Anita's dream dress was materialised with the involvement of all the key people in her life, including her parents, elder sister and husband.
Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Pronovias and Vivienne Westwood are names you can count on to be at the top of most brides' wedding dress hit list, but such was not the case for Anita Natalia.
She knew from day one that she wanted to be dressed by a local designer when she married the love of her life Andy Ong in an intimate ceremony at the Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
“Upon returning from the United Kingdom, I noticed that there is much talent in Malaysia in the fashion industry but it’s not being sufficiently recognised and appreciated,” she tells. “Having said that, I still gave all the established international brands a shot but sadly, I did not come across anything that I fell in love with.”
An introduction by her wedding planner to local designer Celine Ooi finally found her the elusive dream dress that she would be walking down the aisle in – a mermaid dress of true elegance and attention to detail, crafted with her input and close monitoring the entire way.
She shares more of the dress which design and make involved all the key people in her life, including her parents, elder sister and husband.
Functional flair
"I wanted a feminine, light and ethereal gown so I chose a mermaid dress with a fitted chest, waist and hips, sweetheart collar and a train. For the top of the gown, Celine created a 2-layered lace effect by overlaying Gucci lace with Italian lace. For the bottom, I did not want a 6 feet train made out of pure lace as the weight would have not been functional and I did not want a train which appears to be detached from the top of the dress. To this end, I have to credit my mother, my sister and Celine. The end result made me feel and look like I was floating on air."
Weightless volume
"My favourite part of the dress has to be the train. Not only did the dress turn out gorgeous, it flowed seamlessly when I put it on. After the first silk organza layer, Gucci laces were added to the top of the subsequent silk organza layers to create a sheer illusion as though the top and bottom of the dress were merging together. The dramatic 5 layer cuts of the silk organza emerged with weightless volume whilst remaining classic and simple. It added the dramatic accent to the dress; the train would be swirled around me on the floor."
A symbol of love
"My wedding dress will always carry a sentimental significance in my life, as it represents my journey with my husband. The dress and the time spent designing it bring back a flood of memories. Further, this wedding dress is the first piece of clothing which I have been so intimately involved with, and it represents a key part of my life, forever reminding me of the vows we made, and to remain focused with fulfilling that pledge.
(Photos: Paul Kong)
Another bride who opted for a mermaid cut: Amira Geneid with her Zuhair Murad number.