The past two weeks has been unreal for me and RB Mica. The Maleficent Shoot's gone viral all over the web from Huffington Post, to Yahoo! Japan, to MTV Greece, to Cosmo UK, to even LA's #1 radio station KIIS FM, it's been incredibly wonderful. Every day we would learn of a new feature--and as of this writing we are already at around 40 features across the globe and if I estimate that at a very conservative level, it's safe to say that we've probably generated AT LEAST 2 Million exposures for the shoot including the views, impressions, likes, shares, and the comments. And that's estimating it very lightly.
Hello there! The Maleficent shoot is going viral and with the "virality" comes the bashers ---which we don't mind. Bring it on! We weren't called "Rebellious Brides" if we couldn't take the heat.
And we are getting sooooo many features around the world--which we are so thankful for! But you are new here and you probably don't "get" us. And we're okay if you want to feature our shoot, but maybe you need to know a lot of info about the shoot so that your readers don't get misinformed.
So just a few trivia about this shoot:
1. IT'S NOT A REAL WEDDING...so chill...relax. If this were a real wedding, it would probably not have the horns, the wings, and the staff.
2. In our concept shoot, Maleficent actually ends up with her sidekick in the movie--Diaval the crow. She obviously doesn't end up with the king.
3. The three couples in the shoot are REAL husbands and wives. The kids here are their real children. The kids loved the shoot--it was one of the reasons why we did the shoot was for their own amusement.
4. All the couples here are very much in love, and have been married for awhile--so for those who are widely speculating that the groom is unhappy and that they would probably end up annulled/divorced--that is unlikely to happen and that's very mean of you to say.
5. We chose Maleficent because at the end of the day the story is about LOVE. And the theme was for "Rebellious Brides" NOT for the Classic, Traditional bride.
As quoted from the Maleficent movie, and as scribbled in our faux wedding invitation, "Let us tell an old story anew. Where we are not afraid and love will find a way." This shoot was meant to show love from a different angle. You don't have to agree with it, but it is love. The shoot was made with love.
Enjoy
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"Children have always been told she's pure evil. And she is evil, but it's not all she is, and it's not fair that her story was left there. For kids, it will be like unwrapping a mystery, unwrapping a present, finding out what was really going on. It's a fun discovery"
Updated (Year 2017): Hello guys! We are so surprised at how popular this post still is-- after 3 years! But please do keep in mind that this was written in 2014. While we still think that an affordable wedding is within arm's reach, do take our advise from this article with a grain of salt as prices have already increased by now. And remember! Do not compromise on TASTE even if you are on a budget!
Is a pretty wedding under P150,000 REALLY possible? We are here to tell you that YES, it definitely is. At the end of the day, it's all just a matter of perspective and if you are rebelliously bold enough to go against the usual expenses to prioritize what really matters the most. But don't take it literally though. There's a thin line between a cheap wedding and a cost-efficient one. And never, EVER sacrifice taste and style just because you want to limit your wedding budget. Take for example real-life couple, Melo & Gelo. Their first wedding 14 years ago was a civil wedding and so it was the first time that they were going to have a church one. To save on costs, here are some of Melo's rebellious ideas: 1. Her ceremony and reception was at the same place. She had her wedding at the Adoration Chapel of St. James, Ayala Alabang (price: P5,000). Beside the chapel was a light & airy gazebo so she had her garden reception there. The cost? A donation to the church. 2. Instead of bouquets, Melo asked the entourage and even the female guests to be in fun, floral dresses! 3. Instead of a lunch or dinner reception, Melo had a mirienda reception for 60 guests. The guests enjoyed the menu which included: Southern Fried Chicken, Pork Sliders, Mac n Cheese, Panacotta Shots, and Rainbow Cake! PLUS, the wooden tables and mason jars added a rustic chic vibe to the mirienda! She got Pumpkin Catering and spent around P25,000 only! Here are some of the photos from their simple, intimate, but lovely wedding:
Photography Credits: RD Salacup and Christina Itchon
Taking inspiration from Melo's wedding, here's a basic mood board + budget breakdown if you were also to do your wedding in St. James, Ayala Alabang:
1. Ask the entourage to wear their own floral dresses so no more bouquet. Cost: P0.00 2. Opt for a lacey white dress instead. Get it from Forever 21, H&M, Topshop, or in any of your favorite clothing brand for that matter. If you also have a way to order from the States, you can get a Monique Lhullier ML dress / Kate Spade Dress / Calvin Klein dress at Nordstrom's Rack at 60-80% off! Cost: Set a max. budget of P6,000. Use the same principle for your groom. Set a max. budget of P6,000 as well. To accessorize, borrow timeless jewelry from your mom or mother-in-law. That can be your "something borrowed." 3. Instead of hiring an event stylist, learn from awesome interior designers like Jonathan Adler and use what you have at home. Are you guys into books? Then stack it up and put mason jars on top of it. And there you go! You have a shabby chic centerpiece in an instant! Cost: P0.00 4. Opt for Tungsten Rings. Not only are they more affordable, it is also the most durable metal in the world. It's anti-tarnish and anti-scratch. In fact, it has grown to be the symbol for unbreakable love. Buy from Amazon or SilverWorks Cost: P6,000 FOR TWO RINGS 5. Use calligraphy where possible! It's the surefire way to make any wedding look pretty and romantic! Commission Alexis of Ink Scribbler and set a budget of P5,000 6. For some quirky details, go for huge golden balloons! It makes for awesome photo shoots and even whimsical table numbers! Assuming you get the jumbo letters L O V E - Cost: P500 (search on Sulit)
What NOT to scrimp on: 7. Good photography is KEY. We cannot stress this enough. Get Jamie Espadilla of A Dash of Jamie for a service only fee. Cost: P35,000 8. Good food will never go out of style. Always, always make sure that your guests are not just well fed but also enjoying an unforgettable meal. We have a current exclusive deal with Q Provisions Catering which will give you 20% off on all catering packages! Get them for a brunch or a mirienda reception. Cost: P25,000 for 50 pax NOTE: At this rate, don't expect the usual wedding catering service that has VIP tables and couple's table, cocktails etc. etc. (those actually spike up the rates higher). Simply have a family style set-up and mingle with loved ones more intimately!
9. Go ahead and indulge yourself with good makeup. It's still your day so treat yourself and feel like a million bucks! Cost: Special rate from for The Makeup of Mica
Other details: 10. Chapel & Venue assuming St. Jame's, Ayala Alabang. Cost: P8,000 11. Since your chapel and your reception is at the same venue, there's no need to get a bridal car. 12. Opt for an intimate wedding of about 50 pax and below 13. Opt for thoughtful giveaways from Papemelroti with a budget of P50/pax Cost P2,000 (assuming 40 pax excluding principal sponsors) 14. No need for the usual reception program. Opt for meaningful speeches and that's all you'll ever need. 15. Do your preps in your home. No need for a hotel! 16. Get a talented friend to sing at the ceremony and during the reception. But give him or her a decent gift with a budget of P2,500 17. Even if you are on a budget, don't forget to get your principal sponsors a wonderful gift! Set aside a budget of around P5,000 for this. 18. Set aside a miscellaneous fund for processing of your requirements and other possible incidentals. P5,000 19. No need for lights and sounds. It's a peaceful, serene place and you might not be allowed to go loud anyway. 20. No need for a coordinator, no need for a registration, no need for seating assignments . Ask friends and loved ones to basically help with gathering the entourage before walking down the aisle. It's a small wedding anyway and it's at the same venue. Total so far: P118,000 -- You still have P32,000 to spend! What can you do with this money? Perhaps you can hire Woodstock Cinema (formerly Colors & Co.) as your videographer? We have a 20% deal with them as well! Or maybe after the wedding, you can treat your groom and yourself to a beautiful suite in a fancy hotel with spa treatments!
Do you dream of a beach wedding but you think it's just going to be super expensive? Well, here's our affordable alternative to that dream! Why not rent a beach house instead? Everything is possible if you just keep an open mind!
A beach house wedding sounds so exciting! In fact, we also considered that option when we were planning our wedding! Opt for #1 & #4 if you are into the whole beach house concept but you want to be in more familiar, relaxing, and luxe venue. #1 is a beach house rental at Tali Beach while #4 is a beach house rental at Punta Fuego. If you are on the more adventurous side, opt for #2 which is a house on a cliff at Surigao. #3 on the other hand is an intriguing island surrounded by a lake near Sierra Madre! Be ready to spend at least P32,000 for a 2 nights stay in any of these venues (reserve 1 room for your photogs)
http://www.intimateweddings.com/
Apply the same ideas as above but with the following changes: - Instead of using props from your home, use candles inside jars. It's the most wonderful way to set the mood. But you'll have to spend on this though. Budget for at least P8,000 - Limit the guests even further to just 30 pax - Catering will have out of town fees. Cost for Q Provisions Catering will change to P40,000 - Instead of hiring a makeup artist, take makeup lessons from The Makeup of Mica or Toni Rodriguez. Learn a new hairstyle from Pinterest or Youtube!
Total cost so far: P150,000 If you have additional budget to spare, get an on-the-day coordinator since destination weddings are quite difficult to execute. A basic sound system might also be needed so you can do a little bit of sound trippin' to set the mood.
The possibilities are actually quite endless. Apart from these suggestions you can also get beach house rentals in Palawan, Boracay, Cebu and other places.
We first learned of Ink Scribbler/Alexis' talents when A Dash of Jamie proposed to have invitations custom made for our Thanksgiving Wedding Feature--and then we got hooked. So hooked in fact that even my own hubb's office commissioned for her to do a wall art filled with creative doodles. Here are some of the doodles that Ink Scribbler did for my hubb:
But my absolute favorite that Alexis has done is her Harry Potter inspired map. The Potterhead in me gets so excited whenever I see this! This map was just something that she did for herself but I love how beautiful it turned out! --> Can I buy it Alexis? Hahah #HarryPotterDORK
I can just spend all day looking at Alexis' works. Here's a final look from one of her many projects:
There are a lot of ways to interpret a fall-themed wedding. It could be based on the turning of the leaves, corn mazes, hay rides, to name a few. But when A Dash of Jamie & Jacqs Floral Design Studio approached us for this collaboration shoot, we wanted to be unique in our own way of course! And that's why we thought of Thanksgiving--not just because we have been feeling very grateful right now (Back track HERE), but also because when you think of Fall, it immediately takes you to Thanksgiving and plus, the family-style food spread.
This wedding concept shoot therefore, brings back one of the main wedding elements that has been ironically overshadowed by reception styling -- the food itself. We've seen many, many wedding photos and catering portfolios a hundred times over--and don't you find it curious as to why there are very minimal food shots? You see everything else though, right? The huge floral arrangements, the overwhelmingly themed decors, the shabby chic dessert table--but no food in sight. And then when you do see the food, it's gotta be the fancy kind--fillet Mignon this, baked salmon that. However, guests secretly get hungry after and go for a burger (at the end of the day, guests, especially guys just want fuss-free and generously portioned food). READ ON! >>>
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