The search for the right church and venue proved to be such a journey. With so many choices at hand, we knew we had work to do. Here's how we finally got to the choices we made.
The First Choice: Magallanes Church - North Forbes Clubhouse
St. Alphonsus
Paolo is from the south, and I from the more northern part of the metro. We figured that a Makati wedding would be appropriate, as it symbolized 'the middle' so to speak.
In the beginning, we were so set on being wed in St. Alphonsus in Humabon Street, Magallanes and holding the reception at the North Forbes Clubhouse nearby.
Paolo and I are drawn to minimalist themes, and the Magallanes church fit the bill perfectly. The building's clean lines, the unique architecture, the white structures and the interplay of glass and light appealed to our preference for the simple but elegant. The church was just beautiful.
The door - oh the door - was just gorgeous. The solid wood door (I don't know exactly what hardwood it is made from) is carved with pictures (of which escapes me at the moment). This was the door that created many dramatic entrances for giddy brides. We wanted that.
The church's size was just right for the intimate wedding that we wanted. Not too big that it would look empty, and not too small that it would be uncomfortable in case many decide to witness the ceremony. It had a choir loft and most importantly - air-conditioning. It would be a pity if my pretty-fied entourage and myself ended up sweaty and our make-up melted all over our faces during the ceremony.
The North Forbes Clubhouse
We liked the North Forbes Clubhouse again because of its simplicity. It was like a blank canvas that we could play with. The hall was inside a quiet, upscale neighborhood, and was also part of a park with a large patch of green. We could imagine our guests hanging out outside, under the stars already.
Also, the rent was CHEAP. Being able to hold the reception here would save us so much than if we had it anywhere else, and the best part was, it was already very near our chosen church.
Also, the rent was CHEAP. Being able to hold the reception here would save us so much than if we had it anywhere else, and the best part was, it was already very near our chosen church.
Unfortunately, things had to change. When we inquired for the clubhouse, we learned that non-residents are no longer allowed to use the venue on weekends - from Friday to Sunday. I asked some of my friends if they would still be able to attend our wedding even if it was on a weekday, and of course the answer was a resounding YES. However, Paolo and I knew that if we had a party on a weekday, the revelries would be tempered somehow. We didn't want our guests to hold back on they partying just because they had work the next day.
We thought hard about whether we wanted a hotel reception instead, and we realized that it wasn't really for us. We wanted some place large and airy, and felt that a hotel venue would just be too stiff. We were the laid back kind of people, and a hotel was just not...us.
So finally - and it wasn't without some resistance - we decided to let go of our Makati wedding and opened ourselves to other possibilities. We soon found out that maybe it was meant to be.
We thought hard about whether we wanted a hotel reception instead, and we realized that it wasn't really for us. We wanted some place large and airy, and felt that a hotel venue would just be too stiff. We were the laid back kind of people, and a hotel was just not...us.
So finally - and it wasn't without some resistance - we decided to let go of our Makati wedding and opened ourselves to other possibilities. We soon found out that maybe it was meant to be.
Hacienda Isabela
Hacienda Isabella
After a quick trip to Tagaytay to check out the wedding venues, we decided we wanted to have the event closer to home. BUT, we still wanted the airy, country feel of Tagaytay. A very strong contender was Hacienda Isabela, just off Tagaytay.
Hacienda Isabela was hands down beautiful. But we decided to hold our decision for the meantime.
Hacienda Isabela was hands down beautiful. But we decided to hold our decision for the meantime.
The Mango Farm
I was going through some wedding blogs and chanced upon The Mango Farm. I ignored it in the beginning because the website pictures and the website itself looked a bit drab. After seeing more and more pictures of weddings done at the Farm, however, we became increasingly curious.
We decided to drop by one afternoon and we were floored. The place was gorgeous - the farm boasted of cobblestone paths, gentle slopes of green grass, and a large, thick canopy of mango trees. The best part was, it was less than 30 minutes away from where I lived. Paolo loved it too.
So that was it, the reception venue was finally booked.
We decided to drop by one afternoon and we were floored. The place was gorgeous - the farm boasted of cobblestone paths, gentle slopes of green grass, and a large, thick canopy of mango trees. The best part was, it was less than 30 minutes away from where I lived. Paolo loved it too.
So that was it, the reception venue was finally booked.
Christ The King
Interestingly, we had to find the right church because we had already booked the reception venue, and not the usual other way around. There were churches and chapels in the Katipunan and Antipolo area, but none appealed to us.
We initially picked Christ the King, since that was the nearest "nice church". But since, at that time, our wedding was still more than a year a way, their office wouldn't book us! Plus, they were very hard to reach by phone.
We realize that maybe it was just right that they didn't book us yet. Because honestly, the church didn't "speak" to us - which was always our major consideration when finalizing our choices. CTK was just a little too big and always looked a bit too dark. And the entrance was an uneventful sliding glass door (major issue, haha).
So finally, when it was now time to book CTK, we went back to one of the churches we've visited before - Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills.
We initially picked Christ the King, since that was the nearest "nice church". But since, at that time, our wedding was still more than a year a way, their office wouldn't book us! Plus, they were very hard to reach by phone.
We realize that maybe it was just right that they didn't book us yet. Because honestly, the church didn't "speak" to us - which was always our major consideration when finalizing our choices. CTK was just a little too big and always looked a bit too dark. And the entrance was an uneventful sliding glass door (major issue, haha).
So finally, when it was now time to book CTK, we went back to one of the churches we've visited before - Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills.
Finally: Santuario de San Jose
We went back to Santuario de San Jose, which were one of the churches we initially checked out. It was in January 3 when we made this second visit, and the giant Christmas wreaths were still up inside the church. The church is located inside a village, and so it is very private a quiet.
And again, of course, the stained glass door was just striking. The circular pattern and yellow glass looked like sun's rays radiating as you entered.
The church's size was just right, and there was air-conditioning. Check, check. The only thing off about this church was the altar - which was just way too gold for our taste.
But this felt like the right one for us. I felt very much at home in this church because I later found out that my mothers siblings were wed here, and so many other family events have been held here (baptisms and funerals). The staff was so accommodating and easy to talk to.
Paolo tried standing by the altar (groom's place) during our first visit. I stood by the door, mimicking a wedding. We got goosebumps, and maybe a tad bit nervous.
Finally, we had our church.
And again, of course, the stained glass door was just striking. The circular pattern and yellow glass looked like sun's rays radiating as you entered.
The church's size was just right, and there was air-conditioning. Check, check. The only thing off about this church was the altar - which was just way too gold for our taste.
But this felt like the right one for us. I felt very much at home in this church because I later found out that my mothers siblings were wed here, and so many other family events have been held here (baptisms and funerals). The staff was so accommodating and easy to talk to.
Paolo tried standing by the altar (groom's place) during our first visit. I stood by the door, mimicking a wedding. We got goosebumps, and maybe a tad bit nervous.
Finally, we had our church.
