The Works and all the stuff that led to the walk down the aisle (Part 3: The pre-nup shoot)

June 6

 …And that’s what happens when you prioritize vanity over spiritual affairs… leaving the church at noon practically at a run, happily thinking that we were done with the Pre Cana seminar and rushing off to the mall to shop for the pre-nup photoshoot getup…We assumed the seminar was only until noon because that was what the lecturer said.  There was a family planning seminar in the afternoon but weren’t we done with that???  We found out however, that the Family planning seminar from the municipal hall is different from the family seminar conducted by the church.  Not getting it.  The family planning and the pre-cana seminars are requirements for marriage but they contradict each other. Family planning at the health center says ‘Go condoms! Go birth control pills!  The church says au naturale is still the in thing in heaven.

We had to start all over, attend and finish a pre-cana.

But shopping… who could resist? …oh those black knee high boots! (a former officemate saw me hugging the boot!) And a black umbrella. Our attire should come with a black umbrella.  It was raining all week and it might rain on the 8^th, so…

June 8 in the morning

Trial make up

Von, my make up artist, arrived at my home around 20 minutes before our appointed time which was a thumbs up for him.  He came in with a bang, waking up our usually muted home with his voice and twangy way of speaking, dragging fancy luggage upon fancy luggage of MAC cosmetics, stand, table, chair and bouncer type boyfriend.

Told Von that I didn’t want to look too bride-y.  Glam me up!

The makeover started shortly after nine and ended at 1030.  I was getting a little sleepy. But it was worth it. I look good!

June 8 in the afternoon

The photoshoot! (thoroughly enjoying being overdressed)

The photographer (bravo!)

We loved Joey Boquiren’s unconventional work.  And it was again just one of those things that felt right for us.

the prenup…

Raining in Intramuros.

Had a feeling that the guy with the long dreadlocks was Joey and I was right!

What we did —

1920s flapper meets street/rock

The background: Graffitti wall ruins in Intramuros.

Goth

Wanted us to do steampunk but we need a lot of gadgety looking props for that and I didn’t know where to get such things.

When Joey saw me,  he says, “Hey, let’s go to the La Loma Cemetery.” I thought he was making fun of me.

But he was serious and we were game anyway so off we went…

Hello, dead people! Please, don’t get up. We can manage by ourselves.

Had our pictures taken on the gravestones and in mausoleums.

Beautiful in an eerie way.  Angels, crosses, columns, windows…

I loved that the photos at the cemetery turned out to look dark yet beautiful, a romantic goth.  I’d like to flatter myself into thinking that they even gave off some deep south/New Orleans/Anne Rice vibe.

There were some spectators who thought that we were celebs.  A guy asked which magazine the photos will be published.

Joey’s ‘one-more-shot-one-more-shot-really-just-one-more-shot’ got us into a wee bit of trouble (oh no, ‘go to jail. Go directly to jail, if you pass go, do not collect 200’) because this guy from the cemetery administration for the dead or something told us that taking photos is not allowed especially if they are going to be published.  We explained that it was all for fun (we get off on goth) and it was for our wedding.  He thought that we were foreign weirdos and maybe he even thought we were cultish or satanic or something. Wasn’t that an interesting afternoon, and it wasn’t done yet!  So where were we off to next?

Escolta!

That old smelly street in Manila.  We changed into our last get ups while Joey scanned the surroundings for some arty background.  Ooookaaay, I thought, what’s good to see here?  A bunch of guys drinking in the lazy afternoon… street people sleeping by some old building…mess everywhere…stink everywhere…

Street/Boho

Joey made us do cheesy lovey-dovey poses.

Loved having my picture taken.

Too bad Joey’s camera ran out of batteries.

More of Joey B. here:  http://joeysproject.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/filmore-margaux-06-08-09/

The Works and all the stuff that led to the walk down the aisle (Part 2: frills!)

April 2009

Dear Diary,

Oh, flowers! Beautiful flowers!…are not a priority either. Any flower can brighten up a corner.  A few satin ribbons would do wonders to a weed. Found a florist that fits our budget. Not splurging on something that’ll wilt in a few hours. Found this — a bouquet of pink roses, purple flowers surrounding the roses, and some carnations lining the edges.  Isn’t it pretty and frilly?

Not a priority, not a priority.  Well then, what is our priority?

My Gown! Of course. And the groom’s get up

… has to be exquisite…

I wanted something that moved when I moved, not a stiff one that can stand alone without a bride in it.  We scrounged around a few bridal fairs.  Went to less than 5 fairs until there it was! My gown on the mannequin.  It was a tube top with lots of beadwork on it and the skirt… oh the skirt…those tiers and tiers of scraps of lace! By Dennis Martin. His first offer was 40k but he gave in for 30k

So me.

At Google University, I saw a lot of tiered lace gowns. Saw an article that says that tiered gowns are the trends this year. Didn’t want the ‘in’ thing but I wanted THAT gown. It was one of those things again that felt so right. Oh, frills! Finally went to DM’s shop and had my measurements taken.

I wanted a veil but not on my face.  Only those with pretty noses can get away with the veils on their faces.  And my allergy might act up if there’s a foreign thingy tickling my nose.  I wanted some flapper-ish lacy headdress. Kept on googling until I found out that what I wanted was a “mantilla”.

I don’t want to cover my face!  I’m paying a lot to have my face all made up, I’m not about to have it covered.

Don’t they  look timeless and refined and graceful?

I’m a big Star Wars fan. I wanted Amidala’s headdress the first time I saw it onscreen but you gotta admit, it’s a little too costume-y.

May 2009

Choosing the groom’s clothes

F loved his suit.  He did a few fittings in some stores but the coats at Zara fit him to a T. He wanted an all black ensemble, something like this–

It was costly but well worth it. I think he thought so, too, with the way he kept staring at his reflection while trying on the suit…

Very proud of F.  He’s very meticulous.  I’m the creator (instigator) and he’s the craftsman.  I’m the producer of ideas and he mass reproduces them.  And he’s very good at it.  I show him a sample and he makes neater, higher quality versions of them.  We’re a great team 🙂