CEREMONY: Transfiguration Chapel of Caleruega
Peso Value: Php 15,000 (November 2011)
Ratings: 4/5
Inclusions:
Peso Value: Php 15,000 (November 2011)
Ratings: 4/5
Inclusions:
- 2-hour use of chapel
- Chapel sound system
- CD player
- Organ
- 2 nuptial candles
- One (1) altar boy/sacristan
- Engagement/Pre-Nuptial Photoshoot is free of charge for couples getting married here
- Use of chapel is exclusive of floral arrangement, red carpet and choir
- Personal vows, selection of own readings, officiating guest priest are allowed.
Roan and I got engaged in October 2011. Of course we had to decide on our wedding day before booking anything else, and finally decided on 07 December 2013. We both agreed to have it in December since more often than not, the weather during this time is already breezy. Another thing we both concurred with almost instantly is the time of ceremony. We both wanted a morning wedding. To me, personally, it depicts a new day, a new life, a new beginning to which Roan did not protest.
When Roan returned to the US, I took the initiative to start looking for potential venue for our church wedding. Living from the southern part of the metro encouraged me to look at decent churches such as Shrine of Jesus: The Way, The Truth, and The Life (beside SM Mall of Asia), St. Jerome Emiliani and Sta. Susana Parish (beside Alabang Town Center), and St. James The Great Parish (inside Ayala Alabang Village). If we were having a destination wedding, either we have at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (Tagaytay City) or Transfiguration Chapel of Caleruega (Nasugbu, Batangas) if only the Pink Sisters Chapel [where he proposed] is open to hold a wedding ceremony. Shortly after our engagement, we started visiting these churches. Among all the nearby churches here in the city, Roan chose to be married in Caleruega.
Apparently, Caleruega takes a special place in my heart because it is affiliated with my Alma Mater, the University of Santo Tomas. When asked, why Caleruega? Roan would simply reply:
"I want our wedding to be an intimate affair between close family and friends. As much as possible, I don't want anyone else to be snooping around during the ceremony. It can get annoying."
Well, his justifications were firm, and so on 12 November 2011, along with my parents, my [then future] parents-in-law and Roan's cousin, I went to Caleruega to book our slot.
Most people would think that it's too early to book given that our wedding won't be until December 2013, but Caleruega is known for destination weddings, so couples who wish to get married there are encouraged to block their wedding date two years prior. We were very lucky no one else has booked on the same day as ours, so I blocked the date and time (9:00AM) in their calendar right away before someone else does. By the way, we were only required to give Php 5,000 as initial down payment.
When Roan went home for the holidays in December 2012, we went to Caleruega to try to settle the remaining balance of Php 10,000; however, we were told that we're not yet allowed to pay our balance in full until a month before our wedding. According to my Mom, this is understandable since our wedding is in two years; the church may only be avoiding the possibility of cancellation during this time, so it was only in late October when the church agreed to receive our balance.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Others:
Contact Details:
Transfiguration Chapel of Caleruega
Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas
(043) 706 0348
0921 270 9890 / 0921 830 4226
[email protected]
Wedding Schedules:
Most people would think that it's too early to book given that our wedding won't be until December 2013, but Caleruega is known for destination weddings, so couples who wish to get married there are encouraged to block their wedding date two years prior. We were very lucky no one else has booked on the same day as ours, so I blocked the date and time (9:00AM) in their calendar right away before someone else does. By the way, we were only required to give Php 5,000 as initial down payment.
When Roan went home for the holidays in December 2012, we went to Caleruega to try to settle the remaining balance of Php 10,000; however, we were told that we're not yet allowed to pay our balance in full until a month before our wedding. According to my Mom, this is understandable since our wedding is in two years; the church may only be avoiding the possibility of cancellation during this time, so it was only in late October when the church agreed to receive our balance.
Advantages:
- Location is secluded to most people except those who go there for a day trip, but slimmer chance of having people snoop around during the ceremony.
- Non-smoking area
- If on a tight budget and is getting married here, too, engagement/pre-nuptial photoshoot is free of charge. Nature-lovers will be drawn to this place.
- Entrance is always free for the couple when making wedding-related transactions in the office.
- Based on personal experience, getting married here in December was the best part. The weather was really nice (20–22°C), so despite an early morning wedding, the guests were not at all grumpy. In fact, they were actually complaining about the wind blowing their hair and dresses!
Disadvantages:
- Proximity-wise: Not recommended. I know that it’s a popular wedding destination, but for those who worry about how their guests will get to their wedding without spending too much, forget it. There are a lot of beautiful churches in Manila that can be both beneficial to you, your family and your friends. Unless, of course, Caleruega is a deal-breaker like ours.
- It is worth noting to your guests that the road leading to Caleruega is a rough one. It’s been like that since my college days, so it is unknown whether an improvement is in the works or not. Guests would park along this road, too, which could be a problem. By the way, parking for guests are free of charge.
- Another thing that may cause inconvenience to guests (most especially to elders) is the steep steps towards the chapel. There are two ways in getting to the chapel: (1) via main entrance where you will pass by Caleruega’s lobby and dormitory rooms (most visitors enter here); and (2) through a staircase at the side of the chapel where most guests and members of the entourage pass on the actual day of the wedding. It’s a blessing in disguise that our grandparents were no longer around; otherwise, maybe we would have chosen another venue.
Others:
- Weddings at Caleruega are always fully-booked, so it is worth noting to ensure that ceremony do not exceed the allotted time provided because as soon as the last person is out the door, staff begin to take down all floral decorations to give way to the subsequent wedding.
- There were a few on-lookers towards the end of the ceremony, but they weren’t really off-putting. In fact, most of them even wished us well during post-ceremony photoshoot breaks. They weren’t so bad after all!
Contact Details:
Transfiguration Chapel of Caleruega
Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas
(043) 706 0348
0921 270 9890 / 0921 830 4226
[email protected]
Wedding Schedules:
- Monday to Saturday (9:00–11:00AM, 3:00–5:00PM, 6:00–8:00PM); Sunday (8:00–10:00AM)
- Parish Office Hours: 8:00–5:00PM daily