• Oliver Tolentino

(via inquirer.net) BEVERLY HILLS —“I’m still awestruck. I feel like I’m in a dream,” Oliver Tolentino admitted after he and eight other designers were about to be introduced to the fashion and entertainment press as the finalists in the Oscars Designer Challenge 2010.

The Filipino designer said, “I, a province boy who grew up in little Orani, Bataan, am at the Academy headquarters before the international press for the presentation of my gown that might be worn on the stage of the Oscars? Someone should pinch me!” Oliver stood beside his gown entry, draped on a hanger, which is an ivory piña (pineapple fabric) and abaca fiber mermaid gown with freshwater pearl detail.

Reporters and photographers admired Oliver’s exquisite creation. We heard Oliver extol the beauty and quality of our piña and abaca fabrics to every journalist who interviewed him. TV star, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s Carson Kressley (host of Oscar’s exclusive web series, ‘Behind the Dress’ which premieres March 3rd) couldn’t help but admire the black abaca blazer that Oliver wore (his own creation). “I want one!” said Carson.

The winning gown, to be determined by online voting, will be worn by one of the awards escorts onstage at the Academy Awards on March 7, while its designer and his guest will get to attend the prestigious show. [READ MORE…]

*Click the image above to vote for Oliver’s gown. One vote per person per day.  Voting open until March 1st.

• Mich Dulce

(via philstar.com) LONDON – From a tropical country where few people wear hats, a Filipino fashion designer and milliner, actress and musician has won the British Council’s Young Fashion Entrepreneur (YFE) Award for 2010.

Mich Dulce bested 10 competitors from Bangladesh, India, Libya, Lithuania, Russia, Sri Lanka, Syria and Turkey to become the first Filipino to be honored with the prize.

Judges and the public raved not only about her designs, but about her use of indigenous materials, including sinamay and abaca, the latter a material the British associate with rope, said Leslie Stokes, chairman of the British Council Philippines, which sponsored the local search for the YFE.

Dulce’s fashion business, which started out on eccentric frocks and dresses, has now expanded to hats, headpieces, corsetry and bridal wear. Her unique style has been featured on “Young Asian Fashion Designers” published by Daab Publishing in Germany.

Along with her title, Mich gets a £5,000 grant for a collaborative project with the British Council. [READ MORE…]

In last weekend’s edition of the Inquirer, wedding photographer Patrick Uy was featured in an article which retold his experience when he was invited to photograph the coronation of the king of Bhutan in words and pictures. 

Here’s an excerpt:

Patrick Uy is a name synonymous with weddings. Since the early ’90s when Patrick began a photography career, his services have been in high demand.

He has photographed many celebrity weddings, including those of Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales, Jackie Ejercito and Beaver Lopez, and those of Mikey and Dato Arroyo, sons President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In November 2008, Patrick added yet another feather to his cap when he was invited to photograph the Bhutan king’s coronation. With wife Evelyn and colleagues John Tronco and Philip Santos, he went to Bhutan to document the festivities.

Patrick said that the journey to Bhutan actually began in a wedding in Boracay. Fellow photographer John Tronco shot photographs for the Vietnamese groom who, it turned out, was a good friend of Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. In time came the invitation to “shoot” the enthronement ceremony.

“It was part of our karma that our weekend was free – that same weekend of the coronation. So off we went, for the shoot of a lifetime!” said Patrick. [READ MORE…]

The link to the YouTube video below was shared to us by Cristina Roman via wall post on W@W’s FB fan page.  We warn though that clip may offend the sensibilities of the religious. We’re sharing this to amuse our readers, NOT to promote the concept.  Viewers discretion is advised.

But I must say the ‘march’ of the bride & groom (Jill Peterson and Kevin Heinz of St. Paul, Minnesota) as led by their entire wedding party to the tune  of Chris Brown’s “Forever” was unique at the very least; and pure unadulterated heretic wedtertainemnt at best! hahaha!

It sure did start the big day with a BANG!  They made the aisle as dancefloor or fashion runway. Who’d have thought any church would ever allow that?

Pulling a stunt like this in a wedding here in the Philippines just won’t fly.  Our elderly loved ones and church leaders might have a heart attack seeing something like that, and no God-fearing Filipino would accidentally kill anybody, moreso on one’s own wedding day.

JK  Wedding Entrance Dance

If you search on YouTube, you will find various clips of newlyweds groovin’ to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as their first dance.  Clearly, it’s popularity was inspired by this scene from the movie “13 going on 30″.

But arguably the most famous video of a Thriller wedding dance is the clip below which shows the entire wedding party doing the zombie jigs with 9M+ views (well, maybe not as much views as compared with the Cebu prison inmates which now has 27M+ view).  Clearly, the groom knows the right moves. The video has been featured in CBS’ The Early Show and the “Real Life Wedding” issue of People Magazine.  Check it out.

But of course, it’s probably Madonna who’s the first-ever to dance to a Michael Jackson tune while wearing a wedding dress when she did it on “The Virgin Tour” back in the 80s. Truly, an homage to a great music era!  The gloved one who thrilled the world has gone too soon.

Saw Karl posted the clip below in FB earlier today.

What’s it about? Here’s how the Disney peeps described it:

“A magical moment happens on Main Street, U.S.A. when a young man proposes to his girlfriend on a Summer evening in Disneyland Resort.“

Congrats John & Erika!  It’s definitely a streetacular proposal!  Staged or not, everything is possible in Disneyland.