Stay tuned!

Reception Photos

Sorry for the delay! The last of our wedding photos are now up =) I tried to reorganized them such that they're in chronological order but for some reason it won't save. Cheers!

Wedding photos as promised!

Finally, we are getting these things out to all our readers. I know you miss our good looking mugs so please enjoy the moments from getting ready to the ceremony! Reception pictures to follow =) Even though it's vacation time, we're busy vacationing! Cebu tomorrow for our birthdays and well.. tomorrow is mine! Woohoo, diving with whale sharks! Please visit www.themexicanblanket.blogspot.com for our travel adventures as we have posted some of the honeymoon highlights.

Bride Preps

Groom Preps

Wedding Ceremony

PHOTOS!

Of the wedding details.. haha. Just to give you a taste of how everything looked at the wedding. Sorry for the delay, there are tons of beautiful photos and we are slowly but surely sifting through them all so we could share them with you.

Mia and Larry through the years

Here is the link to our collection of pictures that we compiled for the wedding. For some reason they didn't make it into the video, so here they are for your enjoyment.

Mia Growing Up

Larry Growing Up

Mia and Larry

Post Wedding Aftermath

Hi Family & Friends!
We had an eventful month and an awesome wedding week with all of those who were able to join in the festivities. We came away not only as newlyweds but also with amazing experiences learning about the T'boli, crazy adventures, and hilarious quality times from the whole weekend. It was definitely a blessed wedding weekend as it did not rain, THANK GOODNESS. We had absolutely stunning weather hence the profuse sweating haha.

As with all main events, when it comes time to wind down the immune system starts to fail. Larry and I immediately got sick after the majority of folks left and we have yet to recover fully. It didn't help that we had a major monsoon that swept through Metro Manila which made for prolonged sickness. Although, I did appreciate the week off from school to just recuperate.

Anyhow, to hold you over, the entourage/family/friends uploaded some photos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy & check back for more updates on the wedding photos & videos taken by our photographer, King. Thanks again to Baloy, Gay, & their entire team for making everything look beautiful and managing everything. Also to Aris, who followed me around the whole day/night reapplying makeup to my melting face and redoing my hair a bajillion times haha. Nanette, that cake was sooo pretty & I heard it was delicious!

Larry & Mia's Photobucket

Getting ready for your trip to the Philippines

With less than a month to go before the wedding, many of our friends and family from outside of the Philippines are inquiring about what to prepare for their pending trip, especially those making their first journey to this country. Here is a list of things to consider:

What to bring:
- Water shoes: Save yourself the pain of potentially stepping on a sharp rock, sea urchin, or jellyfish. Flip flops in the water are ineffective, they always float to the surface
- Sunblock: Especially for the kids
- Swimwear: Even if you are completely comfortable in your birthday suit, others may not be so comfortable seeing it
- Insect repellent: Mosquitos are abundant, especially now that it is rainy season
- An extra ID: Driver's licence or otherwise just in case you lose your passport
- An unlocked SIM card phone: Even if your stay in the Philippines is short, communication is the key to safety and carefree fun. SIM cards can be purchased at the airport or at most convenience stores. For those of you that booked your flight through Mango Tours, contact your salesperson and they will send you a SIM card free of charge.

What not to bring:
- Expensive jewelry or watches: Having to worry about these items while in transit or away from the hotel room will put a damper in your vacation
- A towel: This is just a waste of space, and nothing is worse than a wet towel in your luggage
- Food: Food is cheap in the Philippines, and even better, available 24 hours
- Overweight luggage: Airlines here are strict about overweight luggage and charge a lot for going over, keep this in mind when you are packing. You do not need 5 pairs of shoes and 10 hats. Make it easier on yourself and pack light
- Gifts for the Bride and Groom: Really, we have everything we need and no room for anything else is our little condo. If you would like to make a donation to our wedding fund, here is the link http://www.rainfallofenvelopes.com/Give.aspx?eid=1632
- Your problems: Leave your stress behind, start your vacation with an open mind and adventurous spirit. It is, after all, more fun in the Philippines

Wedding Attire

Many have been asking what is "Resort Formal" attire.. well here are a couple sites to help you out.

http://sarahandstelmoswedding.com/2013/06/06/dress-to-impress-in-resort-formal/

http://www.luckymag.com/style/2013/05/weird-dress-codes-what-to-wear_slideshow_item3_4

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/228438/wedding-guest-attire/@center/272440/wedding-etiquette-adviser#127515


Hopefully this clears things up. See you all soon!

Reminder: RSVPs!

Hello, so I know it's unconventional to have RSVPs emailed rather than snail mail. However, since we are in the Philippines, we wouldn't get your RSVP for like a month.

If you will be attending the big day, please email us at miaandlarry@gmail.com before July 1, 2013.

Also, if you haven't done so already, please email your international flights so we can arrange pick ups at the airport.

Flights and Itinerary

For those of you that living outside of Sarangani Province that have not bought their domestic flight to General Santos yet here is the weekend itinerary so you can plan which activities you want to catch. Most people are flying down the afternoon of Thursday August 8th and flying back on Monday August 12th so as not to miss anything.

Thursday August 8th
- Fly into General Santos.
- Check into assigned hotel.
- Dinner and drinks in General Santos city to celebrate Laurence's nephew Jeylobb's 22nd birthday.

Friday August 9th
- Drive from hotels to Maitum, Sarangani.
- See the Giant golden-crowned flying fox (if available)
- White water tubing down the Pangi river.
- Lunch bbq, snokelling, and other ocean / beach activities at Mabay Beach or Tuka Beach
- Shuttle back to hotels
- Wedding rehearsal at Akbe' De Mahin
- Wedding rehearsal dinner

Saturday August 10th
- Wedding ceremony at Akbe' De Mahin
- T'Boli cultural show
- Wedding reception at Sarangani Highlands

Sunday August 11th
- Drive to Lake Sebu
- Ziplinning at 7 falls Lake Sebu
- Lunch at Punta Isla
- Drive to Gumasa Beach, Glan

Please be sure to update us on your flight itinerary when you book it so we can arrange your hotel and transportation throughout the weekend.

Thank you

Photo Shoot preview

Invitations

We are so excited as people have been receiving our invitations! Please remember that we request your RSVP via email (miaandlarry@gmail.com) so let us know if you are coming or not so we can get a head count =) We are pretty settled in our home here in the Philippines and crystal stemware would have a hard time finding its way into the cupboards.  If you would like, in lieu of a traditional wedding gift, you may contribute to our wedding fund through Rainfall of Envelopes. This is a well trusted site that does not manage any of the money; it goes straight through PayPal.

http://www.rainfallofenvelopes.com/   Search: Reisland or Baquirin after clicking the "GIVE" option.

Once again, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call or email us!

T'Nalak

If you have noticed on the "Save the Dates" and will see on the upcoming wedding invitations, we are using the T'Nalak fabric in everything. This same fabric will be used in some of the wedding attire as well. For more information on T'Nalak, here are a few links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T'nalak
http://www.one-weave.com/the-tnalak/
http://tboli.globalmatters.com/

T'Boli

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tboli_people
http://www.philippines.hvu.nl/mindanao2.htm
http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?igm=4&i=253
http://www.prayway.com/unreached/peoplegroups3/823.html

A weekend of fun

One of the reasons we mentioned previously about arriving early into General Santos on the morning of Friday the 9th and not leaving until Monday the 12th is that we have a weekend full of activities outside of the wedding. This is our opportunity to showcase some of the wonderful things Sarangani Province has to offer. Here are some of the things we have in store:

General Santos is known as the tuna capital of the Philippines. Therefore it is only fitting that we stop by the fish port for a tour of giant sized tuna.


With its abundant sea life, diving for those who are interested will be available at South Point, Maasim. This is for experienced divers or those who want to try for the first time.

For those that aren't ready to dive, South Point also has an artificial reef, perfect for snorkeling.


Whitewater tubing down the river in Maitum is a rush. Guaranteed to have a soaking wet good time.

If we have access, we will head out to see habitat of the Golden Crowned Flying Fox, the largest bat in the world. These bats are endemic to this region and we will have an opportunity to see thousands of them in their natural habitat.


Lunch at the T'Boli spiritual grounds of Lake Sebu.

Ziplining over 7 falls near Lake Sebu is a breathtaking adventure as you soar high above the falls in what has to be the most scenic zipline experience around.

A beach bbq  afternoon at Mabay, Maitum. Whether you want to jump on the boat and head out to sea or just lounge on the beach, this will be a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Contact Info

For any questions regarding the wedding, don't hesitate to contact us:

email: miaandlarry@gmail.com

Philippine House Number: (632) 224-6097
US Magic Jack Number: (510) 200-5973


Mia:
Mobile: (+63) 9159229456
mhbaquirin@gmail.com

Larry
Mobile: (+63) 9178989457
lareisland@gmail.com

Wedding Reception

After the wedding ceremony, guests will move up to the reception location
SARANGANI HIGHLANDS
Purok Wal, Tambler, General Santos City

Upon arrival, we will be having a cocktail reception where we will be treated to an array of hors d'oeuvres showcasing the bounty of Sarangani province as well a selection of libations.

 

 

Afterwards, we will move to the reception hall where the nights festivities will begin including dinner, entertainment, and dancing.

 



Our out of town guests will be happy to know that we have rooms for you at the Hotel portion of Sarangani Highlands.

Wedding Venue

For those of you that were wondering where the wedding was, the wedding will be at
AKBE' DE MAHIN "Cliff By The Sea"
Kamanga, Maasim, Sarangani Province

The wedding itself will start at 1:30pm on Saturday, August 10th
There will be some entertainment and pictures taken before moving up to the reception venue.
We hope you are as excited as we are to be the first couple being married at this area.

Flight Bookings

For booking, please contact Zeny at Mango Tours
(510) 797-8888
zeny@mangotours.com

If you have other booking agencies, that's fine. We found that we get the cheapest deals from Mango Tours.

_______________
Basic Wedding Info

Wedding for Laurence Reisland and Mia Baquirin
Wedding date August 10, 2013
General Santos City, Philippines


FLIGHTS
Priority is to book international flight ASAP before rates go up. Right now, Hawaiian Airlines has the cheapest rates as they have no peak season.

Guests joining us in Manila should arrive no later than the afternoon of Tuesday August 6th but are welcome to arrive any day earlier. If you are easily jet-lagged  it's better to arrive a bit earlier, get settled, then get ready for some activities that week.

All guests must be in General Santos by the morning of August 9th. All guests should fly out of General Santos Monday August, 12th. Guests may decide to book this later as Cebu Pacific Airline promo fares are always changing.

Your flights out of Manila should be anytime after August 12th but I know most of you are taking a few weeks off for vacation so this is anytime you wish.

Additionally, some guests may be joining us on a separate trip to Cebu from August 12th – 15th. Similar to the General Santos tickets, this trip can be booked at a later date. Domestic flights here are very easy to book and Cebu Pacific has plenty of promotional fares.


HOTELS
If you're arriving in Manila, there are many hotels in the Eastwood, Quezon City area that are close to where we live. Most of them are fairly cheap but nice to stay in. We recommend that you stay generally close to us as we can better arrange events throughout the week instead of scrambling to get people in one place. However, it is ultimately up to you! Eastwood is a city in itself with many restaurants, 3 different malls, movie theater, bowling, billiards, etc, all within walking distance. It would be just a 10-15 min drive to Fort Bonifacio and about 20-25 mins drive to Makati (depending on traffic!)

In General Santos, Sarangani Highlands, is open for all guests to stay from August 9 to August 12 free of charge. Please feel free to stay at the hotel as it is also our wedding venue. http://saranganihighlands.com/


If you have any questions, ask away! Check back for more updates again at miaandlarry.com
Mia - mhbaquirin@gmail.com
Larry - lareisland@gmail.com
Magic Jack Number: 510-371-9050

Welcome =)

This will be the site to check information on our upcoming wedding! Check back often for updates and new blogs on how the planning is going thus far.

Save the Date!