Tag Archives: richie ortega-torres

ruched tulle

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When I went to meet with Richie, the first time, in her condo I absolutely had no idea what my gown preference was. Yes, I initially looked up a website or two on wedding gowns and there were at least 2 designs that I liked although I really wasn’t like, head over heels in love with it. More importantly, I wasn’t sure if they will be good on me what with my petite frame and all.

So I went to Richie totally clueless on the types of cloth used in wedding gowns and totally clueless on what gown I want except for the fact that I absolutely wouldn’t want a mermaid-cut gown on me simply because mermaid-cut gowns are only for tall women which very well i’m not.

I went to meet with Richie with the sole intent that I will give her full helm on designing my gown knowing that she’s much better at this than I do. Because I absolutely have no idea on the cloth industry, Richie and I didn’t talk about gown fabrics so much. But we did talk a lot about a LOT of other stuff, mostly wedding-related preps. She gave me her gown sketch a week after.

What made me go and inquire with Richie is that I loved her bridal creations even when they vary from one bride to another. I wondered at this since I can’t seem to pinpoint a design that once you see, is really Richie. I learned why so the next time we met. It was because she designs her gowns to suit the bride’s personality.

Even when the bride doesn’t realize it at first. Tough one, eh?

Seven months into the preparations, I can now identify silk organza from ordinary organza, from silk chiffon to tissue chiffon and tulle, the lovely, dreamy tulle where 4 months ago, I absolutely have no idea what a chiffon looks like. Before, I thought that all wedding gowns are made of some silk with embroidery and beadwork.

Nowadays, when I look at wedding magazines and websites, I most likely am drawn and would fall for gowns that create that surreal and dreamy effect. And when I realize (or get to read) that it was made of tulle, I go hoity-toity and hyper because I know Richie is making a tulle gown for me.

And it kinda amazes me how Richie was able to sense what my preference was, long before I realized it. Richie perceived i’m all for that dreamy and romantic effect even before I knew I want that effect with my gown.

When I saw the cover of Metro Wedding’s latest issue, I just got so excited I wanted to read the magazine even when I was still queueing for the cashier. Kristine Hermosa’s gown was just so lovely!!! Yet I couldn’t decipher whether it was made of tulle or silk chiffon. Although I am positive Richie will be using both materials on my gown, still, I wanted to confirm with Richie – I loved the tulle ruching in Kristine’s gown and I want to confirm ASAP if it was the same thing that i’m having.

I’m really glad Richie obliged and gave me a peace of mind. Yes, it seems to be made of tulle. Happy!

Wishlist: Spruce Floral Designs

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We’ve already booked our major suppliers and being in the almost-final leg of booking for our suppliers, we are already nearing the high alarm point on our budget. Suffice it to say that we cannot afford to splurge anymore and that we have to tighten the belt.

This fact makes me wish I found Pat and Spruce Floral Designs earlier to prettify the Church some more and to add more style to Ville Sommet’s Glasshouse. But I have to let go.

Please do check out Pat Pastelero’s arrangements on Spruce’s Facebook account and on her tumblr account The Floralist.  Her designs are j-u-s-t lovely.

One thing with Pat is that not only her arrangements really good but that she’s great to work with as well. We only corresponded through emails but she was so fun to talk to and she wasn’t stingy with suggesting her ideas. When she learned we have travel theme for our wedding, she listed a number of ideas on how to emphasize our theme on the reception venue. And they certainly were ideas that I like!

What I initially liked with her was that on her specs sheet, the question “flowers you DON’T like” was included. And of course I have a number of it. She’s so easy to work with.

But again, sigh. I have to let go.

It’s a bit of a torture though. Because everytime I’ll have my fitting with Richie, I’d get to see Pat’s arrangement since Pat and Richie (both having the same name Patricia) share the same unit in Palm Village.

wifey’s note: all posts with “wishlist” are not what we hope to receive on our wedding. Rather, they are stuff that we would love to have but we’ve found we cannot have for our wedding anymore owing primarily to practicality.

1st gown fitting

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I woke up at 7am with a very nasty tonsilitis and slight fever. My tonsils were so inflamed I was having difficulty swallowing. Gargled, in the hope that some bacteria will be killed and then went back to bed again. I have to get better to be able to go to Makati for my 1st gown fitting with Richie. The next time I woke up, it was at 11:30am already, still with fever. Still, even when movement was sluggish, I pushed myself to dress up, meet with Kat and then head off to Richie’s studio in Palm Village.

Yes, I was late for our 2:30 appointment. But I’m so thankful that Richie was still very gracious and patient with me.

For almost 2 hours, I forgot about my tonsils and colds and fever. Richie was sick as well but still, her bubbliness shown through. I asked her what was her opinion about the superstition of fitting your wedding gown. Laughing, she told us that the “malas” situation she had was when the bride didn’t had her fittings because the bride’s mom was so supertitious that they didn’t allow the bride to have her fittings. End result was that the gown didn’t fit snuggly as it should. Since then, Richie had been strict in having the gown fittings with the loophole that the gown will only be in the almost-finished state even at the last fitting.

We only fitted the lining this afternoon but as it is, I liked the “skeleton” of my gown already. I can just imagine how it would be when it’s finished. And I like how Richie is OC when it comes to fittings. We might have 4 more fittings before the wedding. I like! Cause then I can see my gown turn into me.

2 things I learned during our fitting that made me like Richie even more:

  • she knows what to hide and what to emphasize. let’s focus on what to hide. Richie has been exclaiming how thin I am and that I must have been only 1/3 of her (although I disagree with that). Yet, I have baby fats near my armpits. The curve at the breast part of my gown will then be modified to hide this particular spot. I’ve seen a lot of brides sporting this certain baby fat during their weddings hence I am really grateful to Richie for hiding this.
  • Even if it is beyond her scope, she doled out ideas on what the MOH and bridesmaids can wear in their heads considering the color and style of their gowns.

Richie also liked my shoe design idea although she suggested its better if combination is orange and gold instead of orange and pewter. Of course I’ll follow her. 🙂 I showed her my possiblel hairstyle from the party the other night and she loved it as well and showed me some hair accessories styles that she might put on me. Kakaexcite!

I wish though I can post some of my pictures here or share it with hubbie. But Richie was strict on this and I think, rightly so. As Dino Lara put it when we had our conversation, “there’s something really special during that moment when the groom first sees the bride in her wedding gown”. Hence, even if it takes a lot of EQ, I wouldn’t spoil that “moment” by posting some spoiler pictures.

This train of thought though brought me to a shocking realization: our wedding’s 4 and half months away!! Got to review my checklist!!

For now though, I need to have a healthier body.

PS

Thanks to Kat (my MOH), for setting aside some of her time to accompany me in my fitting.

Irene Sy-Go

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I wouldn’t want to have a made-up face go to waste. My trial make-up session had to coincide with an event/party or our prenup (take two!) session. That being said, the most sensible thing to do was to schedule my trial make-up with Irene on the day of our company Christmas party in Fernbrooks where we had to dress up in our black and/or white formal attire.

I’m not one for make-ups. And hubbie doesn’t like heavy make-ups as well. Hence choosing the right makeup artist for our wedding day is crucial. A fellow W@Wie recommended Irene to me back in October, prompting me to check on Irene’s site. I loved Irene’s work; Kat and I were very amazed the night we browsed Irene’s site – it made us realize how good makeup can really enhance one’s features. I pondered on the thought that probably soon, some other bride-to-be will have her share of oohhh’s and aahhh’s with her friends over my before and after photos. But what the heck, care ko; it’s a cycle. =D

Irene advised she’ll be at our office at 3pm. But she arrived a quarter before 3 – this despite hailing from Quezon City and on a December traffic at that.  Really professional.

The whole session lasted for more than 2 hours. Before starting our session, Irene asked me a lot about any allergies, any color/style preferences, the look I want – very thorough. I like! What I specifically liked with her was that she was OC with sanitation as well. She has facial cleansers and hand sanitizers and alcohol (for her tools) ready for use. She wasn’t heavy-handed at all. And even when using eyelash curler on me, I didn’t feel it at all.

Everyone gave a thumbs up on how I looked last night. When hubbie saw my pics and gave his thumbs up as well, it was then final. I’ll have Irene Sy-Go take care of our hair and makeup for our wedding.

We probably will opt for the Jessica Alba hairstyle.

I loved what Rica, Irene’s funny hairstylist, did to my hair.

Above shot as taken at the elevator, by very-preggy-yet-beautiful-buntis-jane.

Notes for the wedding:

  1. will probably not wear any faux eyelashes anymore
  2. teeny-weeny more blush-on
  3. darker shade of peach-pink lipstick since our wedding is early evening
  4. ask Irene to work on making my face less round

dreaming of my gown

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If all goes as planned, my gown fitting’s supposed to be within the next couple of weeks. I must have been real apprehensive about my gown already in that I dreamt about it last night.

In that dream, my couturier, Richie Ortega Torres came up to me and told me that my gown will have to have a foam on the torso part. I clarified if she meant the boobs part. But she reiterated that no, it’s all of the torso part. I chose the gown A design wherein the creeping lace applique will be the one holding the back of the gown so, as Richie explained, the foam is required to hold the gown up. And then she showed me the dress where she incorporated our wedding colors even when it shouldn’t have any colors in it. Worse was that the shades were all off and ugly. The dream ended with us looking for swatches bearing the right shade of our wedding colors.

In retrospect, I think it was more of a nightmare than a dream. brrrr.