SUMMER MAGIC - WD 7

FROM SELEC TE OUTL D ETS

FREE COPY

s in Sciberra photo: Kev

letter from the editor Welcome to another summer issue packed with stunning destination weddings which once again confirm just why Malta is at the top of the list in this sector!

As demand grows, we have managed to bring you six different wedding stories this time, with couples from all over the world who bring family and friends to our beautiful islands to tie the knot. Our featured wedding shows Malta at its absolute best: a stylish wedding dinner with the crystal clear aquamarine Mediterranean sea as a backdrop.

As this tourism niche continues to grow, we are pleased that WD has established itself as the leading weddings magazine to promote Malta, especially with our online presence – in fact, many couples tell us they learnt about Malta through viewing our magazine at www.issuu.com/weddingday!

We did not forget Maltese couples of course, who describe the importance of their family traditions which they bring to their wedding day.

And because we at WD believe in families, we have a real family as models for our cover photo shoot. We took Joelle and Ryan to Popeye Village together with their young son Edward, for a fantasy-filled set up full of colour, sweets and imagination. Soon after this photo shoot the couple tied the knot themselves! (See photo above).

Finally, our makeover bride in this issue gets the ultimate pampering treatment by our wedding experts and a beautiful photo shoot at the Westin Dragonara Resort.

For those who are planning their wedding at the moment, check out the weddings fair at the Paradise Bay Hotel on Saturday August 3 from 4pm onwards We will be back with our October issue, meanwhile we would like to congratulate all those couples who are getting married this summer and wish them all the best for their big day!

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

ON THE COVER:

contents

Joelle Cortis & Ryan Azzopardi

design & photography by Jessica C. Moritz printed at Bestprint, Qrendi published quarterly 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.

July 2013 10

Fun & LOVING

30 Beach Memories Emma & James

40 Meant to Be Laura & Scott

10

30

40

47

54

59

64

72

78

47 Red, White & Marine Corps Blue Enrique & Kelvin

54 White Wedding Joanna & Jayke

59 Flowers in the Castle Elaine & Nicholas

64 Keeping it Vintage Darren & Roberta

72 The BRIDE Makeover Joanne Caruana

78 VENUES to LOVE

A match made in heaven Every wedding is special – but only expert planning and the most reliable suppliers can make it uniquely memorable.

e Paradise Bay Resort Hotel and Love is...Wedding Planners invite you to Weddings in Paradise, the wedding fair of the year.

Set in the stunning surroundings of Paradise Bay, you’ll be able to see, touch and taste all you need to make your perfect day come true and consult with the specialised wedding suppliers you’ll need on your dream day.

For more information, call us on (+356) 7959 5145 or email info@loveis.eu.

Weddings in Paradise Saturday, August 3, 2013 from 16:00

FUN & LOVING

A SEASIDE WEDDING

A UNIQUE LOCATION FOR A

YOUNG AT HEART COUPLE WHO

DARE TO BE A BIT DIFFERENT

Popeye Village was chosen for this theme as an ideal setting for our models Joelle Cortis and Ryan Azzopardi, a real couple with a little two-year-old son named Edward, who recently got married.

Popeye Village offers a unique location for a summer wedding venue if you are looking for something completely different and more laid-back. Your foreign guests will be impressed at the location, set in the picturesque Anchor Bay which served as a

WD | 12

backdrop for the film Popeye – the actual village built purposely for the film is still there and remains untouched.

The quaint rickety houses and bridges will add a touch of whimsical charm, especially if you have always wanted the kind of wedding venue which does not conform to the usual traditions.

With its rugged, weather-beaten wood and its splashes of colour, Popeye Village inspired our stylist Elaine Zarb to create a colourful and relaxed wedding

set-up with a retro vibe; a wedding for the young at heart.

The colour scheme was inspired by the pastel colours of the candy ‘flying saucers’ as well as the different shades of the houses at Popeye’s village.

Apart from the candy colours, bunting was used to tie everything together, as it gives that village festival feel. Bunting was also used on the invites and the cake and to decorate the ceremony area, which was a gazebo overlooking the sea.

BEAUTIFUL ART that makes you smile with happiness by Maya Baron.

BOUQUET Joseph from Flower Arts captures the feel of summer with this burst of bright colours using a mixture of peonies, anemones and anthurium flowers.

THE DRESS lovely summery gown with beaded bodice embellished with svarowski crystals. Skirt in chiffon with an easy to handle train. Dress by Halo Bridal exclusively at WeddingBells.

WD | 14

THE HAIR Joelle’s chestnut-coloured hair was tonged in waves, and then styled on the side in a loose manner to give a softer, romantic look. Extra hair was added to give more volume to the ponytail. Joe Briffa of Hairoscope believes that there is nothing as versatile and stylish as a ponytail for a summer wedding.

THE GROOM A classic dinner suit from Cefai Formal Wear with an interesting white detail at the lapel. Suit was kept fun with patterned bow ties by Sef Farrugia

THE PAGEBOY This adorable outfit from Monsoon is ideal for a toddler. A relaxed suit for a young boy, keeping in mind his age, complete with a bow tie by Sef Farrugia that matches that of the groom.

A wedding that loves your little ones....

THE MAKE-UP Daniela Cassar wanted to create something colourful yet suitable for a fun, outgoing bride. Blues and golds were chosen from the eye shadow palette; the gold was used to cover the whole eyelid while the blue was applied to the outer corner of the eye. On the inner corner of the eye a gold eyeliner was also applied to enlarge the eye. Finally the whole eye was contoured with black eyeliner. Since the eyes were the main focus, the lips were kept natural using a durable lip shine in nude colour and the cheeks were brushed with a soft pink blusher. Makeup from Make-up studio.

THE DRESS Beautiful silk gown with floral details on bodice and slit on front of skirt. This gown is very light and structure is left to a minimum to guarantee comfort.

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TABLE SET UP: Here is a playful way to display the seating chart. Pastel paper rosettes finished off with a heart were hung on a wooden display.

A shabby chic table was decked out with colourful place mats, modern white dinnerware and bright coloured glasses. As a table number, a paper rosette was used to go with the seating chart.

KIDS SEATING AREA (p.19): The idea was to show how you can keep kids entertained by having a table just for them, but at the same time keeping it in line

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with the whole wedding theme.

You can create custom made activity books and crayons can be wrapped in striped tissue paper, as well as have a pinwheel for every child.

filled with candy were displayed on wine casks found on site. The pastel colours complemented the venue perfectly and will get your guests talking about this innovative idea.

SWEET TREES: A new trend at weddings is providing guests with sweets and candy, and for the young and young-atheart, this is a different concept to the candy bar. These sweet trees were created just for this photo shoot by Nathalie who specializes in this area and can make the trees to suit your theme.

A variety of sweet trees and jars

CAKE (p.20): A two-tier cake in baby pink made by Glorianne Gerada with a delicate handmade bunting design adorning the two tiers. The wedding topper features an all edible bunting sign with ‘LOVE’ embellished on it. A tray of cool mint flavoured tea and sugared sweets can be served to the guests as refreshments.

ELEGANT IMPRESSIONS styling, seating chart, table number & vintage glasses

FLOWER ARTS Bright colours and long-shaped playful centre piece

GREY & ADLER soap bar - wedding souvenir, cushions

CONCEPT BARN invitations & paper goods

CAMILLERIPARISMODE place mats, dinnerware, glasses

JESSICA C. MORITZ photography

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Fun, smiles and big hugs....

WD | 20

WD | 21

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The Cake a deliciously pink cheerful concoction by Glorianne Gerada of Cuppycakes, which picks up on the whole lighthearted atmosphere of the location. Wedding cakes do not need to be conventional, especially if the couple wishes to reflect their own personalities.

The Tea Table Sugary delicacies and light refreshments for your guests in delicate vintage glassware continue to play on the retro vibe. Attention to little details such as this can lift your wedding from ‘ordinary” to “amazing”!

WD

Contributors

Maya Baron

ART

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Custom made orders are possible Kindly contact me on 99077925 or via Email: mbaron03@gmail.com

Regards, Maya Baron

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHER Jessica C. Moritz www.jessmor.com • M: +356 79947271 CONCEPT & SET STYLING Elaine Zarb of Elegant Impressions www.elegantimpressions.eu • M: +356 99831213 BRIDAL FASHION STYLING & JEWELLERY Marquita Kemper of WeddingBells T: +356 21224234 • E: weddingbells@sis.net.mt GROOM FASHION STYLING Cefai Formal Wear Mosta: +356 21 419040 • Gozo: +356 21 550372 FLORAL DESIGN Joseph Baldacchino of Flower Arts www.flowerarts.net • M: +356 9926 0645 MAKE-UP Daniela Cassar E: dan1305@go.net.mt • M: +356 99130575 sponsored by Make up Studio HAIR Jo Briffa of Hairoscope E: jobriffa@gmail.com T: +356 21659442 • M: +356 99224750 CAKE Glorianne Gerada cuppycakecupcakes@gmail.com • M: +356 9924 8681 PAPER GOODS & INVITES Concept Barn www.conceptbarn.com • E: info@conceptbarn.com T: +356 79883003 • T: +356 99854567

ART

Maya Baron (see advert left) www.myart-mayabaron.com • M: +356 99077925

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create successful hairstyles for that special day

Profs. A. Tabone Street, Birzebbugia T: +356 2165 9442 E: jobriffa@gmail.com Wedding dress supplied by Wedding Bells

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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

Emma Waugh & James Gorman

Beach Memories

WEDDINGDAY: 28 May 2013

Emma and James met through Emma’s best friend Michelle when she worked with James at their local ski equipment shop. Michelle had long told Emma that she felt James would be a good match but Emma wasn’t convinced until a chance meeting at the store. Emma was waiting for Michelle to finish serving a customer when James asked Emma if she needed any help.

“That was six years ago and since then we have lived in Australia, travelled in New Zealand and Thailand, progressed in our careers and finally settled in our own home.”

James proposed during a holiday in Malta in June 2011; after several attempts at one of many beautiful spots in Malta he chose the rocks at Qawra point looking onto St Paul’s island.

While watching the sunset and sharing a bottle of wine James got down on one knee and asked Emma to spend the rest of her life with him. “This spot was special as James’ grandmother used to live in Bugibba and when he was young he would spend the summer holidays on the beach with that same view.”

Emma bought her dress from Brenda Lorraine bridal shop in Essex on the recommendation of her friends.

“I was looking for something elegant and flattering for a bride with a curvier figure.

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I didn’t know it was THE dress at first, I just knew it was one of my favourites, but after trying on more dresses none of them quite matched up. Looking back it was such an obvious choice, I felt amazing in it and couldn’t wait to show it to James – he loved it and hasn’t stopped telling me since. Even at the altar he was saying ‘Wow!’” Emma originally wanted 10 of her closest girl friends to be bridesmaids but this wasn’t a realistic choice. So she asked her best friend Michelle to be her Maid of Honour as she helped to make many of the decisions and she could be relied upon to help make the day run smoothly. Then the choice of bridesmaids fell on her close cousins Laura and Alicia who she knew would give their honest opinions, be supportive and keep the mood lighthearted. “I had narrowed down the choice of bridesmaids’ dresses but they had the final decision.

The bridesmaids picked the colour themselves. I wanted them to be comfortable on the day, there are so many horror stories of bridesmaids being uncomfortable I wanted them to be happy and have their own input.

After all, if I didn’t value their opinions I wouldn’t have asked them to be my bridesmaids.”

James chose his best friend Phil to be his best man.

“Phil had only himself just married the month before so the boys were able to guide each other through their groom’s duties as well as plan memorable stag parties for each other. Both boys are very thoughtful and both weddings have benefited from their supportive attitude towards each other.”

James has strong ties with Malta because his mother is Maltese so a destination wedding was the natural choice.

“He has been coming to Malta since he was only six weeks old to visit his maternal grandparents. From an early stage in our relationship James took me to Malta for our first holiday and I fell in love with the island immediately. Since then Malta has been our regular holiday venue and we wanted to share the warmth, hospitality and cuisine we knew our guests would love as much as we do. Every time we visit we love revisiting special places and finding new ones. We wanted to share the food, the old buses, the views,

WD | 32

MEMORIES!

make your wedding special by incorporating what makes you UNIQUE!

the friendliness that only the Maltese can give and the memories that we treasure from all our visits.

When it came to choosing a wedding planner, Emma asked for recommendations on the Facebook group ‘I’m getting married in Malta’ and asked a handful of wedding planners for their proposals. “Malta Event Design gave the most comprehensive proposal and it was very easy to see from an early stage the service and vision they could offer us. Anna and Marvik were the key to our success, without their support and guidance our wedding day would have been a very different experience. From our first contact Anna was professional and did exactly what she promised to, giving us clear, easy-to-understand options even when things went wrong or changed beyond our control. Very mindful of budget, she wasn’t afraid to advise when we were making an expensive mistake that could jeopardise our other priorities. She was creative in understanding our vision and created it perfectly. Both Anna and Marvik genuinely cared about this being our wedding day and wanted to share their expertise to ensure we enjoyed it in the best way possible, something which even our guests noticed.”

Although the couple had already picked their Church and reception venue they were fairly open to ideas.

Anna was very mindful of ensuring that together they would create their perfect vision. “There is no job too small for Anna, even on the eve of the wedding I gave her an unravelled flower bouquet to which she smiled and said ‘No problem, I can fix this, my mother was a florist’. Only a bride can understand the gratitude you feel for support you receive when you are so close to the big day.”

Emma explains that since many things had already been ordered, Malta Event Design helped in finalising the wedding day budget. This meant they could keep track of spending and have a clear overview of the expenses. Anna was also instrumental in finding the ideal suppliers for the items that they were not sure about, taking the pressure off by liaising with all suppliers. Meeting the excellent photographer and videographer prior to the wedding day was the right decision which put Emma and James more at ease

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“Everyone bonded in the build up to the wedding and shared new experiences.”

on the day. “It was a priority for the couple to have the best moments of their wedding day captured and treasured for years to come!” says Anna. During family holidays when James was little, Golden Bay was their favourite beach; they would get on the old bus and spend the day there. When James first brought Emma to the island this was the first place they visited so it was the obvious choice to hold the reception nearby. The view from the restaurant was amazing and the venue offered exclusivity to the wedding guests.

The wedding cake was a Cassatella Siciliana, Emma’s favourite, which they served to guests the next day for James’ birthday as part of the continued celebrations.

Around 40 guests travelled from the UK which was wonderful for Emma and James who never dreamt so many would be able to join them abroad. “All of our UK guests have told us what an amazing holiday and wedding they had. We will never recreate the atmosphere that was on our wedding day but we are doing our best to tell everyone about it! Around 20 guests were Maltese and they have told us that it was even better than most Maltese weddings they have been to.”

Hosting their wedding in Malta already guaranteed their UK guests something different so the couple focused their efforts on making sure the decorations reflected their personalities. James came up with the tree theme at an early stage (he is a tree surgeon) which was perfect as it represented them uniquely, and

this was used for the stationery and design. Then they tried to incorporate Maltese wedding customs such as the speeches and cutting of the cake before the meal and lots of Maltese dishes as part of the menu.

They chose to give Bajtra Liquor as a wedding favour to guests. They also arranged for an old Maltese bus to transport guests from the Church to the reception venue. When the couple look back on their wedding day they recall that they were both nervous and excited.

“All the preparation and anticipation towards this day was such a big build up. Lots of our friends told us to relax and enjoy it and they were right, we embraced every moment even though it was such a busy day. We are so proud with how it went and have many memories to treasure. Any stress in the planning stages was completely worth it and in fact on reflection contributed towards the success it was.”

Small hiccups are inevitable, which is why contingency plans are essential. Due to the windy weather they were unable to have their wedding meal outside as planned with live cooking but the contingency planned was just the better option and worked really well. “No one knew any different as we didn’t tell them! We arranged too much food for our guests but luckily there was plenty of dancing to help. Malta Event Design provided us with a detailed Plan B for the evening which, while not our first choice, was just as amazing. It is hard to explain to friends at home about how wonderful the day was but thankfully we did have it videoed so we are looking forward to seeing and sharing this. It was such a busy and emotional day that it isn’t possible to remember it all, thank goodness we had it recorded and captured as a prompt to all the wonderful moments on the day that we became Mr & Mrs Gorman.”

Every single wedding is special and unique.

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

Whether you are getting married in a church or in a registry office, Alistair works hard to ensure that the selection of the flowers, decor & the environment created is breathtaking on your special day.

No. 1, Triq Dun Karm, Birkirkara Malta Tel: +356 2148 0397 Mob: +356 9947 1817 info@alistairfenech.com www.alistairfenech.com

WD | 38

Style Book PHOTOGRAPHY George Saguna WEDDING PLANNERS Malta Event Design CEREMONY Mellieha Parish Church VENUE Golden Sands Hotel

Meant to Be...

Laura Johnson & Scott Cavagan | 29.08.2012 This couple met when Scott was singing with his band back in 2004.

Laura recounts: “I went to a house party with my sister the next evening and Scott was there. We talked all night and I knew we were meant to be together there and then! But we were young and Scott’s true love was his music so although we remained good friends I eventually started a relationship with someone else. Years went by and when that relationship ended, Scott and I met up on a night out with some mutual friends and it all fell into place after that.”

The proposal, in Laura’s words, “couldn’t have been any more perfect”. They were on holiday in Florida, one of her favourite places, in September 2008. On this particular day they were visiting Epcot Park which includes a France showcase; a replica of the streets of Paris - her other favourite city - and the provinces of France during an era known as La Belle Epoque, or “the beautiful time.” There are gorgeous gardens and architecture full of character, and even a scaleddown replica of the Eiffel Tower!

“We were standing watching the firework show over the lake, Scott was standing behind me with his arms around me and he said ‘close your eyes and pretend you’re in Paris’. He told me he loved me and when I opened my eyes he had the ring in his hands in front of me. None of the people standing around had any idea he had proposed, which is just what I wanted. It meant so much that he had put so much thought into it.”

Laura says that when it came to her dress, she wanted something understated. “I don’t really like to be the centre of attention so it was important to me that the dress was low key. I knew I wanted a Pronovias dress as they’re all so stylish. I found the one I wanted at a bridal boutique in Newcastle, I tried it on and it was the only dress I tried on that my sister smiled at, so I knew straight away it was the one.”

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ELEGANCE! a timeless dress for a bride who wants to look understated yet CLASSIC!

Laura’s sister, Helen, “who means the world to me” was her bridesmaid, and her two little cousins were her flower girls. “They live at the other end of the country and I miss them so much as they’re growing up that it was important to me that they would be a big part of my day.”

The flower girl dresses were found at Monsoon in Newcastle, after a lot of phone calls. “Helen wanted to wear black and I found the perfect dress in a local bridal shop, luckily she loved it too!”

The ushers were another two cousins, who also live at the other end of the country and whom Laura doesn’t get to see often. “It made my wedding even more special that they were such a big part of it. I cried with pride when I saw them in their suits!”

Laura stumbled across Gozo while searching on the internet for a wedding destination. “I knew I wanted a wedding abroad so I could keep it small and intimate. I actually found Jessica Moritz’s website and as soon as I saw her photography I knew I wanted her to be a part of my wedding. I contacted Jessica the same day and it was the best decision I could have made. Apart from her photography being absolutely amazing, she was a pleasure to be around and all our guests loved her.”

Laura was drawn in by the spectacular scenery in Gozo, and also the fact that it’s off the beaten track.

A group of 30 family and friends came to Gozo for the wedding, travelling from all over the UK. “Scott’s father lives in the Middle East and Scott hadn’t seen him for 3 years, while I had never met him! He came

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all the way from Saudi Arabia to Gozo minus his suit, a camera and his shoes - but that’s another story! It was so special that he could make it over for the wedding and I really enjoyed meeting my father-in-law for the first time.”

This was one wedding where the groom was quite content to leave everything up to the bride – he only chose his suit and his best man. Laura says, “I did all the research and narrowed everything down to a few options, we then decided on the venue and the photographer together. My mother helped me so much in the planning of the wedding, she even set up all the tables at the reception before we arrived and did an amazing job.

We both love music so that took the most planning and that was something that we spent a lot of time working on together. We chose a mix of all our favourite songs to play at the ceremony and the reception.”

The ceremony took place at St George’s Chapel at the citadel, a real hidden gem in the back streets of the citadel. “It was better than we could have imagined, so quaint and steeped in history. The citadel is gorgeous.

Laura and Scott feel that their ceremony was special because all their favourite people were in one room and all of them had made so much effort to be there.

“I asked my uncle to read a poem ‘On your wedding day’, I barely heard it as I cried all the way through but the poem is beautiful and speaks of friendship so it was very fitting for the two of us. I always wanted a low key wedding because I felt it should be all about us declaring that we wanted to spend the rest of lives together. For me it wasn’t about spending months of my life planning everything to the last detail, it was all about wanting to spend the rest of my life with Scott and having all our family there to celebrate with us.”

For their reception, their choice fell on the Kempinski because it looked so spectacular. “I wanted an outdoor venue to give the reception a laid-back feel.

We held the reception in the gazebo garden and it was so beautiful with palm trees and candles. It was just what I had imagined. We had scented candles named ‘wedding day’ all over the tables, I still burn those candles now and the scent takes me straight back to the wedding.”

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Style Book PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica C. Moritz CEREMONY The Citadel WEDDING DRESS Pronovias BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Monsoon VENUE Kempinski

“The moment that will always stand out in my memory is our family and friends standing on the cliffs at Dwejra with the Azure window behind them.”

Laura recalls that she had been very laidback right up until the day of the wedding, but then it hit her. “I was so emotional. My father, my bridesmaids and myself all got in the bridal car together and I was so nervous I could hardly breathe! All the locals really made my day, waving at the car and tipping their hats. It was like something out of a film, like the world had stopped for us just for that moment.

When we pulled up at the Citadel and got out of the car, I heard the first notes of the song ‘Cannonball’ that we had chosen for the ceremony. That was the song which was playing the first time I met Scott. It took me straight back to all those years ago and it was overwhelming. Everybody at the ceremony said they heard me before they saw me!”

In keeping with the low key wedding theme, the couple didn’t have any entertainment planned. “However Scott sang a few of our favourite songs with guitar accompaniment, and that was the most intimate special moment. It felt like there was only the two of us there and everybody loved it.”

“I don’t think we could have chosen a more beautiful place for our wedding; we absolutely fell in love with Gozo and we can’t wait to come back. It’s such a special place and the people are lovely - I think we’ll all be regular visitors now.”

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Enrique Cuschieri & Kelvin Childress

Red, White & Marine Corps Blue

WEDDINGDAY: 13 July 2012

It was the summer of 2007: Kelvin was a freshman at Nebraska Wesleyan University when he was introduced to a young Maltese girl named Enrique, a foreign exchange student living in the same dorm.

“I returned to Malta to finish off my degree and he joined the US Marine Corps but we remained good friends over the next four years. Then I went for a visit, a three week vacation to celebrate the end of my Masters, which turned into a three month one.”

Kevin’s proposal was spontaneous and utterly romantic. “He whispered in my ear how much he loved me and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I might even have started to say yes before he was done proposing!”

Once Enrique returned to Malta they had six months to plan their wedding, which proved much easier than acquaintances told them it would be, especially with her parents’ help.

Enrique had no hesitation when it came to her dress: “I was looking for something plain yet elegant – I definitely wanted the big skirt since it was going to be the only time in my life I’d have an excuse to wear a dress like that. I knew that this dress from Pronovias was the one when I saw the look on my parents’ face - especially my Dad. Not many brides can say that their father picked out their dress. As I was trying on dresses, my Dad asked the shop assistant whether it was possible to try on a dress he had spotted on the racks. Not to break his heart I agreed to try on any dress that he liked and the dress was lovely. To this day I couldn’t be happier with the choice!”

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Determined to keep her wedding low key, Enrique kept her bridal party small. She asked her cousin, Charlotte, to be her Maid of Honour, something they had promised to each other as children. “I also wanted to have my sister-in-law who was a bridesmaid in all three of our weddings. When it came to choosing their dresses my theory was they are the ones who have to wear the dress so they are the ones who should like it and feel beautiful in it. We decided on tea length dresses for comfort; the dressmaker was Carmen Grech who also patiently altered my dress because I lost weight before the wedding. We had to take into consideration Kelvin’s dress blues uniform, therefore we chose gold for the dress with a deep red sash to match the uniform’s trimmings.”

Enrique decided to be unorthodox and asked two of her best girlfriends to fill the role of ushers. The best man was her brother, and once again this was an obvious choice since Kelvin and Gianluca got along really well “…and I also knew my brother would deliver a phenomenal speech.”

A close circle of family and friends were all roped into the ceremony, to make it feel as intimate and personal as possible.

Kelvin’s parents, step-parents and sister flew over for the wedding and also many of Enrique’s friends managed to come over. “There were 13 different nationalities present which made the week prior to the wedding a lot of fun since we organized many events to meet up with everyone.”

The Villa was recommended to Enrique by her family and when she went to view the venue, she liked it immediately.

“The fact that it wasn’t your traditional run-of-the-mill venue,

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“It was all about having an intimate wedding, to be able to enjoy our guests’ company “

the view of Balluta Bay and the fairy lights really won me over. But what completely sealed the deal was the quality of the food – it was exquisite and had that special twist which made it stand out when compared to other places.”

To celebrate the two nationalities coming together they ordered cupcakes, half of them with the Maltese flag and the rest having the American flag.

To acknowledge the generations of marriages before them, on the guest book table they had photographs of their parents’ and grandparents’ weddings.

The day of the wedding was a very relaxed affair. “We decided to have everyone get ready at my parents’ house.

That morning the girls headed out to get nails, hair and make up done and when we returned we had a quick lunch that my Dad had prepared. Even though we were around 15 people getting ready at one go, there was no chaos and everyone had a great time.”

What this couple wanted most was to make this day about celebrating their status as a couple with their nearest and dearest. “It wasn’t about having lots of people there – even though keeping numbers down with a big family is always a challenge. It was all about having an intimate wedding, to be able to enjoy our guests’ company and not hurry around just saying hello to everyone. We also wanted to add our personal touches so my brother and cousin gave a speech and so did Kelvin. I surprised Kelvin with a song I sang that represented our relationship perfectly – Lady Gaga’s ‘You

THANK YOU! surprise your guests with a personal gesture which they will REMEMBER!

and I’ since he is in fact a ‘Nebraska boy’ (the look on his face was priceless).” Sentimental touches were represented in Enrique’s jewellery - the diamond necklace she wore was a gift from her parents which they bought on her 1st birthday and which they gave to her on her graduation. “My wedding and engagement ring was custom made by my husband, including my favourite stone, the sapphire, before our wedding in Vegas. On my other hand I wore a diamond solitaire which was an 18th birthday gift from my parents and I wore a bracelet my husband got me to match my engagement/wedding ring.”

The couple also set up a website to help all their foreign friends and family make arrangements for their stay in Malta.

“I cannot stress enough what a huge help my Mum and Dad were to make this fairytale wedding become a reality - they were both extremely involved every step of the way and I really can never thank them enough. Kelvin was also amazing with being so involved in the preparations even though he was half a world away - especially at calming my nerves when the wedding day was a week away and his unit hadn’t approved his leave yet.”

“Finally, I’d like to mention Rosaire Sare, who was there all along for advice about our hair, jewellery, and anything related to bringing all the elements of the wedding together.

She was not only our hair stylist, making sure our hair withstood the July heat, but also a family friend. I also want to thank Josephine and Martin Pace, who are wonderful family friends, who on the day of the wedding went to The Villa and set up all the bits and bobs of decoration at the venue which made it all the more personal. And finally, Joseph Zerafa, who is like an uncle to me, and patiently did the calligraphy for every single invite, making them an absolute work of art.”

Style Book PHOTOGRAPHY Tonio Lombardi BRIDAL SHOES Vera Wang WEDDING DRESS Pronovias GROOM MARINE CORPS DRESS BLUES CEREMONY Attard Parish Church VENUE The Villa, St. Julian’s

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Joanna Figiel & Jayke Mangion

White Wedding

WEDDINGDAY: 25 May 2013

Joanna is Polish and has lived in London for 10 years and, among other things, is a wedding planner.

Jayke has Maltese parents, but was born and raised in Australia and has also lived in London for 10 years.

“We met seven years ago: I was working as a waitress at a cocktail bar and Jayke was managing the bar a few doors down. We used to go to his bar for drinks after work. He was a real gentleman, walking me home every day for two months until he got his first kiss. I really liked him from day one! We dated a few times and fell in love quickly. Jayke asked me to move in with him after 2 months of meeting each other and now we have lived together ever since. Love, passion and commitment were there from the very beginning!”

Joanna says she had “a good feeling” about Jayke from day one. “We had the same morals and found we wanted similar things out of life. We had very similar pasts and upbringings and this was interesting as we were from other sides of the world. It felt right to get married as we wanted to seal our love officially after being together for seven years and most

WD | 54

importantly since we already have a child together.”

Jayke proposed on Daydream Island on the Whitsunday’s, Australia. “We got up early to watch the sunrise and were surrounded by wild kangaroos on a secluded beach. It was very romantic, and totally unexpected. Jayke blew me away by proposing in Polish which made it even more special.”

When it came to the day, it was a white, classic and very elegant wedding spread over three days starting with a welcome reception at The Villa. The second day was the ceremony and reception and finally, on the third day there was a chartered boat taking all the guests for a cruise around the island to Comino and the Blue Lagoon as well swimming and snorkelling.”

Joanna and Jakye always wanted to have a wedding where they would be guaranteed sunshine and sea views, reminiscent of the film ‘Mamma Mia’ and to them, Malta came pretty close. “It was also a great location as we had 40 guests from all over the world, not many of them had been to Malta before and we wanted to make it a mini holiday. Malta is an ideal location for a wedding, and, of course, Jayke is Maltese by blood, so we had a connection there also.”

Although booking St Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina was difficult, their wedding planner Sarah Young pulled some strings and made it all possible. “It is a vast beautiful church but also has the added environment of being in the silent city which added much charm, mystique and history.”

Being a wedding planner herself, Joanna had a specific idea in mind and she was very pleased that Sarah Young was so quick to understand her and delivered their exact wishes and

WD | 56

requests on the day. “She gave us the wedding we’ve dreamt of. We also used the site Pinterest to get ideas of summer weddings from around the world and got plenty of inspiration from this.”

Sarah Young explains that as this couple had various cultural influences she tried to incorporate this element as much as possible.

“Food was a very important element for them and I organised various food tastings to make sure that they were 100% satisfied with the end product. Jayke even designed four lovely signature cocktails for the wedding which were executed according to his exact requirements - and they were apparently divine according to the guests.

As a young, fun couple, Joanna and Jayke wanted to reflect this in their wedding and the atmosphere they had on the day was amazing. I made sure to co-ordinate everything according to their needs and in the end the day turned out to be beautiful.”

Joanna was happy to leave Jayke in charge of the food and drinks: “As an owner of an award-winning restaurant and bar, I know I could totally trust his judgment. Jayke pays great attention to detail, so when I was overwhelmed with the amount of choice I had, he made my decision quicker.”

The reception venue had stunning views on its rooftop overlooking Spinola Bay and Portomaso while the catering contained a mixture of Polish, Maltese, English and Australian recipes. Opting for a white colour scheme with flowers imported straight from Holland, candles and lights

further created an intimate and cosy ambiance.

Florist Bjorn Borg from Floreal immediately understood what the couple wanted and created beautiful bouquets and flower arrangements throughout to continue with the “white wedding” theme.

Bespoke sandalwood fans with engraved details were available for the ladies for the church. There was also a basket of white flip flops for the ladies to kick their heels off and dance the night away.

Of course, inevitably, there was a nail biting moment.

“Two days before we arrived there was a terrible sand storm and the entire island was engulfed in a big brown haze. We were really worried as we had been to Malta four times and had never seen anything like it. Waking up on the day of our wedding to a perfect 27 degree Maltese day without a cloud in the sky was a great feeling.”

“We are really thankful our son Noah was able to share our day!”

Style Book PHOTOGRAPHY Julia Michalczewska CEREMONY St Paul’s Cathedral, Mdina WEDDING DRESS Pronovias FLORIST Bjorn Borg - Floreal WEDDING PLANNER Sarah Young - Y Plan Events

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Joanna’s dress from Pronovias included a bespoke made lace bolero that looked like it is a part of the dress for the church and a long laced veil, with the same detail as the dress.

“For the reception I took off both veil and a bolero, to give it a more ‘party’ look. I was wearing beautiful Freya Rose shoes made of handmade fine materials from Italy. The broach on the shoes was made of freshwater pearls and a couture Parisian lace. I absolutely loved them! So beautiful and comfortable too, in fact I wore them for 12 hours.”

As they look back on this Polish-Maltese celebration, Jayke recalls his best memory, “Seeing my wife come down the aisle was the highlight of the day”. And Joanna feels the same, “I will never forget the moment when Jayke lifted my veil and saw me for the same time. It was amazing.”

Elaine Forrest & Nicholas Dutta

Flowers in the Castle

WEDDINGDAY: 5 May 2013

“We cannot express how thankful we are to our guests for travelling so far to be with us on our wedding day.“

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“We first met on a night out in Newcastle with friends,” says Elaine. “On our first date we went to a lovely little Italian restaurant and had a wonderful meal together.

We hit it off straight away and talked nonstop from the moment we met. From that day onwards we have never been apart.

We both knew that we had found our soul mate and had always planned to get married but never discussed timings until, out of the blue, over a nice meal at home Nicky proposed. I instantly said yes, it was an amazing feeling knowing that it was official that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. He had planned to do it in so many different ways, like whisk me away to York for a romantic weekend, but he knew in his heart that the most special place to me was in our dining room at home.”

Elaine found the perfect dress due to some amazing advice from a lady in one of the many bridal shops she went into. “She made a few suggestions for my shape and to my amazement the fishtail design for me was perfect. So each time I went into the shops I literally asked to try on everything “fishtail”. As soon as I tried my dress on I started to cry and instantly felt beautiful.”

The choice of bridesmaids was easy: her sisters Kayleigh and Sophie and one of her closest friends Steph: “My intention was to let them have input about their dresses but I saw the most beautiful coral dresses.

I decided to buy them straight away and let each one try them on. All three loved them. If they didn’t, I would have definitely returned them and let them choose second time round. I purposely didn’t want the normal bridesmaid style dresses due to the weather and the fact that we were getting married abroad. I also wanted something fun that they could maybe wear again if they went on holiday or a nice summer occasion.”

The choice of ushers fell on two people that the couple had known the longest and had grown up with.

They both had different attributes to offer and they knew they would both be very helpful.

The decision to have a destination wedding came about because they are both in love with Malta. “Three years ago we came to Malta for a holiday. We instantly fell in love with everything - the people, the food, the views, simply everything. We joked that when we got married Malta would be our dream destination. We never imagined it would become a reality. Dreams definitely do come true!”

This wedding brought over 86 people from many far-flung places including England, Scotland, India, Canada and Dubai. “Each and every one of them fell in love with Malta as we did.”

Elaine admits that Nicky was literally the main wedding planner. “He did all of the liaising with most of the suppliers although we did the decision making and overall planning together. He was absolutely brilliant and worked so hard to make our day perfect. However all of the suppliers we dealt with were amazing also.

They were so prompt and we just about managed to plan everything via email. Overall we visited Malta three times prior to the wedding. The first in December 2011 to view locations and April 2012 to bring the parents to view the venue and meet some of the vendors, then finally February 2013 for final checks, meetings and for our first visit to the registry office to notify them of our wedding plans.”

Like many foreign couples who choose Malta, they opted for a historic venue. “As soon as I set foot in the castle I knew it was the one. It is such a beautiful place in itself and didn’t need dressing at all except for the chandelier which was decorated by the talented Joseph Baldacchino from Flower Arts, who also decorated the cake and made my bouquet. All it needed to make it perfect was our family and friends.

We opted for a buffet style meal which was exceptional

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FLOWERS!

choose bright coloured flowers to decorate both venue and CAKE!!

brilliant food. We decided a mixture for dinner was a good choice rather than deciding on just one dish to serve everyone. We had a three tier cake that was filled with fresh flowers. It was simple yet made a good statement because of the beautiful colours. Apart from bold colours for the flowers we kept everything else quite simple and let the beauty of the castle be the main feature and setting for our special day.”

For the civil ceremony the couple asked two family members, Julie and Susan to read a poem of their choice. They each wrote their own poem creating a wonderful moment on the day. “We also chose a song to sing together, ‘Annie’s song’ by John Denver. The words in this song are very special to us and singing it together with all of our family and friends made it perfect.”

When she recalls her wedding day, Elaine says she was very emotional and so happy that the next day was the day they would became husband and wife. “Nicky was a little nervous for his speech but other than that he was so excited too. I spent the start of the wedding day with the special ladies in my life, my Mum, bridesmaids and my lovely friend and hairdresser Joanne.”

“Everything was as perfect as it possibly could be. One funny thing was that Nicky had bought his shoes about 6 months before the wedding and the only trying on he did was in the shop so on the wedding day he put them on and they were actually too big. A typical guy thing to do! Whereas I had walked round the house in my shoes numerous times to ensure they were comfortable.”

Elaine and Nicky look back on their destination wedding with great joy. “It was a dream come true getting married in the castle and being able to make memories with the special people in our life. The start of our life long journey together has only just begun.

We are so lucky and feel so blessed to have been able to share our wedding day with so many special people.

Our very special place has now become the special place for so many of our family members and friends.

That was to us, PERFECT.”

Style Book PHOTOGRAPHY Alison Galea CEREMONY & RECEPTION Castello Zamitello FLOWERS Flower Arts ENTERTAINMENT Tunin’ Entertainment

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Darren Duncan & Roberta Booker

Keeping it Vintage

WEDDINGDAY: 16 December 2012

Darren and Roberta met online through mutual friends on a social network in 2007.

Although Darren was still studying in England, they hit it off immediately and realized how compatible they were - after three months he came back to Malta and they became a couple.

“It may sound like a cliche but we knew from very early on that we wanted to spend our future together; in fact we started looking for a place in the first year. Darren and I share the same values – we are very family-oriented, like spending quiet quality time together, however we also enjoy having fun, travelling, and going to concerts and festivals. We believe that one of the strongest qualities in our relationship is that despite our very hectic work commitments, we make sure we find time to be together. We have a crazy sense of humour and are the type of couple that finish each other’s sentences, even though we have quite different characters.”

As devout Catholics, they both believed that marriage would seal their life-long commitment to each other. “We had always discussed getting married, but Darren still officially proposed with the engagement ring I had longed for, which he designed and had custom-made.”

Roberta knew she wanted a classical lace dress with a sexy vintage style. “I had only been shopping around for an hour when I found my dress; as they say I knew immediately it was The One. It fit beautifully and had that very Hollywood screen siren vibe, with its Spanish lace, very long train, and off-the shoulder sleeves. I bought the dress from WeddingBells. Marquita was very helpful and we all fell in

WD | 64

“The day was very romantic and we gave a lot of importance to having a meaningful ceremony”

love with my dress.

It’s a pity you only get to wear it for a few hours.”

The couple had many friends and numerous family members whom they wanted to involve as much as possible. “In the end we settled for Stephanie Pullicino, Darren’s cousin, as my bridesmaid since we are very close and little Maria Lucas, my cousin, as the flower girl. I was the flower girl for her parents when they had got married, so that was special to me. We chose a beautiful mauve Pronovias dress for Stephanie which she looked gorgeous in, and a Monsoon dress and accessories for Maria. She did not want the headband, so I convinced her by promising I’d let her play with my mobile phone at the wedding if she kept her hair band on. Of course, she totally forgot all about our deal at the wedding and enjoyed getting compliments on how pretty she looked.”

The ushers were their respective sisters’ boyfriends, Aaron Farrugia and Joseph Cremona, while Darren’s uncle Ray Formosa was his best man.

This was another ‘international wedding’ with many relatives coming from all over the world to attend. “This was very special to us as it meant a big family reunion, plus we were touched that people made an effort for us – we had family and friends from England, Spain and South Africa!”

Being a graphic designer, Darren was obsessed with

MAJESTIC!

give special significance to your ceremony by choosing a historic, Maltese CHURCH!

all the aesthetic aspects of the wedding preparations.

On the other hand, as a physiotherapist, Roberta has a very logical, scientific mind. She laughs as she points out that, “It is quite a reversal of roles of the typical couple! Darren tends to be a perfectionist and thinks big in terms of the aesthetic appeal of all preparations, whereas I tend to apply the brakes and think of the practicality of things. At the end of the day we complement each other and like to involve each other in all decisions we take. Luckily we have very similar tastes and are both very assertive, so we instinctively knew what we wanted.”

Roberta, of course, could not resist teasing her prospective husband: “When we shopped for Stephanie’s dress, we took a photo of a huge dress in a very bright colour which I know he hates, and when I showed him the photo I explained that I was only showing him the dress so that he knows what the colour scheme should now be. He was very shocked!”

This couple was very keen to give importance to the wedding Mass and they actually paid more attention to the preparations for the ceremony than for the reception. “Our celebrant was Fr Saviour Grima who guided us in planning our Mass and making it special. During the Mass, we dedicated a couple of minutes to tell each other what we love and appreciate most about each other. We had a symbolic ritual whereby we mixed two differently coloured sands in a vase, which was blessed by Fr Saviour. The mixture of two different colours in one represents something new that is beautiful, and that is now very difficult to separate again - and should not be. Since it was the Christmas period, we opted for a few Christmas carols instead of hymns. Our church choir was EnKor, who managed to create a magical atmosphere!

Darren and I are very appreciative of all the sacrifices our parents made for us, for our upbringing and the values instilled in us. We wanted to involve our parents as much as possible as a way to thank them for all they did for us. During Mass we had a renewal of our Christening blessing with the blessing of the oil and candle by our fathers, and a special blessing on us by our parents and sisters.”

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Choosing a venue big enough for 300 people accommodated comfortably indoors in December was quite a challenge. Roberta and Darren wanted a nice indoor venue big enough in case of foul weather with different areas, ideally with a vintage style.

When it came to the music, they opted for a strictly vintage theme with oldies such as jazz and bossa nova music played throughout. Their first dance was to “A kiss to build a dream on” by Louis Armstrong which was very special to them, while numerous candles were lit to give a more intimate, romantic feel.

Since it was during the Christmas period, they decided on Christmas decorations with a bridal touch using lots of gypsophila bouquets. The uppermost part of the wedding cake was styled in a pattern resembling lace, to match the style of Roberta’s dress, and decorated with more gypsophila.

“Ultimately, we wanted the day to represent the union of two different persons into one, and this inspired us to use a fingerprint theme in our wedding. Darren designed all wedding stationary using our two fingerprints shaped into one heart – this theme was also used on the mass booklets and bookmark.

In keeping with this theme, we also had a wedding tree guest book, whereby guests left their fingerprint on a tree designed by Darren, to represent many different people coming to wish us well and making up one big family. This was one thing that guests really enjoyed and kept mentioning even after the wedding.”

Instead of souvenirs they made a donation to Hospice Malta and Assocjazzjoni Volontarji Lourdes.

Wanting everything to go as planned, Darren and Roberta briefed everyone again the day before the wedding, and this reassured them that things would go well.

“The evening before the wedding Darren went to a coffee shop just behind the Attard church and it felt surreal to know that in a few hours we would be getting married there! On the day of the wedding we were actually very calm, we had faith in all the people we hired or were helping out and we were determined to enjoy the day whatever happened.”

And of course, everything did go perfectly.

Style Book PHOTOGRAPHY Rene Rossignaud BRIDAL GOWN WeddingBells BRIDESMAID DRESSES Pronovias FLOWER GIRL Monsoon FLOWERS Bjorn Borg - Floreal CEREMONY ST MARY PARISH CHURCH – ATTARD

Vintage Glam BY

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

The Bride

Make-Over

Joanne Caruana is the real bride chosen by WeddingDay to be treated to a full makeover by our team of experts!

She is 24 years old and will be getting married in 2015; she wanted to experience getting a makeover as a “first step before getting married”. Like most young woman, she was thrilled at the prospect of having her very own photo shoot and to getting advice about what suits her best.

THE VENUE: THE WESTIN DRAGONARA RESORT Set in one of Malta’s most beautiful bays, the Westin Dragonara Resort is perfect for summer weddings. From the Quadro restaurant with its graceful staircase, to a reception by the shimmering pool, to the more laid-back area at the Bedouin, any number of wedding set ups can be designed to your specifications. The boathouse and the quay will provide the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos. And of course the whole aquamarine Mediterranean Sea is just there in front of you, to bring a magical postcard quality to the biggest day of your lives.

For an appointment contact: Robert Vella – Sales Manager/ Wedding Specialist T: +356 31381000 E: events.dragonara@westin.com W: www.westindragonaramalta.com/weddings

Guy’s tip: “I prefer to go for elegant looks for weddings”

Adriana’s tip:

“Always use hypoallergenic products for sensitive skin”

The Hairstyle by Guy Galea Michael & Guy

The Make-up by Adriana Mallia Adriana Make-up artist

“After seeing Joanne and her beautiful dress I thought we should go for a beautiful simple classic large bun at the back of her head that would help to show off her slim figure and neck.

If the hair is a couple of inches passed her shoulder this hair style can be achieved, extra body can be had by inserting a packing in the same colour as her hair, which is what was done.

I always prefer to go for the more elegant looks for weddings and Joanne’s hair lent its self perfectly.”

The hairstyle you choose for your wedding needs to take into account not only your dress, but also the shape of your face, length of your neck and even your height. During your consultation, speak frankly with your hairdresser about what you prefer so that you will be comfortable and at ease about how you look on your big day.

“Joanne has very pale, sensitive skin, so it is essential that she uses specific hypoallergenic products. You should always tell your beautician if you have any allergic reactions prior to your make up session to ensure that everything goes well on the big day.

A good moisturizer/cleanser before applying the base is very important. I used a very light foundation, creamy and not heavy, one shade lighter than her skin.

With her good features, Joanne could take more dramatic make up but I did not want to make it too heavy so it would not be overpowering. She has very dark, deep-set eyes, which I enhanced with browns and golds, to give a bronze, smokey eye. The black eyeliner is applied to the inner part of the eye, while I shaped the eyebrows properly with an eyebrow pencil to frame the face. A light pink blusher, and pale pink lipstick finish off the look.”

THE DRESS AND ACCESSORIES BY MONSOON Monsoon provided us with this lightweight, flowing bridal gown which is perfect for summer and for a tall, slim bride like Joanne.

You will shine throughout the day and into the night with this bugle and pearl handembellished Olga bridal dress. Cut to an empire line style in 100% silk, the Olga dress details a silk chiffon overskirt that falls gently to the floor beneath the silk waistband. Featuring sleeveless shirred straps, an inner boned corset and concealed side zip, this wedding dress will make you feel every inch the beautiful bride.

The different accessory options give you a wide variety of ‘looks’ you might want to experiment with – from a tiara, to combs, to a chunky necklace, depending on your height and your hairstyle.

Contact: Monsoon, Bisazza Street T: +356 21317951

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THE LOOK!

keep your make-up as natural as possible to highlight your glowing FEATURES!

JOANNE’S VERDICT:

“I could not believe how everything suited me because I would never have dreamed of this style for myself. I was surprised how much I liked this dress because it is not something I would normally go for, especially for my wedding. But it is just so pretty and comfortable!

I loved the hairstyle which Guy created for me, and the make-up is just right.

Not too heavy, not too natural – Adriana really understood what I liked.

The best part, of course, was posing for the photos, which is something I have always dreamt of doing. This was like a fairytale come true and it has made me even more excited as I look forward to my own wedding.

Thank you WeddingDay!”

Michael & Guy One of the specialties that we cater for at Michael and Guy are wedding hairstyles, whether you decide to have an up-do, a braid or wear it curly, your wedding hair will ultimately complete your look and make you feel more beautiful than ever. Offering in salon wedding services everyday of the week and home visits on Sundays and public holidays.

201 B, Old Bakery street, Valletta. +356 21225122 www.facebook.com/ MichaelAndGuy

Adriana Scicluna The Makeup Artist Adriana Scicluna is a makeup artist working across Malta and Gozo specialising in both local and foreign weddings. Also available for makeovers, personalized sessions and photo shoots.

E-Mail: themakeup.artist@ yahoo.com +356 79279048 Facebook page: Adriana Make-up Artist

TUNIN’ ENTERTAINMENT 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.

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

THE DRESS!

you will feel ultra comfortable in a floaty, lightweight dress for SUMMER!

Venues TO LOVE

Here are a few of Malta’s most popular venues ideal for a summer wedding!

Magical weddings at VILLA ARRIGO

Contact: John Vella Galea T: 79493380 E: johnvellagalea@onvol.net W: www.osbornecaterers.com

Villa Arrigo, situated on the outskirts of Naxxar, is one of Malta’s most extraordinary venues for church or civil weddings, conference dinners, seminars and any other reception. This is a perfect setting for your event, no matter the weather – from the spacious landscaped garden to the large air conditioned Marquee (which can be heated in winter). Indoors there are fabulous rooms decorated with taste and elegance, which are ideal to capture that special moment. The venue is conveniently situated within walking distance of a nearby chapel, for those who wish to get married in church.

Villa Arrigo can also provide an all-in-one venue for civil weddings.

Couples who are only opting for a civil ceremony can hold it here, followed by a reception, dinner or a simple get together at the venue itself. The wedding or event is organized completely around the individual client. Plus, the delicious in-house catering by Osbourne caterers means that you do not need to worry about finding a caterer.

Villa Arrigo - EXCLUSIVELY YOURS!

Everything you want your wedding to be! THE HILTON

Contact: Melanie Deguara T:: + 356 2373 3622 / 3662 / 3660 E: sales.malta@hilton.com W: www.hiltonmaltahotel.com/ weddings

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It’s all about you and your special day. When you book your wedding at the Hilton Malta, whichever of our venues you choose, our promise to you is that we will make sure your wedding is everything you’ve always imagined.

From the moment you come to see us, you will have your own dedicated Wedding Planner, who will meet you for a chat, find out what you want for your big day, and provide you with a detailed plan. Our commitment to providing a truly personal service means that your Wedding Planner will be with you every step of the way, and will ensure that every detail is taken care of.

Our Executive Chef, Joe Vella and his team offer a superb choice of menus but above all, we promise flexibility. What matters most is what’s important to you and that we serve what you want. If you have a passion for a particular food, we’ll make sure it’s on the menu. And once you’ve chosen your menu, we can arrange rehearsals and a special menu tasting.

Malta’s leading venue for all seasons

Are you planning a large wedding or a smaller intimate celebration?

Villa Arrigo is the perfect setting.

Weddings • Receptions • Private Functions • Lunches • Dinners • Card Parties Tea Parties • Anniversaries • Product Launches • Seminars • Workshops We also offer personalised outside catering services at home or any venue of your choice.

Exclusively Yours

Open daily for viewing & booking till 4pm | Also 5pm till 7.30pm on Wednesday Tel: +356 2142 3214 | info@osbornecaterers.com | villaarrigo@onvol.net www.osbornecaterers.com

Your perfect day at THE VILLA This 19th century Villa is centrally located in Balluta Bay. Tastefully renovated, The Villa is a spectacular building with period features such as the circular staircase and a columned entrance. Catering can be tailormade to your needs – from small, intimate events to large-scale weddings. There are three main outdoor terraces, one of which is covered by an umbrella making it usable in any season. During the day the terraces are bright spaces with established and well-groomed plants lining the perimeter. At night the Villa takes on a different look as the clever lighting creates a magical effect.

Indoors there are two large rooms, as well as a private dining room which can be decorated according to your theme. Secure parking at the rear of the venue ensures your guests’ comfort.

Cocktail, wine and champagne bars are available. The Villa catering team is expert at creating interesting, delicious and innovative menus ranging from canapés, to sit down meals as well as the unique ‘flying buffet’ option. There are ready-made packages to suit every budget or dietary requirement, but a menu can also be designed around your specific requests.

Their philosophy is simple, “every wedding should be different and should reflect the personality and dreams of the couple”. At The Villa, they work with you throughout the planning process to help you bring out the elements that matter to you.

Floreal

BB

by Bjorn Borg

Weddings and Events

Flowers for any Occasion.

Being Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays or any other occasion New Shop Opening Soon in Labour Avenue Naxxar Contact us on: (+356) 2747 0744/5 E-mail us on : bjorn_floreal@melita.com & florealhome@melita.com Follow us on Facebook Floreal & Floreal Home

designing something unique and making it unforgettable

Contact: Chris Hammett T: 23112273 E: info@thevillamalta.com W: www.thevillamalta.com

WHERE TO GET YOUR FREE COPY OF

WEDDINGDAY MAGAZINE Valletta The Public Registry Evans Building, Merchants Str. Wedding Bells, Coliseum Arcades, Zachary Street Malta Tourism Authority, Merchant Street Michael & Guy, 201b Old Bakery Street Floriana Hamilton Travel, Floriana

Rabat Camilleriparismode, St Catherine Street Rabat Local Council Mdina Xara Palace Hotel, Misrah il-Kunsill B’Kara Custom Lab, Ltd. Olaf Gollcher Street, Ta’ Paris Oreana Stationery & Bazaar, L. Casolani Street, Ta’ Paris Charles & Ron, 89, Ignatio Saverio Mifsud Street Conrad Briffa, Tumas Galea Street, Ta’ Paris Alistair Fenech, No. 1 Triq Dun Karm

St Julian’s Wedding specialist - Westin Dragonara Wedding specialist - Intercontinental Hotel Wedding specialist - Radisson Blu The Villa, Balluta Bay Wedding specialist - Le Meridien Wedding specialist - The Hilton Mosta Sarah Young – Y Plan Events, Diodorus Siculus Str. Cefai Formal Wear, Independence Avenue Charming Diva, Constitution Street San Gwann Centre confectionary, Constitution Street Village Inkspot, Triq is-Santwarju Educare, Constitution Street Metro Stationery, Naxxar Road Concept Barn, 5, Harmony Crt, 15th Aug Street Biggie Best, Vjal ir-Rijan Kudos, Vjal il-Qalbiena Mostin Sliema Monsoon, Bisazza Street Trading Post, Gorg Borg Olivier Street Markers, Dingli Street Gzira Pronovias, The Strand Ta’ Xbiex Persona, 42, Marina Court, Sir Ugo Mifsud Street Pembroke Promark, 187, Patri Indri Vella Street Tunin’ Entertainment, 46 Triq Mikiel Ang Grima Zebbug Aesthetic Xcells, Vjal il-Helsien Niu, Central Business Centre, Triq l-Imdina Siggiewi Colours of the Rainbow florist, St Margaret Street Flower Design, Brija Road Xara Lodge, Triq il-Belt, L/O Rabat

Lija Garfields, 2 Triq Mikelang Borg Attard Photo Booth Malta, Eternity, Insolja Street Crayons, Triq Pitkali Iklin Royal Travel, Triq Geronimo Abos Msida Papier Plus, 29, Esperanto Street Naxxar Villa Arrigo, San Pawl Tat-Targa Bali Stuff, Naxxar Road Wedding specialist - Palazzo Parisio Grey & Adler, 9A Toni Bajada Street Floreal, Labour Avenue Gharghur Jonathan Grech videographer D Beauty Zone, Triq 31 ta’ Marzu

Birzebbugia Jo Briffa @ Hairoscope, Prof. A. Tabone Street Fgura Flower Arts, 46 Mystic Rose, Censu Busuttil Street Damian Cocktails, 323, Gardenia, Zabbar Road Ego stationary, Triq i-Sur 202 Jewellery, Zabbar Road Qrendi Bestmark, Triq Rokku Buhagiar Luqa Malta Event Design, 19, Wesghat Dun J. Camilleri Samsonite, Airport Zurrieq Tonna Stationery, 4, St Catherine Street Christianne stationery, Misrah Mattia Preti A – Z Stationery, Vjal l-Indipendenza Marsascala Vivienne Health & Beauty Salon, Triq il-Qalliet Marsaxlokk Old Trafford, Triq l-Arznell Bugibba Charles’ Stationary, Pioneer Road A & D Souvenirs, Trunciera Road Natsweets by Nathalie

Qawra Boutique Claudia, Triq il-Maskli Mgarr HBR Hairdressing, Triq il-Majjistral Mateja’s, 111, Triq San Pawl Cirkewwa Paradise Bay Hotel Mellieha Popeye Village, Anchor Bay

Gozo Public Registry, Europe Street, Victoria Santa Lucia Cefai Formal Wear, St Bert Street, Xewkija Drago stationery/ sub-post office, 6 Centru Civiku Kempinski Hotel, San Lawrenz Bookworm, Republic Street, Victoria Elegant Impressions, 8th Sept.Avenue, Xaghra Ta’ Cenc Hotel, Sannat To keep updated please join our Facebook page Wedding Day Magazine (Malta). info@weddingdaymalta.com Pen & Pencil, Independence Avenue, Ghajnsielem You can view our magazine online at www.issuu.com/WEDDINGDAY Terence Stationery, 13th Dec. Avenue, Nadur Adriana Scicluna, make-up artist, 59, St George’s Street, Victoria Qormi The Floral Designer, Bertu Hyzler Street, Qormi

W WW. P RON OV I A S.cOM THE WOR ld’S lEAdINg bRIdAl H O uSE Of fE RINg A VAST S El EcT IO N Of b REAT H TA kINg ly bE AuTI f ul AN d Af f O R dAbl E W E d d I N g gOW N S, Acc E S SO R I E S A Nd cO ckTAI l dRESSE S T H AT A RE cREAT Ed u S INg T H E f I N E S T M ATE R I Al AN d W I TH ATTE N TI O N TO TH E TI N I E S T d E TAIl. PRONOVIAS 2 01 3 A Nd 2 014 cOllEcT IO NS E xclu S I V E ly AVAI l Abl E AT O uR S TO R E AT TH E S TR AN d - gZ I R A. E: PRONOVIAS @ b I g b O N.cO M. MT · T: 2 38 8 938 0 · l I kE u S O N fAc E b O O k : W W W. fAc E b O O k .cO M /P RO N OV I AS

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