Archive for August, 2009

Best Toasts for Any Occasion

August 20th, 2009

toastIts time to give the best toast! To give the great toast turns an ordinary occasion into an extraordinary celebration…

One wedding occasion where I’m the ‘mistress of the ceremony’, I announced in the middle of the meal that the toast will be given by the couple’s maid of honor but to my surprise she whispered to me and asked how to give the best statement for a toast… well, since she’s my cousin I easily answered back… then she pronounced the toast! :)

Preparing what to say in advance is the best 1st thing to do when tasked to give a toast, put in mind to give only a short speech so you don’t need to be nervous especially when in front. Usually, I don’t read my speech from a piece of paper instead make an eye to eye contact with the audience and pronounce the toast sincerely and as natural as it should be… you can even joke in the middle of your speech that you are nervous since everybody can relate with it and when you got the audience attention, end the toast with a big ‘Cheers!’.

Here are some of my favorite lines to add in my toasts. Let’s all raise our glass and say cheers!

May all your joys be pure joys,
And all your pain champagne.
–Unknown

“Here’s to love, money, and health.”
–Michael Kors

May you live as long as you want
And may you never want as long as you live.
–Unknown

“The best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor even touched, but just felt in the heart.”
–Helen Keller

My favorite magazines

August 19th, 2009
my favorite magazines!

my favorite magazines!

 

I’m so excited when the 1st copy of my 3 favorite magazines from Summit Media arrived at my desk, at last I’m now a subscriber… which means I don’t have to go to my favorite book stand every month to secure a copy and sometimes ended up nothing due to ‘out-of-stock’. I am fond of collecting glossy magazines and love to see them all piled up in my book shelves… I’m a ‘Cosmo’ mag avid fan before but now I switched to more inspiring mag that is more family-centered and business-centered… these kind of magazines not only entertain me when I am bored but also guide me to every occasion where I am with, from fashion tips, parenting tips, house grooming, making money tips and a lot more. Oftentimes, I also got lots of occasion tips that guide me how to make different special occasions possible and successful.

Alas! My 3 favorite newly subscribed magazines:

Smart Parenting. My first favorite parenting magazine! This magazine influences parents of kids’ ages 0 to 6 years old, it is where during the formative years of the child where many parents are unsure of their parenting skills. Smart Parenting magazine is an easy-to-read-source of the major aspects of raising a child: health, nutrition, child development, values formation, and education.

Good Housekeeping. My next favorite magazine… It is the magazine that guides modern moms to their role as wife, mother, career woman, homemaker, and her self. It is indeed a very inspiring magazine not only for moms but for the whole household members.

Entrepreneur. Not only my favorite but my hubby’s #1 favorite too. It is a handy guide not only to existing entrepreneur but most of all to the aspiring ones. The magazine is overloaded with lots of tips, best practices, guides and how to identify good business opportunities. A must have.

Whew! I hope I can finish reading all of them over the weekend! :)

“Cheramis”

August 15th, 2009

I’m glad that I still remember the significance of this day and find time to keep in touch with each of my girl friends… it’s the “Cheramis” 13th anniversary an occasion to commemorate our friendship. Exactly thirteen years ago, our favorite Salesian sister who is our constant spiritual adviser named our group ‘cher ami’, a French word for ‘dear friend’… way back high school we were tagged and known all over the campus for this name which we later pronounced ‘cheramis’. We are six in the circle and I remember how inseparable we were even outside the campus… high school graduation day made our path separated especially when we faced the tough College life… and the more when we trekked the professional/career life… and up to the biggest stepping stone of getting engaged, and getting married. Two of us get married, two are outside the country and the other two are so much in love!

But despite of so many storms and challenges we faced, and even how seldom we bond and see each other lately… one thing for sure, the friendship is still alive. I miss all of them and I’m looking forward for another bonding moments with the ‘cheramis’.

My Cousin’s Wedding Day

August 8th, 2009

the dance

At last its now my cousin’s turn to walk the center of the aisle and express her ‘I dos’! It’s her wedding day and too bad for me I’m late so in return hubby and I were not able to join the entourage processional march which it turned out not totally my fault because the wedding started 20 minutes early… and the bride was looking for me, texted me wondering where I have been and it made me worried when I read her message that she is about to march the red carpet… and poor me I’m not able to witness it, hate the traffic… oh how I miss it, but it’s ok, I managed to do my role though.

But the bright side was… just in time we arrived and we were still able to comply our role to light their candles and I could see my cousin’s surprise look. I value my role not just in her wedding day but all throughout the days of her marriage, for me the role is important because the candles symbolizes light that will show the married couple the beauty of being husband and wife and this light will give hope to a lasting marriage.

Wedding Ceremony is very symbolic and one of the most awaited special occasion for lovers to be one… sort of a conclusion for the love to each other by jumping to another stepping stone… well, it’s ‘boyfriend-girlfriend no more’ but a beginning of another chapter entitled.. ‘husband-and-wife’.

Congratulations Cousin Dear! After a long, long wait and all the challenges you both faced… family disapproval, ocean’s apart, age pressure? hehe… but now you are together at last! I am proud of you! Cheers!

This wedding is the “Featured Occasion“.

Wedding Anniversary

August 4th, 2009

wedding_ring1Two years ago, my dream wedding took place and the lovely memories of the occasion come alive today for even if we don’t have extraordinary plans to celebrate our anniversary, it give us the energy to live the day with a joyful and thankful heart for able to reach this year and commemorate the great decision we’ve made – to get married.

I’m glad that even how hectic our schedule from work and up to our extra curricular activities, we still manage to go to Mass which for me is the most important thing to have for occasions like this, as a thanksgiving for all the blessings received in the past years we are together… and of course the celebration of the occasion will not be complete without dinner date. Unplanned, while on our way to look for a restaurant, we both agree to seek a place where we both haven’t tried even how expensive it is, until we ended up having dinner in TGIF. It’s a cozy place and I love their fisherman’s platter, we both have a full dinner… excited to go home because my favorite Selecta ice cream is in the fridge waiting for me.. hehe.

Even how simple we spend this special occasion, I still have a wonderful day!

I’d like to share this rhyme I found from the internet, while I’m browsing anniversary gift ideas. Oh! My wedding is in August – indeed I see lots of changes positively… hehe, kinda true. What do you think of this?

Married in…

What month of the year did you marry in? there’s a rhyme from popular folklore that believes your marriage will take on certain characteristics depending upon the month you chose, we’ve reproduced it below. Do you think its true? we’d love to know!

January - Marry when the year is new, he’ll be loving, kind and true.
February - When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.
March - If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you’ll know.
April- Marry in April if you can, joy for maiden and for man.
May - Marry in the month of May, you will romance the day.
June - Marry when June roses grow and over land and sea you’ll go.
July - Those who in July do wed must labour for their daily bread.
August - Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see.
September - Marry in September’s shine so that your life is rich and fine.
October - If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
November - If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember!
December - When December’s snows fall fast, marry and your love will last.

src: http://www.anniversaryideas.co.uk/

Prenuptial

August 3rd, 2009

prenup_pictorialI remember when my friends asked me 3 months before my wedding if my groom-to-be considered the idea of a prenuptial agreement… I honestly told them that we don’t mention anything about an agreement but we have a ‘Prenup pictorial’ booked in our planner a week before the wedding. :) Well, I’m just glad we did not get into the process of signing a contract that entails division of property and spousal support in the event of divorce or breakup of marriage. Deep in my heart when I decided to tie the knot of the gentleman who asked me to be his bride, I discern and I etched a goal, and that is to strive hard to make the marriage last… material possessions did not distract us all throughout the preparation.

Marriage is a loving contract between two people who want to spend the rest of their lives together – and that is the contract that I wanted to sign. Married life is never easy and I understand why many couples undergo prenuptial agreement.

Our prenup schedule was not an agreement signing but a pictorial where we both express and examine how ready we are to the next level… and we express it by posing.. hehe… Thanks to ‘Stealshots’, our official photographer who patiently directed us how to pose, but I gained confidence when my friend Joan surprised me in the set and claimed to be the next official photographer.. hehe… I love to reminisce that day by looking at our prenup album… well, it’s corny but its the best pose we ever had that I can show to my children. :)