All about my Modern Filipiniana themed Wedding!
I know this post is running a little on the late side, but I’m still getting requests for more info and photos months after my initial right-after-the-wedding posts! I’ve also been overdue for a new blog post so I figured I might as well go over all the details here. Better late than never!
First off, after getting engaged in December we set the date for June 2021. We knew we wanted a “covid wedding” as it would be the perfect time to have a small, intimate celebration. We ended up changing our itinerary more than 3 times to keep up with the ever-changing restrictions of the pandemic. The week before the wedding we were ready to have a 10 person wedding, but restrictions lifted literally the day before our date and we were able to have a 25 person wedding including all of our immediate families, and entire wedding party!
The Theme…
For our intimate wedding, I knew I wanted something ulra-modern and ultra-chic! We agreed on an all white colour scheme (if you know me, you know this is my go-to party theme), with prominent clear & glass decor details.
Getting ready …
We had a late afternoon ceremony, so we started getting ready around 10 AM in my (old) home office in my parents house. My bestie bridesmaid, Fariba, did my makeup with a natural, warm palette which had me glowing throughout the day! I had my hair done by the talented Uno Jo in a modern, low pony tail with thick waves and pearl pin details.
The look …
My shoes were the first piece of my bridal look that I finalized and purchased. I fell in love with these clear, PVC and jewelled, pointy-toed heels from The Bay. I felt like they embodied my ultra-modern and ultra-chic theme perfectly. Once I bought them, I found the pearl earrings from Kasa Kasama and loved how the bow shape would match the bow on my heels. To tie all my accessories together, I decided on individual pearl pins to accent my hair and match with the pearl earrings.
The dress…
At the beginning of my design process, I had trouble deciding between a ballgown and a slimmer silhouette. I loved how the ballgown made me feel like a princess, but felt like the dress was swallowing me up (I’m just over 5ft and was barely 100 lbs at the time). I decided on a slim silhouette that hugged my hips and flared from my thighs, with a plunging neckline and sheer, low, corset styled back with butterfly/terno sleeves of course.
Stephen’s look …
Like my bridal outfit, Stephen wanted something that reflected our Filipino heritage but in a modern way. I loved the look of a barong, but he really wasn’t a fan of a sheer top. To compromise, I made him a dress shirt styled modern barong made of premium cotton, featuring a mandarin collar, hidden button closure, and machine embroidery to mimic the designs of a traditional barong. This also helped him stand out from his groomsmen who all wore traditional filipino barongs!
Our first look …
We both liked the idea of a private first look which gave us time to ourselves as a couple, as well as time to take some formal photos before the rush of the actual ceremony. We shot our first look in our venue’s inside hall with windows facing the lake as our backdrop.
Family Photos…
Once we completed our first look, we took some family photos in the same room in front of the fireplace, decorated with florals. It was nice to have this time to spend with just our immediate family members before we all got too busy during the ceremony and mini reception plans afterwards.
Fun Fact: Stephen and I had our first valentine’s date here at the Henley Room years ago when it used to host paint nite events. After that first date, we both knew we wanted to get married here and we’re so blessed to have been able to make it a reality!
The Ceremony…
We had the ceremony on the dockside of the venue. It was beautifully styled by Marianne from Dukes & Daisies with all white flowers, a clear arch, and acrylic chairs to match our overall theme. It was live streamed to our private facebook event for our friends and family who we couldn’t include in our guest count. Our officiant was our childhood Pastor from the church we grew up in, who also dedicated both of us when we were babies as well as baptized us when we grew older! Other than our bridesmaids and groomsmen, the rest of our guests were made up of our Ninongs and Ninangs who also wore all white.
We wrote our own vows on clear sheets which we DIY’d by using a white marker pen on small acrylic boards. Since we already had our civil wedding at city hall the month before, our ceremony was short and just included our exchange of vows, ring ceremony, pronouncement, prayer, presentation of the newlyweds and the kiss of course!
The reception…
At this time, receptions were prohibited but outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people were still permitted. So right after the ceremony, we had my parents backyard decorated with treats to take home and takeout boxes for our families and sponsors. We gave everyone a timeslot to stop by for personal photos and to grab their sweets and takeout dinner. Once everyone had gotten their food, we spent the rest of the night dancing and partying with our 4 groomsmen and 4 bridesmaid! The night couldn’t have been more perfect.
Special mentions:
Coordinator: Paula Tung
Cake and Macarons: Claire’s Sweets
Photographer: Gloria Liang
Videographer: Mae from Olivebox Creative