10 March 2006

The Value Added Tax (VAT) did it.

Months ago, Mon had already decided that our formal pamamanhikan will be on October 2005. Right after he takes the Bar Exams for lawyers on September 2005. However, that was it. For several months now, I had been content with this. At least we were getting somewhere and we were not just vaguely planning our wedding.

Then, last week, I got a text message. Apparently, his parents visited him in Manila and they had time to talk about his plans. I do not really know what went on with the conversation but it prompted him to text me that I should be in Manila on the 26th of March, on his brother’s birthday. It was only a couple of days before the said date that it became clear to me that we would be going to Tagaytay and already set some certainty to our plans.

So, on the 26th of March, I decided to go to Manila. In my car, alone, it truly was a nerve wrecking eight-hour drive to the Petron Station at the South Luzon Tollway at Muntinlupa area where we agreed to meet. We immediately proceeded to Tagaytay where we went to Caleruega near the Tagaytay-Nasugbu boundary.

In Caleruega, we decided to hold the wedding on a Friday, considering that all Saturdays before March 16, 2006 were already taken. It was a choice between the 3rd and the 10th of March. After first deciding that its going to be the third, I decided to make it the 10th after a conversation with my Mom who said the 10th is more auspicious.

What’s with March 16? Apparently, Sev, Mon’s brother who is working in a travel agency said that accommodation rates go up after the 16th of March.

Why the sudden rush after a long idle lull? Well, Mon wanted to beat the skyrocketing of prices recently. Fuel prices go up almost every week and consequently with that the rates of suppliers. We also have to consider that our suppliers might charge extra considering that ours is a destination wedding.

So, eventually, the VAT did it… Hmm… there goes another incidental advantage to the rising of taxes.