Wedding Tips From A Fairytale Bride...

      Since  June (wedding month) is around the corner, I decided to list down a few wedding do's and don'ts that I have come across along the years of my coordinating weddings. Don't get me wrong. I am no expert and I'm not saying that I am. But experience gave me a hand in this topic and this is what I want to share, at least for my first write up.   There will be more, I promise...
       Let's start off with the Bride.

First on the list: THE WEDDING GOWN.

 old picture from dorrianeveils.com

      It may not be a first for us to hear about heirloom wedding gowns. The very gown your grandmother wore to her wedding which was passed on to your mom and now to you.

Yup, I knew of someone whose family still adhered to this tradition, at least tried to. But the bride herself felt torn between following the tradition and making her folks happy, rather than choosing a gown of her choice. In the end, she listened to  her heart, picked a gown of her choice,  had the heirloom wedding gown altered, took  a few laces of it which she incorporated in her gown and chose to go with her style.

Vera Wang Wedding Gown...

Let's face it, it's the new era. Nobody does this anymore. Your grandmother's style may have been beautiful and appropriate in her time but not to yours. Besides, it is your special day. You wouldn't want to look back at the pictures and regret having to wear that hideous gown, right? What matters is what you want on that day and what will make you a happy radiant bride. 'Nuff said.




SECOND: CHOOSING THE BRIDAL GOWN & ACCESSORIES.

      Almost every woman has her own dream wedding, some even imagine theirs at an early age. They foresee themselves walking down the aisle like a real princess for a day, complete with tiaras & a long train... I guess that's the usual wedding picture.

gorgeous bride, Suyen Rivera-Lopez  enjoying her beach wedding...

     The fact is, one may want a ball gown like that of Cinderella's  but that may not look beautiful on her.  There are certain things she must put in mind first  in choosing a wedding gown: her theme, the place & season where she is to be wed (beach, church, garden, summer, winter), her figure & height, and of course, her budget.  She must choose a gown that's stylish yet comfortable for her to walk in at the time of her wedding. This is a day to be enjoyed so she must feel at ease with what she's wearing...

my own fairytale wedding..

      Also, since Philippines is a humid country, one must consider the month's season as well. You wouldn't want to be wrapped up in lace when you're having a garden or beach wedding, right? It must suit the place and theme you're having.

beach bride,  Suyen Rivera Lopez

    As for me, I had to pick the traditional princess ball gown since my theme was "Fairytale"... The gown along with the small tiara and beautiful horse-drawn carriage completed my theme.  Another  friend of mine (Suyen Rivera Lopez) was married at the beautiful shores of Boracay and she wore a beautiful flowing gown, with her  long cascading hair  adorned with nothing but a lovely stargazer. She looked angelic... It was perfectly fit for her destination wedding..

    About the accessories, it isn't compulsory for one to wear a tiara on her wedding day. Gone are the days when you have to wear  tiaras (unless you are having a princess theme), heavy  jewelries &  big veils. The trick of the trade is, the simpler, the better.  Your hair may be adorned with only a flower, or if you really wish to wear a tiara, you can go for the simpler choice, no need for the "pageant-sized" ones...

 beautiful bride  Len Perilla-Jardenil fitting her veil ...

      A veil can also complete your look if it isn't that heavy looking. There are sheen veils that give you a glowing look that you can pull back at the end of the ceremony.  Jewelries on the other hand could add  glamour but you may opt to tame it a little. I have seen a beautiful bride only wearing a simple set of pearl jewelry and believe me, it beats all those diamond-encrusted necklaces... Well, as I said, the accessories must add an "ump" to your get-up, not make you look like an overdressed doll.

   As for the budget, let's dwelve on that on the last part of the blog.

THIRD: THE GROOM'S  SUIT/BARONG

     Ever since recession took over the world, people resorted to ways of saving money... You can find second-hand stores (Ukay-Ukay)  everywhere, selling almost everything! Nowadays, you can find specialty stores renting suits, barong tagalog & even wedding gowns... Not that it's bad or anything, it's perfectly understandable for one to consider spending a chunk of money on a suit which will be worn only once..

 But then, let's think again. This one day is your special day, a day to be remembered for the rest of your life. I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a simple tux or suit or even a barong tagalog tailored specially for you  rather than wear something that was already worn by a hundred guys before you on your special day. Your pictures will be there to remind you of that special moment, wouldn't it be nice to look good in your very own piece? You can always keep the suit or Barong Tagalog and use it on special occassions right?  Just a thought.


FOURTH: THE BRIDESMAIDS' GOWNS & GROOMSMEN'S GET UP

hideous bridesmaids pic courtesy of mightylist blogspot

     Some brides ask their bridesmaids to pay for their gowns, some choose to shoulder the expenses. If you will have your bridesmaids pay for their dresses, at least consider the budget you'd be making them shell out. You can opt to shoulder the fabric or even the seamstress' labor, but at least try to make the amount bearable for them. But if you have enough budget on hand, it would be best to pay for everything.

    Again, gone are the days when bridesmaids have to wear one gown design. Think about "Revenge of the Clones".. Back in the days, people dread wearing bridesmaid's dresses as they always looked hideous. I've seen lots of pictures of bridesmaids with over-the-top fascinators and hats, bulging shoulders & dreary fabrics and I must say, it looks so comic, you might end up cursing the bride who made you wear those... Now, bridesmaids are made to choose the designs they want. It's better that way, at least they're happy with what they're wearing.

my beautiful bridesmaids...

    On my wedding, I had all of my bridesmaids wear one color motiff, lavender & purple. But I had  Edward Teng specially design a gown for each of them according to their figures & personalities. My girls looked radiantly beautiful on our special day. All gowns were of the same hue yet with different styles, my girls looked perfect...

        Same goes with the groomsmen. Again, the rule here is, if you can't pay for their suits or barongs, at least consider their budgets. And make them choose one design for each. The different styles in their barongs would radiate the kind of personalities they have. You'll end up having satisfied-looking gorgeous men and women by your side. =)
  

FIFTH: THE BRIDES' HAIR & MAKE UP

 flawless bride,  Len Perilla-Jardenil 

     Every bride would want to look radiant on her wedding day. And so we begin searching for that elusive "hair and make-up artist" who can best bring out the beauty in us. But HMUA's cost way expensive nowadays specially if you choose airbrush make up. Airbrush make up is the most advanced there is, leaving a  "no cakey", "no make up" look... It even stays on after hours of dancing, it's perfect, though it's costly.

Sheila May Salinas-Golfo in her beautiful up-do..

    Fact here is, you can choose to use the traditional make up or the airbrush make up, whichever suits you best. I even know of a bride who did her make up by herself and she ended up looking just as radiant. What's important is to make it as simple as possible and not hide under tons of make up and layers of sprayed hair. Even the simplest make up could highlight the best assets a bride has... We don't want another woman on our wedding day, right? We might as well come to our wedding as "US" and not as an overly made-up woman who resembles that of Cindylauper. 'NUFF SAID.

And regarding the hairstyle, it would be best to have a trial session with the hair designer a few weeks before the big day so you can decide on what look you want. If you feel like letting your hair down and just adorning it with a simple flower or hair accessory, then so be it. Remember, even the simplest hair ornament can make a big statement to your hair. 


SIXTH. THE BUDGET.

    This is probably the most important thing to consider, next to being engaged. Getting married nowadays is no big joke. A simple wedding may range up to a hundred thousand and up...

Caterers do not come cheap. And so does the photo & video package. And there are the invitations, the wedding gown, the rings, the flowers, event stylists, coordinators,  musicians, and the list goes on. Before you know it, your budget blows up into your face and you end up tongue-tied thinking, may be it was a bad idea to get married after all. (JKidding...).

    Well, it is a sad fact indeed especially for hardworking earners who receive meager stipend. But let me share with you our story. Leih and I  do not come from  rich families, but I would like to think we had the wedding of our dreams which we worked hard to save up for. Yup, saving is the key. We had our priorities set, made sure we alloted something for the most important aspects after our wedding, but between haggling and searching for competent suppliers, we gave ourselves a two-year allowance to save up for the wedding we so wanted, and we successfully did it.

gown from Morilee

    In my opinion, it doesn't always have to be that difficult. You can opt to save up for that special day. A long engagement could be advantageous in a lot of ways. You get used to the idea that you'll be tying the knot, you can slowly adjust yourself and your family to the realization of what lies ahead, and it gives you more time to be emotionally & financially prepared to settle down for good.

     Going back to the budget, all you need is to set your priorities and be patient enough to search for suppliers who could give you the same quality service at a price you can afford. There is no need to aim what is not attainable. You may want a gown done by Monique Lhuillier but you definitely cannot afford it, what do you do? Look for  a good seamstress who can replicate a gown design of your choice. Again, it isn't the person who made the gown that matters, but the way the bride carries her gown.

     Same goes for photo and video coverage. Nowadays, there are more than enough suppliers who offer this kind of service, they've  sprouted like wild mushrooms ever since DSLR cameras became the craze. And most of them offer affordable rates.

gorgeous beach set up by Michael Badang Rueda

    In my case, we had the budget to spend on either a photograher or a videographer,  but since I had my mind set on Jason Magbanua, I chose a more affordable photo service for our wedding day.  And we got a back up photographer which was still very much within our budget. Everything turned out spectacular, the pictures of both my main and back up photographers were stunning. To think it was a fraction of the cost of those well-known photographers, I must say we made a great deal. The point is, you have to know which one to prioritize and which one you can let go, that's reality if you're having a budgeted wedding...

      Caterers on the other hand are a different story. You need to be keen in choosing your caterer since they would be taking charge of the food and venue design. Some opt to hire event-stylists who help "beautify" and transform their venues. But event styling doesn't come cheap. If you want the wedding of your dreams, you have to be ready to hit the bank and spend a fraction of your budget on it. But here's a tip... You can always talk to your event stylist and let him know of the budget you have in mind. It's just a matter of open communication, most event stylists work around a client's budget and still give off commendable results.

gorgeous set up designed  by  event stylist, Michael Badang Rueda

another Michael Badang Rueda creation

 A warning though about caterers, don't just go for those who offer lower rates & freebies without checking feedbacks about their service. High-end caterers charge for a reason, their services are exemplary. However,  you don't need to go for the most expensive ones just to get quality service. With all the caterers we have on the market today, you  can always try a food tasting session to make sure they  suit your budget and taste. Of course, feedbacks are just as important, always ask around. Be informed.  News about suppliers can spread like wildfire especially in wedding online communities. It won't hurt to heed other people's advices.

        Again, your wedding will be whatever you guys choose. If you opt to have a low-key ceremony and an intimate dinner with only the closest friends and relatives, you are free to do so. A wedding beautifully done is indeed nice to remember, but that doesn't mean a simple small (budget) wedding wouldn't be as beautiful and memorable. What matters is the essence of the vow they took and how they plan to live their lives afterwards.

 (Special thanks to Event Stylist, Mr. Michael Badang Rueda,  Ms. Suyen Rivera-Lopez,  Ms. Len Perilla- Jardenil & Ms. Sheila May Salinas-Golfo for the beautiful pictures..)