Having your wedding gown designed by Joe San Antonio, is like having it done by a long-time friend. Aside from her beautiful designs, what really stood out is her genuine care and concern for you and all the rest of your entourage.
I came to Joe six months before my wedding. I was confused and uninterested with this part of wedding preps. See, fashion is really my Waterloo. For some people, this may be the first thing on their list, but for a t-shirt and pants girl like me, it isn't. But with Joe, I never felt that she's taking advantage of my lack of knowledge or interest. Instead, she comforted me and patiently explained what would look good, what would not. I learned to trust and give her the upper hand in our quest to glam me up on the big day.
Each time we'd visit Joe, she would always ask about our preps, my work, and my other schedules. Conversations do not only center on the task at hand, but also on the most mundane things. One visit, Rhea, my maid of honor, lost so much weight that her gown needed to be adjusted. Rhea joked that it's because she was experiencing lock-jaw. Joe and I dubbed this "the lock-jaw diet". For our next visit, about a month after, Joe mentioned the "lock-jaw diet" joke, similar to how close friends have inside jokes. With so many clients, how can she remember these nuances? That, I think, is beyond customer relations.
She, so are all of her staff, were kind and respectful. They were patient with my Lola who is so picky and slightly stubborn, as most lolas are. The two mothers were treated like brides, and their gowns were indeed the most beautiful among the whole entourage's. She designed my wedding gown, 2 mother's gowns, 2 gowns for my 2 maids of honors, 3 gowns for secondary sponsors and 1 dress for my grandmother. She also did my mom and sister's shoes. I loved how all our gowns looked like they were part of a collection, but mine still stood out above all.
All of these are above her fabulous rate and excellent work ethic. Her office is chic, clean and welcoming. Her files were neatly stacked and I love her collection of colored pens. All of these details gave me comfort that I'm in good hands. At the last minute, when I had a dilemma about my veil, she brought a second veil on the wedding day. I also had two shawls ordered four days before the wedding, and Joe didn't charge me for them anymore--a sweet gift.
With Joe, my Waterloo turned out to be one of the most enjoyable tasks of the wedding preparations. I looked forward to going to Joe's atelier and chatting with her over cups of Serenitea milk tea. I enjoyed bringing my entourage to fit their attire and see their faces light up as they try on their beautiful gowns. Our experience with her made all of us so much more excited for our wedding. Thank you Joe!
See album of my gown in Joe's site: CLICK HERE.
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