Happiness is...

Happiness is:
1. When during the wedding reception, (Mark Mangilit-Gilsie Savedia) as I was going about my work, 5 of my brides went to the stage and called my name to join them and I got a big surprise of my life! They handed me a PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION.
It read:
PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION
CELIA CUNANAN
"FOR GIVING US PERFECT / STRESS FREE WEDDING"
(signed)
Ana Wienecke, December 2, 2004
Atty. Pia Cristina Bersamin-Embuscado, December 16, 2006
Nikki Veronica Bersamin, July 12, 2008
Atty. Gilsie Savedia-Magilit, November 5, 2011
Atty. Bernadette Manulid-Caballero, January 26, 2008

2. The next week, in another wedding reception,(Jens Busch-Bonita Hipolito) when it was the Couple giving the message, the groom suddenly came to where I was, and handed me a big bouquet of roses! The couple and the family were profuse in saying their thank yous. But when even the guests, who were hoteliers from Malaysia, Macau, New York, Abu Dhabi and Manila were the ones giving profuse compliments, whose heart will not burst with joy!

And on Facebook: here's what I got from them!

Thanks to Tita Celia Cunanan who with her team, made this a dream-come-true night.


‎3. In yesterday's email, I received this from another couple, Kap Aguila-Joyce Reyes:

Dearest Tita Celia,

How are you? I know we have thanked you so many times but please allow me to write you this e-mail to make our thank you official. :)

I want you to know how much I appreciate all the support, thoughtfulness, insight, and care that you showed for the two of us and our families. Honestly, I do not know how we could have survived this wedding without you. And I want to thank you for being so open and positive despite the fears, anxieties, and worries I shared with you. Your presence made me feel much stronger and at ease. We just realized that we were not even doing anything wedding-related during the week prior to the wedding! That's how prepared (or brave) we felt!

Seriously, Tita maraming salamat po! Your professionalism and years of experience helped in shaping our wedding. Thank you for insisting that we do the table set up, that we meet with Gelli and Roger, that we have food in the morning for the suppliers, and that we give some more effort for our first dance! Thank you for making us realize that various flower set ups are better than having a uniform arrangement, coordinating with the rest of the suppliers, and for weaving everything together.

Thank you, Tita! I wish we can say let's do it again soon! How we both wish we can get married again! And if ever we do, we would not change a thing because we both agree that it was a perfect day made up of everything we wished for and more! Thank you for all your patience, understanding, and flexibility. We wouldn't have done it without you!

Our best regards,
Joyce and Kap


Today, I am actually not feeling well because of the unpredictable weather changes. But with these happy thoughts, how can I not feel good?

There is still so much to thank God for! Thank you Lord! You know why...

How time flies!

Gosh! i never realized that I have not blogged for more than a year! I guess I am not a born blogger, nor even a writer... I can talk and talk but too lazy to write...

I was able to visit this because I had not much to do due to typhoon "Pedring" whose heavy winds, though not much rain, blasted thru Metro Manila. Of course, it would be too hard to navigate the streets with such typhoon, so better stay home and listen to the news. I said listen-because our cable antennae is out, too. One reason also why I have more time in my hands for this computer - thus this blog entry...

Everything was put to a halt because of "Pedring": starting yesterday, when I should have gone to Antipolo for an ocular inspection of Sun Valley Golf club and Jardin de Miramar for a Dec. 27, 2011 wedding client. This morning I should have gone to Manila Chancery to submit documents of my Nov. 12, 2011 wedding clients. Then I should have consulted at Caritas Clinic for my long-delayed medical check-up. And this evening we had to postpone the BLD District General Assembly where we had to make a presentation.

Well, the good thing is I was able to get a very much needed rest and sleep after a bout with terrible colds... It seems that these colds virus are getting to be too rampant. I meet so many friends with colds and some confined due to flu or bronchitis.

Ahh... I think its the weather here now - it gets too hot and humid, then it will suddenly rain. And when it rains it really pours, literally! Catching one in the middle with nary an umbrella, nor a jacket! And there starts the sneezing and the coughing...

Praise God I am well now... and getting ready for my wedding on Saturday, 10:00am in San Agustin. So that means a call time of 5:00am for me and my staff at the Manila Peninsula, Bride's prep venue.

I will be working with Derek de los Santos of Redfox Photography. He was the one who recommended me to the couple. This will be my 1st time working with videographer Phoeben Tecson, and hair&make-up artist Faye Young. Another new supplier to me is the very young Abigail Tan of Natural Art, the event stylist for Rigodon Ballroom.

My couple, Kap and Joyce are such sweet and cool guys. They gave me their full trust and confidence which I truly appreciate. It is to such trusting clients like them that we really make it a point to give all our best to hopefully come up to their expectations. Pag kasi totally trusted tayo ng clients, mas merong pressure eh...

And not only that... Kap and Joyce already referred me to another wedding client for April 29, 2012... My sincere thanks to this couple. I sincerely wish them all the best as they spend a new chapter in their lives together.

Autumn Harvest Themed Wedding

This Tuesday, Sept. 7, will be the wedding of 2 beautiful people, an engineer and a lawyer. I was blessed to have a very kind and cooperative couple. Jean might be a hands-on bride, but she's very nice and very creative. Their wedding theme is Autumn Harvest, and where else should they hold it but in Fernwood gardens, typical of the old aristocratic tradition of holding celebrations in the ancestral house gardens after the harvest.

They conceptualized and designed a beautiful invitation, together with Adworks designer/printer, depicting bountiful harvest:

The background of the invitation connotes autumn winds; the color connotes the beautiful weather during harvest season, slowly changing from summer to fall, which begins in September, their wedding month; and the pattern symbolizes bountiful grains harvested. So the totality truly represents the wonderful nature in abundance and prosperity which we fervently wish for them and their future family.

The total ambience of the church and reception shall be true to the harvest theme: flowers with fruits, vegetables and grains - these will be present on the church decor, on the tables, and even the bride's bouquet.

TO ALBERT and JEAN: May you have a happy, healthy and prosperous life ahead together as a family! Congratulations as you start your new life together! CHEERS!

The Chancery

Yesterday I went to the Diocese of Parañaque Chancery with Johann and Kristine, both of foreign citizenship, to get all the necessary info for their wedding on Feb 14 at Madre de Vie, Fernbrook. Rein, the guy in charge, was very helpful and amiable (except he did not offer me any chair, so I was standing the whole hour). He really went into details and explained each item to the couple, even the way on how to secure the particular requirement abroad... He showed samples of the documents (as submitted by other couples), photo-copied some, etc...

Some Chanceries require the CENOMAR even if they're already married abroad, and even if they're of foreign citizenship. The reason they say is that the guy or girl might have come home from abroad, one time or the other and got married to someone here. They just really want to make sure that there was really no marriage solemnized here in the Phils, and abroad (proven by the Certificate of freedom to marry from their embassy). But Rein said it was not necessary with them anymore, since they're already married abroad. This was really good for us, because that's one requirement off our load.

But some other Chanceries stil ask for CENOMAR acquired from Phils' NSO. Why dont they (the Catholic Church or the Chanceries) have uniform policies?

Just asking...

Celia @ 60

Gosh! It's been a loooong loooong time na pala since I last wrote something here! And now, its almost 3 weeks after I turned 60... And that was a swell turning point, I should say.

My children decided to give me a party, but earlier on I told them never to surprise me on my birthday. So I was in on the plans and preparation. But the financial aspect are theirs. Thank God for good children. I am really so proud of mine! Thanks Gilbert & Joy, Gian & Aimee, and Cheya, my dearest daughter.

Cheya really did a lot to make this celebration a real "debut" for me.. I did not have a debut party so this was it!

I would like to thank Josiah's Catering, Studio A Photography, Prady and Cherry of Jesi Mendez Salon, Joy San Gabriel Cakes. Also to Jong Mesina for the invitation inspiration... Thank you also to the Black Light Theatre for their superb performance.

You can see pictures posted on my multiply site and my facebook.

I just want to thank and praise the Lord for the many blessings: the good clan He has placed me in, the best family He has given me, and the very wonderful friends He provided me with.

I told my friends not to give me gifts, but to help me raise funds for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. Thank you all for such generosity. I can fill about 200 bags with assorted non-perishable food and some toiletries.

It was such a wonderful evening capped by dancing, and eating the delicious cake from Joy San Gabriel and the chocolate cake (very moist) from Cheya's friend.

My many many thanks too for all those who greeted me by text messages, emails, phone calls and sa facebook. You know who you are...

Now I am a card-carrying citizen, and 20% richer. I have to rush now my application for this very valuable card so I can begin to enjoy my new-found wealth, and free movies too!

After the Proposal

I have a very strong advice to couples who have been steady dating and would like to proceed to the next level: The first thing to do immediately after the proposal, and even before announcing the engagement, is to go to a pre-marriage seminar, or pre-cana seminar. I have two very good reasons for this. First, is to avoid huge expenses go to waste in case of engagement break-up. Second, and most importantly, is to make the bond between the couple more solid after learning many things about each other.

There are so many seminars being given by parishes, but the best ones would be the stay-in weekend. Such seminars are being offered by Discovery Weekend (DW) or the Catholic Engaged Encounter (CEE). Topics taken up are the sacrament of matrimony, how to deal with your partner, communication and dialogue, family planning, intimacy and spirituality.

I feel bad for the couple and their families whenever a wedding does not push thru. It's hard enough dealing with the emotional stress, but the financial strain makes it even difficult to accept.

This seminar has been taken for granted by people. Majority of the couples take this only because it is a requirement of the catholic church. And they take it after hiring most, if not all, the suppliers or almost very near the wedding date. Thus, we have seen several couples break up almost a month before the wedding. Some reasons could be because one or both found out they are not yet prepared for the married life; or that they are not really that compatible with each other.

However, I have also seen couples, and this is the majority, who are more in love with each other after taking the seminar. I found out that they are closer and more bonded to each other.

By the way, although the seminars are mostly sponsored by the catholic church, I understand that other religious affiliations are also welcome at the DW and the CEE.

So take my advice: after giving the ring and she said "YES", plan to hie off for a weekend together. After all, isn't it nice to be with each other, learn more about each other and know where you are going just after you decide to live together for the rest of your life?

Mardi Gras Debut Celebration

We had a very wonderful time at the Mardi Gras themed debut of Nicole Audri Belo held last March 6 (2009) at the Palacio de Manila. The decor and ambience was truly one of the most festive ones I've handled, very true to the spirit of a Mardi Gras. As soon as the guests arrived, masks, colorful beads of necklaces and bracelets for the ladies and masks for the gentlemen were handed out from fur-covered baskets by little girls wearing crowns on their heads. At the foyeur, guests pose for pictorial in front of a colorful backdrop and the sign "AUDRI at 18" in glittering letters.

Then guests passed the big arch to go inside the ballroom to find giant masks and balloons in various colors and sizes hanging all over with the mood lighting providing the festive ambience. The stage had pillars, masks, the sun, the moon and arches made of papier-machés.

Mardi Gras festivities are always marked by a queen and her royal court. And what a beautiful queen, or I would rather say, Princess, was Nicole Audri that night! She was radiant with her royal court of handsome gentlemen in suits and lovely ladies in formal dresses.

The program was so entertaining: songs from cousins and friends; dances upon dances also perfomed by uncles, cousins, friends and even by her grandpa! The dances were indefatigably choreographed by Pio Llenado. My ever faithful emcee, Ben Redulla provided the smooth flow of the program. Even the poignant traditional candle ceremony was not without tears flowing from the guests as each family and friend greeted and wished our debutante the best hapy birthday wishes. When the party was in full swing, the Wild cocktails bar was opened and a live band performed as everyone partied! Truly a real grand Mardi Gras celebration!

Just watch the pictures I posted here care of Mian Sta. Cruz, Audri's first cousin, and Mian's friend, Prince of Graham Photography. These 2 budding photographers should be watched as they are really very very good!