TRENDING: How one Swiftie's P28 million dream wedding lit up Balesin Island
What does it feel like to have a Taylor Swift-inspired wedding? For longtime Swiftie Trisha Bantigue Tsao, it was a combination of golden hues, intimate details, and a celebration of radiant love.
Trisha and Shawn Tsao's wedding at the exclusive Balesin Island Club in 2023 was far more than a simple tribute to her idol's song, Daylight; it was a massive production that combined romance and storytelling. It recently went viral on TikTok after she revealed in a video that it cost a staggering P28 million.
"When the Lover album came out, it was just a happy and love album, and that is how I felt in the moment. Parang it represented talaga my lovelife timeline, and Daylight is my favorite song from the album," she told PhilSTAR L!fe.
According to Trisha, she loves the meaning of the song and how it relates to her relationship. She feels that traditional media often gives the viewers unrealistic or overly dramatic ideas about what perfect love should be like. But the song, which is about finding redemption from a period of darkness, resonated well with her.
"For the longest time, I've had a hard upbringing and childhood, and had a lot of obstacles. Parang yung naging motivation ko talaga is brought from hatred... to prove myself. But when I met my husband, parang my walls came down and I just can be me and do what I love," she said.
She describes her relationship with Shawn as a calm and comfortable feeling, much like "watching the sunset and sunrise."
Trisha, who recently launched a tech company in Silicon Valley with her husband and actively invests in everything from tech startups to real estate and stocks, shared that she never imagined or planned to incorporate such a theme on her special romantic day.
"I never thought that my wedding would be that grand. I never thought I would have a husband who would be 100% okay with it," she said, adding that Shawn was the one who encouraged her to push through with it.
"Sabi niya, 'Ikaw na bahala. I trust you naman. Your style is better than mine,'" Trisha said.
The price of a dream wedding
Executing a grand vision in a destination like Balesin naturally came with a significant price tag. The couple chose the island as their wedding location, with the ceremony taking place in one of the villas and the reception held in a Marquee Tent.
Trisha told L!fe that they spent around P28 million on their dream wedding, with the most significant share of the budget dedicated to elaborate styling and logistics.
She collaborated with La Belle Fete, an events planning team behind weddings of celebrities like Megan Young and Mikael Daez, Robin Padilla and Mariel Rodriguez, and Ellen Adarna and Derek Ramsay, to name a few. According to Trisha, they paid P185,000 for their services.
Logistics was also a challenge; everything was shipped from Manila via barge, incurring P1.49 million in fees alone. Additionally, transporting guests to the private island cost P1.8 million in airfare.
The couple also generously covered the accommodation for their guests (P5,076,400) and golf carts to take them around the island (P443,520).
Talking about the wedding venue, it was transformed into a golden-hour dreamscape thanks to the talents of artistic director, event stylist, and floral designer Randy Lazaro, whom they paid P5.3 million. To create a cinematic atmosphere, lighting, sound, and effects were added at a fee of P7,065,000.
Every detail further echoed Taylor's lyricism—from the invitation design (P56,000) to the live string quartet (P60,000) that serenaded Trisha as she walked down the aisle.
Food and beverage cost P2,292,306, personalized souvenirs were at P323,013, and printables, such as welcome booklets and menus, were P15,840.
Aside from the dreamy location, Trisha's bridal fashion was nothing short of iconic. Her ceremony gown was a creation by Francis Libiran (P550,000), while her elegant yet modern reception gown was made by Mark Bumgarner (P300,000). Her makeup was done by celebrity makeup artist Albert Kurniawan, whom she paid P88,500. Meanwhile, Shawn's suit cost P113,000.
The entourage did not have to worry about their outfits and glam, as the couple covered the expenses for their hair and makeup (P23,000), bridesmaids' dresses (P120,000), groomsmen suits (P140,000), and the groomslady's dress (P17,000).
To capture every moment, Trisha revealed they hired Metrophoto to take their photos and Notion in Motion for the videos. They spent P390,000 and P220,000, respectively.
Of course, a wedding would not be complete without entertainment at the reception. For this, the couple paid P730,000 for the reception dancers (P65,000), live band (P75,000), DJ (P40,000), fireworks show (P230,000), 360 photo booth (P60,000), mirror photo booth (P40,000), and LED wall (P220,000).
Despite the extravagant wedding, Trisha remained grounded in the true meaning of the day.
"We're both very happy kasi he had a lot of family and friends there, and they didn't expect that kind of caliber ng wedding, and a lot of them is first time nila sa Pilipinas so we thought that its a great opportunity to showcase the Philippines by taking them into Balesin and gave them a great experience as well," she told L!fe.
No regrets
Despite the costs running "higher-than-expected," she expressed profound satisfaction with the outcome and said she has no regrets.
"If you really love the person, who cares if the place is too fancy or kung saan man yan? Do what you can because it is all about the process," she stated.
For Trisha, the wedding's true success wasn't merely in its grandeur or flawless theme execution, but in creating an unforgettable experience that celebrated her love story in a uniquely personal, "Swiftie" way.
"I would like to thank [Taylor Swift] for making such beautiful art, where a lot of her songs have gotten me through a lot of time in life. Her song worked to be an inspiration in one of the biggest times of my life," she said.
She also emphasized what truly mattered: "We were all at our happiest. And all of our family and friends said it was a time that they would never forget."
Ultimately, Trisha underscored that when choosing a wedding theme, the collaboration between you and your partner makes it a lot special.
"Look what's special for the two of you—places you want to go to, the country you met at—and then don't be scared to be unique. Kung ano talaga ang gusto niyo. Do whatever it is, really follow what you truly like," she shared.