We have always been partial to citrus colors and the choice of black was really what made this event a cut above the rest. The black & cream damask runners have been cut and sewn months ahead by K. by Cunanan Catering for use in one of their events at the Farm, but my heart was really set in using it with chartreuse and what do you know? Jen's color scheme was champagne, chartreuse & black! @_@ The universe, indeed, has a way of granting the most secret wishes of our hearts.
We enjoyed working with Bogs & Jen because they really were into the whole planning thing, and although it's a universal truth that it can be rather tiring to keep on changing floor plans, all the changes made sense to me and I didn't mind doing it at all. There's nothing like an event that's well thought of.
Although this particular wedding wasn't entirely green (in its environmental sense, that is), the spirit was pretty much there. Thank you, Bogs & Jen, for the book, GREEN WEDDING by Mireya Navarro! It really opened my eyes to the possibilities of doing a really green wedding. Methinks it's a concept whose time has definitely come. :-)
This event also saw our reunion with Lei & Jo of Daniel Lei Studios at the same spot where we first met months earlier: the Seven Suites Hotel for this wedding. Amusing! Lei & Jo are a really nice couple who are passionate about their craft. It's been great working with them again. We also look forward to working with Core33 Studios again. I really hope that you guys update your blog more often. Seriously. :-)
In this post, Jen Ilagan-Ombania, the bride, looks back at her dreamy wedding on a humid but nonetheless beautiful summer day in Antipolo City, the Philippines. :-)
Watch the Same-Day-Edit (SDE) Video here.
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How did you two meet?
On my first day of work in Dubai, I was given wrong instructions on how the public transportation works. The company is holding an orientation for newbies that day and I arrived at the scene at 10:30AM instead of 8:00AM. Haggard "me" sat at the single unoccupied seat in front.
Later that day, I was relating to the guy beside me how annoying my taxi driver that morning was. I also gave him my unsolicited opinion that his upset stomach is all his fault because he ate all the biryani served to him as free lunch. Obviously, I had no clue back then that I'll be marrying my orientation seatmate after a few years.
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My favorite memory of the day was:
One of my favorite memory was when I saw our families and friends arrive one by one as I sit concealed inside the bridal car. It was like watching a movie starring all the important people in my and my husband's lives.
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Tell us about your photographer / videographer:
Daniel Lei Studios, our videographer, was really professional and warm. Their team showed up really early at the hotel and made us comfortable during the shoot. Core33 Creative Studios, our photographer, had been very accommodating from the start, making us feel cared for as their clients. We'd plan about meeting up again in the UAE. Who knows we could throw in a Trash The Dress pictorial (at the sand dunes!) one of these days.
I appreciate both team's effort to bring about the best in their craft despite the difficult conditions of that very humid day. I learned about DLS and Core33 through their websites which pretty much tell how good they are. At the end of the day, it's great to see how the two teams build rapport as they went about the day's work.
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My favorite detail(s) of the wedding was / were:
Hands down, Vatel Manila's reception styling. I think we surprised each other, Dylan, on how the setup came opulently together with the Farm's outdoor environment. There were just too many details to mention that I love about it. It brought sheer delight to anyone who was able to witness it.
Runner up would be my bandeau veil by Myra Callan of Twigs and Honey. It was her first Philippine listing and we had trouble with its shipping at first but she went out of her way to get the veil just in time. It's funny how it never failed to get confused looks as to how does one put it on. I like how this modern veil suited my personality just right.
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Tell us about your color scheme.
It's champagne, chartreuse & black. My gown's champagne train shade dictated the dresses color for the bridal party. Dylan (of Vatel Manila) drove the initial olive green palette, in a more effective way, to more lively hues of green. Black added a kick of dynamics in the setting.
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What was the design inspiration for your wedding?
One dinnertime with Bogs, on the subject of clothing, he suggested that I wear black gloves with my white dress. I told him how ridiculous and brilliant that idea was. I got back on my wedding research the next day and saw Vera Wang's (Bogs doesn't know who she is at all.) Fall 2010 Collection's muses strutting in opera length black gloves. I told myself then that I won't box my wedding with themes or rules anymore. The wedding was a collection of curious and exciting visions that I'd encounter during its planning phase.
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Tell us about finding your wedding dress.
Once I was lucky to chance upon a wedding shop during its non-peak hours and got to fit as much as I can (Shops here normally require an appointment to do so.). Influenced by the accessories I had in mind and my fear of looking like there's too much going on with my outfit, I noticed myself approving every non-beaded piece I saw especially that of Alfred Angelo's design. I immediately searched for his other minimalist creations and found the perfect no-frills satin-taffeta two-tone gown. I had it shipped directly home.
Anything D-I-Y for your wedding?
My sisters, I and Bogs made the favors' wrappers and stickers. The loot bag for the kids print design was from Amy Moss' generous style blog Eat Drink Chic. The downloadable templates on her website are just too pretty not to make. I was enjoying DIY-ing too much and found myself using Pa's bulky sealer to pack tiny pink heart candies. The black throw (bouquet) flower was supposed to be the brooch for my gown but I noticed the fabric is falling apart as I stitch it so I just decided to use it for the reception game.
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How does it feel having to travel so far to get married in your homeland?
It had been a privilege to have a legitimate excuse to visit and reunite with people dear to us. It was intuitive for us to share our joy with our loved ones.
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What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?
Ironically, it's keeping things about our relationship, first and foremost. We needed to stop every now and then to check if the direction we were considering for the wedding is really of value to us, as a couple.
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What was your biggest splurge?
Our pre- and post-wedding travels. There were just too many places to go to get things accomplished and get our guests informed about the wedding.
Tips to overseas-based brides-to-be?
Make use of local products you can bring home. Our sand frame favors that filled half of our luggage were all worth carrying. Their novelty were a hit with the guests.
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SUPPLIERS//
Preps: Seven Suites, Antipolo City
Church: St. Thérèse of Lisieux Chapel, Filinvest East
Reception: The Mango Farm, Antipolo City
Photographer: Core33 Creative Studios
Videographer: Daniel Lei Studios
Bridal Dress: Alfred Angelo
Caterer: c/o The Mango Farm
Entourage Flowers: Vatel Manila
Reception Styling: Vatel Manila
Photo Credits: Photos 5,6, & 7 are by Daniel Lei Studios. All the rest are official photos (both processed & raw) from Core33 Studios.
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