It's all in the details

Like what I said in my very first post, tablescapes isn’t just about food.  It is also about table set ups, brought about  by or connected with my work as wedding/party planner/photographer .  

My work as events photographer opened new avenues and new opportunities to meet and work with fellow event suppliers. People close to me knew that still life,  shooting wedding/event details, food, basically anything that doesn’t move or requires posing directions are my turf. 

So, for this entry, let me share with you the work of a colleague in the wedding industry.

I first met Ernest Pascual, wedding planner/coordinator of Events! Events!  in one of my kiddie party shoots.  That was in April this year. He was the party planner for the event.   Prior to this, I’ve been hearing and reading stories of how into details he is. I was in awe at how he turned a simple party in Shakey’s into a fabulous, fun,  outer space themed kiddie party. As they say, it’s all in the details. 

Last week, I got the chance to work with him again, this time for a baptismal party.  I got a peek at what would surprise me at the reception later when the baby’s parents handed me the baptismal candles.  

Powder blue tapered candles tied with white flimsy organza ribbon, adorned with blue crystal encrusted mini brooch. It was the most elegant baptismal candle I ever saw.  Whenever I have details like that, I go shutter crazy. 

When we arrived at the reception, I was blown away.  The decor was simple, ala Martha Stewart. And you know that a lot of hardwork & creativity was put out to come up with such merry and pretty decors.  Colors are in subdued pastel tones of yellow, blue and green.  

I’m gonna let these photos show you what I mean.  

 

The cake table, the focal point of the room.  Organza ribbons cascade down the backdrop.  Several small cakes with matching letters to spell out the celebrant's name, flanked by three glass jars filled with sweets.

Pastel blue eyelet design paper lanterns hovering over the cake table.

Buffet Table Centerpieces - A cluster of small floral arrangements in pastel colored claypots

A closer view of the small floral arrangements.

A ceramic cross bearing the celebrant's name

Buffet table swag details, paper pom pom balls with touches of feather and a paper cut out swag.

 

The guest table centerpiece.  A low, square arrangement of green button mums, white roses, yellow mums, blue hyrangeas, with a small paper lantern and a stem of white orchids.

A small vase of letter shaped sugar cookies spelling out the celebrant's name.

 A bow shaped cookie placed on guests' tables.

Small triangle paper banner in pastel color and various prints festooned at the back of the guests' chairs.

The custom made invitation.

Message card echoes the invitation's design.

Now you know why I had fun shooting. :)

Event Planning & Styling by Ernest Pascual 
Flowers by:  Badang Rueda

Venue:  Microtel MOA

Travel: Dos Palmas Day 2, Lunch at Puting Buhangin

Len & I woke up at around 7AM.  The weather was still overcast and gloomy. 

We had a hearty breakfast from the buffet.  I had waffle, sausages, bacon and make your own omelet filled with tomatoes, onions,  mushrooms, and ham, juice and coffee.  

The highlight of our itinerary for the day was a picnic lunch at Puting Buhangin island, the rest of the day was free for snorkeling, swimming and kayaking.

By 11 AM, we boarded a boat for a short ride to Puting Buhangin, which literally means white sand. The weather got worse when we arrived at the island. It rained hard and the wind blew strong, toppling the monoblock chairs set up in the middle of a big hut.  It was high tide too, the sand bars on each side of the island were submerged in sea water.

We shared the island with another group of tourists but it felt like we have the island to ourselves.  After a few minutes, it stopped raining.

Our buffet lunch consisted of grilled fish, squid, pork chops, chicken, coleslaw, green mangoes with bagoong.

 

We had fun taking pictures of this little piece of paradise until it was time to head back to the resort. 

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent taking more pictures, kayaking, swimming in the pool near the spa, and biking.  I was surprised that I still know how to ride a bike after so many years.  From then on, Len & I would ride the bike everywhere we go.

By evening, we had another  heavy buffet dinner  and hanged out in the bar area drinking coffee, watched a movie.  Leine & Elise played billiards.  It was such a laid back evening.  I wish I could stay forever, but I am missing my kids too.

Travel: Dos Palmas Day 1, our beach villa

When we arrived at Dos Palmas, it was already 4pm.  We were ushered into the dining area for a late lunch. There was a lot of food served to us, most notable were the seafood Kare Kare and the dense yet tasty palitaw.

 

After that hearty lunch, we were brought to a four room two storey beach villa. Len and I were room mates and stayed in the ground floor adjacent to Leine and elise's room. 

 
This is our room.  With red gumamela flowers everywhere.

The bathroom is a combination of modern and rustic design.  It features a rain type shower head and wooden towel handle bars, which I forgot to take a picture of.

Sliding doors opens to the balcony at the back with a view of coconut trees.

A few distance is the beach  With mangroves growing out of the water. 

A small, winding bamboo bridge goes out to a hut on stilts where one can view the ocean and the stretch of mangrove dotted shore.  

 

The sky was overcast and gloomy. Not color pretty.  The landscape photographs I took, I decided to convert to black & white to evoke a  moody and  somber feel.

After taking our fill of the  landscape, we rested and freshened up and went back to the dining area for, guess what?  DINNER!  (three weeks of running, zumba classes and crash dieting went out of the window). Oh well, we came here after all to enjoy and have fun, didn't we?