All the beautifully personal touches in the Concepcion-Kolë wedding
To put together a grand-scale wedding is no easy feat, more so within the span of six months. But for editor and Pilates instructor Monica Concepcion Kolë, the planning flowed naturally. Having the film “The Wedding Planner” as one of her favorites growing up was certainly reflected in how hands-on and personal the entire process became for her.
Seven years of being together and a six-month engagement culminated in the wedding, which took place last December at the Santuario de San Antonio Parish, with a reception at the Grand Hyatt in BGC.
“When it came to planning my wedding, it, in a way, flowed naturally, because through the years, I’ve been eyeing certain details through travels, movies, shows, and various aspects of different weddings I attended that helped me create the theme behind my wedding in six months,” Concepcion Kolë tells Lifestyle Inquirer.
For example, her love for period dramas, novels like “Jane Eyre,” and learning about the monarchies of Europe became inspirations for the wedding’s creative vision. “The ceremony focused on the Victorian period. The outfits they wore, to the interior design of the houses, to the handwritten letters—[these] were just some of the many things that I loved about that time,” she says.
Anna Bautista, a friend of the couple, was the mind behind the wedding’s branding, which translated into the personalized letters the couple sent their guests. She designed their logo, incorporating details like the couple’s dogs, wheat representing the Concepcion family’s flour milling business, and the edelweiss flower representing Austria, where the groom, Henry Kolë, was born.
A moment for the dress
The gown was one of the first things Concepcion Kolë decided on, choosing as early as a month after the proposal. Much like the theme of the wedding, it was her love for romantic comedies and period dramas that guided her choice.
“In one of the movies entitled ‘Bride Wars,’ Kate Hudson wore a beautiful Vera Wang dress, which, for me, was the initial gown I wanted to go for,” Concepcion Kolë says. But she admits that during the decision process, she had been debating whether to design one or pick out a gown from a bridal house.
“I thought to myself it would be best to fit different designs first to see what style fits me best,” she says, adding that she recommends brides go through this process. “Some pieces that I thought wouldn’t look good on me fit me well, compared to some that I thought would fit me but didn’t make me feel a certain way.”
Though Vera Wang’s “Bride Wars” dress—her dream dress, Concepcion Kolë shares—was a strong contender, she ultimately went with Monique Lhuiller’s “Verona,” a ball gown made with chantilly lace, with a sweetheart bodice. She then paired this with an off-shoulder lace jacket from Monique Lhuiller as well.
Personal touches
“For me, the things I look forward to most at weddings are the meaningful touches,” Concepcion Kolë shares. It’s why she made sure to pay homage to the many special moments and people in both their lives during the wedding.
Concepcion Kolë’s bouquet, for example, bore photographs of five loved ones on small ornate frames dangling from the bouquet. “It felt right having my grandparents, ‘Poppy’ Joecon Concepcion, Cielito Orosa, Jose Orosa, my beloved ninang Kathy Chang, and my loyal companion and paw baby, my yorkie named Lily Concepcion, with me close to my heart as I walk down to my new home with my husband, Henry,” Concepcion Kolë says.
Her flower of choice was lily of the valley—“an elegant choice for me, with its delicate, white, bell-shaped flowers and its lightly scented, sweet aroma,” she says. Add to the fact that the flowers symbolized purity, happiness, sincerity, and prosperity, which made them perfect blossoms to carry on the momentous occasion.
Some of Concepcion Kolë’s non-negotiables for the wedding were the vows of the newlyweds (“I love hearing the vows as it tells me a bit more about who they are as a couple and their journey from their POV”), and as a romcom lover, the same-day edit was equally essential. (“Seeing a real-life story of two people becoming one is just pure joy to me.”)
“I wanted at most the day to feel personal and that we were opening our home to the loved ones who attended. A true celebration of our love story and the people who have supported us in our journey,” she says.
“A father-daughter dance and mother-son dance were equally important to me and Henry because we wanted to pay tribute to both our parents, who hold a special place in our hearts and who both helped us make this day possible,” she adds.
Instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake, the couple chose a 30’ diameter millefoglie cake by Bizu Catering Studio. The millefoglie, an Italian layered dessert meaning “a thousand leaves,” features layers of puff pastry, diplomat cream, and fresh berries.
“We wanted to have a different kind of cake-cutting celebration; a fun experience wherein we would be adding the final touches of berries and a gentle dusting of confectioners’ sugar to the creation,” Concepcion Kolë shares. “The moment represented partnership: working together, creating something beautiful, and adding our own touch to the life we are building. I just had one slice of the millefoglie, and I wish I had more. It was so good!”
A movie-worthy soundtrack
Like any romantic comedy, the leading lady and leading man’s special moments must always be backed by a memorable score. In the case of Monica and Henry Kolë, the music accompanying the entire wedding celebration could make for a memorable album.
“A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay
“As we were doing this, the song “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay was playing, which means a lot to us because one of our favorite things to do at the beach whenever we’d go was go stargazing together.”
“Daughters” by John Mayer
“My talented cousin John and my sisters performed “Daughters” by John Mayer, a song my father selected for both of us to dance to whilst watching a slideshow of photos of me growing up with him by my side and the adventures we had as a family.”
“At Last” by Etta James
“Our first dance was also so special. He chose the song “At Last” by Etta James. We felt every word of that song, and when we were dancing, I just looked at him throughout, and it felt like a dream. After seven years, “at last” we were finally together.”
“I Swear” by All 4 One
“The live performance of All 4 One of ‘I Swear’ was so special; they serenaded us on stage, and their vocals were so good! I got to share the stage with my parents as well after a while, to the song, which made it even more memorable.”
“Ever After” and “Kingdom of Pretty” by Bonnie Bailey
“A true dream come true! One of the things Henry and I love doing is spending our weekend by the beach, and during those times we always find ourselves playing her songs “Ever After” and “Kingdom of Pretty,” so to have her there perform for her very first wedding to us was just out of this world. We felt so, so grateful to our parents for making all of this possible.”
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