Catherine Concepcion-Puno

What was the overall look and theme of your big day?

I wouldn’t say I consciously thought of a theme to follow. I just knew that I loved warm colours and that I wanted every detail to have meaning for both of us.

Who did you wear and how did you decide on this? What was the process like for you?

I wore a gown by Carolina Herrera for the ceremony and for the reception I wore a custom-made dress by Vania Romoff. For my wedding gown I already had an idea of the silhouette I wanted so it was just about going to different bridal houses and looking for it. For my reception dress, I knew I wanted something elegant and comfortable. Vania was my first choice. I knew I could trust her work ethic and taste. She made sure that I wouldn’t stress out about it.

Which wedding apps, sites and bridal Instagram accounts did you follow for inspiration?

I used Pinterest a lot. I also checked out Loho Bride on Instagram for some inspiration.

As far as the wedding planning went, what did you insist on doing yourself and what did you delegate to the planner and/or bridal entourage?

I learnt throughout the process that it was almost impossible to completely remove yourself from wedding tasks. I had my attention on almost everything because the direction and vision had to come from me. My mum was honestly the biggest help. She helped me throughout the whole process. My wedding planners helped in recommending suppliers and calling them for meetings. They were a huge help during the day of the wedding. They made sure that our families didn’t have to worry and could enjoy the festivities.

What were your non-negotiables? What were Javier’s?

Both of us wanted our wedding to be well-documented, which is why we chose Bob Nicolas and Jaja Samaniego.

Who was your cake by and what was the style and flavour?

It was a banana cake by Penk Ching. It had simple white layers with floral decorations.

What were your wedding party favours?

We gave engraved bronze mini pans.

Was there a unique or surprise element to your big day?

My sister surprised us and performed “Jubel” on the saxophone during the after party. It was such a special moment.

Did you plan your big day with a strict budget in mind? If yes, can you give Philippine Tatler Weddings readers pointers on what is essential to include and what can be forgone?

The number of guests attending your wedding will essentially determine the cost. Luckily for us, there were some elements that we didn’t have to budget for. My cousin, John Uy, sang for our first dance beautifully. My other cousin, Javi Lebron, played the guitar during my surprise performance for Javier. Another cousin, Bea Lebron, helped me design and lay out our wedding invitation. My talented friend, Anna Bautista, designed a beautiful logo, which we used all over, from the invitations to the venue. It’s always nice to have family and friends that can help you out. It makes everything more personal and special.

How much time did you spend planning your first home together? Décor? Style? Entertaining at home?

We moved to NYC shortly after the wedding and it was fun picking out stuff for our registry on Amazon. It made it so much easier to style our home.