The Wedding Fact Sheet

We were fortunate enough to meet hairstyling legend Ricky Reyes recently and be treated to a whole day of primping in his newest salon, the Ricky Reyes One on One on the ground floor of Transcom Building, beside Fun and Tiendesitas in Libis, Quezon City.

It seems the target market of the newest RR venture are call center personnel in the same building and residents of neighboring villages. But we were glad to find that they are grooming the place for beauty parties where you and your friends can treat yourself to a whole day of manicure, hair treatments, facials, foot spas and even a massage. The extensive menu of services makes sure head-to-toe pampering is within reach.

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Klaudia Koronel and Andy Zhang

Former sexy star Klaudia Koronel, founder of the OFW forums site mabuhaycity.com, is preparing for her Aug. 28 wedding to Chinese-American fiance Andy Zhang, who is an IT consultant.

The wedding will be held at the Iglesia ni Cristo Central Temple in Diliman, Quezon City while the reception will be held at the Fernwood Gardens, also in Quezon City.

Designer Edward Teng has been tapped to do the bridal gown, which will most likely be of conservative cut, given the bride’s religion. Dina Joson of the House of Magdalene Bridal Shop in Bulacan will do the bride’s reception gown as well as the rest of the entourage.
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Saying ‘I do’ has never been more creative with the assortment of theme wedding packages from the Diamond Hotel, ranging from the cool to the fanciful.

Diamond Hotel theme wedding

For example, the Cherry Blossoms Theme portrays the soft side of Japanese pop art and natural elements. The effect is almost Zen-like with the use of pastels and muted hues and a tranquil feel that soothes the soul. For this package, the hotel’s famed Yurakuen Restaurant prepares a banquet, with platter after platter of tasty Japanese dishes that can only astound guests for their pure taste.

All that Jazz wedding theme

The All that Jazz theme, on the other hand, is for music lovers. The design uses muted colors of blue and purple in materials that resemble the night sky. Deriving inspiration from jazz, swing and blues, the centerpieces are miniature saxophones, trumpets and other instruments. The over-all impression is that of a “modern bar look.”
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Pan Pacific Manila is known as the “butler hotel” because there’s a butler on hand at all times to attend to the specific needs of hotel guests. This premier establishment consists of 21 floors highlighted by the Pacific Lounge on the top floor with an encompassing view of the Manila skyline and a podium complex studded with superb dining facilities.

Pan Pacific Manila is also an ideal venue for weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations. Their Pacific Grand Ballroom can accommodate as many as 450 guests cocktail style and 330 persons for banquet seating. Their four other ballrooms can accommodate 50-60 guests.

Pan Pacific Manila’s Celebrations Package for 50-100 persons is inclusive of the following amenities:
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Easily one of the most popular food in Filipino weddings is lechon, or roasted suckling pig. We normally serve it on big occasions like fiestas, birthdays, anniversaries, parties and of course, weddings. The lechon might be roasted pig (baboy) or roasted calf (baka). The latter is more expensive, but any which way, they’re gooood!

It’s no surprise then that a Filipino wedding won’t be complete without lechon. Usually the server or waiter cuts it up into pieces and piles the pieces up unto the guests’ plate, on demand. The meat may be served with lechon sauce, but in the case of the increasingly popular Cebu lechon, no sauce is needed.
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Because I work in Ermita, the tourist district of Manila, I often pass by Ibarra’s Garden – a popular venue for weddings, birthdays and special celebrations. I haven’t really attended an event here but it does look cozy and welcoming from the outside. If you like structures from another era, this is it. Ibarra’s Garden is an old house that dates back to the 1920s and is American art deco-inspired. It reflects the grandeur of a time gone when people partied in their ball gowns and arrived in horse-drawn carriages. If you know what I mean

The only problem I see with this venue is the parking, a common concern in Manila where land is getting constricted by the day. It would be good news if they have valet parking, but I wasn’t able to ask.
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For an extra special touch to your wedding, try to hold the rites or the reception in a place that’s out of the ordinary, like a butterfly garden, a yacht club or even a ranch. In our case, we held it in Manila Ocean Park, the Philippines’ biggest oceanarium. I fell in love with this place during our first visit and just knew we had to hold our reception there. First of all, I wanted to have a picture with the little sharks, manta rays and other rare fish species. Silly me. Am glad that it all turned out fine, as you can see in the picture.

What’s good about the Manila Ocean Park? First of all, there’s the priceless view of Manila Bay and its glorious sunset, accessible from the balcony or the glass-panelled windows of the Ozeano Fusion restaurant (where we held our reception). Your guests can savor the breeze, and if you’re gallant enough, treat them for free entrance to the oceanarium itself. Here they can get acquainted and educated with the diversity of our rich marine life.
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During the last Flores de Mayo held at the Mall of Asia during the last week of May, I was able to bump into Renee Salud, one of the Philippines’ most enduring designers who created the bridal gown of TV personality Tintin Bersola and other top fashion models in the country (like one of her ‘alagas,’ Marilen Espino).

I was teasing Mama Renee about how expensive her wedding gowns must be, after which she replied with an exclamation mark: “Not at all!” Apparently, you can have a Renee Salud wedding gown for about P30K only. It really depends on how you negotiate with her, and the specifics of your dream gown.

My impression after talking with her is that the country’s top fashion designers have adopted to the changing times. They have larned to adjust, knowing that today’s brides are more budget- and cost-conscious than ever.

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Wedding day jitters can bring havoc to the skin and complexion of a would-be bride, that much is true. On the countdown to the Big Day, it is important – more than ever – to visit the spa or consult one’s skin specialist, either for treatment or consultation on how to look your glowing best on the most important day of your life.

If a visit to a dermatologist seems expensive or out of the way, one need not look far. There’s a Clinique counter at a Rustan’s branch (and Essences) near you.

Even though the market is already saturated with lots of skin care and make up products, I trust Clinique because it has been existing for as long as I can remember. In the finicky matter of skin care, reliability and credibility is best. Let’s just say our family loyalty to the brand spans generations, starting with my grandma, mom and aunts. Thanks to them, me and my sisters would always get loads of Clinique goodies from the US.
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In case you’re wondering, that’s the picture of the Tiffany box cake and cupcake tower made by premier baker Joy San Gabriel for our wedding.

Needless to say, am happy to have contracted her services during our special day, even though I didn’t really have the time to canvass other suppliers. The trick is to canvas the best the first time!

For as long as her schedule allows, it’s really no fuss booking her. She promptly answers emails and all it takes to finalize everything is to visit her bakeshop in Galas, Quezon City. Ms. San Gabriel’s family owns the building and her baking workshop is on the top floor which engulfs you with a nice baking smell once you enter.
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