I’ve been wanting to blog for quite some time, but yes, couldn’t find the time. Between meeting new brides, making friends during fittings, getting excited during weddings, breastfeeding my baby, preparing my kids for school and malling every thursday. Busy? Di naman masyado.

I’ve been wanting to blog about Carol, my ex-bride and currently matron of honor for my June – her sister – bride. If there’s such a thing as a professional bride, she’s the one. From the time we met, she kept me on my toes. She’s never late. Always very clear, very precise about what she likes. From the ethnic embroidery to the rhinestone beading to the exact color of the thread and to the structured detailing of her train. She was always in control. It was challenging.

I spend time with brides during fittings, making chika about their preps, their love stories, their whatevers, coz I love it. That’s how I get to know them better. That’s how I gain friends. But with Carol, it’s different. She arrives, fits and goodbye. And everytime, she leaves me puzzled. Did she really like what I did? Hmmmmm. . .Well I hope so. I know I like it.

She’s a fashionista, and an intelligent one at that. Not just the label, but the detail and the construction. She dresses very well and she criticizes without hesitation. And after every fitting, she’d say ok naman. For real? Is she just settling? :-/

Hay naku, basta nagagandahan ako. Bahala na.

When she picked up her gown, she did say; “Maganda. Okay. See you sa wedding”.
I was still puzzled.

I am used to brides giving me thank you notes, small tokens and kilig shrieks after each wedding I make. I am up to now, still thrilled and happy many days after each and every successful wedding. But I was really surprised and my head just bloated with sheer happiness, when she gave me this testimonial after the wedding.

Once again, my husband and I wish to express our admiration for the quality, consistency and the professionalism of your output. . . .

I like beautiful clothes, I even sacrifice a significant amount of my savings to be able to acquire clothing I like. If it is too out of budget, I go out of my way to have something similar made. The quality of your work is really one of the few outstanding ones I have seen. It is not the design that I loved most about the gown. It was really the workmanship and the care that went into making it, which was very evident from the embroidery, to the beadwork, to the zippers and the folds, down to the very delicately woven brooches made with Piña. . . .

May you continue to share your art through your gowns and stay as professioanl as you are.

Carolyn Tongco with Alvin Panugayan

I make gowns that I believe fits well and I dont stop till I get the perfect look, the just right. I know it’s right, when a gown makes me smile, makes me beam. I knew I was able to deliver, but not to the level she has brought me to – a greater and deeper appreciation of my work.

I’ve always been what I am now to my past brides – the working schedule, getting approval for the beadwork, checking every seam and finishing of each gown we make, keeping my brides posted on everything, and being totally honest with them. Because they deserve it. But somehow she gave my working attitude a new label – Professional. NAKS!

Thank you, thank you for making me love my work more.

If only I can show my clothing tech teachers what she wrote me, I’m sure they would’ve been proud of me.