Dhanica
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Wedding Date: June 9, 2025
A Bride So Close to My Heart
This journey is unlike any other — because Dhanica isn’t just a bride, she’s my best friend. I’ve walked with her through her highs and lows, through heartbreak and healing, and now — through love that is pure, intentional, and God-given.
Even before she met VJ, we would often have dress-up days in my studio. I’d ask her to try on my designs, not just for fun, but to make sure they looked beautiful and comfortable for her body shape. We’d laugh endlessly, never realizing that one of those dresses she tried on while single — would become the dress she’d wear on her wedding day.
Her Dress — The Rowena Transformation
From the very beginning, Dhanica had always been drawn to the Rowena design — elegant, timeless, and full of grace. She envisioned a ceremony-to-reception transformation, and that’s exactly what we brought to life.
Her gown featured:
A Filipiniana silhouette with a soft, romantic flow.
Detachable elements to shift from solemn vows to celebration.
Subtle details that reflected her gentle heart and strong faith.
Every stitch was more than design — it was a love letter to our friendship, and to the woman she had become.
The Wedding Day
On June 9, 2025, I didn’t just attend her wedding — I stood beside her as her Maid of Honor.
That morning was filled with emotion. Amid the rush of preparations, the laughter, and the tears, she began feeling unwell from stress and acid reflux. I loosened her corset gently, helping her breathe and regain comfort — then adjusted everything again before she walked down the aisle, radiant and calm.
I was the one fixing her veil, her skirt, and making sure every fold was perfect.
Not as her designer that day — but as her best friend.
And when I saw her standing there, marrying a man who is kind, wise, and godly — I couldn’t stop the tears.
A Prayer Fulfilled
This wedding was more than a milestone — it was a testimony.
We had prayed together for years, asking God to bring us the right partners, men who would love us as Christ loves the Church. Seeing her prayers answered before my eyes was one of the most beautiful gifts of my life.
And I often tell her — she herself was the answer to one of my own prayers.
When I prayed for a true friend, God gave me her.
The Meaning of It All
Designing her wedding dress was not just about fabric and fit — it was about faith, friendship, and fulfilled promises.
As she transformed from ceremony to reception in her Rowena gown, I was reminded that love — real, gentle, and intentional — is worth the wait.
I also wore a Filipiniana that day, to match her, to celebrate not just her marriage — but the years of friendship and sisterhood that led to it.
The Outcome
Dhanica’s dress wasn’t just a creation.
It was a memory sewn in prayer, a bond stitched in love, and a moment sealed in gratitude.
Her dream dress journey reminded me that the most meaningful designs often come from the people closest to our hearts.
💌 Ready to Begin Your Dream Dress Journey?
If Dhanica’s story inspired you, imagine what your own could look like.
Let’s create a Filipiniana that’s uniquely yours.
