Monday, April 21, 2008

All Dressed in White (take 2)

I'm a little ticked off that the Jasmine Bridal site conked out as soon as I posted a link to it in my last post, so I uploaded pictures of the dress into my own server. In case you're interested, here they are again (Jules, don't click!):

Front
Back
Detail

It's got a mermaid silhouette with a sweetheart neckline and a good amount of detail. It's pictured with a chapel-length train, but I ordered it at cathedral-length.

I loved the dress already when I first tried it on, but since I'm me, I had to go to every single boutique in the area before I made my decision. In another boutique, I tried on a similar dress that I loved just as much. I was really torn. Until I asked for the designer and found out that it was the exact same dress. :P It must be "the one."

I made some calls Corinne made some calls for me, and found that Ferndales Bridal sold the dress for the best price, so we went over there last weekend and had the dress ordered.

I'm so glad it's off my to-do list. There's four weeks of crunch-time left in school and I need to be able to concentrate on my studies.


Sunday, April 20, 2008

All Dressed in White

Oooh! Lookie what I bought today!!! (Except Jules. Jules, don't click the link below!) Hint: It's white with a cathedral train.

Click! Click! Click!


Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Travel Info Update

I've updated the Travel Information page to include some tips on cheap/discounted car rentals and airfare.

I'll continue to look for better prices and keep you informed.


The Room and Zoom

If you're getting a room at Ayres Suites, they have a package called "The Room and Zoom," where you simply need to ask for it by name when making your reservations. The local Enterprise franchise works with them to provide you a standard vehicle (like a Toyota Corolla or a similar car) at a discount rate of $29.99* per day.

Ayres will need your estimated arrival time and a car will be delivered to the hotel, waiting for you upon arrival. The charges can be billed to your room for convenience and Ayres will return the car for you upon check out.

Related: Check out the accommodations page to read more on making reservations at Ayres.

*All prices are quoted in U.S. Dollars and are exclusive of tax.


Friday, April 11, 2008

The Penthouse Suite




Whoo! Jules and I just reserved the penthouse suite at Embassy Suites for our wedding weekend. I don't think I've ever been in a penthouse suite before. This is where my girls and I will be getting ready before the ceremony. We'll be brought to the church by limo, and after the reception, we're all going to crash here and have a really good time. The boys can join if they want. ;P

Video tours:
Upper Penthouse Living Room
Upper Penthouse Bedroom
Upper Penthouse Bathroom


Monday, April 7, 2008

Tux Fitting (part 2)



We went back to Friar Tux last weekend so Jules could try on the tux that we had selected. We also decided on the white vest and matching paisley tie for him, the teal vest and paisley tie for the best man, and the teal vest and striped tie for the groomsmen.



Now to find my wedding dress!


Sunday, April 6, 2008

Car Rentals

If you're booking a room with Ayres, click here to read more about their Room and Zoom package, which gets you an intermediate class car for $30 a day.

Otherwise, Side Step is my discounted travel search site of choice. Of course, other travel sites like Expedia, Orbitz, etc. work too.

Keep in mind that renting a car from the airport comes with a lot of tax (about 20% give or take, depending on the airport) so ask for the total amounts inclusive of all taxes before you make your decision.


Flights

Philippine Airlines has round-trip, non-stop flights from Manila (MNL) to Los Angeles (LAX) in September and October for Php 44,848.00 inclusive of tax, as long as you leave Manila on any day but a Friday or a Saturday. Remember that prices go up the closer you get to your departure date.

For more cheap flights, again, I recommend Side Step, but other travel sites like Expedia, Orbitz, etc. work too.

If you're traveling within the United States, and you're under 26, or you're a student/teacher, I suggest you check out STA Travel. They give pretty decent student discounts.

Finally, if you're in Canada and you live near the border, you might want to look into driving across the U.S. border, park your car at the airport, and take a plane from there. It changes your flight status from international to domestic, and it could save you a couple hundred dollars.


Accommodations

Ayres Suites
21951 Golden Springs Dr
Diamond Bar, CA 91765 (view map)
Tel: (800) 452-6975 / (909) 860-6290



    Location:
    Just off the CA-60 freeway. 5 miles from the Puente Hills Mall, 4 miles from the church, 20 miles from Ontario International Airport (ONT), and 40 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

    Nicole's Review:
    3 stars. Ayres is pretty classy for its price range. The furniture isn't tacky and the suite feels a lot more like a hotel than your average Holiday Inn.

    View the website to read more about the hotel and its amenities. Also, click here to read more about their Room and Zoom package, which gets you an intermediate class car for $30 a day.

    Reservation:
    We have reserved 20 deluxe studio suites from Friday, September 26, 2008 to Sunday, October 12, 2008 at the rate of $104*. This rate may drop down to $99* for each night that more than 4 rooms are booked under my party, and $96* for each night that more than 10 rooms are booked under my party.

    To make your reservations, please call their toll-free number at 1-800-452-6975. Be sure to specify that you are with the Concepcion-de Vera party in order to avail of the discounted rate. The block on the rooms will be released on September 5, 2008, so please make your reservations before then to ensure yourself a room at the discounted rate.

    *All prices are quoted in U.S. Dollars at a per room per night rate and are exclusive of tax.


Embassy Suites
900 E Birch St
Brea, CA 92821 (view map)
Tel: (800) EMBASSY / (714) 990-6000



    Location:
    Just off the CA-57 freeway. Next door to Brea Mall, 7 miles from the church, 25 miles from Ontario International Airport (ONT), and 40 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

    Notes:
    This is where the bridal party will be getting ready on the day of the wedding, and where the bride and groom will be staying after the reception.

    Nicole's Review:
    3.5 stars. A part of the Hilton Family, this is the most picturesque hotel that we could find near the church. I'd say this is a decent price for this hotel considering it's right beside the mall as well as the Diamonds Billiard Club. Eat, shop, shoot some pool, stumble home drunk, and pass out. What more do you need?

    Julian's Review:
    I particularly like Embassy and will probably push for my family to stay here during the weekend too. I also like their bathrooms, which were laid out in granite (or something like that) compared to the usual tiles and plastic-looking bathtub.

    View the website to read more about the hotel and its amenities.

    Reservations:
    We have not reserved any rooms except our own because they make us liable for 80% of the rooms that we reserve, and the group rate they offered us wasn't any different from the standard rate anyway. Standard suites start at $128*.

    To make your own reservations, please call their toll-free number at 1-800-EMBASSY (1-800-362-2779) or visit their website.

    *All prices are quoted in U.S. Dollars at a per room per night rate and are exclusive of tax.


Travel Information

In Los Angeles, September and October are actually two of the best months of the year. There is very little rain, if any, and the temperature averages highs of 80°F (27°C) and lows of 60°F (16°C).

What to pack: Make sure to bring short-sleeved shirts, mid-weight jackets, light-weight pants, and sweaters in case layering is necessary for the drearier days. On the great, beautiful warm days, shorts are always perfect.

Read more about the weather on losangeles.com/weather. Click the links below for more travel advice and information.

Accommodations
Car Rentals
Flights
Local Attractions (coming soon)


Thursday, April 3, 2008

Events & Venues

CEREMONY



RECEPTION


Map & Directions


View Larger Map



Directions to St. Denis (ceremony)
    From Los Angeles (view map with directions)
    Take CA-60E
    Take CA-57S for 1.1 mi
    Exit Pathfinder
    Turn left at Pathfinder Rd
    Turn left at Diamond Bar Blvd
    Turn left at Silver Hawk Dr
    Take the first right into the church parking lot
    Arrive at St. Denis Church

    From Orange Country (view map with directions)
    Take CA-57N
    Exit Pathfinder
    Turn right at Pathfinder Rd
    Turn left at Diamond Bar Blvd
    Turn left at Silver Hawk Dr
    Take the first right into the church parking lot
    Arrive at St. Denis Church

    From Ayres Hotel (view map with directions)
    Head west on Golden Springs Dr
    Turn left at Brea Canyon Rd
    Turn left at Pathfinder Rd
    Turn left at Diamond Bar Blvd
    Turn left at Silver Hawk Dr
    Take the first right into the church parking lot
    Arrive at St. Denis Church


Directions to Orange Hill Restaurant (reception)
    From St. Denis Church (view map with directions)
    Head southwest on Diamond Bar Blvd
    Turn right at Pathfinder Rd
    Take CA-57 S for 9.9 mi
    Take CA-91 E for 3.2 mi
    Take CA-55 S for 4.0 mi
    Exit Chapman
    Turn left at Chapman Ave
    Turn right at Cliffway Dr
    Arrive at Orange Hill Restaurant on top of hill


Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Registry

Our Registry
by Julian and Nicole

we sometimes wish for many things
the luxuries that money brings
the simple things that one can hold
and put to use til we grow old
that pretty table, a fancy chair
to fill a lovely home so bare

the things we'd have on registry
are lovely things, but honestly
we have no home no living room
no dining place to host you soon
to buy a home is now our goal
a sanctuary for our souls

with all that said, we'd appreciate
any amount you might donate :)



Nicole and Julian's
First Home Fund




DaisypathWedding Ticker