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!

In the Philippines, wedding stores have names on the more pragmatic side-

The Wedding Library in SM Megamall
OWG or One Wedding Gallery in Edsa Shangri-la Hotel
Themes & Motifs Wedding Resource Center at the Makati Shangri-la
Trends Wedding Shoppe in Robinson`s Galleria
Okasyon at the Shops in Greenhills- you get my drift

Hong Kong on the other hand, has a few with interesting names.

A backgrounder: While WE`s managing editor Kitten and I were looking for a suitable place to eat last night, we stumbled across a row of wedding stores in the Knutsford Terrace area. What an interesting sidetrip it was.

This one is very `Lost in....




This one is er, very true love?



but this- is my favorite of them all








must be, has to be- a homage to one of my favorite magazines- =)

Apologies to everyone waiting for the issue since July- the team was adjusting to quite a few changes, and challenges- but we pulled through with an issue that we`re proud to present to you all.

As we always say- Enjoy the new issue as we enjoyed putting it together. WE is what it is (in thickness and in heart) because of all your support- to our readers, advertisers, partners, bosses, printers, proofreaders, delivery people and retail outlets- Cheers from WE to you.

Will be back later to give you a peek into the new issue.

Jumping off from Marbs' previous entry about the beautiful (and very unique) ALL BLACK-themed wedding she attended (part 1, part 2), I thought it would be a good idea to share some tips on how to choose a color theme for your wedding.

THE EASY WAY: google. Yes, the internet is definitely every busy bride's friend. These days you can search for anything online, including "wedding color palettes" and come up with a gamut of interesting resources.

But since we here at WE HEART WEDDINGS are advocates of having your day your way, let's take it a step further, shall we?

THE CREATIVE AND PERSONAL WAY: Why not take color inspiration from something important to you? Like, maybe the cherry cheesecake you and your sweetie first exchanged "I Love Yous" over.



From that image alone you can already pick up a classy and good-looking color combo:

Pink and different shades of brown is an elegant and classy combination so the addition of extra hues make it even yummier than it already is.

OR let's say you and your honey share a love for the music of Weezer? (Sorry, I had to insert that one being a Weezer-nut myself)



Their album covers can inspire a fun theme that looks like this:

The vibrancy of this motif suits a young and dynamic couple, possibly those of you who are looking for alternatives from the safe but tired frou-frou look.

There's so much more you can take color inspiration from: sunsets, a concert ticket or poster, your pet, a postcard from a vacation you took together. What's important is that these items are important to you and your groom, then all the more that your wedding theme will be significant and personal.

***
The color theme for my own wedding in 2003 was sparked by a love my husband and I share for star fields. I also recall being entranced by a children's story I once read that talked about a fairy dressed in a gown made of the colors of twilight and moonbeams. Thus we came up with a shades-of-blue plus silver motif:



Everything from the gowns and the table decor to the giveaways matched the theme which made for a memorable evening for my husband and myself. [Shoutouts to designer Tippi Ocampo, who was also one of my matrons of honor, for the beautiful starry night-inspired gowns and our good friend Terry Uy for the lovely photos].

***
Til next time, here's wishing all of you fun wedding preparation moments.

Now for the best part. I used to think that the groom singing to the bride live, during the wedding is a most touching scene- then I saw this.
A video of Jed (by Jason Magbanua), to surprise Lesley during the dinner reception.


Jed for Les from Jason Magbanua on Vimeo.

I love cheese! Jason and Jed, you guys rock!

Due to our erratic schedule as newspaper/magazine people, the first wedding I attended this year was my husband Eths` friend Jed`s.

It was actually just last July 11. And it was this part of the invitation that got me going(despite it being a friday which is the busiest of all days in the newspaper industry)

Let Lesley light up her special day.
Please come in elegant ALL-BLACK attire,
to help make the bride, all dressed in white, shine.

Wow! ALL-BLACK in ALL-CAPS! They must mean business. I got excited as I thought of 2 things:
1. ALL-BLACK is something I have A LOT OF in my closet.
2. How would the place look like with an ALL-BLACK theme?

So how did it go?

Here`s a little bit of what I photographed at Jed`s and Lesley`s reception taken with my trusty K850i camera phone to better show how intimate, at the same time grand the celebration was. Jed had the file of their feature in WE enlarged to greet the guests, behind them is a series of pre-nup pics that got us girls swooning....



sweet diba?



and they even prepared a seat plan with our pictures!
That`s my hubby Eths on the left with his college friend Goddy (a fantastic photographer) and his soon-to-be bride Candy pointing to where they`re seated.



We couldn`t help but be touched! And I can`t believe that my hubby, a true-blue techie, has such swoon material friends =)



The event styling was dramatic and at the same time, had the right mix of colors to keep the occasion from looking er, ALL-BLACK, or dark & dreary. The burst of colors from the lavender of the cabbage rose, the pinks of carnations and the reds of the roses,added a`happy` feeling to dramatic that night. Not a usual combination but a lovely one actually. I met Charo, the owner of 7 Lily (yes, singular Lily), the group who did the event styling of Jed`s and Lesley`s celebration at Edsa Shangri-la yesterday and am glad a new talent has emerged in the industry. All the best, 7 Lily!

The prize for the correct guess of the cover model of the upcoming issue of Wedding Essentials magazine is a bottle of Hardys Cabernet Sauvignon (Varietal Range) 2006! pictured bere with our fire engine red printer. =) Congratulations to....J! Sorry Summer, but for your effort, you win a free issue of WE8 to be delivered to your office hot off the press in a few days. =) Thanks for joining J and Summer!

Your wedding invitation is definitely a key ingredient in personalizing your wedding and I think that nothing can make an invite stand out more than excellent use of typography. The choice of type is usually a good representation of the bride & groom's individual personalities and is also a great way to give guests an initial peek to what the big day will be like. Let me show you samples of invites from all over the net to help demonstrate this idea:


This charming hand-drawn invite design by Bird&Banner sets the mood for a casual, outdoor garden wedding


There's nothing like a cute hand-printed monogram to set your stationery apart from the cookie-cutter clutter. Again by Bird&Banner


Proof that sans-serif boldface block type can look elegant. This design by Minted suits a no-frills couple.


Here's a great design that's able to blend the sensibilities of block type with calligraphy. By Minted.


If you really want your invite to be unique and memorable, you can hire a calligrapher/designer OR better yet, make your monogram and draw your own maps. Nothing can get more personalized than that! This design by May+Belle.

And finally, do take a peek at this super-duper sweet (and typographically elaborate!) proposal video.


All together now, awwwww! (in italics) -video via Coudal

Zexy. Very Japanese indeed. Only the Japanese can think of such a name for a bridal magazine- and that`s why we love them! Saw this Zexy TVC on YouTube featuring Japanese-Italian actress Rosa Katou. For Jdorama fans out there- she`s the cute actress in Jotei. =) a little fyi about Rosa Katou

* Family: Father (Italian) and mother (Japanese)
* Hobbies: Collecting Hello Kitty key holders (Kawaii!!!)
* She lived in Naples, Italy until the age of 6. She spoke fluent Italian when she was still little but she completely lost the capability of speaking it as she grew up.
* She became popular after having done the TV commercial for "Zexy" because of her unique brown eyes.
* A lot of people usually pronounce her name, Ro"S"a with the accent of "Z" by mistake, but Her name is pronounced with S of Saturday, because of the Neapolitan Dialect.

The Department of Tourism (DoT) has expressed its intents to further strengthen the country's presence among Japanese ladies through weddings, and has already arranged to work with Japan's leading bridal magazine

Ace Durano, Secretary of Tourism, recently met with officers of Japanese media group Recruit Co., Ltd., which publishes Zexy Magazine. Released thrice yearly, Zexy is Japan's leading bridal glossy magazine and the top resource of Japanese couples who opt for out-of-town and overseas weddings.

"Young, independent Japanese women have always been in the radar of our promotional activities, where we highlight the country's spa, relaxation, beach and fashion shopping attractions. As they move on to another stage in their life, we now show them that the destinations that they've enjoyed for leisure trips are also perfect settings for weddings and honeymoons," Durano said.

Yearly, over 450,000 Japanese couples decide to hold their wedding ceremonies outside their home country. For this group, Hawaii and Guam are the top choices with spring (April to May) and fall (September to October) as the popular seasons.

Recognizing the potentials of this particular market, Secretary Durano further called on travel wholesalers, tourist establishments, wedding and event planners, and other industry players to integrate their services and develop specialized programs.

"Weddings are a major part of the Filipino culture and we have the capability to provide the best celebrations that are set in the most romantic locations and meet a variety of preferences," he added.

Already, several Philippine wedding and honeymoon packages are being mad available to the international bridal market. These include those of Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort and Spa, Alegre Beach Resort, and Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila. More are expected to develop.

DoT Team Japan Head Benito Bengzon, Jr. noted, "The collaboration with the wedding media ties in well with our on-going Kokoru Sumaru or 'Color my Heart' campaign."

Bengzon explained that with this project, the DoT's promotional materials to the Japanese market applies three colors: turquoise blue symbolizes clear blue seas, diving, and calmness and relaxation; premium yellow calls out tropical fruits, healing and health from spas, the vibrancy of modern city life, and energy of shopping and dining; and bright red highlights the romantic sunset, resort life and the warmth of the Filipino people.

Japan is currently the third leading source of travelers to the Philippines. Arrivals from this country reached 157,362 from January to May 2008, providing 11.5 percent of over-all tourist traffic.

The DOT attributes this strong presence to its marketing campaign which targets independent young women, divers and active seniors. These sectors are considered "quality travelers," who opt for premium activities and accommodations.

In the upcoming issue of WE (out in the market late next week), we decided to take the idea of a make-over further by making-over some of the industry's most popular and most loved suppliers. Guess who the 3 are? We'll squeal on 1 na, it's TADA! Photographer Wally Gonzales (here being photographed by Aldin Aspillera- sorry no clearer photo guys- but it's really sir Wally- in a snappy grey suit and a Ralph Lauren shirt...Abangan next week! =)

Interested to know who the cover model of the upcoming issue of WE is?

Here are some clues
1. She's a soon-to-wed who's a TV personality.
2. She has that rare combination of beauty and brains on the boobtube.
3. Beauty because she's appeared in numerous TV commercials already, most notably is a shampoo commercial with tada- Paolo Bediones
4. Brains because she's an assistant director for TV (some Project Runway Philippines' episodes), MV (Sandwich), TVCs (Coke, Century Tuna, etc) and Cinemanila short films.

Just for fun, we're holding a contest to see the first who can guess correctly. Join na! The prize is a surprise but it's a good one, =)

Hello everyone,

This is it. Our own little nook in blogosphere! We`re so overwhelmed we want to blog everything that happened the past month,which was when we said to ourselves `Hey! why don`t we start a blog!` Fast forward to today, and here with our first entry- this is it! The start of a journey filled with bouquets, banquets, and things in between. Hooray for weddings! We heart weddings!

A little Q & A about this blog.

1. Why weheartweddings.com?
Because we love weddings. We loved weddings as newlyweds four years ago, we love it even more now. We get a high discovering new concepts to make a wedding even more unique and get a high implementing it for the magazine we both also love. We decided to take this love affair with weddings further by tada- blogging about it. Thus, weheartweddings.com was born.

2. What will I get from reading this blog?
Frilly lace and sweetness- just kidding! For brides-to-be, you`ll get up-to-date news about what`s new and what`s nice in the industry, in the real weddings we attend, and from our interaction with the wonderful people in our industry. We`ll also blog about our other passions such as travel, food and cinema (marbee) and music, art and design (cynthia). We hope you get uplifted and inspired, if not, there`s always the freebies (=)) (Calling all kind-hearted sponsors who may, or may not be into weddings: weheartweddings.com is now accepting sponsorships ranging from copies of pan-asian telenovelas to the Salcedo saturday market coffee flavored spareribs- yum!)

That`s all for now folks, till our next post

Cheers!
Marbee & Cynthia

Here comes the blog! www.weheartweddings.com