Rio-rio It Is!

Even though O'Brien's ranked high on paper, we decide to go with Rio-Rio. Fiance went to have a lunch during Thanksgiving weekend and he did like the food.

My concern about TexMex being the dinner theme can be alleviated by not choosing the buffet style dining. Instead, we will have a sitdown dinner. We even can offer selection of two entrees for the guests--I am thinking the fillet mignon& chicken combo and the seabass. Although, to keep it budget friendly, our RSVP card will include the option of two entrees for the invitees to choose in advance. Hopefully, everybody will return it in a timely manner to us so we can give Rio-Rio a final head count and entrees.

I am thinking cocktail hours should include stations of cheese and fruit, vegetable dips, and some hor d'ouvres. Suffice it to say, we can recreate what O'Brien's has to offer!

We will have 3.5 hours that comes with no additional charge. If needed, some relatively small amount will be billed for extra half hour or so. Taking everything into account, Rio-rio and O'Brien's are comparable budgetwise.

Although, there is one thing that might be out of reach. The beautiful picture of the Estrella room was partly from the amazing chair covers, table cloths and dinner napkins. We need to rent those linen. The restaurant itself already provides for basic black or white table cloth with color overlay (they have purple available). We will see the quote the linen vendor provided soon.

As far as entertainment, we can probably finding a rental for electric keyboard. We need to rent sound system and microphones anyway. There are some aspired singers and piano players in the party.

I am excited that this is turning into reality. I am officially bridezilling. Fiance thinks I am too happy to be a bridezilla and will fail miserably at it. Amen to that! LOL!

Edited to add:

Quote from linen vendor

10 Plum Satin Floor Length @ $25.00 each

80 Silver Satin Self Tie Chair Covers @ $4.00 each

80 Silver Satin Napkins @ $1.25 each

Installation @ $135.00

Delivery/Pick Up @ $35.00

Sub Total $840.00

Discount $100.00

Tax $ 60.13

Total $800.13

Hmm, should I just got the silver self-tie chair covers and use Rio-rio's white table cloth with purple overlay? I dont know if they have purple napkins. Hmm... Linen vendor can still install and deliver/pick up, hopefully for a reduced amount. That should fit better with budget. Hmm...

Bridesmaid Dresses

My beautiful Team Bridesmaid will wear this dress from Target party line. I ordered them today and hopefully they will arrive first thing next week so I can bring them to the pretty ladies when I visit Texas for graduations.



We love the Jackie-O feeling, or is it Audrey H, this dress brings? And the color is also beautiful. I am not trying to limit the shades of purple theme. Everything works.

To make things even prettier, I also have commissioned Bridesmaid Didi to make personalized fascinator hairpieces for the three of them. Check out her work here.

Can't wait to see you girls walk the aisle. :D

Team Bridesmaid:
Maid of Honor -- NY
Bridesmaid -- Mrs. Benyamin Setiawan
Bridesmaid -- Didi

Hmmmm....taking a deep breath.....

We might need to downsize the wedding depending on what happens at the work front.

Things will start unfolding tomorrow and the following week. At the worst case, I am picturing that it boils down to a matter of life survival in lieu of an extravagant -well, to some extend- nuptial celebration. This epiphany is the result of wee morning perusing news and company announcement. 3 AM, no gym tomorrow!

On the positive side, the whole deal takes pressure off from myself (and the dude) on the planning of a somewhat dreamy wedding. I am just glad we haven't put anything down for venue.

PS:
Babe, really, your Vegas plan is more realistic at this point. LoL.

PPS:
Screw you, Economy. I am going to retreat to some type of a simple life, Fiance, you're coming right? Foraging anyone?

A Reception Venue Run-Off

I am throwing this to the forum and want to see what everyone is thinking. As of now, both places are available and we are on hold for first dip for May 1st. We are thinking of having a 75 people reception, starting at around 4 PM and lasts into the night (4 hours).

Here is the guided decision making from Excel. I am trying my best not to be that biased, but it still clearly shows my preference, huh?



Pat O'Briens

OK, these pictures don't actually do them justice. Try your best to imagine the rooms if you seen both rooms on larger size images.




Outer facade (courtesy of Flickr)



Rio-Rio








and the view from it at night...

Please keep your comments coming! Thanks!

Save the Date!

May 1st, 2010 at 2PM in St. Francis of Assisi Church, San Antonio, TX.
Reception to follow at Riverwalk (not yet determined).


------
Fr. Jim just replied my email regarding the time change. Needless to say, we love him so much. Thank you, Fr. Jim!


PS:
Bibi, we can go crazy on making this oh so romantic. :D

Pictorial Memories

From October San Antonio trip.


Bibi's sisters want to put engagement announcement at his hometown's newspaper. So she asked us to pose accordingly. LoL! This was on the balcony of one of Rio Rio's private rooms. I think it was the Estrella Room.



Might as well be a favorite picture of us. Also, beware of Xinda attack! This was on Artisan Alley where Bin 555 is located.


Precious bundle of future nieces and nephew in law a.k.a. Blonde Babes.

We are thinking of moving dates to April 10th or May 1st, church permitted. Annual San Antonio Fiesta is right on the April 15-25 time frame. Bummer! Wish us luck...

Venue List

Just sent Fiance a list of venue we need to pay a visit to.

Game plan is to be at all four Riverwalks locations (Casa Rio, Rio Rio Cantina, Zuni Grill and Paesanos) on Saturday afternoon and all three around church locations (Los Patios, Bin 555, Silo) on Sunday morning & afternoon before meeting with Fr. Jim.

Things to find out on visit:
Menus, tables & chairs setting, fees, duration, extra space available for cake, music, dance, decoration, alcohol, limitations, others?? (help me, if I miss anything girls?)


View Wedding Reception in a larger map

Much Ado About Nothing

I haven't been doing anything substantial lately except to confirm with the father that we are going to meet with him on Sunday the 18th and that we tentatively put a hold on April 24th 2010, 2 PM slot. We will set the date and time when we actually talk with him in persons. Also, I just mailed the Engaged Encounter form for a retreat on December 4-6 in San Antonio. We can actually celebrate Fiance's birthday together this year!

I watched this for the umptenth time last night not just because it has the word "wedding" on it but it is on my list of memorable flicks and a girl just needs to retreat to girly guilty pleasures sometime. [Short digression: back in the film's release year which is also my freshman year in college, the school's film society decided to play it at the auditorium. Everyone whooped whole heartedly in unison at the part where Julianne character mentioned (despite condescendingly) the name of the town where our school is.]

Oh, I had been flipping thru and cutting pictures from magazines (not bridal) for inspiration for something refreshing on pre-wedding pictures--I was surprised that Fiance actually wants to do a pre-wedding photoshoot. See, I refuse to waste money on acquiring bridal magazines for inspiration, it is always resulting in a sensory overload and lack of common sense. But while waiting for an oil change this morning, I was about to flip thru a magazine called "Welding." That little "L" in the middle just escaped me.

PS:
Fiance's sisters are throwing us an engagement dinner party. I think I need a dress or a cute top to wear with this gorgeous navy blue silky skirt I have. LoL.

LoL!

I have possibly done the geekiest thing bar none about this wedding planning. Well, maybe not the geekiest thing since I am hoping to come up with something geeky for the wedding itself, but still.

What is it, you say.

I am using a cleanroom note book as a planner/notebook for organizing ideas about the wedding! Size-wise, it looks like the small one on this picture.



This way, I can conveniently bring it to the lab (and everywhere else) and use it whenever ideas strike without anyone knowing. I decorate it (discreetly on an inside page) with a favorite picture of me and Bibi and a picture of our hands with mine wearing my engagement ring. Maybe I'll put on some stickers and other embellishment later. *sarcastic tone* On a more practical side, I need to add a calendar to do list page to it and a table of content. [Update: the notebook has a calendar now, from October 2009-May 2010, accordion style...]

It's been great so far. The only thing is I am probably gonna run out page sometime. LoL. I am definitely keeping the book as a priced memento after the wedding.

Time and Date?

Fr. J came up with a list of dates and times in April in his email this morning. I figure, Bibi and I need to let him know as soon as possible, or else...

Babe, we need to pick a date, wanna chat later?

Do I need to talk about dates now? can I have a day off? lol

Backstory: I've been pestering him on wedding topics these past couple days on the phone.

Anyway, what do you think of an evening wedding ceremony, say 7 PM, on Saturday in the mid to late April? Sunset is around 8:05, twilight sunset is around 8:30.

There will be a Saturday Mass at 5 PM and there are only two choices on time for a wedding ceremony: 2 or 7 PM. My first choice will be a 2 PM one (thinking about the reception to follow and photography!), but just in case.

Here are pictures of the church I pulled off the internet. We are going to meet in person with the father on October 18th.

During daylight...



and at night...

Flowers!

Kinda thinking on this arrangement as centerpiece. Bu Didi informed me that the name agapanthus comes from the word agape means love and anthus means flower. Flower of love! Ah, I am falling in love with the flower completely.



As for bridal bouquet(s), boutonniere(s) and corsages:


What do you think, Evy? Are these doable?

I am going to practice with fake flowers from craftstores...(Updated: Dang...these are expensive! I need to go to dollar store for some of them? LoL!)

Bu Didi, the resourceful one, also sent me this link for vases. Ahaha!

Bridekenstein Management (Sort of)

Ahh...it feels like I haven't been updating in ages. No worries. I keep on thinking about wedding preparation in every waking minute (surprise, surprise, the whole ordeal hasn't made it to my subconscious realm yet, I am famous for twisted, scary dreams).

It is true what wise people say, planning takes 90% of your time, execution takes only 10%. Although, I have to remind myself to slow down on the planning side sometimes. Bibi's famous two words and two punctuation marks for me are "Easy, Killer!" It is good that this work week has been quite substantial for my future and adding to it are the personal projects with impending deadlines, so I couldn't really realize any of the things on the to do list but randomly thinking about it. Otherwise, most decision will be made and apart from the religious side of things, we can be happily married already. LoL!

Speaking of Bibi...I have a feeling he's probably will never post anything in this blog what with the estrogen saturated air. It is ironic that the idea of creating this blog was his in the first place. In a way, I can understand that it's like opening a pandora box once he hits that enter button on the address tab, much less trying to add material to the blog. See, I have a penchant to become a monster when I am enjoying doing things I like.

Also, shameless selves-promotion here.

As a closing to this rambling and for the purpose of jotting down pertinent materials, here are the things I've been thinking about, in no particular order:

-List of reception places to see in October trip

-Actually buy ticket for October trip

-Send email to Fr. J to confirm we are going to catch a meeting with him that Sunday

-Preparing a list of question, concern, etc, for him about our wedding preparation and Mass

-Figuring out time off and schedule for Engaged Encounter retreat (November? December? out of the San Antonio Diocese?)

-Readings for Mass (I've been reading the Bible, reflection book, etc., to find something that touches heart)

-Invitation design (Bu Didi is in charge, I scored a laser color printer from surplus at work, so I can print them myself on Bu Didi is done! Although, I need to find pretty paper material for invitation, reception card, RSVP, etc.)

-Photographer (NY came up with an affordable photographer list. I need to look over their portfolio. Sad thing, on some of them, I think I can do a better job editing the pictures. I might as well do post processing myself, I'd tell you.)

-Some geeky decoration, activity, theme on the wedding to make it "us".

-Veil, oh, veil. I'm torn between cathedral mantilla or fingertip length with simple white pearl ribbon on the edge.

-Macaron as favors (Evy, you're just amazing, she provides the foolproof recipe, NY is on board as baking mate, Mommy should be too! Need to find boxes that'll showcase the pretty color)

-Guest list

-Delegating tasks (I have evil plan...huahuahuhaaa)

-Bridesmaid or no????

Color Swatch

Shades of purple and silver (gray) as color theme.


Leaning towards either of these two, thistle (f) or plum (e).


PS: Bought my dress. :) Thank you Rentje for accompanying me to the store. I was beyond clueless without you.

Some Light on the Tunnel

It feels as if a big weight has been lifted off my shoulder. I just got off the phone with Father J of St. Francis of Assisi. That was after several email tag and one previous phone call.

Long story short, he has agreed to marry us. You are right, Trish. He is phenomenal.

Now, it's time to arrange schedule for a Engaged Encounter weekend sometime this year. I can't wait for fiance and I to actually meet him in person this October trip.

Saga

Both of my future sister(s?) in law(s?) are on board! Thank you, girls. I couldn't do this without you.

The saga to find church continues and I believe will be the toughest part to plan for the wedding. The larger churches in San Antonio usually doesn't have capacity to accommodate non-parishioners. The smaller churches might consider. I need to contact every single one of them up and wait for response. At this rate, I just need to make sure that we can get married in one and not to be picky about how beautiful the church is. What I always wanted is to get married in a little chapel.


Possible game day plans:
1. Wedding preparation and ceremony in San Antonio, presider is the priest in the church. This is an ideal case.

2. Wedding preparation in College Station, ceremony in San Antonio, presider priest from San Antonio. This is second ideal as it will involve a bit more coordination.

3. Wedding preparation in College Station, ceremony in San Antonio, presider is Indonesian priest friend from California. I'm still glad to have this as an option, but, if possible, please let this cup pass from me.

Locations of churches I need to contact along with venues (thanks JAG and RPS)!


View Xinda Billy wedding in a larger map

Chicken and Egg

I tend to fall in love in first sight. First was on the Alfred Angelo dress (last post), now on this venue either on their Alamo Heights location


or their Loop 1604 location.


I am waiting for confirmation of spaces for dancing, sound system & stuff and if we can bring outside cake and decoration. The 1604 location has been the place for band or CD release party. Restaurant setting, I believe, will be more cost effective. Nothing is final until we actually set our foot in their place. I am planning a trip back in October.

Oh, here is their menu. I am sure we can work on other arrangement.



As the chicken and egg continues, I am waiting for informations from surrounding Catholic churches. Also continuing on finding venue option.

Dress Run-Off

Budget friendly dresses the followings are. The first two being south of four hundred dollars make me want to seal the deal immediately. The thing is that there is no way to try them on. They are to be ordered online. The last dress is the most reasonably priced wedding dress from a typical bridal stores.

I still need to find some sort of a bolero or jacket for ceremony if I end up getting either of the first two. I don't feel like baring too much skin.

Fiance, what do you think?

Silk Tricotine Robin Long Dress, J Crew






Calvin Klein Empire Satin Dress, Nordstorm




Style 1148 Tafetta Hug the Shoulder, Alfred Angelo

The Proposal Story (Re-post from Xinda's blog)

Remember Pollo Desperado?

I made Bibi that for dinner just after he landed. Bibi carved the chicken fresh out of the oven. He had salad for a side dish while I had soup. I also made some baked potato with rosemary from my pot garden. We opened a bottle of wine I had handy for a sitdown dinner like this.



We had elaborate plan for Saturday to visit the Santa Cruz mountain, drive the 17-Mile Drive at Monterey, and then hike somewhere in Point Lobos. As for me, I had always wanted to cross two things of my Bibi list: taking a long walk at the beach and watching sunset, and it was not just any beach, it has to be at Carmel by the Beach.

Due to some mismanagement of time and also on getting a bit lost, it was already 5 PM when we drove the 17-Mile Drive. The cloudy sky put a stop on our hiking plan as we cruised thru the next 12 points of interests and off to Carmel.

That long walk on the beach was a God sent. I pointed to an older couple who were walking a few feet in front and to the side of us who were pausing for a kiss. "It's like one of those De Beers diamond commercial," I told Bibi. And then he dragged me to the very spot and did the same to me.

I took out the beach towel when we decided to take a rest. We had a mini health-conscious picnic with some baked multigrain chips, trailmix bars and plain water. Bibi regretted the lack of wine. I should've picked up clues by this time, but I didn't. I asked him for his camera and started taking pictures of us.



Before long when I was still playing with the camera, he took out a dark blue paper box out of his backpack without me knowing and proceeded to say, "you have crossed things off your list today, now you will be able to cross one more thing." He put the box on his lap.

I still didn't catch that it was a proposal. "Opened it, " he said. I opened the paper box and inside there was an oval box to what looks like something that houses a ring. Inside was the most beautiful diamond ring a girl like me has ever seen.

Bibi made a speech of proposal, which honestly I forgot the details of except for few bits about how I made him feel special and then..."H****** N*********, will you marry me?" I shouted a big yes and planted him a big kiss. I put the ring on my left ring finger. Maybe in that order.

I still can't believe that I am engaged to a beautiful, caring, intelligent person!


We stayed at the beach for another hour or two just talking and talking. I totally forgot all about the sunset. We then had a celebration dinner at maybe the best gourmet type of restaurant I've ever been in. It serves Asian-European fused food, properly symbolizing our future venture together. We were hesitant at first to dine at such place donning only our very casual beach get ups. But, ah, what the heck.





It was a really nice ring. I know what I felt about diamond before. But it does make a girl feel a tad more special.


Thank you God. Thank you, Baby. I love you and I can't wait to start a life with you.

Hello, World

Here is Xinda and Billy's little notepad in the internet for jotting down ideas about our nuptial plan (ceremony and reception). Both are tentatively to be held in San Antonio, TX around March-April 2010. Bride and groom to be currently reside in Santa Clara, CA and College Station, TX, respectively.

Wish us luck.