An Artist’s Heart

#WERealWeddings featuring SANTI VILLANUEVA and ALICE DELA PEÑA

Santi and I met on the football field during a tournament. My team needed more people because attendance was low so our friend was invited and he brought Santi along with him. We won the championship that tournament and needless to say, we ended up hanging out more after that. Santi was the shy-type. He seldom talked but there was always something about him that made me want to get to know him more. I heard he was a storyboard artist and he loves to cook plus he had such cute dimples so why not right? We ended up playing on the same team and there came more bonding times on and off the field. It didn’t take long for us to like each other but with him being so shy, I had to make the first move. Let’s just say it took about a year before we became official! After three years of dating, we decided to take a trip to Europe since we travel yearly. A few months before our trip, Santi said he had a personal project so he won’t be taking projects but little did I know it was his surprise for when he was going to propose to me.

As months went by, we started to work on the little details we wanted for our wedding. Since my husband is an artist, he designed our invitations, wedding monogram and chocolate souvenirs. He even learned how to do calligraphy so everything will be personalized. The invitation has a sketch of the interior of the Sta. Clara Chapel and the leaves were patterned after the design of my dress. For our chocolate giveaways, we decided with Theo and Philo since they customize wrappers. We decided on three of Santi’s sketches we wanted to showcase and meant a lot to us. One sketch was the view from where he proposed, second was a sketch of our reception area when we decided we wanted to get married there and lastly, the third one was a sketch of Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar which we visited during our trip in Europe where we stayed with my cousins and Pilar is the name of his mom as well. For my gown and his suit, we went with Joseph Aloysius Montelibano since he is an eco-designer. He advocates Filipino design and helps communities in the local weaving industry. My dress has hand -embroidered patterns made by a community of ladies in Taal while my husband’s suit was hand woven hablon from Iloilo. For our rings, my engagement ring has a morganite stone instead of a typical diamond because my husband liked the meaning behind the stone since it’s coined as the stone of divine love. For our wedding rings, we couldn’t decide on one color so we chose both rose gold and white gold. Mine was rose gold outside and white gold inside to match my engagement ring while his was white gold outside and rose gold inside. All our rings were designed by the very talented Atelier Anne Abad of Art in Jewels who is a high school friend of mine. For our wedding cake, we wanted a one tier cake with cupcakes underneath so it would be easier to guests to just get. We got a carrot cake from Ann Co. Lastly we chose autumn colors so it would complement the nature feel of our reception area so a lot of burgundy, rust, mustard, blues and grays. Our flowers came from Fleur Art and it was totally unique because I did tell them I didn’t want it too feminine. They got flowers from Australia and it fit the theme perfectly.

On the wedding day, I had my preps in Punong Gary and my husband in Seda. We then had our coordinators, The Wedding Sunshine, prioritize in shuttling our guests to the venue so they can enjoy cocktails and the beautiful sunset. We wanted a short program so we can have more time to party with our guests. We partied with tribal drums by Gruppo Tribale and danced the night away!

A month after the wedding, it was Valentine’s Day, and my sweet husband surprised me with the last page of the comic book. He drew a scene from our wedding to end the proposal book. Now I can’t wait on how our life is going to unfold!

Santi and Alice’s DREAM TEAM:

Preps: Punong Gary’s Place and Seda Capitol Central – Bacolod City | Ceremony: Sta. Clara Chapel, Sta. Clara Village, Bacolod City | Reception; Punong Gary’s Place | Coordinator: The Wedding Sunshine | Photographer: Verse Studio | Videographer: Lula Films | Bride’s Hair: Carlos Durana Makeup Studiob |Bride’s Makeup: Makeup by Sari Camposn| Florist/ Event Stylist: Fleur Art Events Styling | Invitation Printer: Ever Engraving Stationery Inc. | Bride, Groom and Entourage Couture: @Joseph Aloysius Montelibano | Caterer: Sugarland Hotel Bacolod Citylb| Grazing Table: NOSH | Wedding Cake: Ann Co Cakes | Lechon: Enting’s Special of Sagay | Piyaya Station: El Ideal Bakery | After Dinner Food: Batchoy from Bar 21b | Host: Gino Asensio Lopez | Lights & Sounds: DJ Kid Pro Sounds and Lights | Bridal March Entrance Singer: Clara Benin | Ceremony Choir: SACRED HEART SEMINARIANSb| Cocktail and Dinner Entertainment: The Prelude After Party Entertainment: Elmer Dado and Gruppo Tribale | Photoman: MetroClickPhotobooth| Shuttle Transportation: Meca J and Dondi Transport | Bridal Car: Meca J | Rings: Art in Jewels | Bridal Hair Piece: AKA Studio| Bridal Shoes: ERIN shoes ph | Bridal Reception Shoes: Risque Designs | Bridesmaids Gifts: Shopstyle Cat and Las Arca Ph | Groomsmen’s Gifts: Narra Wooden Watches| Sponsors Gifts : Erin Souvenirs Ph and Thoughtful Supply Co. | Place Cards: Details and Design Co | Chocolate Giveaways: Theo And Philo’s Artisan Chocolates in Metro Manila | Fireworks: Peacock Fireworks | Official Designs of Groom (Santiago Villanueva) Wedding Monogram, Chocolate Giveaways, Invitations and Calligraphy , Table Menu Mass Misalette