Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The First of June


Diguisit Beach, Baler Aurora (own photo)

Ahh, June. I can’t help but feel nostalgic. A couple of years ago, the 1st of June to be exact, my then-boyfriend of six years (and now husband of over one year) officially asked for my hand in marriage.


No fireworks lit, no friends or family secretly coming to a surprise party, no grand scheming of how uniquely and creatively he'll pop the question, no giant banners, no flash mob, no jet plane spelling "Will you marry me?" in the air, no knees bent down. It may perhaps be the simplest but to me, the most sincere proposal, one I wouldn’t have any other way.

Back then we were spending the last days of summer in Baler with a couple of friends back in college. We went to a handful of scenic spots the town was famous for and ate at a few decent restaurants that would make a lovely setting for anybody’s proposal story. Too familiar with our personalities, of our common preference of doing things our way, of keeping special moments to ourselves, he didn’t do that.  

I woke up one morning, he was looking intently at me, waiting for me to open my eyes and finally wake up. Time check, 8:00 AM; he’s been awake since 5:00 and hadn’t had any sleep the night before. While I gather my strength to come out of my dreams, “Honey, I will tell you something,” he said. “Do you want me to kneel?” He asked me as an afterthought.  I think I laughed and said no.

In between shushing me and getting his game face back on, he spilled the words. The exact words have slipped my mind already, thanks to those anaesthesia shots when I gave birth. But I will never forget this: he asked me if I remembered the times when I said that I feel like I’ve spent my whole life taking care of the people I love, but no one’s doing the same for me. (Of course, I remember.) He said he wants to be the person who’ll take care of me for the rest of our lives if I let him. Tears and all.

In my half-awake, half-asleep state – tangled, messy hair; freckled, makeup free face; unforgivable morning breath, and whatnot – this guy proposed, and of course, hearing the words I will always want to hear from him and him alone, I said yes. Tears and all. 

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Makeup by MaeCaps: A Promise Beyond Beauty




I’ve been working and living in the city for several years, so no wonder booking a high-profile makeup artist from Manila sounded rational for me back then.  Blooming, blushing, and natural - those are my three basic makeup requirements. I want it very simple, but elegant. I want my makeup to last long but without the appearance and feel of cake on my face.

Initially, I wanted to get Hazel Gonzales of HG Studio and Makeup. However, my mom, the primera contra bida (number 1 antagonist) slash konsensya (conscience/voice of reason) of my life, said it’s not a good idea to get someone from Manila when my wedding is in Bulacan, given the terrible traffic situation we have these days.

 True enough, this happened to a friend who booked her HMUA from Manila for her Bulacan wedding. She arrived a couple of hours late. Yes, she had time to do everybody’s makeup, but the whole photo session schedule was messed up. Talk about how mothers in fact know best, huh.

Fortunately, my cousin was also getting married a week before us. We were exchanging contact numbers and email addresses of suppliers, which made everything a tad easier. He asked me who was doing my makeup and recommended Ate Mae Capulong of Makeup by MaeCaps, who also happens to be his classmate back in high school. I was a bit hesitant at first, but still went on and booked a trial session.

Trial Makeup Session


Supposedly, you can use your trial session for your prenuptial pictures. That would be more cost-effective, since you’ll only pay once and get to use it on purpose. Other makeup artists even give it away for free as part of the whole wedding makeup package. For Makeup by MaeCaps (airbrush makeup plus hairstyling) it costs 1,500 Php. This was her 2014 rate.

I had mine in August (three months before my wedding, but you should definitely have yours earlier) when we haven’t even thought about where and when to have our prenup yet. I wanted to see first how it would turn out, if I’d like it or not before I book anyone and call for professional photographers, of course.



My then fiancĂ© (now husband) and I went to Ate Mae’s place and immediately got down to business. Con, the resident hairstylist of Makeup by MaeCaps, began prepping my hair, while Ate Mae did my makeup. Ate Mae took the photo above to show us how the makeup registers on the camera. I loved the result.

Personality wise, they were very warm, jolly, and easy to get along with. We instantly clicked and I knew right there and then that I’m booking them for my wedding. You see, the makeup artist will play a very important role in your wedding. She’ll be right there on the side lines and will spring into action if she sees you’re turning into a Shrek with all the sweat and stress of your wedding. You must get someone you’re comfortable with, not just someone who means business.  This was a good call, because Ate Mae proved to be more than just a makeup artist during the big day. More on this later.

3 Looks, One Prenup Shoot

Ours was a six months engagement and we were only doing the wedding preps on weekends since my fiancĂ© and I are both based in Makati. Needless to say, we were cramming by November with a lot of loose ends to fix. We already had our good friend, Billy, take our improvised prenup shots earlier, so although it is free, we originally didn’t want to avail of the prenup shoot included in our photo video package, because we didn’t want the unnecessary expenses anymore and we’re already super stressed with the whole prep plus we’re also swamped with work in the office.

But folks from Wedding Sitters, our on-the-day coordinators, encouraged us to have it. They said it was “sayang” and could just have it around town if we were worried about the cost. Acknowledging their point, we reserved a weekend with our photographers and Makeup by MaeCaps.

As usual, I was treated to the same flawless look. Under the sweltering heat of our afternoon photo shoot, my makeup was infallible. There was almost little to no need for retouch. Ate Mae sent Con to accompany me for touch ups and she was the sweetest and most reliable.

My fiance also sat in Ate Mae's makeup chair, just a little airbrushing so our skin would still match in photos.





THE Day



A toothache I was nursing for the past 6 months decided to act up just mere days before my wedding. I went to see my dentist and had a minor tooth surgery, and one of my cheeks (guess which one) was still a wee bit swollen on the morning of my wedding. I was very down and depressed because of this and was seriously considering not pushing through with the whole thing the night before.

But thank God for sending Ate Mae that morning. When I was on the verge of breaking into tears, she talked to me in private and told me things that were enough to bring back my confidence and quit worrying about how I looked. She assured me how beautiful I was and that my cheek was already OK as a matter of fact, I was just the one making a whole fuss about it. She acted like a real ate (big sister) to me. I needed that no-BS talk that time. It sent me back to my senses in a snap.

After our little pep talk, I found myself smiling for the cameras and forgetting about my insecurities. I focused on how overflowing my happiness was during our wedding and how I didn’t want to spoil that wonderful feeling just because I was too bent on worrying. Lo and behold, the best pictures I’ve ever had in my entire life.








More than the stunning, elegant, and no-budge high-definition makeup, I think Makeup by MaeCaps also succeeded in bringing out the most beautiful version of me during our wedding day. Personally, I have nothing but praises and thanks for this woman and I highly recommend her expertise. Getting married? Give her a call now.

For inquiries:

Call 0917-793-2002
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makeupbymaecaps