Celebrating Chinese New Year : The Year of the Wooden Horse

I don't usually believe in "Mga Kasabihan ng Pinoy" but in terms of Zodiac signs, Star symbols, and  Chinese horoscopes, I make it a point to read horoscopes on what the new year offers for the Tiger - Scorpion in me.

Just like celebrating the New Year's Eve on the 31st of December, we usually stayed at night and wait for the clock to strike midnight and celebrate with our Chinese friends. We do not have a Chinese blood but we are one on them on this event, the Filipino way.

So for a family to be bound with love  and be prosperous for the entire year, they must share and eat something sticky like "tikoy". The traditional tikoy is round with an auspicious decoration such as the character for prosperity on its top. The character is often written in the traditional Chinese script.

But we have taken it with a Pinoy twist, we had "biko" instead.

Biko is a type of sticky rice cake popular in the Philippines.
It is believed that eating sticky foods during the new year brings luck and prosperity.

2014 : The Year of the Wooden Horse

Rocking Horse from Wooden KidiKraft
www.facebook.com/woodenkiddiestools

What type of people are born on the year of the horse?

Those born within these years are recognised as energetic, bright and intelligent. In general, it is suggested  that they are cheerful, popular, talented and enjoy entertaining. They are associated with success and cannot stand failure.

The Tiger in me.

For my husband and I who were both born under the year of the metal tiger, we are really excited for the luck it will bring this year. 

"Tiger is carnivorous animal, but horse can share a land with Tiger. According to horoscopes, Tiger and Horse have attraction relationship because of Fire. Wood helps Fire to burn. Wood is the mother Element of Fire, therefore elements won't fire each other. Therefore, Tiger and Horse can get along together.

However, Tiger people still need to pay attention on any ghost behind them. It is possible that a villain plans to pull your legs because of jealousness. In short, Tiger people shouldn't get dizzy with success, otherwise, good luck might become a misfortune."

I will take note of that.

For people born in Tiger years: 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998.  Click here to know more about what is in store for us in terms of Money, Career and Love.

 Give. Celebrate. Enjoy.

Fabulous Wedding Color Trends for 2014

J & Z Nuptials

01.28.14

Sanctuario de San Antonio

Another Plan Perfectly Executed.

The usual me during weddings where I used to be the "punong-abala" is taking the back seat this time. When my husband Mark undergone biliary surgery last December, I told my colleague CC to take charge and handle the event. He has no choice, how can he say no to his wedding singer? His wife JC gladly took the role as our 2nd Events assistant, and thanked God that we were able to pull a solemn ceremony and a super fun wedding party.

The Color Motif.

The color motif is yellow. I am not really a fan of this color, but I may say that the combination of the yellow with blue and with some pink accents makes sense. 

The Inspiration.

The New Color Trends for 2014.

A new year is here. So when settling on wedding colors consider the mood you want to set and choose a palette that will complement the location or theme. Here are the 30 combinations perfect for any type of wedding. Get inspired by these hot hues.

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-colors/choosing-wedding-colors/articles/wedding-color-combinations.aspx

  

A Time of New Beginnings and Starting Over Again

The theme for this week is about "New Beginnings". I started with a new blog, re-designed my Facebook page, created a new logo for the business and learned a couple of  things. 

Aside from doing this "new beginnings" and "starting over again" with all these things I love to do, I have been busy with the wedding preparation of a colleague. J & S is about to get married in two days and I am just about to finish polishing their timelines for the day and did some "printing works" for the wedding program.

J&S will be using these standees in their couple's table during the reception
www.facebook.com/woodenkiddiestools

Last year, I told myself that I will be retiring from the "wedding scene". Yes, planning and coordinating a wedding is tiring and stressful at the same time. But how you can say "No" to friends who already asked for your  help a year in advance?

So for those of you thinking of getting married soon or getting married again (hehehe!), I would like to share with you the Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist.

12 Months before

- Start a wedding folder or binder

- Work out your budget 

- Pickup your wedding entourage

- Start the guest list

- Hire a planner if desired

- Reserve your dates and venues

- Book your priest / officiant

- Research photographers, bands, florists and caterers

8 Months before

- Hire the photographer and the videographer

- Book the entertainment / bands / singers / choir (if any)

- Meet caterers

- Meet gown designer for your bridal gown

- Reserve hotel room for your bridal suite

- Launch a wedding website "wedsite" (if you wish)

7 to 6  Months before

- Select and purchase invitations

- Start planning a honeymoon

- Send save the date (STD) cards  or  video

- Meet with the priest

- Book a flourist

- Arrange transportation

- Start composing a day-of timeline

5 to 4  Months before

- Check on the wedding invitations

- Select and order the cake

- Send your guest list to the host of your bridal shower

- Purchase wedding shoes and start dress fitting

- Schedule hair and make-up artists (HMUs)

- Choose your music

3  Month before

- Finalize the menu and flowers and over all set-up of the reception

- Order favors

- Make a list of the people giving toasts

- Finalize the readings

- Purchase your undergarments and schedule for second fitting

- Finalize the order of the ceremony and the reception

- Print menu cards, if you like, as well as the programs

- Purchase the rings

- Send your event schedule to the suppliers

2 Month before

- Meet again with all your suppliers to finalize 

- Meet with the photographer for your pre-nuptial photos

- Review the playlist with the band or DJ

- Send out invitations

- Submit a newspaper wedding announcement

1 Month before

- Enter RSVPs into your guest-list database

- Get your marriage license

- Mail the rehearsal-dinner invitations (if there is)

- Visit the dressmaker for the last dress fitting

- Send out as many final payments as you can

- Confirm call times for hair and make up and all suppliers

- Email and print directions for drivers of transport vehicles

- Assign seating

- Purchase bridesmaids' gifts

- Write vows, if necessary

Week of the Wedding

- Reconfirm arrival times with suppliers

- Delegate small wedding-day tasks

- Send timeline to the bridal entourage

- Pickup bridal gown

- Check in one last time with the photographer

- Send the final guest list to the caterer and all venues hosting your wedding-related events

- Break in your shoes

- Pack your honeymoon

Give. Celebrate. Enjoy!

Birth Pains

Blogging in.

My personal blog site for more than 3 years is now on permanent vacation since 2012. In an attempt to go back to blogging, I decided to go back using www.blogger.com as platform . And just like any mom who is about to give birth, I am experiencing birth pains. I hope to get used with its environment really fast because I still have so much stories to tell and photos to share about Celebrating Life at its finest.

This will also be the home of my "Party  Diary". I will try to re-post all my previous entries here, of course with the help of my mentors from DigitalFilipino.com, www.elearningedge.net and Ateneo. I need all the technical help I can get from them because this baby is about to come out in few weeks. And oh! No HTML please!

New year, new beginnings. 

Today also marks my first day and my first time to attend an online class on Certified Blogging and Social Media Entrepreneurship Program  http://digitalfilipino.com/bsm in cooperation with Ateneo de Manila, E-Learning Edge and the mother of Philippine e-commerce Ms. Janet Toral. I only learn from the best :-)

Looking forward.

There is so much to look forward on this blog. It has only been Day 1 and a lot of things going on in my mind now. This personal blog (which is a project by the way) will eventually morph into something else by Week 15. I can't wait on its metamorphosis.

Thank you for reading this far and continue to follow me as I journey to eventful years ahead. Let us continue to celebrate life. 

Give. Celebrate. Enjoy!