“the question wasn’t “will you marry me?”, it was “when do we start preparing for our wedding?”
The Couple: Racquel Yvia De Los Reyes & Joepher Enciso
Length of engagement: About 8 months | Wedding Date: November 11, 2017
Wedding location: Ceremony at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Jebel Ali and the reception at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club
Photographer: Jam Javier & Milet Miranda
We met…
in the cesspool of overseas Filipino workers that is Dubai, fate somehow lead us to each other and every day we are thankful that we found ourselves together.
Our proposal…
There was a point in our relationship when we were already sure that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, but we do not live for grand gestures. Since the beginning of our relationship, we managed to keep everything simple and uncomplicated. We have always been open and straightforward with each other, and during our trip to Italy to celebrate our anniversary, we mutually decided to get married. At that point, the question wasn’t “will you marry me?”, it was “when do we start preparing for our wedding? And the rest was history!
Our wedding theme/colours…
We had a smart casual bohemian theme – to complement our style with our outdoor venue and the perfect almost-winter weather of Dubai.
My dress…
My dress was made by a local designer, Teresa Hagape, who is based in the Philippines, and was just shipped to Dubai. I just sent the peg and my measurements and voila! She managed to turn me into the princess that I was during my wedding day.
My hair and makeup…
My hair and makeup was done by Carell Garcia, a friend who happens to be a makeup artist back home. She is a home-grown talent who’s had actresses, models and singers as her clients in the Philippines. Couldn’t help but feel giddy to be one of her clients. Now she can add beauty queen in her portfolio. lol!
His suit…
My husband’s suit was tailor-made in one of the shops in Sharjah after tedious searching for the best tailor shop that can meet our requirements (without compromising our budget).
What our bridal party wore…
bohemian-inspired chic dresses. While the gents wore suits and tie.
Our ceremony…
The wedding ceremony was officiated by the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Jebel Ali Parish Priest, Father Reinhold Sahner and our vows were written by ourselves.
We chose our photographer because…
Jam Javier & Milet Miranda are hobbyist photographers who we met through a common friend. They agreed to cover our wedding regardless of our tight budget without compromising the quality of their shoot.
We chose our wedding coordinator because… it was free of charge. My husband and I were hands-on during the preparation – from the design of the venue up to the minute details. We have been blessed with family and friends who didn’t charge us with their services all throughout the execution.
We chose our venue because…
of its vibe and ambience. Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club was ideal for our intimate wedding celebration and our rustic/bohemian theme. Great service and good food were a major bonus!
Our menu…
A mix of Western cuisine and of course, our fair share of Filipino dishes. One of the highlights of our wedding was our wedding cake – a 3-tier semi-naked red velvet cake. The cake was made by our friend, Janson Lopez – a baking talent yet to be discovered.
Our honeymoon…
We stayed for a night in Arjaan by Rotana. Our family flew from the Philippines for our wedding so we included their tour in our honeymoon. We went for Desert Safari, Burj Khalifa’s observation deck and a tour around Abu Dhabi. We are planning to fly to Zanzibar next year for the continuation of our honeymoon.
My favourite part of the wedding day…
It’s difficult to choose my favourite part of the wedding because every part was our hard work on display. We particularly felt happy during the entire celebration because of our family’s presence – who flew in from different parts of the world to celebrate with us. A special moment for the both of us was the first dance we shared as husband and wife.
My piece of advice for other brides…
Don’t be afraid to achieve your dream wedding because of a tight budget. Plan your wedding the way you want it, study your budget and strategize where they can meet. You have to bear in mind that not everything is in control – no matter how meticulous your plan is. Just go with the flow and enjoy every bit of wedding planning with your partner and the ones helping you and of course, don’t forget to have fun during the wedding – it’s the celebration of your love after all!
Tsian Koussa
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