga foreinger guests ang traditional Filipino wedding. Instead of calling table names/numbers - trivia game ito. unang makasagot na table - unang kakain. naaliw naman sila. masaya. me prize ang huling table na nakasagot, pakunswelo.

[Anyamcbeal]

Hello sis shegie_285 -nice to see you here:)

Sis j.adore -been reading that blog since they started 2011 ata. Cool blog no? Most of my ideas and thoughts about my wedding napulot ko sa kanila. Their ideas are practical and logical as well, parang ang free-free lang nila kausap.

Anyways, just to add na din mga sis, we wont be having any prenups or any photoshoots, we do have a free video prenup sa video guy namin but we'll request na i-cover nalang nya yung get-together namen, mas okey pa sa akin yun. No trial make-up, no boudoir shoot (again, clarify ko lang, i have nothing against those, it's just not me,while the make-up naman, I am based overseas so konting time lang meron ako to have trial pa, bahala na si batman hahaha!).

I do have a stylist for the venue, but I made it clear na local flowers lang ang gagamitin nila, if ever they will use one, and in moderation pa. I dont want to waste too many flowers kasi di ko sila maiuuwi lahat pabalik ng manila. And finally, i told the stylist na mismatched decor ang peg ko, i think they got what I meant by that naman, and good thing they also do handmade stuff, which i really want from the beginning pa.

Oopps napahaba ulet. Thanks kay sis ToughEmpress for starting this thread tlaga. Sarap
Lang mgshare:)

[j.adore]

Sis shegie_285, I don't like the money dance as well. For me, it feels like nanghihingi ng money from the guests
I'm having the father-daughter dance kasi ngayon pa lang, sobrang obvious na malungkot ang dad ko so I want to make special moments with him even if it's me and my Fiance's wedding day.
Super like the trivia game idea!! Yung questions ba, about you and hubby?

Sis Anyamcbeal, oo nalaman ko yan through my wedding photographer friend.
I'm also not that keen on prenup. If it comes with the package, sige pero kung hindi, maybe wala na lang.

[hanson15]

wala rin kaming money dance. Ayoko nga rin ng entourage kaso nagagalit ang parents ko. Pero ayoko talaga. Saka napapansin ko common yung mga hindi sumusunod sa traditional sila pa yung happily married. Unlike yung mga sumusunod talaga.

[pauleenaubrey]

Hi mga sis, im new here. gusto ko lang i-share yung wedding plans namin ni h2b. Nagpa-book na kami sa mga suppliers namin and venue ng APRIL 1, 2014 (which is april fools day!) and tingin namin maraming mag-eenjoy dahil maraming twists ans surprises na magaganap.

Ceremony:

bago mag-start yung ceremony, the officiant will ask kung meron bang gustong tumayo para tumutol or magsalita, then one of our ninong will stand up, the focus will be on him, and then he will say "inayos ko yung pants ko" -april fools
or, mag-rurun-away bride ako kunwari, yun pala kukunin ko yung mouth spray ko. haha!

we will do the tree planting ceremony (sa halip na candle, veil and cords, we will use water, soil, and seedlings na nakalagay sa glass vases)  to symbolize the roots of our relationship, and the continued growth of our love, as we became each other’s family on that day.

Gowns:
Me and my bridesmaids will wear fairy wings

Entourage:
No children since it is an ADULT ONLY EVENT

Reception:
During our entrance, the groom will enter the hall with a wrong bride (our friend na bading will do the role of the wrong bride) mgugulat si groom and may konting script na comedy hanggang sa lumabas na real bride.

Garter:
kunwari kukunin sakin nung groom yung garter thru his teeth, and hahanapin nya, yun pala nasa leg ng groom yung garter, at ako ang kailangan kumuha sa leg nya using my teeth. =)