Weddings ? la mode

by Diana A. Uy

At a time when quite a few magazines are closing shop for one reason or another, there remains a number who keep themselves afloat by reinventing their entire look.

Metro Weddings, for example, had recently updated itself to keep up with the ever-changing trend and mood of today?s brides-to-be.

?We are revamping [the look] of Metro Weddings,? says Michelle Alejandro-Katigbak, who took over editor-in-chief functions formerly held by Romina Urra-Gonzalez. ?We are making it younger by incorporating bright new colors, new masthead, to make it more accessible to the readers. We are offering our readers a lot more choices, new inspirations and perspectives, creative ideas, and lots of wedding trends while maintaining the classic, timeless sensibilities of its former self. It will still be the ultimate go-to-guide for soon-to-be-weds.?

Metro Weddings is adding new sections like ?real traditions,? which guides couples from preparing for the pamamanhikan to creating unforgettable engagement parties; and the ?entourage section,? which dedicates informative pages to bridesmaids, principal sponsors, gifts, to name a few.

?Weddings have changed today,? explains Katigbak, ?They are unlike the cookie-cutter type of yesteryears, which is very traditional, the colors are all about pastels and pinks. Now, weddings are out-of-the-box. Couples can be very creative. They can even have a black-themed wedding if they wanted, for instance.?

The bridal shower

To launch the magazine, Metro Weddings hosted a bridal shower for cover girl Sarah Meier-Albano at the poolside of Edsa Shangri-la Hotel.

The former MTV VJ had in fact tied the knot in New York City, with events producer Banjo Albano, three years ago and has been blessed with a three-year-old baby girl named Kaya. The first wedding was very straightforward and done in a New York City Hall, hence Meier missed out on a bridal shower. So she decided to get married again?this time with all the trimmings and with her close friends and family close at hand.

?We were subliminally married in New York City. But Philippines is home,? says Meier.

Metro Weddings saw in Meier the new vision of the magazine thus they opted to make Meier its relaunch muse. ?Sarah is the perfect embodiment of the magazine,? says Katigbak, ?She is beautiful, young, accomplished, fresh and vibrant. She is not the girly-girl type and her style is non-traditional.?

So with the help of events stylist Henry Pascual, Metro Weddings transformed the poolside of Edsa Shangri-la into a scene out of a Bollywood movie. In colorful tents adorned with throw pillows, beautifully set-up flowers and little whimsies like candles, guests sat Indian-style, sipping champagne courtesy of Cav Wine Shop and eating delicious cocktails prepared by the hotel. While Chocolate Confections Candy passed around delectable sweet treats. Cake artist Judy Uson baked a three-layered cake for Meier and mini cakes for the guests. Friends and well-wishers came dressed in either Unarosa long dresses or bohemian chic. Spotted was LJ Moreno, one of Meier?s closest friends. Fun booths were also set up like the ?Wishing Counter and Wishing Tree?, where guests sent best wishes to the soon-to-be-bride, and the Baicapture photo corner. There were games and pampering and make-up sessions made possible by Guerlain, as well. The day ended with everyone taking home an Aranaz purple tote bag filled with goodies from Wink and Skinfood.

?Metro Weddings is your friend, resource and inspiration,? says Katigbak, ?From the chaos to the joys, Metro Weddings will be there.?

The wedding

On March 3, Meier and Albano remarried in Calauraga church in Tagaytay amid a ?rustic,? Bohemian-themed environs and in front of more than 200 guests. The bride wore a Rajo Laurel purple creation, described by the bride as a very ?quintessential wedding dress.? The reception followed at Hacienda Isabella.

?We wanted things to be very laidback, organic, natural, and not pretentious,? shares Meier, who initially dreamt of a beach wedding ala Mamma Mia, the film, which was set in Greece.

The bridal shower and the wedding will be featured on the July 2009 issue and upcoming issues of Metro and Metro Society available in bookstores and news stands nationwide.