3. Unforgettable.
When I brand a wedding as Beautiful and exceptional, it means that the experience is burned in my memory because it gave me another reason to believe that life is wonderful when lived with someone holding your hand. When I say a wedding is Nice and Pleasant it means that the wedding was, in my point of view, well planned and executed. While when I say a wedding is Unforgettable, it means that the experience left an impression caused by other reasons (e.g cold weddings [and I didn't mean that as freezing], or encounters with "nice-ish" coordinators (or other suppliers), or momzillas/mohzillas/dadzillas/closefriendzillas (and other forms of "zillas"). In my experience, most of the time, its not usually the bride or groom who turn into feisty versions of themselves, but the people who plan with them. The pressures of preparing for the most awaited event of a person's life can be too much at times, that's why the "zillas" are born. Believe me, I was one of them. I was a MOHzilla, and terrible one at that. hehe Just ask my sis-in-law. ;)
So, today, I want to share with you the most beautiful weddings that I have ever witnessed. Those that left a lasting imprint in my heart. :)
1. Let me share with you the wedding when I was a MOHzilla. haha... Of course, my favorite wedding of all time, was that of my brother (Ian) and his wife (Lovely). :) Its not being biased (well maybe a little haha), but I love their wedding because of its simplicity and sincerity. Their wedding wasn't lavish, but just special enough to aptly celebrate 10 years of their relationship and welcome their new life together as husband and wife, coincidentally on my brother's 28th birthday, April 10, 2013. Because budget was an important consideration, they really sifted through almost all the wedding suppliers available to them. At the end, everything turned out just as they hoped for. As my brother said in his speech... "Lahat naman ng tao pinangarap magkaron ng ganitong klaseng kasal...", and based on his teary thank you speech, I was pretty sure, he got the wedding that he and Lovely wanted. :D Sure, there were details that did not go as planned, but a year down the road, it did not matter much. :)
Their wedding was sincere in a sense that 2 families really did blend together. I love the fact that our (Ian and I's) parents and Lovely's mom really became good friends. :) More importantly, their baby boy, Lexzeus Skyler, became a very important common ground between two families who love him to bits. :)
2. My second time as a Maid-of-Honor began last December when my friend Joy (Kristine) called me in my cellphone at 4am to tell me that Roscoe has just proposed to her and she said yes! :) She also told me that she wanted me to be one of of her MOH and instantly that made me feel blessed. :) Joy and Roscoe's wedding has a special mark in my heart because they journeyed the road down the day of their wedding not only by themselves, but they made sure that their loved ones- family and very close friends alike shared the experience with them up to the day that they will say I do. It was a first time experience for me to witness a civil wedding and of all the weddings that I've been to, I never expected for me to tear up in a court room as my best friend said yes forever to the love of her life as she herself shed happy tears. :D There were exactly 6 witnesses (+ the couple) in the room and I was very blessed that my friend Joy chose me to be one of those people to witness that very special event in her life.
Two months after the civil wedding, with their prenup pictorial at Japan, a surprise bridal shower, and a lot of meetings with suppliers and errands to be ran in between, the big day has finally come, May 30, 2014! :) I love their wedding in a lot of ways but here are 5 reasons why it hit home run in my heart:
1) Despite the fact that their guest list has around 400 people in it, the warmth of their love for each other and for their family, friends, and guests was very much felt throughout the day. The couple's personalities left a mark in every detail of the wedding and you can immediately tell that they would like everyone to enjoy this day as much as they did. I also appreciate how their wedding professionals and suppliers contributed quality services and skills which made the wedding even more beautiful.
2) I love their wedding because I felt my heart turn into marshmallow when I-- saw my friend dressed in her wedding gown for the first time, when I was doing the bouquet for my friend and was practicing my speech, when I was actually delivering my speech, when I was listening to the speeches of the couple's parents, and most especially when I heard them say I do at the altar and when the groom made a surprise music video to the tune of "Stolen" and was played during the reception. My friend was so surprised and happy, she cried! hehe :) Roscoe's video did not only express how much he loves Joy, but it was also evident on the video how much he is loved by his best friends (the best man and one of the grooms men). It showed depth of their relationship and how much they are willing to go for the love of their best bud.
3). Again, it was a first time for me to be the MOH and a secondary sponsor (proxy) at the same time. I had two roles so I had two bouquets! haha... Despite my little duh moment while I was lighting the candle (*wink, wink* hahaha), I was just so happy that I was able to do this for my friends. Imagine how privileged we (members of the entourage) were as we stand at the altar with the couple as the priest said words of blessings and encouragement for them. Again that's a first. I felt that the love, friendship and support that we have for them, the bride and groom, and their love and friendship for us is sealed forever in faith and prayer as their relationship is sealed forever in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The experience is something else, that I can tell. It was definitely a blessing and a privilege.
4). So I have a knack for couples who dance as part of their reception program, but I never imagined that we (2 MOH, Bestman and a Groom's man) had to dance with them as well! haha.. When my friend texted and informed me that we will be dancing with them on the dance floor, I almost fell out of my chair! haha... But then I thought, what the heck, bring it on, lets have fun! :) It was indeed fun and we were all happy to be dancing to the tune of "Happy"! hehe ;)
5). Lastly, I love this wedding because the celebration did not end when the last music spun by the DJ ended. The couple opted to spend more time with friends and family instead of retreating to their own room to rest. They valued their loved one's time and effort for being there to celebrate with them. So even after the reception, even if I'm sure Joy and Roscoe were exhausted from the whole day of fun wedding experience, they chose to sit down, bond and talk to people who were there for them. I and 2 of my friends went home at 2am, but I heard from the bride that they actually went to rest at 4am. So needless to say, the time was really maximized. :) And I definitely appreciate this part the most. So my dear sis and Roscoe, congratulations! May 30, 2014 will always be remembered as the special day with your names on it! :)
3. It is the first time that I hop into an airplane to attend a wedding. :) Another brother (soul sibling) of mine got married to the love of his life. :) Almost a month ago, I witnessed the most fun and heartwarming wedding of my good friend Jerome and his wife, Lyn. I loved having able to witness my friend of almost 15 years get teary eyed as he looked upon his lovely bride as she walked down the aisle. The small beautiful chapel was filled up with love in that very moment almost instantly. It was one of those weddings that did not depend on expensive things to become memorable. It is a wedding that was filled with details (big and minute) that reflected the couple's personality and their common love for travel. :) It was also one of those weddings when having close friends as your emcees turned out really well. Their reception party was fun, entertaining, and made me appreciate having an intimate guest list who are very close to the couple even more. The night went on for hours without a dull moment and was capped by Jem and Lyn breaking into a dance number! Oh how I love that part! hehe :) Ultimately, it was surely a day to remember, Feb 8, 2014. :)
4. I have a knack for dance numbers during weddings. :) Another favorite wedding of mine was when the groom breaks into a surprise dance number for his bride to the tune of "What makes you beautiful" by One Direction. :) It was definitely entertaining and I loved seeing the bride's joyfully surprised face. :) Oh, this was during the wedding of my good friends Rex and Inah. :) I also loved how the groom looks into his bride's eyes and vows not to make promises because promises are meant to be broken, instead he professes his love and loyalty for her before family and friends and lived by that day after day from then on. I also loved that I was part of their prenup pictorial, where I snapped a few good photos of the couple with their big smiles and joy evident in their eyes. :)
5. The bride's father was not able to witness her daughter say I do. He passed away some time prior to the wedding. But that did not stop the couple from making him a part of the wedding celebration. At one point of the program, live butterflies were released to symbolize the couple's love for the father. The song "Butterfly Kisses" were playing at the background while the words of affection for the father were being uttered. It was a very touching moment and I must admit that it moved me to tears. Soon after that, there was a beautiful fireworks display that lit up the clear evening skies. It was indeed perfect. :) One of my staff saw this butterfly perched onto one of the table arrangements that we made while we were doing egress. Since its life did not last long after that, I kept it as as a souvenir and put it in frame which is now displayed in our living room.
6. Yes I turn into a romantic softie once the groom becomes more emotional than the bride. ;) One of my favorite moments during wedding ceremonies is the exchange of vows. I love it when couples declare their personal vows on top of the " for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part" church prescribed vows. One of my favorites was when the bride pledges "From this day on, everything will start and end with you...", and the groom actually sheds tears. It was a very tender moment that instantly filled the small chapel with overflowing love. :)
7. More on wedding vows, another favorite of mine was when the bride vows to his husband in front of I think 150 (or more) guests that she will never make him do household work. And the congregation reacted with a loud cheer to that statement. hehe.. It was also the only wedding that I attended where there were more than 10 pastors who took part in their wedding rites. I also loved that they have different wedding symbols that are not very ordinary like a plant and a Jewish shawl. :)
8. The members of the entourage were not wearing gowns, instead they were wearing jeans and green shirt (but of course they had floral bouquets and corsages with them). It was school themed wedding. :) I did not witness the wedding ceremony personally, but I find this idea very unique. I love it when weddings defy the usual wedding practices but still turn out very beautiful. :) The couple had a school bus as their bridal car, which I think is fun and reflective of their personality as a couple. :D
9. The wedding party was made up of less than 25 people literally: the couple, the pastor, and a few of their close friends and family. And this was held in a big church. They were all gathered in the altar area. But the beautiful thing about is was that the bride still walked down the beautifully decorated church aisles. It was the 25th anniversary renewal of vows of this beautiful couple who were in their 50's. The bride talks about his groom with so much love and even humor. I remember that it was raining that afternoon and Taft avenue traffic was terrible. When the groom arrived at the church, he realized that he forgot the rings at the hotel room. But since the roads were clogged with vehicles, he rode a pedicab back to the hotel and back to the church in order to fetch their wedding rings. I just think it was adorable. :) However, recently, the groom went home with Lord. I came by to pay my last respects for him, and the bride recognizes me as their young budding florist (at that time) who decorated their church for their wedding. And even when he was gone, I could still see the love and devotion that she had for him. Definitely, I will never ever forget them as a couple. Blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of their 25th year milestone.
10. I love it when couples shake things up a bit to keep the wedding experience unique and fresh. I was the stylist for this one wedding when the couple skipped the standard prenup pictorial (in between church ceremonies and reception), and went straight to the reception venue. Before the guests were let in, the couple was already standing by the entrance of the ballroom in order to personally welcome each of their guests. This is actually the first and the only time that I see a couple welcome guests instead of making a grand entrance. I just think that it is a very personal and heartwarming way of thanking family and friends who came to witness your special day. :)
Another one that I liked was when the couple made a little boy their flower bearer instead of a little girl. So I prepared for him a little toy truck filled with flowers that he pulled down the aisle. That was charming. :) So cute.
So that's my list... I'm keeping this open for future favorite weddings. :)
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