It’s easy to think of lavish weddings and imagine the grandeur of baronial chandeliers and wide open events places wrapped and crawling with a burst of flowers. Newlyweds Renz Dagala and Joselle Dela Rosa, however, opted for the unconventional route on their special day, freeing their White Space Manila reception venue of the usual blooming décor.
With the help of events stylist Dave Sandoval, the couple instead went for an understated elegant atmosphere through a modern, industrial-chic theme. “We were inspired by the simplicity of our venue and our color palette. We didn't want any flowers and too much color in the venue. We wanted to keep it really chic and classy through light-play, candles, and hints of gold,” the bride tells Preview.
Meanwhile, in a play of tasteful contrast, where their theme lacked in color, they made up for with their entourage’s outfits. While the blushing bride stuck to a traditional ivory white wedding gown by Mark Bumgarner, her husband, on the other hand, donned a charming baby pink suit by designer Edwin Tan. Two decidedly restrained colors as juxtaposed beside their bridesmaids who each sported a mix of vibrant hues.
“Since our venues were going to be crisp and clean, we wanted our entourage to stand out/pop. We had a pretty big entourage so we decided to not just stick to one color. I got inspired by the pantsuits of Lesyanebo, a Russian brand who played around with color, and wanted to do something similar for our entourage,” Joselle further explains. “It took a series of color matching with Neric Beltran to nail down our dream palette. Our bridesmaids and maids of honor wore bright colors complemented by the neutral shades of the groomsmen and best men.”
Get a closer look at Joselle and Renz’s wedding below as we talk to the bride about her preparations and wedding inspo for their special day.
Congratulations on your wedding! How are you two settling in so far?
“Thank you so much! Marriage has been a blast! Every day is an adventure and we both get to learn more about each other.”
Tell us about your dream wedding. Was it like the wedding you had down to a T, or did some details change along the way?
“It was the wedding we dreamed of and more! We felt that weddings nowadays have a certain template or pattern and we wanted to veer away from that. We wanted our wedding to represent us as individuals and as a couple. More than a wedding, we wanted it to be a celebration—a celebration of love, of us, and of the people that were most special to us. We wanted to give ourselves and our loved ones a day they will never forget.”
How were your preparations leading up to the big day? Would you say you were a bridezilla?
“I'm pretty hands-on but chill. I think it's also because we were very clear on what we wanted and my husband and I had a really good support system! My brother-in-law, Rain Dagala, helped us shape our dream day (he was also very hands-on). Our entourage was very supportive, offering help even when we didn't want to stress them out, and my wedding planner, Agnes Odulio of Empire Weddings, was a breeze to work with; she was very sharp!”
Could you describe the theme for your wedding/reception? Why did you decide to go with it?
“My husband and I are big fans of Jay-Z and Beyonce a.k.a. The Carters—we used them as our stimulus in planning our big day, taking inspiration from their music, videos, and social content as well as keeping the question 'What would The Carters do?' in mind when we decide on things.
"We made sure that everything, down to the tiniest of details, were well thought-of and in-theme. It was important to us that the style, execution, and output of our suppliers were in-sync with our vision. We also made a briefing deck, which we discussed with our suppliers to make sure that they were on-board on the ideal look of success for our big day.”
What was your favorite part about the venue's setup?
“Event stylist Dave is simply the best! The peg was so far from his usual weddings—we were inspired by the simplicity of our venue (White Space Manila) and our color palette. We didn't want any flowers and too much color in the venue, we wanted to keep it really chic and classy through light-play, candles, and hints of gold.
"We were in deep awe when we entered the venue. It was simple yet breathtaking! I can't really pick a favorite because everything was nailed down to the T! From the photobooth, to the tunnel entrance, table setting, the stage—the venue was everything!”
What look were you going for?
“My fairy godmothers gave me my Cinderella moment! Rainier Dagala as my stylist, Mark Bumgarner for my wedding gown, Mickey See for my make-up, Jay Wee for my hair, and Elize Padilla for my after-party look.
"We wanted the look to be different from traditional weddings. Modern-chic was the peg we were going for. My wedding gown was simple (no lace, stones, etc.) but Mark made sure to make a statement with the cut-out, the glittery tulle skirt, and the long train. To complement the dress, Mickey made sure to highlight my eyes while Jay did a sleek low-pony which isn't usual for brides. For the after-party, I wore a fuchsia pink suit by Elize Padilla with a smoky and glittery eye by Mickey, and Barbie-like pony by Jay."
Could you describe your groom's look? Did you have a say in it?
“I didn't really have a say on my groom's look because I wanted it to be a surprise—all I know is it was going to be a baby pink suit. We chose pink because we wanted his suit to be unique and memorable. I kept thinking how a pink suit would look like but wow when I first saw my groom down the aisle, I was speechless cause he looked so sharp and handsome in a pink suit. My husband's tux was designed by Edwin Tan and styled by his brother Rainier.”
Which would you say was your favorite part of the wedding?
“This is a really tough question. It's really hard to pick one because everything was a favorite. The love was just overflowing everywhere! But if I had to narrow it down, it would really be: speeches from our families, maids of honor, and best men—they gave really funny, heartfelt, sweet, and super engaging speeches. Everyone was listening and laughing along."
"We opened our after-party through a reveal of the Itchyworms, our favorite Filipino band then followed by a DJ who played our favorite songs. It was a lot of booze and a whole lot of fun! We had the Burger Machine truck serve burgers, roast beef, and sansrival for our intoxicated guests and we also had an after-party photographer to shoot all the crazy that went on in black & white.”
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