Let’s start the week off with poignant romance. Pack up your little distractions and fly off for a few minutes into your imagination with this engagement shoot from Pat Dy. This shoot made my heart skip a beat–it’s sweet, passionate, and simply stylish. There’s also an air of sentimentality that comes from the beautiful structures and architectural details. It evokes the air of an old romance in a big city–two people finding their way to each other amidst the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Isn’t that enough to send your heart racing? Add to that all the other elements like: dramatically shot details, chic and sleek ensembles, perfect lighting, and of course, a couple in love… and you are brought into a love story perfectly narrated in photographs.

Happy Monday, dear readers. Here’s one to jumpstart your hopeless romantic hearts!

Hello, lovelies! I’m sure you all remember the wedding reel of Coach Rio and Nicole which we featured a month back. It was all elegance, cute personal details, and an outpour of passion. Today we bring you Coach Rio and Nicole’s engagement shoot! Photographed by Pat Dy himself, we see the same kind of passion in a rendering that is raw and uninhibited. I thought the couple looked incredibly beautiful and sultry against nature’s gorgeous landscape! Celebrity stylist Sidney Yap did a wonderful job styling with the mix of sexy white basics and an edgy black number–I love how these went with the outdoor setting! The ensembles were totally unexpected yet complementing.

Why don’t we heat things up a little bit more this midweek? These photos are hot, hot, hot! Enjoy!

One of the best things about weddings is that  we can look like a million bucks. Every groom and bride become the most ravishing in the room, exuding a fresh radiance of love. When we envision our big day, everything must be beautiful. Nothing less than this was true in the wedding day of Carlos and Kelly. Carlos no doubt looked debonaire in his sleek three-piece suit, and Kelly, in a Joey Samson was a vision to behold! A gorgeous couple plus Pat Dy (who we can always count on capturing breathtaking portraits)? That’s a pretty good formula. Simple and sweet is today’s treat.

So far, this week’s features have all been in beautiful cities abroad. Today we continue the streak with Chris and Inna’s engagement shoot in Manhattan. I am in love with this city and I’m absolutely taken by how Pat Dy captured the New York energy in this photo shoot! It’s straightforwardly chic and urban, yet romantic and charming. I thought the sweet mini dresses and the bow ties made just the right statement!

From the greenery of Central Park to the bustling streets of SoHo, this was a photographic walk in the city I absolutely enjoyed. Have I mentioned how much I love New York? This set has left me smitten once again.

For all the runners out there, I’m pretty sure you’re familiar with our local celebrity coach Rio dela Cruz of the RunRio brand. Today we want to feature their wedding, which is a lot like Rio’s passion for running. Rio and Nicole’s beautiful affair is marked with endurance, commitment, and love. Stride along with us as we have a glimpse of the wonderful shots by Pat Dy.

There’s so much to look forward to in this affair. The wedding of Wesley and Kaye (the owner of the famous K. by Cunanan catering) is one we’ve been waiting to see for months now. So when Pat Dy posted this slideshow, we couldn’t help but show it here. Of course I am totally excited to see more styling details, and we’re dying to see more of the official photos, but for now, let’s settle for a teaser. C’mon! right? That Veluz gown is just so… dreammmmy! And I super duper love Kaye’s bouquet by Vatel Manila. Can’t wait for more!

So this is the first time were doing this, but it’s about time we did! Every year, we see so many beautiful weddings. Day after day, we get to write about all the wonderful stories, stare at gorgeous details and daydream the afternoon away. Well, this post is a summary of our best days here in Bride and Breakfast. We’ve come up with our favorite weddings of 2011 and 2012 because these affairs certainly earned the right to be swooned over–again, and again, and again. We tried to have a good mix of different styles and themes, so we hope you’ll find one or two (or all) weddings to be inspired with today. We deem this a fitting way to bid the year goodbye and welcome a new batch of drop-dead amazing weddings.

So enough talking… here are the B&B Top 20 Weddings of 2011 and 2012 (in no particular order)!

*Drum roll*

This Parisian affair made our jaws drop! A gorgeous couple with an equally gorgeous fête. [Christian and Stephanie / Pat Dy Photography]

Sunny and sweet. This beach wedding is sprinkled with cute details. Totally loving the shell bouquet! [Karym and Mabeth / Mark Cantalejo]

Youthful and quirky. We just adore the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses for this celebration. Long live hipster! [Angelo and Rin / Cherry Blocks Photography]

Simply chic. This bride’s gown made a lot of our readers drool with envy! And it’s not everyday you get married under a tree. [Jun and Vanessa / Mango Red]

Dreaming of some winter wonderland whimsy? This affair is exquisite in every way. Don’t you just love the bride’s fur wrap? Elegant and enchanting. [Miguel and Tisha / Mango Red]

Colorful gowns that match some colorful embellished bouquets? Not for the faint-hearted, but definitely for those who love their hues. Seashore serendipity if you ask me! [Robertson and Katharine / RedMonkey Studios]

There’s always room for a fashionable wedding in our list. This one is a favorite! [Paolo and Rissa / J Lucas Reyes]

Wondering why people all over the world come to our beaches to say their I do’s? Well this sandy sweethearts’ big day is certainly a testament to the beauty of a destination wedding. [Sam and Danike / Benjie Tiongco]

We never thought that black would look amazing in a garden setting. Now we do. Everything about this wedding screams class! [TJ and Marga / Pat Dy Photography]

And the winner of best applique for a wedding gown goes to… [Conrad and Margaux / Pat Dy Photography]

The bride who wore that gorgeous Elie Saab dress certainly got our attention. [Hubert and Hazel / Mango Red]

Fabulous weddings are made of fabulous details. Feminine and festive, just the way we like it! [Duke and Irene / Metrophoto]

Rustic charm makes us dream of splendidly sweet summer weddings. [Joel and Christine / Kent Lazarraga of Orange Studio]

Nothing is more regal than a wedding with gold details and a gorgeous venue. [Howard and Lada / Nelwin Uy]

Fun and funky. Sometimes it’s good to have a little bit of crazy and a whole lot of cuteness. We loved the invitations for this one. [Jayjay and Feliz / Imagine Nation Photography]

Just because pink makes the world a better place. So do flats. [Chris and Diane / Nelwin Uy]

A celebrity wedding that has been a favorite of many of our readers. [Oyo and Kristine / Nelwin Uy]

Because SoCal is so awesome. Detail heaven I tell ya! [Mark and Linette / Mark Cantalejo]

The most understated affairs can be the most swoon-worthy ones. We can’t get over this wedding–it’s pure prettiness! [Patrick and Patty / Jorem and Sheila Catilo Photography]

Traditional does not mean boring! A Filipiniana gown can certainly make heads turn, especially if it’s as gorgeous as this one. [Nicolo and Izza / Mango Red]

If there ever was such a thing as Yummy Yellow Wednesdays this lovely New York shoot by Pat Dy will be in it! Jang and Trina’s post-nuptial photo shoot in the dreamy streets of NYC brings matching couple outfits to a whole new level of pretty (and that skirt is to die for)! With the right mix of youthful style and chic candidness, it’s gonna be hard not to love this. Here’s a toast to a funky and flavorful forever!

There is something about weddings that bring out the best in all of us. I love how I can just get lost in a cloud of whimsical wonderment whenever I chance upon a beautiful wedding such as this. Jairus and Mae’s San Francisco wedding, although miles away from their homeland, has a Philippine wedding stamp all over it. The fun and festive affair was a mix of modern and traditional elements, all glamorous and romantic. So yes, for today, I’ll let the wonderful photos from Pat Dy and video from Mayad speak more about the gorgeousness of this celebration. Enjoy!

I was so touched by Mae’s letter that I just had to repost it here:

Dear Janna,

God has been faithful to us and the wedding has been wonderful–thanks to your blog which has been a dose of daily inspiration to me everyday. You have no idea how much of your stuff is on my iPad and Evernote right now. I have used so many ideas from your blog, you’ll probably see your digital fingerprint on our event design–from our ceremony colors, to my bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, to even having a dessert table.

I’m based in California, but I was raised in the Philippines. The moment I started planning for our wedding, I knew I had to have a part of the Philippines with me–I wanted vendors from the Philippines. My friends told me I was crazy for doing this, but with God’s help and my husband’s (fiancé then) full trust, we started booking local vendors–Pat Dy, Mayad, Veluz… the list went on–the favors, the invitations, calligraphy, all the dresses–even our cake designers were based in Laoag and had to make our cake from scratch in my mom’s kitchen! So yes, I could say that planning the wedding for vendors to go overseas was crazy! And this was where your blog came into the picture. It really has been an awesome guide of vendors I could trust and would have impeccable taste. A lot of people were skeptical about our decisions, but all the local vendors pulled through as your blog pointed me to the right direction. As crazy and challenging wedding planning was, your blog just made me smile amidst all the chaos. It has been my constant source of replenished energy whenever I would give up on our wedding design vision and just have an intimate ceremony with my husband instead. It has constantly put me in a happy zone.

So yes, in a lot of ways, I have your blog to be thankful for–for building up our trust and confidence in our local vendors and for making the wedding planning experience fulfilling for me. I could not imagine planning the wedding without your blog. I praise God for sending me little doses of strength as we planned for our wedding–and yes, you are one of them. More power to you and your blog and I pray that you would continue to inspire and empower all the brides out there who deserve to have a fun experience as they plan to have their own happily-ever-afters.

Sincerely yours,
Mae Peralta-Samoy

Today is pretty special. Since we launched the new look of Bride and Breakfast yesterday, we feel that it is very important that we start off this week with a dose of pretty. The best way to do that is to have bucket loads of inspiration for you, and a wedding that will leave you wanting more!

I’ve been saving Conrad and Margaux’s wedding shot by Pat Dy for this day. Not only is this an affair oozing with elegance, it’s also filled with dainty details. But I must admit the scene stealer for this lovely fête is really the bride and her oh-so-gorgeous Veluz gown. The applique is simply breathtaking and the attention to detail is ridiculously superb–I think this one of the best Veluz gowns I’ve seen so far! What I am also totally loving is the post-wedding shoot where Margaux paired the skirt of the gown to a casual white tee and tons of pearls. Talk about effortless style.