Alodia Cecilia, girl with a gift

Thank you post #2

J’adore this dress and its exquisite details, but it wasn’t always like this. When I bought this Moiselle piece off-the-rack in Hong Kong, it looked like this on me:

The original had a charming vintage feel, but it was two sizes bigger and the neckline, let’s admit it, was far from flattering. I bought it because I loved the layers and the soft nude color — and it was half off the original price (which was cheap considering it was handmade in Italy). It took me eight frustrating months to find the brave soul who would alter this delicate dress without charging me enough to make me go get a new one. Some couturiers wanted as much as Php15,000 for alteration; others didn’t even give me a quote, just a warning that it would be “very, very expensive.” (Now coming from a couturier whose gowns cost a minimum Php85,000, that statement nearly drove me to tears. LOL.)

I found Alodia Cecilia Sales on Philippine Fashion Week posts online. She was a fixture there but not in the wedding industry. I was her first bride, and she didn’t really do alterations, but I suppose my pleading e-mails got her to accept the daunting challenge of transforming my bridal dress into a perfect fit at a minimal cost. This girl — I call her girl because that’s the first thing that came to mind when we first met: She’s a kid! — has the hands of a painter, jewelry designer (she’s received awards for her designs), dressmaker. She’s a true artist and artisan at heart — and she’s totally grounded. The whole process of working with her was just honest and interactive. She was always brimming with ideas and listening to mine.

What’s the catch, you ask? She has no shop, so fittings were done at her rented room (which I didn’t mind too much, but I’m low maintenance, so…). Once, we did the fitting at this unbelievably HUGE restroom in Glorietta (put the hotel bathrooms to shame!). Alodia also made me a bridal bag and veil for free! I wasn’t planning on wearing a veil at all but the girl insisted, saying I needed a bridal touch, so I did. And what can I say, designer knows best.

I liked Alodia’s work so much that I asked her to make me a lacy, slightly vintage-y reception dress — two weeks before the wedding (obviously not part of the plan). Still, she delivered.

Our introduction as Mr. and Mrs. F with It’s Love by Chris Knox blasting in the background.

Preparing to cut the cake and eat it, too. Plus details of the reception dress.

A shot of our surprise — no, shocking — “Mamma Mia!” dance number. (This easily ranks in the top 3 most fun things I’ve ever done with friends in my entire life.). Semi-side view of the dress.

All’s well that ends well, hallelujah. Alodia saved me, but I learned one big lesson from this: A dress is easier to fashion to your size and liking — and usually cheaper — when you start from scratch. So unless you just. can’t. live. without that off-the-rack beauty, go straight to a tailor or couturier.

Our Tab: Php 11,000++ (Php5,000 for alteration, Php6,000 for reception dress — it was my choice of fabric that shot the bill up — and around Php500 for the materials for my long veil)

Try Alodia: 09157647745, alodiacecilia@yahoo.com