If you’re recently engaged or have been for a while now; you might be holding off on planning your wedding day due to the seemingly huge dent it will make in your savings. Many young couples find themselves engaged for years before they’re able to throw their dream wedding; however, there are alternatives. If you put enough effort into planning early, being savvy with your spending, and have a touch of patience; there’s no reason you can’t start thinking about getting married.

There are plenty of ways to save on cash when planning a wedding; you might just have to spend more on time and research. The following are some tips and ideas for those who are ready to plan their big day, without a vast budget.

Get Crafty

People love to plan the theme, colors, and decorations for their wedding day; they can set the scene and ambiance, and create their dream wedding photos as a result. However, the cost soon adds up regarding buying your balloons, ribbons, and the array of other decorative items that are available on the market. Therefore, you’ll need to pull your sleeves up and start hand making your decor and be savvy when it comes to sourcing the materials.

You can find plenty of second-hand decor on online auction sites, or affordable craft materials in every color imaginable. Start looking around at what you can source for free, what you have lying in the attic that could be upcycled, and begin researching into how to make some bespoke decorations so that your big day looks like no other. Get your loved ones involved in a few craft nights and apply your talents to your wedding favors, centerpieces, and even your bouquet; these are all areas that can cost a lot of money when bought from a business, so why not save and create your own.

Timing Is Everything

Consider looking into wedding venues that offer off-peak rates; midweek weddings and out-of-season nuptials will cost you far less than hosting your big day on a Saturday in the middle of summer. You may even be able to take advantage of a last-minute cancellation. If your guest list is small enough (another great way to save the pennies), and you have your homemade decor at the ready; you could pay a fraction of the cost for a venue, catering, and reception on a day that was originally booked for someone else. Therefore, keep your eyes peeled on your favorite wedding blogs and local wedding supplier’s social media to grab a great deal.

Sourcing Sentimental Treasures

Your wedding dress or suit, shoes, and jewelry can end up costing a fortune. However, if you look to your family; you can repurpose items and heirlooms for a truly special wedding. Vintage wedding dresses can be altered for a tiny amount of what a new dress would cost, and your grandma’s pearls can be your something borrowed and free of charge. Thinking outside of the traditional avenues regarding your wedding will give you a magical, bespoke day that you’ll never forget.

Tell people that you’re heading to Iceland and most people think that you’re venturing on an excursion to see the Northern Lights or you’re going to be enjoying a leisurely few days basking in the natural hot spas adorning the island. Little do they know that Iceland is a phenomenal destination that offers up a range of adrenaline-inducing activities that will enable you to get your thrill-seeking kicks all in one place. This tiny island is full of extreme activities that will make you the envy of your friends. Take a look at these activities that you might want to partake in when you hot foot it to Iceland. And of course, you may want to have a gander at the Aurora Borealis as well.

Glacier Hiking

Led by a fully qualified instructor, you’ll be strapping on your crampons and harness before venturing on a hike across ice that formed thousands of years ago. The awe-inspiring scenery that you will witness as you make your ascent up the glacier will probably stop you in your tracks. However, it’s important to keep your head in the glacier hiking game as the cracks and crevices beneath your feet make this activity become heart pumping and sweaty palm inducing. Specialist active Iceland tours will see experts arrange a series of activities for you when you book as well as sorting out all of your accommodation, travel arrangements and itinerary leaving you to just enjoy the experience.

Caving

Venturing deep underground with crampons, ropes, boots and a light on your helmet, you’ll be setting foot into a rarely trodden dark world. Depending on the cave you descend into, you may stumble across an ice lagoon, take a paddle in an underground pool, marvel at a field like space of ice stalactites or squeeze yourself through some tight tunnels that you need to manoeuvre expertly. All expert-led, these tours underground get the adrenaline pumping with their eerie quiet, odd light and alien-like landscape.

Snowmobiling

The modern-day husky-drawn sleigh is the snowmobile. For the ultimate thrill ride across the snow, try to find an excursion that heads to Landmannalaugar for the ultimate challenging environment in which to snowmobile. You’ll be given your overalls, gloves, and helmet before a safety talk. Once this very important bit is out of the way, you get to cross the Langjökull glacier before traversing the geothermal area at the foot of the Kerlingarfjöll mountain. The barren white backdrop will take your breath away as you master your vehicle and pick up the pace across the powder.

Iceland is a land of contrasts. You can spend your days experiencing a huge variety of adrenaline inducing activities while your evenings can be spent hunting for the Aurora Borealis, taking a dip in a geothermal salt pool or heading into Reykjavik for a traditional Icelandic dinner of pickled herring and shark. There is no better place than Iceland to immerse yourself in a truly unique Scandinavian culture.

Running away for a weekend with that guy you fancy, love or just crush on is one of the most heart-racing, spine-tingling, exciting and intimate adventures any girl can ever hope to go on. It doesn’t matter if it is your first escape as a couple or you twenty-first (which would mean either you have been together for a long time or you apart of a successful pop group), a romantic disappearance always wakes up the butterflies in your belly.

To put it bluntly, a short trip brings people closer together, it binds you on another level, makes your love and lust feel reinvigorated and will give your skin that, “this is what happiness looks like,” shine that no product can replicate.

However, just running away to some magical place is not enough. It is a fantastic start, but it is not enough. Not if you really want to make your trip unforgettable, taking your ‘just another weekend away’ trip, scrunching it up and transforming it into something super special; something that you will never forget, the glint in your eyes as you look at each other across the dining table in your small apartment making you both simper as you remember what a fantastic adventure you had.

That leaves just one big question: How? How do you make your next romantic runaway more special?

Well, without further ado, we bring to you our top tips on creating a scintillating escape.

Two Days Is Not Enough

Two days is amazing, no one can deny that, but four days is so much better. It makes things less rushed, allows you to enjoy yourselves, really relax and, what’s more, you get the added excitement of running away from work on a Thursday night and not returning until Tuesday morning. Trust us, there is something truly gorgeous about waking up on a Monday morning, still snuggled up in your hotel bed, the sunlight creeping through the light white curtains that flap in the window and suddenly realizing that, well, you’ve got nothing in the world to worry about, especially not work. Instead, you’ve got one more day in paradise to enjoy with your love-slash-crush, holding hands as you skip through another small local market on your way to the beach. Like we said, two days is amazing, but four days is so much better.



Explore Somewhere Totally New
Instead of chasing the past and heading to your favorite spot, create new memories by exploring somewhere totally unknown to you both. Why do this? Simple. Because it will make your heart flutter for every second of every hour as everything you see and do will be absolutely new. That is what a sense of not knowing does. Going somewhere you have been before is nice, but nothing great ever came from comfort zones, whereas excitement bursts from the seams of everything that is new. There is nothing more exciting than trying to explore the world, living in that little place of not knowing, where everything is an assault on the senses and just turning the corner gives you a little bit of a buzz. It has to give the every day a little bit more zest. New places to see, new places to eat, to explore and tick off; all of which pulls you closer as you decide whether to turn left or right together.

Make Eating Out Special

When you are in a new place with a new cuisine, eating delicious food always seems to be so wonderfully easy. Grabbing lunch at a reasonably priced beach restaurant, grabbing a table at a small street vendor, and grabbing some bits and bobs from the local market to make it to a meal back at your Airbnb villa. These are all amazing options. But to make your trip that much more memorable, try and squeeze in an evening meal at that breath-snatching restaurant you passed on your first day. But don’t just go there and eat; get all dressed up, wear a long flowing dress and your favorite diamond jewelry, do your hair and makeup so that you look like a screen siren and have him match you on that front. Life is what you make of it, and so going all out on a meal and helping it be the most special memory of the whole weekend is a surefire way to fall even more head over heels for each other. It could be a quayside restaurant you stumbled past, a city hotspot you found on TripAdvisor just a little food stall on a little quaint side street. Whatever it is, you will have a story to cling on to.

Room With A View

Nothing can kick start a morning better than waking up to a beautiful view and nothing can end an evening in more spectacular fashion than closing the curtains on the bright lights or a calm beach. You can just imagine it now, getting an upgrade, slinking out of bed, pull back the curtains, open the shutters and enjoy your first coffee of the day on your very own Juliet balcony, the morning sun warming your skin as you take in the new sights and sounds of your holiday destination. Mornings set the tone for the rest of your day, and so picking somewhere with the most picturesque view is well worth the time and effort. Like we touched on above, it will also offer up a magical end to a day too as you finally make it home after your romantic dinner for two, a bottle of red in hand and every intention of enjoying it as the sun sets over the world outside, little lights turning on across the horizon. Now that is romantic and that is what will make your break memorable.

Life is too short to wait for adventures to just fall into your lap, which is why you should do all the little things that create big memories. That’s right, the little things. Turning two days into four, going somewhere you have never been before, dressing up for your meals out and getting a room with a view. These are big things, but they are magical.

Manila is packed with chaos, commuting around is a constant headache, a nightmare in fact, and it isn't exactly a place where it is as beautiful as the other thousands islands that dots the whole country. The diversity and vibrant action of Manila can be overwhelming, so it makes sense to stay in a base where ultimate relaxation is at its finest. Let me introduce to you, Ritz Astor Hotel.

I was lucky enough to a enjoy a night at Ritz Astor in the middle of my Philippines coverage that went trough, Davao, Manila, and Camarines Norte. Here's my experience of the Ritz Astor Hotel in Makati.

First Impressions

After checking out from Royal Bellagio, we transferred to Ritz Astor, which was just a few steps away from Royal Bellagio. The Royal Bellagio's hotel attendant helped us with our luggage to Ritz Astor, and as we are about to enter the building, the attentive doorman of Ritz Astor were ready to greet us and offered to take our luggage. They swung open the super-size doors, and that's when I knew we're ofg to a good start. Despite the dreary August weather, the whole lobby looked inviting and sumptuously posh.

Deluxe Dreams

My spacious deluxe room was located on the top floor of the hotel, which meant it came with incredible views overlooking the Makati skyline. The deluxe room had an extensive mini-bar, toilet and shower room, and a heavenly cloud-like bed. However, I was surprised to find there were no tea and coffee making facilities in the room. Only later did I found out that tea and coffee making facilities were only available upon request. The bathroom was immaculately clean and the fresh fluffy white towels were as if it was made up of cotton-candy.

The Ultimate Breakfast

On the final morning of our stay in Ritz Astor, I got to enjoy a late leisurely breakfast with my friend and fellow travel writer, Rona. We strolled down to Ritz Cafe lobby at about 10am and found our perfect spot. Ritz Cafe had an extensive breakfast set menu from Eggs Benedict, Mushroom and Cheese Fritatta, American Breakfast, Tartines, to Pancake and Waffles, but there was only one clear winner: the American Breafkast. The dish was perfectly cooked, the eggs were done to perfection, but the best part was the impeccable crispy bacon, and butter and jam. The added fruit slices made it a truly hearty meal.

The Jose Cuervo Tequileria

Things have changed a lot in the past about marriages. There was a time when marriages were organized by the parents of the bride and the groom, as a way to guarantee peace between tribes, increase trading power, or simply gain a higher social position. Nowadays, it’s up to the happy couples to decide whether they want to get married and not. Popping the question is no longer a matter of commerce or diplomatic peacemaking. It’s about two persons who love each other dearly, and that’s the beauty of it. With the different religious beliefs, the wedding ceremony has also changed a lot. It’s not confined to a religious institution anymore. Even the dream worthy bridal dress has changed with the apparition of theme wedding. Some couples are getting married dressed up as characters from Harry Potter; others prefer to cosplay as a 1950s rockabilly couple. In short, the general way people think about their wedding seems to have changed a lot. Has it still got anything to do with the traditional image of a white marriage?

It’s a big commitment

Wherever it happens and regardless of how old you are – and maybe how many times you’ve been invited to a wedding in the past – getting married remains a big commitment. That’s probably why a lot of people feel extremely nervous at the big day approaches and might even experience what it referred to as cold feet. It’s a natural thing, as you know that getting married is a life change. It’s normal to be worried about it.

No ring, no wedding

Regardless how trendy and modern you want your wedding ceremony to be, and even if you choose to get married without the traditional dress, there’s one thing that will always be part of your big day: The ring. As a result, most couples plan where to buy wedding rings very early during the preparations. Finding the perfect ring demands a lot of time, as you need to choose a model – or two models – that you both like. Additionally you will also be planning to get the rings engraved with your names and the date, as it is often the case.

No cake, no party

Whether you’re on a diet or not, you know that you can’t have a wedding reception without a wedding cake. In fact, the wedding cake is often the most expensive element in the catering budget. Why so? Because it’s your wedding day and you want a beautiful cake. Most wedding cakes are so stylish that it’s a pity to cut them! But don’t let this thought stops you from getting an impression slice of yumminess.

The honeymoon perks

You’ve heard about the honeymoon suite in hotels. It’s said to be the most beautiful room. In fact, when you get married you experience a series of advantages from most hospitality sectors. Whether it’s at the hotel, in the restaurant or even in your favorite holiday resort, everyone has a little gift for the newlyweds.

Don’t worry! The changing times will not take away the magic of your wedding. Nothing can change how people feel about getting married. From embracing the new commitment to enjoying the honeymoon freebies, you’ll feel like every newly wed has ever felt since the beginning of times: Excited and in love!

Islands allude to dreams of tropical Elysian paradise; an escape from the wild rat race far from the workaday clamor and away from the chaotic world, a quintessential patch of sand where you can relax under rustling green palms and gaze at a serene blue sea. But not all islands were created the same, I know. I've been to many majestic islands in the Philippines, many of which I couldn't count anymore.

The charm of some is defined more by the sea that surrounds them, which can beguile connoisseurs with its crystalline clarity and thriving coral kingdoms, luxuriant jungles and velvety peaks. Some islands enchant travelers with their cultural jewels. Whether it's sublime beaches, stunning topography, or exotic cultures, but one island, during my media trip to Camarines Norte, above all else, caught my heart — I think I just found my very own Shangri-la in Camarines Norte — the Parola Island - the secret paradise island of the Gods of Bicol.

@camarinesnortetourism

Parola, Tailon, Tunao, Pink Beach, Huuu-what?

The Parola Island is also known as "Tailon Island", maybe because it is shaped like an eagle's talon from up above, hence the name Tailon. To the fisherfolks of Jose Panganiban, they call it "Tunao". It is also known to many as the "Parola Island" because of the old lighthouse standing on the head of the island. It is aptly dubbed to as the "Pink Beach", for its fine stretch of white coral rocks and golden sand embedded with a hue of magical salmon pink when the calm salt water roughly kisses its shores, mostly evident when the sun sets during its final hours.

@camarinesnortetourism

The Island

The Parola Island is only accessibly by boat and it is strung in the pristine sea waters of Jose Panganiban — town in the province of Camarines Norte — a forty-five minutes boat ride from the mainland is all worth it for this Bicol hidden gem.


It is a picturesque tropical island beach that boasts its enticing raw beauty: perfectly lined emerald palm-studded forest, calm sea water in technicolor turquoise, and guiltless golden sand. Parola Island prides itself the beauty of Bora-Bora without the price tag.


Indeed, Parola Island was my hallelujah moment, the first time I set foot on its sand. I always dream of being a castaway in the Pacific, and if it is, it has to be this island. I could just imagine myself basking in its unparalleled beauty under its crayola green palms as I fall asleep to the gentle slosh of the sea and living my Robinson Crusoe fantasies.

What Else To Do?

Aside from swimming on Parola's crystal clear salt water, there are other things to do in Parola Island, here are some things that we did:

Explore the undersea life - There is no doubt that the Parola Island has impressive beaches in its own right — but the snorkeling is equally pleasant. Go snorkelling and discover Parola's undersea life. There are no snorkelling or diving effects for rent in the area so I suggest you bring your own. Yup, I regretted all right.

Fish without a fishing rod - Before leaving the island, Dean and I happened to chance upon a local woman catching fishes without the help of any fishing rods. Curious, we approached the woman and we asked how she did it. Gladly, the woman showed how she's doing it and even let us do the fishing. First, the bait. In this instance, the hermit crabs were the baits; hermit crabs are abundant in the island. The woman then grab the hermit crab out of its shell, and very carefully, she attached the bait to the fishing hook which was knotted to a nylon cord. She then picked up a coral stone, placed the hook on it, grabbed the nylon cord, and threw the bait with the stone on the waters. After just a few moments, she began pulling the cord back and the fish was hanging on the end, wiggling for its life. I tried fishing too, but unluckily the fish got away.


Find the Parola (lighthouse) - Going to the Parola island is not complete without getting a chance to see the lighthouse for yourself. After all, it's the reason why the island got its name Parola, right? Located on the head of the island is the rustic lighthouse, going to rack and ruin. It is not much but it did serve  hundreds of boatmen for once it was.

Getting There

To get there, there are travel and tours organizers offering Parola Island excursions, but if you are planning to DIY it, I suggest you to coordinate and secure a clearance first with the Jose Panganiban Tourism Office c/o Ms. Ruth Marie Forteza, Tourism Officer at 0910-827-3547 and email ruthmarieforteza@outlook.com.

NOTE: The island is privately owned and only 200 tourists per day are allowed. No clearance from the Local Tourism Office. No entry.


By air: There are commercial flights available from Manila going to Naga Airport. The plane ride usually takes 40-minutes to Naga. From Naga, you could take a bus or public van going to Daet, Camarines Norte. There, you could take another bus or public van to Jose Panganiban.

By land: From Manila, take a bus bound to Jose Panganiban or Daet, Camarines Norte. Some buses offering routes to Bicol Region were DLTB, Superlines, Philtranco, and others. Bus fares costs around PhP540+ and travel time will usually take up to 8 hours. Tell the driver to drop you off near the Jose Panganiban Municipal Office.

From Jose Panganiban Municipal Office: you can walk to Larap Port at Roy Padilla Sr. Boulevard which is just a few meters from the Municipal Office. From there, you can ride a boat going to Parola Island.

Suggested Itinerary

Here's a suggested 2 days and 1 night itinerary to Jose Panganiban from Manila:

DAY 0
7:00 - 8:00PM - ETD Manila - Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte

DAY 1
07:00AM – ETA Jose Panganiban / Breakfast at Evias
08:00AM – ETD for Tailon Island (Parola)
10:00AM – ETA Tailon Island (Parola)/ set camp explore
12:00NN - Lunch
01:00PM – Siesta/ swimming/ explore/ picture happy campers wait for lowtide to explore the 3 islets
06:00PM – Dinner
07:00PM – Socials
10:00PM – Lights out

DAY 2
06:00AM – Wakeup call
07:00AM – Breakfast
09:00AM – Break Camp
10:00AM – ETD Jpang
12:00NN – Lunch / swimming at Turayog Resort
02:00PM – Surfing in Bulalacao Beach
05:00PM - Rest
05:30PM - ETD Jose Panganiban - Manila

Inclusions:
- Port Fee
- Environmental Fee
- Boat Transfer
- 3 campmeals (buffet)
- 1 plated meal at Turayog Resort
- Resort Entrance fees
- Life Jacket
- Unli Cocktail drinks (Mobile Bar)
- Land Transfers from port to Turayog and Bulalacao Beach

NOTE: What is not included deemed excluded.

@camarinesnortetourism

What did you think of the Parola Island? Will you also include it on your itinerary on your next trip to Bicol Region in the Philippines? Let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment below this post.

Want to know more about Camarines Norte? Check out my other blog posts:

• Camarines Norte's Best Kept Secrets: Killer Destinations Minus the Crowds
• Camarines Norte: A Land of Pineapples, Passion, and Plenty

My media trip to Camarines Norte was sponsored by the Provincial Tourism of Camarines Norte with its respective Local Tourism Offices and with Katooga.ph as a part of the #ComeToCamNorte Campaign. All views are my own.

While there are always a few outliers who like to get married by themselves, for the most part, guests are an integral part of any wedding day. After all, the very idea of a wedding is that you exchange vows of devotion in front of witnesses. It’s a public way of announcing your commitment to one another, so guests are a huge part of the celebration. Even couples who choose to get married alone often then at least tend to throw a big party to bring their families together in celebration.

Given how important guests are to the smooth running of a wedding day, it makes sense to take a little time to show your appreciation. Weddings are celebratory occasions for the most part; your guests will be very happy for you and will want to share your day.

However, attending a wedding is also an expense; the outfit, the gift, and so on and so forth. If you take the time to show that you appreciate the effort that your nearest and dearest have gone to so they can attend your big day, then it’s going to be worth a lot. You should always take the time to send custom thank you notes to your guests, but these tend to be when the wedding is over - so let’s focus on what you can do on the day itself.

So if you want to celebrate your guests as they celebrate your union, here are a few options for ensuring they feel appreciated.

1) Cater To Their Needs

This is especially true when it comes to the food you serve at your wedding. If any of your guests have specific dietary restrictions - due to allergies or even religious requirements - then you should go above and beyond to ensure they have options.

As well as this, look to ensure that any vegetarian or vegans in attendance have options beyond: “the meal everyone else is having, but without the meat”. Most caterers will be able to offer better options, so ensure you explore them.

2) Spend A Little Time With Each Guest

The bigger a wedding is, the more intimidating the idea of spending time with each and every guest might be - but it’s necessary. These people might have come a long way, canceled other plans, and had extra expenses - the least you can do is spend a little time talking with them about the day, letting them see your dream wedding dress up close, and showing off your wedding ring. It doesn’t need to be long, drawn out conversations, but spending a little time asking how they’re doing will be much appreciated.

3) Think Of Practicalities

If you dream of getting married somewhere rural or inaccessible, then that’s nice, but what about your guests? They’re still going to have to deal with getting to the inaccessible space or traipsing through mud. Also bear in mind the time the wedding will finish; are they going to be able to get home? At the very least, ensure that your venue is easily accessible to people of any mobility needs and that the transport connections are good for those not able to drive.

In three simple steps, you can show your guests you have thought of and appreciate them - guaranteeing that everyone involved, including you, will have the best possible day.