My Work: Weddings at the Peninsula

Once again, I will be participating in the Weddings at the Peninsula Bridal Fair. Now on its third year, this bridal event is one of the most anticipated wedding fairs in Manila.  It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of this yearly gathering of the best wedding suppliers, event stylists, coordinators, florists and designers carefully selected by the Peninsula Manila, the premiere hotel choice for pre and post wedding events for most of Manila’s brides.

Peninsula Manila is a personal favorite because I grew up here. It’s the first hotel I stepped in to when I was a kid. We used to hang out at the lobby after a night at Faces, Mars or Subway in the 80’s.  In the 90’s, we would cap our dinners with their giant ice cream sundaes. Now, it’s our choice for brunch or coffee with our good friends, Candy Dizon and Janina Dizon-Hoschka, who both hold shop there.  How can you not fall in love with their iconic lobby and the beautiful live music wafting through the winding staircases (with amazing acoustics too!)? Their staff always welcome you with friendly greetings, and the quietly elegant interiors are soothing to the eyes.

I would usually recommend the Peninsula to my brides. Technically speaking, their pictures will turn out great because of the neutral shades of the lobby and the huge windows letting in natural light. The wide spaces and little corners are never crowded so you avoid by-standers. You can also book Salon de Ning for a more opulent setting for pictorials.

A special touch I noticed is when a bride enters the hotel after her wedding.  The orchestra would start playing the wedding recessional piece, eliciting a warm applause from everyone at the lobby. Now, that’s magic!

Some photos of my first year at the Weddings at the Peninsula Bridal Fair.

Detail of my bridal terno in fine lace with a bubble skirt in taffeta.

Back shot of my opulent Duchess satin bridal gown with beadwork on the shoulders and a draped bustle.

My trio of wedding gowns for resort weddings, Filipiniana weddings and classic opulent weddings.

Another shot of my bubble wedding terno.

Top view of the beautiful set up at the lobby. http://www.peninsula.com/Manila/en/default.aspx#/Manila/en/Occasions/Weddings/

With my very good friends and fellow featured designers. From left; Dennis Lustico, myself, Ivarluski Aseron, Joey Samson and Jojie Lloren.

So please come and visit the Weddings at the Peninsula, this April 21, 2012. Our show will be at 5 in the afternoon.  Direction is by Jackie Aquino.

Get ready to fall in love with the hotel I have loved through the years.

My Paintings: March 29, 2011

March 29 marked our first year in our new home. I am sharing with you a painting I made specifically for our living room. Measuring 4 ft by 4 ft, it was a challenge during our move. It wouldn’t fit in the car so it had to be carefully wrapped and transported along with the large furniture.

The large space of our living room needed a large graphic, statement painting. I have always had this concept in mind of re-inventing the Catholic stampitas with images of fashion. Here, I painted a girl with a red hat looking like a halo, with a bird perched on her hand like a saintly symbol. Her black cloak is reminiscent of Roman robes, yet it looks like a drape-y jacket. I decided to paint her eyes closed as if in meditation (Although, Asian religious art represents the meditative, nirvana state with half open eyes. Apologies to my art history professors.).

I added a collage of scrap fabrics swirling outward and slightly painted in red blotches for a more graphic effect. It also finishes the painting well. The intricate backdrop emphasizes the stillness of the central subject.