Destination weddings are logistical feats for everyone involved, but the results are worth it, it is a wedding and a vacation in one, and for some you get to be with your guests and family even after the wedding day.

Top 7 Wedding Destinations

Boracay

Boracay is the favorite wedding destination of both locals and foreigners not just because of its pristine powder like sand, but it’s unique romantic experience draws one’s imagination to the limits. A wedding in boracay is perfect for those who love to get away from city stress, hit the beach, fall in love and get married too!

Amanpulo

Amanpulo is a stunning island known for its earth-given beauty–velvet white sand, crystal water, beautiful night skies. Couples who aspires for an intimate beach wedding knows that Amanpulo is THE premiere beach wedding destination.

Tagaytay

Tagaytay is as close to paradise as a couple can find. Only 90 minutes away from the metro, and yet the cool breeze creates an atmosphere of a far away wedding. Overlooking Taal Volcano is a spectacular scene that newlyweds can keep as part of their memorable treasures from Tagaytay.

Ilocos

Ilocos showcases beaches, old infrastructures such as churches, ancestral houses, historical towns like Vigan. Ilocos is a perfect wedding destination for couples who wishes to highlight rich Filipino culture.

Palawan

Adventurous and nature-loving couples would want to explore Palawan as it is wrapped in a mantel of rainforests, has outstanding dive sites, majestic mountains, primeval caves. It features pristine beaches that sets the mood for a romantic feel for a couple’s wedding day.

Baguio

The Philippine’s coldest city is also an ideal destination location that provides the ambiance for a literally cool and romantic wedding. The pine trees. rolling hills and picturesque landscape could certainly put an unforgettable mark on anyone’s dream wedding that truly is Baguio.

Subic

Subic Bay sports a great variety of locations that could cater to any wedding plan. You can hit the beach, find a country farm with horses, venture the mountain terrain, explore various resorts all in one. Only a two hour and a half drive away from manila, a destination wedding location ideal for couples who don’t want to travel too far to make their dream wedding come true.

Many think that photography comes cheap, yep sometimes, and so will the results, here are a few reminders why getting someone who can capture the day effectively is important for your wedding day

Top 8 Reasons why you need to choose Great Photographers and Videographers

It is the most important day of your life…

…And you would want to remember it, so look for a team that you think can cover everything.

You’re going to be with them the whole day, from the preparations to the end of the reception.

With that in mind, you can understand how important it means to pick a photo-video team not only for their skill but also for their personality, are they fun? Are they professional in dealing with you or other people?

They will be seen roaming around the hotel room, church and reception, so they need to be presentable and nice to look at.

Everyone is dressed well on your wedding day; the photo/video team should be as well.

The wedding day might be stressful enough; you won’t want another thing to worry about.

You would want things to run automatic on your wedding day, and that includes the documentation team, a good team can let you feel that they are there capturing every moment, even when they don’t tell you.

It is not about the freebies you would get, it’s about the quality of the photos and videos you’re getting.

What good is having a lot of freebies if the photos and videos themselves don’t look good?

You’ve spent hundreds of thousands, even millions, of course your photos and videos should show all that!

That goes without explaining, a good team will know your priorities, they will make sure to capture what it is that means a lot to you.

You might need someone to pray for you, put the gown on the fitting form, help you carry the veil, fix the groom’s boutonniere, fix the veil and train before you walk down the aisle, instruct guests how to throw the petals, tissue off some sweat, make you smile… Oh did I mention we also take photos and videos?

Yes we know that it is the coordinator’s job to do all that, but it’s the little details were after, all those things that make the difference between a beautiful picture and an outstanding one.

What are you going to look at after the wedding, the photos and videos right? So awesome photographers and videographers are what you need!

I know this is cliché, but it is true, it will be the only tangible memory of that very special day, and the outputs from a great team will enable you to relive those moments over and over again.

Many ask us, what is an E-Session? It’s a shorter term for Engagement Session (5 Syllables, so long) which is another term for a Prenup! The word prenup has been around quite long enough and has been loosely used in the wedding industry to describe a photoshoot of sorts before the marriage of the couple, but some inquisitive people in the team did a little search for it’s real meaning and we came up with this:

A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract entered into prior to marriage or civil union by the people intending to marry. The content of a prenuptial agreement can vary widely, but commonly includes provisions for division of property and spousal support in the event of divorce or breakup of marriage.

Hence making us kinda like the sound of E-Session more…

So there you go, we present you with…

Top 9 Places for an E-Session

Boracay

This is one of the best places to be if you love beaches. The resorts and hotels around provide a wide range of venues for rustic and posh shoots and the white sand and colorful skies at both sunrise and sunset make Bora one the most romantic places for an engagement session.

Anawangin

Situated in the corner of Zambales, Anawangin is a beach like no other. It’s like Baguio and Boracay combined. It’s framed by green pines and brown textured stone formations. Walk along further and in the middle of the place you will be able to see a forest with more pine trees and an area where the sea meets the lake. Different views can be found all in this one place, making for one great location.

Subic

This place will appeal to you if you are passionate about colors, textures and shadows. Themes of shoots can be industrial, rustic, romantic and vintage. Every corner is worth exploring, and is accessible by car. Its beaches also has one of the best sunsets in the country.

Batangas

Batangas is all about open rice fields and a lot of beaches. Think Punta Fuego, Calatagan and Laiya among the many. Its laid back and stylish appeal is sure to bring out the extraordinary in any couple. The Batangas Racing Circuit is also there if you want a more sporty feel to your shoot. Tagaytay is also on the way, so going to Batangas is a great excuse for a road trip, because after the shoot, you can go to so many other places.

UP

UP is the place for you if you have no time to travel but still crave good sunrises or tropical rainforest settings. It bears big trees and old architectural structures, as well as walls with colorful graffitis. One great thing about UP is that it looks different in the morning, noon, and night, so it is immediately three different places to shoot. It also looks its best after raining.

Tagaytay Highlands

Pick a particularly cold and foggy day, dress up in your best winter clothes, and shoot with the log cabins in sight. It’s like you went to a different country, but in reality, only two hours away from Manila, and way cheaper too!

Clearwaters

It’s not that far away and it’s quiet, with not so many people around. Shoot here when you want to feel really close and intimate with your partner. Just don’t forget that you have a photographer (or two) with you, shooting your every move. If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s also an abandoned hospital nearby where you can take some shots.

Baguio

It is 6 hours away, but the locations within, like Kennon Road, Burnham Park, and the military school, are so many, you wouldn’t know where to start! And the best part is most places here don’t need any permits to shoot.

Oasis

If you have no time to go out of town, Oasis is where you go. The beautiful garden at the back provides infinite possibilities for shoots, as well the different rooms in the building. And after all, this is where the Imagine Nation studio is located, and where you get to interact with all our photographers, so this is one of the best places to be in.

As a preparation to the unveiling of our new website, we had a countdown and posted each day a topic corresponding to the number of days left before the big day!

Here’s day 10…

Top 10 Wedding Venues

Magallanes

The relatively new structure that you see along South Expressway in Magallanes is called the Parish Church of St. Alphonsus. It was rebuilt after surviving a fire in 2004. It has a soaring roof and I personally love the architecture of this church and how it interplays with the light that pours in. It can give really nice drama to a wedding ceremony. This structure is also a symbol of a community transforming tragedy into grace

Caleruega Chapel

Also called the Transfiguration Chapel located near Tagaytay, its beauty has captivated a lot of couples. From the unique structure and solemn feel of the chapel to its scenic garden surroundings, one cannot help but fall in love with the place. This makes it a popular venue for destination weddings.

Hacienda Isabella

It gives you a very Spanish rustic romantic feel. It is Kuh Ledesma’s Tagaytay residence and has been open to the public strictly by reservation for just a few years now. It’s a quiet hideaway for an intimate wedding. I like how all the details, from the tables, to the rooms, paintings and all sort of knick knacks around literally transport you to a hacienda.

Madre De Dios

If you want a quaint Tagaytay wedding and are looking for something different than Caleruega or Chapel on the Hill, Madre Do Dios lends you exactly that. Along with it, comes the atmosphere of Tagaytay Highlands. It’s a small but beautifully lit church that fits 200 people in a quiet and cool place.

Fernbrooks

Brought to you by Fernwoods of the north, Fernbrooks is the niche garden wedding venue in the south. It is romance style & grandeur. It captures nature within the confines if its domes with touches of the Victorian era, Russian architecture and Byzantine inspired surroundings. It simply is renaissance romance.

Boracay

One of the most beautiful beaches in the world makes the perfect spot to have a wedding ceremony. Not only does it give you amazing sunsets, Boracay’s charm gives you that perfect after ceremony party by the beach! It’s an accessible paradise for family and friends you are sharing your special day with. If you would love to have a beach wedding and then this should be the top on your list.

Basilica of San Sebastian

San Sebastian was completed in 1891. It is noted for its Gothic architecture and it is the only all-steel church or basilica in Asia. This church appeals to couples that want a classic and timeless wedding. From a photographer’s point of view, the interior is very nice to shoot and gives one a feeling that is very romantic.

St. James the Great Parish Church

This Church is simply grand and beautiful. It takes inspiration similar to that of churches one would find in Rome but a bit more modern in its style. Its one of the best churches south of manila to get married in.

Sanctuario de San Antonio Church

A great location and a lovely church what more can a couple ask for. Situated at Forbes Park in Makati, the church is very accessible and is close to most major hotels and reception venues. Its modern Spanish inspired architecture makes it very appealing and adds an air of style and class to one’s wedding.

Palawan

Known for its raw, unspoiled virgin forests and beaches. Palawan offers a different destination wedding experience because there are so many places to choose from. Whether in Puerto Princessa, El-Nido or Coron the list goes on and every location offers a unique landscape and scenery. It is truly an adventure for a couple to get married here.

OK, so we finished shooting Elmer and Gie’s prenup mid-morning of Sunday. By this time, their families were eagerly anticipating the outcome of all the wardrobe changes, make-up sessions and mysterious trips to unknown destinations. Instead of just showing them the photos, we decided to do one better and came up with an on-site, which personally is a first for me, since I normally only do on-sites for weddings. But we had such a great time with them that we thought the on-site was the least that we could do.Here’s what came out of our weekend. Photos taken by Carlo Cecilio, Gen Poe and myself:

Elmer and Gie’s prenup slideshow from Jason de Guzman on Vimeo.

In my previous post, I mentioned how I love my job as a photographer. Things get all the more sweeter when the subjects happen to be good friends of ours

Carlo, Gen and I were with Elmer and Gie over the weekend in Punta Fuego. I consider them my contemporaries in SFC since we’ve been in the same household for a good number of years, and back then, wedding plans and suppliers and deposits were not even part of our conversation. This time around though, things were different since we found ourselves in pretty much the same situation, with them getting hitched just a few months ahead of us.

Got there Friday night after escaping most of the Friday rush hour traffic. After settling down, we went over the sets we were planning to do and matched clothes for those sets and set a timeline. It was past midnight when we called it a day, since we decided to get an early start if we were to shoot all the sets we planned.

Set One was dubbed the Marina Set, but while we were on our way to the Marina, we chanced upon a cool stairway crossing a small hill and we couldn’t help but stop and shoot off a few frames.

We finally got to the Marina and having warmed up after that impromptu set, we were simply clicking away as Elmer and Gie just enjoyed the sea and sun (not to mention the several millions’ worth of boats surrounding us). Special thanks to Benz Rana of W@W for the nice umbrella! Not only are you kept cool, but you look cool too

We then went to Fuego Point for what Carlo calls The Grand Canyon Set:

It was lunchtime by the time we were done so it was time to head back to the house for nourishment and to prepare for our next set. After lunch, we shot off a few frames before heading out to our next destination

Played a bit with my TS lens, which I all but gave up in trying to learn, had it not been for good friends Oly Ruiz of MetroPhoto and Erron Ocampo showing me how to use it. We headed out back (yes, the beach was just at the back of the house) where we shot what I call our Wuthering Heights Set but Gen insists on calling the Hihintayin Kita sa Langit Set (she’s a big Richard Gomez fan)

Fearing the sun might set on us too quickly, we decided to forego the “Basa sa Dagat” set and headed out instead to a nearby cove for our Sunset Set, but not before shooting what Carlo calls our Out of Africa Set

Time for the sunset:

It was time for dinner, but instead of heading home, we decided to go to town and reward ourselves with a local favorite and one of the town’s treasures, Aling Celing’s Halo-halo. What a way to cap off 4 sets! We couldn’t resist dinner though as Elmer’s mom prepared prawns and liempo. Did I say that I love my job?

It was time for our last set of the day, Formals! We were teasing Elmer and Gie that it was getting late, they might not make it to the Prom anymore, but it didn’t seem that they cared, so here’s what we got:

Whew, what a day! The rest of the evening was spent just catching up and viewing what we were able to get that day. Good thing we decided to stay over since we had one more set in mind, but that would have to wait until the morning.

After a good night’s rest, Elmer and Gie were all set for what we left out from the day before, Gen’s Basa sa Dagat set (I’d much rather call it the From Here to Eternity set):

We had such a blast that weekend, thanks to the generosity and kindness of Elmer and Gie and their families. More than the shots we got, we were able to spend time with good friends in a great setting, and witness for ourselves why they make such a great couple.

Mad props to Gie’s personal stylist Ronnie, who made sure the couple looks their best for every set and was a joy to work with. To Carlo and Gen, great job, guys! Awesome shooting with you as always. To Elmer and Gie, you guys rock! Can’t wait to see you march down that aisle

(Head on over to my Blogspot for bigger photos)

Or so it seems.

Been all around Luzon this past week. Last Monday, we headed to Zambales for my fiancee’s prenup (she had a starring role while I played supporting cast). It literally was a 24 hour prenup as we hit the road at 3am and got back to Manila at 3am the next day. Good thing we had such great company and that made all the difference in making the trip a memorable one. It is officially SUMMER!!!

Come Thursday, I went to Baliuag and San Rafael in Bulacan then Pampanga then Alabang, all in one day, for some personal matters I had to attend to. Barely 24 hours later, I was on the road again, this time with Carlo and Gen, for the Punta Fuego prenup of our good friends Elmer and Gie. We were so awestruck by the house we were staying in that it took about 3 seconds for us to decide that we were staying an extra day. What came out of that weekend is easily one of my best prenup shoots, mostly because Elmer and Gie were so game. Watch out for more photos in a future post.

Less than 24 hours later, I was on the road again, this time headed for a school in Pangasinan where we were to shoot some students for an upcoming TVC. Easily the longest of the drives I made in the past week, I checked my odometer and the trip was about 450 km! Good thing we had some downtime during the day after the shoot before heading home.

Adding up all that mileage comes up to about a thousand kilometers (which makes for a more accurate but less romantic title)! Not my normal week by any means, but I’m really glad to have been out and on the road as much as I was this past week. It gave me a chance to see more of this beautiful country of ours and meet more people. The kids we shot in Pangasinan were especially nice and I’d welcome the chance to work with them again.

Whew! What a week! I love my job! Thanks God!

(Bigger photos on my Blogspot)

“FIRE PROOF” THE MOVIE
Robinsons Galleria Cinema 6 April 6, 2009 730pm.

This movie is a must see for those who are married or those just planning to get there! See the trailer in www.fireproofthemovie.com.  It’s a must to watch it together with your fiancée or spouse. Tickets are P200 each at the gate but pre-purchase at these outlets below and get them at 25% off (P150).

a.    Imagine Nation Offices in Robinsons Galleria (4th Floor inside Trends Wedding Shop) or in Oasis Manila 169 Aurora Blvd. San Juan, Metro Manila.
b.    Themes & Motiffs in Makati Shangri-La Hotel. Entrance is in front of Ayala Avenue.
c.    Just deposit to John Mateos Ong BPI Checking 3275-0809-33 and fax deposit slip to 727-6295 or email to artist_ph@yahoo.com.  Then we’ll hand the ticket to you on the day itself.

Be sure to invite your friends whose marriage needs re-igniting, or who wants to fireproof their relationship.