CHIPS N FOZZY

First of all, a big THANK YOU GROUP HUG to our lovely friends from Lomomanila - Mon, Kitkat, Jonas, Ron, Ruby, Chris, and Zoe for being our photographers.  All despite the heat, humidity and early morning call-time.  Also a big thanks to Mother Nature, who didn't send her rains until after we finished shooting.  All the fun and camwhoring happened just last Saturday, May 30.

First venue was our ancestral home in Plaridel, Bulacan.  It's been with our family for around a century, and was just restored by my dad a few years ago.  The day was filled with laughs and food (inclusive of very yummy lechon).  Come afternoon, we headed out for our rice fields (which was more grass than rice).

Sharing a couple of shots from the speedy development of Chris Yambing.  Oh yah, forgot to mention that it was an all-film shoot.   Vintage all the way - from the location to the cameras!  Don't you just love it.

Seven months to go.  Woot.

Entourage Designs.  Have finalized designs, and Kat is already up and away ordering the fabrics.  Yey!  Mom has also finally chosen a gown.  Most of the sketches are still with Kat.  Shall update the blog as soon as she emails them.  The one below is for Chips' mom - she chose the one with the capped sleeves.  Fabrics were fabulous finds from Divisoria.  First layer is a gorgeous old hue of gold, with irregular petal shaped cut-outs.  The lining is another muted gold hue, quite shimmery, but not in a tacky way.  I'm so excited for their gowns.  Though they're still refusing to do measurements as there may still be hope for some form of diet...

One.  I've finally set a schedule with Niko to give him my downpayment.  Hopefully at that point, he'll give me a copy of his sketch so I can show everyone!  Yey!!!  I'm somehow going to be a Veluz bride.  Well, a slight tangent of it.  When I first saw their site, I was like, WOW.  I really dream dream dream that my gown would be made by Veluz.  Her attention to detail and craft for lace and embroidery is just so impeccable.  Unfortunately, our budget really couldn't afford her premium.  Actually, Niko's cost ended up to be quite high as well - with the level of intricacy f with our chosen dress.  But  I WANT the dress he sketched!  And when I met him (actually, from when I set an appointment over the phone) I had stomach jitters that made me all fluttery and happy inside.

Oh, oh!  I'm getting my feathery bolero.  I showed him the pegs and he loved it.  Have I gleamed about that too much already?  Well, I'm doing it again.  I'm also going to have me a birdcage veil.  Which is soooo cool.  We agreed to make the gown fuller at the bottom (vs. the peg), because he said that as the bride, I should get as much impact as possible.  He said I wouldn't want to end up being outshone by a Ninang.  Valid, and it was a great compromise with my mom, who's so into drama.  I LOVE HIM, like as in.

Two.  I'm finished with the invites and have been sending them out to various printers for quotations.  Can I just say that it's soooooo hard.  There's a budget but I really don't want the printing to be crappy.  Or the paper.  Because crappy paper equals crappy ink setting equals crappy invitations.  I think I've gone through 3 quotations already.  I don't know anymore.  They're all fairly around the same price.  With some having an advantage of a few pesos.  GRRRARG.  I'll end up having to pick one and then just nego from there.  But WHICH ONE?  Darnit.  If only it was as easy as drawing lots.

P.S.  I'm not sure why the image suddenly has green hints around the corners.  Must be the quality of the upload.  Anyways, they're supposed to be grey.  This is the kind of color mix-up that I'd hate to have on my actual invite.  If it does, I'm going to DIE.

Secondary Sponsors. Palette will be pewter.  It's grayish with a hint of copper and purple.  A conglomeration of difficult colors, I know.  When we met with our designer, we actually managed to combine swatches to get a reasonable shade that would match the palette I had in mind for the Bridesmaids.  The dresses will be short, length is just below the knee.  I didn't want too much flourish, and we had a lovely understanding that the character will be driven by how the dress is constructed.  Nothing sparkly.  Just simple and classic.

To my secondary sponsors, I know you are very close to me and know how much of a peeve wronged shoes are.  I also know you guys are shoe-aholics.  And I do trust that the knee-length skirt will reveal prettily-dressed feet (sorry for the pressure).  But oooh isn't that a perfectly good reason to go shoe-shopping!

Bridesmaids, Jr. Bridesmaid and flowergirls.  A subdued yellow.  Like the kind of yellow left under the sun to age.  The hue is kind of bordering on old gold actually.  Unlike the secondary sponsors, it would be floor-length.  We won't have uniform dresses.  I would like each design to suit the person wearing it.  It's going to be like a fashion show of similar fabrics under one inspirational theme.  I'm so excited to see how it all comes together, my innards are going squiggly insane.

Everyone in the entourage will be having floral headpieces.  So all the more should the dresses be simple yet elegant.  I really don't want anything too complicated.  The more details, the more it's going to be prone to be tacky-wrong.  And I'm soooo not tacky-wrong.

Next steps:  Meet with Kat again on April 18 to finalize the design look.  Send measurement requirements to those abroad.  Then, let the fun begin!

I was looking at the monogram and figured that it lacked the antique yellow flavor.  So I took the script of the date and slapped it on the monogram, together with our names.  Works well, I think.  Happiness me.

The Hair.  I really do hope that I get to pull off what I'm envisioning.  For the hair I want something relaxed and elegant.  Like a fine Saturday morning kind of hair.  Not the kind where your eyebrows are perpetually raised because your hair is pulled back to taut you feel like you had botox injections.  I'm looking forward to the curls and waves I'll potentially have, which would be a break from the ruler-straightness that I naturally sport.  Ooh romantic, sexy waves with my birdcage veil.  Love it.  Can't wait for it.

The Make-up.  I always attempt to do a smokey-eye on myself, but I always end up looking like got punched.  So on my wedding day, I hope to ease this frustration.  I know it's a day ceremony so I can't go overly dramatic.  I'd be okay with soft,  natural hues.  Need not be too dark.  I just want my eyes to pop out from under the veil.  I sooooooooo want smokey eyes, period!  I think I'm just going to be a brat about it.  Lol.