Kasal.com Real Weddings: A Match Made (And Wed) In Bicol

Bicol Wedding of
Erickson and Rudilicia

With the couple having time-consuming professions in Manila, having a wedding in Bicol surely presented a dilemma to the couple Erickson Orbon and Rudilicia Espiritu-Orbon. But armed with an intense desire to celebrate their once in a lifetime wedding with family and close friends, nothing could stand in the way of their Bicol wedding.

Were they successful? With God, family and friends as their witness, they could not ask for a more perfect celebration of their “I dos”.

Read Erickson Orbon – Rudilicia Espiritu Wedding....

Jolina Magdangal - Mark Escueta Wedding Scrapbook

A Love Written in Ink, Paper Clips and Souvenir Tickets

TV singer-actress Jolina Magdangal and Rivermaya’s drummer and founding member Mark Escueta tied the knot yesterday, November 21, 2011 at 3:30 PM in a Christian ceremony held in Splendido, Tagaytay City.

Their wedding invitation, which is a 28-paged personalized scrapbook intricately crafted by sister companies Printsonalities and Written in Ink (Wink), contained not just the details of their wedding but a sneakpeak of their story as a couple.

Mark and Jolina with their wedding scrapbook by
Pritsonalities and Written in Ink

The scrapbook wedding invitation had photos of the couple from childhood to their travels together as a couple, intimate photos of their families, entourage and souvenir items and meaningful snapshots that tell of their love and friendship. The said scrapbook invitation also includes replicas of their plane tickets/boarding passes, movie and theme park tickets which were all weaved seamlessly with the travel photos of the couple.

Mark and Jolina wedding dress code
Scrapbook by Pritsonalities and Written in Ink

Other interesting details of their scrapbook invitation were paper clips shaped into their initials J♡M and another one that formed the word “love” which were done by Jolina and Mark themselves, yes all 300 of them. :) The scrapbook is full of the couple’s personal hand-written notes to the members of their entourage and a paper doll illustration of their color motif, turquoise and coral, which they wanted their guests to wear on their wedding day. :)

Jolina has ten bridesmaids which include celebrities Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo and newlywed Kyla. Mark, on the other hand, has twenty groomsmen, which include Bamboo, some of his current Rivermaya bandmates and Jolina’s brother Athan. Some of the principal sponsors include singer Jaya, TV actress Beverly Vergel, news anchors Arnold Clavio and Mel Tiangco and politicians Franklin Drilon, Ronaldo Puno and Gibo Teodoro.

Kyla and Rich Beautiful Wedding

"I don't want you to change. I just want you to live for yourself and I'm just here to support you because I love you...."
- Rich 

"With you, I'll always feel like I'm in a good place. You provide a safe place for me, unlike anything I've ever known...."
- Kyla

November 28, 2011 was truly a "Beautiful Day" for local singer Kyla and professional basketball player Rich Alvarez as they finally tied the knot in Santuario de San Antonio, Forbes Park, Makati City. There were earlier talks of a December wedding for the celebrity couple but final wedding date was not disclosed until recently. 

Joining Kyla (Melanie H. Calumpad, in real life) in this momentous occasion are celebrity friends Rachelle Ann Go and Jolina Magdangal.

  

Below is their onsite wedding video by Nice Print Photography. In the words of Charisse Tinio of Nice Print,  "It will make you cry, giggle & fall in love all over again. Promise!"

 

 Kyla's 2006 hit song "Beautiful Days" was used as music for the wedding video.

Bella Swan's Immortal Wedding Dress

"I've been waiting a century to marry you, Ms. Swan."
- Edward Cullen

The long wait is finally over for the millions of Twilight saga fans. In The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Bella Swan finally marries her beloved Edward Cullen.

Bella, played by Kristen Stewart, walked down the aisle in a classic wedding dress.  Its fashion designer, Carolina Herrera, shared she wanted the bridal gown "to convey innocence and romance". The wedding gown's modest neckline, long sleeves and simple lines certainly showed purity while the back's see-through and intricate designs conveyed the drama and excitement of their love affair.

While the front is old-fashioned, in consideration of Edward's long history, the short train and dramatic detailing on the back of the bridal dress reflects Bella's youth and modernity.

Want to have the same Bella Swan's wedding dress? Brides-to-be can actually purchase its licensed replica through bridal gown designer Alfred Angelo.

Wedding Gown by Alfred Angelo

Wedding Gown by Alfred Angelo

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Walch, Allison Kornberg. “Plan Your Own Twilight Wedding.” Celebrity Bride Guide. Posted on 18 November 2011. Web. Retrieved on 25 November 2011 from http://www.celebritybrideguide.com/plan-your-own-twilight-wedding/
 
Zap, Claudine. “Say Yes to Bella Swan's Dress.” Yahoo. Posted on 24 November 2011. Web. Retrieved on 25 November 2011 from http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/yes-bella-swans-dress-201200604.html 

A Super Mario Wedding Theme

Did Super Mario and Princess Peach finally tie the knot? Well, not in the game, but in the real-life of a couple who were inspired by the dedicated quest of Super Mario to save Princess Peach.

Esther Tanouye and Ryan Henry Watkins chose to demonstrate their nerdy love with a romantic Super Mario theme for their wedding last October 8 in California.

Designer artist Larry Quach, who is a close friend of the couple, was the one behind the video game-themed wedding. Larry said that it was the bride who wanted to kick it old school with the theme.

Larry Quach's Super Mario-themed Wedding Invitations

“When she [the bride] told me she wanted to have a Super Mario Bros (the 8 bit original specifically) themed wedding, I got super excited and asked her if I could help out in any way,” shared Larry on his blog, where he posted pictures of the game-themed wedding invitations and favors.

In designing the wedding invitations, Quach used orange envelope, “because it is one of the official wedding colors”, and grey fibrous cardstock to resemble the original gaming cartridges. The front of the cartridge bears the bride’s surname, Tanouye, instead of the Nintendo logo, and Quach replaced the official seal with the groom’s surname, “Watkins”. The cartridge also shows the date of the wedding, 10-08-11. According to Quach, “[the date] 10-08 was decided because it was [a] wordplay on the bride’s last name.”

The cartridge wedding invitation opens up to reveal wedding details and three cards, bearing some of the symbolic parts of the game – mushroom, star, and flower. The mushroom card is the RSVP postcard, the star card contains the registry information, and the flower card tells the directions to the wedding.

At the back of the cartridge invitation, the list of cautions include, "Do have and hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until game over do us part." Isn’t that geeky sweet?

Larry Quach's Super Mario-themed Wedding Favors

Quach and his team also worked hard on the game-themed wedding favors. Each guest got a little Mario box that contains the guest’s menu choice for the dinner, several fake gold coins, and a “Thank you” card in four different languages.

“[The languages represent] the different ethnic groups represented by the bride (1/2 Japanese, 1/2 Korean) and the groom (1/2 Caucasian 1/2 Mexican),” Quach explained.

With this theme, Esther and Ryan’s wedding “ended up being one of the most beautiful and fun wedding!” Truly, there is nothing more cool, awesome, romantic, and geeky than a Super Mario-themed wedding!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Kooser, Amanda. “Super Mario theme levels up 8-bit wedding.” Cnet. Posted on 17 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 17 October 2011 from http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20121531-1/super-mario-theme-levels-up-8-bit-wedding/ 

Moore, JP. “These Super Mario Bros. Themed Wedding Invitations Are Awesome.” Buzzfeed. Posted on 18 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 18 October 2011 from http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/these-super-mario-bros-themed-wedding-invitations   

Quack, Larry. “Wedding Invitations.” Larry T Quack’s Art Blog. Posted on 12 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 17 October 2011 from http://larryquach.blogspot.com/2011/10/wedding-invitations.html

Bhutan’s Fairytale Wedding

Bhutan’s 31-year-old king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, married the commoner daughter of an airline pilot, Jetsun Pema, in a lavish celebration at the 17th century fortified monastery in the ancient capital of Punakha.

The wedding took place last October 13 and was witnessed by thousands of nomads and villagers. The isolated Himalayan nation declared a three-day national holiday to celebrate and honor the event, which showcased the country’s rich Buddhist culture.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is an Oxford graduate who assumed the crown in 2008 at the start of democracy in Bhutan. And the new queen, Jetsun Pema, who is 10 years younger than the king, is admired by the nation for her beauty and her impact on the love-struck king.

The celebration, surrounded with incense and chanting of the monks, started at 8:20 in the morning, as set by royal astrologers. The king, wearing the royal yellow sash, walked into the monastery and proceeded to the high staircase inside.

The purification ceremony was followed by an hour of blessings and prayers, and it culminated with the couple walking hand-in-hand and smiling brightly as the king and the new queen of Bhutan.



Bhutan was captivated by the royal wedding ceremony. The people have a great reverence for the monarchy and they appreciate the royal couple’s being in love.

“We know that they love each other so much,” said a high-school student who witnessed the love story of the royalty. Everyone in the country knows how much the king loves his queen.

King Wangchuck has even made it clear that Queen Pema would be his only wife, a decision that is a clear-cut departure from the polygamous practice of the Wangchuck dynasty and the entire Bhutan. He also openly flaunts his affection for the queen. He holds hands with his queen and even kisses her before the entire nation!

Truly, the magnificent royal wedding of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema is a fairytale epitomized. And Bhutan and the entire world wish the couple a happy ever after.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Agence France-Presse. “Bhutan’s royal wedding points to end of polygamy.” Inquirer.net. Posted on 16 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 16 October 2011 from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/77155/bhutans-royal-wedding-points-to-end-of-polygamy

“Bhutan king's wedding captivates nation.” Al Jazeera. Posted on 13 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 16 October 2011 from http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/10/201110134443745541.html

Unique Wedding Proposal: UCLA Flash Mob Proposal

Who says that a romantic wedding proposal cannot be achieved in this age of social media?

Last September 24, 2011, University of Los Angeles, California (UCLA) witnessed the romantic flash mob proposal of Nam Tran to his girlfriend Trang Vu that put others to shame.

It took Nam weeks and weeks of careful planning and creative thinking to pull off his magnificent wedding proposal to Trang. Nam, a former student of UCLA, organized a flash mob at Bruin Plaza, outside the UCLA study room, where he and Trang first met. Nam drafted 200 people, including their friends, his family, and Trang’s parents (who live miles away) to participate in the flash mob.

Upon stepping out of the student store, Trang was so surprised when the people outside suddenly started to dance a choreographed routine in the tune of Frankie Valli’s classic, and Trang’s favorite love song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”. Trang was all the more surprised when Nam, her own parents and loved ones joined the performing mob. And when the mob circled around the couple, Nam expressed his love for Trang.

“I just want you to know that I want to be your partner in life in everything we do, no matter how big or how small, and I love you so much, and if you let me, I want to make you feel happiness the way you make me feel happy from now until we grow old together,” Nam‘s sweet words.

“I promise our days together will always be filled with laughter and adventure and music and horrible dancing from my part and you have the most beautiful heart and you have my heart,” the soon-to-be groom added before he got down on one knee and asked Trang, “It’s always been you love – will you marry me?”

At that point, everyone in the area, including Trang, despite being slightly embarrassed, was already shedding tears. And after pronouncing Nam “so cheesy”, Trang gave her sweetest “yes” to Nam.

Indeed, no other proposal can top this one-of-a-kind, exciting, and (yes) slightly embarrassing, but truly heart-warming and romantic proposal. Good luck Nam and Trang!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

“UCLA Flash Mob Proposal: Nam And Trang To Live Happily Ever After.” Huff Post Los Angeles. Posted 28 September 2011. Web. Retrieved on 06 October 2011 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/28/ucla-flash-mob-proposal_n_986071.html

Yoshino, Kimi. “Disney, UCLA flash mob marriage proposals go viral.” Lost Angeles Times. Posted on 03 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 06 October 2011 from. http://mobile.latimes.com/p.p?m=b&a=rp&id=938382&postId=938382&postUserId=7&sessionToken=&catId=5224&curAbsIndex=0&resultsUrl=DID%3D6%26DFCL%3D1000%26DSB%3Drank%2523desc%26DBFQ%3DuserId%253A7%26DL.w%3D%26DL.d%3D10%26DQ%3DsectionId%253A5224%26DPS%3D0%26DPL%3D3

Kasal.com Real Weddings: Camp Kasal

Wilson and Kei reception outfit

If most couples dream of glamorous formal weddings, this pair of newlyweds we got to know definitely doesn't fall within the category. After 15 years of being acquaintances, 10 years of being best friends and 5 years of being a couple, Wilson George Sison and Kei Mamangun-Sison finally decided to tie the knot in the most exciting and adventurous way they could – a camping vacation.

Both being adventurous types, they decided to share a part of themselves with their friends and family through CAMP KASAL – a three-day celebration of their wedding in Negros. Delicious food, good accommodations and exciting activities, an unforgettable wedding experience awaited their guests.

Read Wilson George Sison and Kei Mamangun Wedding....

Pia Guanio Ties the Knot

“It was very solemn, very meaningful and it was very heartfelt.” This is how TV host Pia Guanio describes her wedding with businessman boyfriend (now husband), Steve Mago.

Pia confirmed last Sunday that she and Steve had their relationship blessed last October 1. Pia claims that it was not actually a wedding ceremony but just a Christian blessing. That is why they made it as private as possible. She also shared that they preferred just a few guests to be able to concentrate on the ceremony, on the blessing. 

However, Pia later on admitted that the “Christian blessing” was actually a civil wedding since, as she stated, “nagkapirmahan na ng kontrata”.

Pia said that the material wedding preparations, which were spearheaded by Steve and his family, took only a couple of days, but their “spiritual preparation took a month”. It was their Victory Christian Fellowship pastor, Paolo Punzalan, son of late Ms. Helen Vela and Orly Punzalan, and brother of Princess Punzalan, and his wife Jen, who guided the couple as they prepare themselves for the event. He was also the one who officiated the Christian blessing.

The 5:30pm intimate Christian blessing/civil wedding happened in the garden of the home of Steve’s parents in Ayala Alabang, and was witnessed by only around 50 family members and closest friends of the couple. Pia revealed that most of her showbiz friends did not know of the occasion. She further admitted that even Jerome Salaya, who created her simple short beige wedding dress, did not know that he was working on Pia’s dress for such occasion.

She also shared that during the intimate ceremony, she was crying and everyone else was crying. She said that every single person in the garden really felt the presence of God, and it was as if there was no typhoon (Quiel).

Pia also addressed the people who were not at the ceremony that there will be more public events in the future. She revealed that she and Steve are planning to have the church wedding in Europe next year.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Rosero, Earl Victor. “Pia Guanio ties knot with businessman boyfriend.” GMA News Online.  Posted 09 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 11 October 2011 from http://www.gmanews.tv/story/234812/entertainment/pia-guanio-ties-knot-with-businessman-boyfriend

Brosas, Alex Valentin. “Pia Guanio admits marrying boyfriend.” Manila Bulletin Online. Posted on 10 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 11 October 2011 from http://mb.com.ph/node/337234/pia-guanio-admit

 

The Longest Wedding Veil

Who says that only celebrities can have sensational weddings?

An Italian couple tied the knot lost month and caught the world’s attention by setting the Guinness World Record for the longest wedding veil worn by a bride on her wedding day.

Elena de Angelis and Ferdinand Pucci had a romantic wedding ceremony in Casal di Principe, Naples, Italy. Elena, the bride, wowed the crowd with her epic veil measuring 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) in length and 2 meters in width. The couple passed through the village’s streets on a vintage car, while 600 people, on procession, helped carry the bride’s record-breaking headdress.

Wedding Photo from Dailymail.co.uk

People lined up the streets of the village to watch and applause as Elena unveils her 3 kilometers wedding veil.
Elena, with her cream bridal dress and literally long wedding veil, arrived at the church with Ferdinand blissfully. And as the couple walked out the church and greeted the entire village of Principe as newly-weds, the 600-strong helpers neatly and carefully carried Elena’s larger-than-life wedding headdress.

The epic bridal veil was designed by Gianni Molaro Compania. Gianni Molaro said that he used 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) of white silk cloth to finish his wedding masterpiece, with the help of dozens of seamstresses. Molaro and his team were able to create the record-breaking wedding veil in several months. He said that this creation marks the turning point of his career as a fashion designer. He also added that he wanted this creation to symbolize hope and peace. True enough, Gianni Molaro achieved that goal by uniting the people of Principe, as they gathered and observed in unison Elena’s Guinness-holder wedding headdress.

Indeed, Elena had the most memorable day of her life. She married the person she loves the most and she set a world record at the same time. Who would not love to have that romantic and record-breaking wedding?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

“Bride’s Record-Breaking 3km Long Wedding Dress Veil.” CY@CY Says. Posted on 25 September 2011. Web. Retrieved on 05 October 2011 from http://www.cy8cy.com/brides-record-breaking-3km-long-wedding-dress-veil/

“Elena De Angelis wore 1.8 Mile Wedding Veil.” Page Eleven. Posted on 26 September 2011. Web. Retrieved on 05 October 2011 from http://page-eleven.com/2011/09/26/elena-de-angelis-wore-1-8-mile-wedding-veil/

Hull, Stephen. “Here comes the bride and her TWO MILE TRAIN: Italian village brought to standstill by record-breaking wedding dress.” Mail Online. Posted on 23 September 2011. Web. Retrieved on 05 October 2011 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2041103/Brides-record-breaking-2-mile-long-wedding-dress-veil-brings-Italian-village-standstill.html

Dindi Gallardo's Vintage Chic Wedding

Former Binibining Pilipinas-Universe (1993) and actress, Dindi Gallardo, finally tied the knot last September 7. The United States-based actress, who awed the Philippines in the 90’s with her statuesque beauty, got married to her longtime friend, Eric Mills, in New York.

The couple exchanged vows at the New York City Hall before their closest friends. This was followed by an equally simple wedding reception.

The Gallardo-Mills wedding had a vintage chic theme. The theme was Dindi’s idea, believing she is an “old soul.”

“I never thought that a wedding could be so easy, stress-free, and extremely affordable,” shared Dindi. The couple wanted a simple and intimate wedding ceremony, but with their wedding theme, they got even more than what they wished for. The couple’s wedding turned out to be a radiantly simple yet classy celebration.

Dindi and Eric planned their wedding strictly within their budget. Dindi is proud to share that their budget did not even go over $1000. She wore a vintage mini-dress, which she bought online for only $45. To add elegance to her dress, she accented it with a 1940 vintage veil bought at a vintage shop for $25, and a vintage purse. The baby’s breath bouquet was made by Dindi, herself, and their wedding rings were bought online. And to work their budget out, they just relied on their own cameras.

The couple is really happy about their one-of-a-kind vintage-themed wedding. But besides the ceremony, Dindi and Eric will not forget the random people they met and had their pictures taken with as they walk to the city hall. An American magazine even asked the couple if their wedding could be featured in the magazine.

Truly, it is not the money that matters in a wedding. What a couple need is their LOVE for each other, and their heart and will to have a memorable ceremony. Congrats Eric and Dindi!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

“Dindi Gallardo finally ties the knot.” Cabinet Files. Posted on 12 September 2011. Web. Retrieved on 05 October 2011 from http://blogs.pep.ph/cabinet_files/?p=228

“Vintage chic theme for beauty queen Dindi Gallardo’s wedding in New York.” Posted on 02 October 2011. Web. Retrieved on 05 October 2011 from http://www.weddingfactsheet.com/2011/10/02/vintage-chic-theme-for-beauty-queen-dindi-gallardos-wedding-in-new-york/

Kasal.com Real Weddings: Destiny

We got the ff. email from newlywed Darrell and Timmy last August 28:

Darrell and Timmy

Hi! Good day! We are Darrell and Timmy, and we just want to share with you our love story. How we started, how we lost and found again each other, how we planned our big day, and how typhoon falcon almost ruined our wedding. We know that everybody has their own love stories to tell, more interesting and more romantic than ours. But we are sharing this to you for you to share it with your readers and followers too because you’ll never know; maybe other people may learn from it.

- Darrell and Timmy

Darrell and Timmy have been avid visitors of www.kasal.com (check out their wedding announcement in Kasal.com) and we are glad to learn how Kasal.com has helped them in their wedding preparations. Now we are honored to share their love story to everybody, beautifully written in their own words. 

We hope their story will not only inspire you but will also encourage you to share your own story to our wedding community. As they aptly shared, "you’ll never know; maybe other people may learn from it."

 

Read Darrell Rey and Fatima Zamora Wedding.... 

Kasal.com Real Weddings: Italian Mafia - Black Vintage Wedding

Angelica and Marco on their
wedding attires by
Edward Teng Couture
Wedding Photo
by Francis' Portraits

For newlyweds Angelica De Asis and Marco Barinos, black is not simply a color. Black brings back memories of their unforgettable wedding and their true dedication to the meaning of family. Inspired by the movie Godfather and the 1920s theme, the De Asis-Barinos nuptial was certainly a wedding affair to remember forever.

Italian Mafia-Inspired
Angelica and Marco has always been a fan of movies and personalities set in the 1920s where honour, pride and family ties governed all decisions. Al Capone, John Dillinger and other infamous personalities of those times had lifestyles the couple find interesting.

Even though they lived like kings in their own worlds, they never forgot the value of family and honour. These are the values that Angelica and Marco would want to have with the families they have and the family that they will be starting after marriage.

Related Links

· The Day I Saw An Angel: Excerpts of Marco's letter to her bride-to-be Angelica
· Marco and Angelica's Wedding Video

Read more about Marco Barinos - Angelica de Asis Wedding...

Kasal.com Real Weddings: A Filipino-Chinese Wedding

West and Coleen after the wedding
Photo by Dino Lara Photography

Weddings are celebrations made up of an array of traditions, beliefs and values. Coming from a purely Chinese family, West Ni and his Filipina wife decided to celebrate their wedding twice to honor both Chinese and Filipino practices. The couple shares with Kasal.com how both cultures made their wedding more colorful and memorable.

On being a “Chi-noy” Couple
Some people would question the compatibility of two persons because of the difference in their culture and nationality. But just as West and Coleen shares, being Chinese and Filipina was never an issue from the start.

Read more about West Ni - Coleen Roxas Wedding...

A 9/11 Wedding

Who said that the date September 11 (9/11) will never bring good memories especially to Americans? Couple Eddie Casinover and Christine Briggs disagree.

Last September 11, 2001, Eddie Casinover was a 19 year old soldier stationed in Europe while Christine Briggs was 20 and unpacking boxes in Raleigh, N.C. when a roommate's mother told her about the news of the attack on the World Trade Center. 

After 10 years since the incident, the couple decided to claim the national day of grief and solemn remembrance and make it into a celebration of friends, family and hope as the Americans victoriously captured the Al Qaeda leader, Bin Laden.

The 9/11 Wedding Contest

Casinover and Briggs where introduced by Casinover's Army buddies. They decided to get married after they got engaged on their fifth anniversary. Money was tight, and at one point, they are considering to just elope or have a simple civil ceremony. Fortunately, Casinover joined Musket Ridge Gold Club's Love and Liberty Wedding Giveaway where the major prize was a wedding hosted by the scenic golf club and a sit-down dinner reception for 150 guests, all of which amounting to $15,000.

They won the contest and will be getting married this Sept. 11, honoring that day with the most important occasion of their lives. 

Sharing the same objective, Musket Ridge opened the contest as a giveaway, noticing how civilians were reluctant to do anything celebratory on that date.  In contrast, first responders and the military feel the opposite. They are proud to have risked their lives defending freedom and they would not let the terrorists have that date. The contest was launched after Bin Laden's capture.

The Winning Couple

Call it a sign or a blessing, even with only two months of wedding planning, everything was coming into place especially because of the community support and appreciation to the significance of their wedding date. Several wedding suppliers – from bridal make up artist to wedding photographer – donated their services for the couple.

Casinover laughingly shared that he has never really won anything in his life til he joined that fateful contest. And they hope that their luck will help change 9/11 to a day of grief no more.  

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Lylah M. Alphonse. Yahoo! Shine. “Couple to marry on 9/11: 'Good things will still happen on that day'” (Posted on 22 Aug 2011) Retrieved on 27 Aug 2011 from http://news.yahoo.com/couple-to-marry-on-9-11-good-things-will-still-happen-on-that-day-.html

Wedding Proposal Through A Video Game

How can anybody propose through a videogame? Gary Hudston tell all of us how.

Gary proposed to his girlfriend Stephanie on her 21^st birthday through a Portal 2 video game, a medium he relied on to express his feelings.

What made his in-game wedding proposal unique is that he reached out to the modding community and was even able to get the support of Portal 2 creators,  Valva Software. The wedding proposal was voiced over by none other than the game's lovable villain, GlaDOS'.

Stephanie already had an inkling that his birthday gift would be extra special, she just didn’t realize the lengths Gary would go through to make it one. After opening her birthday present, she played the game just as Gary requested. By the time GLaDOS was asking Stephanie the question, she was in tears. And who wouldn’t be, when after hearing the voiced over proposal, the man beside you is down on his knee with a ring?

Tagged as one of the best video game marriage proposals of all time, Gary's video game proposal sets the bar for other video game fanatics/romantics. 

Want to enlive the romance? The talented modder who helped Gary graciously made the proposal mod downloadable.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Chris Morris. Plugged In. “Romance is still alive: Portal 2 proposal wows Web” (Posted on 23 Aug 2011) Retrieved on 27 Aug 2011 from http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/romance-still-alive-portal-2-proposal-wows-001416958.html 

Kyla and Rich: December Wedding

Local celebrity singer Kyla and professional basketball player Rich Alvarez have announced some of the long awaited details of their wedding.

Though they did not disclose their exact wedding date, they have announced that it will be on December, before Christmas day. The traditional wedding will be held in a church in Manila.

Confirmed ninong and ninang are Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez-Alcasid. Included in their list of secondary sponsors are Jolina Magdangal and Rachelle Ann Go. She also shared that almost all of them are her co-workers in GMA-7’s musical-variety show Party Pilipinas and other close friends.

Cocoy Lizaso will be designing Kyla’s wedding gown. Some of the wedding details will be prepared as soon as Rich is back in the country from Dubai.

Their pre-nuptial photos taken by Nice Print Photography can already be seen online.

Prenuptial Photo Shoot of Kyla and Rich.
Photo by Nice Print Photograph

The photo shoot was done in the Virgin Beach Resort in Batangas where the couple posed with the breathtaking view of the land and seascape.

Kyla plans to surprise Rich on their wedding day with her own musical composition. She admits that she found it difficult to write a song for their wedding day but she knows that the song will come as their wedding comes close.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Yahoo! OMG. The Shoot: Kyla and Rich Alvarez (Posted on July 5 2011) Retrieved on July 27, 2011 from

http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/photos/the-shoot-kyla-and-rich-alvarez-1309847113-slideshow/

Gorgy Rula. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Kyla and Rich Alvarez set their wedding date on December this year (Posted on July 2 2011) Retrieved on July 27 2011 from

http://www.pep.ph/news/30031/kyla-and-rich-alvarez-set-their-wedding-date-in-december

In Vogue: Wedding Gown with Detachable Wedding Train

The image of a bride walking down the aisle is somehow not complete without a long wedding gown train trailing behind her.

However, a long wedding train may not really be appropriate if you will have an outdoor wedding reception where your pristine wedding gown will be susceptible to grass and even mud stains. A long wedding train also limits the bride's movement to freely mingle with her wedding guests and may look out of place in an informal wedding program.

How to have the best of both worlds? Popular bridal gown designer Edward Teng suggests a wedding gown with a detachable wedding train.

Wedding Gown with Detachable Wedding Train
by Edward Teng

Wedding couturier Edward Teng shares, "very much in vogue, this fashionable yet sensible wedding gown idea allows brides to have the romance of formal wedding gowns and the practicality and modernity once the wedding train is detached."

You may put the wedding train for your walk down the aisle or for your wedding photo shoots, then remove it for an outdoor wedding reception or when the party starts.

Best of all, without the wedding train, you can actually reuse your wedding gown for other formal functions or engagements. Just add embellishments or accessories and you can transform your wedding gown into another fashionable formal attire.

Visit Edward Teng's bridal shop for more design ideas on wedding gowns with detachable wedding trains.

Wedding Bells for Vicki Belo

The would-be bride was just as surprised as all of us when news came out that Hayden proposed last December in the Downtown Aquarium in Texas.

Shown in an episode of “Rated K” in ABS-CBN, Hayden Kho proposed to Vicki Belo by asking two divers in the large aquarium to hold cards that said, “Hayden loves Vicki.”

“May nagdive sa aquarium na malaki. Sabi naman nito (Hayden), silipin natin kung sino yung nag-dive. Tapos, tumingin ako, ang sabi ‘Welcome to Downtown Aquarium.’ Ang cute. Tapos, next tile, ‘Hayden loves Vicki,’” Vicki said. 

Though the proposal was done months ago, it was only announced in July because of the many controversies and issues that have come their way throughout their relationship. The public has also been scrutinizing the couple because of their age gap, the opposition of Vicki’s children, and the video scandal involving Hayden and other female celebrities.

“Kase gusto namin to enjoy it privately kase alam namin na ganito nga ang mangyayari pag sinabi namin, ang daming batikos. Daming nagsasabi na hindi magwu-work,’ Vicki said in the “Rated K” interview.

Being truthful about the topic, Hayden said that there are people who are for and against the engagement. Their friends, on the other hand, showed support by sharing how Vicki and Hayden loved each other.

The exact date of their wedding is yet to be announced. They already have a wedding month in mind but they do not want to mention it to the public yet.
She shared though that it is possible that she will choose Monique Lhuiller to make her wedding dress.

To remove the risk of looking like being after Vicki’s money, Hayden asked for a pre-nuptial agreement to separate their own properties.

With everything that has happened in their relationship, Vicki said that the changed Hayden has made it worth enduring. “Sabi ko nga sa kanya, if I have to go through all that para lang maging ganito ka na, medyo worth it na rin, di ba? Kase nga sobrang naging mature, sobrang nagchange,” Vicki said.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Karen Valeza. Yahoo! Newsroom. How Hayden proposed to Vicki (Posted on July 11 2011) Retrieved on July 26 2011 from http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/how-hayden-proposed-to-vicki.html

Serendipitous Wedding Date

Ericka Randall and Patrick Evans officially began dating on 06-07-08. This year they are getting married on 09-10-11.

In New Jersey on the day of her birthday, massage therapist Ericka Randall was in a bad mood. She was turning 30 and her friends forgot her birthday. In a music social networking site, she met Patrick Evans. Without a photo posted and with no information about Patrick, she started ranting to him about her disappointment. The kind stranger volunteered to make it up to her by throwing her a birthday party. The day of her birthday party was the day they officially started dating.

One year later, Evans surprised Randall with a wedding proposal on New Year’s Eve in the year 2009. Randall said yes, wedding plans followed, and the serendipitous wedding date they got was 09-10-11.

Playing with the numbers again, Randall thinks of surprising her husband on their wedding day - she plans to send him a gift at exactly 12:13 pm.  Will it add magic to their union? Well, it's the number, er the thought, that counts :)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
Kasal.com thanks the following source for this article:

Kwala Mandel. Couple follows 06-07-08 first date with 09-10-11 wedding (Posted on July 24 2011) Retrieved on July 27 2011 from http://shine.yahoo.com/event/summertimefun/couple-follows-06-07-08-first-date-with-09-10-11-wedding-2515264/