Weddings Under A Budget: Five (5) Popular Cheap Wedding Favor Ideas

As you leave the blessed singleness and enter the new, blissful chapter of life called marriage, share this unforgettable milestone with your friends and loved ones. Give them mementos to remember you and your special day. Here are five (5) of the most popular and significant wedding favors best suited for weddings under a budget.

1.      Message in a Bottle. With the idea taken from Nicholas Sparks’ romantic bestselling book, Message in a Bottle, renew everyone’s faith in destiny and that timeless and everlasting thing called love. Order a bulk of empty favor bottles. Slip in a personalized wedding message. Have a ribbon wrapped around the handle for a more customized look.

2.      Candle in a transparent gift box. The lighting of the candle signifies the blessing of marriage by Jesus Christ. Pass on that significance to those who witnessed your union.  It can be flower-themed patterned after the wedding bouquet or sea-inspired if you have a beach wedding.

3.      Home-baked cookies. Cookies, especially home-baked ones, are a great reminder of what is in store for you and your significant other as you take the journey together along the road known as family life. You can do the baking yourself. You can opt to go local and ask your catering services in Makati to include it in their package. Or perhaps, your catering Makati guy can recommend a good baker where you can acquire great discounts if you order in batch.

4.      Scented soaps. A practical way to “shower thanks” to the people who attended the wedding is by sending out scented soaps in various designs and shapes. It can be home-made (soap makers sometimes offer them at a tremendously discounted price) or it can be bought in boxes of 4, 6, or 8.

5.      Cupid-inspired or heart-shaped favors. Spread the magic of love by giving away cupid-inspired favors or keepsakes containing heart in different shape. It can be a pen with a heart-stand set, key chain, bottle stopper, bookmark or a place card holder.

Edible Wedding Favors: How to design a luscious wedding cupcake favor

Choosinga cupcake as a wedding favor is something that every one of your guests can take pleasure on – it’s a sweet treat, it’s trendy and it’s fun to look at! Whether you’d hire your catering guys to bake these edible favors for you or opt to create custom ones yourself, here are seven (7) quick tips on how to design a luscious and memorable wedding cupcake favor.

1.       Consult your wedding caterer for the type of cupcake that’s a best fit for your wedding. Would vanilla-flavored favor go well with the rest of the menu or a chocolate one?

2.       Put in a tasty filling on it. Have fun with the flavor and fill it with whipped toppings, chocolate mousse or strawberry jam. Make sure that the overall taste matches the wedding cake.

3.       Cover it with delicious coatings. Decorate with icing or candy melts. Bring out your creativity – shower sprinkles atop, cream it with cheese frosting or crown with fondant hearts that bear your first initials.

4.       Get design ideas from the web. Check out Martha Stewart’s website or head over to Pinterest and start the search galore for wedding cupcake favor ideas. Google it!

5.       Inject your personalities when you customize. Add a personal touch by telling something a lil about you and your significant other – e.g. cupcake colors based on the wedding theme or shapes on the coating based on what both of you loved. If you met at a romantic coffee shop, insert a coffee flavor on the cupcake to remind that special day.

6.       Include a little twist. Make yours stand out by turning it into a Fortune Cupcake! Insert a fortune saying on the wrapper. This can signify the mysteries and adventures marriage has in store for you. Share this significance with your friends and loved ones who attended the occasion.

7.       Package your cupcake. Use a personalized gift box with varying designs of the top and bottom parts of the box. Top it off with a ribbon and tag.

Five (5) Tips On How To Choose The Perfect Wine For Your Wedding

A wine is a symbol of celebration. In a wedding context, sharing cups of wine means the bride and groom are ready to share everything that the future will bring. The sweetness of the wines represents the joy and culmination of the marriage.

Put everyone in a celebratory mood. Help your in-laws relax and enjoy the festivities. Personalize the experience and make it memorable to all attendees. Here are five (5) things to keep in mind when selecting wines for your wedding day.

1. Consult your wedding caterer. First up, are you allowed to bring your own? Some catering services include wines as part of the package. Double-check with your catering person first to avoid unnecessary expenses.

2. Base it on significance, preference, season, food complementary, guests, and budget. Which type to serve may depend on the following factors:

·         Significance. What label is significant to both of you? Perhaps a drink you shared together when you had your first holiday or a special reminder during your first date.

·         Preference. Does your partner have a special preference? What are your faves?

·         Season. If the event is during breakfast, choose light so that guests won’t end up drunk by the time afternoon comes in. If it’s lunch or dinner, red and white will do.

·         Food complementary. Does it complement the buffet? Ask someone who’s expert in wine taste – your favorite wedding catering guy perhaps who’ve had a lot of experience in the field. Match them wisely to appreciate the flavor in the food.

·         Guests. You can go for something that will appeal to a large number of people for all gender and age -- not too acidic nor too heavy. Generally, men prefer red, women like white and rose. View your guest list. If there’s equal number of men and women, try 40% red, 40% white, 20% rose.

·         Budget. How much is needed for the occasion? Assume that each will consume half a bottle. Every bottle corresponds to five-six (6) glasses. You basically serve the drink two to three times during the whole duration of the event: one during meal, another during toast and the last is after the ceremony. How much is allotted for drinks and beverages?

3. Buy by case. If you have tight finances, visit discount stores for possible sales and limited offers. Head over to local wine shops and supermarkets to compare prices. From there, come up with a list of choices that fits your budget and taste. Then, consider buying in bulk. Maybe, their service will include free delivery as well.

4. Customize the bottles. Choose something that will allow you to leave an impression to everyone who attended your special day. Aside from the usual engravement of your names on classy flutes, put a personal touch on the bottles and let out the creative side in you.

5. Opt for recommended brands.

·         On A Budget. From $9, $20 up to $45, you can have Grand Reserve California Champagne to Veuve Clicquot.

·         White. Sauvignon Blanc ($12), Pinot Grigio ($7-$13), Chardonnay ($8-$11)  

·         Red. Cabernet Sauvignon ($13-$26) and Pinot Noir ($16-$18)

Tips When Throwing An Office Party

If you have been working in an office for quite some time, you have probably experienced at least one office party. With the amount of time that office employees spend at their workplaces, it is not surprising that many birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions will be celebrated in various offices everywhere.

However, throwing an office party is not the same as throwing a party at your house. There are some things you need to think of to ensure that your party goes smoothly and is a success. Below are some tips that could help you when you are planning to throw an office party.

·         Ask permission. First of all, you have to make sure that you are allowed to throw a party at all. Make sure you inform your superiors and that you ask permission from whoever is in charge of such things. Do not even think about throwing a party without explicitly asking for permission because you might lose your job because of it.

·         Serve good food. Having good food at a party is always very much welcome and it is the same even if you are having the party at the office. Consider getting catering services in Pasig for your party if your workplace is in this area but make sure that you have tasted the food already instead of just relying on what they say or your friends’ feedback on a particular company. If you choose not to get catering in Pasig, consider asking someone you know who can cook well or ask everyone to bring their best dish.

·         Seek help. No matter what the party is for, everything will be easier if you have someone to help you. Ask other officemates for their in decorations, entertainment, food, and other things you might need for your party. If there is enough of you, you might even want to consider forming committees to provide more focus to your party planning mode.

·         Chip in. Unless you are generous enough to shoulder all the expenses for the party, make sure to finalize who will be chipping in to pay for these expenses. If no one will offer to be the sponsor or host, you can simply inform those who will come that the total expenses will be divided among the partygoers. This way, the expenses are divided equally among all of you.

·         Paper cups and plates. If you choose to have potluck or to prepare the food yourself, it will be easier if you use disposable paper cups and plates. Using these will eliminate the problem of doing the dishes.

Five (5) Ways To Treat Your Kid On Their Birthday

Kids, young or older, always look forward to celebrating their birthdays. This is their “You’re the Genie, I make three wishes” day. But it’s not just the number or the enormity of the gifts that matter. It’s more on how you spend it with them. Simple or extravagant, it communicates one thing: how much you love, care for and value them.

Below are five (5) ideas on how to treat your kid on their special day.

1. Party, party. This is the most usual way to treat the birthday child.

·       Hold a party in your house and invite his friends. If you live near the area, employ a catering service in Makati to take care of best seller food and snacks for these types of occasion. Hire a clown to entertain the younger guests.

·         Host a themed celebration at Jollibee where children get to dress up, from kings and queens to pirates and superheroes. Let them enjoy the inflatable play facilities. Make them take home special tokens from “Hetty”, “Twirlie” or “Mr. Yum”.

·         Plan a surprise get-together at school. Coordinate with the person-in-charge of the canteen to organize the event. Talk to the food nutritionist so you can inform your catering person of good and healthy choices.

2. Amusement park. If your kid is not the party-type, consider a trip to an amusement park. Have him ask a few pals to join. In this way, he still gets to share his special day with his close buddies.

3. Camp. For older kids, take him to camping. The family can marvel on the woods and great outdoors plus the birthday boy gets to spend the day with his best friend and his folks. This promises memorable moments and adventure.

4. Destination cities. If your kid loves traveling, this could be the perfect choice. Tour him around different cities and have fun. This would allow him to gain knowledge about the history of the places and acquire good travel instinct at the same time.

What To Look For In A Catering Service

Various celebrations are not complete without a party. Whether it is a wedding, birthday, baptism, graduation, or any other momentous event in one’s life, a party is almost always how people celebrate. There are several details that need to be arranged when planning a party and the food is one of the most important. Getting someone else to prepare the food will make the party preparations so much more easier for everyone which is why hiring a catering service has become very popular for many years now.

There are numerous options when it comes to catering service in Manila and other places. It is very important to choose carefully when hiring a caterer. Below are some of the things to look for in a catering service.

• Taste. Never hire a caterer without having a food tasting session with them. Unless the caterer is someone whose food you have tasted already, you can never be sure of how good their food is unless you have arranged a food tasting session. Although it will be a nice gesture to think of some people in your guest list and how they want their food to taste, it will be so much better if you go for your own personal taste preferences.

• Cleanliness. Even if you are considering a big catering Makati company, it does not mean that they are clean and sanitary. Ask to see sanitary permits that are applicable in your area and do not hesitate to look and inspect their utensils, plates, and glassware carefully.

• Price. Having a very expensive rate does not translate to good tasting food and excellent service. Despite the popularity of catering services nowadays, it is still possible to find reasonable rates for food and service that will be pleasantly memorable for you and your guests.

Old Manila Churches For Weddings

Weddings have always been important events and it is not surprising that weddings nowadays require careful planning. Aside from the other wedding details such as the catering, the wedding attires, flowers, and such, one of the first things a couple needs to decide on is where to have their wedding.

For a predominantly Catholic country like the Philippines, churches are the default wedding venues.

For those who live in Manila, there are numerous beautiful churches to choose from. Because of Manila’s old churches, this city is a popular destination for those who prefer to have their wedding in an old Catholic church.

Below are just a few of the old churches in Manila that are popularly used as wedding venues.

• Manila Cathedral. This church is known for being the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila. With its beautiful, intricately-designed façade and simple yet regal interiors, Manila Cathedral is a favorite especially among the weddings of those in the upper class society.

• San Agustin Church. One of two remaining Catholic churches inside the Intramuros, the San Agustin Church is among the oldest stone churches in the country. With the intricate paintings on its ceiling and its radiant chandeliers, the San Agustin Church is often chosen for weddings not just because of its importance in the country’s history but also largely for its magnificent interiors.

• San Sebastian Church. This Catholic Church is unique because it is the only church in the country and in Asia that is all-steel. This distinguishing characteristic has made the San Sebastian church in the Quiapo area one of the favorite churches for weddings.

• Binondo Church. Right smack inside Manila’s Chinatown, the Binondo Church continues to be among the most beautiful churches in the country. Its interior, with the painted ceilings, has been likened to that of the St. Peter’s Dome.

• St. Pancratius Chapel. For those who are looking for a relatively small old Catholic Church, the St. Pancratius Chapel is a good bet. The church can only hold around 70 people but its surrounding area is spacious and refreshing with its garden and even a fountain in the middle.