Each wedding is different in their own little ways, but there is always the challenge to make these differences stand-out given the repetitive nature of the whole process. This dilemma is greatly exaggerated by weddings in Manila where the choice of impeccable venues and churches are limited. But we try really hard and we love taking on the task. Today’s wonderful post has nothing to do with everything I just said, in fact it is the total opposite.

We’re happy to bring you today the photos from the wedding of Blake and Jen from Koh Samui in Thailand. While it seems like a really exotic place, it is not the first time the Metrophoto has covered a destination wedding in Koh Samui. Some of you might remember Kenny and Nikko’s wedding from a year back with that huge elephant as their bridal ride. It is because of that post and the wonders of google that Blake and Jen found me. And while we didn’t have an elephant in their wedding, it’s as every bit lovely.

I don’t get as many foreign clients (Blake and Jen are from Melbourne, Australia) and naturally there is a bit of anxiety before the very first meet-up. But I guess weddings, wherever and whatever culture it is from, speak of the same engaging, amiable, and joyful language that it felt like we were good friends right from the get-go. It doesn’t hurt as well that Blake and Jen are very nice people and they laugh at some of my jokes. hahaha.

So enjoy these photos and relive the wedding of Blake and Jen in Sareeraya Resort in Koh Samui Thailand.

In the sad reality of life, or of human nature, there will always be people who will try to cheat, deceive, or abuse others just to get ahead or make money. This is true even in the seemingly all-pleasurable world of the wedding industry. Boo and Jen is a couple I almost never had, this despite Metrophoto being their primary supplier of choice. The initial planner they hired already ‘poisoned the well’ even before they met me by telling them lies upon lies on how bad our service is. But like many other Metrophoto brides, Jen knew what she really wanted that even after meeting several other photographers (forced to her by the said planner), there was no stopping her to see me personally.

Of course to her delight, we didn’t turn to be the beast, or the frog, or the snake that we were wrongfully accused of – we were more of the knight-in-shining-armor (or camera) that would come to rescue them from the evil paws of their slanderous planner. hahaha. We set off to revamp their supplier line-up and gave them, as always, the best service we can provide and a wedding they will never forget.

Boo and Jennifer are both dear to me, I’m grateful for their confidence and appreciate their determination to find out the truth and stand by what they believe and want. I’m also stoked that we were able to have the first ever shoot inside the opulent yet very exclusive Salon de Ning at the Manila Peninsula where they both rocked every shot :) Enjoy the photos :)

Supplier Line-up:
Coordination: Chinkie Uy
Make-up: Ann de Leon-Perez
Videography: Guj Tungpalan of Red Sheep
Emcee: Francis Day

The Manila Cathedral is one of the most beautiful churches here in the Philippines yet it if you ask many photographers and videographers, it usually doesn’t come out as a favorite. I can’t blame them, the church administration is strict, the exact list of photographers and videographers are required, and each and every one needs and their individual permits after they go through an orientation. During the ceremony, there are probably twenty other guidelines that needed to be followed. Yet I have grown to like the Manila Cathedral, I have learned to work within those rules to still manage to get the shots that we want.

Yet on this wedding day of Moshe and Sarah, more strict rules that were enforced. A recent survey of this centuries-old church revealed cracks that made it unsuitable for use. This prompted the church to immediately stop all services and finish a handful of scheduled weddings before it closes for renovation – yes including this wedding. It was weird to hear an evacuation briefing after the bridal march but I’m sure that I was for everyone’s safety.

In the end, despite a little more tension, the wedding was as wonderful as it was meant to be. If anything, the scare all the more made this even more unforgettable. Enjoy the photos.

Supplier Line-up:
Videographer: Jason Magbanua
Make-up: Cherry Pacheco
Coordination: Just Like Ours
Bride’s Gown: Kritel Yulo
Groom’s Suit: Veejay Floresca
Flowers and Styling: Gideon
Emcee: Missy Ferrer

There were a few ways I wanted to go about my write-up for the wedding of Millan and Richelle. One was to start with the nice quote found in their wedding invitation that says “true love stories never have endings” – such a contrast to a happily-ever-after yet so true. But it was all too usual to use a quote so I didn’t.

You can say that me and Millan and Richelle go way back – somehow. Millan and I share a similar passion in extraordinary and tasteful photography and I guess this was how they found and chose me and this is the same thing that allowed us to continue to connect even after the wedding (I now have new BFFs in HK! hahaha). His high standards allowed us to create an e-session that, despite using the beaten-up concept of travel, was something that no one has done or seen before.

And this is what Millan has to say about Metrophoto:

Being a passionate photo hobbyist, I have learned and followed certain people that can capture the essence of time, command a certain feeling and tell a story through their work. I am always put in a trance every time I see Annie Leibovitz execute an epic concept on a photoshoot. Carter Smith has his own ways controlling and taming light. Olaf Mueller and Julius Bramanto will put you on a burning sensation through their sizzling high-fashion styled poses. Steve McCurry and Fan Ho’s eye on composition never fails to frame a powerful and dynamic scene be it either in color or black and white. Only Elliot Erwitt and Henri Cartier-Bresson can catch the elusive decisive moment in a perfect frame. You will be amazed when you watch a Darius Khondji or Wong Kar Wai’s cinematographic masterpiece as they put you inside the scene and became part of the story. Knowing all of those things at the back of my head, you would think that choosing our wedding photographer would be beyond imagination with such criteria and standards. But Metrophoto proved me wrong. Oly delivers exceptional work that reminds me of all those photographers I admire so our choice was inevitable. We are more than happy to have worked with Oly and his team. Being “Metrofied” was one of the highlights of our wedding experience.

-yes, that entirely was posted in facebook and the same high standards that he has with his own craft make that statement all the more meaningful :)

So there, I used a write-up to write my own write-up for this post. Isn’t that just nice? :) hahaha! Enjoy the photos :)

Supplier Line-up:
Make-up: Mickey See
Videographer: Threelogy
Gown: Francis Libiran
Coordination: Jody Liwanag of Events Experts
Emcee: Missy Ferrer

Today we feature the wedding of Ian and Angelica. And it is nothing short of Epic. I know that I always use the term “something you’ve never seen before” too often in this blog but really, this is something that you’ve never seen before. :)

To those of you who were able to view their e-session photos that we showcased before, you already know that Ian is a great wedding photographer and from one photographer to another, we need not say the standard that should set for his wedding. And similar to all the weddings that I shoot, I set that standard very high. Too high in fact that both Ian and Angelica needed to clamber the historic and enormous fountain of the Manila Peninsula for a one-of-a-kind shot.

The climb was both difficult and dangerous, but like I said, we are in unison on what needed to be done. Well I’m sure Ian and I were in the same page, maybe Angelica was just all too nice and beautiful to just say yes. hahaha. But it was the perfect ending to a such wonderful day. I’m grateful to both Ian and Angelica for their confidence and trust and I really have to mention how awesome it is of Angelica to consent to all our ideas. This is one for the books :)

Enjoy the photos :)

Supplier Line-up:
Videographer: Mervin Gobaco
Coordination: Bridesmaids and Co.
Gown: Frederick Peralta
Suit: Randy Ortiz
Make-up: Sam Unson-Gallardo