Dec. 14, 2007
We had our wedding preps at the Mandarin Oriental Manila where the reception took place an hour after the wedding. 

My Mike stayed in rm 902 (Deluxe Room) the night before the wedding, while I with our dearest daughter Patricia enjoyed the amenities of rm 1729 (Executive Suite).  Mandarin was kind enough to upgrade my room at no extra charge in preparation for our big day.  Yipee!! We love it , love it, love it!!!

Mike who was 8 floors down had a sound sleep the night before.  Well i should know as he missed calling me before he retired to bed probably because he got too tired driving around town doing last minute shopping for no less than his shoes!   Well, little did he know then that i too still need to buy backup shoes in case my custom made shoes by Paul Cabral wouldn't pass the "test drive" i scheduled to do night before the wedding.  Anyway, t'was past midnight already and still couldn't sleep just yet even when i wanted so much too because i had to wait for my staff to bring the missalette and Precious Moments entourage dolls.  Got it past 1am and still, I wasn't able to sleep until past 2am after tossing and turning around the bed feeling the supposedly unnecessary jitters at the same time butterflies churning in my stomach thinking about the day i never thought would ever come anymore... yes it felt so uneasy and i was so restless until I thought a need so badly a good dose of a personal one on one talk with my LORD...
it helped so much...
then i was lulled to sleep, whisked onto dreamland where there were wedding nightmares haunting me no more.  Instead it was peaceful and calm, very relaxing 4 hours sleep.  Just enough to keep me fully charged for the one of my biggest day ever...   

Dec. 15, 2007
6am:   Waaaahhhhhh!!!!! Is this it?  I woke up so overwhelmed that finally this day had come.  I can't hold back my tears with the thought of never imagining that this day would still come.  More than the fanfare and excitement over the party, it's the thought that finally I'm having my union with the only man i can imagine myself being with for the rest of my life being blessed by the Lord. 
I had to pinch myself over and over then I finally came to my senses and thought i needed so badly to run to Landmark and get myself a nice and simple backup shoes and whatever dainty earrings i could get my hands on.  Yes, of all the things that i didn't bother to prepare are the set of earrings i'd wear to complete my look. 

My dashing Mike (as always), walked up to us at the Paseo Uno for his breakfast with his ever so kind friend Wilson.  It was a very brief encounter yet i already sensed some adrenalin rush for things that i should get done already before the arrival of my gown designer, HMUA, photographer and videographer. 

10am:  Finally bought my backup shoes and simple dangling earrings from Landmark.  I didn't feel any regrets of not having shopped them earlier on because i got exactly the things i wanted.  It didn't bother me much because to me they're just sidelights, what's important is my overall look which i know matters most.  I'm the happiest person that day and that's the thought I'd just like to linger on for the rest of the day. 

The room was spacious enough (and so i thought) until 11 video crew, 2 photographers, 5 dress up assitants, 4 hair and makeup artists, 1 bride coordinator from my OTD  team, 1 nanny, 1 office staff and my parents came. 
The preparation went so well except for some minor stuff that bugged me all throughout the time I was being made up.  Traffic was a major issue and I thought that people would have understood and known that the last person they can bother with about that matter is the bride.  At one point Marlon told me that I should turn my cellphone off  otherwise we will not get the look we want to obtain.That didn't dampen my spirits though as Marlon (my hmua) kept on reminding me to take it easy and everything is in control.

2:30pm:  Time to dress up!  It's the first time I saw my gown and I was so amazed by what Paul did.  I love my gown so much!  It may not exactly be what I would have wanyed my wedding gown to be but it's the best for me given my growing tummy at 23 weeks on the family way.  It was so figure-forgiving that many never realized that I was baby-heavy all along.