It's so easy to be calm and holy when you're in Tagaytay. Probably because of the cold breeze that…read moremakes us feel relaxed or the astounding view that makes us contemplate on God's beautiful creations. Tagaytay is home to a lot of retreat houses, convents and beautiful churches and chapels. One of my favorites is Chapel on the Hill. The place is actually located in Batulao, Batangas, but Tagaytay practically adopted that area because it's so close to their vicinity. Chapel on the Hill is a favorite for destination weddings because of its quaint interiors (no need for over the top styling as this place is already so lovely), the seating capacity is perfect for intimate celebrations (up to 200 persons can be accommodated inside the chapel), the lush greenery outside the church, and an access to a scenic view of the valley. Everything about Chapel on the Hill provides a beautiful backdrop for a dream wedding. But even without a grand event, it's still a nice place to visit for reflection when you go to Tagaytay.

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.

The Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Columbarium, is so close to NAIA Terminal 3 that…read moreyou could almost walk there. The area has an ecclesiastical museum with beautiful artwork of St. Therese. The shrine also has its own Adoration Chapel and a flower shop. Mass there is something to see. The entire area is softly lighted and you can hear mass no matter where you are sitting. It is very close to the Marriott, and I understand it is used a lot for weddings with the reception at the Marriott. We simply went to mass and looked at the lovely art work. It was wonderful.

The Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Columbarium, or simply St. Therese Shrine, stands…read moreright across NAIA Terminal 3 and within the vicinity of Newport City that houses the busy Resorts World Casino complex. The shrine is among the most popular wedding venues in the southern areas of Metro Manila. Apart from the bright altar that makes use of natural light (making it perfect for post-wedding photo ops), the church has tastefully designed interior. Plus, it's near Manila Marriott Hotel - itself a favorite reception venue with its huge ball and function rooms. In short, if you get wed at St. Therese, you won't need a bridal car if your reception is held at Marriott Hotel. The minimum fee for a wedding at the shrine is PHP 40,000.00 and that gives you one and a half hours of air-conditioned use of the church, a basic flower package, a soloist and pianist, a royal blue carpet for the aisle, and a priest. Weddings can be pencil-booked for three days, after which an official reservation must be made with 50% downpayment. Another attraction of the shrine is the columbarium. It houses 38,000 vaults or niches which can each fit four urns. The area also has an Ecclesiastical Museum displaying artwork about the life of St. Therese. The shrine also has its own Adoration Chapel and a flower shop.

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

We often take for granted how beautiful our neighboring provinces are. Metro Manila is such a…read morebustling city, that we forget that rich natural resources and spectacular ruralscapes are just around the corner. Or actually, just around the lake. I'm talking about the beautiful countryside of Rizal and Laguna provinces that you can visit when on a Laguna Lake Loop tour.There isn't any established itinerary, but it is always good to follow the shores of the lake until you go full circle, passing by small towns and villages in the process. Last year, I went on an overnight backpack tour with a friend through Laguna's quaint little towns. We started our trip in San Pablo and traveled to places like churches and underground cemeteries in Nagcarlan and Pila before we settled in a hotel in Pagsanjan. The next day, we woke up early to catch breakfast and to check out a local barong Tagalog factory in Lumban. Then, we proceeded to Paete, where we caught Palm Sunday mass and celebrated with the rest of the town. Paete is known for its sculptures and its beautiful church, and we went around the town center buying papier mache horses and taking photos of interesting sculptures. We also went to Pakil, where there is a really nice church. Then, we took a jeep from Siniloan all the way to Pilillia, which was our last stop. From there, we went to Shaw Blvd. via Binangonan, Rizal. It was a memorable tour. We didn't even need our own car - the jeeps and the tricycles were able to take us places. It might also be a good day trip if you want to get a quick idea of the small Laguna towns' culture. I heard some people also bike the entire route, and I totally see why.The scenic views and beautiful roads would be a great playground for bikers and adventurers.

I went to Nature's Church yesterday again after failing to visit after more than a year, and I…read morecan't believe I've forgotten how beautiful this place was. From its entrance down to the minutest details, this church has the whole nature concept established. The altar and pews are made of fallen trees, Capiz lanterns shaped as doves accentuate the Anahaw ceiling. Surrounded by lush tropical plants and under a canopy of mango trees, Nature's Church is one of the nicest, most unique churches I've seen here in Manila. This place caught fire a few years ago, but it's wonderful how they have still restored its beauty. The church looks magnificent, but I'm assuming it's not that popular for weddings because it has no long aisle in the middle. The small chapel at the entrance of the church, the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, is even more breathtaking. It's so quaint and intimate; I remember wishing I got married here. I should really come here more often, and take my daughter with me because she'll definitely love roaming around here while we're hearing mass.

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.