Real Bride: Martha Sta. Barbara-Villarama

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a Beauty Blogger at the Beauty Junkee, an Entrepreneur, and a Fitness fanatic!

What’s the inspiration behind your wedding look?

I guess I’d have to say that my inspiration was myself. I never had any peg. I like the way I do my makeup—and that is defined eyes and clean foundation.

Who designed your wedding gown, and how did you come up with the style? How long did it take to create or find the perfect wedding dress?

Raffy Viernes! She’s a friend who’s really amazing to work with. It took me a month only to determine what dress I wanted to wear on my wedding. I wanted it to be pretty enough, lightweight, easy to move around in, and perfect for a garden wedding. Function over style for me.

How did you choose your hair and makeup artist? Did you have any hair and makeup pegs?

Shebby Chic of Shebby Chic Makeup Artistry did my wedding makeup. She’s a famous vlogger turned makeup artist. We were talking about my wedding one time and she just offered her services as a gift. I really loved how she did my makeup that day that even if she didn’t offer her services to me as a wedding gift, I’d still get her to do my makeup on my big day!

How about in terms of fitness? What did you do months before the wedding to stay in shape and make sure your wedding dress fit perfectly? Did you enroll in a gym or fitness center? What was your diet like?

Five months before the wedding, I enrolled myself in Crossfit and lost 20 lbs. Through rigorous training and eating holistically; I didn’t really follow a strict diet per se, I just ate wholesome food, stuck with my recommended calorie intake, and slashed a few calories two months before the wedding to lose some more. I wanted to enjoy the journey and besides, when you do intense training like Crossfit, you really have to eat!

Did you have your nails done? If so, where? Would you recommend this nail salon to others?

I nail bite and my nails are really short because I prefer it that way so they won’t interfere with my workout. A day before my wedding day, I went for Virtual Nails at Dashing Diva; it’s the best!

What was your biggest takeaway from your wedding day? Do you have any beauty-related tips you’d like to share to upcoming brides?

Ask for help and you’ll be surprised at how nice and willing people actually are. Stick with your budget because the budget increases as the preparation progresses anyway (LOL). Listen to advice, but take everything with a grain of salt. Enjoy the process and don’t try to micro-manage and control things you can’t control. Always have the upper hand when deciding on wedding elements such as venue, food, documentation, etc. Plan ahead. Read, read, and read reviews of wedding suppliers. Go for recommendations to save yourself from opportunists and unprofessional suppliers. A wedding is best if it’s shared with only the most important people in your life. Finally, enjoy the ride and don’t stress about it!

As for beauty tips, highlight the eyes because it’s the most visible part of the face. For lipstick, I am not that strict on what color to suggest because it’s 2017 and we can all wear what we want to wear as long as we are happy about it. But if you want to look fresh, bright, and pretty for your big day, go for a rose shade. Don’t wear gloss because it might not be the best option in terms of how it’ll be captured on photos and video. Finally, wear a long- lasting foundation!