Countdown: 2 months!

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I can't believe that it has been 30days already since I last posted a checkpoint entry. To say that we've been busy is a grave understatement. I was overwhelmed with the list I created last month that it caused me some panic. Work is uncooperative and just proved to be as demanding as how I predicted it to be. Even this blog has been somewhat neglected that updating it more often is now one of my priorities. Haha. But enough of the ranting, and let's get into the business. =)

Let's see what we've accomplished the past 30 days. 

• Complete wedding documents - DONE. We've secured our baptismal and confirmation certificates.
• Layout for other stationery - In Progress. Adrin was able to complete the table numbers, and needs to work on the others still.
• Complete Darlene’s program workbook
• Complete Pre-Cana Seminar and Canonical Interview - DONE. We completed it over the weekend!
• Print invitations - DONE. A portion of our invites will be released today! Weeee. 
• Create our missals
• Detailing with Josiah’s - DONE. We just have minor follow-up items left.
• Detailing with Scenta Creations - DONE
• Buy wedding shoes for Adrin - DONE
• Complete our wedding day accessories
• Order Fruit Garden giveaways - DONE. Orders received too!
• Finish DIY signage
• Book vans for transportation provision - DONE
• Secure a building permit - DONE. Adrin worked really hard to get this as soon as we can.
• Start house construction work - DONE. Work has started and we hope for it to be completed before our wedding. :)

Ten tasks completed out of fifteen. Not bad. Completing the building permit and starting the house construction took a great amount of our time that it bumped-off some of the planned wedding tasks. BUT we do not mind because it's equally important.

I'm sure next month will be more demanding, so I need an organized list of things to accomplish.

1. Send-out all invitations
2. Complete processing of marriage license
3. Update Darlene's  program workbook
4. Compile photos for AVP presentations
5. Create our missals
6. Complete our wedding day accessories
7. Pick-up my wedding shoes
8. Complete layouts for stationery
9. Label/pack our giveaways
10. Finish DIY Signage
11. Entourage dress fitting and delivery
12. Delivery of barongs to male entourage
13. Another meeting with KTG
14. Finalize song list
15. Shop for house fixtures

I'll stop here for now. I hope we get to complete all of those and more in the next 30 days. We can do this! =)

Countdown: 3 months!

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We’re past our 100 days countdown, and today we only have 3 months left. We've been busiest the past weeks and panic is kicking in. I've been warned, but I didn't think that things would be this craaazy! 

 Since I declared that we've been busy, let’s see how we fared against our targets 3 months back.

• Free Prenup Shoot with Chasing Tales Photography > DONE
• Completion of pocketfolds > DONE
•  Layouts for invites > DONE
• …and other stationery
• Production of entourage attires > DONE
• Actual detailing with Josiah’s 
• Wedding shoes for me > to be customized by Faire La Fete
• Wedding shoes for Adrin
• Documents for the wedding > 50% complete (we still lack baptismal and confirmation certificates)
• Lot hunting > DONE. We purchased a house and lot BUT major renovations are in order.
• Band for our reception > Crossroads Acoustic

Oh no, I see a few unaccomplished items. I hope the following compensates for the items we missed.

• Honeymoon Plans > we booked Miniloc Island Resort by El Nido Resorts
• Marriage License Application > requirements already submitted to the city hall
• Family Planning Seminar > DONE. Certificate received
• Finalized and claimed our wedding rings > We just claimed it last weekend
• House Extension and Renovation Plan > this is taking up a lot of our time and effort - we're now working on the requirements for a building permit

For the next 30 days, let's accomplish the following, shall we? 

1. Complete wedding documents
2. Layout for other stationery
3. Complete Darlene’s program workbook
4. Complete Pre-Cana Seminar and Canonical Interview
5. Print invitations
6. Create our missals
7. Detailing with Josiah’s
8. Detailing with Scenta Creations
9. Buy wedding shoes for Adrin
10. Complete our wedding day accessories
11. Order Fruit Garden giveaways
12. Finish DIY signage
13. Book vans for transportation provision
14. Secure a building permit
15. Start house construction work

Whoa! What a long list?! And all due within 30 days! So much work to be done. WE.MUST.ENDURE.

Cheers!

The New (but Old) Home

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Pardon me for my 2-week hiatus, my absence here is due to my craaaaazy workload and the personal matters that immediately took our focus, time, and resources. We'll I'm talking about our new home! At last, after making rounds in and out of subdivions within our target city, we were finally able to secure the best property for us. 

I say BEST. Here's why:

• It's perfectly situated next to my current house. Yes, they are actually adjacent lots! This means I won't be "parted" from my mom and I'll just move next door after the wedding. =) 
• Since our new home is adjacent to my childhood home, years down the road, we can fully consume both lots and have a bigger and more spacious house. To answer your question, yes I don't have siblings so there's no competition over the childhood home. =) 
• It's a pre-owned foreclosed property. This translates to a good discounted purchase price for us.
• It has a current house structure, albeit dilapidated. There's the need to renovate, but we'd rather take that over spending our precious resources on renting right after the wedding as what we have initially planned.

So, do you agree with me now? Well even if you don't, Adrin & I still believe that this is the best deal that we could get given our personal and financial situation. =)

A great part of the past two weeks were spent on house transactions. We'd visit the office of the financial institution to which the property has been foreclosed, first to assess the whole process and if there is any legalities might complicate the purchase, and next to submit the requirements needed after we've decided to push through with the acquisition. We also did due diligence and validated with the Registry of Deeds the actual legal status of the property. Last Tuesday, after completing all steps that we felt we need to take, we released that hefty check to make a full payment of the property. Whew! No turning back now. 

And because a major renovation is in order, we deferred wedding errands scheduled this weekend to give way to house errands. Yesterday we met with my cousin's architect friend to allow him to inspect the property, and also to commission him to make a renovation plan given our requirements. Then, this morning Adrin asked his uncle who's in the construction business to also visit the property and make a quick cost estimate on the forthcoming construction. I'll share to you more on those once the plan gets more concrete (pun intended)! =D

Another series for you to look out for eh? 

Cheers!

Countdown: 6 months!

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And just like that, we’re down to six (6) months! Yes, only six freaking months left for us before we crossover to a new civil status. I’m starting to feel the pressure and the rush as our weekends gets more and more hectic. But before we move to the potentially crazier months, it’s time to do another checkpoint. =)

To-do list 6 months ago:

•  Groom’s Attire > EA Casedo Embroidery (Rey Casedo)
• Parents' and Entourage's Attire > Jeff House of Fashion
• Engagement Shoot Moodboard > Done c/o Styling by Aira Franco
• Blueprint for DIY Invitations > In Progress (pocketfolds almost complete!)
•  Initial Food Tasting and Detailing > Done through ad-hoc food tastings and email detailing
•  More DIY Accessories > Matches; Shoe Sticker Decals (bought from e-bay)

Wow! Everything was ticked off! But wait, there's more! Haha. Aside from those we also managed to book/complete/ the following:

• Emcee - Darlene Tan Salazar
• Bridal Car - AdeB Entreprises
• Lights Supplier - LST Mobile
• Hotel Preps - Diamond Hotel
• Actual Engagement Shoot – Done last June
• Boudoir Shoot – Done last March

The process of creating my gown has also started. I had my measurements taken last May and last Sunday was my 3^rd fitting. Many more to come as we close the year.

So that was a packed half-year, but it certainly pales in comparison to what lies ahead. Haha. Target for the next 3 months (I’m splitting the remaining 6 months into 2 timelines) are as follows:

1. Free Prenup Shoot with Chasing Tales Photography
2. Completion of pocketfolds
3. Layouts for invites and other stationery
4. Production of entourage attires
5. Actual detailing with Josiah’s
6. Wedding shoes
7. Documents for the wedding
8. Lot hunting (yes this is included in the wedding related tasks)
9. Band for our reception

It really is getting more and more exciting and nerve-wracking day by day. Oh well, bring it on! =)

Cheers!

Breaking Up With ProFriends

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Last December, we made our first step to our own home. We reserved a Sabine unit in ProFriends’ Bellefort Estates. Two months after that big leap, we made another life-changing decision – we cancelled our reservation. So much for an update, eh?

The house that we had to let go

It all started when Tine shared with me a PinoyExchange forum thread on Bellefort Estates. I didn’t ask how and why she saw that thread, I immediately read through the most recent discussion. I cannot put into words exactly what I felt but it was as if I picked the only topic of a Theology oral exam which I never reviewed. We just made a hefty first down payment and then we are reading a lot of negative feedbacks from current and soon-to-be residents. Most of the discussion was around unit construction being delayed and turnover units having very poor quality. We reserved for a Ready-for-Occupancy unit so we weren’t worried about construction delays, but the poor quality of turnover units was very alarming. It was 3AM but my blood was pumping. We created an account for PinoyExchange just so we can participate in the thread. I basically asked: “if you had the chance would you have backed out?” We got four replies the following day, one of which was a private message. None of them gave a positive response.

I spent the next couple of days reading through the thread (it was a 29-paged thread then). Our second down payment will be due in 3 weeks so we need to act fast. I read through our contract and came up with the following action steps:

• Request for an early inspection of our unit.
• Request for the pullout of the post-dated checks we issued for our monthly down payments.

Tine agreed it sounded like a good plan. If we can pull out our checks, then we don’t have a 3-week deadline for our decision. If in case we decide not to pursue the unit, our reservation will be cancelled automatically after 3 months. On the other hand, if we decide to push through, we were willing to pay for the late payment fee (P50/day). Consequently, we’ll have 3 months to convince ProFriends to allow us to inspect our unit early as this is not allowed as per contract. Buyers can only inspect the unit once it is ready for turnover and down payment total has been paid in full. We thought that the clause was intended specifically to prevent potential accidents in units undergoing construction. Since our unit was 95% complete, we thought that ProFriends will be considerate and grant our request for early inspection.

[Indulge me of skipping my rants of unproductive calls and follow ups both with ProFriends and our agent.]

Eventually, Tine and I decided to visit ProFriends’ office on a weekend to raise our requests [again]. I was armed with print outs of our requests. After telling the receptionist the purpose of our visit, she told us to go to their specialist upstairs and wait for our number to be called. Tine and I joked (half meant) that they kept customers with complaints in a separate room. We waited for 2 hours before our number was called. Ren was the specialist who accommodated us. He was easy to talk to and I felt that he readily understood our concerns. Unfortunately, he cannot make any decision by himself and had to go out multiple times to consult with their upper management. This was frustrating. You have a room full of customers with complaints and there isn’t one manager present to whom concerns can be escalated to! During the times that Ren was out, Tine and I would eavesdrop on the conversations of others. The guy on our far right says that ProFriends did not recognize some of the payments he’s made. The couple next to him has been paying for 3 years already and they still cannot transfer to their unit. The couple on our right was dismayed with the unit they were made to transfer to, and eventually requested to cancel their reservation. Negative vibes all around. Finally, Ren said that he will receive our requests and come back to us with a reply the coming Monday. Tine and I thanked Ren. We both felt that it was a productive afternoon, and that there was hope.

I made sure to follow up with Ren on the day he said he would give ProFriends’ official reply to our requests. Hours after my follow up email, I got an email from Ren. None of our requests were granted. And their response wasn’t satisfying. They did not even state what the rationale was for denying our request for early inspection. They simply repeated the policy which I understood and acknowledged in the letter. And their response on our request to pull out our checks was that we cannot do that unless we replace them with other checks or cash. WHAAAT??? With that, Tine and I decided to cancel our reservation. I went to ProFriends’ office 3 days after to formalize our decision. We got our post-dated checks back including our supposed second down payment.

Tine and I weren’t happy with how this story went. Despite the negative feedbacks, we were still hoping to proceed with our unit. That’s why our initial action steps leaned towards giving ProFriends the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, they did not give us a chance to give them the chance.

We are charging the money we lost to experience. As we re-start our search for our future home, we know better. Some basic things we are keeping in mind next time:

•  Research for the good reviews and more so for the bad.
• Check for the seller’s track record.
• Talk with residents in the neighborhood if possible.

This might be too long [and boring already], so let me just end this by sharing you the thread that led to this entry: Pinoy Exchange thread on Bellefort Estates

Til next time,

The Pamanhikan

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Yesterday we were able to cross out another item off our list. It's nothing else but the nerve-wrecking Pamanhikan. It is a Filipino tradition where in the groom together with his family pays a visit to the bride’s family to formally seek for the girl’s hand in marriage. In this occasion, plans for the upcoming wedding are discussed over a sumptuous meal.

With a little over a year to go before our wedding, Adrin and I already arranged for the Pamanhikan this December. It’s the best timing as most of our folks are in holiday mode (and we hope that the cheery atmosphere of Christmas would ease some awkwardness. =P). We planned out for the time, date, and food they’ll bring, but we can never seem to grasp on what will actually happen on that day.

Adrin and his family arrived at our house half past 11, and we immediately set the table with dishes they brought and the ones we prepared. Soon, the two families had lunch altogether at our yard since we wouldn’t fit inside our tiny house.

Food brought by Adrin and his family: Hamonado, Chili Prawns, Caldereta,
Amber's Pancit Malabon, and Amber's Pichi-Pichi Cheese

Food prepared by my family: Barbecue, Embutido, Chocolate Lazy Cake,
Rice, and Buko Salad (no picture of the salad)

Our lunch

With happy tummies, and dishes already stowed, all of us took our spot in the yard, engaging in casual small talk. Adrin and I were already exchanging meaningful looks by this time, with me prodding him to open the much awaited discussion. Before we can even get things started, we were interrupted by the very fickle weather, so we had to move our tables in towards the roofed area. Several minutes passed and there’s still no sign of “the program”. I knew that my family is waiting for it already so with my impatience, I discreetly messaged Adrin “Huy! Ano na?”. I know it’s not really nice to pressure him but I think it’s what he exactly needed. Haha.

Small talk after lunch

His speech went something like this, “Nagpunta po kami dito ng family ko para kunin yung blessing ng family niyo sa pagpapakasal namin ni Tine”, and it was followed by fits of laughter from my mom because Adrin was talking in such a hurry maybe because of his nervousness. Haha. My mom answered him like this, “Alam na naman ng lahat na magpapakasal kayo e. Formality na lang naman ‘to.”, to which his father seconded with “No objection”. After that his grandmother also stated “Naayos niyo na naman lahat, kaya makikikain lang naman tayo dito. Para na rin magkakila-kilala tayo”. :)

During the "program"

Adrin initiated to share the details that we’ve already ironed out like church and venue, as well as the suppliers we’ve secured. They asked about the principal sponsor line up as well as the entourage. We shared our initial list and they in turn provided some suggestions to it. After the wedding details, Adrin also brought up our planned residence. We let them know that we’ve already reserved for a house near the area and that we plan to move there right after the wedding.

Since his folks came all the way from Marikina and Makati, somebody suggested visiting the place so they can see even just the model units. And so with Adrin’s family and my mom in tow, we visited the subdivision of our eventual home. It’s like we’re going on a field trip. Hihi.

Returning to our house after being gone for an hour or two, we’re delighted to find that snacks are ready for everyone. Having an afternoon’s fill, their family prepared to leave and head home.

Whew! Finally, it’s over. We believe it hasn’t been a very awkward gathering. Adrin and I just winged it! :)

Cheers!

The First Step to Our Own Home

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Surreal - that's how this day is to me. Why? Because today, December 1, 2012, Adrin and I took the big leap and made a reservation for the purchase of our future house! 

It was after lunch when we met Tita Marisol, our broker contact, for a house-tripping to the village that we've been eyeing for quite some time now (I can no longer count the times I've checked out that place online). It's an on-going housing project nearby my parents' place with units we like at the budget we can afford. As soon as we reached the location, we checked the model houses and inquired about the specifications and details that come with each unit. The dressed-up units were all beautifully decorated and arranged that it makes you want to live in that exact same house already. Haha!

With our heart set out on the Sabine unit, we proceeded to the sales office to check the latest house inventory. We were hoping that there is one that would meet all our requirements:

   1. Total contract price within our budget!

   2. Turnover date before our wedding

   3. Manageable equity/down payments

   4. Linear park (nice to have borderline necessity). Hihi.

Sabine House Model

Anyway, as we were checking the list of available units, we noticed there were only very few Sabine units left compared to the other two models. Most of the remaining Sabine units do not meet a requirement or two. Luckily, there is one (yes, just one) meeting all of them. The only catch is, it is single attached unit instead of a single detached one. This is one we haven’t pondered on since we didn't know that there are always units like that in a block. We discussed this setup in detail with Tita Marisol and she mentioned that units like this are sturdier than the others since the firewall of the two houses are stuck together like a common wall. This settled our doubts somehow.

Given that specific unit as sample, payment options were laid out on the table. We explained to Tita Marisol all scenarios that we’d like to explore and she has been very patient explaining to us the pros and cons of each. She helped us compute and recompute everything just so we fully understand the financial hurt that we’ll experience once we pursue the house. She also mentioned of the terms and conditions of the developer as well as the policies implemented and duties imposed on the eventual homeowners.

After a lengthy discussion, she invited us to the actual site which is several hundred meters away from the office. There we saw that majority of the houses were already built, occupied even, while some are still undergoing construction. Being in the actual location gave us a glimpse into the community that we might possibly belong to (since we haven’t decided yet at this point).

Before returning to the sales office, we asked for some personal discussion time from Tita Marisol. Adrin and I went to the park near the model houses and that’s where we discussed things. Since we already know the amount to be paid should we get the house, we looked into our current pool of savings as well as fixed monthly income to compute whether we can actually afford it or not. Our immediate concern is the equity (down payments), and based on our computation, we’ll still be able to cover for it while simultaneously saving up for the wedding. The amortization is easier to solve since it's of lower value that the down payments, and by time we start with it, we’d be free from the monthly wedding save-up so we can just shift that budget to house payments.

With all our bases covered, we walked back to the office and finally gave our decision to reserve the house! Whew! What a big decision to make. Filling up the forms and formalizing the actual reservation was a breeze compared to the stringent discussion and thought process we've undergone before that.

I told you, it felt so surreal. It’s just so hard for me to believe that I'm already making decisions like this with my future better half. We really felt (at least I did) like grown-ups stirring our future closer to our childhood dreams. J

Cheers!