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!

The Groom's Suit 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.

Hey! It's Aleq. It's my turn to write about the details, because this post is all about me, the groom. It's been a while, so let's get it on.

The suit I wore to our wedding wasn't initially what I had in mind. At first, I wanted to go for a light gray suit. However, most of those who got married during the year we were making our preparations opted for the gray suit I wanted. To break the mold, I decided to go for a blue suit.

Most important suit of my life

First Wedding Gown Fitting + Invitation Maker - Check!

It's a life-changing event when you first try on your wedding gown. I've been pretty busy with wedding preparations that I haven't started feeling excited at all, and I'm still not in that frame of mind that I should be in already. When I saw my wedding gown for the first time last February 23 though, I felt a thrill go through me. I was really getting married!

When my gown designer Edwin Uy's apprentice, Jeon, called to schedule my first fitting, I felt really apprehensive. I didn't know what the dress would look like! I had the sketch of the gown but I didn't know how it would translate in real life, and, more importantly, how it would look on me. I've been working my butt off at the gym, but since I've only been working with a trainer for two weeks, I didn't expect much. I was thinking they would have to make adjustments to fit my body type because I'm not in the best shape and it would look awful on me.

Since superstition dictates that a bride should never wear her gown before the wedding, I only tried on the lining. That's how designers work around the myth now - I will never try on the finished gown, but I'll be trying on the lining several times to ensure that I can wear the dress on my wedding day, heh. Superstition also says that the groom should never see the bride wearing the dress, so the fiance had to sit in the showroom receiving area, and Jeon put a screen in front of the curtained dressing room for good measure. Aleq and I figured superstitions may or may not be true, but there's no harm in following them, just in case.

So I anxiously put on the dress, and then the magic happened. I just simply felt completely happy during that moment when I first saw myself in the mirror. "This is it, Julls!" My mind just zoned in on that immediately. Then I started smiling. Edwin and Jeon didn't let me down! The dress, in its very incomplete state, already looked utterly perfect. It was actually flattering, and I just couldn't believe it. Plus, I never thought I would do a princess dress for my wedding, but Jeon convinced me otherwise because he said it was the cut that suited my body type and that I'm the bride, I should pull out all the stops. What do you know, it did turn out pretty fabulous. The seamstresses came over to help me put it on and zip up and such, and I actually felt like one of those girls in My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding, haha. The gown was enormous, and the petticoat had to be put on separately. Jeon came over to look me over with his super critical eye, and then he showed me the detachable train, and I thought, wow, that is an awful lot of fabric! The best part was that the dress didn't fit! They have to take two inches off of it and the grandmotherly seamstresses said that I must be losing weight. Isn't that the best thing ever? Haha! Jeon told me not to worry if I lose more weight - it's easier to take out fabric than to put more in, heh. Sadly, the fiance told me to refrain from taking pics. He said we shouldn't risk having him see the dress accidentally, and he's right. I want that moment at the church when the doors open and I'm walking down the aisle to be as magical as it can be.

All I have is a giddy pic of me in the car after we left the showroom to forever remind me of the moment.

Suit Designer - Check!

I've been telling stories about my side of things, but it's time I tell the boy's stories too. Aleq is really busy with work though, so it's up to me to post things.

So as you know, designer Edwin Uy and his team are making my wedding gown. The fiance checked out their suits before, but took his time deciding on his suit-maker because he just wanted to be sure about what he wanted. Last January 7, he finally decided and went with Edwin Uy too.

We headed there after one really hectic day at the office so we got there really late, but assistant designer Jeon and the rest of the team were still able to accommodate us. They're awesome. I didn't take pics when Jeon was taking my measurements anymore, but I did take pics of Aleq's suit swatches.

Navy without flash (it was dark in the showroom)

Gown Design Presentation

As usual, the fiance and I have been super busy with work, so it took a while before we got to do wedding stuff again. We actually forgot about our wedding for a few weeks there, amid a haze of overtime and holiday/weekend work. We had to put off supplier meetings, and even simple research. Now that my big work project's winding down and I have my weekends back, and the fiance's also slowing down with work, we're busy catching up with our preparations. It's really a challenge trying to find the time for it.

Anyway, yesterday, we made it to our second meeting with my gown designer at last. After making our reservation deposit (a supplier standard to block off your wedding date), we had a meeting for the presentation of designs. I was shown three sketches to choose from, but I changed my mind about what I wanted so I was sketched another one on-the-fly. I had a hard time articulating what I had in mind, and I felt like I was too weird, not wanting any frills. The fiance actually kind of went on groomzilla mode too trying to help me, haha, but it was great because he asked all the right questions. Despite the trouble getting there, it was great. It became a collaborative effort, and I was happy with the result!

Sketches

Gown Designer - Check!

Our wedding preparations have been up and down. We've been far too busy to do wedding stuff, so what happens is that we'll do a lot one month and then fail to do anything the next. This has to stop! Thankfully, we're getting some important things done in November. One of them is being able to book my gown designer, Edwin Uy.

What these fabric swatches are for, I'm not telling!