Anthea Bueno and Kenneth Tangonan’s Wedding Details

When you have a couple who are both artistically inclined, you can expect no less than a curated, visually delightful wedding to mark the next chapter of their relationship. Celebrity makeup artist Anthea Bueno and photographer/photography professor Kenneth Tangonan have been together for 13 years, before they decided to finally get married. They attended the University of Santo Tomas for college, where they both majored in Fine Arts, but it was actually at work when the two met. Anthea tells Metro.Style, “We met at work when we were still in different industries. We both taught art/painting to little kids in a school in Greenhills.” 

These creatives一who share a love for taking photographs, watching films, painting, and taking care of their fur babies (see these cuties in their pre-nup shoot)一tied the knot on March 6, 2022. And each and every detail of their classic-romantic wedding was exquisite and well thought out. 

Everything started with the couple’s vision of a wedding that’s “classic and vintage but still fun and modern.” They decided early on that they wanted their reception to take place in Manila Hotel’s Champagne Room, a venue known for its lavish, romantic, dainty, and intricate interiors. With this venue as the take-off point, it then became easy to narrow down their color scheme to an ethereal mix of sage green, cream, white, and a hint of gold.

Instead of a traditional white wedding gown, Anthea channeled Kate Moss’ John Galliano bridal attire, wearing an impeccable beige figure-hugging gown filled with gold embellishments by Hannah Kong. Her groom, Kenneth, looked dapper as he complemented her outfit in a 3-piece brown and white Ziggy Savella suit.   

The wedding, which was about six months in the making, took place in San Agustin church in Intramuros, Manila. Anthea’s celebrity muses Janine Gutierrez, Leila Alcasid, and Chie Filomeno were among her bridesmaids. Jason Dy performed “Ngayon at Kailanman” during the ceremony, and KZ Tandingan sang “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele. 

Read more about Anthea Bueno and Kenneth Tangonan’s wedding details below:

What is your wedding's motif, and why did you choose it?

“We chose a very classic palette which is a mix of sage green, creams, white and a hint of gold. I wanted something pleasing to the eyes but still gives off a classic and vintage but still fun and modern vibe. I also got inspired by the Champagne Room's interior.” 

How long did you prepare for your wedding?

“I have to admit we really crammed when we were preparing for the wedding. There were a lot of lockdowns so we would always set it aside. We were hesitant to plan something so uncertain. We only really started planning six or four months ago.”

What were the challenges you encountered along the way, considering the ongoing pandemic? “It was so hard to fix paperworks especially on those days where there were lockdowns and COVID surge. But we were fortunate enough that our coordinator helped us along the way. They really made everything so much easier. Also, fittings were so hard to book since there was a surge. Luckily, my designer was so nice and patient, also very skilled that it only took her a few weeks to come up with my dress.”

What was the best part in preparing for your wedding? “Talking to my suppliers who happen to be my colleagues, too. It was so much fun planning with them. I was so excited to hear their ideas and thoughts about the wedding. I was so fortunate that I got to work with such amazing artists: Jelly Eugenio, Gideon Hermosa, Hannah Kong, etc. We talked about the looks and exchanged pegs, what they think reflects us as a couple, and what we’re comfortable with. It was a collaborative effort for everyone involved.”

What tips can you share with brides when it comes to wedding planning? “Do your research before booking your suppliers. When you know what their styles are, you know what you’ll get and you can put your full trust on their skills. It’s important to know if their style is aligned with your vision. Also, do the paperworks in advance. Lastly, book your church extra early because I only realized later on how hard it is to actually get a timeslot, most especially for the popular churches here in Manila.”

Tell us something about your wedding dresses. “I had so many designs in mind when it came to my dress. At first, it was this minimalist serpentina dress with puff sleeves一very Korean and English inspired. But it didn’t really suit me, so I opted for something different instead. I was inspired by a dress by John Galliano for Kate Moss’ wedding. I really like the vintage yet modern twist to it. I also didn’t want my face covered by a veil just like how the bridal dresses were in the 1920s. I wanted something classic and minimalist, or something different and unconventional. I opted for the latter.

“Hannah Kong and I went for a gold dress that we thought complemented my skin tone as well as the venue. I’ve worked with Hannah so many times. I’ve seen her do such beautiful silhouettes that hug the body so well. And she did just that for my dress. The fit really made me feel so sexy but still comfortable enough that I actually got to dance the night away in it. 

“I also had another dress from Anthony Ramirez that I got to wear for the post-nup photos. It was an off-white dress with gold embellishments. It really looked super vintage and I loved how it turned out on photos.” 

Tell us something about your hair and makeup looks, and accessories. “For my makeup, I gave Jelly a freehand. I wanted to wear Jelly Eugenio’s signature style. But he insisted that we still incorporate my own style to the look. For the makeup, we opted for a lifted winged liner with a warm glow to the skin. We both agreed to keep the blush subtle and worked more with bronzers to highlight my morena complexion. Then for the reception, Jelly opted for a smoked out cat-eye style. I really love how it elongated my eyes and gave that instant sultry vibe. Paul Nebres gave me tousled waves with curtain bangs that complemented my veil and dress so well. I wanted it to be more relaxed and loose in contrast to the intricate details of the dress. 

“My reception hair was done by Suyen Salazar, who gave me a fresh cut that day. We opted for a very Parisian full fringe and laid-back waves. Also, for my accessories, I wasn’t really planning on wearing any because I felt like my dress was already a statement on its own. But on the day of the wedding, my brother gave me a box from Kenneth. It had these beautiful stud earrings that go well with the dress, so I wore them to the ceremony.”

Tell us something about your groom’s outfit. “Kenneth wore a 3-piece suit made by Ziggy Savella. He went for browns and earth tones. Ziggy actually made him choose which color and fabrics he wanted. I loved how he was so happy that Ziggy came up with a suit that he can actually wear again.”

What are the highlights of the program? “For me, it would have to be the three songs that were sung in different parts of the event. My walk was accompanied by Jason Dy's soulful rendition of 'Ngayon at Kailaman.' It was a song requested by the groom because it was very meaningful to him. It was as if he was saying his promises to me in a form of a song. 

“Our first dance as a couple was also very special to me. I asked KZ Tandingan to sing 'Make You Feel My Love' by Adele which she also sang 10 years ago when we were both still starting out. This time, this song is a compilation of words that I wanted to tell Kenneth. KZ’s rendition got the whole room emotional to be honest.

“Last is the song I asked my dad to sing to Kenneth. He sang a James Ingram song called 'One Hundred Ways.' It was as if he was giving advice to Kenneth on how he should love me. I found it very touching. Oh, also, I feel like another highlight would be the reception venue itself. Gideon did an amazing job with the venue. It was so dreamy and light. It felt like I was on the set of Bridgerton or something. I was just in awe.” 

Check out the gallery below for more photos from Anthea Bueno and Kenneth Tangonan's wedding:

Ceremony venue: San Agustin

Reception venue: The Manila Hotel Champagne Room

Date of wedding: March 6, 2022

Wedding coordinator: COTE

Photographer: Toto Villaruel

Videographer: Studio King

Caterer: The Manila Hotel

Cake maker: Honey Glaze Cakes

Entourage gowns: Jo Rubio(Justine Navato), Vania Romoff (Thea Dionisio and Janine Gutierrez), Elaine Pagtalunan (bridesmaids Leslie, Elaine, Xylene, Russel, and Jerelyn), Boy Kastner (Jay Aquino), Banggo Niu (Chie Filomeno), Ziggy Savella (BJ Pascual), LightShineWhite (Karen Tangonan), and Paolo Miguel (Leila Alcasid)

Invitations: Fel and Ink

Bridal gown designer: Hannah Kong (plus, post-nup dress by Anthony Ramirez)

Bridal shoe designer: Manolo Blahnik

Groom’s suit designer: Ziggy Savella

Groom’s shoe designer: Pedro

Bridal robe: Justine Navato

Florist/event stylist: Gideon Hermosa

Bridal bouquet: Gideon Hermosa

Host: JC Alelis

Entertainer/s: Kadense Quartet, KZ Tandingan, and Jason Dy

Lights and Sounds: LX Pro

Jewelry designer: Engagement ring from Luna by Drake Dustin, wedding rings by JMA

Giveaways: Portraits By Mickey Velarde, touch-up kits from Sunnies Face, and candles by @Phinaslittlefactory

Photographs by Toto Villaruel, courtesy of Anthea Bueno