the wedding enthusiast: July 2012

Just knowing this couple's vendors made me so excited to post. I am utterly smitten by the simplicity of Abner and Jenifel's wedding.

Photos by J Lucas Reyes

Boutonnieres by Vatel Manila's {etc} Handmade Goodness.

Flowers by Vatel Manila

Bridal gown by Cecilio Abad

WE asked bride Jenifel about the details of her special day and here's what she told WE:

1. What was your theme and motif and what are the reasons for you deciding on it? Were there any special memories attached to any of your wedding details?

My husband and I are always all for the classic, clean and minimalist look. I have always loved the concept of Midsummer Night’s Dream/Nymph in the Woods but it can easily be overdone if executed too literally. What I did was to recreate the ambiance and mood, incorporate all the things I love about both concepts without it screaming too literal, and balance the details. The hardest part was in balancing everything. I wanted the details just enough to stand out, but not too much to be an eyesore. I wanted the marriage of light and airy, white and serene, and organic and earthy. I wanted long flowing dresses, foliages, lots of whites, greens and browns. The final theme just screamed rustic ethereal to me. To add that dash of elegance, I incorporated the motif dark teal and silver. However, I only used it sparingly, restricted to the female entourage dresses and for branding purposes (monograms, photobooth design, invites, nuptial accessories etc). The basic lines are still clean, simple and classic. I have to say that this wedding is my baby. I really didn’t know that I had this creativity in me, and I can’t believe how beautiful things turned out.

2.What were your sources of inspiration? Were there constant changes during the planning process?

I feel lucky that I am a bride in the digital age. Can you just imagine trying to plan a wedding from scratch? This year’s brides are even luckier because they have Pinterest already (it wasn’t popular yet during my preparations). I scoured Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty and Vatel Manila for ideas and inspiration. However, it was really through Dylan Gozum of Vatel Manila that I knew of these wedding blogs, and I even can say that he was the one who educated me and refined my taste in styling and all things wedding-related (through his constant blog entries and FB links)…enough to plan the wedding of my dreams.

I did the same mistake we women are always guilty of – being fickle-minded. So there really were a lot of changes in the planning process. I had a lot of ideas embraced and discarded in a span of a day. It was a learning process, I have to say. The end result however was everything that I’ve ever wanted.

3.What elements of the wedding did you decide to do yourself?

I’m not an arts and craft person, but I wanted to have my own stamp in my own wedding despite the lack of skills. Luckily, I had a lot of help. My husband and I did the moss ring pillow for the ringbearer following a set of instructions from a DIY site. My sisters and I burned the midnight oil decorating the souvenir apothecary jars filled with big white marshmallows. I embellished our Bible and made the missallettes.

My husband however, surprised me with his art talent (he was the one who did most of the props from our prenuptial shoot). I always knew he draws great and is good with hand tools but it’s the first time I’ve seen him actually engage in a concept, draw a design from it and execute it. It may sound cliché but there is indeed bonding in doing the DIYs together. It’s the realization of what each is capable of doing that makes the task fun and worthwhile.

4.What elements were your non-negotiables?

There were only two things that Abner and I agreed on splurging on – documentation and food. Documentation, because that’s what will remain with us after everything is done, and we felt it imperative that we get the right people to encapsulate our joie de vivre. Food, because however we deny it, guests associate good wedding memories with good food (we are very guilty of it, actually. We vaguely remember weddings or events which served mediocre food). In this regard, we also wanted to treat our guests to a sumptuous feast, and so we hired the best caterer out there. We planned a wedding entrée that has something for everyone’s palate and preferences, in portions probably more than enough for each guests.

Upon reflection, I think we did the right choices on our indulgences. Our wedding pictures really encapsulated the high spirits of our wedding. Hiring two sets of photographers may be expensive in actuality, but the entire body of work both did for our wedding was priceless. In fact, I have to state that they gave us more than what we paid them. As for our guests, they fondly remember the food served in our wedding. A few even hired our caterer for their respective weddings. It’s also funny to hear that one got 6 servings of the cocktails, another got 2 servings of steaks and 5 big prawns and think for myself, so that’s why there was only a Styrofoam of left-overs despite the excess food for the supposed number of guests.

5.How long did you plan your wedding from the moment you said “I will”?

It was a very long engagement suffice to say, a little under two years. We moved our wedding from 2010 to 2011 upon realizing that the wedding industry is really big, overwhelming and yes, hard on the pockets.

6. Was there an unforgettable moment during the planning stage? Any roadblocks or compromises made?

I can’t really remember any unforgettable moment because the planning stage was so smooth. A few glitches yes, but not really overwhelming enough to really craze me. About the compromises, my husband and I had a few. Our original 120-guest list got blown to 170 (because of me) and our caterer budget ballooned to eyebrow-raising levels because my husband needed to have his steak! Still, we are happy about both compromises because we both got what we wanted.

7. If there is one thing you'd like to do over and over on that day, what would it be?

The whole freakin’ day of course! It’s crazy but it was one of the happiest moments in our lives.

8.If you could pick just 3 wedding details that you absolutely loved about your wedding, what would they be?

Two comes to mind, my bouquet and my wedding gown. My gown designer Cecilio Abad once told me that no matter how crazy the day can get, the stress and jitters go away once the bride wears her gown and holds her luscious bouquet. If both are beautiful and in harmony with each other, nothing can faze the bride. He was right. When I got to wear both and got ready for portraits, I was such on a bridal high that not the rain, the late female entourage, or even the clueless bridal car driver could wrench me from my happy place.

9.Any advice for those currently planning their wedding?

Get competent suppliers. Competent doesn’t immediately mean expensive. To get competent suppliers, one must do extensive research, ask for feedbacks and do meetings with your short list of suppliers.

Invest on documentation and food. A surefire formula for a successful wedding and even beyond the wedding day.

Shell out on necessities. Yes, you need to pay more to get that peace of mind because that is worth every cent. Shell out a little more for a great coordinator because I guarantee you, your hair will still be intact after the wedding preps. Do not cry over spilled cents on a competent entourage designer because you will not cry when he/she delivers your dresses on time.

Be a TRUE bridechilla. Being chill doesn’t mean being lazy. A true bridechilla cares about the details that concern the comfort and convenience of her guests. She does her homework but does not fret on the process. She has the initiative to coordinate with her coordinator and not leave things up to her. A bridechilla has backup plan for everything and yet, doesn’t fly off the handle if those plans fail. Her mantra is: Overprepare, then go with the flow.

Just enjoy your wedding. Believe it or not, your mood resonates on your guests during your wedding. A jovial couple’s energy infects guests that they cannot help but feel the same. A giddy couple’s enthusiasm rubs off on everyone. A happy wedding ALWAYS thumps a perfect wedding anytime. :D