Prep prep prep.

Seriously now, all these wedding preparations are stressing me out. I know that it shouldn't be this stressful and that there's a HUGE possibility that it's just me, doing this to myself. Hmm... I wonder if it has something to do with the two big words BRIDE and WEDDING. 

This afternoon, I have managed to request for another set of proofing with Joanne of The Write Impressions because I wasn't too happy with the first set that they sent me, even though they already gave me five options to choose from. To make sure that they had a clearer idea of what I really wanted, I sent them pictures with more specific instructions. Joanne assured me they will send the second set of proofing tomorrow, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see if I was clear enough. I feel kinda guilty about rejecting the entire first set, but I figured that people in the wedding invitations industry are used to these sort of things, in fact they probably have to deal with even worse perfectionist bridezillas, which I'm thankfully not (yet!). 

Sample Layout

And finally, after millions of inquiries through phone and emails, I have finally decided on whom Art and I should have our out-of-town prenuptial pictorials with. It was a tough choice, really, and this afternoon I kinda narrowed it down na to only 2 photographers: Jaime Tee and Lito Sy, whichever had the more reasonable rate :) I called Jaime's office first and his secretary Beth told me she'd email me the rates instead of dictating it to me over the fone (I lost the printout they gave me last time). So I waited, an hour, 2 hours, then I called her again to follow up. She assured me it was being sent as we speak. I waited another hour and still no email from her, so I called Lito's office and talked to Anna who was very friendly and very helpful. In their line of business, I hope they realize how important the personality of the  secretary or assistant who entertains calls from clients is. I liked Anna, and she was able to answer all my questions in just one phone conversation. She even gave me suggestions on the possible prenup locations. I ended up blocking a date for our pictorial before our conversation ended.

Somehow, I feel like I've finally achieved something, as far as the prenup pictorial goes. Ha! ha! I have been obsessing over whom we should be having ours with for the longest time! It's been almost a year and it feels great to finally have one scheduled. As far as our wedding preparations go, I think the one aspect that I really found myself obsessing over is pictures. Who to be our main photographer, who to be our backup, who to take our prenups, who to take our postnups, and even who to take my boudoir session. Hahaha :) 

I have been very excited about our prenuptial pictorials for as long as I can remember. Some couples feel that this is too mushy and is not their kind of thing. That's them. I am mushy, and this is my kind of thing (and now it also has to be Art's). I couldn't wait to have those romantic, scenic shots where love is caught in the way the couples stare into each others eyes, the silhouette shots against the sunset, and even those corny strolling down the beach hand-in-hand shots! 

Shots by Jaime Tee

Shots by Lito Sy

Obviously, I guess I'm kind of obsessed with pictures. I love taking pictures (too bad I seem to have no talent or "eye"), but I seem to love having my picture taken more! Vanity aside, I love how pictures serve as great reminders of good times, bad times and the in between. I love how moments are immortalized and how emotions are captured to stillness. So more than striking a pose for the camera, I love stealing shots of people when they are least aware of it. I realized that there's a huge difference in taking pictures of people the way other people see them, and taking pictures of them the way they see themselves. 

Other than that, I am also very well aware that our wedding day will be over in a blink of an eye, and one of the best way to remember that special day is to have a great photographer capture the essence of our wedding day. The moments and emotions captured will illustrate our day with everlasting memories for years to come. Plus it would be great to have wonderful evidences of something that we've worked so hard and stressed ourselves out to visualize and plan.  

I'm glad that the choices we've [I've] made regarding photographers have been very good (I hope). 

Main Photograher: Pat Dy

Backup Photographer: Mango Red

Prenup Photographer: Lito Sy

Postnup Photographer: will depend on what's left on our budget ;)

Boudoir: Not one else but Pat Dy should I decide that I have the guts to have one. 

In terms of photographs, one thing I know for sure is that: Less is not always more. :) That's why, we can afford to scrimp on everything else for our wedding, but not on the photographers. On this note, I'd like to share something I've read from one of RJ Ledesma's columns about their pre wedding counselor whom he called "Manong Tigre" and he described as "galit sa sinungaling, sa tsismoso at sa mayabang". Here's one lesson from Manong Tigre that I somehow found very amusing:

CELEBRATING YOUR WEDDING IS KALOKOHAN!(nonsense)

"In my 13 years as Eucharistic Minister, I have not encountered any Bible readings that say a wedding should be magarbo and full of caprichio (caprices)!"

Manong Tigre crossed himself. "You try to spend as little money as possible on the wedding day and use it something more productive. Look at the very first wedding of Adam and Eve. Adam did not have to wear a barong made of pina! Eve did not wear a P100,000 dress that she could only wear once in her life! That is madness! I tell you! MADNESS! You know what they wore? They jus wore twigs and leaves! And because they don't have nice clothes to wear, they did not need to hire a photographer..."

Now that the issue of photographers has been settled, A much bigger question is looming on my mind:

What should I wear to our prenup shoot???