My Manny Halasan Wedding Gown

For Kitchie Nadal, a simple stroll in the mall and 700 pesos was all it took to find the perfect white dress. Lucky girl. However, for some other girls, it’s actually more than that. As I’ve mentioned in my previous post, I knew exactly what I wanted for my wedding day, especially when it comes to my bridal gown: a simple white dress with a sweetheart cut neckline and a soft, flowy, A-line skirt. I’ve seen it everywhere, heck even in Divisoria, so I had no worries about it.

Two months before our big day and I am presented with something else. It’s not that bad honestly; it’s just not THE dress for me. I was crushed. I remember having a meeting the next day with FJ Sionson, my wedding stylist, and he asked why I looked so haggard so I told him. Thank God, Manny, THE Manny Halasan, was in FJ’s office that same afternoon, too, sketching and quietly listening to my ordeal.

(c) Manny Halasan Facebook 

Just a short background: Manny Halasan is a Filipino designer based in Meycauayan, Bulacan. He first made a mark designing exquisite crowns and jewelry for their family business. In 2007, he started to test the waters in creating couture gowns for family and friends. If you think you’ve seen him somewhere, you may be right. Manny joined the prestigious Project Runway Philippines Season 3 in 2009, which paved the way for his continuously blossoming career in the world of fashion.

Going back to my story, FJ asked him for a couple of tips to remedy the situation, and to my surprise, Manny gave detailed advice on what to do – including the specific name of the fabric I need to get to achieve the sweet, flowy look I was after, what layers of fabric I should ask my couturier to remove for the skirt, and so on.

I personally found this gesture very generous since I was not his own client after all. I mean, he could have intentionally said stuff to lure me to ask him to do it instead, but he didn't. He was just being helpful that afternoon. I was dying inside to ask him already if he could have me on list, but knowing how much we have left on our wedding budget, I knew it was just impossible to afford a designer gown that time.

(c) Manny Halasan

But a series of serendipitous events led me to another visit to FJ’s office. Manny was there again. I couldn’t take to have my heart broken for the nth time so I simply laid all my cards – how much I was only willing to go for, what I wanted for my dress, and if he’s going to make it before my wedding, given that he already has a queue of clients until next year. To my amazement, he said since my gown was very simple he can squeeze me in. After five minutes, he handed me a signed sketch of an original Manny Halasan bridal gown, and the rest was pure bliss.

What I love about Manny is he wasn’t snotty or haughty, which is the usual misconception about most people working in the fashion industry. He was always very friendly, accommodating, and very kind in giving expert opinions about specific matters. He encouraged me to have my gown in eggshell white instead of stark white, because according to him, it complements my fair skin beautifully.

Seeing my gown a few days before my wedding day, I was totally speechless. The simple flowy skirt I requested had a cathedral train. Imagine that. My gown was sweet, romantic, and everything I wanted it to be. Manny added a touch of floral lace on the top and a tastefully done crystal-encrusted belt, which hugs my curves just right. All I can say is Manny Halasan delivered more than what I expected.

Aside from my wedding gown, Manny also did our wedding rings. For the rings, we specifically requested a long and ornate engraving, which may have raised some eyebrows if we had it done in some other shop. We wanted “I belong to (our names)” engraved beside our wedding date. Manny laughed and said he’ll see what he can do. He mentioned it may be pretty difficult to do it on my ring. But lo and behold, he actually had it done! 

I know this write-up is not going to make justice for his creations, so please see the pictures for yourself. If you’re a bride, looking for a wonderful designer who can work within your budget without compromising style and taste, I highly recommend Manny Halasan. To see more of his works and to connect with him directly, check out his Facebook Page. 

FJ Sionson: Making Every Bride’s Dream Come True (and Making It Even Better)

Our Secret Garden-themed wedding by FJ Sionson Flowers and Events

Ask any groom what he wants for his wedding and surely, faster than lightning, he’ll say, “Whatever,” or in Tagalog, “Kahit ano.” But with brides, it’s a different story. We girls may be quick to change our minds, but man, we sure know what we really want when it comes to our own weddings. As for me, I wanted something simple yet elegant. Nothing too grand and overwhelming. Yes, I'm looking at you Marian and Dingdong.  

But kidding aside, as a couple, we weren’t keen on spending a fortune for this occasion, first, because we simply don’t have the fortune to spend and also because although it just happens once in a lifetime, you can’t deny the fact that it's just the beginning. We still have a long way to go, and we don’t want to spend the rest of our lives together, or at least, the first years of it, paying a mountain of debts.  

With that, we knew early on that no matter how I drool over my laptop on Gideon Hermosa’s  jaw-dropping creations, it’s just not going to happen.  So, I tried looking for caterers in Bulacan that include event styling with their food packages.  My fiancé’s parents promised they’d pay for our caterer as their wedding gift for the two of us and we were really very happy and grateful about this. But we weren’t satisfied with the styling of our caterer, so we decided to avail of their food menu alone and shell out for styling ourselves.

FJ Sionson: Getting to Know the Man Behind the Business

The function hall of Grass Garden Resort and Villas during our reception

(c) Jay Carlo Olaguer Photography

Narrowing my search online to Bulacan wedding suppliers, Google led me to FJ Sionson Flowers and Events Styling with a few clicks. This one-stop-shop wedding business is the brainchild of Frankie Joseph or FJ Sionson, who hails from Malolos Bulacan and who’s a graduate of La Consolacion College, formerly Regina Carmela University.

As a part of my research, I spent time stalking their Facebook page and ogling at the photos of every event they post.  Needless to say, I was very impressed.  All his designs look classy and tasteful.  And of course, the fact that they look gorgeous in photos was a big plus factor since making your wedding photogenic should be top priority, right?

I was hesitant to call him at first because I knew I’d be so heartbroken if I find out that we can’t afford him after all. But knowing that he’s based in Bulacan, where we’re having our wedding, I held on to that flicker of hope that he’ll be more budget-friendly.  On the phone, FJ was very easy to talk to. He invited me to one of his wedding setups at The Cabanas for an ocular and to discuss his packages and rates. 

Fresh alstroemeria flowers and succulents on all-white linens for every guest's table

(c) Jay Carlo Olaguer Photography

My fiancé and I met with FJ six months before our wedding.  He was very nice and soft spoken. He was very patient in answering our questions and was very generous in offering suggestions on how we can cut cost efficiently. I told him I cringe at the sight of wedding receptions filled with assorted cloths in mismatched colors, to which he replied with a devilish chuckle. From that moment, I knew I was going to like him. He said he was not a fan of it either, and I must say his work that afternoon proved what he was saying. The guy really has taste. After seeing what FJ’s artistic hands were capable of creating, we were sold. We want him to do our wedding.

However, to be perfectly honest, the rate he quoted us was not very cheap, but it was fairly reasonable and way more affordable compared to Manila-based stylists. Unlike other soon-to-wed couples, we didn’t have any cash on hand while we were planning our wedding. We just got everything from our regular paychecks and from our freelance projects during that six-month period. We turned night into day just to get this guy. And well, no regrets. He was so worth it!

FJ Sionson Flowers and Event Styling: He’s Got It All For You

Succulents as wedding souvenirs courtesy of FJ Sionson Flowers and Events

As I said, FJ Sionson Flowers and Events is a one-stop-shop wedding business. You name it, they’ve got it. From lights and sounds, wedding coordinators, souvenirs –- everything.  Because we’re based in Makati, we can only organize our wedding during our weekend stays in Bulacan. Everything was easier knowing FJ has got our backs. He's heaven-sent, if you ask us.

I was super stressed days before our wedding, so during our last meet up, I told FJ, "Bahala ka na. I trust your taste and judgment. After all, you're the expert." For the record, we just availed FJ Sionson’s basic wedding styling package.Believe me, no way did it look basic during our big day. But every angle of The Grass Garden Resort and Villas, where we had our Christian ceremony and reception, was definitely picture-perfect, thanks to FJ Sionson. 

My bouquet is just a freebie out of FJ's generosity. It's simpler compared to more expensive packages, complete with succulents and other rare and gorgeous blooms. But I'm not complaining. I loved that pretty little thing and didn't let it go the whole time. Sadly, I was not aware I was obscuring the details of my  Manny Halasan wedding gown. Fail. :( (c) Jay Carlo Olaguer Photography

As a very detailed-oriented person, one of my biggest fears was getting disappointed with the setup, finding patches of eyesore during our special day, only to  ruin that magical feeling  I know I'll have just once in my life. And FJ Sionson made sure it didn't happen. Cloud 9, that's the best way to describe how, I, who was a certified worry wart, felt super satisfied with everything.  Until now, I still can't help but smile to myself whenever I remember how happy I was, how happy and contented we were that night, my husband and I.

And because of that, I highly recommend FJ Sionson to anyone who wants their happily ever after to be even more beautiful than they imagined it to be.

NOTE: We don’t have our official wedding photos yet, but I added a few snapshots taken by some of our good friends just to give you an idea what an FJ Sionson wedding looks like.

FJ Sionson Flowers and Events
176 Essen Building, Paseo del Congreso, Liang, City of Malolos, Bulacan
+0915 481 2976, +0916 698 5288
(044) 796 2069

Bride’s-Eye View: Review of the Best Bulacan Wedding Suppliers

Some of our Bulacan wedding suppliers emoting before the cam!
(c) Ardent Arrianne

As a bride living in the 21^st century, I did most of my research on the Internet. From the daintiest color motifs, the least-cliché wedding themes, the coolest souvenirs guests won’t throw away after, to genius ways to say the most awkward things in your wedding invitation without sounding rude – you name it.

However, when it comes to looking up the right wedding suppliers for me, it wasn’t easy, believe me. Yes, granted that there are a lot of wedding blogs that feature some of the countries bigshots of the wedding industry. But let’s be honest. What am I going to do with that? I know our working budget. And since we're getting married in Bulacan, booking Manila-based suppliers would be so impractical because the out-of-town fees are going to take a toll on us.

Here’s a list of Bulacan wedding suppliers that I booked for my own wedding:

•  Florist and Event Stylist: FJ Sionson Flowers and Events
• On-the-day Coordination:  The Wedding Sitters, Manila
• Photography: Ace Gopela Photography
• Videography:  Blu Rey Media
• Bridal Gown and Wedding Rings: Manny Halasan
• Gowns for Entourage: Neneth Couture
• Hair and Makeup: Makeup by Maecaps
• Catering: Leony’s
• Cake: Fernando's Bakeshop
• Mobile Bar: Bar on the Run
• Photobooth: Photopepper
• Venue: The Grass Garden Resort and Villas

Unfortunately, there was very little to no content online about Bulacan wedding suppliers. Yes, I saw a number of keyword-heavy blogs, which I thought could be useful, only to find out that they were profit-driven and controlled by event coordination companies. As a bride, I wanted reliable and objective information about the top-notch wedding suppliers in Bulacan and some useful tips, too, on how to avoid the nasty ones. Getting married? You're on the right page.

But aside from that, this post is also to recognize the creative and hardworking people I met throughout this life-changing journey.  I am proud to say that many of these Bulacan wedding suppliers are as good as or, heck, even better than wedding suppliers from Manila, but at a much friendlier rate.

And those, folks, are the two main reasons why I’m writing this post two weeks after our special day. Yes, lemme get all the details out of my head while they're still fresh. 

Check out what I’ve got to say about these guys based on my personal experience. So, if you're an upcoming bride whether from Bulacan or Manila, my next post is for you. Don’t miss it!