WD issue 8 - Palazzo Luxury

FROM SELEC TE OUTL D ETS

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letter from the editor We’ve always thought of WD as our ‘baby’ but in this issue we have a real baby to welcome to this world. Congratulations to WD’s co-director Jessica and her husband Jakob on the birth of their adorable son Joshua Elia who was born on 9th September!

The little one’s arrival has brought about a lot of changes, of course, not only for the parents but also for our magazine. The timing of his birth coincided with the time frame when we usually put the October issue together, but since flying from Germany to Malta with a newborn was not an option, this meant that a lot of forward planning was needed.

Jessica did our front cover photo shoot for this issue when she was 7 months pregnant in the sweltering July heat (and she never once complained!). Since then it has been a flurry of emails, texts and phone calls back and forth with Jessica managing to juggle everything while working with the baby literally in her arms.

We are happy to say that we have managed to design and produce this issue just in time to meet our deadline, working from two different countries. Don’t you just love technology?

It was also a challenge this time round because of the sheer amount of weddings, interviews and other features which needed to go in fact, we have gone up in pages to make sure we don’t disappoint anyone.

It is very hard to believe that we are nearing the end of another year, and that Jessica and I have already published eight issues of WD. We both look forward to watching our ‘baby’ grow, and I look forward to seeing how much little baby Joshua has grown when I finally get to met him early next year.

Before we know it, it will be time to sit down to brainstorm and plan our Spring 2014 issue. We thank all the new clients who have come on board with us for the first time in this issue, while thanking once again everyone who supported us throughout 2013.

We wish all of our readers the very best for the end of this year.

Josanne

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

on the cover:

contents

Tatjana Puder & Nicholas Rebeschke

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.

November 2013

10 Saying it with Flowers 16 Ultimate LUXURY A Palazzo Wedding

36 Campus Love Rachel & Omar

10

16

36

46

54

62

68

74

82

46 Back to our Roots Natalie & Nathan

54 You’re My Best Friend Vanessa & Malcolm

62 Vintage Glamour Daniela & Matthew

68 When Love Comes Along...

Melanie & Ryan

74 Pastels for Spring Maryliz & Conrad

82 The BRIDE Makeover Diane Darmanin Saliba

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INSURANCE

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Be original!

The days of the usual old, traditional wedding invites are over! For original bespoke invites and any of your custom-made stationery requirements, look no further than Polidano Press. They will work closely with you to create exactly what you have in mind to make every detail of your wedding extra special and unique. The ceremony booklet pictured here was designed in the shape of a customized fan at the bride’s request and included the

various ceremony readings.

Polidano Press also have a large variety of wedding invitations to suit every theme. Check out the many options on their website, or better still, call them for an appointment to view them at their premises.

Polidano Press 112, Luqa Industrial Estate, Luqa +356 2010 7878, 2010 7888, 2122 7888, 2125 7018 facebook.com/polidano.press www.pplmalta.com

SAIL AWAY Entertain your guests! Here is the ideal leisure activity if you have foreign guests coming over to the island to attend your wedding or if you just want a different kind of bachelor or hen party. You can book a day or night cruise around the Maltese islands of Malta, Comino and Gozo on sailing catamarans which are available for large groups. Everyone will enjoy this tour of our beautiful beaches, grandiose Grand Harbour and amazing little bays and coves.

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T

ravelling in

S

tyle

WD speaks to Lilly Muscat, Managing Director of Royal Travel, an agency which specialises in honeymoons.

What made you specialise in the honeymoon niche?

“A honeymoon is the ‘trip of a lifetime’; it’s a time of relaxation after all the tiring preparations of the wedding and it’s also an exciting time at the beginning of the marriage.

Planning a honeymoon requires an understanding of what the couple really wants and fitting it into their budget. A lot of attention to detail is required as these trips usually last 3 weeks, so the couple has to be advised well.”

What are the most popular destinations with Maltese couples at the moment?

“Over the 27 years I have been working in outgoing travel I have seen the Maltese become ever more passionate about travel. Younger couples have become more adventurous, and as travel consultants we are always updating ourselves with new destinations.”

Why should a couple book their honeymoon with a specialised travel agent rather than over the Internet?

“Booking over the Internet requires a lot of time and research. When it is a long haul holiday with various hotel bookings and flight connections, I really suggest that this work is left in the capable hands of a travel agent. My staff and I have many years of experience and knowledge which we like to share and we also like to throw in added value. We can recommend the best holiday packages based on ‘tried and tested’ hotels and excursions. We can take care of any request so that the couple travels with peace of mind. Together with our worldwide tour operators we offer 24 hour emergency assistance and whatever situation the clients find themselves in we are only a call away. Those who book on the Internet find that they are alone if a problem arises. Many times we can beat any price the Internet offers.”

Do couples prefer cruises or would they rather combine a holiday with a few weeks at different destinations?

“Cruises are becoming more popular because these days, ships offer more than any land-based holiday. With various dining options, sports facilities, shows on board and loads of entertainment, it is a jam-packed holiday. Also, many cruise lines are choosing to cruise to smaller, unusual ports to do fun things like ‘marina days’. This type of holiday is ideal for those couples who want to sit back and have someone else pamper them. Other couples like a combination of cities and beaches such as visiting a vibrant city like New York followed by a few days in Mexico city and a taste of Mexican

WD | 10

history and chilling out on the beach in the Riviera Maya in an all-inclusive luxurious resort. Other options include a naturebased guided tour of Sri Lanka combined with a few nights in Maldives. Or a safari in South Africa combined with Mauritius. Other combinations are Malaysia including a trip to the Rain Forest of Taman Nagara, with a few nights in one of the magical islands plus a visit to Borneo to visit the Orang Utan park and a few days to Bali. Then there is Vietnam, cruising Halong Bay and combined with the city of Angels Bangkok.”

What words of advice would you give to couples planning a holiday to exotic locations?

“Plan early! I recommend that at least 9 months prior to their travel date they should meet with their travel consultant and start looking into the various options. At this stage they should not rush into a decision, however, booking early means taking advantage of advance booking discounts. If vaccines are necessary enough time has to be allowed. The couple should discuss their travel preferences with a reliable, experienced travel agent because they can advise the best hotels that fit into their budget and will look into details to make the honeymoon even more special.

What was the most complicated long haul holiday you ever planned for a honeymoon?

“I give my best to every honeymoon package I plan. However the package which was the most demanding was booking a wedding in the Seychelles for VIP clients followed by a few days at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Putting together the wedding arrangements together with my tour operator in Seychelles was not easy but we made it happen!”

Contact:

Royal Travel Ltd

68 Triq Geronimo Abos Iklin T: +356 21 423994/5 + 356 27423994 M: + 356 79468746 www.royaltravel.com.mt info@royaltravel.com.mt

- Saying it with Flowers WD finds out how Joseph Baldacchino took his innate talent for floral design and turned it into a successful business your dreams and your passion. I’m lucky that I got some great advice from various sources, including Malta Enterprise, who helped me get off to a good start.”

When asked about the challenges of this job, Joseph laughs and shakes his head. “There are plenty of those: from mothers-of-the-bride who want to relive their wedding day by hijacking their daughter’s, to brides who demand summer Flower Arts was founded as a part-time flowers during the winter, and brides who concern in 2006, but Joseph’s love of really don’t know what they want, but want flowers began at a very young age. it to be perfect! However, I always deliver “I used to help decorate the Zejtun parish what I promise by working very closely with church on special feast days,” Joseph my brides from start to finish. By getting Baldacchino explains. “Then some friends to know them and their needs, I avoid asked me to do the flowers for their any difficulties further down the line. Then weddings, and that is how it all began.” again, you can’t always predict what might Everything happened very quickly after happen. One of the most challenging exthat. “I was planning to grow my business periences I have ever had was when I had slowly, but the problem (if you can call it that) was that I began to get very busy very to create floral arrangements in just three quickly as word spread. It became difficult days because a couple’s chosen supplier had bitten off a little more than he could to work full-time and still find the time chew, and couldn’t deliver what they reto fulfil all the orders I was receiving for quested. I’m pleased I was able to come to Flower Arts.”

In February 2012, Joseph took the plunge: the rescue; seeing a smiling bride is what makes the job worthwhile.” he quit his full-time job and stepped bravely into the world of the self-employed. At the heart of Flower Arts is the quality of the product. “Malta’s endemic flowers do “It wasn’t an easy decision to forego a not really lend themselves well to the kind regular monthly pay cheque for the unknown, but I’m a great believer in following of arrangements required by my brides,”

Joseph points out. “That is why we import our own flowers and foliage direct from the flower markets in The Netherlands. The Internet has made this relatively easy for the florist nowadays; the hard work is really done by a range of suppliers and buyers at the Dutch flower auctions who have to get up very early and fight to fulfil my order from thousands of blooms arriving there from all over the world.”

Once picked and packed in northern Europe, the orders are flown to Malta on a weekly basis which guarantees that all the flowers and foliage are the freshest on the market.

Joseph feels that Maltese couples have become much more cosmopolitan because they want to be different and unique in order to wow their guests. “We even find that we have had to expand our range of accessories, vases and stands to cater for these increasingly eclectic tastes. Weddings are becoming bigger, bolder, and far more dazzling than anything our parents may have conceived.”

Joseph’s final word of advice to couples is: “follow your heart! Choose a supplier that is on your wavelength, and who understands you, and leave it in their hands.

Your job is to dream the dream - their job is to make it happen.”

M

ake your day unique and personal

Elaine Zarb from Elegant Impressions explains how having a stylist can give your wedding that something ‘extra’

wedding ever to be celebrated there. And recently I As a little girl, Elaine used to enjoyed styling a wedding for a couple who lived and bombard her mother with quesbreathed vintage; we included some special touches, tions the day after her parents such as vintage postcards to serve as a guest book and attended a wedding: ‘How was the fresh herbs instead of confetti. Another fun wedding dress?’ ‘How were the flowers?’ As was that of a Russian bride and a Turkish groom; the soon as she graduated, she started mix of cultures and the fun they had at their wedding working in the wedding industry was amazing.” but soon realised that she wanted Like many who work in the wedding industry, Elaine photo Aleksey Leonov to use her creative instinct to has seen a huge shift in Maltese weddings. “More and come up with something ‘different’. So she decided to more couples want their wedding day to be personal set up her own business as a wedding stylist. to them. Many couples are also not bothering with Readers of WD will know Elaine’s work from our traditions and are choosing to include only what is photo shoots – she is our official stylist and with her relevant to them. So, yes, I have to agree that Maltese meticulous attention to details and inspirational ideas, couples are becoming more adventurous and I’m she works together with the rest of the team to come loving it!” up with amazing set-ups each time.

She is careful to point out the differences between herself and a wedding planner: “While a wedding planner takes care of the logistics and co-ordinates the event on the day, a wedding stylist also works with the couple to create and style a wedding day that is unique and personal to them.

Some would say it is creating a theme, but I would say it is more than that. At Elegant Impressions, we strive to create a wedding that narrates the couple’s story. We only take a number of weddings per year, so that our couples are guaranteed a completely personalised photo Mario Saliba experience.”

“We take care of every little detail and enApart from weddings, Elaine has also vensure that everything comes together as a tured into pre-wedding and post-wedding whole. There are also administrative roles photo shoots. “As with weddings, the main such as budget management and making focus is staying true to the couple, their sure things run smoothly on the day. story, their lifestyle and taste. Many couples photo Tonio Lombardi On average, a wedding takes more than are now getting bored of always seeing the same 200 hours to plan. An experienced wedding stylist can photos for every pre-wedding session, and having it save the couple a lot of time by recommending suppliers styled means that your that are the right fit for the couple. And because we do sessions will be truly you.” not take any commission, couples can rest assured that the vendors recommended are best suited to their tastes Contact Elaine: and budget.” + 356 9983 1213 Every wedding that Elaine styles is special to her, but www.elegantimpressions.eu she does have a few memorable ones. “We designed a info@elegantimpressions.eu very intimate wedding on top of Calypso Cave - the first (see advert on the right)

photo Katerina Vella

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

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

Vintage Glam BY

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Palazzo elegance - Get Married In Ultimate Luxury -

Our statuesque German couple, Tatjana Puder and Nicholas Rebeschke travelled to Malta to be our models for this feature in which we highlight the elegance and splendour of one of the island’s most sought after wedding venues.

Apart from the gardens, there is a conservatory, an orange grove, as well as a family chapel.

Because of its magnificent décor which is a reflection of its history, the Palazzo offers many possibilities for civil weddings – whether Thanks to the invaluable help of one opts for a simple ceremony the staff at the Palazzo, you will in the gilded ballroom or on the always have different options for upstairs open air terrace, followed perhaps by Champagne both indoor and outdoor and canapés, or a full-blown wedding set-ups at this time of buffet or silver-service gala dinyear. The spacious, well-kept ner for friends and family in the gardens are, of course, one of the reasons many couples gorgeous gardens. choose Palazzo Parisio, but they equally choose it because of the Inspired by the magnificence of grand ballroom, where they can the Palazzo and the bougainvilentertain their guests in luxurious lea on its garden walls, we wanted to create something style. opulent but at the same time The Palazzo, situated in the old colourful, to set off and complement the golden tones of the village of Naxxar, is an 18th century palace which was also Palazzo. The colours used were different shades of violets and a family home owned by the renowned Marquis Scicluna, one pinks, as well as metallic tones. of Malta’s noble families.

WD | 18

WD | 20

PALAZZO PARISIO ornate 24-carat gilded and mirrored Ballroom

CUPPY CAKE CUPCAKES 9-tiered cake extravaganza

FLOWER ARTS fresh orchids, baby roses and hydrangeas

ELEGANT IMPRESSIONS set design & concept

HAIROSCOPE simple & elegant bun accesorized with real orchids

JESSICA C. MORITZ photography

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Proud Mother of the Groom...

... dressed “oh so elegantly”

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MOTHER OF THE GROOM Maria models two dresses from 1-2-3 boutique (see details on page 33) which are perfect for the stylish mother-of-the groom or bride.

On the left is a Vera Mont dress in dusky pink with beautiful layers and a lace detail on the waist, with a tiny bow adding that touch of class.

Below is another Vera Mont design, this time in taupe/bronze, this dress has a lovely small sequence design giving it a different elegant touch.

Maya Baron - Artist Our model Maria, here as “mother-of the groom”, is also a local artist known as Maya Baron. Maya’s art is divided into two sections, the Small Fancy Houses which need a lot of precise and concentrated work, and abstract art where she experiments with acrylic colours and other media. She paints mainly on canvas and wooden boards.

Painting takes Maria’s mind into a different dimension of peace, quietness and love. She gets her inspiration when she takes her dogs for a walk in the countryside, watching the beauty of nature.

The BRIDE Tatjana’s satin bridal ball gown is by AD of Pronovias Fashion Group, available at Wedding Bells.

A bridal belt adds a bit of sparkle to this simple yet elegant dress.

The lace and tulle dress (as seen on page 18) is a lovely fairy tale wedding gown by Halo bridal with lace bodice and tulle skirt, and can also be found at Wedding Bells. Silk flowers on the skirt enhance this wonderful gown.

The GROOM Nicholas looks dashing and debonair in two different styles of tuxedos which were sponsored by Cefai Formal Wear.

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THe DINNER: With the setting sun shining through the wrought iron gate, and the rich colours of the foliage and the crawling bougainvillea in the background, your guests are sure to be impressed by their surroundings when you hold a garden wedding at this venue.

Jayne Polidano, the wedding planner at Palazzo Parisio, helped us create this luxurious set up by supplying an elegant dinner set, crystal glasses, silver cutlery and antique style gold-coloured chairs.

Charger plates in sterling silver add to the opulent effect. This is an excellent idea for those who want to hold their wedding reception in the form of an elegant seated dinner within the Palazzo’s lush gardens.

You can add that extra special

touch with an interesting centrepiece such as the one used here.

Joseph from Flower Arts has used a long, slim, glass vase which does not take up too much space on the actual table but then bursts into colour with a mixture of orchids of different hues: deep magenta, fuchsia and hot pink set against deep green leaves.

Elaine complemented Palazzo Parisio’s lavish flatware with Joseph’s magnificent centrepiece, and smaller vases at the bottom filled with more colourful flowers, which provide a pop of colour against the crisp white linen tablecloth. As with every shoot, attention is paid to every minute detail. The sparkling table number is a very glamorous addition to the table. Guests will surely be

impressed by the individual orchids placed on every napkin.

Cake (p.20): What better place than the magnificent ballroom to showcase this amazing nine tier cake? The bottom three tiers include fabric techniques such as pleating and billowing using sugar paste or fondant. Hand-painted brooches with pearls, embroidery and lace, three hand-sculpted angels and real orchids between the layers, all add that special extra touch to this splendid cake. Sweets can be served to the guests as refreshments.

Sugar paste sponsored by Cafe Borg, San Gwann.

Cake structure dummy cakes sponsored by Bitmac Ltd.

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TABLE SET-UP Cake stand (page 20) & gold chairs, silver charger plates, cutlery, glasses: Palazzo Parisio Table number, vintage and vintage-inspired cut glass and silver vessels used as vases: Elegant Impressions

The MAKE-UP Make-up artist Daniela Cassar used a very light beige foundation on Tatjana because she is so tanned. Shimmery and dark purple eye shadow was used to complement her blue eyes, finished off with a subtle use of black liquid eyeliner. A touch of highlight was used on the brow bone to emphasise her large eyes. A shimmer on the cheek bones and, finally, pale pink lipstick with fuchsia in the middle of the lip to plump it up.

The HAIR Hair stylist Jo Briffa went for a smooth, sleek look, since Tatjana’s hair is naturally wavy and has lots of volume. To give the bun a softer look, he added the touch of a wave over her forehead and a simple orchid to enhance the style. When a dress has such an elaborate ballroom style, Jo’s advice is keep the hairstyle simple yet classic.

The BOUQUET Florist Joseph Baldacchino designed a classic teardrop bouquet for the bride which is made up of white, fuchsia and purple orchids.

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vision I creativity I excellence

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17/06/2013 21:38

Maya Baron

ART WD

Contributors Are you looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? You will find my paintings on www.myart-mayabaron.com

Custom made orders are possible

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 using products 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

Kindly contact me on +356 99077925 or via Email: mbaron03@gmail.com

Regards, Maya Baron

VENUE Palazzo Parisio www.palazzoparisio.com • E: info@palazzoparisio.com T: +356 21412461

ART

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

In Love BY

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Campus Sweethearts Rachel Portelli & Omar Saliba | 11.08.2012

Rachel and Omar met at University when they were both reading for a Bachelor of Science degree and ended up being lab partners. A strong friendship soon developed into love. Rachel recalls their first kiss: “Omar took me out to dinner for my 21st birthday and organized a romantic evening with a very special ending at the Mdina Bastions, surrounded by candles everywhere and overlooking the spectacular view. It was simply amazing and I will never forget that moment!�

During the eight years they have spent together they have travelled extensively but, most importantly, after years of hard work, they graduated together; an event which Rachel describes as “a very emotional experience”.

Omar’s proposal swept Rachel off her feet: “He purposely made me think that we were going to Gozo for a mini break to celebrate my birthday. On the day of our departure, I discovered that in actual fact we were going to Venice. I nearly fainted with surprise! We had a lovely stay and I always thought that this vacation was a birthday gift and had no clue there was actually something more to it.

One evening after dinner, we went for a stroll in Piazza San Marco which was deserted except for some violinists performing on the side of the square. Omar took my hands, kneeled and asked me to marry him. I was completely taken by surprise; it was a dream come true, the perfect proposal from my perfect man!”

Rachel bought her dress from Pronovias.

“The dress was named Parabola from the 2012 collection. The long veil was made of tulle with beads all round the edge. I was looking for a simple off-white dress with nothing too fussy but which is elegant, classy and dainty in appearance. I knew it was ‘the’ dress the minute I put it on. It fitted perfectly, highlighted my figure and had all the characteristics I was looking for. It was my

WD | 40

dream dress, made me look young and I loved it immediately.”

Favourite cousins were chosen to be bridesmaids, while Rachel chose her closest friend Charmaine to be her maid of honour. Their dresses were purchased from a bridal shop online site based in the United States, since Rachel was going to travel there for a family wedding anyway. “In fact, apart from friends coming over from Manchester, we were so happy that my dearest Uncle Vince, Aunty Anna and second cousin, Shawn, came over from the US. We were delighted with their presence.”

Omar was highly involved with the wedding, helping Rachel to decide on the colour theme based on chocolate brown, red and cream.

They also made the invitations and Mass booklets together. Since the couple had met at University they chose the University Chapel for their ceremony, because the place holds such a special significance for them.

“We really wanted to choose a very close friend of ours, Aaron, to be our best man, but at that

WD | 41

“Our wedding day was the best day of my life so far” moment he was passing through a very hard time due to illness and we were very undecided what to do. Finally we decided to do as we really wished and asked him. He was delighted with our offer and thankfully all went well. Our best man managed to make it to our wedding and it was great to see him there.”

While everything seemed to be running smoothly in the run up to the big day, the inevitable emotions got the better of Rachel on the eve of her wedding. “The day before, the tension was too much to handle and I cried my eyes out. I was so emotional that I was leaving my parents and the home I had lived in for 28 years. However, on the day, I was very happy and so excited that the big day had arrived and that my childhood dream was about to become reality.”

Speeches have become more popular at Maltese weddings, and Rachel got up to speak before

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their first dance to share some of their special moments with their guests. “I mentioned our happy student life together, our sad moments together and, above all, I shared some of my disastrous cooking experiences which Omar had to be submitted to during the years. It was very funny.”

Looking back at her wedding day, Rachel describes it as the best day of our life, “I was marrying the man that I WD | 44 love. We managed to have

a very intimate Mass and we appreciated that many of our family and friends attended the ceremony. The priest Fr. George Dalli, who celebrated the ceremony, was also the priest who married Omar’s parents and is a close friend of the family. and all of it is captured on film by the talented videographer Jonathan Grech who thinks Rachel and Omar are “such a great couple, with beautiful smiles showing their sincere happiness!

Working for them was more fun than work. Especially when we filmed the pre-wedding video, which took place at the same time as the pre-wedding photo shoot. Of course, their photographer Jessica Moritz with her bubbly nature would’ve gotten anyone to smile, but between the four of us we had a ball of a time.”

Rachel and Omar added, “at the reception, everything was set up and decorated wonderfully, thanks to Joseph and Stefanie, our wedding

planners. We chose our favourite song, The time of my life from the film Dirty Dancing as our first dance and I was so happy that Omar (who hates dancing) danced so much that night. We danced with friends and enjoyed all our guests to the full that night. Finally we had ‘dial a cab taxi as our going away car. Everything was absolutely perfect.”

Style Book Photography Jessica C. Moritz Videographer Jon Grech DRESS Pronovias GROOMS OUTFIT Cefai Formal Wear CEREMONY University Chapel, Msida FLOWERS Flower Arts

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Natalie Rodrigues & Nathan Browne

Back to our Roots

WEDDINGDAY: 14 June 2013

Nathan (affectionately known as Nate) and Natalie (who is known as Nat) met playing oztag, a modified version of rugby league.

Nathan was the referee, and Nat was a player. Mutual friends had suggested they should meet, and after a night out together, they hit it off and have been inseparable ever since.

After six years together, Nathan proposed to Nat on Christmas Day 2011, surrounded by their family. “We decided to get married as we knew we wanted to start the next chapter of our life together. We can’t wait to start a family and enjoy the journey of life in a loving and happy marriage.”

Both Nathan and Nat are Maltese. Nathan’s maternal grandfather was from Hamrun and Nat’s maternal grandparents were from Balzan and Birkirkara. Both families immigrated to Australia in the 1950’s and 60’s. “We have both been to Malta before, and absolutely love the island. We decided to get married in Malta, as we wanted to celebrate our wedding as part of a big

European holiday with our family and friends.

We were married in the same church that Nat’s grandparents were married in, and on the morning of the wedding, Nate got ready in the house that his Nannu was born and grew up in St Venera. There were many sentimental moments throughout the day, that made the day so very special.”

Nat bought her dress from Halo Bridal Designs in Sydney. This brand is now also available here thanks to Steve Jones who has brought this franchise to Malta, and is available at Wedding Bells.

“Initially I was not after anything strapless or “big”. I wasn’t looking for a traditional dress.

When I actually found my dress, I surprised myself with the style of dress that I chose. I spent two days shopping for my dress. The first day was with my mother, mother in-law, sister in-laws and cousins. I felt really disheartened by the end of the day, because there were so many dresses that I tried on, that just weren’t my style. On the second day, I went on my own, and I found my WD | 50

dress straight away.

When I found my dress, I felt like a princess. I knew I had found the perfect dress because it was so comfortable and lightweight, it was simple yet traditional, and it was within my price range. I knew my dress would look perfect for the setting of my Mediterranean wedding.”

Choosing a bridal party proved so difficult, that in the end they decided not have any bridesmaids.

“I don’t have any sisters, so I had too many sister in-laws, cousins and friends to choose from. Also, I’ve always thought that having a bridal party was just an additional expense, and we wanted all our guests to enjoy our wedding, without having to worry about specific duties on the day. We did have one flower girl, Nathan’s niece, Lilly.”

Nat and Nate always wanted to have their parents stand next to them when they got married. Sadly, five weeks before the wedding, Nathan’s father passed away from cancer, and it was a very difficult time for the family in the months leading up to the wedding.

“On the day of our wedding my parents, along

with Nate’s mother and brother, stood by our side as we exchanged our vows,” says Natalie.

The couple agree that their wedding day would not have been possible without the help and guidance from Nat’s Aunt Lillian Spiteri, who coordinated every detail of the wedding in Malta, while they were in Sydney.

The only thing they requested was that they wanted the wedding to be a reflection of their relaxed Aussie style. “We were actually married in a civil ceremony in Australia, two weeks before our wedding in Malta. It was easier for us to be legally married by Australian law; however we will celebrate our wedding anniversary as the 14th June.”

Nathan was very involved in the wedding preparations, especially in the choice of music, but since Nat is an event manager by profession, she took care of most of the details.

“While we took most of the decisions together, I did manage to surprise him with the choice of wedding car, a white Cadillac.”

It was truly an international celebration with guests

flying in from Australia, London, San Francisco, the Canary Islands, and Portugal who joined the many Maltese relatives and friends from both sides of the family.

When it came to the choice of venue, this couple could not have opted for a more perfect place: The Villa.

“We selected this venue because of its exquisite location. St Julian’s has always been one of our favourite places in Malta, and we wanted to share this with our guests. Australian/Maltese friends of ours had also had their wedding at this venue, and were just as impressed. The staff at The Villa was so accommodating, and communication over emails was just so easy.”

They chose to have a sit down menu, and preselected the meals for their 96 guests. “While this is not common in Malta, it is the case for typical Australian weddings. For example for the main meals, guests were given fish or pork belly, and these meals alternated among each guest at their tables. Our cake was a simple two tier almond cake with ivory icing and fresh flowers on top.

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The choice of cake flavour was “different” for us Aussies, and we purposely chose almond as it is traditional for Maltese wedding cakes.”

Looking back, they are very pleased that they chose to have a destination wedding. “We both love Malta, and we couldn’t help but be drawn to our family history to the island. We always thought it was hard to justify spending so much money on a wedding in Australia in just day, so we decided to have a more low-key wedding, and spend the money on a family holiday. While initially the plan was to have a small wedding overseas with 20-30 people, we decided to extend the invitation to all our family and friends and to our surprise they all decided to come along too. We felt very blessed that so many people travelled across the world for our wedding.”

Nat admits that the days leading up to the wedding were hectic with last minute planning, as they only arrived in the country one week prior to our big day.

“However, on our actually wedding day we were both very relaxed, and we enjoyed every moment, as 18 months of planning had finally come together.”

It all went smoothly despite a couple of mishaps.

Nat says that she decided to write her speech on the morning of the wedding, and emailed it to her brother to print off. She then found out there was an error and the email was never received.

So Nat made her speech without any notes, and thankfully remembered every detail that she had written down.

Unfortunately, one of the guests broke her foot while dancing during the wedding, but even that did not dampen anyone’s spirits. “She was lucky enough to be upgraded to Business Class on her flights home back to Sydney.”

“The day was magical, truly a dream come true!”

Style Book Photography The Wanderers, Sydney CEREMONY Our Lady of Annunciation, Balzan BRIDAL GOWN Halo Bridal Designs WEDDING DINNER The Villa, St. Julian’s

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Vanessa Camilleri & Malcolm Silvio

You’re My Best Friend

WEDDINGDAY: 20 July 2013

Vanessa can tell us the exact date she met Malcolm because it was his birthday. They have been living together for about 7 years and are now based in Luxembourg. Although it was not some ‘grand gesture’, his proposal on New Year’s Eve in Paris was still utterly romantic.

“Malcolm suggested a stroll at Place Vendome and asked me to pose for a picture, which I did.

Then he said “This looks like a good picture but I think there is something missing”. I was perplexed until I saw Malcolm taking out a box, opening it and proposing. Although we had discussed getting married, it still came as a surprise and admittedly I did shed a tear.”

For Vanessa and Malcolm, getting married was about throwing a party to celebrate their relationship with family and friends. “Choosing the bridesmaids was easy – the maid of honour was my sister, and my four bridesmaids were my close friends.”

The dresses were made by a family friend who is a professional seamstress. “She was extremely patient, particularly given the fact that two of the bridesmaids live abroad and one of the other bridesmaids was pregnant.”

When it came to his ushers and best men,

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Malcolm also turned to his friends.

“We are part of a big circle of friends, and while we might not see each other often, we remain very close and are always there for each other. Malcolm wanted his closest mates to be involved so we had three best men, including Trevor, of course, who had introduced us!” Other family members and friends were asked to be witnesses to include as many loved ones as possible.

Like many brides, Vanessa threw herself into the research of planning the wedding. Meanwhile, Malcolm gave his feedback about the service providers and ensured all the documentation was properly organized. “We make a great team”, Vanessa adds.

Although they were both brought up Catholic, they are no longer practicing, so they agreed that getting married in church would be “weird and slightly hypocritical”. “In fact the civil ceremony ended up being very much about us, and we loved it. One of the best moments was saying the vows we prepared ourselves because they were the honest, real truth and we meant them. We felt that we were formalizing our bond in front of those who matter most in our lives. I think a civil ceremony gives you the opportunity to create a very intimate gathering. Our celebrant was even related to us through marriage. Without planning it, Malcolm and I were holding each other’s hands tight during the whole ceremony, which was very comforting, and everyone ended up clapping after each of our vows!”

With a breathtaking view overlooking the harbour as the backdrop to their seated dinner and party, the couple were in their favourite element. “We both love

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the planning is over and stressing is useless, so enjoy your SPECIAL DAY!

“There is nothing more special than tying the knot in front of family and friends.”

Valletta and both of us grew up in this area near Bighi, so it represented who we were, who we are and who, hopefully, we will remain. We also love the venue because of its history – the same applies for the beautiful venue where we held the ceremony. Apart from that, a number of our friends are foreign and we wanted to showcase the best our country has to offer.”

The couple included many Maltese touches to the catering, and especially to the cake. “We wanted our cake to have a sophisticated elegance to it and honour Maltese tradition at the same time. We therefore opted for the traditional almond cake but had a buttercream outside layer, with a simple linear pattern – which gave the cake an ethereal, soft appearance. Joseph, of Flower Arts, then added beautiful pale flowers on the cake.”

Vanessa chose Flower Arts after seeing Joseph’s artistry displayed in a photo shoot.

“What we were after was the creation of a sophisticated, elegant, tea garden atmosphere and I knew that his talent was what we were after. Joseph can tell you how many Skype sessions we spent together discussing the types of flowers, the types of leaves and the exact colours – which was all good fun. We understood each other and worked together really well. The flowers on the day turned out beautifully.”

On the evening before the wedding, Vanessa had a glimpse of Joseph’s flowers and she was gobsmacked.

“The flowers were just out of this world and the cage

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arrangements he did were the epitome of romanticism and beauty. Joseph also added some peach roses to the flowers as a surprise and I have to say, this worked wonders. I can only say that Joseph is amazing and he got my thoughts and ideas immediately.”

With a discerning eye for detail, Vanessa made sure that everything was just right and fitted in with the colour scheme. Particular attention was paid to the invitations, and Vanessa found just the right supplier in Aldo Polidano from Polidano Press. “He is helpful, nice, professional and very creative. I am obsessed with stationery so I let this obsession have free reign. “I love the vintage look and that is why we had our invitations letterpressed, the old-fashioned way. The invitation was accompanied with a Menu and an RSVP postcard all finished in the same luxurious and elegant style.”

Aldo Polidano explains that Vanessa’s stationery, though minimal, has a very sophisticated, chic and sleek look.

The thick 600gsm textured board is finished with debossing to create a frame to the letterpressed wording. There were many other unique ideas, such as the ceremony booklets, also printed at Polidano Press. “They were in the shape of a customized fan and included the readings read by our friends throughout the ceremony. We also included a brief history of the venues and an extract from the Maltese book Inez Farrug describing a traditional Maltese wedding. They also printed a series of innumerable items for us – signage and cards to be placed on the tables requesting our guests to upload the photos they take on Instagram. Aldo was fantastic; he spent hours with us designing the stationery. His skills and patience were

greatly appreciated!”

On one of the tables Vanessa placed their grandparents’ photos. “Only one grandfather is alive and the others have unfortunately passed away – we therefore wanted to remind ourselves and the other family members of these great persons who shaped our lives and characters.“ The couple is also full of praise for their photographer Tonio Lombardi. “I think we now see Tonio and his girlfriend, Natalie, as friends. They have such an upbeat and positive attitude and we really like that.

Tonio was recommended to us and when we checked his website we adored his work. His approach is a fun, journalistic one and that was what we were looking for, not stuffy, posed photos. We were after capturing the moment – those hugs, those tears, those smiles, and Tonio just captured that. It was so funny seeing him open the curtains at our house to get the right light and my Mum, who is a perfectionist, freaking out in silence!

But everyone loved him as well as the final results, including my Mum.” Although she is usually paranoid about details and everything being just right, Vanessa recalls feeling very calm and relaxed on the day. “I think I started becoming nervous once it dawned on me that we had to leave home and commence the official celebrations.” As often happens, Vanessa says the whole wedding passed by much too fast and there are moments she just doesn’t remember.

“However, I do clearly remember dancing on the floor for a full 3 – 4 hours and that I ended up dancing barefoot.”

Style Book Photography Tonio Lombardi WEDDING DRESS Lusan Mandongus, Camilleriparismode MAKE-UP Mateja Camilleri FLOWERS Flowers Art INVITATIONS Polidano Press

Daniela Attard & Matthew Sciortino

Vintage Glamour

WEDDINGDAY: 30 June 2012

Some people search their whole life to find their soul mate, but Daniela found hers in her own neighbourhood in Gozo. She and Matthew have been dating since they were 15. “Matthew and I used to live very close to each other in Gozo – his parents’ house was just behind ours in fact. Every morning on his way to school, Matthew used to pass right in front of my house, usually at the same time I left for school.

At first, it was just hello and good morning. By a lucky coincidence, we started taking Chemistry private lessons at the same place. I remember Matthew used to smile at me shyly just before we went in for the lesson. We started chatting online and we

eventually became friends.

Matthew started coming around my house to do Chemistry homework and study together.

From then on, we walked to school together and started getting to know each other better.

One day during an online chat, Matthew asked me to be his girlfriend. I was thrilled and we have been together ever since.

As Matthew always tells me, he found in me all that he was looking for…and I feel the same way about him!”

After ten years, Matthew popped the question over dinner, with a gorgeous engagement ring, adorned with a brilliant-cut diamond, centred by 5 smaller brilliant and princess-cut

diamonds on each side, representing the ten years they have been together.

Daniela immediately knew what theme she wanted for her wedding: “The vintage glamour theme was very in last year. Many foreign magazines were featuring this theme. Then I came across Balistuff on Facebook, and fell in love with the vintage props and elegant design creations for wedding venues.

The designs made our wedding reception stand out from tradition and made every other vintage aspect we chose for the wedding just fall right into place.”

Daniela knew she had found just the right gown when she spotted the mermaid cut dress with lace and Swarovski crystals. “As soon as I saw the dress on the hanger, I got butterflies.

Once I put it on, I immediately fell in love with it – I felt excited, comfortable and elegant in it. It was just what I was looking for and it had a unique feature –

“There is nothing more special than tying the knot in front of family and friends.”

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the Swarovski neckpiece – which helped me realize that it was definitely the one.”

The entire bridal family, including the ushers, were made up of family members and as Daniela puts it, “That way the entire family walked up the aisle on our day.”

The bride left the design of the bridesmaids’ dresses to the dress designer Beatrice Cini, using pure silk, vintage lace and tulle. “I gave her an idea of the theme of the wedding – vintage glamour – she drew the sketches and I instantly knew they would be perfect for my bridal party.

Each dress was slightly different but subtly coordinated.” The delicately draped pale pink dresses worn by the bridesmaids and flower girl gave a soft tone to the bridal party which perfectly complemented Daniela’s theme. The attention to these small but significant details ensured that everything was in keeping with the subdued, almost Olde Worlde glamour image the bride had in mind.

The ushers and groom were elegantly suited by Cefai Formal Wear, a household name in Gozo and Malta when it comes to menswear for weddings.

In keeping with the vintage theme, the couple chose one of Gozo’s oldest venues: a stunning but laid back set-up and exquisite food.

A cocktail hour kicked off the reception, and then the waiters directed the guests to a sit-down dinner, typical of Gozitan weddings. The food was served in flowing buffet style, that is some courses

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were plated while others were served as a buffet.

“This allowed our guests to be comfortably seated throughout the night and to be served at their table, while also being allowed to move about a bit during some courses and mingle with friends and family. As it was a really hot day, we asked that a cold gazpacho soup be served with the antipasto. We also requested four flavours of BBQ kebabs to be served after the pasta station. A rose champagne sorbet was then served between the kebabs and the meat station to clean the palette and also re-instate the pale pink colour scheme of our vintage-inspired wedding. The four tier, black and ivory cake had black lace motifs and pale pink sugar peony flowers. “As a cake topper, we used the same porcelain ‘Circle of Love’ figurine which the bride’s sister and brotherin-law used for their wedding, in remembrance of their own 5th wedding anniversary on the same day.” The vintage decor helped to transform the venue from the usual wedding dinner into a sparkling magical place: hanging chandeliers, baubles and candelabras gave the place a very

special ambiance on this balmy summer evening. Delicate pink and fuchsia baby roses, to match the bride’s bouquet, decorated the tables. The same type of flowers also adorned the pews of the Church.

Although the weeks prior to the wedding were quite stressful, because they wanted to make sure everything was perfect, the day before the wedding Daniela and Matthew felt quite laidback and looking forward to the big day.

“In fact, everything went very smoothly and exceeded our expectations.”

Style Book Photography George Scintilla CEREMONY St. George’s Basilica, Victoria, Gozo GROOM & USHERS Cefai Formal Wear

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Melanie Kelly & Ryan Mizzi

When Love Comes Along…

WEDDINGDAY: 17 August 2013

There is a lot of truth in the saying that love comes along when you are not looking for it, and this was certainly the case with Melanie and Ryan. They also say opposites attract: she is an extrovert, and a familiar face to many television viewers, while Ryan is more low-key.

“Ryan is over 6 foot and I am barely 5 feet. If the world were to crumble he would watch it sitting comfortably on the sofa and I would run around like a mad woman. I am a cannon ball and he is extremely laid back. I need everything to be done ASAP and Ryan needs a couple of hours, if not days. We have realised that we might not be soul mates but we sure love one another. We made the ultimate commitment when we decided to have a baby, our son Danny.”

Both had been married before (incredibly enough on the same day one year apart) and both had their marriages annulled. They knew what it meant when a marriage goes wrong and they were not really thinking about doing it again.

“But when little Danny came along I longed to be able to call Ryan my husband and I longed to walk up the aisle to him. I started hinting heavily but the proposal never came so eventually I gave up. Then, on our seventh year anniversary during a meal, the waiter came and put a silver cloche in front of me. I found this beautiful diamond ring and I cried for three minutes flat. That same night I had already set the date and written the guest list!”

Planning a second wedding presents its own

unique challenges, and having already done the “whole big wedding dress” thing, Melanie knew right away what Planning a second wedding presents its own unique challenges, and having already done the “whole big wedding dress” thing, Melanie knew right away what she wanted: “it had to be chic, sexy, simple, classic, dance-proof and would not require anyone to accompany me every time I went to the Ladies’ room. I started searching the Internet for ideas when I stumbled upon THE DRESS. I tried ordering it, however since the wedding was only a few months away the dress was not going to arrive in time. I found this amazing, sweet and talented dressmaker, Silvana, who made the dress for me – and I dare say she did an even better job than the picture I gave her!”

It was going to be a small wedding celebration so they had only one very cute little page boy, their son Danny whose ensemble was purchased from Monsoon.

With only 150 guests, this was a very intimate wedding.

“Our best man was my beloved brother-in-law, who my sister and I also call Ryan’s soul mate as the two of them get on like a house on fire. It was an easy choice because Martin is efficient, hard working, reliable and so organised. We could not have chosen anyone else.

The wedding ran so smoothly thanks to him.”

Quite cheerfully, Melanie admits everything was in her hands: “Well Ryan did go for the suits, and he did nod every time I asked for his opinion,” she says with a laugh.

“Unlike me, Ryan hates public displays in any way so we did not write our own vows, however, I did get to choose the readings and I chose a favourite extract by Louis de Bernieres from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.”

When it came to the venue, Melanie knew exactly what she wanted. “The Hilton was the first place we went to and we immediately fell in love with The Blue Elephant.

It was perfect. The two main factors were that we would be allowed to play the music loudly all night and that it was air-conditioned. The venue is simply enchanting, different and unique. It is like walking into a tropical forest, full of plants with the little lake, the fish, the waterfall, the bridge and the different sections – it was love at first sight! Also the whole ambience reminded

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YOU TAKE CARE OF THE VOWS. WE’LL HANDLE THE REST. Your wedding day is perhaps the most significant day of your life.

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You will have your own Wedding Planner to help every step of the way by providing you with a detailed plan and dedicated support. Our Executive Chef, Joe Vella, and his team offer a superb choice of menus, and if there are other dishes you would like, we will cater for it. We can arrange rehearsals and a menu tasting beforehand. You can also hold your civil ceremony at our beautiful venue, should you wish. Everything in other words, to make your big day even more special.

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Ryan and I of Thailand which is a cherished holiday of ours. The cherry on the cake was when, just one day before the wedding, we were informed that the orchids from Thailand had arrived.” Melanie describes the ceremony as special and magical. “I had lanterns placed down the aisle and two big candelabra on each side of the table. The palm trees swaying lazily in the wind, the setting sun and the deep blue Mediterranean sea in the background. My best friend Andreana sang my personal favourite A thousand years. I walked up the aisle on Cloud 9, tears rolling down my cheeks, holding on to

two of my favourite men, my father and my son. I was actually very laid back all day but the nerves kicked in once I was in the dress walking towards the ceremony venue. When I joined Ryan he whispered in my ear how beautiful I looked. It was all so intimate, so personal, so perfect and so memorable.”

Sarah Hartley, the person in charge of weddings and events at The Hilton was wonderful. “She was so helpful and accommodating and ever so efficient. The staff at the Blue Elephant were courteous and charming in their gold uniforms and the managers were simply outstanding.

The night went so smoothly, every

Style Book Photography Kristian - Wedding Photography Malta CEREMONY Hilton Pageboy’s outfit Monsoon RECEPTION The Blue Elephant, Hilton Malta

detail was taken care of and all that was left for us to do was just to relax and enjoy the night. I knew that the catering at The Hilton was in a league of its own so my mind was at rest that my guests would be completely satisfied. The Blue Elephant buffet table was simply exquisite. We wanted our guests to experience the fine dining of the venue and it was highly praised. In fact, our friends kept telling us to get married every week! I felt surrounded by love and happiness everywhere I turned. Everyone had so much fun so much that even my photographer did not leave when his time was up.”

The wedding topper could not have been more descriptive of this couple’s relationship. The groom is comfortably

sitting on the sofa watching TV while the bride is standing over him frowning at him for being so lazy. “It is so Ryan and I, and the beautiful thing about this is that we actually joke about it.”

“Looking back I smile and cherish the memories of my wedding day especially when Ryan and I were having our first dance and we were interrupted by our son who joined in. Holding them both in my arms I felt truly blessed. I will end with the words I ended my speech with: ‘Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family, whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.”

“It was special because it was the one thing I knew I would never regret.”

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Maryliz Baldacchino & Conrad Borg

Pastels for Spring

WEDDINGDAY: 12 May 2013

Not many weddings start with a church ceremony in Malta and then transport all the guests by ferry for a lavish reception at one of Gozo’s leading hotels.

But this couple did just that, holding their Mass at the parish church in Zurrieq, with the whole wedding party travelling to Gozo for the reception “so it was quite an adventure”, Maryliz adds.

Accountancy brought Maryliz and Conrad together when they were still students at Junior College but it took four years for them to become a couple.

“Conrad proposed two years later and by then we were quite aware of each other’s characters, wishes and what we wanted. In fact, we were already discussing the idea of buying a home.”

It was during a weekend break in Gozo that Conrad prepared his very romantic gesture.

When Maryliz entered the bedroom it was lit with candlelight and on the bed he had written with pot pourri the words “I LOVE YOU”. “He then gave me a box the size of a

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“It was great meeting guests on the ferry and taking photos.” shoe box and as I started to unwrap it, I found another wrapping and in between a photo of us.

At the back of the photo he had written some sentimental memos and highlighted a letter in the paragraph. I continued to unwrap one wrapper after another and every time I find a photo with a memo at the back, until finally when I put all the letters together they formed the sentence “Will you marry me?” On the last photo he asked me to answer the question and obviously I wrote “YES”. Finally the last wrapper revealed a small box and when I opened the lid there was another photo and the box was filled with dried flowers under which was the engagement ring! He had also timed the date of the proposal for 10/10/10.”

The choice of venue was naturally, the Kempinski San Lawrenz. With its lush greenery, the palm trees, sprawling landscaped gardens and enormous pool, the Kempinski provides a perfect venue for a spring wedding under glorious sunshine. There are many details such

as the small bridge and immaculately kept lawns, which will provide a great backdrop for your photos.

“We love Gozo; it’s serene and not hectic.

You can still see the old traditions and live a quiet life, so Gozo was a must for our wedding. We didn’t have any special requests except that we wished to have cuisine from different parts of the world.”

The invites were done by Polidano Press. Aldo Polidano explains that the style chosen was completely customised according to the clients’ requests. “Maryliz wanted a wallet style of invitation which was printed to match her colour scheme. The wallet was finished with a flap that contained the additional information cards. The main invitation card was double layered and we used letterpressing in silver foil.”

Maryliz adds that the colour scheme was also included with the cake. “Instead of the traditional all white wedding cake we inserted touches of pink and blue. A platform was also built over the kids’ pool and the cake was set up there to make it look like it was floating on

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water.”

The flowers for the bridal bouquet by Joseph Baldacchino from Flower Arts were a lovely mixture of pinks, ivory, violet and touches of green. Pink and ivory flowers decorated the large glass vases at the reception. Maryliz didn’t know what kind of dress she wanted, but she knew what she didn’t want: no mermaid dress or a fitted dress. “I wanted it to have some lace and not too many ruffles.

I was looking for something between an A line and a ball gown but certainly not a large ball gown due to my short height. My sister got married 4 years ago and she was telling me that once you find the right dress you will feel butterflies in your stomach. I had almost given up after trying around 20 dresses and not once feeling a little flutter of a butterfly. I thought maybe I was different, but not one of the dresses I had tried on was really convincing me. Finally I accepted to try on a dress which did not have a wide skirt, thinking that I had nothing to lose. I immediately fell in love with the fabric and as soon as I tried it on my eyes welled up with tears. I knew it was the dress I was looking for. Although the under skirts were

narrow, the overskirt made of tulle was full and it made the dress look like it had a wide skirt.”

The couple roped in various members of their family for the bridal party, the groomsmen and the best men. “When it came to the style for the bridesmaids, it was down to what suited them best and what went with my dress and the theme of the wedding.

My aunt, who has been sewing wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses all her life, was the obvious choice to make their dresses.”

Conrad was quite involved in the preparations and helped in the selection of the wedding vendors and in making the major decisions. While they didn’t have a particular theme, they agreed that they wanted simplicity and elegance. “All we wished for were pastel colours particularly pinks and blues and something natural with a country feeling but at the same time a bit vintage.”

As the wedding approached both Conrad and Maryliz could not believe how close to the wedding date they were. “We had so much to do that we did not see the time fly by. It only started to sink in when guests were

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coming over to our homes with the gifts. There was a small mishap the night before the wedding when my three-year-old niece locked herself in the bathroom and there was some slight panic. However, we finally managed to explain to her how to remove the key from the lock so that she could slide it under the door and we could let her out.”

“On the day of the wedding, I was looking forward to arriving at the church. It was actually fun; it was the day we had all been preparing for.”

As the sun was setting, coloured lights were lit around the pool casting a reflection which created an amazing atmosphere and everyone enjoyed themselves dancing the night away.

Style Book Photography Fotogenic CEREMONY St Catherine’s Parish Church, Zurrieq FLOWERS Flower Arts INVITATIONS Polidano Press GROOM & USHERS Cefai Formal Wear VENUE Kempinski San Lawrenz

Kempinski Magic

Your wedding should be a dream come true, a magical fairytale with that one moment where everything seems to come to a stop and all that matters is you and your prince charming.

Make this a Kempinski Moment, we are here for you every step of the way!

T. 2211 0000

www.kempinski.com/gozo

The Bride

Make-Over

Diane Darmanin Saliba lives the day of her dreams when she gets the WD makeover treatment!

The venue: LE MERIDIEN Le Meridien, St Julian’s was our location for this shoot, where we used the La Bajja terrace and pool deck.

Balluta bay and the parish church proved to be the perfect backdrop for our photos. The staff provided us with a lovely suite overlooking the bay so that the ladies could get ready, and everyone was very helpful to ensure that the photo shoot ran smoothly.

La Bajja is one of the highest rooftop restaurants in Malta, and is perfect to catch the summer breeze if you are opting for an outdoor wedding with the advantage of a covered area which gives some welcome shade.

The twinkling lights of picturesque Balluta bay with its traditional Maltese boats turn the place into a magical venue for the evening.

Contact: Le Meridien, St Julian’s Hotel & Spa T: 23110000 sales.malta@lemeridien.com

Our makeover for this issue has a great background story. Diane has a five-year-old daughter from a previous relationship and as a single mother has had to cope with her share of hardships, including losing her job twice, and dealing with family illness.

It was at a low point in her life that she met Jonathan, an old family friend, whom she has known for 20 years. They hit it off immediately and he proposed soon afterwards. They will be getting married in October of next year. Because of all her ups and downs, her good friend Amanda nominated her without her knowledge for this makeover and she was understandably thrilled when we chose her.

“It has always been my dream to do a makeover; I just love the idea of being pampered. Even the planning of it all was exciting,” said Diane.

Annalise’s tip:

Gaby’s tip:

“an upstyle is best to avoid frizziness”

“keep it natural....try to look like yourself”

Hairstyle by Analise Azzopardi Annalise will soon be opening The Strand Hairstylist in Gzira after re-locating from Rabat, so we are very pleased to feature her work in this makeover.

Diane has a thick head of hair so Annalise opted to create soft curls using hot tongs, and then pulling it into a loose upstyle, which is her recommendation for someone with lots of hair. An upstyle is particularly suited to humid weather, something to bear in mind when consulting with your hairdresser.

“I used part of her own hair for padding as she has lots of volume and I then pulled it into a soft bun on the side. The style is enhanced with a loose side braid which is very fashionable at the moment. To complete the look I used the band from Pronovias as a tiara,” Annalise points out.

Contact: The Strand hairstylist Annalise Azzopardi M: 77469823

Make-up by Gaby Naudi Diane does not usually wear make up so after asking her what she would be comfortable with, Gaby from D Beauty Zone in Gharghur decided to keep things natural. She used shades of brown eye shadow and gold highlighter with the bride’s naturally dark complexion, then outlined her brown eyes with black eyeliner.

A rosy brown blusher and neutral skin tone lipstick completed Diane’s look. The makeup photographs beautifully and yet remains natural and the bride still looks like ‘herself’ – which Gaby feel is the way bridal makeup should be and is the advice she always gives to her clients.

The verdict from Diane was a big, wide smile: “Yes, I like it!”

Contact: Gaby Naudi D Beauty Zone, Triq 3l ta’ Marzu, Gharghur T: 27414411 M:79442554

W WW.PRO N OV I A S.CO M TH E WOR LD’ S LE A D I N G B R I DA L H OU SE O F F ER IN G A VAS T SELECT I O N O F BREAT HTAK I NG LY BEAU T I FU L A ND A FFO R DA B L E WE DDI NG G OWNS, ACC E S SO R I E S A ND CO C K TA I L D R E SS E S T HAT ARE CREAT ED USI NG T HE FI N E S T M AT E R I A L A ND WI T H AT T E NT I O N TO T H E T I NI E S T DE TA I L .

PRO N OVIAS 2 014 BRI DAL AND CO CK TAI L CO LLEC T I O NS A R E E XC LU S I VE LY AVA I L A B L E AT O U R S TO R E AT T H E S T R A ND - G ZI R A .

E: P RO NOVI A S @B I G B O N.CO M .M T · T: 23 88 9 3 80

The Dress by pronovias Fiona Gauci from Pronovias was very helpful when it came to choosing just the right style of dress for Diane, who was very excited about the whole process. “We went for a completely different style to what Diane is used to, and she thought it would not suit her, but when she tried it on, she was surprised at how much she liked the dress. The dress is very good for someone of her height.”

This long-waisted Ocal gown has an A-line skirt made of tulle with guipure lace appliqués. The heart -shape neckline has a removable tulle camisole with a crew neckline and cap sleeves with appliqués that match the dress.

Diane agrees: “It felt like a dream to put on this beautiful dress and I really love the sweetheart neckline.”

Contact: Pronovias, The Strand, Gzira T: 2388 9380 E: pronovias@bigbon.com.mt THE BOUQUET Charmaine from Flower Design in Siggiewi created this bouquet of deep red roses and burnished Autumn leaves, interspersed with diamante studs.

Contact: Flower Design on +356 21467279

WD | 88

TRY IT ON!

don’t worry if the dress is not your usual style. You might be pleasantly SURPRISED!

DIAne’s verdict:

We have had many makeovers but rarely have we seen a bride who beams from start to finish like Diane. She was such an easygoing ‘model’, who thoroughly enjoyed every step of the photo shoot, and told us she was even excited when we were messaging back and forth to set it all up! From the make-up to the hairstyle to the choice of bridal gown, Diane was nodding with happiness throughout, loving every minute of what it feels like to be a bride and to be pampered so much.

“Thank you for this wonderful experience. I loved every second of it.”

For this issue we have introduced a brand new concept to our makeover photo shoot – a hand-made bridesmaid dress, designed by the talented fashion designer Donna Caruana from Emmaya.

Katerina Vella Ryabkova photo-journalistic lifestyle photographer, who provides a wide variety of photographic services, covering all aspects of Weddings, Personal and Family events.

+356 99536694 www.facebook.com/ katerinavellaryabkova http://katerinaryabkova. blogspot.com photobykaterina@ gmail.com

the Strand Hairstylist Our goal is to bring an unprecedented level of service with the latest fashion together with luxury services for our customers. We take pride in making our customers and guests feel and look beautiful.

Whether you want a contemporary, classic cut or a funky avant-garde style, we are sure you will be pleased with our experience, as well as the result.

90, The Strand, Sliema +356 77469823

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

All he wants for christmas is You! ROMANCE UNDERNEATH THE CHRISTMAS TREE. Book your wedding celebrations before christmas and we’ll extend these christmas gifts to you…

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

10% discount on your total food bill free venue and free wedding cake ONE HOUR OPEN BAR ON THE HOUSE! free overnight stay for the bridal couple on the wedding day  free easy parking for your wedding guests  red carpet

   

Call 2311 2109 or email: events.malta@lemeridien.com

N 55° 35’ E 30° 14’

LE MERIDIEN ST. JULIANS HOTEL + SPA 39, MAIN STREET, BALLUTA BAY ST JULIANS STJ 1017 T: +356 2311 0000

infolmsj@lemeridien.com lemeridienmalta.com

The above offer is only valid for wedding celebrations booked prior to midnight on the 24th of December 2013. Terms and conditions apply and may vary depending on the number of attendees. Please contact us for additional information.

Flower Design Siggiewi Wedding flowers and decorations with an elegant style to perfection.

We do flowers for all occasions and events.

Contact us on: +356 21467279

+356 79294542

flowerdesignsiggiewi@ gmail.com

www.flowerdesignsiggiewi. com

THE BridesMaid: Donna works with her dressmaker to bring her dreamy, one-off creations to life. It took around one month to make this lovely strapless mermaid gown with its hand-pleated bodice and deconstructed blossom detail in the skirt.

The layering of black organza over white raw silk was a creative yet effective and modernist solution to tie in the bridesmaid’s dress with a black and white colour scheme.

“There is a growing demand from clients who prefer bespoke occasion wear,” Donna says.

“Once you have experienced a custom-made exclusive dress you will never go back to buying off-the-rack. My service is ideal for those who are after a gown that fits their personality and figure beautifully. I am inspired by lots of different things, such as the theme and colour scheme and, of course, I am careful to keep to the bride’s budget. With custom-made gowns, the client is involved in the creation of the dress every step of the way as it’s a very personal process. We first do a consultation, then I come up with a few designs from which we choose the final design during the second consultation. We then take the

measurements and source the fabrics and any embellishments. Finally, we have a few fittings, until we are completely happy with the fit of the dress.

The advantage of Emmaya designs is that they bring out my clients’ best features and the gowns are constructed to flatter and enhance the figure and are finished to perfection.”

Specialising in all types of occasion wear, Donna designs wedding gowns, dresses for the bridal party, as well as gowns for the mothers of the bride and groom. Bookings are currently open for 2014 and 2015 weddings.

Contact: Emmaya by Donna Caruana M. 99827762 www.emmaya.com www.facebook.com/emmayaluxury Model: Jessica Lupi Make-up: Donna Caruana Hair: Clinton Chetcuti at Vigorous - Power to Your Hair

Katerina Vella Ryabkova stepped in to be our photographer for this photo shoot. With her discerning eye for detail and ability to make her models comfortable, Katerina has managed to capture the exquisite beauty of the bridal gown and of this custom-made Emmaya gown.

Unique and exclusive!

Your bridal party will be thrilled with their bespoke dresses!

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

Qormi The Floral Designer, Bertu Hyzler Street, Qormi

Santa Lucia Drago stationery/ sub-post office, 6 Centru Civiku

Santa Venera Shane P. Watts Photography ,162 Carini Street

Birzebbugia Jo Briffa @ Hairoscope, Prof. A. Tabone Street

Floriana Hamilton Travel, Floriana

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

St Julian’s Wedding specialist - Westin Dragonara 1-2-3 Boutique – Westin Dragonara Wedding specialist - Intercontinental Hotel Wedding specialist - Radisson Blu The Villa, Balluta Bay Wedding specialist - Le Meridien Wedding specialist - The Hilton Sarah Young – Y Plan Events, Diodorus Siculus Str. Icing On the Cake Wedding Planners, No. 5, Elgin Court, Sigra Lane San Gwann Village Inkspot, Triq is-Santwarju Metro Stationery, Naxxar Road Biggie Best, Vjal ir-Rijan Sliema Monsoon, Bisazza Street Trading Post, Gorg Borg Olivier Street Markers, Dingli Street The Strand Hairstylist, The Strand 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

Mdina Xara Palace Hotel, Misrah il-Kunsill B’Kara Custom Lab, Ltd. Olaf Gollcher Street, Ta’ Paris Oreana Stationery & Bazaar, L. Casolani Street Charles & Ron, 89, Ignatio Saverio Mifsud Street Conrad Briffa, Tumas Galea Street, Ta’ Paris Alistair Fenech, No. 1 Triq Dun Karm Landau Stationery, 84 Mannarino Road Mosta Cefai Formal Wear, Independence Avenue Charming Diva, Constitution Street Centre confectionary, Constitution Street Educare, Constitution Street Kudos, Vjal il-Qalbiena Mostin Lija Garfields, 2 Triq Mikelang Borg Attard 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 Floreal, Labour Avenue Gharghur Jonathan Grech videographer D Beauty Zone, Triq 31 ta’ Marzu

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

Qrendi Bestmark, Triq Rokku Buhagiar Luqa Malta Event Design, 19, Wesghat Dun J. Camilleri 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 il-Qalliet Marsaxlokk Old Trafford, Triq l-Arznell Bugibba Charles’ Stationary, Pioneer Road A & D Souvenirs, Trunciera Road

Qawra Boutique Claudia, Triq il-Maskli Mgarr HBR Hairdressing, Triq il-Majjistral 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 Elegant Impressions, 8th Sept.Avenue, Xaghra Ta’ Cenc Hotel, Sannat Pen & Pencil, Independence Avenue, Ghajnsielem Terence Stationery, 13th Dec. Avenue, Nadur Adriana Scicluna, make-up artist, 59, St George’s Street, Victoria

WEDDINGDAY

MOJO Publishing Limited

www.issuu.com/WEDDINGDAY

info@weddingdaymalta.com