Inspiration Board

New Find: Christos

I got a new wedding magazine today and saw this picture of a wedding dress called "Primrose"...

LOVE IT! It's classic, lacy, bridal, and seems to have a lot more oomph factor than the Rocha-lookalikes I've been researching. It's made by a designer called Christos, who I hadn't heard of before.

After researching a bit more online, I saw that she has a lot of really pretty dresses...

Julianna: Love the jewelled cap sleeves.

Springblossom: Floaty tulle over delicate lace.

Tresor: I think this has just the right amount of texture in the skirt. It looks special and dramatic without being too frou frou.

Christos gowns are available at Saks in BH... Excited to try them this weekend!

Engagement Sessions

Here, it is customary to do an engagement session with your wedding photographer well in advance of your wedding date. Many couples will choose a picture from the e-session to use in "save the date" announcements, which are usually informal and fun vs. the actual wedding invite. They also help the bride and groom get used to being photographed... which I think is something I'll need to do kasi I get self conscious everytime someone waves a camera in my face.
I've been on the lookout for good venues to do ours. Ideally, it should be somewhere that is not only pretty but where we feel we can relax.

Earlier today, I was at Annenberg Community Beach House on Santa Monica state beach. It's a property owned by California state and recently opened to the public for swimming, picnics, events, etc. The estate was a gift from William Randolph Hearst to the actress, Marion Davies. Most structures were destroyed in an earthquake, but the original guest house is still standing...

I went to check it out as a potential reception venue. But the more traditional-looking space was way too small. And they don't allow alcohol other than wine and beer. Boo.

But it's PERFECT as an engagement session location. With both traditional and modern spaces and being right on the beach, there is no shortage of pretty backdrops. And best of all, doing a photo shoot there is free!... OMG some places charge as much as $1500 just so you can have a professional photographer take pictures there!

Rocha Alternatives

I've been on the lookout for more affordable alternatives to ML's Rocha and here are a few that are similar in that they are made of lace and have trumpet silhouettes. Have made appointments to try these on next weekend. Keep you posted!

Enzoani Estella



Jim Hjelm 8763

For Fifi and Kylicious

Whenever I go to meet a wedding vendor they ask me very specific questions about what I like. This helps them estimate how much things cost. For example, the cost of a high floral centerpiece is very different from one with a lower centerpiece. And different types of table linens will have differing rental costs based on the color and material.

Initially, I had really no idea what I wanted. I would just say stuff like "classic" and "crystal vases" and "gold chairs". Since my first meeting, though, I've been doing A LOT of research so I can be as specific as possible when I talk to each vendor about what I would need them to do.

As you can imagine, I've been drawn to mostly blue, gold, and yellow wedding pics. But I will often find pictures of really pretty weddings in other colors. And those I see of green and purple weddings remind me of both of you. I know malayo pa kayo, pero I started saving these under "Fifi" and "Kylicious" files. Thought I would share some of these with you...

Catholic Weddings in Los Angeles

Unlike in the Philippines, Catholic churches in Los Angeles do not require both couples to be baptized Roman Catholics. After having spoken to two churches, it appears that the Diocese of Los Angeles's has some standard requirements. A few I found interesting were...

1. We must sign a document committing to raise our children Catholic. This was okay with me because I had fully intended to do this anyway. :)

2. The bride and groom must each complete a 180-question test that gauges whether we are compatible and mature enough to marry. They actually said that you can FAIL this test and the church may refuse to marry you. Wow! I have no idea how they would even compute a passing score.

We are considering two churches: Saint Monica (which I blogged about two weeks ago) and Saint Timothy. Both are very beautiful and classic. Saint Monica is my current parish. And Saint Timothy was where I went to mass when I first moved to Los Angeles. It is on Pico Boulevard and Beverly Glen, very close to the apartment I stayed at on Beverly Drive.

The pictures in the post are of Saint Timothy, taken by the photographer we are considering working with for the wedding. One thing to note is that churches DO NOT allow flash photography during the ceremony. And they are typically dark inside, unlike those in the Philippines. So the photographer has to be really good at making it appear like there is a lot of light.

I met with the wedding coordinator of Saint Timothy last week. She grew up in Hong Kong! During our meeting, I was reminded of that tour guide (she looks and talks just like her)... The SHAK eat many peepoh areeeeeeehdy.

Inspiration

It's amazing how many resources are available online to help brides decide what their wedding should look and feel like. Since I started wedding planning in June, I've already spent countless hours researching and filing away pictures of tablescapes, cakes, flowers, and bridesmaids' dresses that fit my wedding sensibility.

Interestingly enough, the picture I found that best represents what I want my wedding theme and feel to be is not from a wedding but from an online blog post that featured different Chinese wallpapers:

I love how the image feels luxurious without being too ornate or gaudy. Another thing that appealed to me is the balance of Asian and European styles -- which is a sensibility I think I picked up from the way that Momsy so expertly and beautifully decorates our homes. Also, I always knew that I wanted blue and gold for my colors. Blue, I've loved ever since I was little and gold, because that's what my name means in Chinese. I love the shade of blue in this picture and how the use of yellow makes everything bright, happy and alive.

I'm still trying to come up with a short phrase that describes my wedding style, but here are some words I'm kicking around in my head:

• Refined
• Classic
• Luxurious
• Bright

Any thoughts?