A good day should always start out with breakfast! Especially with this big day, it is a must have!
Filipino Breakfast – daing, garlic fried rice, fried egg with ketchup. (added: corn, hash brown and hot dog)
I won’t spoil you with the usual photos of what happens during the morning part of a wedding, BUT I will entertain you with behind the scene photos! Hehe. Hair and makeup always look funky and us girls don’t always look our best during the transformation but here are some of the bridal pictorial.
It can be a bit challenging to create an authentic moment.. luckily for us, it’s not that difficult!
The preprocess is always fun..
A lot of the time was spent here in the suite so.. here is a glimpse of that!
Of course, being in the Philippines during the summer.. and with that many people in the room, it’s bound to be hotter than the norm!
Amazingly enough, when you see so many people in one room get so many things done in a short frame of time, you can’t help but be a little bit impressed! Heh! In one room, you have the 2 makeup artists working their magic, 1 hair stylist doing her thing, along with the videographer and team.. and in the bedroom, you have the mommies getting ready. Haha, it was a tight fit.
The Bride’s Crown
I remember when we were at the Holiday Flea Market in 2018, I had bought this crown piece for LL because it really brought out the goddess in her. I’m so glad we were able to get it for this occasion.
My best friend
I am pretty lucky to have a friend that is there for me when I need a listening ear. I’m so happy I was able to be there, not only for one wedding celebration but her second celebration!! I’m blessed to get a few photos and moments with the bride. ❤
Where the ceremony happened
The ceremony location was simple but elegantly decorated. The only complaints would be these two trees that felt like they were in the way!!
With audience, well known for using their own phone/camera for memory sake!
A better view, all eyes on the bride
The ceremony was.. well, we don’t have to discuss that. It’s a bit lengthy but it was geared towards a conservative crowd. 😛 Otherwise, it was a beautiful and touching ceremony.
The back view of the ceremony
Finally! The reception at last! Here’s a few shots of the venue.
Reception shots
Of course, what’s a bride to do with out the retouch of makeup!
Making sure LL has what she needs
It took a hot minute to get the ballroom ready for show. The photographers were doing their thing, the DJ getting the set ready (which I heard they did not follow instructions per groom and bride! Yikes!), and gathering all the sponsors.. but once that started going, it was a blast! It’s hard work getting a reception all in order!
Attempting to swoon one of the bridesmaids, NK
The emcee was doing his best to move the program along since the bride wanted more time to dance at the end.
Yes! Like that! Dance, dance!
I mean, besides the drinking and dancing, this pretty much was the ending of the day. Lots of hugging and dancing..
Again, thanks for reading/perusing through the photos. It’s a shame since I have so much photos but it’s not for the internet to see. 😉
This bachelorette planning was intense yet the result was memorable. It’s always interesting when you get a group of girls together who may not know each other very well and plan a trip together. Some just don’t fit but it’s almost ALWAYS a good feeling when it does. This trip made me appreciate all the good people in LL’s life.
In Montreal, they have a ton of cafe, or bakeries around and so it made me slightly obsessed with them. I suppose it’s just me but buying fresh baked goods is such a treat!
– Day 1 –
I believe that was an almond chocolate croissant. ❤
Of course, that wasn’t all that was consumed. LL and I met up first and got a quick bite to eat.
Menu was in French, but the waiter was kind enough to help us out. ^_^
After the breakfast, we quickly headed to our Airbnb to get settled in and wait for the rest of the girls to arrive. NK arrived first and then JG completed the set. We did a night stroll and headed into our first meal together as a group.
Green Curry Poutine from Nom Nom
The atmosphere was unique.. it had it’s creative points. I will say they did hit it very well with the food though, so that’s all that mattered. 😛 (BTW, did a quick look up and they are closed. >.<)
[Borrowed from Yelp]
– Day 2 –
A little party decor for the occasion! It was a bit of a custom made to suit the bride’s personality and . It was a fun surprise for everyone! Although it was a bit chilly, some of us tried to start the day with a quick run. It was pretty gruesome but we made it through.
The day turned out to be a bit rainy and wet but that deterred us none. We kept ourselves dry by entertaining ourselves with the museum galleries.
Comfy chicks!
Yes, those are Disney Princess on our shirts.
With the Fashion exhibition in session, we were kept entertained by the many displays.
Just a glimpse of a few of the exhibits. There were SO MANY!!!
I wish I could remember the name of the exhibit but it was all Fashion and the history of how it became this amazing culture.
The gang being kawaii
After a while, we took a break from the museums and JG found a Barbie Expo happening. They had all kinds of Barbies. It was a bit overwhelming! Cute thing was that they had a Barbie box and we could pose like one.
Ariel, Mulan, Tiana, and Jasmine
Once the Barbie Expo was all checked out, we made out way for some authentic Fish n’ Chips.
I’m really obsessed with the color scheme in the umbrella department!
This place is known by the locals by their style of fish n chips, so we just had to make our way there.
We ordered the Cod, Haddock and Salmon. Also a side of Chips and Poutine and shrimp? There were a few more orders but it was all so good. None of us left disappointed at all.
Afterwards, we went back “home” and made ourselves cozy. It was a long day already and a small rest was needed.
Later that evening, I suggested we grab something late night. So everyone agreed and it was agreed that we try the soup dumplings!
Outside
Inside soup dumpling!
Ugh, it was the perfect ending of the day.. although already late in the evening.. it was agreed that having food so comforting was a small pleasure in life. Also (not pictured), we picked up a small cake from Uncle Tetsu. (Yum!)
– Day 2 –
Day two greeted us with excitement! Our food adventure awaits us! We took the tube, and made our way to the famous St. Viateure Bagel & Cafe. Why this place? Per Google research…
Authentic Montreal bagels are boiled in water with honey, and as a result are sweeter than New York bagels. But the bigger difference is that they are cooked in wood-fired ovens, which gives them a crunchier crust and a deeper, richer crust flavor.
Sure. I mean, 3 of the girls are from NY so we just had to see what the hype was about. Hmm.. first off, it was quite PACKED for the small shop they had and of course, there was a line. 4 girls sharing a very small table. Haha! It was quite cozy though. ^_^
We made our way to the market..
They had all sorts of goodies.. such as cheese, wine, honey…
Had more quick bites here! I wish we had more time to pick up stuff for a cute picnic. (le sigh)
Still fighting the chilly weather and give our tummies a break, we headed towards the historic district to the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal.
It’s a beautiful structure. It’s a bit daunting knowing how long ago they were built. (Began in 1824 and was completed in 1829.) Also, fun fact.. this is where Celine Dion got married. So it’s a pretty astounding place.
Girls having fun!
Feeling a little snack-y, we headed towards Délices Érable & Cie. They are known for their maple sugar treats.
Maple candy on a stick but was too slow to eat it so was put on top of a pastry!
We partook in their rolled up maple syrup candy on ice. Then we took our time and enjoyed the coffee, looked around the store for some souvenirs.
Italian Dinner
To end the food adventure, we decided to treat ourselves to a fancy Italian place. The first one we had planned to eat at was too long of a wait. Luckily, there are plenty of Italian places so we just picked one! We certainly ate our way for the day. But the day isn’t over yet.. oh no. We have the night life to experience!
Theme: Sequins!
Inside the bank/club
Dancing the night!
In front of the vault
Party is always in us!
– Day 3 –
Had a later start in the morning but still woke up fairly early to seize whatever daylight we had left in Montreal. We still had a few things we needed to check off the bucket list!
The day was too beautiful to pass up. The first couple days started out wet and cold so the clear sky and warm sun shining was a blessing.
PC| NKPC| NK
We slowly made out way to Mount Royal, the large volcanic-related hill or small mountain in Montreal. The “hike” was a pleasant. We all took photos like no other’s business! There was a van that took tourist up if they so pleased. With the weather so gorgeous, we took in everything we could.
PC | NK
Always in awe of a spectacular view! I love a good city view, especially from a high peak point. We made our way down the mountain and indulged in a feast of a meal.
GaNaDaRa
I treated the girls one last meal before we departed. It was quite much for all of us but it was so good. We couldn’t finish it all but we did our best. Heh.
– Day 4 –
It was a bittersweet day but all ready to head back to our respective beds. We had one last taste of Montreal by having their famous “beavertail.”
All 4 girls split one order since it is a bit on the sweet side. I remember having Nutella with banana on one side, but not quite sure what was on the other side. >.< Anyways, hope you all enjoyed the quick excerpt of this adventure!
BUT.. that was just a blip in the week. Here’s what happened the next day!
I made some notes on the chili presented.
1- Very simple beef chili. No extra flavors.. Very watery for a chili..
2- Needs more salt. Literally taste like cook beef in tomato sauce. Lacks some flavor. Has a watery consistency as well.
3- Oh! Lots of cayenne.. or is it paprika? I like the corn bits. Has a lot of flavor compared to the first two.
4- This chili feels like the flavor from the can still there. Not much to say about it. I feel perhaps a smidge of sour taste at first..?
5- A kick of flavor springs from the jalapeño bits. Otherwise not much flavor besides beans..?
6- A slight sweeter flavor from the bell pepper from this chili. Not just a tomato can flavor. I did I like the flavor mixed with sour cream and Fritos. Good meat chunk ratio.
7- Lacks salt or any flavor in general! I did notice it has a few tomato chunks. I’m guessing this was used real tomatoes?
8- This chili has less soup than the rest. Different, but I suppose I prefer a chili with some sauce. A taste that’s different! Has a noticeable smoky paprika flavor. I liked it especially with sour cream.
9- Hmm, I enjoyed this one! Nice, mellow, sweet-ish. Not much to add. Meh?
10- Great balanced flavor. I suppose the mix of beef and pork bring mixture of flavor to the chili. The paprika and chili flavor is tasty altogether. Not too watery or chunky so it pairs well with cornbread.
11- For a chili, this has a great variety of flavors as well, especially with onions. Similar comments with 10.
12- Sooo, this had legit brisket chunks and I REALLY appreciated this. This probably had the more expensive ingredients in this chili and it is bomb. Taste amazing with Fritos and sour cream.
13- Yay! A non-meat chili. Not an easy task but this was tasty! A chunky consistency and all veggies had a sweetish taste. I felt I thought some of the flavor was a salsa flavor but I’m probably wrong. It had a tang that I just cannot describe though!
14- (Mine) This chili’s main flavor is gochujang and it’s not subtle.. Its Got a subtle heat but does not take away the flavor. Taste very different than from the rest of the group.
Overall, the cook off was fun, exciting, and eventful! Even though I don’t know majority of the people there, I know they got to see my face and taste my food. Still learning how to be more confident and feel sure about myself more.
Lemme make this real quick before I get back into the study guides..
I traveled to the Midwest to attend my cousin’s graduation. Long story short, it’s a big thing since it’s decided that the next step is going to Pharmacy school afterwards so ..
Pretty much what this was. So I’m super proud of ELM and all the accomplishments achieved and I know there are bigger and better things out there to be had.
I will say Lincoln, Nebraska is a lovely place. Not too shabby of a place to attend college so I think it was a nice balance as far as being able to balance out a college experience yet not get too caught up in it and focus on school.
Well-known structure of the school. If you know where or what this is, then I don’t need to tell you which school this is. 😛
During the busy weekend, ELM asked me to decorate the cap. They must have started decorating caps after I graduated! I was like “Man! Why didn’t I think of this!?” It felt like scrapbooking so it was fun for me.
FINAL PRODUCT. (pls don’t jank this)
Yes, those are Vitamin D pills on the plants. It came out more 3-D than what ELM expected so that was funny. I didn’t expect it to come out like that either but either way, if there are no expectations, then you can’t be disappointed! I also like that fact that there is a subtle Filipino pride on it without being gaudy. *uwu*
Anyways, amongst the craziness of schedules of work and weddings and other responsibilities, I’m more than thankful for being able to be a part of a memorable moment. It’s true when they say that you’ll remember the moments where you did do something versus not doing it. I could have opted out to not go but I’m glad I didn’t.
I don’t know if you need to hear this but if you can somehow plan for moments in life where it doesn’t mess up your work life too much and can bear the lack of sleep for a moment, I encourage you to do it. Haha. Hope you appreciate those moments.
Ah, weddings. Defined as “A ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes.”
I think it’s so cool when you know you played somewhat of a role. Maybe it’s me but I suppose it feels surreal to see a person you have known for a long time get married to someone that you happened to introduce to each other. I guess that’s what makes this matrimony a little bit special for me.
Since it was a court-house wedding, some stuff had to be put together. LL and I went to a bodega and I was helped by the owner to put together her bouquet. I thought it came out pretty well!
Bouquet
With the inspiration of Pinterest, we were able to come up with a simple yet elegant bouquet! I was overall happy with it. It doesn’t look difficult but it does take talent to tie flowers together. Heh.
The bride and mother!
On the wedding day, the weather was a little rough, to be quite honest. It was pretty cold and wet but according to Brides.com…
What does it mean when it rains on your wedding day? You might have thought it was a sign of a bad luck, but it’s actually quite the opposite! “In some cultures, rain on your wedding day is considered good luck, symbolizing fertility and cleansing. So whether you are superstitious or just prefer to look on the bright side, think of it this way: Who couldn’t use a little good luck on their big day?” says Samuels.
So there you have it! If it rains, it’s a good thing! LL donned her fur vest with her wedding outfit. I’ve never been to a wedding where it rained so it was a bit memorable, at least for me!
A bride with her bridesmaids!
After the ceremony, we ate a few blocks down and made sure that the groom was nice and fed before they took photos. Afterwards, a few of us headed to Central Park for some photos. It was assumed that the weather was going to be a challenge due to the rain but in fact, it ended up looking pretty magical. ❤
A glimpse of the merry couple!
It’s so interesting to direct couples during a photoshoot because it’s no different than what I do in real life for my job so I was in the background yelling “just look at each other!” or “put your hand on his chest, and you hold the umbrella!” The real magic is happening when the photographer takes the photo. It’s kind of cool seeing the end results.
Anyways, I only had a few days in NYC but it was great to spend time and be part of a special event, at least in LL and JC’s life. It made me see how intimate and special small weddings are and how beautiful it is to be part of something like this. *sighs longingly* I really wished I could have stayed longer..
Silly Girls!
Anyways, this is just the first part of the wedding happenings. The grand finale will be happening in July so I suppose both you and I are going to have to wait what will happen then! In the mean time…I gotta catch up with other stuff!!
Thanks again for stopping by. I’ll try to update as much as I can in between my studies. I still have quite a few food places I need to write reviews about so be on the look out on those!!
If you want to jump to [PART 2] where we celebrated in Cebu, Philippines!
mmk10q || "mmkay, thank you" 