What was initially planned as a glamorous wedding in the heart of Pasay City seamlessly turned into a rustic and sumptuous celebration in Baliwag for Cham and Celo.
The couple were just days away from having the elaborate wedding they had always hoped for in Pasay; they had everything down to the tee, from the church wedding up to the last minute details of the reception. But due to the pandemic’s worsening condition, the couple was handed a last-minute major setback when Metro Manila announced that they would be entering yet another lockdown, canceling some of the suppliers and locations that the couple had initially decided on. In response to this dilemma, Cham and Celo quickly found a way to have the wedding of their dreams turn into an event that hit closer to their hearts and homes without compromising on their original vision.
As serendipity would have it, Celo’s family business is situated in the heart of Baliwag, Bulacan, where restrictions on gatherings were more lenient; this offered the perfect solution to the couple who did not want to significantly cut down on their guest list. What’s more, the wedding suppliers that stayed on were given the arduous task of turning the CCF Building in Baliwag into an event location fit for the resplendent wedding that Cham and Celo wanted, with the couple giving them their full trust that this would come to fruition.
With all the preparations coming together beautifully, everyone was in high spirits come the morning of the wedding. The couple and the entourage prepped for the wedding in Celo’s family resthouse, which offered up a more natural and intimate feel of the couple’s personalities and rendered splendidly into the shots. And I would be remiss to not give special mention to the other characteristic that definitely added to the glamour and bliss of this brilliant celebration: the radiance and beauty of Cham. You can tell from the shots that she is such a natural head-turner with enthralling looks that leave you to wonder if she were a model, celebrity, or both. Her charm and grace definitely took all our shots to the next level.
As preparations were well underway, we were able to shoot the couple in the beautiful areas of Baliwag that wouldn’t otherwise be available to them if they continued on in Pasay. Baliwag offered up a certain quaint hometown vibe that rendered some really great shots, such as capturing the couple and the entourage on the serene streets of, elegant portraits amongst the greenery, and my personal favorite being the earthy and industrial shots we took of Cham and Celo inside a lumber yard.
Shooting the wedding itself was something I personally enjoyed, as the venue had turned into a ballroom fit for one such magnificent celebration. As the wedding ceremony beautifully unfolded before everyone in attendance, the highlight of this beautiful union was definitely capturing Cham promise her forever to a visibly moved Celo.
The newly-wed couple was most elated to be celebrating their first moments as man and wife with their family and friends, which was the main factor that the couple refused to compromise on when having to adjust their wedding due to the pandemic. And in my opinion, no setback could have kept Cham and Celo from having this wedding of their dreams and so much more.
Suppliers:
Photo: Oly Ruiz
Video: Jason Magbanua
Planning: Cote Events
Gown: Michael Leyva
Make-up: Jelly Eugenio
Hair Styling: Paul Nebres
Emcee: Atom Ungson
Lights and Sounds: High Impact Events
