‘The wedding was very fun to shoot since it was a theme wedding…’ Pat Dy, fashion and wedding photographer

 These are just some of the wonderful things we heard from our suppliers and friends about our special day last December 2, 2006. My wife Ma-an and I began dating in ‘97, and I proposed 7 years later, singing onstage at the Chef & Brewer in Ortigas Center on December 23, 2003. We planned to exchange our vows after three years of engagement as we both believed in building solid foundations for a relationship.

During planning (a year and 3 months), we were concerned with how our guests would feel before and after the event. After hearing our buddies react to our plans, we named our wedding event, ‘Finally Down the Aisle,’ and scheduled it for the festive month of Christmas

Since Ma-an and I are both ‘non-conformist’, we began with the idea of a vintage theme and opted for a zoot suit, post-World War 2 theme. We wanted guests arriving at the reception to be transported to another time for a couple of hours.

Ma-an was involved in conceptualizing the ballroom design, the table centerpieces, the ‘playbill’ invitations, the patterns of each bridesmaid’s sunshade parasol umbrella, and the fusion of bright, dazzling plum, champagne, peach, and celery green that was our motif. She and ‘Tropical Blooms’ stylist Angel Pennaroyo came up with a table lamp centerpiece with hanging glass crystals accented with flower arrangements.

I took care of video coverage and music. The challenge was the musical scoring for the solo performers. Thanks to Kuya Rey and Ian Banawa of ‘The Sentimental Groove’, we put together a 13-piece ensemble to play jazz from the 40s and called them ‘The Polyphony Orchestra’.

On December 2, 2006, it was a delight hanging out with people whom we’d known for years at our wedding at the St. John Bosco Parish in Sta. Rosa and reception at the Sampaguita Ballroom at the Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay. Clear blue skies made everyone’s day despite our weekend being sandwiched by two crazy typhoons.

It’s been said that a hatless man is an anomaly, so I gave away trilby hats as souvenirs for the gentlemen. It was a thrill just looking at the way people carried themselves in what they wore and how they wore it; it was as if everyone had gone back to old customs.

Our godfathers blended well with the scene in their tuxedos, black ties, and suits. Our godmothers were just as pleasantly charming in celery green 1940s-style evening gowns and dresses. The rest of the gentlemen sported narrow brim trilby hats which complemented the ladies’ plum and champagne evening dresses. In addition, the women had parasols laced with feathers and off-white and plum fringes; these were handcrafted by my wife as a labor of love and handed out as memorabilia for the ladies. Our junior bridesmaids were dressed in peach baby doll long gowns and our flower girl, Ma-an’s niece, came down the aisle in a custom-made pixie baby stroller accented with flowers handcrafted by Ma-an’s mom. Setting the mood was a quartet singing ‘Love and Marriage’ by Sinatra. 

            As I walked in first, I saw a dozen smiling faces, warming my heart. I was wearing a Godfather Homburg hat by Bailey of Hollywood, a black pinstriped suit with an off-white vest by R.M. Manlapat, two-toned black & white shoes by Giorgio Brutini, and an heirloom from my father: his vintage, elegantly designed tie.

Ma-an arrived in a freshly restored ivory 1947 Jaguar Mark IV. Time paused; seconds seemed like minutes, and minutes like hours as she came down the aisle. She was elegantly and simply beautiful in a Debbie Co vintage-influenced champagne motif wedding gown, in full french lace design accented with Swarovski crystals.

Cocktail drinks and snacks were served as guests had their pictures taken. These were placed inside individual vintage-style frames with an antique finish and given away as souvenirs. The song ‘One’ from the movie ‘A Chorus Line’ echoed through the ballroom.

During the entry of the sponsors and entourage, I surprised my wife (who was holding a beige Battenburg-laced parasol umbrella, which she personalized with additional pearls and Swarovski crystals) by singing ‘Unforgettable’ by Nat King Cole accompanied live by her idol and my friend Jimmy Antiporda. 

We chose to eliminate the bouquet and garter toss, doves, and butterflies. Instead of a wedding cake, we had a champagne glass pyramid. When our brothers poured wine into it, it was quite a sight!

Guests enjoyed video presentations and games like ‘Guess Who’, where they guessed which character I was portraying in childhood photos, and ‘Guess the Movie’. We also had a ‘Dress & Suit of the Era’ contest to thank guests who created their own fashions and contributed to the atmosphere of the event.

            We also had many performers liven up the night. The last of the performers was ‘Male Genitals’: myself, both my brothers, and friends Randy and Takeshi. We did a medley followed by our theme song (the only modern song that night), ‘This I Promise You’ by N’Sync.

Our reception closed with our dance to Michael Buble’s ‘That’s All’. And thanks to all the hard work and love of friends and family, our wedding was joyful and triumphant, and simple yet stylish.