Each gown we make has a certain level of difficulty. We’ve found a way to measure it so we can incorporate it when we compute the cost.

But this is one level of difficulty that i won’t be able to measure ….

Met up with a mom and a bride a few days ago. And the conversation went like this

Me : hello po, good afternoon po.

Mom : (looked at me from head to toe) …ah. .wala ka ba mga gowns dito, yung mga gawa mo?

Me : ay meron pong kaunti, yung mga gowns na ready for pick up, tsaka some pictures po of previous gowns we’ve done. We don’t really make gowns that are not meant for someone. (mental note – finish those samples for display!)

Mom : uhhmm patingin ha (went to the rack and inspected everything) even those that are meant for fittings, she even went to the fitting room to check on the gowns. Niko was there with an entourage and both of them gasped when she peeked without even knocking.

Bride : mom, look at these pics o! Gaganda ng gowns nya talaga!

Mom : o sige, patingin.Hmmmmm anong tela yan?Maganda yan.Patingin pa ng iba.

Me : ah pina silk po (hay salamat! Mukhang okay naman pala)

Bride : ganda sya gumawa ng pina mommy no? Parang gusto ko nga rin pina eh. Kaya lang mahal yata, gumagawa ka rin ba ng hindi pina? pina lang ba ang kaya mong gawin? Ganda ka rin ba gawa ng hindi pina? Kasi sabi nila magaling ka daw eh, pero parang sa pina lang? ….

Mom : oo nga, sabi nila magaling ka daw, pero la ka naman samples, sige patingin ako ng iba mo pang gawa.

Me : (grrrrrr… ) ah gumagawa rin po kami ng hindi mga pina, marami rami rin po yun. . ah how did you find out about us?

Mom : eh ito kasi anak ko, yung barkada nya ,ang hilig sa computer, internet – internet, ayun, nakita ka nila. Tapos yung friend ng friend nya, kaw daw gumawa, (mentioned the name of the bride) kita ko nga, ganda naman… eh magkano ba yun?! Di yun pina, ayaw ko ng pina eh, pang-matanda!….Yung maganda bagsak, malambot lang.

Me : ay pina cocoon po yun. Wag na po yung price nung gown nya, di ko po kasi binibigay yung presyo ng gown ng brides ko eh. Baka po kasi magalit yung bride. . .Sketch po muna ako? Kasi po we don’t have fixed prices, we compute po based on the design. Upo po muna tayo? Kanina pa po tayo naghahabulan eh, heheheh

…. do you have any pictures of your preference? Para more or less, i’ll have an idea of what you want?

Bride : eh sabi nila magaling ka daw eh, kaw na mag-isip.

Me : eheheheh (sapakin ko kaya to?) in a jokingly manner – ehhehe sino ba nagsabi nun, masakal!

Okay po sige, san ang wedding, you want a long train ba? Si ___ kasi haba train nya eh.

Mom : oo gusto ko mahaba, madaming beads ha.

Me : gulp.. okay po, so hindi po pina no?

Mom : oo hindi, pangit pina eh, pang matanda!!

Went to the rack again and pulled one train, …

Mom : “ eto ganda to! Ganito, ganito gusto ko! Ganda oh, dami ng beads o, ang kintab kintab”
“ uy, uy uy tulungan mo ko!” . (She signalled to Niko who was then passing by. She pulled the train hard that some beads got stuck on the hanger). “ Wait lang po.. ako na po” – Niko

Me : eh pina po yan eh . .

Mom : ay ayaw ko nyan! di maganda! Baka naman pina lang kaya mo ha! Gusto ko yung kay Claudine, ganun gusto ko! Puti….

Me : ay biglang pumangit? Hehehe Niko, pakilabas mo nga yung gowns na hindi pina.

Looking at the pictures on my laptop . . : eto eto eto maganda oh, hindi pina!! Pero maganda! (pointing at two brides wearing Italian Satin and Mikado Silk), ayan ayan, maganda! Pero gusto ko mas madaming beads dyan ha, puro Swarovski!! Addressing her daughter – wag ka mag-pina! Pangit!

Bride : gusto ko kasi yung makinang talaga at pagdating ng reception mag-iiba na ha

Niko butting in . . . ay ok po, gumagawa rin kami ng mirror ball!! Transformers pala naman ang gusto Tita eh…. Niko stood beside me while sketching.

Niko : O ang ganda nyan, hindi po yan pina! Mikado ba tita? Sandali kukuha ko ng Mikado . .

After presenting two sketches which they both liked, thankfully. I presented the fabrics and discussed the embellishment Gave them the price . .

Mom : ang mahal!! Eh mabuti pa ibaba mo ang presyo mo.

Me : ehehe, ayan po talaga eh. Kasi sabi nyo po gusto nyo ng maraming beads di ba? Ang dami po nyan!

Bride : mom, gusto ko sya talaga eh, ganda naman talaga di ba?

Me : (wag na, please please) uy thank you po

Mom : o sige na, magkano na? Magkano na? Mura lang gusto ko! Bawasan mo yan ng 30 thousand!

Me : gasp!ay naku tita! . . eh, ano po ang babawasan ko? Tanggalin ko na po ba yung train?

Mom : wala ka ng ibabawas! Presyo lang!

Me: eh tita hindi naman po pwede yun.. yan po talaga ang presyo eh. (Juice ko! Ano ba ito!)

Mom : naku naman, ang mahal mahal eh, bawasan mo na (this time, it was a sweeter tone)

Me : Tita, pag-isipan nyo po muna, di naman po tayo nagmamadali eh.. Yan po talaga ang presyo kung ganyan po kadaming embellishments ang gusto ninyo. Gusto nyo po babawasan ko yung embellishment. Maganda pa rin naman po yun. Tsaka para po di rin masyadong mabigat.

Bride and Mom : eh maganda yan eh!

Me : ay thank you po, sige po pag-isipan nyo po muna. Tawagan nyo na lang po ako kung ok na tayo.

Mom : basta tatawad pa ako! Lahat ikaw na gagawa! Bigyan mo ako ng package price!

Niko who was hiding from afar,wide-eyed, was vigorously shaking his head. .

Me : okay po tita, tawagan nyo na lang po ako…

Mom : babalik kami ha, bawasan mo presyo mo. Sabi nila magaling ka eh. Kaw na ang gusto ko! Sige, galingan mo!

And they left.

And they left me dumbstruck.

Juice ko! Help!