Here are more WE-featured couples with their special edition covers.

Ed and Cheryl Wong




Derek and Trina Sotto




Marco and Katrina Alcantara




Marc and Ruth Navarro




And Vince and Nina Rodriguez, our official Beautiful Weddings 2008 "cover couple"

Hi everyone, been out of circulation for a while but we`re back again with something from our recent party at the Manansala Loft at Rockwell. Last Oct 8, WE invited the 30 brides we featured in this year`s Beautiful Weddings. We were very excited because several nights before that event, we were like Santa`s elves in the office doing something very special for these 30 couples. We`re not sure if you`ve heard about it already, but this is what we did, happily =), for the 30 beautiful couples whose beautiful weddings touched us-


WE gave them- their own cover =)

Stan and Jenny Ong




Sigfrid and Rhea Castro




Jed and Lesley Santos




This idea is thanks to our publisher ECYIII, whose ideas never fail to (in the following order) shock, amuse and excite us. Thanks Bob!

will post more photos later, can`t seem to upload the rest of the pics- sorry!

Hello dear We♥Weddings readers, this is Cynthia signing in for the first time in a month, I think? Eep! Sorry for the lack of updates from my end, I've actually had my hands full working on the layouts for the upcoming Beautiful Weddings issue (abangan), among other things.

***
Anyway, in Wedding Essentials' current issue's We to You letter, we mentioned that we've both been pursuing our passions on the side - Marbs with travel and me with other artistic diversions.

I'm happy to report that we are still very much at it. As of this writing, jetsetter Marbee is halfway across the globe travelling through Russia and Paris! I'm sure she'll have lots of stories to share with us soon. :)

In my case, I recently took part in Frailty, a group show featuring the works of 33 female artists in the fields of art and design. Please see this article for a complete listing of all the chickas.

The photo below features a detailed portion of my piece, Sleeping Like A Marble Girl. (Photo by Karlo Samson):



We had the opening night last Saturday and it turned out be quite a party since it also coincided with Pablo Gallery's 3rd anniversary. [photos]

The exhibit will run until October so please feel free to drop by Pablo Gallery at Cubao X to take a peek at all the lovely artworks made by my colleagues in the art/design industry. :)

***
And because I'm still on diversion mode, my Print Gocco is something I've been putting to good use lately.

From Wikipedia:

Gocco (プリントゴッコ, Purinto Gokko?, "Print Gocco") is a self-contained compact color printing system invented in 1977 by Noboru Hayama.

The Gocco is such a neat contraption - I kinda liken it to having your own mini printing press. Brides-to-be all over the world have been going crazy making d-i-y invites, favor tags and personalized bridal stationery with it. (And then after you get married, you can use it for your thank you cards, your first born's baptismal cards, your daughter's debut inv... alright, you get my drift.)


It's really fun and easy to use too. There's a step-by-step tutorial and guide on my blog that I posted some months ago [go]

Here are some photos of cute printed things others have made using the Gocco:






After seeing all that eye candy you're now probably thinking "...but where can I buy a Print Gocco and its supplies in the Philippines?"

A quick Google search led me to One Tiny Party's website. Tin, the shopkeeper is an Iloilo-based stay-at-home mom who decided to start the business while planning for her son's first birthday (isn't that sweet?). She sells Gocco kits, inks, bulbs, and other paraphernalia you will need to lead the Gocco life. [go]

***
We ♥ D-I-Yers! If you plan to make your own invitations and other wedding essentials (<--uuy, subtle brand placement), please drop me a note along with a photo of your creation so we can feature it on this space!

This is the Candy Corner booth at the WedExpo. I`m glad they`ve now also ventured into weddings.



Teddy Manuel is the genius who styled the Jelly Belly set-up in the current issue of WE.



About 3 months ago, we called up Teddy to tell him that we wanted him to play with Jelly Belly for the next WE dream theme concept. He grasped at the idea.

But look at what he was able to do. Isn`t it amazing? My hubby Eths is a big fan of Jelly Belly and thinks that the `Child in You` theme in the current issue of WE is the best theme we`ve done so far. He`s biased of course. =)


The `Child in You` theme was photographed by Terry Uy for WE magazine

If you like chocolate, don`t forget to drop by the Theobroma booth at the WedExpo because...

1. ...there`s delicious gelato in different (chocolate) flavors you can try.



2. ...of these cute mini cakes cakes that look like chess pieces



3. ----of these `can`t get any more chocolate` chocolate cakes



they also have wine-shaped chocolate and other `molded with chocolate` items you might be able to use for your chocolate themed-wedding.

The Wedding Expo is getting bigger and bigger. I remember semi-launching WE in one WedExpo at the NBC tent some years back. Then, we thought having a bridal fair inside a big tent was such a grand dream,can the organizers fill it up with suppliers? Good ones at that?

They did! Imagine so many good suppliers all in one place!

Then they extended it to the open green spot beside the main tent by adding another tent- now, it`s in the PICC Forum- a space twice over the size of the NBC tent. And it`s brimming with people.

Congratulations again Dodjie and Sharon Fabian of Themes & Motifs! It`s been 3 years since we became your partner, and we are prouder each year. =)

To soon-to-weds who weren`t able to go today, the WedExpo is open till 8pm tomorrow. It`s by far, the biggest and one of the best bridal fairs in the country. Pls go!

Here are some of my favorite booths in this season`s WedExpo


The Bellevue Hotel booth- pink and black is lovely.

So is this series from the Discovery hotel group creatively styled by Ferdie Salvador








A `not your usual` under the sea theme by Justine Bumanlang for Manila Catering and Manila Ocean Park




Even Manila Hotel has a fresh modern Filipiniana look- thanks to stylist Henry Pascual



But our favorite of all is....



Isn`t it pretty? Thank you Charo of 7 Lily for dressing up our booth! WE love it!



If you guys are interested in our back issues- we have `em all at the WedExpo

travel magazine ROAM



and

men`s fashion magazine GARAGE




will post some inside pages and a little something about the editors later-

We recently finished our editorial shoot on plus-sized brides-

The creative team we chose this year to do the plus-size makeover did a wonderful job in enhancing the beauty of our (already beautiful)brides-to-be for this issue.

In a way, this is perhaps the most time-consuming of all shoots as it is the most honest- meaning the photos will not be photoshop`d to make the girls look slimmer because that defeats the purpose of getting a really good makeover team- so what you see is what really is- seen from the eyes of Pat Dy. Gowns customized and styled for the 2 brides by Edwin Tan. Make-up by Toto Bagamasbad and hair by Ruben Dellomos. Here`s a little of what happened behind the scenes.

A pose is a pose is a pose. Not really.

Practice in the mirror what would look best and feel free to talk to your photographer about taking `test shots` to `find` your best angle before the wedding because not all poses are created equal. We`re thankful to Edwin Tan for teaching us a few basics regarding the right pose (something to look forward to in the upcoming issue of Beautiful Weddings- may plug pa =))



Hair up or down?

That could be tricky- test both and have your photo taken to see which best suits you. In Charlene`s case, Edwin wanted her hair down because her face/features is very feminine and letting it down is also the best match for her gown.
From left- Pat Dy, Jessie- our new editorial assistant and lovely Charlene, Manila Bulletin`s New York Times section editor.



Speaking from experience, I remember having a pre-prod meeting with my wedding photographer Albert Labrador years ago about photographing me from above (for a sharper chin effect, thus narrowing the face) and not below (as it shows what I`m trying to hide). My photos turned out to be how I wanted to look, within Albert`s creative composition and style. Here`s one of my favorite photos to visualize what I meant about shooting from `above` (to the people who know me now- yup, that was really me, only 20 pounds lighter than my current weight- thanks to a very good designer who never asked me to diet, but to be happy about the whole thing because fat or thin- I`m marrying a dear man , a photographer who has a marvelous eye and who kept reminding us `basta happy lang tayo` and the hair and make-up team who can really do magic.)



However our sizes or shapes are, we believe all women who marry for love would be beautiful brides.(from left- Kitten- managing ed, Jessie- editorial asst and Tatin- beauty associate)

Just got back from Busuanga, Palawan 6 hours ago- the place is breathtaking!

Will post a little of each of the places we went to with the Havaianas Busuanga team (composed of Mar, one of the winners of the Havaianas Flippin` for the Beach contest (with his sister Cecile), Anton Diaz (with wife Rache) of the popular Our Awesome Planet blog, photographer Jake Verzosa, Havaianas` brand manager Ammiel, writer Annabs, Creative Juice`s Ria and Studio 23 news manager Vince Rodriguez with his team) over the next few days.


1. Kayangan Lake, Coron

I know this photo I took is a common postcard shot but I still love it because it`s as real as I remember it to be.



According to our guide Alexine of El Rio Y Mar- Kayangan Lake is the cleanest lake in the Philippines twice or thrice over- depending on which site you check. I believe her. Regardless of where you check, seeing in a way, is believing- who wants to swim with this school of needle fish?




Here`s Annabs- who was initially afraid of the water- braving it to experience the bliss of it after



but to get to this...




you have to go through this...



I`d like to say it`s not as tiring as it looks to climb up to where the picture perfect scenery is-but it is. But it`s worth it. The awe will last a lifetime.





Till tomorrow`s post!
Cheers!

Aren't those photos of Miramar gorgeous??!

I'm a Colin Cowie fan as well, not as much as Marbee probably since I haven't bought any of his books, but I love how he takes inspiration from the mundane (circles, for instance) and transforms those concepts into something interestingly complex and beautiful.

[ insert slick segue here ]

And speaking of beautiful, one of our dearest friends and among our suki photographers at Wedding Essentials, Mr. Toto Labrador, just launched his shiny new website. Please check it out and see why he is THE MAN.



I've known Toto since our college days in UP Fine Arts and Marb has known him since his brother Albert photographed her and Eths' wedding years ago, BUT it is with absolutely no biases at all when we say that when it comes to fashion photography he is in a league of his own. This is why his photos have graced the pages of several glossies and Wedding Essentials since our very first issue in 2004...



... and the twin covers of our second issue in 2005.

Congrats Toto! WE hearts you. Here's to more photo shoots together. (:

You got that right. Celebrated event stylist to the stars Colin Cowie is Hotel Miramar HK`s creative director for it`s ballroom renovation.

The very hotel where we slept in has this incredible newly renovated ballroom design-directed by the person who planned and styled the parties of Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Elton John, Nicole Kidman, Kenny G, JLo, and well,
Hugh Hefner.

Sorry, to say I`m a fan is an understatement. Of Colin Cowie`s 8 published books- I have 4. I stood in awe looking at the chandeliers Colin Cowie helped design for the ballroom and can`t help but gush- Isn`t that wedding serendipity or what?

How do I begin describing how wonderful the ballroom is?

See for yourself.

Blue




Red




Green




Pearl




Gold




Beautiful! Which is your favorite?


`Under Colin Cowie`s direction, the Ballroom entrance is now adorned with a vibrant white manifold fins; a stunning visual welcome for guests.




There are also 18 distinctive custom-made chandeliers in 4 different sizes set against an exquisite silver and grey backdrop.`



Want more of Colin Cowie`s Miramar masterpiece?
Check out this feature on HK`s Dolce Vita TV segment- it`s about 6 something minutes- but in English! Enjoy and try not to mind the voice-over- it sounds very spy movie...

Whether by choice or by fate- weddings are a happy surprise/ an active part of our lives.
Proof of this fact are the ff instances/circumstances:

1. Finding ourselves (WE`s managing ed Kitten and I) within the `wedding area` in HK without trying. We were actually just looking for a nice place to eat- then found `Marry Claire` instead!

2. The hotel where we stayed in is one of HK`s most popular for weddings (this is according to the publicist of the Philip Starck designed JIA boutique hotel in Causewaybay who got married recently)

3. This hotel- The Miramar, is currently undergoing major changes to handle more stylish weddings. Before I post about the best discovery of all (relating to The Miramar and weddings), let me show you some photos I took of the new lobby, Coco- their chocolate and cake bar and the magnificent view from our hotel room.

This is Coco


It almost looks like a computer generated image



And here`s Kitten at the new lobby- the white manifold fins look surreal- but nice...



This is the view from our rooms- and the reason why I decided to stay in instead of shop


The hotel is located in one of the busiest areas in Tsim Sha Tsui (Nathan Rd)- but from this room`s window, it doesn`t look it at all...


Next up tomorrow is our Miramar serendipity, =) stay tuned folks!