Words: Shaharaine P. Abdullah | Photography: Adrian Ardiente of Cerca Trova | Event styling: Randy Lazaro | Cake: Audrey’s Pastries | Stationery: Print Divas | Specialty Dinnerware: Casa Luxia | Chairs: Legaseat | Venue and Food: City Garden Grand Makati
Nothing elicits enchantment and contemplation like a forest. Teeming with lush foliage, towering trees, misty streams and diverse fauna, forests are an abundant source of vibrant hues, textures and latent inspiration. Utilizing several elements found amidst a forest’s verdant splendor, stylist Randy Lazaro constructed a setup that evokes a lavish woodland attraction.
Channeling the rustic outdoors, the stylist liberally adorned City Garden Grand Hotel’s lofty event space with a medley of plants and flowers. Tall, potted trees strung with fairy lights flank the VIP table on both ends, while a hefty arch made of leaves frames the space and doubles as a divider for the VIP and guest area. Adding to the alfresco vibe, the floor is carpeted with AstroTurf and scattered foliage.
To break the monotony of green, the VIP and guest tables are decked in blue fabric, evoking a water element. The accompanying chairs are chrome Lega seats, which go well with the golden brass lampshades and long-stemmed silver and glass candleholders that make up part of the centerpiece. A generous array of plants and flower bouquets comprised of nude and lavender Ecuadorianroses, Astilbe fillers, purple Hydrangeas, orange blooms and Silver Dollar leaves prevail over the rest of the tablescape. Meanwhile, a string of bunched up fairy lights encased in a glass dome add mood, while pinecones, twig wreaths and moss stones serve as additional accents.
The elegant dinnerware, provided by Casa Luxia, consists of gilded plates sporting a banana leaf print, marbled charger plates, white napkins, gold flatware, wine glasses and green glass water goblets.
The menus and place cards, courtesy of Printsonalities, feature a border print design of delicate leaves with string lights painted in an olive green shade, paired with a nondescript gray font. The design extends to the invitations, except the latter sports a backdrop of forest green, sage and olive brushstrokes, as well as a white font and calligraphy.
Audrey’s Pastry provided the wedding cake, which is a 4-tiered confection covered in dusky ivory and mounted on a dais. The cake’s top and second tier is propped on a round, geometric-shaped frame fashioned from a gold wire, adding height and flair. A vine of leaves spirals decoratively from top to base, along with blush, white and yellow garden roses that are interspersed with green berries.
The wedding fare, prepared by chef, is a delectable spread that’s divided into several courses. For starters, there’s German potato salad, followed by tomato bruschetta. The soup course features broccoli chowder, while the rice dish is a hearty Paella Valenciana. A ratatouille serves as the vegetable course, while the main entrées are comprised of different meat courses, including baby back ribs (pork), roasted rosemary chicken fillet (chicken), Wok fry beef (beef) and grilled salmon in caper cream sauce for the seafood course. Capping off the meal is strawberry cheesecake.
From tablescape to the stationery, Lazaro’s setup employs a sense of continuity in terms of design and execution, resulting to a deluxe reception that captures the primal beauty of forests.
