For the reception, Cris worked hand in hand with her mum and consulted with Ria Luna, Ponchit Ponce Enrile, and stylist Gino Gonzalez, to create a modern Filipiniana theme. Every nook and cranny of Whitespace Manila was filled with capiz lanterns, wooden chandeliers, blue and white pots, and mirror runners all made locally. Of course, great entertainment and a lot of laughter was to be had that evening so the couple called on comedian Jon Santos to host the memorable night.

Philippine Tatler Weddings: How did your husband propose?

Cris Villonco-Valderrama: To describe it in a few words: Simple, quiet, to the point and a big surprise. I was at the Valderrama family home, killing time before going to work later that evening. His sister and brother-in-law were there, playing with their new phones so I wasn’t minding them taking videos of each other. Then all of a sudden I heard, “Beb, you love me, right?” And I quickly replied, “What did you do?!” I seriously thought he was going to confess that he had done something bad (cheated, lost money, or fought with a family member)! But he was shaking, on the verge of tears, fumbling with his box that he was trying to take out of his pocket. He opened the box and it was a beautiful ring.Turns out, the phones were all on me. I wanted to make the moment last a little longer because it wasn’t at all how I imagined it to be. As I’m quite the control freak, I couldn’t believe they were able to pull off the surprise. And of course, I cried like a baby. 

PTW: What was the overall look and theme of your big day?

CVV: At first, we thought of something theatrical, Anna Karenina-inspired (the Joe Wright version), with large frames and huge plants. But as the guest list grew, we needed all the space we could get out of Whitespace. When all the ideas came together, we realised it was a modern Filipiniana theme. It felt as if my Lola had a hand in it. Maybe because we are greatly influenced by her, including Gino Gonzalez, that we did not want to veer away from what we grew up with, which was Aawitan Kita. The ceremony consisted of Filipino songs, my Lesley Mobo gown had a Filipiniana touch to it, and the despedida and reception were filled with capiz lanterns, Philippine plants and Murio furniture.

PTW: Who did you wear and how did you decide on this?

CVV: I always had dresses that I thought were beautiful, but somehow I wasn’t the kind of girl who dreamt about the wedding gown. Funny though, the Elie Saab gown I picked was the first one I saw online and pinned on my wedding board. So I set that option aside, thinking there would be many others. In the end, when I tried the gown on, that was it. As for the Mich Dulce headpiece, I knew I would keep my hair short. Iam not a girly girl, and that part of me only comes out when I have to perform, so I wanted something I would be comfortable in.

As for the Lesley Mobo dress, on that same trip, in search for my wedding gown, I met Lesley at a birthday lunch of a good friend. By some miracle, he found out that I was getting married and he just held my hand and said, “I’m going to design a gown for you.” 

PTW: Which wedding Apps, sites and bridal Instagram accounts did you use?

CVV: Pinterest was always my go-to App, or anything Martha Stewart. And my favourite brides’ movie, Bride Wars, seemed to keep playing whenever I was stressed with the wedding. 

PTW: What stands out to you when you think of your wedding? Why?

CVV:  We opted for the non-traditional wedding program—so there was no cake-cutting and first dance, but there were a number of speeches and special performances. We were thrilled that Jon Santos agreed to host the program, and together with the AMP band, Bituin Escalante, and Martin Nievera, we were just so happy and excited. I personally loved the speeches, particularly that of our parents. But the reception styling was just something else… 

PTW: Did you plan your big day with a strict budget in mind? If yes, can you give our readers pointers on what is essential to include and what can be forgone?

CVV: My in-laws were very kind and generous, and they were wonderful with this whole wedding process. As Operations Manager of Whitespace, I’ve come across a variety of brides and the budgets they had. It really does help if you know what you want but you also have to be realistic when it comes to the “need” and the “want.” Once you realise and accept your limitations early on, it prevents you from being a bridezilla and allows you to enjoy the whole process. Planning a wedding comes with its ups and downs, but as said by many, it’s just a day. I’d say worry on the first year adjustments and focus on your marriage first. 

PTW: How much time did you spend planning your first home together? Décor? Style? Entertaining at home?

CVV:  I would consider our home as having transitional décor wherein we mixed the old and new and somehow made it work with the help of our interior decorator. We were doing the home plans alongside the wedding so you can only imagine how crazy things got, but somehow we got through it and we learnt a lot in the process.