What’s the inspiration behind your wedding look? Did you have any hair and makeup pegs?
At the time, I was (and still am) into Jo Malone. I guess this is what really inspired me when it came to deciding on our wedding theme – white & black, clean lines, classic, but modern. In order to translate this to my wedding look, I just wanted a very natural, simple, and classic look. Also, one of my major considerations was that I didn’t want our wedding pictures to be dated – I wanted to make sure that our pictures can be relevant at any given time. I didn’t want to overdo anything, so for my makeup, I wanted to stick to the nude-ish brown side.
People asked me prior to the wedding if I wanted to wear any contact lenses to make my eyes standout, but I opted not to. First, I’m not really used to wearing contact lenses. Second, my eyes might get irritated once I start crying during the day itself. Lastly, and more importantly, I didn’t want to do anything too drastic with my look.
As for my hair, I have a round face and chubby cheeks, which is why wearing my hair in an up-do was never an option for me. I went for wavy hair with a simple half ponytail, so my veil had something to hold on to.
What lip color did you choose for the wedding day?
My lips but better shade! I went for a nude shade with a little tint of pink.
What was in your wedding day makeup kit/pouch?
I had my Inglot matte lip pencil/crayon in shades 16 and 17, but I don’t remember using them! I just did one makeup retouch before the reception, and that was it.
What were the preparations you did for your skin prior to the wedding day? Did you go to a skincare center regularly? What kind of services did you have done? Is this something you would recommend to other brides-to-be?
To be honest, I am really lazy when it comes to going to skin care centers! But, I was so patient in trying to do all the skin care regimens at home. Yes, I visited my skincare center about five days before the wedding. I had a regular facial and a diamond peel. Thankfully, my then-fiance enjoys putting on facial masks so we were wearing masks almost everyday the week of the wedding. I also visited a laser hair studio for those unwanted skin hair.
“Take a leave from work so you remain focused.”
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?
John Herrera designed my wedding gown, as well as my husband’s suit. Actually, I think I’m one of the most difficult brides out there. Mainly because I just had a few, strict “requirements” and then I allowed our designer and our other suppliers to do their thing. The reason we’ve chosen and trusted our wedding suppliers is because we trust that they’re already experts in their respective fields. We wanted them to enjoy what they were doing for us and not to feel restricted with so many things.
So for my wedding gown, I just had three instructions for John – 1) no beads, 2) no laces, and 3) it needed to cover my arms. What I really liked about John was that he really studied and analyzed my body type. Afterwards, he clearly explained the designs that would work best on me (and those that wouldn’t). He played around lines and pleats (using silk Mikado which is uncommon), and turned my gown into a beautifully structured one. I really love how my gown was so original, unique, and perfect. Even more since he created hidden pockets, which were so useful during the wedding day!
He designed my gown 10 months prior to the wedding, but had my first fitting for the gown’s lining about four months prior, and our first fitting with the gown’s structure was a month prior.
How did you choose your hair and makeup artist?
Julie Ebio, assisted by Dominique Martin, did my hair and makeup. Julie has been doing our family’s hair and makeup even from before – from my sister’s wedding up to my brother’s wedding as well. So, Julie has been our go-to, ever reliable artist. Even her husband, Aaron Ebio, has been our family’s go-to photographer. This couple tandem has been working really well with us. Julie already knows my face so much and she has been giving me makeup tips and staples even just for my everyday, on-the-go look.
What was the best beauty advice you received that helped you prepare for your wedding?
Two best advices – 1) Take a leave from work so you remain focused and 2) have your teeth whitened. Nothing beats flashing your pearly white teeth on your wedding 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?
I did the BBG (Bikini Body Guide) by Kayla Itsines a few months before the wedding. I lessened my carb intake as well. But nothing else aside from these. I guess you unconsciously get thinner when you’re the bride!
Did you have your nails done? If so, where? Would you recommend this nail salon to others?
I had my nails done at Chic Nails. It has been my nail salon for a long time and didn’t want to risk trying out a new one for my big day.
What was your biggest takeaway from your wedding day? Do you have any beauty-related tips you’d like to share to upcoming brides?
Enjoy every bit of your wedding day with your groom and just let things fall into place even if there are some imperfections. It will go by so fast that you’d just want to remember it being the happiest day of your lives as a couple.
As for the beauty tip, I would suggest really investing on whitening your teeth.