Pretty in Pink

It’s amazing how travel can bring to life so much inspiration and ideas. I currently write to you from the busy streets of Hong Kong, a place that seems to have the most stamps of in my passport. What an amazing time this has been for me and my husband Ian. I am a bit bummed that tonight I fly back to Manila, but the show must go on and it’s always good to have something perk you up on a Monday. If you are a lot  like me, a beautiful wedding will surely do the trick. When Wendy sent me pictures from her big day, I squealed with delight! And even if I was away from home, I knew I had to write about it immediately.

A wedding that was fun and light is always a thing that most couples strive for. Looking throughout the photos made me think of cotton candy, fairy tales, ballerinas and princesses. It seems like one of those weddings you’ve dreamed of having when you were a child, but this time it’s for real. The bride looked serenely sweet (I love her super cute haircut!) and her groom couldn’t be happier. And pink has definitely made a comeback for this year. Although the color can be a tricky shade, if done with just enough whimsy and style it can be a delight to the eyes. Femininity and charm combined, this wedding is definitely pretty in pink.

Jelly shoes with Swarovski crystals to match the bride’s gown and headpiece. Next to diamonds, I think crystals are a bride’s best friend.

This shot is pure romance. Talk about pretty!

The entourage wore pink and gray. Notice how the guys’ shirts were also pink. Well, what can I say? I love pink on men!

Because weddings are not just about the couple but also about celebrating family, this video is a top favorite for me.

Wendy shares:

“We made a video—a surprise tribute to our parents—with a twist. Alain thanked my parents and I thanked Alain’s parents. We think a lot of the guests were really moved by this video.”

What a great way to welcome new members of the family!

From the bride:

The wedding is quite a traditional Filipino-Chinese wedding. But because I really love fashion, that element was very evident. Our engagement pictures by Pat Dy were displayed the foyer of the ballroom as well as used for an opening video while guests are coming in. I love how people still tell us that it is the most heartwarming wedding they have attended. My favorite part would be my walk down the aisle. Seeing both my mom and especially my dad  crying really meant so much to me. And it made really made the guests cry as well.  Even our other suppliers thought it was an overwhelmingly sentimental bridal walk. To add to more emotional moments, my husband and I actually cried when our wedding pictures were shown.

Church: Grace Christian Church / Officiating Pastor: Pastor Stephen Tan / Wedding Gown and Entourage Gowns: Larry Espinosa / HMU: Xeng Zulueta / Church Flowers: Robert Blancaflor / Shoes: Limited Edition “Ultragirl Night Sky” by Brazilian designer J.Maskrey with Melissa Australia / Hairpiece: Ken Samudio of Matthew and Melka Luxury Accessories / Videographer: Dominic Velasco of Imacron / Emcee: Mike Lim / Wedding Coordinator: Vangie Go of Wedding Treasures

It’s All About Fashion

As we are beginning to notice pre-nuptial shoots seem to be more and more about fashion as much as it is about love. When before, couples would usually wear their own everyday clothes and have a photographer capture some cute and sweet shots, now is a different A-game. I’m guessing that the couples really want to maximize on the once in a lifetime opportunity to express themselves without reservation, and keep memoirs of their younger days when they could be as daring as they want to be, as individuals and as a pair. Today I decided to show another engagement session shot by our frequent B&B fave Nelwin Uy. The styling was done by the another talented stylist Kate Paras.

This shoot really had the clothes speak volumes about the couple. It’s about boldness, creativity and at a certain  extent, sophistication and glamour. I guarantee it’s so fun to play dress up. So for couples planning to do engagement shoots such as this, I really would suggest you get a trusted stylist that can work well with your photographer.

Travel, Street Chic and Fun

It seems like I am having this love affair with weddings and anything connected to it. I am just so enamored by the beauty, taste and creativity it can possess. As I have previously featured my own post-nuptial shoot, I come with you again with another video that is very close to my heart.

My good friend Anna also known as Kat got married last weekend. She agreed to have Style to the Aisle, a new and tasteful personal styling company to do her conceptualizing and styling for her pre-nuptial photo shoot. Style to the Aisle was created by Rachelle Que, one of the more experienced stylists in the fashion scene of Manila (plus she studied styling in New York) and yours truly, a plain lover of fashion, art and everything in between!  Julius Sebastian, a very talented photographer teamed up with us to make the vision come to life. To read more about Richard and Anna’s shoot click here.

As for now B&B proudly gives you, a quirky, street chic video of a very fun and bubbly couple!

Photography: Julius Sebastian / Styling, Concept and Video Production: Style to the Aisle

Jorg and Barbi

Today is my birthday and oh what a treat! I scanned my email for interesting stuff… and there it was, Jorg and Barbi’s super gorgeous wedding! What better way to make my day lovelier than to be surrounded by loveliness! Jorg and Barbi’s wedding is anything but traditional—it’s overflowing with uniqueness, drama and romance. I could go on and on about the things that B&B loves about this wedding. First is that gorgeous colored dress. Not everyone dares to go for it, and not everyone who does pulls it off; but Barbi in pink sure is one divine bride. And yes, her groom Jorg was also a sight for sore eyes. Very casual and cool, he pulled off the look! Secondly, one of Manila’s genius photographers Pat Dy was behind the camera, capturing all the picture-perfect moments. Keep in mind that this wedding had to stick to a budget, but it’s living proof that a budget doesn’t have to dictate the beauty of your wedding. This is one for the books!

Barbi, one of Manila’s popular make-up artists did her own make-up. She looked stunning.

From the couple:

Why is the wedding so “Jorg and Barbi”?

The wedding was so us because we didn’t subscribe to any tradition or culture or “pamahiin”. Like us, we live our life according to God’s law only and whatever makes us happy. We did it the way we wanted it, the way we envisioned it and the way we dreamed about it. Suggestions from other people were welcome but it was still our decision in the end that mattered.

What was your favorite part of the wedding?

My most favorite part  was when we were saying our vows. Jorg said “I will follow you wherever you go, your home will be my home and your God will be my God” and that was it—I broke down and cried. I know it took a lot for him to say that with his whole family there, and it showed how much he loves me and will sacrifice anything for me. His favorite part was when I got off the yacht. He didn’t know I was going to come in a yacht and I really wanted to surprise him, so he was really shocked and he cried!

Do you have any DIY projects in your wedding?

I did almost everything for our wedding, from the booking of the suppliers up to the venue and food and cake—even the giveaways! So 90 percent was me!

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was when I had to look for a new venue three weeks before the wedding. I booked a venue as early as July but when I went there for the final check up I discovered that they were the most unprofessional and disorganized company I’ve ever met! It was really tough for me to cancel everything and start from scratch but I had to do it because I didn’t want to be stressed on my wedding day! Looking for a new venue and trying the food again was quite tough, especially when I only had one day to do it. Good thing my mom came with me and my coordinator helped me immensely so I was glad I went with my instincts and did the cancellation because the place we chose was far better and more professional.

Any tips for future brides?

Just let go on the day of the wedding. It will not be perfect and there will always be glitches, but you have no control over it so just breathe and relax and be pretty. The most important thing is that your husband is there and waiting for you at the altar.

Photographer: Pat Dy / Videographer: Jason Magbanua / Gown: Nat Manilag / Coordinator and Florist: Bells and Blooms Boracay (Izy Jingco) / Cake: Lemon Cafe Boracay / Giveaways: Zen Zest (special thanks to Ms. Michelle Asence) / Shoes: Gaupo Shoe Couture (super thanks to Ms. Imelda) / Venue: Hotel Isla / Band: The Patiqueros

The Look

Styles

    Venues

    Colors

    Bryan and Ethelyn

    Bryan and Ethelyn’s wedding is viciously vintage! It transports you back to the ’40s with all the thematic details of the affair. Can I just say I love the photography of this wedding? Why wouldn’t I? As the saying goes two heads are better than one! In this case, it was a collaboration of a handful of brilliant photographers who captured the most beautiful moments for the couple. The bride simply looked regal in her gown. What a gorgeous sight indeed! It’s always fun to have weddings that make us look twice. This sure is one wedding that got a lot of attention.

    Probably my most favorite picture of the bunch is of Ethelyn’s dad. He looked cute in his suspenders and bow tie. Very vintage dad!

    Even the babies were fashionably in theme with these black lace stockings and hot pink shoes!

    A few words from the couple:

    Why is the wedding so “Bryan and Ethelyn”?

    Bryan: The concept of the whole event was based on what we really want, that is, a dash of the vintage era. We didn’t get a vintage car though, but overall we got what we wanted.

    Ethelyn: The wedding is so us because it basically reflects our personalities. We had Vintage-Autumn Wedding. Bryan and I are kind of old fashioned. I used to think I’m abnormal because I still stick with the songs of 1940s-1960s no matter how versatile the music is in the 21st century. I’m also hooked with the fashion statement of these eras—from the make-up, to the head pieces, gloves and dresses. One word to describe it—classic! I know I won’t be able to wear such gems unless there’s a special occasion, so I grabbed the opportunity and incorporated it in our wedding! The inspiration I got was from the movies The Notebook, Pearl Harbor and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

    On the other hand, we also have this attachment to autumn or fall. We love its laid back ambiance. There’s no autumn in our country, but maybe I can compare that to falling leaves. I love how the leaves’ colors change from green to red orange, orange and deep violet. We even had a pictorial lying on dried leaves from three years ago.

    What was your favorite part of the wedding?

    Ethelyn: Our vows! My husband and I made our vows a few hours before the ceremony. It’s crazy! We’re both crammers and it’s one of the best things we did.

    Bryan: My favorite part wasn’t really the food (although it was really good), because of the fact that we got so thrilled by the turnout of the whole event that we were not able to taste what was lined-up for the feast. The most fun part would be the games and the special awards that were given to some of our guests, this being one of the best ways for us to interact with our family and friends. It was like a mini reunion of both of our families.

    Ceremony and Reception: The Lakeshore Tent (Mexico, Pampanga) / Gown: Kate Torralba / Groom’s Suit: Frederick Policarpio / Entourage’s Gowns: Emily Sy / Mothers’ and Little Girls’ Gowns: Glen Canlas / Caterer: Ala Crème / Coordinator: Events and Concepts by Voltaire Zalamea / Photographers: David Hanson and team of Enoxx, Erron Ocampo and Chloe Umali / Videographer: Bob Nicolas / Opening Billboard: Guj Tungpalan of Red Sheep / Engagement Session: Toto Villaruel of Imagine Nation / Event Stylist: Pancho Pantig / Bouquets: Mang Boy Mahusay / Music: JJS Entertainment / Lights and DJ: Dynatek / Photo Booth: Pose and Print / Invites: Adworks / Candles: Unity Candles by JM / Entourage’s Head Pieces: RC Lee of Fabrichild

    The Look

    Styles

    Colors