“You do not alter a Vera to fit you, you alter yourself to fit Vera.”

Little did I know that not only will I be hearing this infamous Bride Wars quote quite often in Manila, I’ll be using it a few times myself, as Vera Wang Bride opened in Manila the same week I got engaged! And of course friends who heard of both news were quick to tell me to hit the shop located at 8 Rockwell in Makati to find the perfect wedding gown.

Yes, Vera Wang Bride is now open in Manila!

Luckily, it’s only in the Manila store that Vera Wang offers FREE alterations—you have to pay extra for it in all other boutiques of the American designer globally. How’s that for a sweet treat for Filipino brides? So yes, here in Manila, it wouldn’t hurt to have a Vera altered to fit you—unless it already fits like a glove.

And so to continue a series of serendipitous events surrounding my engagement and Vera Wang Manila, I found myself walking into the 8 Rockwell boutique on the day I had four different appointments around the area and had over an hour to kill in between, last November 9.

I was only planning to set a fitting appointment with them that day and to look around the store, but the staff asked me if I was free to do a fitting that day, especially since the one in charge of the Manila store from Vera Wang’s New York headquarters, Alex Souza, is in the country for the grand opening last November 11. They said it would be a great experience to have someone from the Vera Wang HQ oversee my fitting. What bride-to-be could resist such an offer?

The Gemma gown (worn by Hilary Duff and Toni Gonzaga) leads the pack of lovely Vera Wang gowns on this rack.

They told me walk-in brides-to-be are only allowed to fit three gowns, but that I can schedule a proper fitting appointment so I can try on more. They gave me a quick tour of the shop, and showed me some of the iconic Vera Wang creations: the Bride Wars gown, with its pretty pink bow; the Diana gown, worn by Chelsea Clinton; the Esther gown worn by Ivanka Trump (another battle right there, this time of the First Daughters’ gowns!); and the Gemma, worn by Hilary Duff and our very own Toni Gonzaga, hehe. And so I selected three gowns that caught my eye from among the many displayed on the racks. It was easy because I had a particular style in mind.

I didn’t select any of the famous gowns, but the last of the three I tried on was the one I loved at first sight: the Lillian, which was what I had on when Alex walked into the spacious and elegant fitting room.

Alex (in the background) said that for the Lillian, Vera chose a trendier lace with bigger flowers rather than smaller ones that tend to look dated.

Alex gave me a little bit of background on Vera Wang—like the sophisticated contemporary design of the boutique, with its charcoal gray walls; her penchant for black and bows; and how all the gowns are hand-sewn, hence the price tag (the Lillian was P420,000, and it wasn’t even the most expensive one I tried on; one of them is half a million pesos!). He also said each of the tulips on the gown were cut from the whole then hand-sewn separately, and how the lovely rosettes on the skirt and the train that I instantly fell in love with were each hand-sewn. I have never worn a gown as beautiful, and it fit me like a glove! (That Vera Wang attendant in Bride Wars would be proud.)

Just look at the details on the Lillian’s skirt and train. These flowers are what caught my eye in the first place.

Alex said that now that he knows what style I go for and what shape works for me, he wanted me to try on two more gowns—and one of them was the Gemma, which turned out to be a strong contender against the Lillian. I really liked how it fit me, and I also liked the big rosettes hand-sewn onto the skirt and the train. Alex even showed me a blush version of it with sequins on the rosettes that looked so pretty! The Gemma is even slightly less expensive than the Lillian at P390,000. But what made the impact of the Gemma stronger was how Alex styled it with a beaded sash to accentuate my waist (the goal!), and he even made me wear a veil. He warned me not to cry because he said it tends to have that effect on brides-to-be, and true enough, I did tear up a bit when I saw myself with a veil—that was the first day I tried on wedding gowns, after all.

Alex adjusts the signature Vera veil he put on my head. It’s a standard rectangle, which is an add-on to your Vera purchase. I purposely cut the top part of this photo, just so there’s still a teeny-tiny bit of mystery left in how I look with a veil. Haha!

After assisting me through my first fitting, Sam of Vera Wang Manila made me fill out a form, where she also put the names and prices of the two gowns I liked, as well as the contact information for when I’m ready to set my formal appointment with them. And then the moment I stepped out of the shop, I got an invite from Metro Weddings Magazine to a Vera Wang Trunk Show and exclusive preview of the 2017 collection! Vera was calling me back.

Here’s a sneak peek at the Vera Wang 2017 collection that my best friend Weng couldn’t help but touch. The gown in the foreground costs P1.6 million, with pearls and crystals hand-sewn onto it.

Of course I obliged—and this time I had my best friend Weng with me last Saturday, November 12. The Vera Wang and Metro Weddings teams showed me the 2017 collection, which is currently on tour and won’t stay long in the shop.

This black gown with a skirt made of ostrich feathers that’s on display by the entrance costs a whopping P1.6 million! It also comes in ivory.

I wanted to try on the Lillian again so Weng can see it and because I didn’t get the chance to photograph it last time. Weng and I also picked two more gowns for the fitting. The second one I fit, the Ethel, edged out Gemma from my list. The fit was almost perfect, and I felt really good in it—and it wasn’t something someone famous had already worn (at least that’s what Sam told me). Besides having a sleeker silhouette that emphasized my shape better, it also comes with a less expensive price tag of P280,000. Alex made me try a pink bow that will likely match the color of my entourage’s gowns, and it cinched the look for me.

Alex tied a pink bow around my waist and moved it to one side. I love the effect! This pink one is an add-on, but the gown already comes with a free sash in the same off-white color.

Still, I saved the Lillian for last, and everyone agreed—Alex, Weng, Sam of Vera Wang Manila, and the Metro Weddings team—that it really was the best gown I tried on and one that suits me most. It even looks great with the pink bow, which Alex tied at the back this time to accentuate my waist, and he put the coveted finishing touch: the veil. I felt giddy and kilig seeing myself in the Lillian with a veil, like I met my crush for the first time. Haha!

Tried on the Lillian again, and this time Alex made me wear a veil to get the full effect. I deliberately cut off the top part of the photo again!

So if you’re getting married anytime soon and you haven’t found the perfect wedding gown yet, book your appointment at Vera Wang Manila. Whether or not it fits our budget, I think every Filipina bride-to-be should experience what it’s like to try on such exquisitely made bridal dresses. After all, we Filipinas only get to be brides once in our lives.

Make sure to book your appointment first by calling 02-804-5071. Bring your best girlfriends with you.

Vera Wang Bride is located at the ground floor of 8 Rockwell along Hidalgo Drive, Makati.