Wedding Gowns & Bridal Gowns

A contribution from Annalyn Jusay-Zoglmann:

How do you find your ideal wedding gown, with less than three months to prepare for your wedding? I was the harried bride and desperate to find my perfect gown, but knew that I didn’t have the time for several fittings with a designer. The paperwork alone was taking so much of our time! Like any excited bride, I canvassed shops and emailed a few noted designers, only to be told that they had their schedules full. I worked on a budget given me by my groom as well.

At first, I wanted a Filipiniana motif and toyed with the idea of wearing a terno, or something like it. Then I said I also like a strapless gown… every bride seems to be wearing that style these days. My perfect wedding gown came to me as I was walking through Glorietta one day and chanced upon the Edgar Allan Boutique. Mr. Allan is one of the noted Filipino designers and his boutique is a showcase of his formal and semi-formal ready-to-wear pieces. Luckily for me, there was one wedding gown in the racks and it was being sold at a discount (they were transferring to another spot in Glorietta and was trying to dispose of old pieces).

I put on the wedding gown and was surprised to find that it fit me well, with only a minor alteration required. The style was an acquired taste since it was kinda unique and wasn’t strapless, like I wanted. It was a semi-off shoulder creation made of duchess satin that was accented by elegant beadwork on the side and the edge of the train, and an oversized bow at the back. The style of the skirt was A-line and the design consisted of pleats that gathered to the side. To cut a long story short, I had all the confidence walking down the aisle on our wedding day wearing my beautiful gown. My husband refused to see me on the day of the wedding, and I swear that when he saw me in church wearing it, he fell in love with me more. My family and friends also liked my gown very much.

My advice to brides is not to sweat it looking for their wedding day dress. In my case, I prayed, and am glad my wish was granted. It will turn out beautifully, in God’s own time.