Two of my friends got married here and the place was impressive! It's a bit of a workout if you're…read morecoming up from the fountain but it's worth it. The greenery is beautiful and so is the church itself. Regardless of its size, it still looks terrific! The location is remote and stress-free! (October 2017)

Traffic gets more unpredictable and it piles up in any day of the week. The influx is worse during…read moreweekends especially every payday and during long holidays. Slowdown of vehicles becomes more terrible but places like this makes all the traffic bearable. It took us 4 long hours from Manila to reach Batangas. Usual travel time is from 2-3hours. Calaruega is a small town in Spain where our patron Saint was born. The simplistic architecture is derived from the spanish colonial. Enter the building in the entrance gate and walk towards the garden stairs leading to the scenic Chapel. It is indeed a visual spectacle. The chapel has been a popular venue for private weddings with rates ranging from P15,000-20,000 depending on the season. Holy Mass is open for public every Sunday at 11:00 in the morning. Calaruega is not merely a solemn place of prayer but a destination to unwind. The other side of the fountain is a long stretch of road for the Station of the Cross. It is filled with blooming flowers and the picnic grounds is located downhill where people can rest. There are different sights to see. Families will find peace in the manmade falls, koi ponds, and hanging bridge. The entrance fee of P30 per head collected upon reaching Calaruega is for the maintenance of the entire property. The location is easily reachable. From Tagaytay-Nasugbu Hi-way facing south, turn left at Batulao Road. Chapel is 1.5km from the Hi-way. Roads are rough but the view is simply breathtaking. There is a parking fee of P40 paid directly to the attendant. You can also travel to Calaruega through Nasugbu-bound buses and take a tricycle from the main road.

The Philippines has no lack of religious and spiritual attractions, and Tagaytay is one of them. It…read morealso has a lot of meditation centers, shrines, and churches where you can find peace and solace. The tranquil Catholic church is the best church of them. It is the best paradise for prayers and reflection. Our Lady of Manaoag, Tierra de Maria, is a gorgeous shrine that epitomizes the aura of serenity and peace. It is a red/brown statue of Mother Mary standing 50 ft. tall, something which can't be missed. The walls decked with dried flowers and vivid images genuinely add to the beauty of the chapel, and the exquisite surroundings of the church add up to its grace and appeal. Our Lady of Manaoag is also known to be an ideal place of healing, relaxation, and meditation. One can easily miss this place as it is on a busy road with only on street parking available. It is a small chapel right across the DAP complex. It has a small chapel with a huge image of Our Lady of Manaoag in the exterior Inside the chapel there are images of the many variants of Virgin Mary, like in Lourdes, as Mother of Perpetual Help, Carmel and Guadalupe. The chapel is quiet and solemn and is a place for meditation. The small store in front should have been enough for the place and the ambulant vendors in the side are not really needed

This has got to be the most fashionable statue in the whole world. Seriously. I've only seen a part…read moreof her wardrobe and it's bigger than mine! The statue of Our Lady of Caysasay is considered one of the oldest in the country, found in a river by a fisherman in 1603. The statue is full of history which you can just search for on wikipedia, but seeing it up close is worth the trip. The statue itself is almost black and looks ready to crumble, but her neverending costume changes make her seem fresh and renewed. Many of the dresses come from devotees hoping to get on her good side, and I have to wonder how this tradition of gifting her clothes began in the first place. I've never been able to pay a visit during her fiesta, but the church itself is surprisingly small and ordinary considering her importance. Still, it's definitely worth a visit for the religious and the fashionable alike.

You've probably seen this chapel in movies, most notably in that Aga Muhlach-Regine Velasquez…read morestarrer from long ago. If you've been wondering where it is, you're in luck 'cause I'm about to tell you. Nestled in Mount Makiling, Los Banos, Laguna, about a 15-minute drive up the mountain from the University of the Philippines Los Banos, is Saint Marc's Chapel a.k.a. the National Arts Center Chapel, an open air beauty that would blow your breath away. Made primarily of stone and concrete, the altar, pews, and the ceiling/roof (if you could call it that) with an unconventional (read: artistic) giant cross designed by no less than National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, the chapel is surrounded by forest. Words are not adequate to capture the tranquility and magic of the place so, no worries, I'll throw in a few photos. Regular Masses are not held here, though, but the Chapel may be booked (through the Cultural Center of the Philippines, if I'm not mistaken) for Masses or weddings. This is the perfect wedding venue for the lover of nature and art. If you're lucky, the nearby fire trees may be in full bloom during your special day and you could get to march to your beloved on a carpet of red and yellow.

This church is the crown jewel of Taal, and many would say that it's one of the best churches in…read morethe Philippines. Sure, a lot of the basilicas in Manila get all the attention, but this one is actually the largest church in the Philippines and in Asia. It's comparable to a lot of famous European ones, and a trip inside is actually quite daunting. It really is huge, but the atmosphere is really festive and lively. It's often used for local events like graduations and weddings, and it's become a hub of activity in the city. The last time I was there, a graduation pictorial was underway, and it added a different flavor seeing everyone in their best dress. While big European churches feel very somber and peaceful, this Basilica has a very distinct Filipino feel. It's worth going to Taal just for this.

When I got engaged in 2013, one of the most important things for me was to have a wedding in a…read moresimple, yet beautiful church. I have never been a fan of statues (because they honestly scared me as a child) so I wanted to get married in a minimalist church. I immediately searched online for possible options and I got intrigued when I read about St. Benedict Church. During the drive there, I was honestly convincing myself that I shouldn't have it there since it's an hour away from Manila... but when I saw just the exterior of the church, I already fell in love. It was more than what I hoped for... it was clean, all white, with trees in the courtyard. The interior was just as lovely. There were no tacky statues in front. Just a clean white wall with a gold accent and a cross. I loved how the natural light from the sun lit up the whole place. It was also a plus that it's fully airconditioned so I didn't have to worry about my guests feeling hot. In just a span of 15 mins, I found myself paying the downpayment and setting a date for our wedding. (And to think, this was the first church we checked out). The only downside to the church is that they are very strict with the wedding rules, but we complied to everything and it all worked out! ----- It's been a year since we got married and we attended mass again there for our first wedding anniversary. It's still as beautiful as it was and I'm so glad we chose to get married there.

Being a Bedan at heart, I have some sort of reverence for anything and everything related to St…read more Benedict, whether it's St. Scholastica's College (his sister), the Benedictine Monastery in Bukidnon, or even St. Benedict's medals. This is why I was glad to find out that a church named after St. Benedict was built in Westgrove near Nuvali, where we were to organize a wedding. A few years after, our group has done several weddings at St. Benedict Church and I still find it as beautiful every time as if it's the first time I see it. The pocket garden on the side of the church can be turned into a holdng area or even a refreshment and picture-taking area for after the ceremony. The small but nice driveway, the airy patio leading to the main door of the church, and the simple yet elegant design of the church can be breathtaking if you look at it well enough. The simple lines of the pillars and the ceiling are stunning, and with the right amount of lighting, it will seriously make any minimalist swoon. The altar is equally beautiful with an understated elegance. The church is so beautiful that whenever we have weddings here, even the couples themselves choose not to put too many flowers along the aisle and on the steps of the altar so as not to overdo it and keep the simple beauty of the church. Indeed, less is more, even with churches.

I was bridesmaid for a wedding held here a few years ago and I have to praise Our Lady of Lourdes…read moreChurch for getting one very important thing right - having a clean, spacious comfort rooms. Yes, you heard me right. It's just the comfort rooms - plain and simple. Often that factor is neglected by couples when choosing a venue for ceremony or reception and I do forgive the bride and groom because there are indeed more significant concerns like affordability, accessibility, availability of the venue. However, I think, it is very thoughtful if they do consider the cleanliness of the comfort room. Let's face it: Staying in a venue for more than an hour would require you to visit the washroom at least once. If you are part of the entourage, you would, most likely, look for the comfort room once you arrive at the venue for you have to retouch your make-up and check the way you look. That's exactly what I did when I arrived at Our Lady of Lourdes and I was very thankful that I did not have to worry about my gown getting wet and dirty because the floor was dry and clean. And, because I did not have to hold my gown, I was able to use both my hands to retouch my make-up. There were also a good number of cubicles so I did not have to fall in line and wait for my turn. For all these things, I thank the maintenance of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Parks and shrines like this don't really seem to exist outside the Philippines. It's a very…read moreinteresting experience of religion and amusement, but a pleasant place to worship, I imagine. The shrine is clean and very beautiful. It's a lot like Kamay ni Hesus in feel. Open air church and pews. You can learn a lot about St. Padre Pio and his work here.