That Happy Day: The Bridal Gown by Edwin Uy [Happy Details]

Now that we have finally posted about our happy day, it's time to talk about the details. If you've been following this blog since we got engaged, you probably noticed that though we had a ton of stories to tell, we didn't really post about the specifics. That's because we chose to keep it all to ourselves so our wedding could still have the element of surprise. Well, we can talk about everything now, yay! p.s. Please read our note about suppliers.

Hello! We're trying very hard to get all our Happy Day documentation done before our anniversary, and hopefully we'll be able to.

The husband has written about his suit (see The Groom's Suit by Edwin Uy), so now is the time to write about my gown. We chose the same designer -- Edwin Uy -- for our wedding attire. I was actually able to document almost all the details regarding the making of my dress here. [See Gown Designer - Check!, Gown Design Presentation, First Wedding Gown Fitting.] What I didn't really blog about was the final fitting (which was done the morning of my bachelorette party), the finished gown, and our experience with the designer and his team.

The dress!

Here's an excerpt from my blog entry about booking Edwin Uy.

I really didn't have many choices when it came to my gown designer. I'm kind of quirky when it comes to my dress preferences. I want an amazing bridal gown, but I don't want beads, crystals, florals, ruffles, lace, and other girly things on it. I realized that I needed someone who would be up to the challenge of making a breathtaking dress without the frills. I also wanted someone a friend can recommend, or someone whose design I've seen in person. Of all the weddings I've been to, I liked my high school friend Anabel's gown the best. I thought it was really well-made and beautiful, but minimalist as well, which was the main reason it drew my interest. I asked her who made her gown, and she told me it was by Edwin Uy. She also generously gave me the other details like the price range and such. We found out that the designer's home base was near our neighborhood too, so we figured, it was the right choice.

We worked a lot with the designer's assistant, Jeon Varon, but Mr. Uy was the one who sketched the designs, oversaw the creation of the dress, and was there during our final fittings. Mark, one of the assistants, as well as the grandmotherly seamstresses all helped at one point or another during the process. They were all so easy to work with, so accommodating with our requests, and again, like with our other suppliers, we had no problems with them whatsoever.

As you can see from the excerpt above, I was actually one of those clients that could be considered difficult because I didn't want traditional things. They were initially weirded out by my preferences, but the great thing was that they were up to the challenge. I was also tough to work with (in my opinion) in the sense that I knew what I didn't want, but didn't know exactly what I wanted. Despite that, they did a fabulous job creating a design for me that ticked all my boxes. My gown ended up as a collaborative project between all of us.

The heart-shaped bodice

My dress was exactly what I didn't know I wanted. It had no frills, but there were little details that made it Me. The pleated -- striped -- bodice, layered skirt, and the uneven hem went with our wedding invitation and my entourage ladies' dresses. The blue tulle petticoat peeking out underneath is a little tribute to rock music, and our color theme. It was all very Vivienne Westwood! Love. I had no idea though that it also had a heart hidden on the bodice until we saw the pictures! It matched all the hearts in our save-the-dates, reception decor, my perfume, and my wedding shoes. It was such a lovely surprise detail that I never expected.

Other angles

I didn't want an extremely long train, so my gown was something I could move around in. The gown package included the veil and a hair accessory, and I was glad I didn't have to worry about those things.

Pretty silver

The simple, sheer veil

The final fitting was surreal for me. Unlike brides you see on TV who have their entire entourages with them, I was alone, with only my then-fiance waiting in the lobby. I asked my cousin and sis-in-law to come with me, but they didn't make it due to scheduling conflicts. In a way, I was glad I ended up by myself. At least the dress was kept a surprise for everyone until the day of the wedding.

The unfinished dress during my final fitting. Petticoat was still detached.

One of my favorite things about it -- the layers

I didn't fit the finished gown (Filipino superstition and all that), but I did have that teary moment after Jeon and the seamstresses zipped me up and got me into it. They left me alone in the dressing room and I got to see myself in the dress for the first time in the mirror. The tears came because I thought, "This is it!" and I was so happy, but I also shed a little tear because I wished so hard that my mom was there with me.