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Real Bride: Cristine Lacson-Yap

What’s the inspiration behind your wedding look? Did you have any hair and makeup pegs?

As my wedding was taking place at the church in Balesin Island, I wanted to make sure my look was soft and flowing. I wanted my hair up because I move around a lot, and had some few soft curls to frame my face. For my makeup, I just let the makeup artist do her magic.

Who designed your wedding gown, and how did you come up with the style? How long did it take to create or find the perfect wedding dress?

I bought an RTW gown from Rosa Clara. I decided to go with an RTW because with RTWs, you know from the start what you will look like in the gown. I tried all types of cuts: from A-Line to ball gown, to mermaid, and different necklines even if I didn’t think the style would suit me. I fell in love with two styles – a simple silk Mikado A-line gown, and a soft mermaid cut gown with Spanish lace. I eventually chose the Mermaid cut soft gown because it was the perfect fit for my venue.

Even if you eventually choose a designer, I still would recommend trying RTW gowns. This is a good exercise for any bride because it opens you up to new styles you never thought you’d try.

How did you choose your hair and makeup artist?

I consulted my sister, who is in the beauty industry, and she recommended a former colleague – Ana Isip. I reviewed her portfolio and talked with her, and she was very responsive and easy to talk to. It was an easy decision to make. When choosing suppliers, it’s good to choose someone who responds quickly as this lessens your stress in planning for the wedding.

“When choosing suppliers, it’s good to choose

someone who responds quickly as this lessens

your stress in planning for the wedding.”

“Every bride must come into her

wedding weekend understanding

that not everything will go as

planned.”

What lip color did you choose for the wedding day?

It was a mix of two Colourpop Ultra Matte lippies. We tried it on the first day of the wedding weekend and adjusted the mix for the 2nd day to achieve a different shade.

What was in your wedding day makeup kit/pouch?

All I remember was my cellphone and my favorite Estee Lauder Antique Rose lipstick. Since it was a destination wedding, I was lucky enough to have my makeup entourage following me throughout the photoshoot so I didn’t have to think of anything.

What were the preparations you did for your skin prior to the wedding day? Did you go to a skincare center regularly? What kind of services did you have done? Is this something you would recommend to other brides-to-be?

I (was stupid enough) to get full-face threading done about a week before my wedding as I wanted to be hair-free and smooth. It was the first time I did this and small zits grew all over my face just 3 days before my wedding, so just imagine the stress! I don’t recommend this if you’ve not tried it before, but you can probably schedule this about 2 weeks before your wedding.

For my skincare, I stuck with my regular routine – starting with the Shiseido Perfect Whip to cleanse my face, toning with Estee Lauder’s Cyberwhite toner, and spraying SKII Treatment Essence, and moisturizer. Note that I said I spray my SKII – I transfer my treatment essence to a spray bottle so that it goes straight to my face (and not on cotton/or my hands) and makes this very expensive bottle last longer.

What was the best beauty advice you received that helped you prepare for your wedding?

Relax and smile! I made sure not to stress myself out. Despite the planning, things will not be exactly as you plan. If you stress out, it will show on your skin and your eyes. A happy bride is a beautiful bride.

How about in terms of fitness? What did you do months before the wedding to stay in shape and make sure your wedding dress fit perfectly? Did you enroll in a gym or fitness center? What was your diet like?

I regularly have my cardio from playing ultimate frisbee (at least 2x/week) but I added two gym sessions per week at least a month before my wedding. I also enrolled in a healthy meal plan – Fitfoodmnl, and tried to eat healthier at least two weeks before my wedding just to cut down on fat. That’s not to say I didn’t eat my heart out as soon as I arrived at Balesin.

Did you have your nails done? If so, where? Would you recommend this nail salon to others?

I went to Nail Tropics in Greenbelt 5 a day before my wedding weekend. It’s important to make time to pamper yourself and Nail Tropics was just perfect. The place had good ambience, and they had foot and nail spa packages at affordable rates.

What was your biggest takeaway from your wedding day? Do you have any beauty-related tips you’d like to share to upcoming brides?

Let go. Every bride must come into her wedding weekend understanding that not everything will go as planned. In my case, flights were cancelled, it rained throughout the wedding day and our reception venue had to be moved last minute. If you let go, at the end of the day, whatever dress you’re wearing, whatever technical difficulty you’ll have, you’ll realize that you’re still getting married to the love of your life.