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| San Antonio de Padua Quasi-Parish in Br Pooc, Silang Cavite |
The most important place for the wedding is of course the church! Everything else just follows. This is one of the first things we tried to reserve when we decided for a Tagaytay wedding. In the end, we have finally chosen to get married in San Antonio de Padua in Silang, Cavite. It was a very easy decision=).
Click here for the map to San Antonio de Padua.
There are many scenic churches on or near Tagaytay. We first tried calling the office of the Transfiguration Chapel, or the one we more popularly know as Caleruega. Although it's not actually in Tagaytay (it's in Nasugbu Batangas actually), it is a popular wedding spot. Surprise, surprise! The chapel was already fully booked one year in advance!! But wait! There was free slot, at 8:30 AM , on December 23. But seriously, would you want to wake up that early on a cool December morning?
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| Transfiguration Chapel in Caleruega, Nasugbu, Batangas |
Aside from Caleruega, we didn't really know much about any other church there. By this time, we were really starting to get scared because if we couldn't book a church, everything would just break down!
I searched the internet and found a really nice chapel called Madre de Dios -- but it's inside the Tagaytay Highlands. When I called, I learned that you couldn't book it for weddings unless you hold your reception in the Tagaytay Highlands too.
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| Madre de Dios Chapel in Tagaytay Highlands |
We decided we really had to take the trip to Tagaytay. Upon going there, we planned to visit Our Lady of Lourdes, Chapel on the Hill, and last on our list was San Antonio de Padua.
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| Chapel on the Hill in Don Bosco Batulao, Batangas |
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| Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Tagaytay |
On our way to Tagaytay, it so happened that this San Antonio de Padua was the first one we would pass by on. So we decided to go there first. Upon reaching the chapel, we had not gone down of our car yet and we knew we were looking at the church! Jen immediately fell in love with the place, and I was thinking why I had not considered this early on!
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| Church as seen from the outside |
The façade was made of baked mud bricks which made it very rustic. It had a campanario which disguises the fact that it’s actually a small chapel. Viewed from the door, the altar glows in muted green and directly above it is a dome with a blue hue and a painting of the Risen Christ. The side of the church is supported by arches and allows cool air to breeze in. Its architecture is in the Mission Revival Style which resembles San Antonio de Padua mission churches in California and Mexico.
But most importantly though, Jen could imagine herself walking down its aisles!
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| Church alter as viewed from the aisle |
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| Church interior |
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| Interior as viewed from second floor |
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| Interior as viewed from the altar |
Last time we checked, the church lawn is undergoing some improvements. Please, I hope they finish in time... =)
