May 28, 2010

Wedding Essentials to be showcased at The Bridal Expo Seventh Edition


Another full blast exposition of wedding essentials will be witnessed as the biggest and longest running bridal fair in the marry month of June, The Bridal Expo: Perfect Beginnings, is back at the World Trade Center Metro Manila and will be staged this June 5-6, 2010.

The Bridal Expo: Perfect Beginnings, organized by Trade Advertising Exhibitions and Conventions International, Inc.  (TRADECON, Inc.,) is an annual exposition which showcases different wedding essentials. From gowns to make-up, cakes to venues, bridal cars to honeymoon destinations, The Bridal Expo: Perfect Beginnings will furnish every soon-to-wed couples needs to achieve the perfect beginning that they’re longing for.

Following six successful years since its inception in 2004, this year’s edition gears towards a much wider market as far as the bridal industry is concerned. With more than 150 participants in the previous event, and more than six thousand visitors and soon-to-wed couples, Tradecon, Inc. is all set to set new trends in the realm of bridal industry once again!

Numerous activities, unique promotions and gifts will surely entice soon-to-weds to flock the two-day exhibit. Event highlights consist of the Bridal Travel Fair (Honeymoon and Travel Destination promos for soon-to-wed couples); Bridal Auction and three chances of winning the raffle draws thru online registration and by visiting the expo. Other highlights will be performances from different choirs, strings, quartets and/or orchestra as well as the much awaited fashion show from the new and well known wedding designers of the Philippines.

The Bridal Expo: Perfect Beginnings Year 7 is sponsored by Goldilocks Bakeshop, in partnership with Fotoloco by Konsepto, Sigma Identity System, Kasal.com, TechSupport.ph, and supported by Rotary Club of Manila Bay and Media Blitz PR Consultancy. Online and media partners are Business World, HerWord.com, Business Mirror, Philippine Graphic, Malaya Business Insight, Super Ads , 88DB.com, BizLINQ.net, Inquirer.net, Philstar.com, Bridal Book, and sulit.com.ph.

For free admission, please register online at www.bridalexpophilippines.com/. For inquiries, call Tradecon Inc., at (632) 482- 5318 and 440- 3118 local 100- 107 or email thebridalexpo@gmail.com.

Bridal de Manila Book 2 Unravels Wedding Elegance


Soon-to-wed couples will be mesmerized as wedding suppliers from all over the metro display their chic wedding products and services during the Bridal de Manila Book 2 scheduled on June 5 - 6, 2010 at SM Megamall 3, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

Organized by Ascend Trade Experts (ATEX), the expo covers over 100 of the best wedding services available in the country today. Save your time and energy from the hassle of looking and asking for the services you need from corner to comer. Soon-to-wed couples will undeniably find suppliers that will fit their lifestyle, taste and meet their budget for their perfect dream wedding.

Bridal de Manila Book 2 will be packed with excellent photographers, gorgeous gowns, non-traditional instrumental music, dramatic ambience and many other displays to choose from. Exhibitors will present lavish displays showcasing their products and services and will be of service anytime on this two-day event to answer all queries about wedding planning.

Like the previous Bridal de Manila fair, the ATEX - Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation, Inc., Photo Contest is once again set to showcase creative wedding photographs from the best wedding photographers in the country. Numerous wedding lensmen will showcase their works and vie for the title Photographer of the Year.

Bridal de Manila Book 2 is in partnership with MPS Events Management, 7107 Islands Management, Inc., SM Megamall, SM Megatrade Hall, Tambayan 101.9, Kasal.com, 103.5 MaxFM, Home Radio 97dot9, Mr. Hardinero Landscaping and Flower Shop, StageTech, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Graphic, Business Mirror, and Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation, Inc.

For free admission, please register online at http://www.bridaldemanila2.atextradeshow.com/. For inquiries, contact ATEX at (632) 728-6688, 392-5811, 403-2136, 392-1688, (63917) 886-8689 or email atex@atextradeshow.com.

May 18, 2010

Robot Presides Over Wedding in Japan

Here in the Philippines, the Family Code of the Philippines states who are recognized by law as solemnizing officers. These are judges, priests, rabbi, imam, pastors, consul generals, military officers, ship captains, and airplane chiefs. In the future, our lawmakers may want to consider adding one more to this list – a robot, specifically, the Japanese robot I-Fairy.

In Tokyo, Japan, newlyweds Tomohiro Shibata and Satoko Inoue were the first couple who had their wedding presided by a robot called I-Fairy. The two exchanged vows last May 16, 2010 at
I-Fairy (center) presides over the wedding of Tomohiro Shibata (L) and Satoko Inoue (R). Photo from CrunchGear.com

a restaurant in Tokyo’s Hibiya Park in front of 50 guests, composed their family and friends. The two decided to have I-Fairy solemnize their wedding since it was through it that the two met each other.

The bride, Inoue, works for Kokoro, Ltd., the company that makes the I-Fairy, and her husband, Shibata, is a client of the company and a professor of robotics at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in central Japan.

The wedding conductor, I-Fairy, is a four-foot (1.5 meter) tall seated robot that has colorful flashing eyes, plastic pigtails, and voice capability. It was able to preside over the wedding through a computer technician feeding the commands through a computer attached to the robot.

Initially, Kokoro, Ltd. created I-Fairy to be used in museum and exhibitions to direct visitors but with a new program and a flower headpiece, it became an instant solemnizing officer for a wedding.

The I-Fairy sells for about 6.3 million yen ($68,000 or roughly P3 million) and three are in use in Singapore, the U.S. and Japan.

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Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
ABS-CBN News (Original Content from Reuters) 'I do' goes high-tech with Japan robot priest (Posted May 17, 2010) Retrieved May 17, 2010 from
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/05/17/10/i-do-goes-high-tech-japan-robot-priest

GMA News.tv (Orginal Content from Associated Press) 4-foot robot conducts wedding in Tokyo (Posted May 17, 2010) Retrieved May 17, 2010 from
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/191124/4-foot-robot-conducts-wedding-in-tokyo

Toto, Serkan, CrunchGear. Robot “I-Fairy” leads nuptials at wedding in Japan (Posted May 17, 2010) Retrieved May 17, 2010 from
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/05/17/robot-i-fairy-leads-nuptials-at-wedding-in-japan-videos/

May 14, 2010

Bride Sells Her Wedding Gown for Charity


For most brides, it's an easy choice to keep their wedding gown because of the memories attached to this dress. But for Mrs. Hazel Antonio-Abejero, she is actually selling her bridal gown in the name of charity

Mrs. Abejero, who got married last December 30, 2009, put up a blog page, http://mybridalgownisforsale.blogspot.com/ where she placed the information and photos about her bridal gown. It is an ivory white silk satin wedding gown with elegant pearl beadworks. The wedding gown is ideal for brides 5 feet to 5'4" in height, with body statistics 33-26-34.

She understands that it is unusual for someone to sell her own bridal gown or for someone to buy a second hand bridal gown but it is for a good cause. She also shared that the winning bidder or buyer will receive "something new" from her.
Bridal Gown Photo by Vignette Photography

Though important to her, Mrs. Abejero, who is now based in Australia, said After all, the memories with my wedding dress will never fade and it's more important to share good memories to others through significant things that we have like my bridal gown.

The proceeds will be for the benefit of the children from Gawad Kalinga Asuncion and Sunshine Village in Las Pinas City.

May 7, 2010

Philippine Wedding Photographers Sought for New Degree of Excellence at WPPP Photo Congress 2010


Local wedding photographers from all over the Philippines converged at the SM Megatrade Hall 3 to learn new trends and techniques and seek a new degree of excellence in wedding photography and videography during the Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the Philippines (WPPP) Photo Congress 2010 held last April 16 – 18, 2010.

The theme for this year’s photo congress is “A Degree of Excellence”. According to Mr. Danny Ignacio, WPPP Vice President – External and Chair of WPPP Photo Congress 2010, this year’s theme is a testament of the primary objective of the congress – to allow photographers and videographers to enhance their skills and learn new techniques from master photographers and other experts in the field of wedding photography and wedding videography.

This year, two highly respected photographers, six-time Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) and two WPPI grand awards international print of the year award winner in 2009 CM Leung and respected fashion and wedding photographer Pat Dy graced this year’s Photo Congress. Mr. CM Leung, the Hong Kong-based lensman talked about the importance of light and colors for photography. Mr. Dy on the other hand, shared how to merge fashion photography and create a new look for wedding photography.

In an interview, Mr. Leung lauded the Filipino wedding photographers for their work and encouraged them to participate, not only in local photo congress, but also in international events in order to see and learn different styles in photography.


WPPI 8x10 2nd Half Print Competition 2009 (First Place) Photo by CM Leung

Other veteran photographers also took time to teach their colleagues about the latest trends and techniques in their craft. These include Jason Magbanua (Action-Reaction Videography Techniques), Richel Mascarinas (Post-production for Albums), Lito Sy (International Location Pre-nuptial shoot), Dino Lara (Wedding Photojournalism Techniques), Jun Miranda (CS5 for Wedding Photographers) and Edwin Tuyay (Glamour Photography for Summer).

Aside from seminar and trainings, the best photographs and photographers were recognized during the Fellowship night held last April 16 at Plaza Ibarra in Quezon City. Bogs Ignacio was hailed as the WPPP

Mano Po. WPPP 2009 Photo of the Year by Chito Cleofas.

2009 Photographer of the Year while Chito Cleofas’ entry was proclaimed as the 2009 Photo of the Year.

Mr. Philip Loyola, WPPP Photo Congress 2010 Chairman of the Seminar Committee thanked everyone who has continuously supported the event, especially during these hard times. He said that organization shall continue to uphold its goal to help photographer and videographers

The 6th Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the Philippines Photo Congress is sponsored by Canon, Hewlett-Packard (HP), The Book (by Group U.S.A. and Company Inc.), Kodak, JT Photo World, Sony, Nikon, Epson, in partnership with Manila Bulletin, Picture Perfect (Special Section of Manila Bulletin), i-mag Photography, Kasal.com, Digital Photographer Philippines, Yes FM 101.1, RHTV, 96.3 Easy Rock, Aperture Trading, Ibarra’s Party Venues and Catering, Josiah’s Catering Inc., Web Dot Com, Fans Digital Imaging, Rubert James Exhibit Master, SM Megamall and SM Megatrade Hall.

For more information about the event, contact the WPPP Photo Congress Secretariat at (632) 433-4650, (63917) 743-8949, email photocongress@wppp.ph or visit www.wppp.ph.


May 4, 2010

Third Issue of Weddings and Beyond Magazine Released at Wedding and Debut Expo

Hundreds of soon-to-wed couples received the latest Weddings & Beyond magazine during the Weddings and Beyond – The Wedding and Debut Expo held from April 17 – 18, 2010 at the SM Megatrade Hall 2, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

The official released of their third issue was highlighted by a wedding and debut exhibit, showcasing no less than 100 of the best and premier local wedding suppliers in the Philippines. Hosted by Ms. Lovina ‘Dr. Love’ Vaswani and Mr. Robert Castro of MoBe’s Event and Entertainment, soon to wed couples and guest who attended the event were treated to a musical performance courtesy of saxophonist Michael Young and SJT String Ensemble.

Aside from creative wedding displays, couples were given a chance to avail of the special wedding packages offered by the participating wedding suppliers during the two-day affair. On-site bookers got a chance to win gift packs and special prizes such as honeymoon destination packages, wedding rings, and other wedding freebies. All registered soon-to-wed couples received a free copy of the magazine. Gracing the cover is Ms. Trini Ynares, winner of the Search for the Next Front Cover Model of Weddings and Beyond Magazine drawn last August 23, 2009 at the NBC Tent, The Fort.

The Wedding and Debut Expo is sponsored by Fairways and Bluewaters Boracay, Star Cruises, Smart Shot Studio, Edward Teng Couture, Goldenhills Jewelry, Juan Carlo the Caterer, MyDigitalPrinting, Tecson Flowers, Avis Philippines, Party Channel, and the following media partners: EventSitePH, Manila Bulletin, BusinessMirror, and Kasal.com.