And so, here I am again. Back to where I started. Rewind to 2008, pre-Preview and a much, much younger me, with too much time on my hands and a blog called stylesamurai. I documented and talked about fashion, myself, other people. I took photos of clothes, shoes, parties, pretty much everything. Then life happened. Or maybe it was Instagram—instant autobiographies in concise squares, brief and comprehensive, that suddenly made too many photos in one blog entry, too many. Either or, I just stopped writing and documenting, my energy, refocused instead to a new job, a new career. I started with Preview and there was just so many things to take in, to study, to learn! It was amazing. The diarist in me meanwhile, forgotten. But the journals and journals of random thoughts, ideas and emotions were there, handwritten in scraps of paper, half filled notebooks, and lately, thumbed typed into iphone notes.
You know how when you feel like it’s time, it’s time? That’s this year. Changes in the magazine meant a new Editor-in-chief, changes in co-habitation meant, I’m married (LOL), and change in age meant I just stepped on the big __ zero. (Don’t ask, it’s not nice.) Haha. These shifts warranted a realignment, and starting my own website just fell into a place. And so here I am. A new chapter, with newer stories and a fresher perspective. I really hope you could welcome me into your lives again.
Starting with an entry that’s really close to my heart. Not only because it’s major, MAJOR, but also because I have a newfound respect for brides-to-be. Planning a wedding is HARD. And so I promised (even when I was still planning everything) that I’ll share every hurdle, difficulty and success in the process of making it. If you’re about to get married, don’t hesitate to ask. I would be more than glad to offer my insight.
It really was a massive help that I’ve been working on fashion editorials and covers for as long as I can remember. And I’m glad I’ve had that training because I went about doing the whole wedding with the same precision. My advice though is to start with one strong concept AND STICK WITH IT. As an editor, I’m used to filtering out the noise, but without that norm it would be so easy to get lost in ideas and pegs that are, to be honest, infinite. Do a moodboard, choose as many pegs as you want, whittle it down to 10, to 5 then to 1.
My husband and I were on the same page as to the tone of the celebration. We wanted it to be industrial and raw. I worked from there and my concept deck was 14 pages long. It was detailed down to the kind of flowers on the bouquet and the boutonnière, the shades of the flower mix in the centerpiece (in a color chart), the design of the tables, chairs, overhanging decorations—in four different perspectives. I was very thorough, in other words, the creative director to my own wedding. I just had to find the right supplier to execute. Friends have actually suggested that I could actually offer this service to brides-to-be. I would love to! But ever since becoming a bride, I now know that every cost needs to be validated, as there are so many! A creative director or over-all consultant would be an indulgence. But hey—if you know anyone in need of, you know where to leave a comment. Haha.
Our wedding was in Cebu, and my guests and I were billeted at our favorite boutique hotel, The Henry. My product montage on the top clearly shows why. Our aesthetic is encapsulated in bare walls, cement floors, a stark space conducive for a rustic and stylized vignette of our wedding essentials. My gown by Cary Santiago, reception dress by Jun Escario. Husband’s suit from Lanvin. Wedding invitations handwritten by Fozzy Castro – Dayrit (thefozzybook.com). Directed by Vince Uy, styled by Andre Chang, production designed by Mabelle Lequin for Wild Reverie and all photos photographed by Pat Dy.
The thing about knowing exactly what you want, is that you’re unswayed by difficulties. While planning this, we already had our hotel reserved, but finding an industrial location for the reception (high ceilinged, exposed trusses, concrete floors) with amenities (air-conditioned, clean toilets, parking) in Cebu was, least to say, extremely difficult. This was where my wedding coordinator, Stanz Catalan, pulled through. We tried art galleries, warehouses, unfinished retail spaces, car showrooms, but nothing that fits our requirements. 4 months prior to the big day we still did not have a location. In one last round of scouting, she found IEC Pavilion or the (International Eucharistic Congress) Pavilion that was built to house the 51st congress of the same name. It ticked off everything: lofty, unadorned and beautifully raw with space to spare. We only needed area for 250 seats. The capacity? 12,000.
The catch? They couldn’t confirm my reservation till after the congress which was the first week of Feb. My wedding was on April. Sweating bullets by this point but I didn’t want to budge. Didn’t book a back-up. I really just wanted IEC. In my head, I’ll only work on plan B, if, and only IF, we lose the space, regardless if I only had a month to do it. But, we got it! Slow exhaaaaale, stubbornness proving a point with a win! Ours was the first wedding reception to be held there, and I’m sure not the last. =) Photos of this story on the previous, previous, previous post!
The narrative of my Casadei customs has been told so many times that I feel like I’ve diluted the essence. Please forgive me if I just do a reprint from an interview?
Ystyle: Can you tell us the story behind your Casadei customs? Was ready-to-wear ever an option?
“I’m always online window shopping for shoes, so yes, something off the digital shoe rack is definitely an option. But of course if the chance is there to expand bridal shoe selection into bespoke territory, I’d be more than glad to step over that boundary. My Casadeis are a gift from Ben Chan. It’s a design from the Casadei archives but custom made (in Milan) according to my specifics: matte leather with the hardware (buckles and zips) and even the blade heel finished all in pure white. Ben did say that the Casadeis elevated height would be the perfect complement to my Cary. And seeing my one-off pair now, a sinuously curved, architecturally strapped, sharpened to a point, six inched beauty, I would have to agree that a yes, it actually is.”
Special mention to Patrick Ty of Bench Global Brands who lovingly hand carried it even at the risk of missing his flight. (It was delivered at the very, very last minute to his hotel before he was about to leave for the airport). Thank you sooooo much.
Strangely enough, the thought of an all black bouquet was too dark for my disposition (says the girl who’s default uniform is in a non-color shade). Instead, I fell in love with these midnight-centered Anemones. It was just the right pretty with an edge. But, this beauty was tragically short-lived as Anemones don’t go very well with our climate. It was already half-wilted on our way to the church! Aw.
The only other jewelry I wore was this ultra-feminine (it’s heart-shaped!), diamond and pearl pair from an aunt (of an old-world jeweller clan) who insisted that I wear it. The superstition linked to wearing pearls (it symbolizes tears, so you can wear it if you believe that it’ll take away your sorrow by literally capturing it inside a pearl or you can’t wear it because it’ll mean sadness for the rest of your life) wasn’t even on my mind, I just thought it was too massive! Totally against my minimal idealism: sans accessories other than my engagement ring. How was I to know that it would go so well with my gown? (not that much of an anti-bride after all) My aunt was teary-eyed when I tried it on, which made me think, maybe pearls can actually make OTHER people cry? Heeh. Yeeaaaap, so I was THAT girl in a pearl earring on my wedding day, and I actually liked it.
Prep time. Robe, Josie Natori. Heels, Fancy Nancy by Aquazurra.
Surround yourself with people who love you and are not afraid to make you better. All my best friends in one photo, I’m just missing you Penny Ngu. From Left: Vince Uy, my co-creative director and always the calm in all my storms, speaking reason to all my griefs. Vivien Ramsey, or Issy to me, my wingwoman since day 1. Andre Chang, my brother, my twin, my listener, my rock and the only man-of-honor in my life. Epoy Arcino, my best friend since forever and my cheese cake maker, who always makes me laugh with his one-line quips and who is just a solid presence and support through my all. Pauline Juan, my co-conspirator in everything fashion, food and footwear!
My family is my life. I love you, Dad. Mum, I love you as much and I miss you everyday but you’re always in my heart, so I feel like you’re never too far away.
Lastly, I’d like to introduce my husband, Mano. The love of my life and my everything. To whom without, I would not be the person I am now.
Reader, welcome into our lives, and reiterating myself, I’m so glad you’ve RSVP’d.