Say it with grapes, apples, pineapples...

(Conclusion)

Dave Sandoval, one of the country’s most in-demand event stylists today, presented Allure with works he recently did for two couples during their respective wedding days.

Their preferences couldn’t have been more different from the other. One, which is bursting with various colors, textures and blooms, is Dave’s idea of “tropical Filipiniana,” while the other, which he limited to a single type of off-white flower and seemingly futuristic lights, fell under “industrial chic.” Couples Carlo Katigbak and Fatima Toreja opted for the festive and colorful style, while Renz and Joselle dela Rosa went for neutral chic.

“My team and I used not only a lot of colors for the first wedding, but also plenty of free-flowing flowers to achieve a random, ad hoc feel,” said Dave.

Since they wanted to achieve “texture over texture,” Dave and his collaborators combined fruits such as apples, grapes and pineapples with such vibrant-hued blooms as roses, carnations, hydrangeas, lilies, hypericum berries and panda orchids. Tying the two disparate elements together were palmera accents.

For the second wedding, Dave limited his color palette to such neutral shades as black, white, silver and gold. Nowadays, he added, many couples are not leaving their wedding reception’s styling to chance. They want it to be a reflection of their personalities.

Renz Degala and Joselle dela Rosa’s ‘industrial chic’ wedding reception theme by Dave Sandoval.

This time, he used only gypsophila blooms from Holland since the bride requested for a setup with very minimal flowers.

Unlike some of his colleagues, Dave steers clear of “super trendy” styles. Instead, he and his team always aim for a classic, elegant look, be it a thematic wedding or a “concept” one. By doing away with trends, he believes that he’s able to produce a more “personalized” reception, which reflects the couple’s taste.

And what pieces of advice does Dave have for today’s couples who have a vague idea of what they want or are overwhelmed by the many “pegs” they’ve seen on social media?

“Again, the event styling should reflect the couple’s personalities. Weddings, after all, are very personal events. Guests attending a wedding are the people closest to the couple. They know the couple very well. So what they see should reflect who the couple are,” he said.

“I want them to look at their wedding and reception photos, say, 10, 20 years from now and still find them elegant,” he said. “It also pays to be honest to your clients by telling them if their vision is workable, given such factors as the venue’s size and their budget. At the end of the day, my goal is to make them happy.”