An Aussie-Pinay Love Affair...

From all the weddings I've done, Marbie & Daniel's wedding ranks as the most special to me so far.. Maybe because it proved to be my biggest challenge ~ planning a Tagaytay wedding in 2 months,  under a certain financial range.

Marbie & Daniel...

It seems luck was on my side as I said yes to this "account". Marbie was referred to me by our common friend Inah, two months before the date.  To plan a wedding in such a short notice would not be as easy if not for the cooperation of our super down-to-earth bride who had been such a breeze to talk to.  Marbie  was very open to ideas and suggestions and had a clear idea of how she wanted her wedding to be like,  beautiful yet not very extravagant which I think is very practical..

Even her groom Daniel was just as equally  nice  as she was. All I had to do was find them the right venue, book the best suppliers I could find and manage every last detail which Ann and I were  more than happy to oblige. Venue-scouting & food tasting sessions was what we enjoyed the most...
to me, it seemed I was getting married all over again as I got to enjoy her wedding preparations to the fullest.

SEPTEMBER 18.
It had been raining terribly all week so the chance of no rain seemed hopeless. But instead of dampening the spirits of our lovebirds, they didn't seem to care as they knew they were only hours away from taking the next important step in their lives.

Marbie was the usual jolly bride, the ever-relaxed one who was so laid-back, so composed, I didn't feel a hint of nervousness in her.  She still managed to go out with her best girl friends the night before.   Though I knew she was somehow nervous deep inside, the vibrant disposition of the bride and her friends turned the room into a very lively place.  Her happiness exuded a  glow that was hard to miss.

the bride and her best girl friends...

 Jates helping the bride with her shoes

The groom, Daniel, hAd his own preps at Taal Vista Hotel where he and his family stayed the night before. Together with his best buddies Jeremy & Peter, Daniel enjoyed his last few hours of bachelorhood and even took a dip in the pool before heading to the church.

our handsome groom enjoying the cool breeze   with his best buddies at taal vista

It was  past  2:30 in the afternoon when Marbie left the hotel.. Donned in a gorgeous  bridal ball-gown, Marbie got inside this  beautiful vintage 1932 Studebaker who brought her to church from  the Villa..

When we got to Lourdes, I felt my excitement more than doubled as I saw the elegant wedding set up done by florist Martha Manalili. The aisle was  adorned with alternating white laces, lamp posts and white flowers  from either side, lighted votive candles added a charming finish to it all.

Aann, Lala & Mi-anne were already ushering the entourage & the guests  inside when we arrived. People started coming in as the quartet (orchestra) from Maestro Johnny Santos started playing soft melodies while awaiting for the ceremony to start. A few minutes after, Canon in D' played and  the processional started.

Daniel looked so dapper in his suit as he walked down the aisle together with his lovely mother, Ms. Kaye Dridan, and his uncle Mr. Kevin Dridan who was as equally beaming as the groom. The church was filled with so much anticipation as each sponsor marched in.

The music momentarily paused as it was time for the bride to enter the church... When the violin started playing, "When God Made You", the  wooden church doors opened as the dazzling bride stood outside. And just like that, she took her bridal walk, slowly.. ~ ~  the most meaningful walk she had ever done in her life.. I  held back my tears as I watched Marbie  sashay into the aisle, with her long trail flowing  from behind her back. She smiled and blushed at the same time,  her eyes  glued  to the direction where her parents waited halfway, while the man she loved watched from the altar.. Guests got carried away as they witnessed how teary-eyed  the groom was, obviously filled with so much love that seemed immeasurable. A lot of guests were in tears, I observed..

Marbie's  bridal walk...

The solemn ceremony then took place, every vow, every word carefully exchanged and felt. This was a joining of two different people from two different worlds. A union that withstood distance, culture and race...

In exchange for rose petals, beautiful butterflies flew & swirled around the couple as they got out of the church...They were cheered upon by friends and family as they shared another romantic kiss...

A  bountiful feast followed at Villa De Oro. The ballroom looked  elegant with classic  centerpieces adorning the tables, matching the exquisite chandeliers which provided warm ample lighting to the place..

 Votive candles, pictures & flowers were displayed on the receiving table where the guests took their names off our guest-cork board..

A sumptuous array of  food awaited the guests, courtesy of Alba Catering.

Our gracious hosts, Jaimie Saquilayan & Howard Castillo  started the program.  The WV team ushered the entourage inside as they were introduced one by one. Marbie and Daniel danced to Eric Bennet's "The Last Time," afterwhich the rest of the wedding traditions followed.  All the guests seemed to enjoy the food and the lively program that took place

afterwards. One of the highlights however was the garter & bouquet toss. The best man, Jeremy Dridan was so EAGER TO PARTICIPATE, he HAPPILY oblige with the  mechanics. And yes, he was just as charming as his cousin Dan... Everyone shared in the joy of these young couple as the wonderful  night went on...

As we capped the celebration off, I finally felt relieved... I remember mumbling a short prayer of thanks  for having done with this wedding almost perfectly. Well, weddings do have minor glitches from time to time but thankfully, everything went well as planned and I must say, it truly had been one of the nicest weddings we've done so far, intimate, simple yet very romantic. My favorite part though was the very beautiful solemn wedding ceremony as it still replays in my head the very way it happened.

A beautiful on-site video of the couple was played in the end by brightside media, capping off the night...

One wedding done for today... Tonight, I can finally get a peaceful slumber, knowing I've done something right.... Exhausted as we all are but definitely, fulfilled and happy.

Congratulations & Best Wishes to our lovely couple, Daniel & Marbie... I'll be missing your preps for sure...

A Down-pour of Love... Wendelyn & Kenneth's....

In a world where everything is fast paced, once in a while, love slows us down to make way for destiny to do its magic...

Kenneth & Wendy... (by Reflective Chemistry)

I met Wendelyn thru her sister Dr. Wilsie Walinsundin who became my friend thru an online wedding community... We shared the same wedding date and so we would always be updated with each other's preparations.  From there, our friendship ensued. Four years after, it was her sister Wendelyn's turn to walk down the aisle.. I was more than humbled when I got the offer to coordinate Wendy's special day, considering they could afford wedding biggies in the industry. Upon meeting our bride for the first time, I knew God gave this to us for a reason...

Sealing the deal with Wendelyn had been a breeze. She was giggling all the time, obviously a very happy woman who radiated a very sunny disposition. It isn't everyday that we get the chance to work with a bride-client as nice as she is.And so I promised her, I would do everything that I could to help make her day as beautiful as she would imagine...

She was an overseas bride so we would update each other thru emails. Preparing for a wedding while you're miles and miles away from home can be a challenge.But she had a lead on how she wanted her wedding to look like, thanks to her sisters who were more than willing to help, everything had been efficiently handled.

WEDDING DAY..

We arrived at Oakwoods Hotel  to an already busy crowd. The anticipation in the room was undeniable. Wendy was very radiant, and that signature smile we loved was what welcomed us when we got there.

our beautiful bride Wendy, always armed with a smile...

the Salas family... (courtesy of Reflective Chemistry)

 I must commend how warm the family had been to everybody including us.. The dad was beaming with pride as he looked at his daughters being prepped up, occasionally teasing his wife and daughters, adding a lighter atmosphere.. Same with the gracious mother who lovingly took to other matters that her family needed. I was more than pleased to be in a room filled with so much love, I told myself, this is a picture of a family that most people would only dream of..




 The color motif  was a combination of midnight blue and bright yellow. The flowers and the entourage's gowns looked magnificent as the lovely hue complemented each other..

gorgeous flower baskets for the little girls

my own shot of the lovely handheld bouquet from Amaranthus for the mothers...

the wedding gown....

          Wendelyn looked stunning in her wedding gown, heavily beaded at the top, but snugly fit at the body, emphasizing her tall yet slim frame, with cascading ruffles that seemed to flow to the ground...

She was the picture of sophistication. A  resplendently beautiful bride anticipating her "forever" that lay ahead...

the bride with the backdrop of the city.....

the gorgeous Wendelyn up close...

winning this girl's heart is like winning the lottery....

                 

  The church was already filled with family and friends as the clock struck one...

The highlight of this wedding was the bridal walk that everyone looked forward to... Our beautiful bride waited in the car as the ceremony started...

When the moment came for her grand entrance,  I ushered Wendelyn to the steps, awaiting for her cue to the middle part of "Turning Page"...This was the moment she had been waiting for.. I was just as nervous as hers, literally holding my breath as the automatic door slowly opened, revealing for the first time our gorgeous bride in all her exquisite glory.. She took her time, with eyes welling up in tears of joy as her loving parents waited for her halfway down the aisle.. I have no idea who was singing Turning Page but I must say how angelic it had been sang, I felt teary-eyed  as I watched our bride walk, (this never fails to happen to me every time)...

Wendy does the most meaningful walk of her life...

It was the groom's turn to take the audience's eyes off Wendy when  he failed to  hold back  his tears when he saw his stunning  bride walking towards him. It must have felt like a dream, a heartfelt surge of emotion
that only proved how much love Kenneth has for Wendy..... To meet someone, fall in love, and marry the one person destined for you is a lucky streak indeed,  a gift that not everyone gets to have...

the groom, John Kenneth couldn't hold back his tears.. He was just so taken with the moment...

From there, a very solemn ceremony took place.

finally, they are now one...

The wedding reception that followed was just as splendid as the ceremony itself. The Fortune Hall at Elements - Centris was transformed into a stylish ballroom with elegant finishes and centerpieces to complement the motif of the wedding.

Tall standing vases filled with white calla lilies and stargazers adorned the tables, the whole venue looked very warm and romantic.. The food from Eloquente was also lavishly delicious.

   Special mention to Las Gitaras who provided great music and  the very spontaneous Ms. Jem Santiago who served as host for the evening, the reception had truly been a success.

At the end of the program, a series of AVP's were shown, courtesy of Reflective Chemistry's very own Drew and Czy  who did an amazing job at capturing all the beautiful moments of this occasion.. They made sure they got all the angles covered, in fact, almost all the pictures in this blog were done by the team.

So were the crew of Wang Videography who gave out a touching same-day-edit video clip a few minutes before the program closed..
.

 It had been a very lovely wedding, and blessed at that, considering that it was spared from the heavy rains that the news had previously forecast. But I doubt if any heavy downpour could mar the exquisiteness of it all... I'm glad we became part of this unforgettable event....

it's a wrap, everyone!!!

From the whole team of THE WEDDING VILLAGE, we wish you Wendy and Kenneth a blessed and wonderful marriage ahead... Cheers to you guys!!!
 


P.S.  Special thanks to Ms. Drew of Reflective Chemistry  for these beautiful  pictures....

A Spring of Love ~ Tetes & Christian...

It wasn't in my list of plans to become an events planner really, at least not when I was  younger... It's true that you don't know where life is gonna lead you... Fast forward to two decades, now I have finally found my niche ~ events planning... The "chic-ness" of it all drew me in...   

        

And may I add that never in my wildest dreams did I think I was ever going to coordinate Theresa's wedding...

    Theresa and I know each other way back since elementary. We never really got to hang out.. I am a few years older than her and her sister Joan. It was her cousin Rio that I am  good friends with since Kindergarten days. Tetes has always been known for being brainy just like Joan, both being consistent scholars. A simple girl who was kinda hush-hush most of the time, reserved and pretty much the serious - responsible type, that's how I'll always be reminded of "Tetes"....


The wedding was almost completely set, save for some final details when I confirmed her booking. I knew by heart that I was in for a dazzling event... Definitely, I was not mistaken... I know the Libertinos to be very involved & intricate with details, especially the bride's mother, Tita Chary. Anything that concerns her daughters will have her full support and attention..




MARCH 17, 2013.

the bride...

The team arrived at Island Cove Hotel to a very relaxed bride, already prepped up and completely done with her hair and make up... It amazes me how composed she was as she posed before the cameras without a hint of wedding jitters.

 The ever-so elegant girl I knew never changed after all...


A few more details to check and we were off to the church to look after the flowers and ceremony set-up which was carefully carried out by our trusted florist, Martha Manalili...

The motif was  a combination of  green and yellow-gold which gave off a "summer" feel, reminding me of fresh grass and yellow daisies..

One by one, the guests, sponsors and entourage arrived at the church...The groom was obviously excited as he paced to and fro, waiting for the cue to start... It was a beautiful day to get married...

When the time came for Tetes to do her bridal walk, we ushered her in.... And from the steps of the church, she slowly emerged as the curtains dramatically opened up for her, revealing the lovely bride in her beautiful gown, looking so regal and calm... She took her time as her parents met her half way to the altar until they had to give her away to the handsome groom waiting for her at the end of the aisle...

the parents wait for her half way down the aisle...

everybody listens to the homily of Fr. Ted Bawalan...

 It had been a very solemn wedding ceremony officiated by none other than Fr. Ted Bawalan himself, witnessed by friends and loved ones, people who mattered most to the couple... An hour later, Theresa and Christian shared their very first kiss as husband and wife, marking the start their lives together..

the first kiss...

The reception that followed was slightly different from how the church ceremony had been simple and formal. The after-party turned out so casual, light and fun-filled.

 The Tejeros Grand Ballroom looked grand yet whimsical as  balloons were splayed all over the floor mirroring clouds of yellow and green. Beautiful chandeliers lighted the room, giving off a grandiose feel to the place.. Right in the middle of the balloon clouds, Tetes and Christian shared their first dance  after which the wedding traditions followed.

 

the couple shares their first dance

The program was hosted by the bride's sister, maid-of-honor Joan, and  Paolo Mandingiado.. 

There was an overflow of sumptuous food for everyone as the on-site video of the wedding was shown...  Everyone had a great time. It was a relaxed atmosphere... A great way to cap off what had been an amazing occasion...

Truly, I am very happy to have witnessed how this  simple girl from school took on a new role in her life. I will forever be grateful for being part of her unforgettable day...

From the Wedding Village team, we wish you wonderful years ahead, Tetes & Christian.. And oh, cute babies to follow... (wink)... Good luck, guys!!!