Real Weddings: Finally Together

Dan Tesoro-Dadang Desiderio
Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe
Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club

It never fails to warm my heart whenever I receive a message from former clients expressing their appreciation of the hard work I put in planning their wedding. It becomes all the more special and touching if the message came some months after the event.

One such couple is Dan and Dadang Tesoro. Their wedding proved once more that good things happen to those who wait.

This fun-loving couple went steady in college and have been together since. They had ample time (ten years, more or less) to know each other well before taking the plunge. The moment finally came when they decided to get married at the quaint Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church which served as a perfect backdrop for a solemn ceremony witnessed by 300 of the couple’s family members and friends.
Dadang’s vision of something elegant but simple materialized beautifully throughout the wedding. Set in November, the event took on a “Thanksgiving Day” theme with Dadang opting for orange, plum and green as her wedding colors. All the printed materials—from the escort cards, programme cards and invitations—used maple leaf icons. The exquisite wedding gown, masterfully conceptualized by celebrated fashion designer, Patis Tesoro (who happens to be the groom’s aunt) featured multi-colored appliqués delicately attached piece by piece on off-white silk chiffon. The bride was made radiant by Cathy Cantada. Before leaving for the church, the couple, going against tradition, had their formal portraits taken by David Hanson at the lobby of Shangri-La Makati. Indeed, there was never a dull moment with this laid-back couple. Both food lovers, Dan and Dadang were incessant and meticulous in searching for and choosing the best food to serve their 300 plus guests. The Plaza, having catered to many of the Tesoro’s family functions, was the unanimous choice. Not to be excluded was the perennially famous ham which made The Plaza a household name. The scrumptious first courses, entrees and side dishes included Prawns Bellevue; Mesclun Salad with Ceasar’s Dressing and Light Balsamic Vinaigrette; Crème Dory Meunire with Tomato Basil Salsa and Caper Butter Sauce; Roast Beef; Whole Roast Turkey with Apple, Prune and Chestnut Gravy; Boiled Corned Beef with Vegetables and Horseradish Cream; Canneloni with Mushroom; and Spaghettini with Sundried Tomato.
A special dessert spread laid out by Juddah Liu of Costa Brava featured classic dessert confections—food for the gods, chocolate eclairs, tocino del cielo, lemon squares, sugar-free apple pie, caramel cake, nelusco, and white birthday cake. She also prepared a tower of soft butter chiffon cupcakes given as souvenirs for the wedding guests. The unique table centerpieces by Tony Padilla jibed perfectly with the “thanksgiving” motif complete with real palay stalks and fruits. Complementing the table centerpieces were dried maple leaves overlaid in sparkling gold, red and orange glitters. The night resonated with wonderful speeches by the maid of honor, Rawn Lopez and the best man, Dave Zuniga. Capping the program was the couple’s first dance which led to an evening of fun, music and merrymaking. Truly, Dan and Dadang, your wedding was a blast!

An Ocular Trip in Bohol

I went to Bohol for an ocular inspection in conjunction with the wedding of Remar Balatero and Joelene Sarmiento in January 2009. Aside from the team of Events! Events!, top Manila wedding suppliers will be flown to Bohol—Mimi and Karl of Fotogra Weddings; Jason Magbanua; and Madge Lejano of The Make-up Studio. Unfortunately, exquisite gown designer Veluz Reyes wouldn’t able to make it to the wedding since she has prior commitments in Manila. The occasion is touted as one of the biggest destination weddings all of us would be handling—with 300 anticipated guests, and still counting.

At the top of my to-do list during my three-day trip was the inspection of the venue for the dinner reception—checking and measuring the tables, dimensions of the room, cutlery, buffet set-up, pre-function area, and other relevant details. Since the couple is based abroad, I would be their proverbial eyes and ears for the wedding planning.

Armed with my ever reliable camera, I traveled all over Bohol to check out possible tourist spots—museums, shopping areas, old churches and white-sand beach resorts—where we could bring guests from Manila and abroad.

Some activities we will seriously consider include swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, parasailing, island-hopping, banana boat ride, and even jet skiing in Panglao Island. Some attractions we visited were the famous Chocolate Hills—considered one of the Philippines’ natural wonders, the Tarsier’s Visitors Center that features up close one of the world’s smallest primates and definitely the cutest, and the Baclayon Church, an old colonial stone church where Remar and Joelene will exchange vows. We also have the option of arranging a lunch buffet on the Loboc River—a unique experience which took us up and down the Loboc River on a floating restaurant. We might end up renting the entire boat for all the wedding guests. We checked out a number of resorts/hotels where guests and wedding suppliers could be billeted. Around 100 guests from Manila and abroad are expected to attend.

An entire day activity could also be planned at the Bohol Beach Club, the largest resort located in a 60-hectare seaside patch of land on the island of Panglao. A set of activities can be scheduled including a day tour of the resort, a rehearsal lunch, and a free time for guests to enjoy the resort’s facilities and amenities. The Peacock Garden Luxury Resort and Spa which boasts of its European design is a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city life. Overlooking the sea, Bohol’s newest crown jewel features beautiful, well-manicured English gardens and a fabulous, tiered fountain.

I will return to Bohol in October, this time, to finalize the arrangements for the hotel, accommodations, guided tours and other requisites for the wedding. Kudos and many thanks to Auntie Bettie, aunt of Remar, for helping me out with the observation tour—this lady is a real trooper.All pictures except for the last picture were lifted from Paul Borromeo's Photo Stream.

Details Diva: Vintage-inspired matches and unity candle set

Today, we are starting with the Details Diva Series which aims to inspire brides to add the “oomph” in their wedding through the details. No matter how small these wedding details are, they still create an impact.

The Series will feature the so-called “touches” that definitely make weddings more personalized, consistent and "branded." As what I have shared with Pagan, “weddings are not only a feast for the taste buds—it should be a holistic experience. It must be visceral—appealing to your sense of sight, taste, smell, touch and hearing. But the most important of which is the visual. After all, it's all about packaging.”

Who would have thought that an antique armband like this can turn into…. Materials used:
1 pc., 6-inch pillar candle
2 pcs., 8-inch tapered candles
2 boxes of matches
Ribbons
Antique armband
Glue gun and stick
Double-sided tape

Procedure:
First, dismantle the antique armband with a set of pliers. Next, using a double-sided tape, gingerly place a ribbon to cover the candle. Get another ribbon and cover with it the spaces in between the wide ribbons. Finish the task by placing a portion of the dismantled bracelet. Follow the same instructions for the tapered candles and matches.

I have also spruced up the flowers for the principal sponsors with the same ornament and this is the finished product.

Photos courtesy of Dino Lara.

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What is a prenup pictorial for?

Some couples have asked me what a prenuptial photo shoot is for. Firstly, this pictorial enables the photographer to know the couple before the wedding—particularly as far as their limitations and best angles in terms of poses are concerned—and basically to build rapport with them.

Secondly, there are many uses for the prenuptial photos. For one, they can be incorporated in a novel guestbook which affords guests the chance and space to leave messages for the newlyweds. Beautifully laid out, the guestbook comes in a book form which can easily be stored. It is a far cry from a traditional one which simply serves as a registry book.

Here’s a sample of a guestbook I personally laid out for Mandy and Janelle Real. To create a distressed look for the photos, I deliberately manipulated the colors—saturating them and adding a few brushes through Photoshop. The photos were wonderfully captured by master photographer, Dino Lara. Make-up was done by Jesi Alto by The Make Up Studio Team and hair was done by Steve Pagsanjan. Venue was the sprawling residence of Jona Atotubo.

Real Weddings: Heartfelt

Martin Lazo-Tetta Cañada
Our Lady of Lourdes
Taal Vista Hotel
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The wedding of Martin and Tetta touched the heartstrings. The couple wanted a Baguio wedding but Martin’s family requested a venue near Manila, so they picked Tagaytay. Afterall, Tagaytay has always been one of Tetta’s favorite places to go, and Taal Vista Hotel satisfied their “destination” idea. The hotel itself was an amazing combination of elegance and picturesque beauty, from the cozy lobby to the commanding view of both the lake and the volcano.

Everything was all set for the big day when Martin’s dad passed away barely three weeks before the wedding. But the family of the groom gave their go-signal for the wedding just as how Martin’s father would have wanted it.

Despite the family tragedy, it was a happy occasion filled with warmth from family members and friends who traveled to Tagaytay to witness the union of the couple. It was surreal to us that Tetta, who has been emceeing for Events! Events! for the last four years was getting married. It took a moment for the fact that Tetta was really getting married to sink in. It was only after she was made up and had her gown on, that we finally realized that indeed, Tetta was our bride this time around.
Tetta carried a spectacular, all-white, textural bouquet of lisianthus, roses and carnations by Gina Galang of Royal Flower Shoppe while her entourage held elegant, earthy clusters of green and yellow flowers. Tetta’s bridesmaids wore pistachio green gossamer dresses all accentuated with champagne beadwork. During the ceremony, Tetta was every inch a bride in her Parrish Espritu Carlos white silk charemeuse gown as she walked down the aisle to meet her parents. The gown was off white with dolman sleeves and flowing skirt. It featured a detachable hand pleated layered overskirt and lace drimmed double width illusion tulle veil.The mass was officiated by a family friend who gave a good homily on what makes a happy marriage—interspersed with funny anecdotes. Cocktails were served in the sprawling greenery of Taal Vista Hotel. Guests enjoyed Charlie’s Pritson and the overflowing drinks provided by the couple. During the cocktails, guests were asked to look for their seats. To reflect the earthy tones of the reception’s setting, Tetta chose escort cards in green and white, which were actually two-wafer Kit-Kat Chocolates—something guests could munch on while waiting for their entrance to the main dining area. The program started with the newlyweds making their way to the cake table. Tetta and Martin cut a three-tiered cake covered in white chocolate bars, with a cornucopia of seasonal fruits topping each layer—another wonderful creation of Janet Madlangbayan of Recipes and Magic. A special game for married couples ensued right after dinner. The married couples were asked to kiss the most passionate way they could and then the newlyweds had to imitate how they kissed. (Some were carried away by the cool Tagaytay weather.) It was an evening filled with wonderful speeches of family members and friends—ranging from the hilarious to the tearjerker. But the most heartfelt (which made many an eye tearful) was delivered by the bride. It was the most beautiful speech we have heard for the longest time—poignant, real, hopeful, and heartwarming. Tetta and Martin, instead of giving away wedding souvenirs, made a donation on behalf of their wedding guests to Project: Brave Kids—a non-profit organization committed to assist children with cancer. A year had passed, but up to now, we could still recall the great time we had at Martin and Tetta’s nuptials. To you guys, happy first wedding anniversary! (All photographs taken by Mimi and Karl.) Some more photos:
Martin was a natural in front of the camera. Tetta strikes a pose. This time, as husband and wife.

Confetti shower during the recessional.

Principal sponsors’ gifts were individually labeled with personalized gift cards— reflective of the wedding’s motif and bearing the monogram of the wedding. A candid moment during the reception. Martin and Tetta with friends—Tony-tony, King DJ Logan and Slick Rick. The newlyweds with Martin's family.The newlyweds’ first dance.