Rima Ostwani and Jay Najjar’s story dates back to when they were old family friends in Lebanon, which is where Rima spent her childhood before moving to Manila. Of their friendship, Rima says they were the best of friends for years and it was only a matter of time before something more was to come of it. Eventually their long distance relationship (LDR) led to his proposal and Rima couldn’t be happier.

The handsome couple wed in Manila before 200 family members (many of whom flew in from Lebanon) and friends at the Sanctuario de San Antonio. Rima was jaw-droppingly stunning in her princess-like Francis Libiran gown, while her dapper and dashing Jay donned a classic Dolce & Gabbana suit.

Set-up by Gideon Hermosa

The ceremony, which Rima said had many parallels to a traditional Lebanese wedding, was followed by an intimate reception at the well-appointed Bonifacio Hall of the Shangri-La at the Fort. The bride was after a classic elegant theme and she got just that. Stylist extraordinare, Gideon Hermosa turned the ballroom into a sophisticated and predominantly white garden wonderland with just the right amount of dusty rose and gold accents.

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Brothers of the bride Khaled, Miguel and Amer Ostwani

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Renato and Tokie Enriquez

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Mother of the groom Viviane Najjar and mother of the bride Marianna Lorza-Ostwani

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Paola Banson, Ernesto Barrera, Sammy Pineda

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Flower girl Alexa Kaufman

The bride having a moment

The groom and his friends tackle the dance floor

The traditional Lebanese dabke dance

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Rima and Jay Najjar with the principal sponsors Linda Ley, Tess Acuzar, Diana Jeanne Lopez, Helen Lee, Nedy Tantoco, Felix Ang, Ruben Tiu, Johnny Litton, George Siy, Renato Reyes

Philippine Tatler Weddings: Describe the proposal.

Rima Ostwani Najjar: When I looked out onto the balcony, there were 1500 candles forming the words, “Rima, will you marry me?” It was simple yet so heartfelt. I am sure lighting all those candles all together was quite a tedious process though! Haha!

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

RON: I’d say classic elegance. 

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

RON: My primary wedding gown was by Francis Libiran. Aside from wanting to wear a Filipino designer, I’ve always loved his intricate designs, seamless workmanship and attention to detail. I just knew he was the perfect designer to make my dream wedding gown. I later on changed into a figure-hugging strapless Rosa Clara dress for the after party. I wanted something easy and off the rack, yet beautiful and elegant still.

PTW: Which wedding Apps, sites and bridal Instagram accounts did you follow for inspiration?

RON: Famous bridal gown designers, Wedding Dream, Brides Magazine, Bride and Breakfast and many more! It’s so much easier to get inspiration with social media at your fingertips!

PTW: As far as the planning went, what did you insist on doing yourself and what did you delegate to the planner and bridal entourage?

RON: I was a very hands-on bride despite having a wedding planner. Must be the obsessive compulsive in me. I chose the suppliers myself and personally did the planning and coordinating with each one of them. Since it was a small wedding, it wasn’t too difficult to manage. Being organised is key though. 

PTW: Who did your flowers and what was the direction there?

RON: My event stylist was Gideon Hermosa. I chose a predominantly white motif with a hint of dusty rose and a touch of antique gold. It was nothing fancy but very elegant just the way I wanted it. 

PTW: What were your wedding party favours?

RON: We gave mother of pearl frames wherein we inserted the guests’ pictures taken during the reception which added a nice personalised touch and we also had wooden mahogany trays with our monogram engraved on it. 

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

RON: The fact that it was exactly the way I wanted it. Elegant, meaningful and intimate. I got away with having a small wedding despite holding it in the midst of the city! I also loved how our Lebanese and Filipino friends jived so well and partied the night away all together. It was loads of fun!

PTW: Did you always want a big wedding? Are the wedding customs and traditions in Lebanon different from those in the Philippines?

RON: I’ve always wanted a small one. I’d say Lebanese weddings are very similar to Filipino weddings which made planning so much easier.

PTW: Were there any challenges as far as planning a wedding with your then fiancé, long distance?

RON: Surprisingly, it wasn’t as challenging as I expected—mainly because my then fiancé was so easy going and agreed with almost everything I envisioned for our big day. It was of course an advantage that we have similar taste and preferences in a lot of things.

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?

RON: I wouldn’t say a super strict budget because I did want to work with the best suppliers but then again having a working budget helps a lot in avoiding splurging over things that don’t matter as much. As a bride, the wedding gown! It must be something you are totally in love with because your wedding is the day you will feel your most  beautiful. It is important to get a very good photographer who will capture all the special moments during your big day because you will keep looking back at those memories until you grow old and grey. Location is very important as well. It sets the overall theme and ambience of your dream wedding. 

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

RON: We basically split the work—I take care of the interiors and he takes care of the exteriors! Haha! But seriously speaking, we both love design. He is into building and development and as for me, I love interiors mainly because of my previous job. It continues to be a work in progress as we complete our home but we enjoy every bit of putting it together!

 

This article is part of a series called Inspired Moments, originally featured on the second edition of Philippine Tatler Weddings. To find out more, watch this space and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.