Geometrical Garden - WD 14

WEDDINGDay ISSUE NO.

14

Ethereal Beauty

geometrical garden

vintage fuchsia

LIVE THE DREAM

LIVE THE MAGIC

MAKE IT REALITY

EVERY WEDDING DESERVES PALAZZO PARISIO

WD | 2

29, Victory Square, Naxxar - Malta • weddings@palazzoparisio.com www.palazzoparisio.com

E

ditorial

WD’s editor Josanne Cassar At the risk of sounding like a cliche, where has the year gone?

We cannot quite believe we have come to the last issue for 2015, but here we are again, putting together perhaps our most popular and widely anticipated issue.

The month of October acts like the earth’s natural clock. Our frame of mind changes with the season and while summer means it is simply too hot to do anything but swim or escape into cool air-conditioned comfort, now is when our energy levels start returning, giving us a fresh boost of energy. This is the time of the year when people gradually, reluctantly, but also inevitably, fall back into their autumn routine, as swimsuits and beach towels are stored away, kids go back to school, adults start looking around for interesting courses to keep themselves busy in anticipation of the winter months, and of course, couples are more in the mood to start preparing for their wedding in a year (or two, or three years’ time).

We know that you look forward to reading our wedding stories for ideas and inspiration, and this issue is bursting with various venues and themes as brides

become more adventurous and willing to take chances with the look and styling of their Big Day. Over the years, it seems that the grooms too have become more willing to experiment and try something different, and are definitely becoming more involved in the wedding preparations, which is always a welcome change.

For our feature photo shoot we are pleased to be back at the Hotel Phoenicia which opened up its lovely gardens and gazebo for us, once again demonstrating the versatility of this venue which can be used either for a balmy summer outdoor wedding or host an ultra chic wedding indoors when the weather is cold.

Our next issue comes out in Spring 2016 when the wedding season comes back in full swing. Meanwhile, we hope all those who are busy preparing for their upcoming wedding will find what they are looking for through WeddingDay magazine as well as our Facebook page which is updated on a daily basis with not only the latest trends, but also important advice for when the wedding is over and the reality of “being married” actually begins!

Josanne

on the cover

Kim Portelli • design by Jessica C. Moritz • printed at Bestprint, Qrendi • published by Mojo Publishing Limited

Disclaimer: MOJO Publishing Limited cannot be held liable for any artwork which is provided by the client. The client will bear full responsibility for the accuracy of the text and for any possible breach of copyright in the photos, text, or fonts being used.

Mojo Publishing Limited • Flat 3, Il-Gardina, Constitution Street, Mosta, MST 9051 • M: 99 425985 • info@weddingdaymalta.com

Now Exclusively at

Coliseum Arcades, Zachary Street, Valletta Tel: 2122 4234 • Email: weddingbells@sis.net.mt Website: WeddingBells.bridemalta.com • www.theweddingsite.com/weddingbells LIKE US ON www.facebook.com/weddingbells.valletta

contents - Autumn/ Winter Issue 2015 -

06 Ethereal Beauty 20 Geometrical Garden

06

20

36

48

56

62

70

78

36 Jennifer & Omar 48 Lydon & Caroline

56 Emma & John 62 Marion & Nicholai

70 Therese & Joseph 78 Edward & Jaclyn

B R I N G I N G Y O U R D AY T O B L O O M Romano Cassar is one of Malta’s oldest companies within the flower business. We are a team made up of full-time professional designers, and the passion, skill and enthusiasm of our florists is evident in each and every one of our creations.

Bearing in mind that each wedding is totally unique, we dedicate as much time as necessary to liaise with you and take your wishes on board in order to come up with an exceptional set up for your special day. We pride ourselves on being experts in beautiful floral arrangements that will thrill you and your guests.

romanocassar.com Romano Cassar Ltd. 24,Hammieri Road,Qormi.QRM1509

Te l : + 3 5 6 2 1 4 4 1 2 6 4 / M o b : + 3 5 6 7 9 3 7 3 1 0 0

find us on facebook

Ethereal Beauty photos: Katerina Vella-Ryabkova

Vasilisa Borg Costanzi is not a professional model, although from these pictures you would never have guessed.

She is a friend of the photographer, as well as her muse. “When I have some ideas in my mind, she is ready to explore them in front of the camera,” says Katerina.

As a wedding photographer, Katerina is often asked to come up with prewedding and post-wedding shoots, so she is constantly using her imagination and creativity to offer brides and couples that something unique and differ-

WD | 8

ent, if they are adventurous enough to go along with it.

This shoot was done in spring time at Slugs Bay when the water was still very cold, yet Lisa was very brave to jump in, and it is clear they had a lot of fun during the shoot. The look of the shoot, including the flowers, make-up and bodysuit were all done as a collaborative effort between Lisa and Katerina.

“I just wanted to show how unusual a bride could look. It is my way of exploring different ideas and themes. It was an amazing experience.”

WD | 10

WHILST REFINING OUR CLASSICS We innovate through experience, understanding current trends & seasons.

Over a quarter of a century of tailoring unique weddings for local couples & foreign alike. We craft each wedding to the slightest of detail. Classily chic & contemporary, Villa Arrigo remains the most trusted, most value for money wedding venue on the islands. Meet us and let us exceed your wedding expectations.

info@osbornecaterers.com | 2142 3214

WD | 14

WD | 16

A proposal story

We love hearing about romantic proposals and one of our very loyal readers, Yolanda Spiteri, who says she reads WeddingDay from cover to cover, sent us her story.

WD | 18

“It so happened that my fiancé and I set our date for May, 1st 2017 quite a number of months ago however the proposal came about in July of this year. The proposal was a surprise for me from beginning to end.

Matthew had spoken to my manager at my parttime job and asked him to invite me on a work trip. After a number of ‘meetings’ the trip sounded particularly exciting as it involved filming in Naples and I felt I couldn’t turn it down. On the day, I messaged my colleagues impatiently while waiting to check-in only to find Matthew queuing up to check in as well.

He told me ‘I am coming with you’ and it turned out that he had planned a whole holiday for us. He also arranged for his parents and my parents to come to see us off. We have barely ever traveled together so it was a great surprise. I was, however, surprised that he had chosen Naples! I

though it was very strange when we had to catch a plane to Rome and then to Naples.

Why hadn’t he taken me to Rome?

When we arrived in Naples he quietly asked a bus conductor ‘Dove per prendere il traghetto per Capri’. It turns out he was taking me to Capri! After a lovely weekend in Capri, Matthew proposed to me in front of the great Faraglioni, at a restaurant called Il Geranio accompanied by an Italian guitarist.

Matthew doesn’t know I’m sending this but I secretly want to thank him for his surprise.”

As you can see, we have granted Yolande’s wish and wish them all the best for their wedding.

If you would like to share your romantic proposal story please contact us on info@weddingday.com and we will consider it for publication.

Now Exclusively at

Coliseum Arcades, Zachary Street, Valletta Tel: 2122 4234 • Email: weddingbells@sis.net.mt Website: WeddingBells.bridemalta.com • www.theweddingsite.com/weddingbells LIKE US ON www.facebook.com/weddingbells.valletta

GEOMETRICAL GARDEN We were lucky to have fantastic weather this October which means that our idea to do our photo shoot at the amazing Phoenicia terraced gardens worked out according to plan. The location never looked lovelier; this lush setting is no less than 7.5 acres full of trees, shrubbery and colourful flowers - who knew such an oasis of greenery lay at the very doorstep to the busy city of Valletta?

It was a very fitting location for our statuesque model Kim Portelli with her classic features and timeless beauty. The Old World elegance of the Phoenicia provided an interesting contrast with the modern theme created for this shoot by Elaine from Elegant Impressions. Together with the styling and props by Joseph Baldacchino from Flower Arts, the set up was dominated by gold-coloured geometric shapes, hanging glass globes and slim cylinders used as flower vases which were also set up on transparent blocks. Joseph provided not only his creative flair for flower arrangements, but also the numerous hanging glass candle holders and the large transparent vases which transformed the gazebo, giving it a magical atmosphere, especially in the twilight.

These types of set ups are time-consuming but well worth the work involved to create this effect: one must remember that the props have to be painstakingly hung one by one, and then adorned with flowers, while the candle holders also have to be hung individually after being carefully decorated with the candles and beads. In this photo shoot we have shown how, with just a few touches, one can give that added “something” to a venue which is already intrinsically beautiful.

WD | 23

This venue provided our photographer Katerina Vella-Ryabkova with a variety of areas to work with, from the long pathway which takes you down to the pool area, to the wrought-iron gate which provided an interesting backdrop for some dramatic shots.

At the moment, at sunset, the skies in Malta turn into a breathtakingly awesome mixture of orange, red and purple hues which look like someone has spilled cans of paint haphazardly over a huge canvas. Waiting for just the right moment to capture these shots required a lot of patience and then perfect timing by Katerina who had to work quickly and efficiently to get in as many shots as possible before the light faded. With the stunning backdrop of our Grand Harbour and majestic bastion, it is easy to see why this venue is so popular with couples as well as wedding photographers.

While waiting for the light to be just right, we went on foot to the majestic Valletta steps, designed by Renzo Piano, where Kim was the centre of attraction as she posed regally while Katerina snapped away and tourists also stopped to look and take their own photos.

The flowers Joseph used white and different hues of green for the bouquet as well as for the flower arrangements, which perfectly reflected the natural surroundings. The inlaid chessboard under the gazebo was also just right for the geometric theme.

To keep with the natural surroundings of the unspoiled atmosphere at the Phoenicia gardens, Joseph used mixed garden flowers set against the gold diamond shapes which seemed to float, suspended in mid-air.

The bridal bouquet was a mixture of garden flowers with a hint of lilac and Veronica.

WD | 27

The cake The modern theme of geometric shapes and the pale green and cream colour scheme were also used in the cake, decorated with diamonds and squares by Daniela Caruana Grima, a freelance cake designer who joined our team for this issue.

The hair Kim’s long hair was slicked back in an elaborate double chignon made out of two parts using just the model’s own very thick beautiful hair. Joe Briffa from Hairoscope said it was very easy to work with this kind of hair, and by framing her face this style gave her an extremely chic, elegant look.

The make-up Daniela Cassar our make-up artist pointed out that it was a pleasure to work with Kim’s amazing creamy complexion, very much “aqua e sapone”, which is a dream for any makeup artist. Kim tells us that her secret is to never go in the sun!

Daniela opted for natural lips and cheeks, and a subtle smoky eye, focusing on matt eyeshadow and playing with black and brown shades to enhance Kim’s lovely green eyes.

Black eyeliner all around the eye was then smudged into the eyeshadow. Because of her naturally thick lashes, all that was needed were very thick lashings of mascara, and there was no need for Daniela to add any false lashes.

The dress Marquita from WeddingBells chose a simple yet elegant bridal gown in Duchess satin. As we were going for a modern look, the shape veers away from the traditional ballroom style, and would be perfect for the bride who wants a more clean, linear shape, with minimum fuss. The tulle cape with bejewelled neckline and matching crystal earrings completed this elegant look.

Long strands of pearls draped across Kim’s shoulders added a retro feel to the look of the dress, making it seem as if Kim had stepped out of an Art Deco painting.

WD | 32

Wedding CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE Creative Director Jessica C. Moritz www.jessmor.com Photographer Katerina Vella-Ryabkova photobykaterina@gmail.com • M: +356 99536694 www. katerinavellaphotography.com www.facebook.com/katerinavellaryabkova CONCEPT & SET StyliNG Elaine Zarb of Elegant Impressions www.elegantimpressions.eu • M: +356 99831213 Floral Design Joseph Baldacchino of Flower Arts www.flowerarts.net • M: +356 9926 0645 Bridal fashion styling Marquita Kemper of WeddingBells T: +356 21224234 • E: weddingbells@sis.net.mt MAKE-UP Daniela Cassar E: dan1305@go.net.mt • M: +356 99130575 hair Jo Briffa of Hairoscope E: jobriffa@gmail.com T: +356 21659442 • M: +356 99224750 WEDDING CAKE Sweet Delights by Daniela E: sweetdelightsdaniela@outlook.com

DANIELA CASSAR

the official makeup artist for Wedding Day Magazine Tel: +356 99130575

-

dan1305@go.net.mt

-

facebook.com/dcassarmakeup

Now Exclusively at

Coliseum Arcades, Zachary Street, Valletta Tel: 2122 4234 • Email: weddingbells@sis.net.mt Website: WeddingBells.bridemalta.com • www.theweddingsite.com/weddingbells LIKE US ON www.facebook.com/weddingbells.valletta

J

O mar Fenech

ennifer De Baro

&

23rd May 2015

photos: Aleksejs Leonovs

Omar and Jenni met over eight years ago through mutual friends. But fate has a way of not only bringing people together, but of pushing them into the second phase of their relationship.

When an opportunity for Jenni to work abroad opened up, she and Omar tried to make the long distance relationship worked, but ultimately realized that one of them would have to take the plunge and move. Omar decided to resign from his job and move to Luxembourg to move in with Jenni.

The proposal came about during a visit to Malta to celebrate New Year’s Eve. He knew Jennifer would not want a “standard” white gold engagement ring so he ordered a custom-made diamond yellow gold ring in an antique style which the goldsmith finished just in time.

“Just a few minutes before the countdown started, Omar spoke up, our friends gathered around us, and then he went down on one knee and held a small jewellery box in his hand. When the clock struck midnight, we had lots to celebrate!”

For her wedding dress, Jenni chose a style that was inspired by the 1920s with embellished fabric and a V-shaped back. She also wanted a Juliet cap veil which her seamstress managed to make for her.

“Since we wanted our wedding to have an Art Deco theme, I knew the bridesmaids’ dresses had to be inspired from the 1920-30s. After consulting our very talented seamstress, Mrs Antoinette Sghendo, we came up with one timeless style in a fuchsia plum

WD | 39

shade that would make all of my bridesmaids look elegant, regardless of the differences.”

This particular wedding could easily be described as a “WeddingDay” wedding because many of Jenni and Omar’s suppliers were found through our magazine.

“Our photographer Aleksejs suggested I contact Daniela Cassar saying she was an awesome make-up artist. I was familiar with her work through WeddingDay magazine, and really loved her style. Apart from being truly talented, she is super friendly and made me feel comfortable from the very start. We discussed the colour palette together and she understood precisely what look I wanted. On the day of the wedding, it was as if I had another friend at home - she even helped us out when we were all panicking and getting everything done at the last minute. I cannot recommend her enough!”

Jenni turned to Joe Briffa and his team of professionals at Hairoscope for hairstyling. “Joe accommodated all of my bridal party’s requests and they were all very happy with the outcome. My hairstyle was also inspired by the golden era which I loved. He was very focused and worked at a fast pace, and even managed to make a quick change in the hairstyle to go with my non-standard veil.”

Planning a wedding from abroad is no easy feat but Omar and Jenni knew they wanted to be surrounded by

their loved ones. Whenever they visited Malta they ticked something else off their long never-ending list and managed to find the best team of suppliers they could ask for.

“When there were too many suppliers to choose from, I consulted WeddingDay and only contacted those advertised in this magazine. In that way I could see some of their most recent work and assess the quality of their service,” says Jenni.

Helping them to plan their wedding was Bernice Bugeja from Love is… “I knew Bernice because we used to work together. Her professionalism, helpfulness and warm smile have made her a great wedding planner. I booked her straight away, knowing we would be in extremely good hands and have our minds at rest on the day of our wedding. I am a control freak and an extreme perfectionist, so I knew that if I did not have someone I could trust in charge of our special day, I would have been biting my nails as I was walking down the aisle. However, Bernice was more than just an organizer! She met with us on a regular basis and also gave us fresh ideas in harmony with our theme. On the eve of our wedding, we had a small church rehearsal for which she was also present, leading us, and the rest of the troupe through every step of the ceremony. On the day, we could really enjoy our special evening to the full: she took care of every single detail effortlessly. She was truly our “wedding fairy godmother”!

This was an international wedding with guests from Belgium, the UK and France, but mostly Maltese friends and colleagues also living in Luxembourg. “It was great fun hosting foreigners for our wedding – we prepared a website which included all the relevant information about Malta and details of our wedding and we left them a little surprise bag with Maltese goodies in their rooms as a welcome gift.”

Jenni was full of praise for Flower Arts for their exceptional service with a smile. “Joseph Baldacchino is so creative and understanding. He met with me at least four times, and discussed everything from the set-up in the church and venue to the styles of the bouquets, to the types of flowers and vases to be used. On the day, he brought all the wedding flowers personally to make sure I was satisfied with the final result…and I sure was.”

Fi n e r Ho s p i ta l i t y, Cate r i ng a nd Ev e nt s

Show us your dream wedding and we will show you its realization.

+356 22567567 or 21450560

weddings@xarapalace.com.mt

xarapalace.com.mt

Since Omar is into photography himself Jenni knew he would choose one of the best on the island. As a matter of fact, he already knew Aleksejs from the Photographic Society.

“I had no idea whom to contact with regards invites. I heard some big names before, but I kept thinking that these wouldn’t be able to give me the style I wanted. When I saw some of the invites produced by Leanne on WeddingDay magazine, I contacted her immediately, and after a while I knew we were on the same wavelength. She checked every single detail with us before printing, and also accepted to do two different batches of invites for us: some in English and all the rest in Maltese.”

This couple chose St. Agatha’s Chapel, Rabat to hold their wedding ceremony. ’“Omar and I once attended a “Voices” concert and as soon as we heard Dorothy Bezzina perform her solo, I knew that if we ever got married, I would want her singing the Ave Maria in church for us. Her exceptional voice, angelic at times and stronger at others,

made our ceremony extra special and emotional. Despite the fact that Omar’s foreign colleagues don’t speak Maltese and are not even Catholics, they still attended the ceremony, and that meant a real lot to us.”

“The exceptionally elegant décor of the Xara Lodge caught our eye as soon as we entered the venue for the first time.

We wanted to organise our wedding reception somewhere that looked great both indoors and outdoors. Apart from this, the surrounding views of Mdina by night and Xara’s reputation for delicious food and professional service were also key elements that made us decide in favour of this venue.

“We both enjoy rich flavours, and dishes prepared with finesse and served with creative flair. We wanted the menu items offered during the reception to reflect as much as possible this aspect of ourselves. We tried to include different types of meats and fish, as well as to have some vegetarian options. We had a combination of Maltese, Thai, Italian, Greek and American/British items

being served. Xara’s wedding coordinators were all very accommodating and granted most of our culinary wishes.

Apart from this, the chefs also prepared additional dishes specifically for those guests suffering from food intolerances and other conditions like diabetes – an act much appreciated by such guests.”

The couple wanted their cake to be one of the highlights of their wedding reception, and extended their theme to the decorations on the cake as well. “My one specific request was to have a fan-like structure jutting out of the top tier, with our initials painted on it, to act as a kind of cake topper. I drew the initials logo and the decorator managed to accurately reproduce it onto the cake. The rest were all his ideas; from the gold edible sequins covering the top tier, to the couple in flapper style hand-drawn on the middle tier to the edible gold leaf-like structures on the bottom tier. It looked even better than we ever imagined it.”

Jenni says that ever since she was a little girl she has tried to be as “different” as possible in everything she does. Omar

is also the type of person who doesn’t enjoy being just “normal”. “But I also have a strong penchant for anything vintage and antique, especially from the golden age. Omar was intrigued by my Art Deco idea and soon he was also researching ideas on how to make all the thematic elements complement each other, without them going over the top. I also read a lot of wedding blogs brimming with DIY ideas which encouraged me to try something different. Since I enjoy doing crafts in my spare time, I thought it would be nice to add some more personal touches to our wedding. So I created the guest book table: the L-O-V-E letters painted in antique gold, a wooden box painted with distressed-looking paint for the messages left by guests on vintage-looking cards and “Our Love Story” written on a black framed card depicting the highlights of our relationship. We had a big black and white canvas print of us at the entrance of the Xara Lodge, and a large flower arrangement surrounded by candles and mix-and-match antique frames with more photos.”

The only time the nerves started kick-

ing in for Jenni was just as she was get- an award just for this. Once outside the church, I had some time to recompose ting ready. myself, Bernice helped me out with the “I suddenly realized we had misman- veil and then everything seemed to fall aged our timings and 15 minutes be- into place. When I got to the entrance of fore we were supposed to leave the the chapel, and saw Omar there waiting house we were still in our dressing for me, I had butterflies in my stomach, gowns! From then on, it was total chaos but I was also extremely happy now and – we were all running from one side to I have to add that Omar looked relieved the other; and at one point I was even as well. From the moment I started being helped by Aleksejs and Daniela, walking down the aisle onwards, it was since my bridesmaids were all still get- all like a magical dream.” ting ready. We ended up leaving home pretty late, and at that moment I felt When they arrived at the venue, they like a total wreck! ” were sorry to hear that most of their setup outdoors had to be quickly moved The driver told them he could drive indoors because of the wind. However faster in order to get them there on determined not to let anything spoil time – the only problem was that it was their special day they just let it go. “Unvery windy, the car they ordered was a fortunately you cannot control these convertible, and Jenni’s veil came un- things, and they do happen!” done as soon as he started driving. “So the drive to Rabat was quite a scene: “As cliché as this might sound, the most my veil was dangling from one side, special moment of the day for me was bouquets were fluttering violently and when I was walking down the aisle, we were all holding tight to our hair- holding tight to my father’s arm while styles, silently praying they would still walking towards my future husband. be intact by the time we arrive. Thank- During the ceremony, we got to share fully, they were! Joe Briffa should get a very emotional and intimate moment

with our loved ones, and that in itself is already a huge blessing. We made the most of the celebration: we ate and drank, took photos in the photo booth, took selfies with friends, cut the cake, hugged and kissed, clumsily waltzed through our first dance, sung and danced to “Xemx” with our parents and danced some more (even Zumba style!)… and before we knew it, we had to bid farewell

Handcrafted by Leanne Specialising in invitations for all occasions, using top quality materials, to mark special events that will be treasured for life!

A bespoke service to help you create something unique just for you.

M: +356 7960 2212 E: gattlee166@gmail.com Facebook: handcraftedbyleanne

to all. It was all over too soon.”

Instead of traditional souvenirs, the couple decided to gave a donation to the Inspire Foundation, so they handed out Inspire Foundation bookmarks together with small organza bags filled with perlini and Luxembourgish chocolates as a small token of appreciation.

MF Visi CC t us We at t dd he ing ’s F a

ir

SPARKLETINI-WEDDING-210x140mm.indd 1

06/10/2015 20:04

Because your big day should be exactly like you’ve dreamt all your life… nothing short of perfection.

Our fully personalised and bespoke approach to planning your wedding celebration ensures that your vision and taste are maintained throughout, your budgets strictly respected and your guests wowed.

Mobile: +356 79595145 Email: bernice@weddingplannersmalta.com www.facebook.com/Loveis.WeddingPlannersMalta

L&

C

ydon Micallef aroline Stapley

20th June 2015 photos: Ian Abdilla

“I was going through a tough patch trying to get over an ex-boyfriend when Lydon’s cousin introduced us, as she strongly believed we would be the perfect match”, Caroline tells us. I accepted the invitation, but had no intention of starting a new relationship so soon. Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to get to know each other properly, because the music was too loud, but I remember enjoying his attention and falling in love with his smile. We messaged each other incessantly the following day.”

Before they knew it, they were a couple and immediately knew that they we were meant to be. She was still 18 at the time and Lydon was 21, and still studying, so even though they knew that they would eventually take their relationship to the next level, they were also ready to WD | 50

wait. “A few months after I started teaching, we bought a house, and a month later we set the date.”

“For my 26th birthday, Lydon decided to surprise me with a holiday in Venice. We flew there on Valentine’s day, and that same evening, after a lovely dinner, right in the middle of Piazza San Marco, he produced a beautiful diamond ring. I was in raptures! It was the style of ring I had pointed out in a jewel shop while window shopping about a year earlier, only even more beautiful. Obviously, there was no need for the big question, but Lydon knew that a sparkly diamond ring would make me really happy,” Caroline says.

Choosing her dress did not take long as she came across an Israeli designer, Inbal Dror. “I instantly fell in love with her range of revealing low-back, lace wedding gowns, and after giving it some thought, I asked my seamstress Olga to make my wedding dress. She understood what I had in mind, and she herself was very excited to start working on my dress.”

“My sister was my maid of honour, while my two best friends, Raisa and Lara who are like my sisters, were my bridesmaids. I just could not imagine my big day without

them by my side. They were both very excited when I broke the news, and they went out of their way to make me feel at ease and to calm my nerves on the day. Style and fit are indeed two important factors when choosing a dress, but comfort is key. Therefore, it was imperative for me to consult the girls on their dresses, so as to make sure that they would feel comfortable and confident in the style that I had in mind. We considered various colour schemes but came to the conclusion that blush would look lovely on the girls. Olga our seamstress also made the dresses for the entire bridal party including the mothers of the bride and groom.”

“My adorable flower girl was Miriana who was only 2 years and 7 months old, but walked down the aisle like a young lady.”

Perhaps the most exciting time for the bride are the preparations on the big day. “I really enjoyed the time before the wedding. The girls came over in the morning, and their presence made me feel more at ease. We enjoyed watching ourselves being transformed into beauties by my make-up artist and my super-talented hairdresser. Everything progressed smoothly. I surprised my bridesmaids with pink satin robes with personalized hangers on the day as I thought that they would make a lovely gift. They absolutely loved them!”

Marfa Road, Cirkewwa, MLH 9068, Malta T. (+356) 2152 1166 F. (+356) 2152 1153 E. events@paradise-bay.com

Floreal

BB

by Bjorn Borg

Weddings and Events

Flowers for any Occasion.

Being Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays or any other occasion Floreal 75/77, Labour Avenue Naxxar, Malta NXR 9023 Contact us on: (+356) 2747 0744/5 E-mail us on : bjorn_floreal@melita.com & florealhome@melita.com

www.florealmalta.com Follow us on Facebook Floreal & Floreal Home

designing something unique and making it unforgettable

www.paradise-bay.com

“It was Lydon’s idea to ask my bridesmaids’ better halves to be our ushers. Justin and Imed are very close friends of ours, so I thought it was a fantastic idea and they agreed straight away. Lydon’s younger brother was our best man and all their extremely elegant tuxedos, including that of the groom were hired from Cefai Formal Wear.

For their wedding ceremony as well as their reception, the couple booked their singers and musicians from Tunin Entertainment who have a varied selection of artists on their books. “ We both couldn’t have been happier with our choice, as Raquela animated our wedding Mass beautifully and The Residents created a marvelous atmosphere during the reception and got our guests on their feet in no time.”

When it came to their venue, the couple chose a place which they had already been to as guests.

“Lydon and I agreed on a three-tier cake with some light pink baby roses on top to match our theme. We also wanted our wedding cake to have three different flavours – almond, carrot and bacio.”

Caroline had always been impressed by candy tables at weddings. “They add a special touch to the wedding and make a pretty awesome photo op too. After looking up pictures of candy tables online and visiting several local sweet shops, I decided to design the candy table and select the sweets myself. While in Sicily, Lydon and I enjoyed selecting yummy flavoured perlini for the wedding. Freshly baked sweets were a priority, so I decided to ask Lydon’s cousin, Claudia, who makes absolutely divine goodies, to help me out. She was happy to lend a hand and after trying out a number of items together, we finally chose the flavours for the wedding. Needless to say, I was so happy to see the end result of our little project upon arriving at the venue. Everybody loved it!”

To launch the dancing off in a magical way, they had a beautiful fireworks display by BG Fireworks during their first and second dance.

After choosing their souvenirs from the specialist shop Charming Diva, the couple decided to set up a souvenir table instead of going along with the tradition of having the bridesmaids distribute them to the guests during the reception. “We had espresso cups as souvenirs, decorated with silver ribbon which looked gorgeous.

Lydon came up with the great idea of decorating the ta-

ble with some coffee beans too. Our souvenirs were quite fragile and not the kind that would fit inside a suit pocket. Therefore we got our bridesmaids to give out souvenir tokens instead, so that our guests would conveniently collect their souvenir on their way out of the reception.”

“Our going away was in the hands of our ushers and best man. During the reception, the guys secretly retired to a quiet area to blow up tens of confetti-filled balloons which they placed inside the car. They also decorated the exterior of the car with whipped cream.

Our only way of getting inside the car was to burst the balloons one by one. One can only imagine the mess inside the car, which Lydon had meticulously cleaned and vacuumed just hours before the wedding.”

Caroline and Lydon thanked their brilliant photographer, who captured each and every moment of their wedding so beautifully. “We would also like to express our gratitude to our organizer for his professional service and for enabling us to enjoy the entire experience to the full.”

WD | 56

MATeja camilleri

Katia Gatt EVENT PLANNER

makeup artist & beauty therapist Qualified internationally T: +356 21574643 M: +356 99262576 W: www.mateja.com.mt E: info@mateja.com.mt

KG Events provide exceptional service across a wide variety of events.

We create memories because we know that you are special.

e: gattkatia@gmail.com m: +356 77618905 w: www.kgeventsandco.com f: KG Events - Malta

TUNIN’ ENTERTAINMENT

charming diva

We can provide all the services you need for your special day, from exceptional entertainment to supplying you with the equipment required for your set-up.

We are a one stop shop for all that you can possibly need.

Charming Diva is the shop for your special occasion specializing in Souvenirs, Invitations, Gifts and Wedding Accessories For more information like our Facebook page Present this advert to Benefit from 10% Discount on Wedding Invitations and Souvenirs

No. 46 Triq Mikiel Ang Grima Pembroke +356 21435763 www.tunin.com.mt

By Appointment T: +356 21423634 M: +356 99423634 Triq tal- Fuklar, Attard www.charmindiva.com

E

mma Camilleri &

23rd May 2015

photos: Rene Rossignaud details & set-up photos by: Fran Stivala

We live in a world where technology permeates our lives, so it is not surprising that, over the last few years, couples say they met over the Internet. This is the case with Emma and John:

WD | 58

John Zammit

“We actually met for the first time towards the end of 2006 by coincidence over MSN Messenger while I was speaking to another friend via webcam. I fancied him from day one and from then on we got talking and hit it off immediately.

It took a while (and a couple of other insignificant relationships alone the way) for him to take the plunge and ask me out. We met at Exiles beach under the stars and it was quite romantic (although John won’t admit to that).”

We moved in together three years ago so we already knew we were compatible, and after eight years together, marriage just seemed like the most obvious next step in our relationship. We

had our ups and downs like any other couple, however we both know that we are meant to be together. Our friends all know us as the humorous couple as we are always joking around and playing pranks on each other.”

The proposal was just as romantic as their Exiles meeting. “Every year, around February we go to Bansko in Bulgaria for a skiing holiday. There is a 30 minute enclosed ‘gondola’ ride to get up to the mountain where all the pistes are and it’s one of the most scenic rides ever as you pass through the snowy tall trees with nothing but silence and snow around you. I had no idea he was going to propose as I’m such a curious person that I was sure I would have found out he was planning something from before. He managed to bring the ring on our trip without me finding it (since I do the packing) by hiding the ring, without the box, inside his socks. He got

down on one knee, pulled out the ring wrapped in tissue paper from his ski jacket pocket and popped the question.

It was a mixture of laughter and tears from my end but there was no doubt my answer was a ‘yes’.

Emma says she was initially looking for a mermaid-style dress, however after several failed tries she realized she was too short for that style and opted for the more traditions A-line style dress. “The minute I tried it on I knew it was for me: not too fussy and very soft flowing material, not stiff. There were no tears here as I’m not that kind of person, however the emotions I was feeling made it clear that it was the one.”

“Choosing the dresses for my rather large bridal party was more of a difficult task as not everyone liked the same colours or styles so I ended up choosing them myself online.

A few of them needed some alterations here and there but everyone was very happy in the end and they decided on their own hair and make-up to complement the dress.

John was also in the same situation as I was as he had quite a few close friends and did not want to leave anyone out. For this reason, John had three best men and a junior best man who was Emma’s 10-year-old brother Luke. To top this off we also had six ushers and four witnesses quite an entourage!”

The groom, having such an organized bride, didn’t have much to take care of. Apart from choosing the venue, most decisions were left in Emma’s hands and that of her fa-

ther. John was then solely responsible for taking car of the groomsmen’s attire. “However, I must also mention that he helped a lot with the cooking and house chores whenever he saw I had a busy day and was stressed out a little.”

For their ceremony, the couple chose Saint Mary’s Parish Church in Attard followed by a reception at nearby Villa Bologna.

“From the moment we first visited it, I was captivated by its classic and vintage beauty and there was no doubt that this would be the place we would spend our special day in. John was also born and raised in Attard so the fact that our Mass and reception were both held there had meaning for him too.”

Emma describes everything as running very smoothly, but unfortunately too quickly too. As soon as the noon day Mass was over, guests arrived at the venue for lunch. Soft music with some gentle vocals played in the background as she thought it was fitting for the afternoon garden scene.

At around 5.30pm John’s best men prepared a surprise slideshow presentation with some funny pictures and videos of John and the two of them. This was followed by the cutting of the cake and they also opened an ice-cream cart to accompany the dessert items and coffee station.

“We then had our first dance which was ‘Thinking out loud’ by Ed Sheeran which was sung by our vocalist Pe-

tra Micallef, and immediately afterwards DJ Ziggy kicked off the afterparty. The younger crowd began to show off their dance moves and the groom took the stage for spontaneous un-choreographed dance-off to ‘Uptown Funk’ by Bruno Mars.

Emma and John wanted a classical and vintage theme to go with their venue. “By nature I’m a very simple person so I wanted to keep things as natural looking as possible and not too fussy. Bali Stuff was the first place that came to mind so I immediately visited the super talented Johanna for some guidance. After just a few minutes of conversation and a bit of picture-sharing, she immediately knew what I was after and I was confident in leaving everything else from then on in her very capable hands. In fact, I had fairly little input into most of the set-up and I’m so glad to say that she exceeded all my expectations by a mile. The trees were decorated with beautiful chandeliers and flower balls and everywhere you looked there was something dainty and pretty. She even surprised me with a wonderful ‘selfie booth’ decorated with lovely vintage armchairs, a pretty backdrop and some other vintage items. The guests loved it and enjoyed taking pictures while posing in this area - the men included!!

“Another thing I loved about her input and designer skills is that she even picked up on a small picture of love-birds which I had printed on our souvenir tags and replicated it into the selfie booth on a chalkboard - it is little details like this which make a wedding special!”

“Johanna was also aware that John’s mother Christine had passed away, so she dedicated an entrance table which had a photo of her along with a sweet message, bookmarks for the donation we made to Hospice in her honour and also the souvenirs. Apart from the obvious venue and catering, Bali Stuff was the most well spent input into the wedding. The attention to detail was second to none.”

Looking back at the week leading up to the wedding, Emma is not ashamed to say that she was mentally and physically exhausted. “I left a lot of things to the last minute which I do not recommend to anyone, and then, this was topped off with people visiting with gifts, writing thank you cards, house chores and packing for the honeymoon. I wasn’t getting more than 4 - 5 hours of sleep per night.

“The night before the wedding I went to sleep at my mother’s house along with my maid of honour and we did some last minute things like collecting the bouquets of flowers and organizing dresses for the next day, had some martini to aid with the sleeping and went to bed.

The morning of the wedding I was quite laid-back. The weather changed from very windy the day before to calm and breezy so that made me calm. My bridesmaids arrived at 6.30am and we immediately kicked off with hair and make-up. For the rest of the morning things ran very smoothly and I was just enjoying the moment being with my closest ladies.”

One mishap which occurred that morning was that once everyone was ready to leave and went downstairs, they realized that they had forgotten to book a taxi for Emma’s mother. “I had booked a car for everyone down to bridesmaids, groomsmen, witnesses, grandparents etc and forgot my own mother! Thankfully Wembley sorted out the problem within minutes and a car arrived shortly afterwards. I did however lose five minutes of my life with the panic attack,” Emma says ruefully.

The couple are full of praise for their wedding entourage who were amazing and made sure everything was under control and that there was nothing they needed to worry about. “This made the day fun and enjoyable for the both of us - what can be more special than that?”

available for rent white rattan sofas, leather chillout sofas, tables, chairs and umbrellas CONTACT Johanna Zammit @ Bali Stuff Naxxar Road, Naxxar T: 21574913 • M: 79596209 E: jayzed@maltanet.net www.balistuffmalta.com Facebook: balistuff weddings

“Celebrating life, one event at a time”

Weddings Favours, Accessories, Giftware & More At Kudos we always offer the widest selection of unique and quality party favours and gifts for all of life’s special occasions.

Kudos, Vjal il-Qalbiena Mostin, Mosta MST 2352 Call: (356) 2141 6139 or 7930 0023 | Email: info@kudos.com.mt | Website: www.kudos.com.mt Find Us on Facebook: facebook/kudosgifts Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 16:00 - 19:30 | Sat: 09:30 - 13:00

M

arion Borg &

N icholai Micallef

14th June 2014

photos: Tonio Lombardi

“We met at a party and our relationship soon became serious after a few months. On our second anniversary we decided to get married. It was a decision which came along very naturally and was mutual,” says Marion.

It was the Christmas eve of 2012, and the couple were in the car on there way out. “We exchanged presents and mine was a pair of bedroom slippers. To my surprise there was a small box in one of the shoes. No romantic question popped out of Nicky’s mouth. Instead he said “you know what this means”. I still tease him about it.”

When it came to her dress, Marion had her mind already made up about what she wanted: “I simply loved guipure lace but wasn’t sure what I would find at that time. As it happened it became very fashionable later that year. I wanted my dress to be simple but with noticeable detail, if possible not strapless. As regards to style, however, I had a completely different picture in mind than the actual dress I bought.”

“The final choice ended up being a strapless, trumpetshaped dress which was nothing like I had in mind, but whose material was made of beautiful guipure. As soon as I tried it on, I broke into a big smile and everyone was very approving. It was so comfortable that I didn’t want to take it off. I did not buy it there and then because it was only the first shop I had visited. That night I dreamt that someone else bought the dress so I just went to buy it the day after.”

WD | 65

“For my bridesmaids, I picked the colour and did the drawings myself after seeing what style suited all and after consulting with them. Their dresses were handmade by Lina, a seamstress I had previously worked with.

Not many brides have the nerve to drastically change their hair for their wedding day, but Marion did.

“I had a surprise for Nicky. I cut my hair on my wedding day! When we met, I used to have short bobbed hair and he was always telling me to cut it again when it grew over my shoulders. I wasn’t sure how I was going to style my hair on the day so I let it grow out like every bride-to-be does. I knew that short hair suited me so a month before the wedding I decided that I was going to be a short hair bride. You should have seen the smile on Nicky’s face at the altar! To be honest, I did not think he would be that surprised! Even his mother ended up crying.

Everyone was telling me how courageous and crazy I am to have cut my hair on the day but for me it was something spontaneous that I also wanted and that I will never regret. I had the best hairdresser ever beside me who I trusted blindly which was enough.”

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mdina was the Church which this couple chose for their wedding ceremony, followed by a reception at a beautiful castle which they chose for its sheer beauty.

For their theme they chose classic vintage shaded in pink. “I combined all the styles and colours I loved most. There were classic touches of vintage yet elegant decorations and a soft pastel look. The cake also reflected this theme with swirls and pink peonies while the base was surrounded by leaves.”

One worry which Marion and Nicky had was that some of the guests were going to leave early because of an important football match between England and Italy that evening, but as it was an early afternoon wedding and the match was going to start late, it wasn’t that much of a problem.

When it came time to throw her bouquet Marion couldn’t find it so she picked one of the flower arrangements on the cake table and threw it spontaneously over her head. It went straight into one of her

best friend’s face, spilling her drink all over her dress.

“But a few months later she announced that she was going to get married the year after. Coincidence?”

During the reception the couple decided to let off fireworks from the castle’s terrace. “They were very close to the dance floor so their effect was awesome.”

The first dance can be tricky if one of the couple is not that keen on dancing. In fact, Nicky hated dancing and Marion was a bit worried, “but then to my surprise he got us a choreographer and we did a simple dance so as not to embarrass himself he said.

For their honeymoon the couple visited Sri Lanka and the Maldives which they described as a great experience.

WD | 70

D Salon Weddings At D SALON we specialise in beautiful bridal hair styles to make you look and feel your best on your special wedding day.

We also specialise in a world leading brand of pure real silky hair extensions.

Call D SALON for a consultation to have the hair of your dreams!

Our London-trained staff will be looking forward to assist you.

D Salon - Qantar roaD, Ibr agg. t. 2137 1245 w w w.dsalonmalta.com facebook.com/dsalonmalta

Get in touch with us for a free consultation meeting

Website: www.alistairfloraldesign.com Email: info@alistairfloraldesign.com Address: 1, Triq Dun Karm, B’Kara, BKR 9032 Tel: 99471817 or 27223334

Photo by brIan grech

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life.

At Alistair we make sure that we create that breathtaking atmosphere you deserve!

WD | 72

T

herese Attard &

Joseph Galea 1st August 2015

photos: George Saguna As teenagers, Therese and Joseph frequented the same groups of friends, but at that time, they were too busy looking for ‘love’ elsewhere.

Then, following a youth exchange abroad, they started looking at each other differently, and that’s how the story began.

They had been dating for over seven years when Joseph popped the question out of the blue.

“We were on holiday in Poland. When we were in Zakopane we decided to walk up the mountains and come back down by a two-person chairlift. That’s when Joseph called my name and asked the question. My first reaction was that of laughing it off and yelling ‘are you serious?!’ because it was such an unexpected moment. But then of course, I said yes.

Therese was looking for something simple but elegant, but did not want lace for her wedding dress.

“I had tried on a few dresses in three other shops before actually finding the one. But when I put it on I was certain that I would buy it there and then without trying any other dresses on.

Seeing the look on my face and that of my sister, Mum and family friend gave me the reassurance I needed.”

Therese thought it was best to decide on what the bridal party should wear by herself as it

would have been a much more difficult task for her to make them happy. “My sister, who acted as my witness, was my main advisor on such decisions. In fact, she was with me when I bought their dresses, shoes and accessories.”

Therese’s very natural make-up was done by Catherine Borg, from Mantra Create Make-up, enhancing her pretty delicate features.

The couple decided that Therese would take care of the wedding preparations and Joseph would take over the honeymoon related preparations.

“However, I tried to involve him as much as possible, even though sometimes he would get on my nerves for opposing my ideas. Joking apart, we designed the concept of our wedding invitation together as well as the souvenirs. Joseph is very hands on, so he enjoyed being involved. I always tried to update him on the progress, even though it got much more difficult to do so in the last month or so.”

The Mass was held at the Collegiate-Basilica of Maria Bambina, Xaghra with music by the Schola Cantorum Jubilate.

WD | 74

This was followed by a lovely reception at a restaurant.

For their cake, Therese decided to ask her friend Roberta to create a unique wedding cake topper.

“It wasn’t something she had done previously, but she did it excellently! And this considering that the topper flew all the way from Germany a day before the wedding, where she currently lives, to make it just in time!”

“When we were first looking at ideas for our wedding, nothing I saw in magazines represented us as a couple. In fact, I had mentally decided not to have a theme for our wedding. But then I came across some pictures on Pinterest which caught my eye and given that we both love travelling and Joseph is a pilot, I asked Joseph for his thoughts on a travel-themed wedding. Together with the help of Elaine Zarb from Elegant Impressions who is a wedding decorator, we put together our online searches and some of our ideas and I think we managed to nail it and get exactly what we wanted.”

WD | 75

Speaking to WD about this wedding, Elaine says: “Having known the groom all his life and the bride for a long time, it was very satisfactory to help bring their vintage travel theme to life. They were very hands-on and took on most of the DIY projects for the wedding with the help of their friends and family. On the day, it was left up to me and my team to bring the vision to reality. We decorated the trees with crystals and hanging votives and hearts filled with candles. The bride did pinwheels with vintage maps for the tables, which we put in vintage decanters on framed mirrors. Even their guest book tables was travel-inspired, with guests writing their well-wishes on vintage postcards (of places they had visited as a couple) and depositing them in a vintage suitcase.”

“For us, every wedding presents us with something unique. In this wedding it had to be the bridal party.

I had never seen a bridal party that was so involved and who wanted to be involved. One can never forget the moving speech delivered by the bestman helped by the maid of honour, which brought all guests to tears. They brought Ivan Grech of Winter Moods as a surprise, and then we coordinated the release of about a hundred helium balloons, which had an LED light, to Coldplay’s song ‘A sky full of

stars’.”

In the month leading up to the wedding day, Therese confesses that she was a nervous wreck. “This is the time when you have to start getting into the details, and you cannot put off things anymore.

However, my anxiety was related to the event and not in anyway to our relationship and the step we had chosen to go for. In fact, on the day I was quite laid-back in the morning and later on excited to be getting married to Joseph.”

“One of the main reasons why I was so anxious in the week leading to the wedding was because of the weather forecasts saying that Saturday would reach a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius! I woke up from my sleep a few days before the wedding, feeling suffocated and catching my breath and thinking that this was how people would feel at our reception!

The weather forecasts got it right. As far as I know our wedding day was the hottest recorded day for 2015 (at least to date). It was hot, hotter than you would expect for any outdoor event in summer, but miraculously enough many of our guests stayed on dancing to the tunes of the band and DJ Mark Magro well after 3 am. Everyone was soaking wet with sweat of course! Having Ivan Grech from Winter Moods as a surprise guest singer definitely helped the atmosphere.”

Therese says what makes a wedding special is the fact that you realize that your family, friends and colleagues and basically everyone invited is there to celebrate your marriage union. “At least, that is what we felt as the day progressed. On the day nothing matters apart from how you both feel, and we felt special to be surrounded by those closest to us on the most important day of our lives.”

Mantra create-make-up

Catherine Borg by

Professional make up services including: Wedding special occasions, Theatre, TV & Film, Halloween, carnival, special effects Facebook: mantra create by Catherine borg MOBILE: +356 99866740 EMAIL: cjsborg@melita.com

styling•planning•rentals www.elegantimpressions.eu info@elegantimpressions.eu (+356) 9983 1213

E

Jaclyn Cini

dward Herrera

&

28th June 2015

photos: Fran Stivala

What are friends for if not to introduce a guy and a girl who seem made for each other? A common friend introduced Edward and Jaclyn on a random summer night in Paceville six years ago.

“We enjoyed each other’s company and made each other laugh. That’s why, after one month of meeting, Edward prepared a romantic sunset picnic and it all kicked off. We keep each other happy and smiling most of the time. After four years Edward surprised me with a romantic proposal in Amantea, Italy. This obviously led us to start house hunting and to set a wedding date.”

Describing the proposal, Jaclyn recalls: “Edward suggested that we go to view the sunset from a hill. We drove up the hill till the road ended and then started walking uphill. I wasn’t too amused at first as it was hot, I had just done my hair and was wearing wedges.

However it was worth it as after a twenty minute climb, we arrived at the top and after catching our breaths and enjoying the view, he went down on his knees and popped the question.”

“I was looking for a tight fitting lace dress that would impress Edward, so I didn’t encounter any problems while deciding upon the style and the material. My dress was actually the first dress that I had ever tried on. I had discussed with the salesgirl what I was after and she immediately brought out this dress. This dress was different, as unlike the usual dresses, the colour of the dress was white not off-white. Of course, like all other brides, that same week I tried on several other dresses from various wedding shops. Unfortunately, none of the other dresses had the fit that I was after.

So I went back to retry the dress and after seeing my family’s reaction, once again I knew that this was ‘the’ dress!”

“My best friend Daniela, my old schoolfriend, Marie Claire; and Edward’s cousin Amy made up my bridal party.

I wanted my bridesmaids to look pretty and feel comfortable in the dress, so I did consider their input.”

Edward says that choosing his best man wasn’t very difficult as Jeremy and him have gone through a lot together and have known each other for over fifteen years. “With the ushers it was a bit more difficult as we are a large group of close friends and it would have been unfair to choose one over the other. So instead I opted for a different usher from each part of my life: James is my cousin, Daniel is Jaclyn’s brother, Gareth is my best football mate and Ivan is an old school friend who I still enjoy meeting up with. Naturally, my best friends were still involved in a surprise dance that I had prepared for Jaclyn.”

In a break with tradition it was the groom who was the wedding planner and who arranged almost everything himself after deciding on the main things such as the venue and colour scheme with his bride-to-be.

“However, I was the one who used to email everyone and chase suppliers etc. I made Jaclyn’s life easier as she ended up only having to take care of the flowers, the cake and the bridal party.”

This couple was married at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Dingli. When it came to choosing the venue they wanted some place which could provide indoor and outdoor options just in case the weather did not permit.

“Then one day, my maid of honour and her husband suggested viewing a restaurant in Mdina. We fell in love with the place as it was just what we were after. Also, we hated the fact that most weddings are held at the usual venues, so the fact that very few people that we knew had attended a wedding there was a bonus for us! Moreover, besides being an excellent venue we were fully aware of the 5 star quality food and service. Our cake had 3 different flavours: almond, pistacchio and bacio all of which tasted divine. The cake incorporated our colour scheme and the end result was just what we wanted.”

There were a few mishaps and funny moments but nothing that could dampen their day. First, Edward had a shock as he realised that his shirt had the WD | 83

wrong collar style. Luckily, his father had a spare bow tie shirt that fitted perfectly.

The bridal car was a vintage Rolls Royce and at first would not start, but finally started after 10 minutes trying, just in time for the bride (who was completely unaware), came out of the front door.

“When we arrived at the venue, we were told that the videographer hadn’t arrived yet as it wasn’t easy to find parking so we had to wait five minutes before entering – though we enjoyed a relaxed drink downstairs in the meantime.”

But the funniest mishap was that Edward had prepared a surprise dance with his friends and the DJ was supposed to play the melody right after they had finished the first dance. “However the DJ took too long to play it and the band spontaneously started playing a second song.

The staff started leading our parents to the dance floor to dance but Edward simply pushed them back out as he needed the dance floor clear. Jaclyn obviously had no idea what was going on. “Edward told me that we were going to

have a second ‘first dance’ which confused me even more. However I just played along (I guess I was enjoying the attention!) and the DJ managed to play the melody the second time round.

His surprise really amazed me and got the party started.”

The couple look back at their wedding with pleasure, as they both enjoyed it so much. “We were very happy with how everything panned out, even better than planned! The food was amazingly good, the drinks were overflowing, the guests were dancing and having fun, and the weather was perfect.”

However, Jaclyn admits that it was Edward and the groomsmen’s surprise dance which was the factor that kicked off the celebrations and made the night more special. “Who would have thought that my husband could dance like that?

He really impressed everyone and it is a memory that I will cherish forever.”

WeddingDay

WHERE TO GET YOUR FREE COPY

Valletta The Public Registry Evans Building, Merchants Str. Wedding Bells, Coliseum Arcades, Zachary Street Bubbles, Republic Street Floriana Hamilton Travel, Floriana Phoenicia Hotel St Julian’s Wedding specialist - Westin Dragonara Wedding specialist - Radisson Blu The Villa, Balluta Bay Wedding specialist - Le Meridien Wedding specialist - The Hilton Sarah Young – Y Plan Events, Diodorus Siculus Str. San Gwann Village Inkspot, Triq is-Santwarju Metro Stationery, Naxxar Road Biggie Best, Vjal ir-Rijan Candylicious, Triq San Frangisk Di Mare Moda, Triq il-Battaljun Sliema Monsoon, Bisazza Street Trading Post, Gorg Borg Olivier Street Ta’ Xbiex Persona, 42, Marina Court, Sir Ugo Mifsud Street Pembroke Promark, 187, Patri Indri Vella Street Tunin’ Entertainment, 46 Triq Mikiel Ang Grima IBRAGG D Salon, Qantar Road Zebbug Aesthetic Xcells, Vjal il-Helsien Niu, Central Business Centre, Triq l-Imdina Funky Shades, Triq Indipendenza Siggiewi Colours of the Rainbow, St Margaret Street Flower Design, Brija Road Xara Lodge, Triq il-Belt, L/O Rabat Qormi Romano Cassar Florists, 24, Hammieri Road The Floral Designer, Bertu Hyzler Street

HAMRUN The Look Hair & Beauty Clinic, 44 Triq Guze Pace

Birzebbugia Jo Briffa @ Hairoscope, Prof. A. Tabone Street Love is…wedding planners, 30, Church Street

Rabat Camilleriparismode, St Catherine Street Rabat Local Council

Fgura Flower Arts, 46 Mystic Rose, Censu Busuttil Street Ego stationary, Triq i-Sur 202 Jewellery, Zabbar Road

Mdina Xara Palace Hotel, Misrah il-Kunsill B’Kara Custom Lab, Ltd. Olaf Gollcher Street, Ta’ Paris Oreana Stationery & Bazaar, L. Casolani Street Alistair Fenech, No. 1 Triq Dun Karm Landau Stationery, 84 Mannarino Road Mosta Cefai Formal Wear, Independence Avenue Centre confectionary, Constitution Street Educare, Constitution Street Kudos, Vjal il-Qalbiena Mostin Lilly Lou Bridal Designer, Triq L’Ortolan Lija Garfields, 2 Triq Mikelang Borg Attard Crayons, Triq Pitkali Charming Diva, 3, Triq tal- Fuklar Attard

Iklin Royal Travel, Triq Geronimo Abos Darmanin Footwear, Dun Karm Street Msida Papier Plus, 29, Esperanto Street Naxxar Villa Arrigo, San Pawl Tat-Targa Bali Stuff, Naxxar Road Wedding specialist - Palazzo Parisio Floreal, Labour Avenue Xus Malta, Apple Street Gharghur D Beauty Zone, 21, Gisuppe Cali Street Santa Lucia Drago stationery/ sub-post office, 6 Centru Civiku Paola Antonio Piscopo Co. Ltd 117, Zabbar Road

To keep updated please join our Facebook page Wedding Day Magazine (Malta). info@weddingdaymalta.com You can view our magazine online at www.issuu.com/WEDDINGDAY

Marsa The Cake shop (near Kiabi) Qrendi Papel Stationary & Gifts, Triq Is-Salvatur Luqa Polidano Press, Luqa Industrial Estate Zurrieq Tonna Stationery, 4, St Catherine Street Christianne stationery, Misrah Mattia Preti A – Z Stationery, Vjal l-Indipendenza Marsascala Vivienne Health & Beauty Salon, Triq ilQalliet Marsaxlokk Old Trafford, Triq l-Arznell ST. PAUL’S BAY Cute Look by Tiziana, St Paul’s Street Bugibba A & D Souvenirs, Trunciera Road

Qawra Boutique Claudia, Triq il-Maskli

Mgarr Mateja’s, 111, Triq San Pawl Cirkewwa Paradise Bay Hotel Gozo Public Registry, Europe Street, Victoria Cefai Formal Wear, St Bert Street, Xewkija Kempinski Hotel, San Lawrenz Bookworm, Republic Street, Victoria Ta’ Haqqu stationery, 8th Sept. Avenue, Xaghra Ta’ Cenc Hotel, Sannat Stationery and More, Independence Avenue, Ghajnsielem Terence Stationery, 13th Dec. Avenue, Nadur

A venue that ticks all the boxes.

Make it a day to remember

www.thevillamalta.com 39, Main Street, Balluta Bay, St. Julians E-mail: info@thevillamalta.com Tel: 2311 2273

WEDDING Day

MOJO Publishing Limited www.issuu.com/WEDDINGDAY info@weddingdaymalta.com