The Wedding Fact Sheet

I treasure my recent meeting with Oliver Tolentino, one of the Philippines’ fast-rising fashion designers. He shuttles between continents, as he has shops in both Los Angeles (California) and Manila (Makati City). He has dressed up a number of celebrities including Imelda Marcos, Lea Salonga, singer Patti Austin, former Spice Girl Mel B and Kimora Lee Simmons.

A check with his website shows that he specializes in wedding gowns as well. In the interview that follows, get to know more about his style and how he’s bent on promoting the best of Filipino fabrics. We think he will provide the perfect, contemporary touch to your Filipiniana or eco-chic theme wedding

What’s your signature design and design philosophy?

My designs always have some Filipino touch, usually the detailing.  I love to use colors and prints and mix them in ways that you initially wouldn’t think would work.  

What are your insights on eco-ethical design (in the Philippines and abroad)?

Eco fashion / sustainable fashion is the hottest thing right now and wherever I go I promote our native fabrics.  I personally have introduced them to the fashion dean of Parsons in New York, the owners of Paul Mitchell, an eco fabric charity in Hong Kong, the crowd at the Ronald Reagan 100th birthday gala, and my fashion shows in the Bahamas and Palm Springs.  I get a lot of pride out of exposing what we Filipinos can create to people who have never seen our indigenous fabrics.

So far, what do you think is your greatest achievement as a designer?

I’m proud to be the first Philippines-based fashion designer to expand into the United States when I opened a shop in Los Angeles.  But I don’t think it (greatest achievement) has happened yet. 

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EDSA Shang-ri La, a member of the Shangri-La group of hotels and resorts, is easily considered one of the best hotels in Manila. We’ve stayed in this hotel once and eating here has never been a disappointment. They serve great food! And knowing how cuisine easily comes in the equation whenever we talk of wedding receptions, the name EDSA Shang will no doubt be considered by couples who have the money to spend.

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If you are a betrothed couple still looking for a place to hold your wedding or wedding reception, consider going to the Crystal Weddings Open House at the Banahaw Ballroom of The Legend Villas on May 13 to 15, 2011 from 10 am to 7 pm. The event will showcase the hotel’s unique Crystal Weddings themes – the magical Quartz and sophisticated Onyx. I’ve written before about how this hotel is perfect for small, intimate weddings, with good food and great service to boot!

“We have been receiving numerous inquiries on our Crystal Weddings packages since we launched it last March. We decided to organize an open house so our clients can see for themselves the actual wedding set-up. The three-day event also entitles guests to free food tasting and in-house promos,” said Karen Reyes, Sales and Marketing Director of The Legend Villas.

The Quartz package is ideal for couples who prefer a fairy tale-themed wedding. The classical table setting reflects timeless elegance while the luminous decor accentuates an aura of magical merriment.

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Now it can be told: Kate Middleton’s beautiful tiara was lent to her by her new mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II from the royal family’s heirloom jewelry collection. The earrings, on the other hand, was designed to complement the tiara and was given to the blushing bride as a gift from her doting parents, Michael and Carole Middleton.

The tiara, which sat above the soft, ivory silk tulle veil of the new Duchess of Cambridge, has a fascinating history. According to the Royal Wedding website, it is a halo tiara ” made by Cartier in 1936 and was purchased by The Duke of York (later King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King. The tiara was presented to Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen) by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday.”

The bride’s earrings, on the other hand, are described as “diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the centre.” They were made by London-based Robinson Pelham who often work on private commissions from their rich clientele.

It is true that the right jewelry can accentuate a wedding gown and set one’s wedding day look. One basic principle is to avoid ostentation. By choosing simple, understated jewelry, the fashionable princess Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, once again made the right choice.

By now you’ve heard about the fashion acclaim that followed the revelation of Kate Middleton’s wedding gown when she got married to Prince William. It was, indeed a beautiful vision in ivory and lace and the theme that comes to mind is Romantic. We can never stress enough that the royal regalia will set the trend for wedding gowns in the years to come. I guess there will be more fully-clothed brides who will just show a hint of skin through the lace. Strapless gowns are definitely out.

There was more to the Princess Kate’s wedding gown designed by Sandra Burton for Alexander McQueen. It aimed to showcase the best of British craftsmanship through the Royal School of Needlework.

Just take a look at how the whole process of Kate Middleton’s wedding gown was fashioned out:

” The lace design was hand-engineered (appliquéd) using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. Individual flowers have been hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design, which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock.

Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace has been used throughout the bodice and skirt, and has been used for the underskirt trim. With laces coming from different sources, much care was taken to ensure that each flower was the same colour. The whole process was overseen and put together by hand by Ms Burton and her team.

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The best things in life….cost money! But if you have the means, why not settle for premium class? In Manila, I’ve always been a fan of Makati Shangri-La. Their service is superb and the quality of their cuisine never fails. This is the reason why it is always in demand for grand celebrations like once-in-a lifetime weddings and wedding receptions.

For 2011, a classic wedding reception at Makati Shang starts at P218,500 for a sitdown menu and P231,500 for buffet setup. These are good for the first 100 persons. An Oriental themed wedding, on the other hand, starts at P422,420 for a lauriat menu for the first 15 tables. But one will actually be heartened by the number of inclusions which I will tell you later.

Here’s a look at how the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La can be set up for a wedding (photos courtesy of the hotel) -

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I remember how I loved going to wedding fairs and exhibits prior to getting wed. I guess it’s all a part of being an enthusiastic and excited bride-to-be! Since these fairs and exhibits gather together all the industry’s major suppliers in one roof, they can make life easy for you, especially if you’re on the lookout for fresh ideas and is scouting for the cheapest, most reasonable deals.

It is the wedding expos where wedding suppliers offer freebies, huge discounts and other irresistible treats. For example, travel and tour operators can give you extras for your honeymoon, if you book them. You’ll also be invited to caterer’s free tasting so you can sample their food. And you can get as much as P15,000 discount on your wedding photo-video package. Not bad isn’t it?

So if you’re getting wed, make sure you have the schedule of wedding and bridal expos at hand. Here’s our partial list for 2011:

March 12-13, 2011
Wedding Expo Philippines
SMX Convention Center
Mall of Asia
(organized by Themes & Motifs)

May 14-15, 2011
Before I Do: 9th Weddings & Debuts Fair
Megatrade Hall 1
SM Megamall
(organized by VRC CReative Events Management)

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Manila Ocean Park
Rizal Park
Paco Park
Intramuros
Fort Santiago
Manila Orchidarium
Manila Hotel
University of Santo Tomas
Harbor Square
CCP Complex
Sofitel Philippine Plaza
National Museum complex

In Quezon City -

La Mesa Ecopark
UP Diliman
Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife
Ateneo de Manila
Ayala Technohub

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The prenuptial photo shoot may not be as important as the wedding ceremony itself, but it’s already a tradition for betrothed couples to hold this. Images from a prenup shoot are useful during the wedding reception when they’re shown as part of the program, usually in the form of a slideshow or a video. The prenup is usually included in a photographer or videographer’s wedding package already, but you can also negotiate for this to be considered as a freebie.

We had our prenuptial shoot at Island Cove resort in Cavite two weeks before our wedding. Why did we choose this place? Maybe because I still haven’t tried the resort (nothing grand about the experience) and I didn’t really want to go too far since we were already very busy before our Big Day. I am glad our session with my make-up artist and the Redsheep team went well.

Here are some important things to consider when planning your prenuptial photo and/or video shoot:

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Are you planning for a wedding reception near the cities of Makati, Pasig and Mandaluyong? Then, it might be worthwhile to check out The Legend Villas, a charming hotel in a Filipino setting. I’ve always liked The Legend Villas for their food and their reasonable prices and this could be worth considering for couples looking for a value-for-money venue for their wedding reception.

The Legend Villas has two ballrooms for special occasions. One is the bigger Banahaw Ballroom, a 248 square meter space that accommodate a wedding with as many as 142 guests in full buffet set-up. Using ala carte setup, the ballroom can accommodate about 150 pax.

The Raja Ballroom has 142 square meters and can be further divided into three function rooms at 47 square meters each. This ballroom can accommodate 82 people in full buffet setup and 106 people if without, making it perfect for small intimate weddings.

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