Kimita's Wedding Blog

CH at a Wedding

2010-08-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

So here are some photos of the CH dress I like at a wedding our photographers shot. It's pretty! I like the origami flowers and how they add texture to the gown.

Carolina Herrera

2010-08-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

Last stop, Carolina Herrera. She has very glamorous gowns, all beautifully detailed. I also loved how she used unexpected fabrics for some of her wedding dresses. Tried on a few during my visit there this morning and felt best in two gowns.

First, this white chiffon gown with gold beading and embroidery. It was so comfortable and looked gorgeous on me. PLUS it is one-of-a-kind. CH decided it would be too expensive to mass produce, so they only have the sample that they made for the runway show. I really like that it is unique and it has bling... But it doesn't look as good in pics as it did in person.

This other one is WOW in person and WOW in photos as well. It is hand painted, hand beaded, and embellished with tiny origami silk flowers. My only concern is that it is really heavy and I am not sure if it overpowers me. That's something mumsy will need to weigh in on when she visits.

Hair Stuff

2010-08-01T23:55:00.000-07:00

Marty and I are scheduling our engagement shoot in September or October, so we can have our photos to share with everyone by the holidays.

I will be doing my trial hair and makeup the day of the engagement shoot -- para hindi sayang ang makeover! So I have started to think about how I want my hair done for the wedding.

Initially, I was undecided between doing it up or doing it down with temporary hair extensions. My hair is so fine and I don't foresee any other excuse for getting extensions other than my wedding day. Hehe. But the more I think about it, the more I feel that doing it up will be appropriate. That way, I don't have to worry about it getting messy through the ceremony and reception. Also... I asked Marty and he said na he really likes my hair up.

I also know that I want some bling in my hair. :) Especially if I get the ODLR dress, because it doesn't have any embellishments. It is not very easy to find good hair bling here. I feel like we had a lot better stuff in the Phils... for a lot less $$$.

Momsy, can you please be on the lookout for hair bling you can bring here for me to try during my hair trial? Of course we are just looking at rhinestones or crystals -- no real hair bling, please!

Saks Bridal Salon

2010-07-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

Headed to the Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Salon in Beverly Hills this morning. When I stepped in, I thought: Wow, definitely should've come here earlier! They are the largest bridal store I have been to, and carry a range of designers, including: ODLR, Vera, Reem Acra, Melissa Sweet, Jenny Packham, and Carolina Herrera.

I tried on a couple of gowns that had the natural waist + full skirted silhouette I found was flattering on me. Fave ODLR was there and, of course, I had to try her on again. :)

New discovery: Kenneth Pool, who designs for Amsale (the same company that owns Christos). There were two gowns of his that I liked...

1) Flirtation: Doesn't look as pretty in photos, though. So it's out of the running.

2) Mesmerized: I remember trying this on at the first bridal store I visited in Seattle. Back then, I didn't know yet what I really wanted and I kinda forgot about this dress. It's really pretty, though. And I love how it has some bling around the waist.

What I DON'T like about Mesmerized?... It's been worn by another bride at our wedding venue. See all those pictures of the real bride? They were taken at Casa Del Mar. At least si ODLR sa Florida ko lang nakitang sinuot sa wedding.

...Not sure whether that should factor into my decision, though.

Anne Barge

2010-07-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

Kylicious! This dress by Anne Barge reminds me of the Michael Cinco gown you emailed me...

It should be available at the shop where I am going to try on the Primrose. Will check it out!

One last ODLR post. I promise!

2010-07-18T12:40:00.001-07:00

One of the things I love about the ODLR I've been eyeing is that not many brides have worn it yet. I spent a lot of time last night searching wedding blogs because I wanted to see the dress "in action" and make sure it looks good in wedding photos -- not just in ODLR ads and fashion show pictures.

But unlike Rocha, Bee, and some other gowns I liked, I was hard pressed to find pictures of it ANYWHERE. I think this is AWESOME because then it will look new and fresh and not something that every other bride has seen before.

I finally stumbled upon a wedding album of a bride who wore it to her South Beach, Florida wedding last April. And (as mom said) these pics were pretty much the clincher clincher. Look how gorgeous it is in pictures...

The guy at ODLR showed me pictures of their new (Spring 2011) bridal collection. But I didn't see anything that is as beautiful as this one! At this point, I am pretty much just waiting to see the Christos Primrose on August 21st.

Fave ODLR

2010-07-17T14:49:00.001-07:00

Oooh! Just found a better pic of the ODLR gown I REALLY like. So gorgeous! I tried it without the bolero (because boleros do NOT look good on me. It has a sweetheart/strapless neckline. Hmmm... now I kinda think I like this even more than Rocha!

Vera and Oscar

2010-07-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

Drove over to West Hollywood this morning to try on gowns by Vera Wang and Oscar De La Renta. It turns out that most of the well known designers have large boutiques within walking distance from each other: on Melrose Place and Melrose Ave. Monique Lhuillier and Carolina Herrera are also in the area, across the street from ODLR. Dapat pala I scheduled everything all in one day! :)

VW’s shop is very modern and sleek, versus ML’s which was more classic and refined. The salesladies there were also not as sweet and welcoming. For instance, I got to the store one minute before they opened at 10:00 am and all the ladies were just standing on the other side of the door staring at me and chatting until it was 10:00 am. First impression: not so good.

That said, the bridal consultant that took care of me was very sharp and attentive. What I liked about her was that she pulled gowns that I wouldn’t normally have tried on but that she thought looked good on me. And a lot of times, she was right. It helped expand my perspective on what I was looking for.

Gown-wise, what was striking about VW’s overall style is that she’s moved away from the more traditional, embellished gowns. Her overall style was a bit more edgy, with unfinished edges and layers that like they were messy but made sense at the same time. Kind of artful chaos. For example, here is a gown called Deirdre, which is one of the more popular ones from her recent collections:

To be honest, I went into the store thinking that I wasn’t going to find anything I liked. After all, my style is pretty traditional and refined. But, after trying on a few gowns, a few things were striking:

1) The gowns are SO light. They have a lot of volume but are so airy and cool.

2) A few that I tried on are REALLY flattering. I think it might be the contrast of the fitted bodice with the full skirt. In any case, they made my waist look really tiny.

The two that I liked both had lace on them and fuller skirts. This first one, Dinah had really pretty lace and ruching on the bodice. I tried it on with a plain ivory because I wasn’t too hot about the giant bow.

It was really pretty on me… but somehow I the pickups (pinned bunches) in front really bothered me. Also, it doesn’t look all that great in pictures, huh?

My favorite of was this one called Eliza…

I wasn’t sure I would like it because it had a bit of an edge to it. But I tried it on anyway because I like the silhouette. But instead of a black sash, I used an ivory one. It looked really, really good on me! And it looked so interesting because it had a lot of different layers and textures: the top has lace cutouts and the bottom has all this gorgeous pleating. AND it was really comfortable, cool, and light. I think that my only hesitation, though, is that it might look dated after awhile. Who knows how long this style of making dresses will last, right?

After giving Eliza another try, I headed down the block to Oscar De La Renta. You can totally tell that ODLR’s business is not built around wedding gowns. In other stores, you sit and chat with a bridal consultant first, who will afterwards pull a bunch of dresses based on your personal style and wedding vision. The bridal consultant also stays with you the whole time to help you in and out of dresses. At ODLR, it was more like: here are the dresses, enjoy!
What I loved about ODLR is that all their dresses have built-in corsets. So everything looked really flattering in me. I tried on a couple. First, this one with ruffles that reminded me of fish tails for some reason. It was very nice on me, but I felt like it was too much.

Then I tried on this one, which is similar to the Rocha in silhouette. It has really beautiful beading, which ODLR said is all made in India by a family that has been beading and embroidering fine clothing for generations. It has a light blue lining which makes all the details pop.

And last but not the least, my favorite...

You can’t really see from the picture because they covered it up with a bolero, but it has a sweetheart neckline. It also has embroidery all over the skirt and the bodice. And the silhouette fit me very well. I think that this gown might be the favorite of all I’ve tried so far… and it tied with Rocha.

Anyway I’m not stressing too much because I have over a year to go before the wedding. Also, the designers are getting their Spring 2011 collections in around August and September. This means trunk shows! And 10% discounts when you buy a gown during the trunk show, regardless of whether it’s from the new or old collection. I have already scheduled appointments up for the VW, ODLR, and Saks (Christos) trunk shows. Yay! Exciting!

Inspiration Board

2010-07-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

New Find: Christos

2010-07-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

I got a new wedding magazine today and saw this picture of a wedding dress called "Primrose"...

LOVE IT! It's classic, lacy, bridal, and seems to have a lot more oomph factor than the Rocha-lookalikes I've been researching. It's made by a designer called Christos, who I hadn't heard of before.

After researching a bit more online, I saw that she has a lot of really pretty dresses...

Julianna: Love the jewelled cap sleeves.

Springblossom: Floaty tulle over delicate lace.

Tresor: I think this has just the right amount of texture in the skirt. It looks special and dramatic without being too frou frou.

Christos gowns are available at Saks in BH... Excited to try them this weekend!

Engagement Sessions

2010-07-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here, it is customary to do an engagement session with your wedding photographer well in advance of your wedding date. Many couples will choose a picture from the e-session to use in "save the date" announcements, which are usually informal and fun vs. the actual wedding invite. They also help the bride and groom get used to being photographed... which I think is something I'll need to do kasi I get self conscious everytime someone waves a camera in my face.
I've been on the lookout for good venues to do ours. Ideally, it should be somewhere that is not only pretty but where we feel we can relax.

Earlier today, I was at Annenberg Community Beach House on Santa Monica state beach. It's a property owned by California state and recently opened to the public for swimming, picnics, events, etc. The estate was a gift from William Randolph Hearst to the actress, Marion Davies. Most structures were destroyed in an earthquake, but the original guest house is still standing...

I went to check it out as a potential reception venue. But the more traditional-looking space was way too small. And they don't allow alcohol other than wine and beer. Boo.

But it's PERFECT as an engagement session location. With both traditional and modern spaces and being right on the beach, there is no shortage of pretty backdrops. And best of all, doing a photo shoot there is free!... OMG some places charge as much as $1500 just so you can have a professional photographer take pictures there!

Rocha Alternatives

2010-07-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

I've been on the lookout for more affordable alternatives to ML's Rocha and here are a few that are similar in that they are made of lace and have trumpet silhouettes. Have made appointments to try these on next weekend. Keep you posted!

Enzoani Estella

Jim Hjelm 8763

For Fifi and Kylicious

2010-07-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Whenever I go to meet a wedding vendor they ask me very specific questions about what I like. This helps them estimate how much things cost. For example, the cost of a high floral centerpiece is very different from one with a lower centerpiece. And different types of table linens will have differing rental costs based on the color and material.

Initially, I had really no idea what I wanted. I would just say stuff like "classic" and "crystal vases" and "gold chairs". Since my first meeting, though, I've been doing A LOT of research so I can be as specific as possible when I talk to each vendor about what I would need them to do.

As you can imagine, I've been drawn to mostly blue, gold, and yellow wedding pics. But I will often find pictures of really pretty weddings in other colors. And those I see of green and purple weddings remind me of both of you. I know malayo pa kayo, pero I started saving these under "Fifi" and "Kylicious" files. Thought I would share some of these with you...

Catholic Weddings in Los Angeles

2010-07-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

Unlike in the Philippines, Catholic churches in Los Angeles do not require both couples to be baptized Roman Catholics. After having spoken to two churches, it appears that the Diocese of Los Angeles's has some standard requirements. A few I found interesting were...

1. We must sign a document committing to raise our children Catholic. This was okay with me because I had fully intended to do this anyway. :)

2. The bride and groom must each complete a 180-question test that gauges whether we are compatible and mature enough to marry. They actually said that you can FAIL this test and the church may refuse to marry you. Wow! I have no idea how they would even compute a passing score.

We are considering two churches: Saint Monica (which I blogged about two weeks ago) and Saint Timothy. Both are very beautiful and classic. Saint Monica is my current parish. And Saint Timothy was where I went to mass when I first moved to Los Angeles. It is on Pico Boulevard and Beverly Glen, very close to the apartment I stayed at on Beverly Drive.

The pictures in the post are of Saint Timothy, taken by the photographer we are considering working with for the wedding. One thing to note is that churches DO NOT allow flash photography during the ceremony. And they are typically dark inside, unlike those in the Philippines. So the photographer has to be really good at making it appear like there is a lot of light.

I met with the wedding coordinator of Saint Timothy last week. She grew up in Hong Kong! During our meeting, I was reminded of that tour guide (she looks and talks just like her)... The SHAK eat many peepoh areeeeeeehdy.

Inspiration

2010-07-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how many resources are available online to help brides decide what their wedding should look and feel like. Since I started wedding planning in June, I've already spent countless hours researching and filing away pictures of tablescapes, cakes, flowers, and bridesmaids' dresses that fit my wedding sensibility.

Interestingly enough, the picture I found that best represents what I want my wedding theme and feel to be is not from a wedding but from an online blog post that featured different Chinese wallpapers:

I love how the image feels luxurious without being too ornate or gaudy. Another thing that appealed to me is the balance of Asian and European styles -- which is a sensibility I think I picked up from the way that Momsy so expertly and beautifully decorates our homes. Also, I always knew that I wanted blue and gold for my colors. Blue, I've loved ever since I was little and gold, because that's what my name means in Chinese. I love the shade of blue in this picture and how the use of yellow makes everything bright, happy and alive.

I'm still trying to come up with a short phrase that describes my wedding style, but here are some words I'm kicking around in my head:

Refined
Classic
Luxurious
Bright

Any thoughts?

Blue Shoes, Perhaps?

2010-06-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing more and more colored bridal shoes in wedding magazines and blogs lately. There was that pair of blue Manolos made famous on the first Sex and the City movie...

...then there are these pretty Badgley Mischkas...

...pink with feathers from Manolo...

...and even this pair from J. Crew, which I think Kellda would love...

Still, I find my preferences leaning towards more traditional shoe-wise and otherwise. Maybe because it's because I'll have to look at my wedding pics *forever* and am worried that any risky fashion choices might end up very regrettable ten years down the road. Ex. "Anak, promise, uso yang blue shoes nung 2011."

In that case, maybe I should just stick to white, pale grey, or silver.

If I can't have Tom Brady...

2010-06-15T22:57:00.000-07:00

...I can at least get married in the same church. The same church where Gisele and Tom got hitched, that is.

I have my heart pretty much set on St. Monica Church in Santa Monica as the venue for the ceremony. It's about four blocks north of where I live, so it's in the neighborhood I call home. I also really love its style -- it looks traditional, unlike most churches here which are more modern and angular a la Church of the Gesu in Ateneo. Oh! And it's across the street from this pretty park. And I read in a bunch of wedding websites that the priest is really witty, smart, and funny! Parang too good to be true!

Talked to them about the process for getting married there, expecting that they would be as strict as the churches in the Philippines. But...

They don't require both the bride and the groom to be Catholics. All that is required is that one of us was baptized and that we agree to raise all our future children in the Catholic faith... which is what I was planning anyway.
They don't have any restrictions on wearing strapless gowns.
They only require one written compatibility test, one priest interview, and one counseling session to be cleared for matrimony. I was expecting multiple counseling sessions over several months.

From a cost standpoint, they are also very reasonable, with a package for the church, officiant, organist, vocalist (extra if more than one), and two mass servers.

I really, really, really hope that they have availability for when we are planning to get married. Have heard that they get booked up really fast -- and September is a peak month for weddings. Marty and I will need to attend an info session next Wednesday and then meet with the priest before we are assigned a date.

Keeping my fingers... and toes... crossed.

Full-Skirted Gowns... Will they look good on your 5'2" Ate?

2010-06-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

So Kyla sent me this pic of a gorgeous Michael Cinco gown she saw at Manila fashion week. I swear it looks so much prettier than any gown I've seen here. Looove it. Was initially looking at this silhouette: natural waist, full skirt when I was looking at gowns. I tried these by Monique Lhuillier on when I went to her atelier (tama ba yung word) on Melrose. They were both the same silhouette. I really liked the one with silver beading on the neckline pero initially I thought it was too simple for a Manila wedding. I tried it on in three different places (Seattle, LA, San Diego) and everyone who saw me in it (even people I didn't know) said it looked best on me. Now that I'm thinking of a US wedding I think it might be appropriate. It's also less than half the price of that lacy ML gown I you saw me try on in SF. Only thing I'm worried is na mawala sa uso yung pickups design on the skirt.

The other one (Lyric), while really pretty in the pics was SO HUGE on me that it kind of overwhelmed me. The lady at the ML store said that they could reduce the skirt volume to adjust to my height... But somehow I'm not convinced.

Full skirt or otherwise, I will have to get my arms and shoulders toned to look good in any of the dresses I've been looking at!

Monique Lhuillier "Rhianna"

Monique Lhuillier "Lyric"

Shutters on the Beach

2010-06-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

I was telling mom that I would love to have my ceremony or reception on the beach. Duh. What a surprise, huh? You guys obviously know how much of a frustrated beach bum I am. Well one of the great things about getting married in SoCal is the abundance of beach wedding venues: hotels, golf courses, public beaches, private homes. You name it.

One thing I'm learning is that there are a lot of benefits to holding your ceremony and/or reception in a venue that is geared towards weddings, vs. another one which is basically just an empty space (ex. giant mansion on the beach). With the more traditional venue, the upfront costs might be higher. Other venue types, while cooler because these are more unique, might have a lot of hidden costs such as setup, cleaning, sound system, extra caterer costs because they don't have a prep location... Yikes! That said, a venue I've read a lot of good things about is a hotel called Shutters on the Beach. And it's right in Santa Monica, super close to where I live.

I've never been there, but it seems really pretty!

Let The Planning Begin

2010-06-15T21:42:00.000-07:00

Mumsy, Sisters, Titas, and Cousins in Manila:

Greetings from Santa Monica! I'm super excited to get started on wedding planning, especially with how gorgeous all the venues are here. Lots and lots of options and I'd love to hear your thoughts as I think through everything.

Funny because I never really thought of myself as someone who would get excited about planning a wedding... when I got engaged a couple of months ago I was even thinking it would be fine with me to just do a JOP (justice of peace) wedding. But it feels that the longer I am engaged and the more I think about it, the more I want to have a memorable, beautiful wedding. Don't know what it is. Blame the girl gene?...

...Or blame the Centeno compulsion to plan and control things to death? Must admit that I'm enjoying having a project outside of work to direct my energies towards. Now I just have to make sure I don't ignore Marty in fifteen months leading up to September 2011.

Hmmm...What about 09/10/11 as a date? Hehe. Cute.

Love,
Kimita