For Pocholo

February 22, 2017February 28, 2017 | mickijosue

During our wedding, we didn’t recite our wedding vows. This was my fault. I wasn’t too confident about speaking in front of a crowd about my feelings. Between the two of us, Pocholo is the better speaker. He’s also the more vocal one. After much debate, he agreed to forego the vows. But for those who attended the wedding, you probably know about his surprise vows and song at the end of the reception. He really didn’t want to let the moment pass without a speaking engagement (haha). I was truly touched by his sweet, sincere gesture of love. What he didn’t know was that I actually also had my vows. I wrote them and handed it to him the night of our wedding.

And here it is…

More than anything, for me, today is a celebration of Thanksgiving. I give thanks for the gift of life – its twists and turns and ups and downs, have brought me to you.

I give thanks for the gift of family – the person that stands before me is a product of the guidance, love, and nurturing of a wonderful family.

I give thanks for the gift of love – the love of God that has manifested itself in you.

There is too much to be thankful for, really, and today I vow to work hard every day to be the best steward of all these gifts, most especially the gift of having you from now ’til forever. And what better way to show my gratitude to the Giver than by holding steadfast to the meaning of today’s promise. Know that from now on, you have a life partner, a friend, a companion, and a wife who will strive to give you and our future family the best. While my domestication skills need some work, rest assured my determination will win over this and we will survive! :)) I will stand by you when triumphs elate you, and when trials shatter you. I will make our home a loving haven for our future children to grow into the fullness of their true beings. And, I will be at your aide when time steals you of your youth. So let me end by saying thank you. Thank you, Pocholo, for unveiling a future with you I thought I would never have. And thank you Lord for today, and everything that led up to this moment. You are truly the master ochestrator and we fully entrust to You this new life.

Pocholo, thank you for teaching me to trust Life and to believe in what is yet to come. Every day is a learning experience with you, and I’m loving every moment of it. Looking forward to unraveling what’s in store for us in the years to come!

My Surprise Bridal Shower

September 7, 2016September 22, 2016 | mickijosue

This event deserves an entry because it made me so happy! Let’s start from the beginning so I can share how this day unraveled into something I didn’t expect at all.

As far as I knew, I was going to go to my third fitting with my good friend, Ashley. I was supposed to go to my fitting with Pocholo but since he had work, Ashley had agreed to accompany me. We were running a bit late, so I texted my designer to inform him of our delay. As I hopped into the car and started to give instructions to the driver, Ashley interrupted me and apologized saying that we had to do a last minute errand prior to heading to the fitting. Since it was on the way, I didn’t see it as a problem. We went down at Molito and started walking towards 25 Mushrooms Kitchen to meet Ashley’s tita. As soon as we entered, …. SURPRISE!!!! The room was filled with some of my longest and closest girl friends, and I saw a sign that said “Micki’s Bridal Cookout”. I was so overwhelmed by the revelation of what I had just walked into that I cried! So apparently, there was no fitting scheduled that day, and Pocholo didn’t have work. Congratulations to everyone in on the planning because I really had no idea.

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Teasers from Our Prenup Shoot with Ian Santillan

July 21, 2016February 19, 2017 | mickijosue

I’m feeling really excited about the photos from our prenup shoot with Ian Santillan. We shot in the ballet studio I spent most of my weeknights in, Ecole de Ballet Manille, and in PNR (Philippine National Railways). We haven’t seen the rest of the pictures and we won’t see them until our wedding day but here’s a compilation of the teasers Ian has released over the past few weeks.

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Wedding Preparation Tip: DIY Prenup Make-up

June 30, 2016September 7, 2016 | mickijosue

Last week, I wrote about our prenup shoot at Casa San Pablo. I mentioned in the credits that we managed to pull off the shoot with DIY make-up and styling. For those who are considering the DIY path for their prenup shoot, allow me to share with you how I managed to look decent in the pictures (haha!).

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Prenup Shoot at Casa San Pablo

June 21, 2016September 7, 2016 | mickijosue

When Poch and I were looking for wedding venues, we chanced upon a garden reception that was featured on Bride and Breakfast. It looked like the kind of place we wanted – rustic, simple and intimate. So we scheduled a trip to the venue for the following weekend.

When we arrived at the destination, that immediately concluded our search. We fell in love with Casa San Pablo instantaneously and we did not consider any other place anymore for our wedding reception.

Casa San Pablo is a bed and breakfast situated along Colago Avenue in San Pablo, Laguna. The 2-hectare recreational site was the brainchild of Boots and Ann Alcantara. The couple envisioned a place where people could flee from the busy and fast-paced life of the city and appreciate the peace, silence and simplicity of the local rural scene.

What makes Casa San Pablo unique is that everything about the place tells a story, from the food and furniture pieces, to the room design details. Boots and Ann took inspiration from their travels abroad and from the many characters in San Pablo. The soul of Casa San Pablo is built upon these experiences and encounters, all of which have been carefully translated into different parts of the compound.

What truly captured us was how the place felt like home from the first time we set foot in the open garden. We were greeted by an array of pine trees, lush flowers and a quaint brick and wooden house – the kind that looked as if it popped out from a storybook.

Our prenup shoot with a good friend, Mario Mundo, captured the beauty of this little haven in San Pablo. Here are some of my favorite shots of us in Casa San Pablo.