What do you do when the pandemic pushes you to keep postponing your wedding? Patricia Santos and Lester Yao have moved their special day twice. From a wedding set in beautiful Paris to a hotel in Manila, they finally settled for a civil wedding in a private garden.
"We have been engaged for a long time already and we realized that we must go on with our lives despite what’s happening. It took a while for me to grasp the situation and let go of my ideal wedding but now that it’s all done we’re really happy with how it turned out," the blooming newlywed shares with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle.
They got married last January 17 and they only had two weeks to plan. "We were torn and waiting to see if the cases would rise. We couldn't decide if we will really push through."
Working with time constraints and only 16 guests, Patricia did everything on her own. "I also made sure I made myself a beautiful simple garden wedding dress," says the fashion designer who made two gowns just for that special day while the groom was in a Christian Dior suit. As for hair and makeup, Patricia did it all on her own.
She envisioned a dreamy setting, styled by Gideon Hermosa with table setting from Casaluxia, and shot by Metrophoto and Spotlight Creatives. "The overall setting reminded me of a beautiful garden in Paris. It felt like a dream," Patrica beams. "I wanted the place to still look magical and to have memories that I can keep forever." Food was by K By Cunanan and drinks by Moet Chandon. Singers Moira and Jason Marvin were also present to serenade a few songs.
Being very hands on with her own wedding can be quite challenging. "The hardest part was the logistics and coordination. I needed to get ready, but had to take care of making sure everything was all set before the ceremony started. It was definitely a crazy funny experience I will never forget."
When asked what her favorite part of the wedding was? "Saying our 'I do's.' We were both so happy that we're finally married after waiting for so long and so many wedding plans changed. It was a relief and, now, we don't have to worry anymore."
Looking back, Patricia shares this tip to those whose wedding has been disrupted. "I know sometimes we get pressured by so many things and also stressed about this whole situation and things not going our way but I think whats important in wedding planning is to think about what really matters."