BRIDAL BLISS: Insouciant Glamour at Karel & Sean's Bride & Breakfast Pre-Wedding Shoot for

There is a certain poetry inherent in languid drapes and sweeping satin skirts, captured in moments of pensive surrender on a blooming bride-to-be. Serene moments of contentment, peppered with bursts of giddiness and soaring declarations of love. Such is the romance of this editorial by Bride and Breakfast with Karel Marquez and Sean Fariñas, that in its genteel splendour will stop you in your tracks.

The Bride and Breakfast team wanted to do bridal separates for my look, which is something I've been espousing for quite a while. There's just an element of fun to the thought of putting this together,  that go well together, but can also stand their own. The off shoulder neckline is still a most requested feature, but I wanted to play it up but creating a twist detail that is finished off like a bow. The soft peplum of the top then gracefully leads to a gloriously full skirt with a slit up to there, and a matching mini skirt of course. Despite the use of two different fabrics, the similarity in the feel gives it a cohesiveness.

Styled by Aira Franco and captured by Benjie Tiongco, the shoot of Karel and Sean at Casa Domingo mixes old world charm with fresh modernity. Glowing makeup is courtesy of Mariah Santos and hair by Avril Seguin. Of course, the beautiful bouquets that have the vivaciousness of wildflowers is by Teddy Manuel. We do love everything about this shoot, so prepare to swoon! And if you want even more gorgeousness don't forget to visit Bride and Breakfast for all the pics and a video by Treehouse Story too!

Told ya you'd swoon. A few days shy of the big day, we wish the happy couple all the best and that God continues to bless their journey! 

"BRIDAL BLISS": Maine Mendoza in Mariane Perez at the Aldub "Engagement Shoot"

The love team that took the entire country by storm is getting hitched! Well, in character and on their Kalyeserye at least. But even if it's just make believe, we can't help but feel giddy when we see Yaya Dub and Alden Richards all cozied up at their engagement photo shoot. Seeing them playing with bubbles and goofing around, it's easy to forget that all this is just for show. To say that these two have onscreen chemistry is the understatement of the century.

I've always admired Maine Mendoza for her candor and the unassuming way she has about her. With her quirky, down-to-earth charm, she has won over the hearts of not only her Eat Bulaga beau Alden Richards, but the entire country as well. So when I was asked if I had pieces for her prenup shoot by stylist Ash Aquino and Daryl Maat, I had my fingers crossed the whole time. Having her twirl about in a flirty tea length skirt, which is a signature look of mine, is truly a dream come true. Seeing how much fun they're having, I'm quite tempted to bust out one of these skirts and run about town! 

If you're just as emitted, here are some of the official photos of Maine and Alden photographed by Manny and April photography, and from the Eat Bulaga Facebook page. 

Ash Aquino was kind enough to send me a lovely OOTD of Maine! Really love the relaxed elegance of this shoot.

Maine Mendoza, also lovingly known as Yaya Dub, strikes a pose in this @ateliermarianeperez full circle skirt for her Prenup Photo Shoot with Alden Richards for Eat Bulaga. Styled by @ashaquino_ and @darylmaat ✨#MaineMendoza #MarianePerez #Aldub #AldubWeddingPrep #AldubPrenup #yayadub #weddingsPH #weddings

A photo posted by Atelier Mariane Perez (@ateliermarianeperez) on Oct 18, 2016 at 12:02am PDT

If their prenup shoot is spreading this much kilig, we can't wait for the wedding!!!

BABY COUTURE: Lovely Lace for Isabel & Emma's Christening

Babies are my soft spot. I just think they're too adorable, and I honestly jump at the chance to make tiny sized clothes for these tiny sized people. So when Lola Helen Pascual asked me to design outfits for the double christening of Isabel and Emma in their hometown of Guiginto, Bulacan, I was absolutely thrilled. As both babies were born in the US, it was also a chance for their family to get together and meet the babies for the first time. That included me, who is incidentally godmother to Isabel, my first and only inaanak (#adulting!!!).  My brother on the other hand, was asked to be godparent to Emma. 

MOM MACY WITH BABY EMMA, DAD RICO AND MOM MAY WITH BABY ISABEL. PHOTO BY MARILENE PEREZ. 

Their lola wanted christening couture inspired by European royalty, with vintage inspired lace and intricate designs that could be kept as heirlooms. Of course the most notable feature of these dresses is that they're very long, giving them a really grand feel. Of course who could forget the robe worn by
Prince George when he was baptised, all ruffly like the Alexander McQueen ensemble of his Mom Duchesse Kate. Princess Sofia and Prince Alexander of Sweden, as well as Crown Princess Mary of Denmark with of the new royal twins also looked amazing in ivory lace. The gown worn by Prince Alexander was reported to have been 100 years old, and hopefully we've also created a new tradition with these beautiful gowns. 

PRINCESS SOFIA & PRINCE ALEXANDER OF DENMARK; PRINCE GEORGE AND THE DUCHESSE OF CAMBRIDGE; PRINCESS MARY AND ONE OF THE ROYAL TWINS OF DENMARK 

Of course babies don't really care much about dresses, so making them comfortable was key. We used soft lace and then lined it with charmeuse satin so they'd be silky to the touch. As the babies were cousins, I wanted dresses that each had their own personality but will still look cohesive at the event. 

We used a dotted lace for Isabel with a nice scalloped edge, which I thought looked more babyish. Also as the pattern was smaller, it was perfect for then 7-month-old Isabel. 

For Emma, we chose a swirly floral lace and puff sleeves to give her a more fairytale feel. Both dresses had what I called "princess peplums", as this design somehow always reminded me of Cinderella's blue ball gown. I think it really gave the garments a nice touch and kept it from looking too long. 

We also made matching bonnets, but to be honest, the babies didn't really like them so much. With our tropical weather, I couldn't blame them! 

THE BABIES WITH THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARETS

More photos of the adorable babies and the Pascual family after the jump!

BABY COUTURE: Tea Time at Emma's First Birthday!

What could be cuter than a one-year-old swimming in layers upon layers of ruffled tulle with peony pink flowers to match? The answer is nothing, nothing at all, as is clearly evident from photos of darling Emma during her first birthday bash which she celebrated with her parents Kristjan and Macy Kuurme and their close family and friends.

MOMMY MACY, DAD KRISTJAN, & EMMA. PHOTO BY PERFECT GREY PHOTOGRAPHY.

A little bit of a background is that my parents and Macy's parents have been friends for decades, so I basically grew up with the Pascual family. They're a big loving bunch and even if we aren't linked by blood, they feel like family to me. Plus, they're truly supportive of my fashion career, and since they're always in the US, my shopping addiction as well.

Mommy Macy wanted a super cute dress for her daughter's English tea party themed birthday, and gave me complete artistic freedom to create something for Emma. As always, I wanted this dress to be different than the ones I've done before. But then, there are just so many ways you could make a tutu dress and I've made quite a few. I was stumped for a while, until in a spark of genius (ahem!) I thought of using a ruffle technique usually reserved for wedding gowns. And voila! A true-blue "gigil" moment!

DAD KRISTJAN WITH EMMA; EMMA AND HER TEACUP CAKE. PHOTO BY PERFECT GREY PHOTOGRAPHY.

DAD KRISTJAN, MOM MACY AND EMMA. PHOTO BY PERFECT GREY PHOTOGRAPHY. 

I loved how despite being in such a "couture" piece, Emma's baby-ness was still front and center. I hear a lot of moms and dads sigh at how fast time flies and how quickly their babies grow, so I think it's quite precious to have photos of your little ones acting like tots. She looked quite at home in this sea of pomelo pink and I think having it pool all around her was a truly nice touch.  

BEHIND THE SCENES AT EMMA'S MINI PHOTO SHOOT. PHOTO BY MARILENE PEREZ. 

And also, can someone answer me as to why babies like playing with tissue paper? I don't think she's the only one, but the cute thing is that she "shares" her precious torn-up tissue! 

PHOTO BY MARILENE PEREZ. 

Actually, I know I just said there's nothing cuter than a baby in a sea of tulle. But there is actually something better, which is ANOTHER cute baby! Say hello to Emma's cousin Isabel, who was seven months old at this time and equally adorable. I also made a nice party dress for her to wear, with embroidered lace, a rhinestone belt, and a tiny rose. Darling Isabel is also my one and only inaanak and truly a joy to her parents May and Rico, and her entire family as well. 

BABY ISABEL WITH DAD RICO, MOM MAY AND COUSIN ROBIN. PHOTO BY MARILENE PEREZ. 

BABY ISABEL AND DAD RICO. PHOTO BY MARILENE PEREZ. 

A LITTLE WALDROBE MALFUNCTION BUT STILL SO CUTE. PHOTO BY MARILENE PEREZ. 

And here are their dresses side by side. They're both quite tiny, and while I'm working on the garments I sometimes get worried at how small the dresses are. Childrenswear was not my major in fashion school so I am learning this as I go along. But when we try them on the babies, they fit just right! So I guess having a waistline of 18 and an armhole of 9 is totally normal! 

I am truly honoured to have been able to be a part of this intimate family celebration and enjoy seeing their family grow bigger and bigger with each new baby! 

THREE GENERATIONS IN ONE LOVELY PIC. PHOTO BY MARILENE PEREZ. 

I always enjoy making baby dresses as I am able to bombard one tiny garment with all the cuteness I can muster. Hopefully someday when the girls look at their baby pictures, they would be quite pleased as well! 

BRIDAL BLISS: Seaside Splendour at Simon & Maja's Boracay Wedding

SIMON & MAJA MANNION. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

There's a certain dreaminess inherent in beach weddings – the gentle sunrise that colours the sky as you wake up to one of the biggest days of your life, the soft breeze that gives your hair a little flutter, the sound of the lapping waves mimicking the beat of your ecstatic heart. Such sparkling, fairytale romance was what defined the wedding of Maja and Simon Mannion held in the white sands of Boracay. I was truly fortunate to be able to work with the gorgeous bride in creating her seashell inspired wedding gown, and become a part of her intimate beachside soiree. 

THE WEDDING GOWN AND MAJA MANNION AS SHE WALKED TO THE ALTAR. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

Maja wanted a gown that had intricate beading and a couture feel befitting any stylish bride, but  was also carefree and sweet to pay homage to the rustic beauty of her surroundings. Given her vision, I wanted to create a gown that had both delicate details but also an airy lightness that would allow Maja to have lots of fun with her husband and her family during their intimate beach affair. I do think the creamy, beaded confection we made did justice to their love affair and enhanced Maja's radiant glow. 

MAJA'S BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET WAS MADE BY HER BRIDESMAIDS (FLOWERS FROM FLORISTA). PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

MAJA MANNION. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

MAJA & HER BRIDESMAIDS IN DRESSES FROM EVER NEW. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

MAJA & SIMON. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

The gown was composed of a strapless mini with intricate tulle ruching in the bodice giving the garment a lovely base texture with which to work our beaded magic. It was a bit of trial and error at first to get the draping perfect, but I think the finished design was quite flattering. Three-dimensional embroidered flowers and leaves were added in trailing fashion to give it a fairytale feel. The ivory blooms were further enhanced by the sprinkling of crystals and beads, and of course freshwater pearls which was the perfect nod to her beachside bash, and also a great homage to our Filipino culture. Both the bride and the groom had been based in Doha, Qatar so I thought it was a lovely touch to her gown. 

I thought the mix of textures gave the gown a found-object feel, like an artist creating compositions from the beautiful randomness of nature. I love how the fine pleated tulle, was the perfect foil to the beaded flowers, giving the garment a truly graceful finish. 

And for the big reveal, we added an organdy petal skirt to finish off her look. The ball gown skirt has layers of sheer fabric draped over each other to give it the fluttery feel and add a natural slit that would open up softly when the bride walked. Why else would one have a beach wedding other than to twirl around in a fluttery gown? I also thought the layers and the warm shade was reminiscent of seashells, which I thought was a lovely addition to the concept of her gown. 

Since Maja was based in Qatar, we had limited fittings while working on her gown. But I do think we pulled it off beautifully and were blessed that Maja loved her gown. 

MAJA'S GOWN WAS MADE FOR FLYING! PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

We also made a matching lace robe for the bride as she prepared for her walk down the aisle. The swirling details of the lace I thought was a great match to her wedding gown. 

MAJA IN HER MARIANE PEREZ WEDDING GOWN AND LACE BRIDAL ROBE. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

Her wedding accessories were also made with her gown in mind, and we enjoyed creating an embellished veil, ring and arrhae pillows, and also a shimmery bridal clutch. I always love mixing textures and creating dimension with my work, even with little crafty details!

And if you notice, Maja's gown for her ceremony, with its off-shoulder lace sleeves and ball gown skirt, is going to be a little different for the after party. When the sun sets and the music starts, Maja's gown converts into a strapless number with a fifties-inspired circle skirt all the better to dance the night away with her beau! 

MAJA AND SIMON DURING THE CEREMONY. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

MAJA & SIMON DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY. PHOTO BY MAYAD STUDIOS. 

Looking at these photos of our bride and her husband beaming as they pledged to spend their life together truly makes my job as a fashion designer meaningful. I am honoured to be entrusted with such an important once-in-a-lifetime gown, and am privileged to be part of so much love! Thanks Maja and Simon and wishing you continued prosperity!