My Bestfriend's Wedding

I randomly received a text message from my best friend one working day. From anecdotes, reports and consultations, which were my expected daily “receivables”, I suddenly got an unexpected message that read: “I’m engaged!”. Kaye and I have been best friends since our grade school days. It was quite easy to keep the friendship intact ‘til high school since we both attended the same school. It was in college that our communication had been quite cut off. I was busy with dance and she was preoccupied with some other things. But despite the minimal communication and time we spent with each other, we were able to keep the friendship strong. We would update each other on milestones in our lives, hence, the message.

With the message, I knew that I would be playing a role in someone else’s wedding, although Kaye is not just “someone else” in my life – she’s my best friend! So, the very first role I played was...HER STYLIST! Love it! Here are some photos friends and I took during the shoot. 

It was a tiring 9-4 day! but i enjoyed every minute of it! I’ll be posting the final photos soon!

Someone's Walking Down the Aisle Again!

I was reminded 4 months ago that I was no longer 18 but 9 years more than what I always thought I was, or hoped I was. And I guess the reminder would just keep coming in – like an alarm clock that keeps ringing, reminding me of the time, or should I say my age. I’m 18 + 9 years old and so are most of my friends. Some would be walking down the aisle and some are just like me – dressing up to attend someone else's wedding.

The latest “I Do” event that I attended was a Filipiana-inspired one. I wanted to stay true to my styling rule of not looking like everybody else so I planned on dressing up like one of the early Filipino women shown in the Boxer Codex - fully accessorized, dripping in gold. As early as July, I had my whole look ready…in my head. The clear picture I had of how I wanted to look started becoming sketchy – first, Manang Hermie (my super OC mananahi) couldn’t accommodate me, then the piece I found – a nude jumpsuit wasn’t available in the branch I went to. These unfortunate events forced me to think of a new concept just 2 days before the wedding.

I donned what I would call a “cultured” look. I wore a coral pink one-shoulder dress, paired it with my sister’s turquoise peep-toe pumps, and accessorized it with 2 of my greatest 2010 finds – a gold cuff and necklace with a statement Egyptian pendant.

When someone's going to walk down that aisle again there would always be that one person who'd love to attend - to witness the love story and of course to dress up!

The Finds
Dress: Luca
Peep-Toe Pumps: CMG
Bag: Mango
Cuff: SM Department Store
Necklace: Naturalia

Fashionista:Make Your Stylist Proud

There will come a point in which people would no longer need you. You can look at it in 2 ways - they may have found someone else to do things for them or they may have found themselves through you. I guess my work is done as her stylist. She made me proud as she styled herself in one of the events she attended.

She made sure she didn't look like everybody else. Her look reminded me of Jo Ann Bitagcol, the model turned photographer in her semi-androgynous look.

The Finds:
Sheer Top - Mango
Black Pants - SM Department Store
Heels - Gibi
Black Bag - My mom's
Animal Printed Scarf - Thrift Shop

Captured: More of Ja and Nini

I love photo shoots!!! It gives me the opportunity to do what I love most - finding.
Clothes. Location. And People.
In this prenup shoot we had amazing finds.

LOCATION
Who would ever think that Narra Residence Hall would turn out to be an amazing location for a shoot? It was once home to two extremely different groups of men - the manly and the "pretty" iskos.


Karen, peeking through a hole (not in the wall). It was Karen's playground.

We didn't just make one good location find. Next stop...UP BLISS.
Love, Love, Love it!!!

CLOTHES
The most reliable shop of all, opened its doors for me, when I say open, I mean wide open. All of Nini's clothes were from what Jeff and I would call our "BLOOMINGDALES" - the ukayan. The grueling part was in finding pieces for Ja. I wasn't ready to style a man. I was saving that moment for ________ (sikreto!) Shall reveal very soon! It's all up to Mike...hehehe. Back to the clothes, we got help from Ja's personal stuff and of course mixed it with amazing finds from the men's department of "BLOOMINDALES".
PEOPLE
There's an unending meeting of new people. Everyday you come across new faces, try to remember new names. Sometimes, you don't mind, most of the time, you forget. But there would be those who will forever be remembered. Thanks Ja and Nini for making us part of this! You both are an amazing find!!!

Captured: Ja and Nini

I have been knocking on the gigantic gilded doors of the fashion world for quite some time now. I knew I needed a break from that emotionally tiring act. I was too stubborn. I didn't want to stop.. not until the demands of being a bride's maid kept coming in. Had to put that stubbornness aside as I kept myself busy with Love and Mark's wedding. I was saved from a knuckle-breaking moment!

But everything comes to an end. The wedding was done. The bride is now a wife, the groom, a husband. And the bride's maid? Ohh well, I was back to reading Preview and Surface, browsing style.com while finishing my 2nd cup of coffee.

I was about to start knocking on that knuckle-breaking door when I received a text message from the "not-so-long-ago bride", Love, asking if I was willing to style another prenup shoot. HUWOW!!! Another knuckle-saving opportunity for me! I grabbed it and tagged my partner-in-crime along, the photographer na may malayang diskarte.

Me in action. Trying to make Nini look like a flapper girl.

When doors open...You find someone.

The walls speak.

And when doors close...it's comforting to know you have someone.

Couple: Ja and Nini
Stylist: Jai Astilla
Photgrapher: Karen Versoza
Location: Narra Residence Hall, UP Diliman

Here Comes the Bride...'s Maid: Captured Moments

The staircase - it just adds drama to an already dramatic event. It was raining hard the day before and we were all praying for a miracle to unfold. Was she able to have the walk she envisioned?...

Yes, she did!The Quartet started playing "My Beloved" as she walked towards her man. Not a single drop of rain fell.Moments like these still make you believe in love...

Mr. and Mrs. Llena - the Dancer and the Physicist

Witnessing the culminating of this love story was such a blessed experience. Thanks Love and Mark for making me part of this wonderful event. I Love You both soooo much!!!

Venue: La Huerta Estate, Antipolo
Wedding Photos by: Dux Carvajal and Mark Ouano

Here Comes The Bride...'s Maid: The Day

No more wishing that shopping malls could be more flexible with their operating hours. Gone were the moments in which I’d find myself waking up in the middle of the night thinking of low-heeled bridal shoes, stunning accessories, and jaw dropping bridal gowns. I’m now back to the same old routine – Love and Mark’s wedding was last August 9, 2010, a month and 16 days ago, tomorrow would be a month and 17 days since, 18 days from now, it would be 2 months from the time they said “I do”. I’m still not over the feeling of that celebration – I find myself counting days, weeks and months since I saw the culminating of that love story. Am just proud I was part of it!!! Not as the bride but the bride’s maid.
Just can't get over it...Reminisce with me....

ALL ABOUT THE GROOM

He didn't insist on wearing a lab gown. The physicist was off duty that day. He was ready to be a husband... in style!

He really looks ready!!!

Mark's signature pose

ALL ABOUT THE BRIDE

We only worked with a seamstress! The gown was perfect! More than what we envisioned it to be!
Gown by Ate Joy
Sleepless nights because of you!!! The first pair we purchased was pretty amazing but didn't quite fit the whole look. Searching for this pair trained me a lot in being a stylist.
Shoes are from pretty fit (Cinderella SM Megamall). Thanks Mona!!!

Finding people to work with is crucial - especially when you are working on one of the most important events in your life. Just so lucky we found Rose and Jet!
Make-up by Rose Villanueva
Hair by Jet Brondial
Bru, you look stunning! I shall forever be your stylist!!!

Wedding Photos by: Dux Carvajal and Mark Ouano

Profile: 18 + 9 Years Old

I never thought it would be this soon but I knew it was coming.

It seemed like yesterday when seventeen year-old girls would hand me pretty dainty cards, inviting me to welcome them to the not-so teen world. Those cards brought me no pressure at all. Being 18 still meant you were young. It was still quite far from thirty. I had several years to learn what I had to, prepare and plan for my career life. Life was sailing…slowly…as I thought it was. Not until I kept hearing friends, thrilled with excitement in declaring the 2 most coveted words – “I’m Engaged”.

“How old am I?” I’m 18 + 9 years old, 3 more years before I reach thirty. The boat I was in was sailing too fast. Or was time ticking faster than I ever thought? Was a year reduced to 6 months without my knowledge? Reality Check! It's the next chapter in a love story. It’s the season of hearing “I do’s” and wedding vows. A bunch of flowers will be catapulting on air. How many should one catch to assure her of a spot as the next bride? How many times does one have to be a bride's maid before she becomes the bride?

Movies and books always portray bride's maids as pathetic women eagerly waiting to be the next bride. Well, it's partly true. Let me stress the word partly. Now I know that bride's maids are not just people you ask to parade down the aisle on your wedding day. Thank God my friend reintroduced the term to me - loving the title rather than sulking over the idea that I will always be the bride's maid but never the bride. Come take the adventure with me and say...Here comes the Bride...'s maid.

Shall be sharing with you wedding preps and bride's maid duties!