BOOKED: St. Benedict's Church

We went to SBC last year to book them when our wedding was set to this year but when it is move tho next year, we decided to just go back last weekend. We have set the schedule to be back and secure our slot prior to him asking for my hand formally. Last week J called SBC's contact number on their flyer. Red's number is unreachable. The other person listed there is not really friendly and according to her doesn't want to received calls regarding SBC and just call the office landline directly. I think they shouldn't have listed their numbers on the brochures if they don't want to be called.

So prior to going, J called their landline and asked if our slot is still available, lucky us, it is. YEY! When we arrived, there's still an on-going mass and there's no one at the office. The guy there asked us to wait after the mass. I noticed that the sound system improved since the last time we were there. From my post about SBC before, I said my main concern is really their sound system. I am very happy that it is fixed/replaced already. After the mass, the guy approached us and said to be back in the afternoon as the person in charge will be having his/her lunch break. Okaaaay.

We proceed to Tagaytay as that is our original plan. We will be having lunch at Bulalo Point. Our travel time is approximately 1 1/2 hours. After our late lunch (as we arrived there at around 2 PM), we headed back to SBC praying that we will make it. We arrived on time at around 30 minutes before closing.

The lady who attended to us is very nice and apologetic as she wasn't able to attend to us in the morning. She is so nice so OK na din the hassle that we go through that morning. She asked us to fill up the form and we paid the downpayment. She scheduled us for our Canonical Interview and voila! We are booked already. :) We really felt that the date is for us. Found out that there is only one more remaining time slot available on our chosen date and it is also the time we wanted. Thank God!

Personal Questionnaire for the Canonical Interview

Wedding Information Sheet

Down payment is Php5,000 plus another Php5,000 during the interview. The remaining balance should be paid 1 month before the wedding date.

A very productive weekend indeed. Got officially engaged on Friday, 2 Food Tastings on Saturday and secured our slot at SBC on Sunday.

Church Hunting: St. Benedict Church

A couple of months ago, while looking for churches near our place, I learned about St. Benedict Church. It became popular because it is where Shalani Soledad got married. I saw pics of the church on the net and I showed it to J and he instantly liked it.

So yesterday, after a couple of postponements, we went there to hear mass na din. It took us a little over 30 minutes drive from Biñan to reach the place. When we arrived there, I was literally feeling so-kilig! I don't know if that's what you call the "this is it" feeling but I feel like a teenager seeing her crush after vacation. Haha! Basta, iba yung feeling. Like I was seeing myself walking the premises in my wedding gown!

gentle reminder: picture overload :)

These are the exterior facade of the church in different angles

And one of the reasons why I had this feeling na "eto na talaga"? This.

Look at that outdoor aisle

And THE door

Why I fell in love with St. Benedict Church before even seeing the insides

The place is sooo peaceful. Reminds me of Pink Sisters in Tagaytay but a lot more serene. If you've been to Pink Sisters, that's the kind of vibe you'll get here. Mas reserve nga lang yung place as super konti lang ng tao and ng nadaan na sasakyan.

And now for the insides.

Very nice architecture

The ceiling

I appreciate the spacious chairs

Just OC. :) I so love the details on the chairs

And the altar shots

The church, inside and out, is simply stunning. No need for extra decorations. Because the facade itself would look good on your pictures na.

Here's their Wedding Brochure:

The Parish Office is located on the right side of the church beside the restrooms. We were entertained by Red and Ms. Baby. Now here's the catch: they said they are not sure if they can accommodate us for December 24. (heartbreaking) But still they log our names and said they will just inform us if Father Isagani will approved of it. So as of this moment that I'm composing this post, we are still waiting for the text regarding that.

To wrap up this post regarding St. Benedict Church, here's my summary:

PROS:

• Beautiful and stunning facade
• Serene and peaceful surrounding
• Still preserved unlike churches in Tagaytay where in IMHO are already common
• Have the option of the use of aircon during the ceremony
• Well-kept restrooms
• Ample parking space
• BPI bank nearby (across the street)
• Stores nearby (across the street) - still have to check if it's open already

CONS:

• Strict rules for the wedding ceremony
• Liturgical songs only for the ceremony (processional song included)
• No choir provision 
• Would be difficult to reach the place if you're not familiar in the area
• Difficult to go there via public transportation
• Sound system - I don't know if it can be adjusted pero sabog yung sounds and it's difficult to hear someone on the microphone (This is my main concern)

Amidst the cons, I still love St. Benedict Church and would still want to be married here.