Meiling, The Designer Icon for Bridal 2017

Simple Silhouette Wedding Dress

Photo Credit: http://www.meilinginc.com/meiling-bride/

Bridal season is in full swing and brides are scampering to “say yes to the dress”. My heart goes out to the destination brides who are panicking over deciding whether they should go with silk, satin, taffeta, chiffon, lace or cotton blended fabrics for the tropics, finding the right hues for their bridesmaids, checking in the dress and woes of paying exorbitant fees only to arrive stressed out, in full “bridezilla” mode with a wrinkled wedding dress in hand at their dream destination wedding location. Rest assured brides, brides to be, bridal party and guests you can find top notch, internationally acclaimed fashion designers in Trinidad and Tobago who can hear your S.O.S and save your life for your “big” day.

 

Off Shoulder Lace Wedding Dress

Photo Credit: http://www.meilinginc.com/meiling-bride/

The destination wedding dress designer that beams of an effortlessly chic Caribbean aesthetic is Meiling Esau, otherwise known by her brand name Meiling Inc. This designer grew up in an environment where her mother, Evelyn Achong was a prominent woman in her field as a seamstress. Meiling’s passion for this fashion led her to pursue her studies at Lucie Clayton School of Design in London in the 1970’s. Meiling was immersed in the creative culture of London.  She was exposed to creatives, creative design, creative thinking and design management. Meiling graduated and returned to her homeland. After working at a garment factory where one of her prototypes became a top seller Meiling decided to stand on her own and set up her own atelier in 1982.

Vintage Wedding Dress

http://www.meilinginc.com/meiling-bride/

Since Meiling’s debut on the fashion industry scene she has copped many achievements some of which include the Chaconia Silver Medal in 2008 for her longstanding merit to the Trinidad and Tobago business sector. In that same year she was awarded the title of “Grand Master of Fashion Design” at Caribbean Fashion Week in Jamaica. In 2010 she was one of two designers from the English speaking Caribbean invited to showcase at Plataforma K in Colombia. In 2011 she was the only one invited to return to show. In 2012 The Association of Female Executives of Trinidad and Tobago honoured  Meiling with The Woman of Influence Award. In 2013 she was listed as a national icon of Trinidad and Tobago. She was also invited as one of the top global designers to the Women of Influence Summit in that year. She received Ocean Style Award in 2013.

Lace Sleeves and Details for Wedding Dress

http://www.meilinginc.com/meiling-bride/

Today Meiling’s aesthetic is considered minimalistic however I prefer the term Caribbean chic. Her focus is on the quality of work and her talent is found in design and craftsmanship. In the age of digital printing and mass production Meiling adds the extra “oomph” to her work with hand sewn details. In addition, she still believes in her mother’s words that the inside and outside of the garment being constructed must have a beautiful finish. She has designed uniforms and outfits for Trinidad and Tobago athletes to top entertainers. As a creative she has surrounded herself in creative spaces with veteran creatives such as Peter Minshall. Her product line is differentiated from her own clothing lines in haute couture, resort and bridal to her diffusion line entitled, “MSquared” for the local retail department store Micles  and recently she added on Meiling Complete featuring scent diffusers, candles and body creams.

Lace Detail on Wedding Dress

Photo Credit: http://www.meilinginc.com/meiling-bride/

So now that you have a fair idea of the brand (Meiling Inc.) we can begin to explore your options for saying “yes to the dress”.  Meiling has an established repertoire in the Caribbean and the Latin American community for her work in the local fashion industry. She has a keen eye for detail and a unique vision based on her knowledge and functioning in several destinations with her clients including brides and some eloquent to brazen personalities from multifaceted cultures. Meiling has worked with contemporary and vintage designs in fabrics that range from silk, satin, lace with intricate embellishments and hand beading to name a few. The advantages of choosing Meiling include a 100% guarantee that your wedding dress will be a timeless design and that you will stand out. The quality of the garment construction is flawless. Your dress will flatter your figure and accentuate your best highlights. You will be in the proficient hands of the expert who is familiar with silhouette to body type ratios in fashion. Also you will have several fittings in the lead up to final production.

Unconventional Bridal Gown

Photo Credit: http://www.meilinginc.com/meiling-bride/

Your wedding dress will not just be a product you bought off a rack but the result of an inimitable, delicate creative process where your soul is reverberated throughout the statement piece. This means whilst the designer will design and create the dress you too will have a direct say in perfecting your look for that memorable day.  Your dream wedding dress becomes a reality. When you look back on the occasion you will not just have the snapshots of that point in your life. You will have a reminder of your identity at that stage in your life, a reflection of your growth and transition to your new role in life and most importantly it will stand the test of time as evidence of your power to create and to contribute to the collateral beauty that is life.

White Top with Lace

Photo Credit: Shaista Deen

The Veronica Dress

Photo Credit: Jordan Lum Hung

As a bonus you can also fit the “M” brand into your wardrobe with Meiling’s latest resort wear collection for your destination soiree/ island romp with your newlywed husband. Choose from a variety cotton blends and light, breathable fabrics for your destination honeymoon ensemble. Her most recent collection boasts of distinct, functional, chic and trendy pieces. They range from shirt dresses, dhoti jumpsuits, kite dresses, cowl dresses, off shoulder, strapless tops with lace details, apron inspired tops, denim shirt dresses and long black dresses with tassel details. If you preview her collection online you would notice that most of the resort wear is featured in white or black. Again, this is Meiling’s signature as she pairs the simple but effective pieces as blank canvases to the individual character with the individual in mind as the artist. Basically, when you purchase Meiling’s resort wear it becomes your blank canvas which you bring art to life via “painting” your persona and the experiences you create, the activities that you do and the journeys you take with the designer wear.

 

Dhoti Jump Suit

Photo Credit: Shaista Deen

Swing Dress with Silk Tie

Photo Credit: Joshua Brizan

Off Shoulder Crop Top

Photo Credit: Jordan Lum Hung

If you wish to share your new-found love for the Meiling brand with your bridal party you can browse the collection. Ultimately, you will make your life and theirs easier by selecting appropriate dresses for the bridesmaids. You can even work with the designer on flower girl dresses.  Moreover, you can make this option convenient and accessible by listing Meiling on the R.S.V.P or details card as the premier choice for destination wedding wear in Trinidad and Tobago.  The flights to Trinidad from the U.S.A are only a few hours and you will reach here in no time at all. Hotels and other accommodations are available in Port of Spain where Meiling is located. They are only a stone’s throw away from her boutique. You can request a taxi driver at your front desk and be on your way to your appointment with Meiling. Thus, you will rescue yourself from the drama and stress of a million phone calls and instant messages from your relatives and invited guests badgering you about what they should wear to your destination wedding.

Denim Dresses

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/meilinginc/

Eyelet Strap Sundress

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/meilinginc/

When the wedding and honeymoon is over and you return to your home you do not have to hide away your resort wear. Your bridesmaids and even your guests will thank you later because they can bask in designer bliss by wearing these pieces in spring, summer, autumn and even winter. The only requirement may be reinventing the outfit again with a personal touch of layering it for the colder seasons and dressing it down for the warmer ones. Neither yourself nor your bridal party/guests would regret the choice of colour as white and black can mix and match with a plethora of accessories.  I am also a firm believer of the influence of creative design. Regardless of the season you all choose to wear your Meiling attire you will definitely be moved by donning the outfit. The rationale is straightforward; good design inevitably evokes emotion and makes as much of an impact on the way you feel when you wear it and when you see yourself wearing it.

Cowl Neck Dress with Lace Detail

Photo Credit: http://www.meilinginc.com/meiling-201617/

White Peasant Top with Lace

Photographer: Shaista Deen

The advent of the internet makes your destination wedding dress a few clicks away from being a dream come true. It can literally save you the nightmare of dress shopping, late night foraging for bridal trends and exhaustion from the tears and anxiety of running out of time. Instead place yourself into the safe haven of competence, expertise and professionalism by booking Meiling Esau of Meiling Inc. in Trinidad.

 

Kite Dress

Photo Credit: Jordan Lum Hung

Tied Neck Caftan Dress in Chiffon and Silk

Photo credit: Jordan Lum Hung

Shirt Collar Caftan in Chiffon and Silk

Photo Credit: Jordan Lum Hung

Cowl Collar Caftan in Chiffon and Silk

Photo Credit: Joshua Brizan

Connect with Meiling today!!!

Website: http://www.meilinginc.com/

Email: meiling@meilinginc.com

Location: #6 Carlos Street in Woodbrook, Port of Spain

Hours: Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Saturdays at 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Telephone: 1.868. 627.6975 or 1.868.627.2122

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meilinginc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/meilinginc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meiling-esau-1491097

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Laura and Veer's Love is in the Tropical Chic Air

After a nine year relationship Veer Lakhan- Joseph proposed on April 18th 2016 to Laura Narayansingh, local architect ( to view more on Laura’s work visit http://lauranarayansingh.com/ ) . Of course Laura said yes to her longtime sweetheart. Notwithstanding her creative spirit soared into ethereal bliss as she immediately dove into the creative design process for her designer wedding with her fiancé in tow!

The Rings:

The engagement was a complete surprise. She had no idea that Veer was planning to propose to her nor did she know that her best friend, an architect Amanda Bonvecchio was consulted by Veer to design her engagement ring. Amanda’s work can be viewed at http://www.amandabonvecchio.com/  .

Mapping the Wedding

The couple decided that if they were to describe the personality characteristics of their relationship they would earmark the words fun, light, playful and magical. They kept these key elements consistent and as a guide for every phase of the wedding.

Laura & Veer’s Wedding Theme: “Love is in the Tropical Chic Air”

This couple’s wedding was sculpted at the backdrop of the natural beauty of this island paradise. The couple chose a theme that best surmised their relationship. It was as though one were to look back on the wedding day one should be able to identify that they experienced what love is in the tropical chic air of Trinidad.

The date was set for Saturday 18th February 2017 (the Saturday before Carnival Saturday)

Invitation:

After deciding on their design concept Laura consulted her cousin, artist Daniel O’ Brien to do an invitation suite post for the wedding. Each illustration in this suite was designed to be released in different phases for the wedding. It was Laura’s intention to bring to life each illustration at her wedding: The RSVP Card for the church, Details Card for the stage/ dance floor, the Invitation for reception dining and the  Save the Date for the  dessert station.

Save the Date Card

Illustrated by Daniel O Brien

https://www.thebasementmonster.com/

RSVP Card, Invitation Card, Details Card

Illustrated by Daniel O’ Brien

The Wedding Dress:

Laura is in love with silk. Her mother wore silk on her wedding day so it was natural that Laura wanted her wedding dress to be made from silk. Laura is a huge Berta dress fan girl and her heart was set on saying yes to at least one Berta dress but fate intervened and sent Laura in another creative direction. Laura stumbled upon ostrich feather lace by Sposabella Lace at a fabric store whilst dress shopping in New York City. Needless to say the trip ended in Laura purchasing all her fabric there. Laura began to sketch her wedding dress. She designed a cape for her dress because she wanted her own wings. She also wanted to create an illusion of floating. She approached Nissa Hanooman of The Little Black Dress TT for design consultation on the dress. The dress was sewn by Sharmela Persad, seamstress from San Fernando. Her crown was bought at Ilmes by Anna Sabga and gifted to Laura. Her mother also wore a similar headpiece. Laura marveled at the idea that she would be creating a memory in the likeness of her mother’s image. Laura’s wedding change outfit was designed by Nissa Hanooman and sewn by Timothy Chin Fat.

Laura in  her wedding dress with crown and bouquet

Photo Credit: Julie Charlet

Laura tossing the bouquet in her wedding change outfit

The Groom’s Attire:

Veer wore a tuxedo by Ainsley in Long Circular Mall. He opted for his outfit in navy blue and black.

Veer in his tuxedo with his newly wed bride

Photo Credit: Julie Charlet

The Groomsmen:

The groomsmen wore navy blue suits from Zara with rose boutonnieres by Drew Manor Flower Bar.

The Ring-Bearers:

These toddlers donned matching hues to the groom’s outfit. Their attire included suspenders, trousers, white shirts, sunglasses and bow ties. They were  James Bond “minis” who saved the day. They safely escorted the rings under tight security.

The ring-bearers delivering the ring package safely

Photo Credit: Nicco Quiñones

The Bridesmaids:

White was chosen as the colour for the bridesmaids. Laura felt this was a timeless look. They all wore the same dress silhouette and these were bought at Misguided.com for USD$40 each.

The pretty bridesmaids all in two rows with their bridal bouquets

Photo Credit:  Groomsman

Cake:

The Wedding Cake was designed by Jaime Gerard. This cake connoisseur was chosen by the couple because they knew her sugar artistry game was quite strong. They also felt that she would have been able to achieve the whimsical and fantasy elements of  the wedding; installing  3 dimensional balloons on the cake without distracting from their classic “Love is in the Tropical Chic Air” theme. Visit http://www.jaimegerardcake.com/ to view more of her work.

Cake by Jaimie Gerard

Photo Credit: Jaimie Gerard

Photographer:

Julie Charlet was booked by Laura because of her impeccable creative direction and vision for snapping special moments and her ability to capture and edit those surreal vibes. However due to unforeseen circumstances Samantha Jackson filled in for Julie on the “big day”.  Go to https://www.samjacksonphotos.com/ to reach Samantha. Notwithstanding Julie still put her magic touch on the photographs with her editing. The pictures above with the watermark “Julie” are samples of her work in photography editing. Go to http://www.juliecharlett.com/ to view more of Julie’s work.

Wedding Planner:

Tricia Ng ‘A’ Mann  was hired as the designated wedding planner for Laura and Veer. They noted that she saved them thousands of dollars. Her ability to micromanage and coordinate vendors for the wedding was incredible.

Rate: The couple highly recommends Tricia.

Laura’s Wedding Planning Tips

Laura does not consider herself  as a traditional nor an unconventional  bride. She reserves that she just flows with her instincts undisturbed. Her mantra for planning on a budget, “where there is a will there is a way”. She noted that they were able to save on décor by sourcing and supplying some things on their own such as umbrellas and balloons. She further added that they decided to go with foliage rather than flowers for the table settings. Laura surprised her groom with a “shot for shots” drink station. Her Maid of Honour organized this element of the event. She borrowed a football goal post, footballs and set up the station with shot glasses and more than sufficient tequila and punchy punch for guests to refill.

Ceremony Location:

The Church of Assumption in Maraval was chosen for the wedding ceremony.

The Church of Assumption in Maraval

Reception Location:

The couple used the Drew Manor’s field as their blank canvas to stage their wedding reception. It was the first time a Drew Manor wedding was done on the field. The couple loved the unique location and the flexibility of the contract which allowed them to hire their own food and bar services. Also the reception took place on the Saturday before Trinidad Carnival so the timing and setting was perfect for hosting their own all inclusive fete/reception for their 400 guests. The reception venue can also be viewed at http://www.drewmanor.com/

Rate: The couple recommends this venue.

Laura and Veer Reception  (3D Model)

Details , Layout and Design by: Laura

Laura and Veer Plan For Seating Chart (3D Model)

Details, Layout and Design by: Laura

Laura and Veer Seating Perspective 1 (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspectives by: Laura

Laura and Veer Seating Perspective 2 (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Seating Perspective 3 (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Head Table (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Dance Floor (3D Model)

Dance Floor Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Dessert Station

Dessert Station Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer field with balloons (3D Model)

Tent Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Caterer:

Chef Khalid Mohammed was able to capture the personalities of the two individuals in the menu he created for them. The menu included popcorn chicken and waffles as well as salted caramel popcorn cheesecake. In addition he was able to create the menu within the budget requested.

Rate: The couple recommends Chef Khalid .

Reception Music:

DJ and Hypeman; Kern and Aaron Fingal, Laventille Rhythm Section, The Triplets from Naparima Boys High School.

Ceremony Music:

Francis Pau and wind quintet, Singer; Dominique Akal, Guitarist; John Hussain

Videography:

Rize Above Productions ( https://www.rizeaboveproductions.com/services)

LED Stage Design:

Now Concepts ( http://www.now.tt/contact-us/ )

Event Consultation:

Laura is an architect and planning is her forte. Although she had been working on 3D modeling for this event for a month. Laura had been inspired by an installation of umbrellas at a site in Europe. A true architect Laura was fascinated by the design of the umbrella and its unparalleled aesthetics coupled with its quintessential functionality. Laura described her experience of this umbrella vision as , “An object whose beauty is overdone by its ordinary practicality floated so magically above me. It was incredible in its simplicity. I knew I wanted to remember that feeling in our wedding day.” She wanted to get another expert’s opinion on her wedding design concept . Event consultation took place with Ultimate Events Ltd. to discuss whether Laura’s design inspiration for the umbrella installation as a focal point could be executed without ruining the charm of the  simple and classic wedding set up.

Tablescape with Umbrella Installation

Umbrella Installation Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Umbrella Installation

Photo Credit: Drew Manor

Design Execution Team:

Ultimate Events Ltd.: Installation of umbrellas above dance floor, outdoor kitchen for Chef Khalid, all other infrastructure related items; lighting and port a potties. Go to http://ultimateeventstt.com/  to reach Ultimate Events Limited.

Bouge Events: Supply of glass top, LED bottom tables, installation of balloons, seating chart and other fine details

Drew Manor Flower Bar (DM Flower Bar): The bride chose a mix of local anthuriums and roses because she wanted the classic and eclectic look. DM Flower bar supplied the bride’s bouquet, bridesmaids’ bouquets, bouquets for mother and mother in law, floral arrangements for church and table arrangements.

Laura and Veer Reception on Drew Manor’s field at night

Photo Credit: Drew Manor

Close up on Tablescape at Laura and Veer’s Wedding Reception at Drew Manor

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Tablescape with flowers and foliage at Laura and Veer’s Wedding Reception at Drew Manor

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Executed Seating Plan at Laura and Veer’s Reception

Photo Credit: Ultimate Events Limited

Executed Seating Plan at Laura and Veer’s Reception

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Balloons at Dessert Station for Laura and Veer’s Reception

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Laura and Veer on the Dance Floor

Photo Credit: Kyannah Andrews

Love was in the chic air that light, fun Saturday night full of playfulness and magic.  Yet it did not stop there nor at 1 a.m. when the 400 guests attending Laura and Veer’s all inclusive wedding party departed for their homes. It manifested into the beginning of another phase of Laura and Veer’s love in the most beautiful design that is known to us all as life.

All Inclusive Wedding Party

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