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Real Bride: Leah Gonzalez-Angue

What lip color did you choose for the wedding day?

I honestly don’t know what shade it was exactly because I left it all up to my makeup artist.

What was in your wedding day makeup kit/pouch?

I can’t exactly remember now but it was probably facial tissue and lip balm. I didn’t really need anything since my artist used airbrush makeup, which stayed on pretty well.

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?

Just the usual – tried to moisturize regularly, applied sunscreen when I went out, and eye cream at night.

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

Get enough sleep on the days leading up to your big day, so you’ll look and feel good and rested on the day of the wedding.

 

“Get enough sleep on the days leading

up to your big day.”

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

I still wanted to look like myself even with all the makeup, so I made sure to tell my makeup artist that I wanted a sort of natural look, with my hair down but kept away from my face. I wanted my whole look to go with how my husband and I envisioned our wedding to be – which was relaxed, chill and fun. We had our wedding at a mango farm so it had a relaxed and rustic vibe.

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?

My gown was designed by Francis “Tatah” Galias. Before I met with him, I scouted the net and browsed through wedding magazines for different dress styles. I saved the ones I liked and put together a mood board of sorts. From this collection of images, it became clear what style or elements I gravitated towards. I wanted something simple and flowy, with gold details, and I communicated this to Tatah during our first meeting. We looked at a few images together, and right then and there, he sketched something up for me.

How did you choose your hair and makeup artist?

My makeup artist was Abby Maglaya. Abby happens to be a friend’s sister and I had already seen her work before that, but I still scheduled a trial session with her. I really liked what she did with my makeup, so I decided to get her for my makeup and hair on the actual wedding day.

For my entourage, I chose Diane Coles. I also found Diane online and decided to have a trial session with her. I liked her work, so I decided to get her for my entourage.

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?

In terms of fitness, I was already playing ultimate regularly, about twice a week. I didn’t really add any other workouts on top of that. I know I had plans to add a couple of workouts a week, but didn’t really get around to it. I didn’t do anything special in terms of diet, but I did try to be more mindful of my eating habits. Of course, I wanted my dress to fit perfectly so I tried to watch what I ate.

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

I had my nails done at Belle & Cat Nail and Wax Studio in Makati a few days before my wedding. It was actually during a surprise shower organized by a few friends. I also had a paraffin treatment which made my hands and feet feel soft and smooth.

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

Just try to relax, don’t sweat the small stuff, and enjoy your day. Let your suppliers and coordinators do their work, so you won’t have to think about anything else. It’s you and your partner’s day after all and you’re surrounded by family and friends, so cherish it and have fun.

“Just try to relax, don’t sweat the small stuff, and enjoy your day.”