Philippines Wedding from Nelwin Uy + Bob Nicolas
A wedding that includes giant marshmallows (hanging from paper clouds) and edible chandeliers is pretty much guaranteed to be a good time. That's kind of a given. And when this darling duo incorporated those two elements into their big day, it was just the beginning of one serious fun-fest. I'm talking sparkler send-offs, yummy cuisine and a "dreams" theme that was simply bursting from every last moment. The perfect mix of beauty and magic? We think so. See it all captured by Nelwin Uy in the full gallery.
From the Bride... Cayo and I chose “dreams” as the theme for our big day because we wanted it to be a day of play. No one was allowed to be a grown up. Far from an ultra-formal affair, it was more like the biggest road trip - disguised as a wedding.
A lot of the details had to be invented, like edible chandeliers for the reception. Luckily, we had the talented Meg Amat of Eve & Co. on our team. Giant marshmallows were strung together and cascaded down from paper clouds. Against string lights and a starlit sky, they created the stunning illusion of frozen raindrops. What we didn’t expect was the marshmallow fight that broke out. One minute, people were sipping drinks, and the next thing we knew, a godfather had thrown the first marshmallow.
It was pandemonium after that.
We co-created our invite with close friends Mike and Bonnie, and my sister Kristel. Mini blankets were attached to each invite and guests were asked to write down a wish for us. The swatches were later stitched together to create a patchwork of dreams.
The rest was just magical. We made our reception entrance down a sloping stone path dotted with paper luminaries. Friends and family waved sparklers over our heads as we passed, and it seemed like we were walking under a canopy of lights. Then the breathtaking pop-pop-pop of fireworks lit up the night sky.
Guests got a taste of comfort food from our two “homes." From the Philippines, we served mini Ilocos empanada, beef and pork lechon and brick oven-roasted chicken with a rosemary and lemon rub. From Thailand, we had fried curry prawns and steamed dory fillets splashed with hot sesame oil, chili and lime. After dinner, friends lounged in “dreaming tents” where they could roll around, doodle in journals and find hidden mini Marvel and Transformers toys – Cayo’s favorites.
Instead of the traditional cake cutting, we decided to do a “locking” ceremony. We wrote our names on a padlock and attached it to a dream cloud. Friends added theirs. There was something so moving about seeing our names surrounded by all these strong relationships. But as with most memories that night, an unexpected twist happened. It became the running joke to approach people and ask if they had a “padlock-buddy.”
Wedding Photography: Nelwin Uy | Wedding Cinematography: Bob Nicolas | Ceremony Venue: Sts. Peter Paul, Bauang in La Union, Philippines | Reception Venue: Thunderbird, Poro Point in La Union, Philippines | Officiant: Fr. Johnny Go | Wedding Coordinator: Lyte Gatchalian from Weddings and Beyond | Event Styling: Meg Amat from Eve & Co. | Floral Design: Efren Baccawat | Wedding Invitations: Kristel Ko, Mike Sicam + Bonnie Doroy-Enriquez | Decor: Lito Gemora, Japs Perez, Kat Encanto, EJ Galang | Fireworks: Enzo Crisostomo | Personalized Hangers: MELAfied |Photobooth: FotoMoto Concepts |Lights + Sounds: Reinforcement Baguio | Hosts: Laica Turingan + Caloy Sambrano | Strings: Music of the Heart | Band: The Johnny’s | Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Raza Formal Wear | Groom's Attire: Nap Arienza | Hair + Makeup: Cathy Cantada-Dizon + Jerry Javier