On Our 1-Year Anniversary
I can’t believe it has been officially one year since our wedding day! If anyone told me in advance that I will be sitting in our new home somewhere in England one year after my husband and I got married, I would never have believed him or her. But, nevertheless, it happened and here we are! It’s been quite a journey for my husband and I. Since we got married, I went to Fashion School (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) and we moved to Europe. I guess it is safe to say that I am thankful to God for giving me my husband for He has truly given us the world. It is true what they say, time flies when you are having fun. My marriage has truly been one exhilaratingly fun adventure. Of course, I feel that our marriage started with a strong takeoff as our wedding was something I can never forget – just the way a wedding day should be!
Weding Details
Styleat30’s Bridal Gown | VERA WANG
Heels | CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Hair & Makeup | CHIALI MENG
Caterer | IRON CHEF & TOP CHEF MASTER’S NEAL FRASER
Wedding Venue | VIBIANA
Wedding Coordinator | SOLANO 888
DJ & Lighting | TMMPRO
Photography | LIN & JIRSA
Videography | MP WEDDING FILMS
Florist | SPRING FLOWERS & EVENTS
After getting married, I received a lot of positive response from the way I’ve styled our wedding affair. I even contemplated on becoming a wedding planner at one point but I know in my heart that my biggest calling is to truly be involved in the fashion industry. Nevertheless, through this blog, I think I would still be able to help upcoming brides plan their own wedding with some helpful thoughts that assisted me along the way as we were planning ours.
While I was embarking on the thrilling journey of becoming a bride, I’ve come to realize that the most important thing when planning a wedding is to set a clear vision of how you would like your wedding to transpire. Many brides often feel overwhelmed with where to start – and that’s perfectly normal! The challenge, I feel, emanates from the fact that most brides tend to start with the small details in mind – the dress, the ring, the invitation, the list goes on. When I say visualize, looking at the big picture is key. Also, make sure it is your vision and not somebody else. Your dream wedding is worth protecting from other people’s definition of their dream wedding.
What is the Big Picture?
One must fast forward to the future and try to do a little bit of role-play and visualize at how you would like to perceive your wedding years from now. One must look at who she is, whom she’s marrying, how they are as a couple, what their personalities are as individuals and what their personality is together. You want to be able to look back and say that your wedding exuded your personalities. There has been one too many times where I attended a wedding and felt that the event seemed “too old” for the couple. Yes, you want class and sophistication. However, if you are a young couple in their twenties or early thirties, you’d still want to be able to let loose and have fun. It’s your night! There is nothing worse than letting a wedding “age” you.
Here is a key word to think about when visualizing: Ambiance. This totally sets the mood of your wedding. The crucial components to set this up successfully are: the venue, flowers, food, music and lighting. To tell you honestly, setting the ambiance is the most expensive set of things you will be paying for in a wedding. In Los Angeles, wedding vendors are considered prime that a lot of people forego one for the other. However, know that when planning something as essential as your big day, in order to do it correctly, you must succeed in all aspects. The primary thing to realize is that it is not about quantity, but quality. You don’t need your wedding to be decked out in a million floral arrangements. But what you have to ensure is that your vendors must provide the best quality. Imagine your wedding decked in wilting floral arrangements – this is an absolute no – especially if you’re paying for a florist.
Another thing that is pivotal is ensuring that your motif is unified. What is your color scheme? Do they compliment your venue? Does the music suit the mood? Lighting is usually deemed as the least important from all these, but it actually has the greatest ability in terms of improving the setting of your wedding atmosphere. Just as when you enter a restaurant, lighting easily sets the mood of the place – so is the case with weddings. Thus, this should not be discarded so easily. If you ask me frankly, the wisest decision you will ever make is picking an amazing venue. Aside from saving a lot of money since you won’t have to put in effort to decorations, the venue will provide the most memorable factor. We chose the Vibiana in Los Angeles for this exact reason and my husband and I have been very happy with the results.
Prioritize
In order of importance, we planned our wedding by choosing the place of ceremony, the reception hall and caterer, the flowers, and the music and lighting. Like I said, think about the big picture first and then focus. In our case, we chose the Cathedral of Los Angeles as my husband and I spent many days when we first started seeing each other there, as we are both involved in church ministries. Surely, it holds a special place in our hearts. The next was to find a reception venue that was convenient to the Los Angeles Cathedral. The Vibiana was only five minutes away, which was another factor why we thought it was perfect to have our reception there. Getting married in the new Cathedral of Los Angeles and having our reception at the old Saint Vibiana Cathedral (now called the Vibiana) was simply too good to be true. We just had to take the opportunity. If we chose a church on the other side of the city or by the beach, we probably would have chosen a reception venue that is closer to the west side. I know it’s your wedding, but you have to be a gracious host and think about your guests. Some things that you can forego in order to save money are photo booths, material giveaways (consider giving away dessert instead as more food is always welcome), and unnecessary décor. Two key things you must invest on are photos and videos. Those last forever. Please research well and pick a company that exudes your style. Remember, you will be looking back at these for a very long time. Choose well.
On Having a Wedding or Not
As a child, I grew up in an all-girl private school and have always felt that I’ve met a lot of different types of ladies in my life. Whether you are a woman that is plain or fabulous, intelligent or street smart, sporty or feminine, religious or not, one thing is for sure: As a girl, she’s most definitely dreamt of that big day one way or another. I also feel that parents would want to give away their child properly. During one of our meetings with the priest who presided our wedding, he shared with us that weddings nowadays are so scarce. He said that weddings are there so that your loved ones, your friends, your community and the society can bear witness that true love exists. In essence, weddings are a day devoted for family, cherished as beautiful memories and lets people get a glimpse of that perfect holiness that only comes from the grace of God. Therefore, to even consider on having a wedding or not, I feel, is a sad, sad thing. Yes, have a wedding and don’t hold back. If you were not willing to invest in the celebration of your union with another that is dedicated to last for the remainder of your lives, then what else would be worth investing on? Be free and materialize that little girl dream of yours and prioritize the essence of family. Boldly show to the world your morals and principles on what true love is all about so that others can bear witness to something that gives testimony that even in this twenty-first century, the graces of God is well and alive. Lastly, don’t settle. Your wedding journey is a gift. Be authentic and do it right. And don’t forget, do it with style.
Vibiana | 214 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States