Before I Do Workshop

It’s our time of the year again! And summer turns a whole lot sweeter with the 15th Before I Do Workshop.

Last April 13, a new batch of Before I Do-ers took a shade from the Saturday heat for a whole day of love and learning. Thirty five lovely soon-to-be-wed couples joined us at CCF Eastwood for the 15th edition of the Before I Do Workshop.

So let’s see, what do we need to make the 15th edition super life-changing? An awesome set of speakers… check! Fun activities to keep our couples discovering… check! And oh, freebies and prizes… check!

Dashing in leadership and wisdom are the husbands from the Before I Do team, sharing about what makes a marriage blessed and successful. (From left to right: Edric Mendoza, John Ong, Alain Syscar, and Rob Deluzuriaga)

The wonderful wives from the Before I Do team, inspiring our couples on building a godly marriage. (From left to right: Monica Deluzuriaga, Monique Ong, and Joy Mendoza)

Plenty o’ freebies for everyone! Thank God for our partner suppliers who just love to bless our Before I Do-ers batch after batch.

All in all, the 15th run of the Before I Do Workshop looked a little something like this:

(Thanks for the SDE, Wang Videography!)

Let’s hear it from this batch’s Before I Do-ers:

“Thank God for establishing BID! had lots of take home, enlightenment, nuggets of wisdom, humbling insights, reflections with our relationship, desire to grow deeper in HIM will produce a Godly, blessed marriage… and most of all increased joy in the Lord…having to fall in love in HIM everyday starts it all We are more than blessed its a privilege to gain God’s truth and be guided as we prepare for our marriage. A marriage that invests on God’s eternal glory.”- Ellen Mercado (Getting married on October 26, 2013)

“We really enjoyed the workshop, we learned a lot and we felt really blessed afterwards. Sometimes, things seem to be so trivial and we overlook them. Feeling namin, we’re all good pero may mga pagkukulang pa kami (actually, marami pa!). Thanks for letting us join the workshop. We are really grateful to be part of it. And YES! we are ready to get married. We’re not perfect, we can see challenges ahead of us but with God’s grace we can overcome all of them ” -Amir & Venus (Getting married on December 19, 2013)

“Thank you BID! Can’t thank you enough. We had plenty of realizations this evening after the workshop. Our eyes were re-opened and we realized that we really need to draw ourselves closer to the Lord. Thanks Ms. Monique and Sir Jong. I was crying a river during the prayer (Thank goodness Wang did not capture it haha). I felt that God was moving me. Overwhelmed with the experience. A worthy lifetime investment. Keep on touching more lives. Thank You with all of our hearts!” – Jay and Nikki (December 13, 2014)

We’d like to thank all the couples who laughed, loved, and learned with us from the workshop. It’s the 15th edition but we’ll tell you: it’s always special every time. So thanks for making this one extra sweeter!

Here’s to a marriage filled with love, blessings, and more I Do’s!

Click here for more photos.

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If you’ve been blessed by the Before I Do Workshop, let us know! Leave us comments below or keep us updated about your pre-nup journey by emailing us at beforeidoworkshop@gmail.com. Share our page over Facebook or give your soon-to-be-wed friends a tip about the next run coming up later this year.

We’ll keep you posted!

So who says all the spice has to end by the time you get married? Actually, the best part has just started!

Purity is at its sexiest in the marriage bed. Find out what it’s all about at the Before I Do Workshop! Sharing with you about the topic of Sex and Purity are couple John and Monique Ong.

The Ong’, with John and Monique and their children Jazzy (top right), Matt, JD, and Sabrina (bottom row). Last year, the family welcomed their newest darling, Ezra.

A man who wears many hats is John Ong, or Jong as friends would call him. John is an entrepreneur, musician, composer, photographer, scuba diver instructor, discipleship leader, husband, and father to five beautiful kids. With all the roles he undertakes, it’s easy to wonder where he gets his strength from. But thank God for enlarging his heart that he may bless more people with his life. The Before I Do Workshop series is one of Jong’s projects under his photography company Imagine Nation, a ministry he gladly shares with his wife Monique.

Monique is a bundle of energy that just brings sunshine wherever she goes. Her career track is as vibrant as her magnetic personality. She’s an entrepreneur, creative head, event host, ministry leader, and homeschooling mom to their darlings. As a partner to her wedding photographer husband, Monique took this pre-marriage ministry to heart. What’s a beautiful wedding without a beautiful marriage, she teaches her couples. Together with Jong, Monique shares with you what God’s love taught them about building a marriage that’s pure, holy, and truly beautiful.

Join Jong and Monique in this one of a kind adventure! The Before I Do Workshop 15th ed. is happening on April 13, 2013 at the CCF Eastwood (3rd Floor, Citywalk 2, QC). Registration fee is at P1,500 per couple, inclusive of meals, kits and certificates.

To sign up, just email us at beforeidoworkshop@gmail.com with the following details:
Name of the Couple
Date and Time of wedding
Venue of church and reception
Email address
Contact number

Slots are limited, so register now.

We’re thrilled to have you with us on the next Before I Do! Hope to see you there!

30-day trial with money-back guarantee? Tell me this isn’t what you’re fitting that wedding dress for.

Before you drop that no-return, no-exchange, (and no-regrets!) “I Do”, give us a day and soak up on everything you need to know about marriage at the Before I Do workshop!

The Before I Do 15th ed. is a one-day interactive workshop that tackles on the Biblical yet very practical wisdoms on marriage. This workshop is packed with life-changing lessons and hands-on discoveries that will get you learning and having fun along with other couples.

The workshop goes beyond principles; Before I Do takes you back to the best blueprint on marriage as revealed in the Bible. We’re featuring topics such as God’s design for marriage, relationship roles, money matters, and conflict resolution among many others. With Speakers John and Monique Ong, Manny and Lisa Manansala, Rob and Monica Luzuriaga, Alain Syscar, and Edric and Joy Mendoza sharing about their quips and joys of married life, you’ll end the day thinking, “I’m so glad we did this together” or, ultimately so, make you want to say I Do with greater conviction.

Let’s get to know a couple from the Before I Do team who are just so excited to join you on this amazing journey. Meet Edric and Joy Mendoza.

One of the country’s forerunner of homeschooling, a TV celebrity, an amazing father, and a dedicated servant of God, you could say Edric Mendoza has got everything right in the bag. But on top of all the titles, one of his greatest achievements is having been married to the love of his life, Joy. Edric serves as the president of The Master’s Academy or TMA, the country’s biggest home school institution.  He has been married for more than a decade and has been the ultimate role model to his four children.  He is the host of the show “On the Money” aired over Chanel 23 and just recently, was voted as the Cutest TV show anchor man by blog.ph.

With him is his beautiful wife, Joy Tan-Chi-Mendoza, the well-known blogger of “Teach with Joy”. Among other roles as career woman and a servant of God, Joy treasures her call to be the loving wife to Edric and the dedicated mother and teacher to their growing tots.

Edric and Joy have been with each and every Before I do batch since the first run. And now for the 15th time, they’re back and ready to share with you what God has done in their lives and marriage.

Join Edric and Joy in this one of a kind adventure! The Before I Do Workshop 15th ed. is happening on April 13, 2013 at the CCF Eastwood (3rd Floor, Citywalk 2, QC). Registration fee is at P1,500 per couple, inclusive of meals, kits and certificates.

To sign up, just email us at beforeidoworkshop@gmail.com with the following details:
Name of the Couple
Date and Time of wedding
Venue of church and reception
Email address
Contact number

Slots are limited, so register now.

We’re thrilled to have you with us on the next Before I Do! Hope to see you there!

Where do you find marital wisdoms, amazing prizes, and kilig tunes all packed in one place? That’s right, nowhere else but the Before I Do Workshop!

For the 14th time, couples joined the BID team at the CCF A-Venue Mall Makati last November 17 for a day of love, fellowship, and learning. Twenty couples signed up and took on this one-of-a-kind journey of discovering the joy of a blessed marriage. Coaching them along the way were these amazing speakers:

TV Anchor Edric Mendoza and full-time homeschooling mom and blogger Joy Mendoza joined the couples to a jumpstart with a talk on God’s plan for marriage. The morning also kicked off with prizes from the couple.

Did you know that husbands and wives play roles in relationships? CCF Pastor and entrepreneur Manny Manansala, along with her beautiful wife Lisa shared about being the wives and husbands that God wants couples to be.

The couples had fun scribbling about the qualities they look for in a partner. Hmm, I wonder what the guys posted and what the girls wrote down…

Communication–it can make or break a relationship. So how do two people resolve conflicts without losing their minds? Homeschooling parents and entrepreneurs Rob and Monica Luzuriaga teach about the power of open communication coupled with the most amazing form of communication: Prayer.

Love is marvelous, but everyone know love alone can’t pay the bills. It’s only a little while until money becomes a crucial issue in a marriage. Alain Syscar of Matus Jewellery talked about the touchy topic of Finances.

This last topic surely got our couples on the edge of their seats. With an engaging approach to the topic of Sex and Purity, photographer John Ong and event host and entrepreneur Monique Ong shed light on the road to love and purity.

The participants spent the whole day feasting on lessons that they’ll bring as they jump into marriage with their eyes open.  “We were blessed through the speakers who also shared about their personal experiences,” Leslie Anne Chan, one of our brides, commented.

“We liked the sharing of experiences and practical topics. Great job to the organizers! It’s very inspiring!” echoed Christine Jao. “Everything important was covered,” says couple Eerv Alonzo and Iris Cokieng, “It was fun, entertaining, and informative.”

Every talk was followed by a processing portion wherein couples grouped together with other participants to talk about their take-out from the session. These groups are stirred and joined in by a couple of facilitators who helped the Before I Doers process their learning.

And here are the couples working on their workshop manuals.

We had some AVPs for our couples, too! Like this one, about the Five Love Languages: Words of Affirmation, Touch, Quality Time, Acts of Service, and Gifts. Which one do you speak?

There seems to be not enough time for those processing portions. In these segments, couples got time to talk about their reflections and learning.

The facilitators, husband and wife Maan and Ogie Cayabyab.

But it wasn’t just all sit-downs and talks. What made this 14th edition extra special was that we added more kilig to the equation–how about some sweet acoustic tunes? During breaks, the couples were serenaded by acoustic singers performing love songs.

Some acoustic sets that kept the Before I Doers company: Emman and Hanna (top), Paul Field (middle), and Ogie Cayabyab (bottom).

And the treats didn’t stop there. All throughout the workshop, the speakers and the team gave away some cool prizes.

Sweets…

And even sweeter discounts from our partner wedding suppliers!

To top it all off, the couples also got the chance to walk away with a free two-hour prenup sesh with Imagine Nation Photography! Now with that, plus all the lessons they got to take home–who would have thought the workshop only costs P1,500 per couple?

Sweet, indeed! The Before I Do Workshop wrapped up with certificate-giving, photo op, and big smiles. Everyone went home with hearts full, better-prepared for their big I Do’s. We said goodbye to our couples with a prayer that God may bless and be blessed in their relationship. He is, after all, the Author of wonderful marriages.

“The workshop was great” says John Chan, “A day was even too short for something like this.”

“Yes, we’d love to recommend it!” Nikki Aquino shared.

We couldn’t have done it without the help of (clockwise from left) Aze Ching of Christine Ong-Te events, Wang Videography, Imagine Nation Photography, and Post Ad Ventures Inc.,

And now from our team: Thank you, beloved Before I Doers! It was our joy to have joined you in prepping up for this great adventure we call Marriage.

Now if you’ve missed this edition, then stay tuned for the next one happening in 2013. We’re all set to bring you more love, learning, and sweet tunes on the next Before I Do Workshop! See you there!

*Also, keep posted for more announcements. We might have a Before I Do Workshop DVD coming out soon.

*With special thanks to Betty Uy, Emman Suarez, and Hanna Sanchez for the photos

Berrrrrr fever’s kicking in!

We’ve come quite a long way through the Ber months and for those who are tying the knot at the end of the year or early next year, we hope the pre-wedding chills aren’t tingling your spine. Anyway, there’s nothing like a fun prenuptial workshop to warm you up before you say “I Do”.

Join us at the Before I Do Workshop 12th ed. this November 17! It’s going to be an exciting day oozing with wisdom and fun. Before I Do Workshop is happening at Christ Commission Fellowship (CCF) Makati, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

For those who are new to this workshop, here’s the skinny on Before I Do:

Before I Do workshop is a one-day, interactive workshop that tackles on the Biblical yet very practical wisdoms on marriage. Sit down, learn, and have the best time through hands-on activities that let you discover principles on relationship roles, money matters, and conflict resolution among many others. Speakers John and Monique Ong, Manny and Lisa Manansala, and Edric and Joy Mendoza are ready to also share with you their quips and joys of married life.

It’s an exciting day filled with lots to learn and cherish. But if that’s not enough, how about another treat to make this workshop even sweeter? Be one of the first 50 registrants and you’ll also get a free pre-nup shoot from Imagine Nation Photography!

Cool as the Ber season, don’t you think? Sign up now! Limited number of slots available.

See you at the next Before I Do!

Feel free to read some BID Workshop testimonials here.
To register, follow the instructions here.

August spells ghost-season for most Chinese. And the wedding industry is more or less hit by this, just ask any wedding supplier you know.

But while weddings are on the low-key at this portion of the year, we thought of this as the perfect time to help couples get ready for something that’s bigger than weddings. That’s right, we’re talking about Marriage. And talk about marriage, we did–in Singapore!

Joined by some of our close friends and top wedding suppliers, we brought the Before I Do Workshop abroad to bless more couples with practical helps and Biblical wisdoms on leading a God-centered relationship.

The workshop was free flowing and totally inspiring–we got couples Edric and Joy Mendoza, and John and Monique Ong sharing about their journeys as couples and the relevance of God’s word in building a fruitful marriage. The participants had an amazing time with the sit-down and interactive sessions.

But what’s special with this Before I Do edition is that we also took our couples along for an exclusive sit-down consultation session with some of the top names in the wedding industry! Our friends Christine Ong-Te (of Christine Ong-Te Weddings), Alvin Paver (of Mayad Studios), John Ong (of Imagine Nation Photography), Irene Sy Go (for Make-Up), Carina Canlas-Villaluz (for couture), and Teddy Manuel (for flowers and styling) shared that sunny side of Singapore with our Before I Do-ers, serving up their practical wits in wedding-planning.

Whether for advice, negos, or just plain friendship, the team had a great time with our participants. Everyone felt really blessed! It was a joy to hear our couples comment on how much they’ve learned and enjoyed, or how the workshop gave them more than what they paid for. Warms our hearts. Kinda makes us want to sing. Kinda makes us want to dance. Kinda makes us want to do this:

Join us next time, maybe? See you at the next Before I Do Workshop! God bless you!

So you’re in love? And you’re in Singapore?

Perfect! Now be there at the Before I Do Workshop in Singapore!

The Before I Do Workshop is an interactive pre-marital workshop that has already blessed hundreds of couples  in the Philippines since its first run in 2009. And now we’re touching down Singapore! Join us in discovering the blueprint of a blessed marriage. Our real-life couples and marriage coaches Edric and Joy Mendoza, and John and Monique Ong share with you their experiences and some practical truths about getting hitched.

Topics include: Roles of Husband and Wife, Building Communication, Finance Management, How to Deal with Challenges, and some trusted Secrets in making your marriage as timeless as God designed it to be. It’s a whole day of no-holds-barred talk, fun Q&A, and great prizes up for grabs! Yes, it’s nothing like any workshop you’ve had before.

So mark your calendars–the Before I Do workshop Singapore is on August 18, 2012, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, across Kembangan SMRT Station (Green Line). Registration fee is at 100 SGD. We only have 20 slots available, so reserve your slots now!

And by the way, if you have extra coffee minutes to spare, too, you might want to join us for some wedding prep talks! Join some of Philippines’ top wedding suppliers as they guide you in getting your big day ready. Ask questions, consult, and book suppliers at the lowest rate possible! Get personal with these big names in the wedding industry:

Christine Ong-Te (Coordination)

Alvin Paver of Mayad Studios (Video)

John Ong of Imagine Nation (Photography)

Irene Sy Go (Make-Up)

Carina Canlas-Villaluz (Gown)

Teddy Manuel (Flowers and Styling)

Fun workshop in the morning plus warm blends in the afternoon? Getting ready for the big I Do has never been this sweet! So sign up now! See you in Singapore at the Before I Do Workshop!

Email us at beforeidosg2012@gmail.com.

Before I Do 10th edition will be happening in a week at

CCF Eastwood, Third Floor Citywalk 2, Eastwood City

For those not familiar with the venue we have provided a map so you know where to park and what to look for, make sure to allot extra time looking for parking and walking to the venue (which is not very far), to the participants we will be sending you an email of this as well, along with some reminders.

It’s not yet too late to register, and there’s still free prenups to be  given away, make sure you follow the instructions here

See you at the workshop!

Busy, Stressed, Lots to think about!

Busy planning for your wedding? Don’t forget to plan for the more important stuff, what important stuff? For the marriage of course! Take a day to bond with your better half in this fun workshop with other couples while you learn the ropes of married life!

Join the “Before I Do” Workshop now on it’s 10th Run!

Date: April 14, 2012 (Saturday)
Time: 9am-6pm (Registration starts at 8am)
Venue: CCF Eastwood (Formerly Eastwood Citywalk’s Upper Hall)
Workshop Fee: 1,500 per couple (includes handouts, food and certificate)

So what’s to expect?
Like every year, we will have speakers Edric and Joy Mendoza, John and Monique and others to talk about different aspects of married life, topics that give you the right perspective to marriage, defining your roles in the marriage, how to resolve conflicts among many topics, sessions will be interactive so that means there will be a lot of hands on exercises for you and your hubby-to-be.

Also like every year, we will be giving away prenups by an Imagine Nation photographer totally free for the first 50 who register! Of course you have to attend the whole workshop to claim it because other than the valuable information you’ll be picking up we will be giving prizes all throughout the workshop as well!

To register simply follow the instructions here
You can also email your questions to: beforeidoworkshop@gmail.com

Wow! A lot of people are already asking for the 2012 schedule, and while we are still finalizing on the new venue, we would like you to peg the following dates already if you’re interested to join. Remember to pick the date that is closer but BEFORE your wedding day!

April 14 

and

November 10

These dates are both saturdays and the workshop is from 8am to 6pm

Also, we are targeting more than 50-100 couples, and were praying that it will be come a reality that this program will be able to bless a lot more, so tell your friends who are getting married!

And lastly, while we offer this to soon-to-be married couples, we encourage those who are already married but have missed the past few times we held the workshop to join, who knows what you might learn that will make married life more exciting, sorry, no freenup for the married ones though

Keep posted for more updates!