Preserved within the bustling city of Manila, The Henry Hotel was where Joseph Lacanilao and Deborah Foo held their intimate garden wedding. The refurbished ancestral homes of the hotel lent an elegant mid-century charm to the venue, opening up to a private lawn where the celebration took place.
"The theme was simple as we did not want to drown out the beautiful surroundings that The Henry Hotel provided. The colours were mostly white with splashes of summery colours," says Deborah.
White bird cages hung delicately on the branches of baby breaths that made up the wedding arch. Tables were lined with vases of colourful blooms along with candles placed inside bird cages. Wedding favours were socks designed by Joseph with the couple's emblem as well as white lace fans bought from a wholesale centre.
The day started with the traditional tea ceremony, where Deborah clad herself in a traditional Peranakan outfit with beaded slippers made by her grandmother. "Being that we are both from different cultures, we wanted to honour our heritage in some way. Joe wore a Brong Tagalog while I wore the kebaya. I also wore my grandmother's beaded slippers and earrings, as I knew she had intended them for me for my wedding before she passed away," explains Deborah.
After the tea ceremony, the bride changed into her customised wedding gown from Mel Orlina Couture – a lovely lace gown with a fitted bodice and tulle skirt, while the bridesmaids wore lace dresses in summery colours.
In their efforts to support sustainable farming in the Philippines, the couple catered their buffet dinner and hors d'oeuvres from Kitchen 1B, a restaurant serving organic food from local farms.
"We are very thankful for friends who supported us with their time and talents. Some as the entertainers and others who made our wedding cake," says Deborah.
