Bridal and Entourage Flowers: Scenta Creations

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If there's one item in the list that I had a hard time deciding on, it's the flowers. Early on, I already have a vision of the flower bouquets and posies that I want for myself and my entourage. I knew I just have to find the perfect supplier who can deliver what I want.

Way back, I was already eyeing 2 well-regarded florists to choose from. We only got side-tracked for a time when I half-heartedly floated to Adrin the idea that maybe we can just DIY the all the bouquets and use fabric flowers. I didn’t think that he’d easily agree to it so I had to take it back after some weeks. Haha. I was just thinking then, of ways to lessen our budget hurt when this idea came to mind. I know too well that I’m not sold with it but I still went ahead and told Adrin about it, so I had to do something. Haha. After that short fickle-mindedness, I already set the record with my fiancé that fresh flower bouquets is still the way I’d like to take. :)

As I continued our search for our florist, I again went through the motions of inquiring, probing, and negotiating for services and freebies. Turns out, the best option and deal is not from my first and second supplier choice. Why? Because with the chosen florist, the service I received via email is above among the rest, and the package they presented best covers the things that we need with just the same price tag as others. Without further ado (how formal?! hehe), our chosen florist is Scenta Creations!

After sending the reservation fee and forwarding the deposit slip last Thursday, Janet of Scenta was quick to send our signed contract and order form. It was one fast transaction. I’m so looking forward to meet Janet and the people of Scenta once we finalize my bouquet and that of our entourage's.

Cheers!

An Early Birthday Gift: HMUA Booked!

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As the title states, this was an early birthday gift for me. Last Tuesday, two days short of my birthday, I learned of Val Villarin's Hair and Make-up Promo. Come Wednesday, he's officially our hair and make-up artist! 

He was my choice supplier from the start, being one of the top ten suppliers of W@W in 2011. I dreamily stared at his portfolio in the early months and wished to be one of his stunning brides. However, I still wanna be sure with my choice. So last June, I actively researched for HMUA suppliers. I was able to get in touch with 20 or so suppliers, and despite seeing other stunning portfolios or cheaper packages, I know deep inside that I still want to be a Val Villarin bride. Not only have I felt that "this is it" feeling, his rates are reasonable too! It’s right in the smack of our allotted budget.

We’re just waiting it out a bit before booking him, hoping that he’ll have a promo in the next few months, or that we’ll catch him in one of the upcoming bridal fairs. If we’re able to do that, that might save us a few thousand or get more free services. Who wouldn’t want that right?

And so, after learning of his weeklong promo, I immediately messaged him in Facebook and sent him a text message to inquire. A few hours had passed and still no reply from him. Given my impatience, I decided to give him a call. When I got to talk to him, right then I told him that we’ll get his services and I’ll deposit the downpayment as soon as possible to officially block off our date. Since that was around 5PM already, I told him that I’ll just head to the bank the next day. As soon as I’ve deposited our downpayment, I shoot him an email confirmation for our payment together with the deposit slip. Hours after that, I received the scanned copy of our official contract. Happiness! What a great birthday gift?!

Cheers!

DIY #2: Ruffly Wrist Corsage

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Making the most out of my work hiatus, I was able to tick off another item on the list. I bought the materials from Carolina's a few days ago, when I had my long overdue "me time". This wrist corsage made it to our DIY list after we decided with our theme. And one time that I was looking for inspirations, I came across the picture below. It was so cute and lovely! I just knew that our flower girls should have something like this.

Ruffly Corsage | Martha Stewart Weddings

So when I had the free time to scour for some eyelet trimmings, there's no way I'd let that opportunity pass. I first checked fabric shops in Glorietta 4, but not even a single shop sells what I was looking for. Luckily, the  lady in the last shop I went to was kind enough to refer me to Carolina’s at Glorietta 5. I treaded my way to the other building, looked for the said shop, and lo and behold, they have it! Apparently Carolina’s is a lace shop, so they have a wide array of lace and eyelet trimmings in different colors, sizes, and designs. I carefully scrutinized the items on display and bought 3 different types since I am not sure which among them will best look as a  flower.

I used the leftmost eyelet

Itching to finish this one, I started working as soon as I got home. Each trimming was used for a trial flower, and then I asked my family to pick which one looks best. The eyelet in nude won by a landslide, because it better complements our complexion compared the ones in stark white.  I was in production mode after that as  I so wanted to complete the corsages immediately. Excited much? Hihi.

Anyway, after crafting the 3 cute flowers, which I adorned with a yellow bead at the center, I was stuck because I did not buy any thin trimmings that will serve as wrist straps. Not wanting to give up and just continue on another day, I turned again to my trusty box of thingamajigs and found some cream satin ribbons. And they are just enough (as in no excess, not even a centimetre) to be placed as straps to my corsages. They’ve been in that box for ages (I think since my HS graduation! What a junkie?! Haha.), and finally I’ll be able to put them into good use. =P

I sew those ribbons at the back of the eyelet flowers, covered the stitches with some felt cloth for a clean finish, and voila, I now have 3 dainty and ruffly wrist corsages for our little girls. :)

Our Ruffly Corsages

Modeled by my young cousin :)

  

Carolina's Lace Shoppe

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Cheers!

DIY #1: Our Wedding Cord

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Finally, I'll be able to share to you our wedding cord. We bought the materials for our cord a few weeks ago and this time I’ll show you the step by step process as I crafted this thing that'll bind us, and of course the output. :)

First create a pattern you’d like. I created two patterns for our cord with the plan to pin these segments alternately. Since I prefer navy to stand out more than yellow, I used more navy beads in the patterns I arranged. Notice that I bought bigger navy beads too, so it would be more prominent than the yellow ones once the cord is finished.

String the first pattern of beads and bead caps into the eye pin. After inserting the last item, which is the bead cap for this segment, insert an eye pin. Once all the items were strung together, make a loop to close it.  In this segment, I cut the eye pin a bit before making the closing loop.

Using the eye pin included in the first segment, string the second pattern and insert another eye pin.Make a loop again to close this segment. Since I’ll just have these two patterns alternately, I just repeated the first section and continued on to do the rest.

After creating the two beaded loops that will be placed around me and Adrin, I designed the connector in the middle out of yellow beads (because I forgot to buy a brooch, so I improvised =P). This is the section where I attached our initials. Adrin didn't like the cursive letter A so we bought the block one. I, on the other hand, prefer the cursive letter K, so we decided to get our initials in different fonts. For the dangling section in the middle, I made a different pattern for it so you can easily set it apart from the two larger sections. Once this part was completed, I attached a blue St. Benedict's Crucifix at the end.

And so I present to you our wedding cord.

Easy process right? And lovely cord too! :)

Cheers,

Designer Meeting #3: Hana Saab-Tomacruz of Saab Fashion House

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This designer is another w@w find. I came across her name months into the wedding planning. And now that we’re into the designer hunt, I made sure to set a meeting with her.

It was a morning appointment at her shop in San Juan, and we got there right in time. Adrin and I were led by Hana’s husband to their small office and after a few minutes, Hana already joined us. She immediately struck me as very mahinhin and soft-spoken. I made my spiel about our purpose for the appointment, which is to consult with her and check if she can make a design for me similar to my preferences. I showed her the printouts of my gown pegs and that’s when she started to work.

First thing she did was to check my body type, after which she started sketching with a sign pen (take note,  sign pen, not pencil) in hand. Simultaneously, she is explaining the type of materials she plans to use for the dress as well as the appliques that’ll be carefully sewn on the fabric. I was surprised when she immediately outlined the back and side views once the front look was done. She was the only designer we met to care sketching the side view of her design. I was really happy she did that because for me it indicates that she has a 360 degree picture in her mind of something she might possibly create.

Hana was also very proactive to show to us her fabric swatches for the different layers of the gown, starting from the shell (innermost) to the outermost fabric. During the discussion, it was also shared to us that the petticoats they provide are custom made for each client. This is somewhat different from the usual practice of other designers which is providing store-bought ones. After showing us the fabrics and petticoats, we were also able to see some beads and appliques that she uses. And for us to better imagine how things will look once everything has been put together, she let us see a gown already for fitting by one of her clients.

After discussing details for the gown, we moved on to the (1) gown inclusions--veils, cord, pillows, and arrhae; (2) payment terms, and (3) on the day service provided. Aside from that, Adrin and I made sure to also check with her the rates and specifications for entourage dresses. At the end of the meeting, we agreed that we’ll think about things first and will instantly touch base with her once we decided to get her for my gown.

Just like before, as soon as we got into the car, Adrin and I shared our observations and take on the designer we’ve just met. I told him, I like the fact that she was soft-spoken and mahinhin because it makes me comfortable to share all my ideas and preferences. I also find her very organized, with all those carefully kept swatches; and into the details, because of the way she has planned in that instant the fabric layering that will be done. Not to mention the confidence I sensed behind the small soft voice, considering that she’s only been into bridal gown designing for 2 years.

Adrin, on the other hand, found her very structural -- meaning she works with a plan and carefully thought out steps in mind. He liked the fact that Hana’s first consideration before designing anything was my body type. To him, this means that Hana will only create something that will be flattering for me. It will also be very good for us that this designer even thinks our maximum budget for a bridal gown is more than enough for my preferred style. Makes us comfortable that we'll surely get our money's worth and won't be shortchanged should we decide to get her for the job. 

As of today, Hana of Saab Fashion House is the frontrunner couturier in our quest for the perfect dress. Sorry no sketch pictures this time. Her paper output contains much too much detail that I find it inappropriate to broadly share to the public.

Hana Saab-Tomacruz

Saab Fashion House

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Email: hycsaab@yahoo.com
Tel. No.: 0915-2596792

Cheers!