Rommel Padillo Serrano, a choreographer, theater performer, and production stylist, is bringing Filipino history and culture to life through breathtaking heritage-inspired weddings. Recently, Serrano captivated audiences with his Spanish colonial-themed wedding designed for Kelvin dela Cruz and Maria Isabel Formigones, held at the iconic San Agustin Church in Intramuros. The event, which featured authentic period attire and a joyful parade, earned widespread admiration both online and among live spectators, proving the timeless appeal of Filipino cultural traditions.
The founder and artistic director of the Kalilayan Folkloric Group of Quezon Province designed and styled the wedding held at the historic church inside the walled city of Intramuros in Manila on December 20, 2024.
“ Nu’ng naglabas ho kami ng same day edit sa reels ng Facebook, umaabot po ito ng 174,000 views, 700 shares… Hindi rin namin lubos maisip na aabot ito ng ganito dahil bihira ho ang may gusto ng ganitong klaseng seryosong tema ( When we released the same-day edit on Facebook reels, it reached 27,000 views and 700 shares… We could hardly believe it would get this far because only a few people usually like this kind of theme for a wedding),” Serrano shared in his interview with Ched Oliva on the radio and online show Otro Cinco on Radyo Pilipinas last December 31.
He said he was glad that people appreciated the heritage-themed wedding, the look of which was inspired by the clothing worn in the 1880s to 1890s when the Philippines was still a Spanish colony.
“ Sobra po silang nabighani sa ganitong makasaysayang kasuotan (They were deeply captivated by these kinds of historical attractions) ,” he added.
CHECK OUT the snaps from the Spanish colonial-themed wedding of Kelvin and Maria Isabel here:
As someone who has worked in the creative industry and performing arts for 32 years, Serrano expressed his delight that even the wedding entourage members adhered to the bride and groom’s chosen theme.
“ Ang nakakatuwa ho dito, lahat ho ng dumalo sa kanilang kasal na mga babae, nakabelo. Prinaktis nila ang sinaunang kaugalian na nakabelo lahat [sa simbahan]. At ang color pallete nila ay umiikot lang po sa earth tones (What’s delightful about this is that all the women who attended their wedding wore veils. They revived the old tradition of everyone being veiled [in the church]. Their color palette revolved entirely around earth tones) ,” he recounted.
To further highlight his expertise in this field, he emphasized key factors to consider when choosing this type of wedding theme, particularly regarding the wardrobe.
“Kailangan mo pumili ng tamang tela. Sa pagpili ng damit importanteng malaman n’yo [kung] ano ba ang design noong araw, ’yong silhouette ng kasuotan noong araw, ano ang prints o detalye na ginagamit noong panahong iyon (You need to choose the right fabric. When selecting attire, it’s important to understand the design from that era—the silhouette of the clothing, the prints, and the details commonly used during that time),” Serrano discussed.
“Maraming salamat dahil may mga kaibigan tayo sa aklan kung saan sila po ang source natin ng pinukpok o pounded abaka. Mula po ito sa Kalibo (Many thanks to our friends in Aklan, who are our source for pinukpok or pounded abaca),” the former member of Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group continued.
Moreover, the cultural worker shared that he explored new methods and modern techniques in designing wedding gowns to complement each bride’s unique body shape.
“Dito ay hinahabol ko rin ang proportion ng ating bride kasi may mga patters po o padron… Kailangan mo ring i-engineered, e, based sa kanyang physique (Here, I also pay close attention to the bride’s proportions because there are patterns or templates that need to be engineered based on her physique),” he explained.
“Hindi p’wedeng masyadong nakakahon lang sa libro dahil may tendency na hindi s’ya babagsak nang tama o maganda for aethetics. So may ina-adjust ka po sa patterns na hindi alam ng mga tao na in-adjust na pala pero nandu’n pa rin ’yong sensibility ng sinaunang kasuotan. (You can’t strictly follow what’s in the books, as there’s a tendency for the garment not to drape properly or beautifully for aesthetic purposes. So, adjustments are made to the patterns—something people wouldn’t even notice—but the essence of the traditional attire remains intact),” Serrano asserted.
The newlyweds and attendees paraded from the church to the reception venue, delighting both online viewers and live spectators.
“Pagkatapo po ng kasal ay nagkaroon ng parada. Sila po ay nakasakay sa karwahe na puno ng gayak na sampaguita mula sa San Pedro, Laguna. At ang parada pong ito ay sobrang saya (After the wedding, there was a parade. They rode a carriage adorned with sampaguita flowers all the way from San Pedro, Laguna. The parade was incredibly joyful),” the production designer and stylist recalled.
“Dahil akala ho ng mga tao sa Calle Real ay shooting lang o gimmick lang ng Intramuros Administration. Akala nila gimmick lang o laro-laro lang (People along Calle Real thought it was just a film shoot or a gimmick by the Intramuros Administration. They assumed it was merely a playful act),” he went on.
“ So, in-encourage nila ‘yong bride and groom na kung p’wede silang magbigay ng kiss. At three times po silang nag-kiss habang nagpaparada papunta sa kanilang reception sa Baluarte de San Diego (The crowd encouraged the bride and groom to share a kiss, and they kissed three times during the parade as they made their way to the reception at Baluarte of San Diego). ”
When it comes to cost, Serrano shared that he can customize the packages and the work to fit the allotted wedding budget.
“ ‘Pag kaibigan ko po at gusto ko ang tema, p’wedeng pag-usapan. Kagaya nitong nakaraang naming wedding, nagulat ako sa kanila dahil sobra silang seryoso sa temang ‘yan. Kaya ang nangyari, ‘Magkano ang kaya n’yo? Doon natin laruin ‘yong pondo n’yo.’ But dahil love na love ko ‘yong tema, binigay ko ‘yong best. At ang ending, kinuha pa nila akong ninong (If it’s friends and I like the theme, we can talk about it. Like in this recent wedding we worked on, I was surprised by how seriously they took the theme. So I asked, ‘ What’s your budget? Let’s work around that.’ But because I absolutely loved the theme, I gave it my all . Hahaha!” I have concluded.
In July 2024, Serrano served as the production designer and stylist for the wedding of Canadian-turned-Filipino vlogger Kyle ‘Kulas’ Jennermann and his social entrepreneur wife, Therine Diquit. Check out snaps from their wedding here:
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