That Moment 6

This bride is one of the prettiest and most down-to-earth brides I've worked with. She has this beautiful olive skin and a body she has clearly worked hard to achieve. I must admit I admired and hated her for this :-) 25lbs in 2 1/2 months. Oooooh hate her again! hahahaha! We worked really well together. During fittings, we actually had more time smoking and discussing trivial things than the actual work. She'd fit, be happy and will ask me to step out so we can smoke together. Always like that. It was a cool and relaxing routine. Very her :-)

Come wedding day, usual preps, fun yet frenzied :-) Pressure was mounting with the commanding presence of the father of the bride and the hurried phase of just about everyone. Bride's excitement aka nervousness has begun ......

I was in front of the church just waiting and watching everyone when I noticed the window of the bridal car open. My bride peeks and calls me. She was nervously motioning me to puff from my cigarette. She wants to get out of the car and smoke with me. We were gonna do our fitting routine here between the bridal car and the cathedral doors.

"Ay hindi pwede, makikita ka nila, memya na!"
"Naman, ninenerbyos ako sobra, dito ka muna please..... ay hindi, dito ka sa loob, yosi tayo dito, buksan natin yung isang window.. sige na please!"
"okay, okay" I obliged seeing the panic in her face. I think the driver agreed with me as he discreetly stepped out of the car.
I opened the door when I saw the photographer approaching, and just like movie special effects, I emerged from the car in a cloud of smoke with my head spinning. But not my bride. She was nervous in the extreme!!"

"Madami bang tao Ms. V?"
"uhmm, okay naman, di naman masyado.. tama lang :-) That was me trying to calm her down as I gazed through the church doors onto the aisle overflowing with guests.
"Nerbyos ako sobra pero sobra gusto ko naman to eh, love na love ko sya eh, tsaka tama to eh"
"Syempre love mo sya, ano ka ba?!"
"Kaya nga! kaya nga kami papakasal eh! p#%&^.a o! kinakabahan ako!!"
"Sus wag na! Saya nyan, basta tignan mo si groom pag ninenerbyos ka"
"layo nya no!" (may point :-)
"Okay okay, daddy mo o mommy mo!"
"Wag daddy ko! Lalo ako iiyak!"

Then I saw this young man hurriedly approaching the car - "Ate, wala talaga eh!"

"Ha!!!!!! di pwede!!!!!" - my bride's quick reply :)...
"Ke lapad, ke bilog, kahit ano!!!!! isang shot lang! grabe nerbyos ko!!!"
About the same time that the coordinator was asking us to be at the door, a young woman
approached us with a tiny bottle, the hotel room bar kind. My bride took a swig and smiled at me!
"Hahaha ayus!!!!" :)

But no, not yet, at the door, she panicked again, brushing the veil away from her face, I could see that she might faint. She was so beside herself that i had to ask the church coordinators - who are well known sticklers - to please just wait awhile, she might faint I said. The photographer noticed it too. He asked me to just stay beside her a little longer as I had inching away form her so as not to disrupt the shot.

I moved in again and fixed her bouquet while my staff fixed her train and her veil.

"Ms. V, sobrang love ko sya eh.... tsaka love nya ko e.... tsaka gusto ko to eh! gusto ko talaga!"

She was murmuring while shaking her legs :)
"Kaya nga!!! kaya game na!!! Tagal mo na ito inantay. Ano ka ba?!... Game na ha!"
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh shiiiit! wait... wait...", was her reply.
"Huy game! kaya mo yan! Inaantay ka na dun! Ang saya nyan! Hinga ka malalim! Game! Hey, promise, ang saya saya nyan. Pagkatapos nito, mag-asawa na kayo! Lagi na kayong magkasama! Di ba yun gusto mo?!"

"Tama.. tama... love ko sya eh.. sobra. tsaka love nya ko! Sya talaha.." and she smiled at me.

With that we signaled the coordinator to open the door.

"Don't move muna ha... wait for the door to open completely..."
"Love nya ko........ love ko sya sobra.... game.... game...."

She took her 1st step nervously with her eyes on me. I was holding my breath without knowing it.

I whispered, "look at your groom, he's there...."
She smiled and I felt her calm. Finally :)

She was a sight. I cried when she kissed and hugged her dad.
And laughed with her when she saw her groom :)

I miss her :)

That Moment 5

The bride is a London-based nurse, highly articulate and ever so confident. Not one to be easily rattled... well at least that's what I thought hehehe :-)

She was so cool during the preps, mingling with her multi-racial friends and calmly doing all the poses with her ever so hip photographer. She was so aware of everything that's happening around her even asking everyone who arrives if they've eaten na. He was even kidding her dad,her mom and her sister not to cry otherwise they won't look good in the pictures.

She was constantly thanking us for making her look thinner with her gown and praising her madgi-cian for making her look oh so pretty. Daldal nya promise :-)


Here comes the crunch time. At the church..


The coordinator signalled it was time for her to walk. Niko approached her in the car..

Niko - "eto na po, game na tayo"
Bride - ha!!! sandali... sandaliiiiii.... game na ba talaga!? wait lang, wait lang ... ano bah! ninenerbyos na ko.

We positioned the veil, the Madgician made last minute touch ups, we fixed her long train and pulled her gown down. And all this time, she was murmuring - "sandali...sandali.. sandali lang, wait ha, wait ha, ngayon na ba talaga?! shit! dami ba tao? di ko yata kaya.... parang ayaw ko na.....! uy ano gagawin ko?!"

There was a blur of sounds - "kaya mo yan.." enjoy your moment ha.." "walk slowly" "look at your groom" "flower over flower" but she kept on saying - "wait lang! wait lang!..sandali"
The coordinator signalled - "okay po, malapit na buksan, bride lang po sa door."

she shouted - "wait! wait lang ! sandali! sandali munaaaaa... please! ano ba to? di ko yata kaya!! okay ba ko? okay?! game na? wait.. wait... sandali lang! ano ba?!"
Niko gasped - " so pano, bukas na lang?! balik na lang kami?

she shouted back "sige!!!! okay, bukas na lang!! ano bah! sandali kasi eh!... ok ok... okay...game"

we all laughed, the door opened and her shouts turned to muffled mumblings - " sandali...nay..." she took a deep breath, smiled, and in a few steps, she regained her composure and walked gracefully to the altar. Couldn't tell really if she was smiling or about to break down and cry. She was a sight. :-)


yes, even the bravest and the coolest can't withstand the pressure heheh :-/
it's the power of the door.

That Moment - 4

This bride is one of my favorites.

She is one crazy girl - she wanted it strapless, I wanted it V - deep and wide. It got so difficult for her to decide, she posted her pictures online with the choice of necklines and took a poll. Hehehe and of course I won, by a landslide :-)

We got on so well that fittings became reasons for us to meet and chika. Back then, I was still working from home. She was there when we had our garden landscaped. We even had one fitting that she went out and had her pictures taken in the garden wearing her lining.




I'm so used to dealing with brides and their grooms, but they were pleasantly different. I was very comfortable with them. They hadn't the slightest pretensions. They were in-love, but not mushy. They can afford it, but they never flaunted. They were real and I love them :-) I was excited for them and couldn't wait to see her walk down the aisle. I was sure she'll be beautiful and he'll be waiting for her,looking so dashing, just like in the movies.

Then came that moment ...
" okay game na po, eto na :-) Niko and I assisted her in getting out of the car . .

Bride : Eto na?! as in???!!! shit!! @#%^!! Naku!! Shit! Parang sumasakit yung tyan ko! Grabe!!!!! Sandali. sandali. Ano ba 'to?!!

Niko and I laughed. She was babbling! The profanation she was dishing out was just amazing.
When we got over it, and it seemed like she was done as well, we fixed her veil and fixed her train. I pronounced her ready . . . But wait!


Bride : SHIIIIIITTTT!!!! AAAARGGHHHHHH!!! AHHHHHH!!!! AHHH! HAH! HAH! HA! HA! (deep breathing) (inhale) (exhale) BRRRRRRRRRR ANO BAH!!!??!!
She rotated her head then shook it briskly!
Niko and I stared. Stunned.
We've never seen anyone prepare like this before. And we've seen plenty. She was like a boxer warming up to enter the ring! Hahaha!

And then.
The door slowly opened. She took one deep breath. Then walked.
She walked gracefully, the picture of perfect femininity. And he was there at the end of her walk, Yes, just like in the movies. Awe and Aww from everyone.

If only they saw how the leading lady was before the scene ;-)

That Moment Part 3

Bride is a flight attendant.
Sweet, tall, pretty and very bubbly.
She's one of those who knows exactly what she wants - beads, low back, big boobs :-)

Her wedding was shaping up to be a logistical nightmare, though. Members of her family and her entourage (mostly flight attendants like her) will be flying in from different countries and were scheduled to arrive only on the week of her wedding. Despite all this, she appeared self-assured on her wedding day.

She was poised and bubbly the whole time. And even with excellent coordinators, she was nonchalantly controlling the day as if she had none.

There were so many people during the preps, sooo many that Van (the coordinator) remarked jokingly that with the amount she paid McDo, they should've included the mascot!

And there were even more people at the church! As usual, Madge and her girls, Niko and I started fixing the bride before the walk. When she saw all the people, she started to get taut and jittery. Van motioned for her to begin the walk so we all exited and left her halfway up the Calaruega garden path. Suddenly, she frowned, turned red and started crying! little sobs, with occasional gushes. The raging tide she held inside would hold no more. She wasn't a pretty sight. "
Everyone was telling her: "O wag ka muna umiyak! papangit ka!"
But she can't help it. Her face was now a mishmash on its way becoming a mess.

Felicity, one of Madge's girls, loudly but calmly proclaimed: "Anuvah! Wag ka na nerbyosin! Ang dali lang nyan eh, isipin mo na lang - chicken or pork, chicken or pork! " while mimicking how flight attendants do it.

That cracked us up big time and the bride snorted, smiled and giggled with us. She was still heaving but her composure was beginning to assert itself. She was smiling and crying at the same time. She was a bride.

Sometimes a little Madg-ic is all you need. :-)

That Moment 2 - This Moment

Here's another one :-)

Bride : M.A.
Church : Calaruega

This bride is one of those really sophisticated, no-nonsense ladies. A doctor in her early thirties. A fashionista that always looks clean and crisp in her white linen shirt and her red tote. I like her. Always straight to the point. I did her cousin's entourage gowns and we have become friends eversince. For her wedding gown, I designed a simple sheath with a draped low back in Silk which her sister brought from Vietnam.

Come wedding day, she had no coordinator but everything went well. All her sisters were as intimidating as her. They effortlessly controlled the event "corporate-ly". Hehehe!

She was calm when the day started. The picture of control. Even impatient as she waited for her time to walk down the aisle.

Bride : "Hay naku! I can't wait to get this over and done with. This has been stressing me for weeks na!"
Niko : " Anuvah! Ang saya saya nyan eh, yabang yabang mo ha, memya mo iiyak iyak ka dyan!"
Bride : "Hindi noh! . . . Bakit naman ako iiyak? sayang naman ang make-up ko! ang mahal mahal nito eh. . . . Do we really have to come from here?!? Ang layo ah!"
Niko : Eh yun po ang sabi ng mga ate para daw maayos pa muna yung mga entourage tsaka para mas dramatic. . . . You want water?

We were coming from the lower part of the Church. There used to be a ready pitcher of cold water there at the reception area. We drank and Niko borrowed one glass to take with us just in case. He filled it with water and started walking. It was a loooong walk and he worried about dehydration. It really was his but no! When the bride caught a glimpse of the church and saw that there were so many people, she suddenly asked for the drink. Hehehe! Niko of course, gave it to her :-)

Niko : Ay ang cute naman ni daddy oh! kausap ang groom, awwww sweet!

The dad is probably in his late sixties, a distinguished looking gentleman though a bit frail and the only one amongst the family who is mild mannered :-)

Bride : "Asan? asan? ay oo nga awww si Papa o"
Veluz : "Dito muna tayo. wait tayo for the signal."
Bride : "Okay okay, hay naku.."
Veluz : "Ayan, game na raw"

We walked to that sloping path, where Calarauega brides usually begin.
We fixed her veil and her short sweep for the cameras.

The door closed and she immediately started walking towards it.

Niko : "antay antay, pause pag andun ka na sa foot ng stairs ha. . . .wait munaaaaa"
Bride : "veluz, veluz parang kinakabahan na ko, shiiiiiiit! asan yung tubig."

Niko : "ayan na nga ba eh, sabi ko na nga ba eh, eto pa meron pang isang lagok, sige na inom ka muna bubukas na ang door."

And while the bride was drinking, Niko suddenly sang in an Erik Santo-ish baritone - "this is the moment! ... this is the day"
Bride: "Nikoooo!"

And she burst into tears at about the same time the door opened.

We all laughed and cried with her :-)

It was beautiful, the first glimpse of her, smiling and wiping her nose.
The crowd applauded.
And the sisters? They were all crying.

There's really something about the door.

That Moment

More often than not, clients ask me if I can go and attend their wedding preps.
I usually do.
But if I have 3 weddings on the same day, I usually go to the first one to book. This I believe is fair.
Time permitting though, I go to all my weddings.
Why? Because it’s fun!
So many things to see on THE day. Family drama, fellow suppliers and people wearing their best, looking their best.
I consider it a privilege to have my finished work paraded and appreciated.
The aisle is my catwalk and the bride doing the Finale.

Madge told me once that the bride is her most beautiful when she’s walking down the aisle. I agree

But I love her most on that moment before the church door opens, before she takes that critical first step.
That part where the blood pressure is really at its highest.

Here are kwentos of those who really stood out.

Bride: M.H.
Church: Santuario de San Antonio

Bride froze when she heard the door begin to creak open. She froze! Literally!
Her head slightly bent to the left and her shoulders arced and stiffened. She turned immobile as a rock. I stayed out of sight and to her left trying to be inconspicuous but she stared at me. And in a soft pleading tone she murmured – "Veluz, Veluz . . . di ko kaya, ang daming tao. . . kinakabahan akoooo. . .”

My jaw dropped in surprise. I had no inkling at all. She was really calm during the preps up to the time I was fixing her veil just before the door opened. I was even kidding her. “Ayan, congratulations ha, saya yan, enjoy it ha, walk slowly.”

But rigor mortis? Now?!
Bride : "Veluuuuuz….. kinakabahan ako talaga”
Me : Ha?! Naku! Nakabukas na yung door eh, kaya mo yan”

Oh no! There were so many people staring at her and she was stiff as her groom's starched lapel.

I prodded her again – “sige na lakad ka na, kaya mo yan, tumingin ka lang sa groom mo, masaya yan, ”

Bride : I can’t see him!
Me : Look at your mom or your dad, masaya yan, lakad ka na!
Bride : I can’t! Hold me kaya?
Me: Naku, ampangit sa picture!

Hahaha! Thinking back, that was a silly thing to say. But no, I had to top myself.

Me: Sige kaya mo yan, left foot muna tapos right
Bride : Aaaaaaa? Huh? left no? (Hmmm, maybe it wasn't silly after all)
Me : ayan... sige.. tapos right. Tapos breathe ka, inhale…exhale… tapos smile ka, go na
Bride : sige sige sige, game ... game...

And trembling like she was about to topple, her feet moved.

She took one step and another and that was it. She walked.

I thought she was going to faint.
Pati ako.

More to come in this series. Bride's name withheld to avoid karma.
Hay! Sarap talaga ikasal.

Actually, sarap talaga manuod ng kinakasal :-)

Photographers and videographers capture this moment, while I get to savour them.
Now, why would I want to miss that? ;-)