Before the Day

Aruna stepped out of the car Danar was driving, followed by him and Rianti, who emerged from the back seat.

That morning, Rianti had still needed to attend one class at college. As soon as it was over, she headed straight to Aruna Studio, just as her older sister had asked. From the studio, Danar picked them both up to begin one of the most important parts of their wedding preparations: choosing their wedding outfits.

Aruna studied the boutique in front of her.

The building Dayu had recommended was predominantly white. Above the entrance, the name Helena House was displayed in gold lettering, giving the place a glamorous feel. A large front window showcased two mannequins dressed in the boutique’s latest collection.

“Come on, Kak. Let’s go in.”

Rianti could hardly contain her excitement. She tugged Aruna’s hand as they walked through the door beside the large window.

A wave of cool air greeted them as soon as the door opened, followed by a gentle lavender fragrance.

Aruna glanced around the room. The interior featured a combination of white and wood. Several clothing racks lined the left side, while mannequins and display tables filled the front area. Across the room, directly beneath the boutique’s logo mounted on the wall, a woman stood behind the reception counter.

“Good afternoon, Mbak, Mas. How can we help you?” she greeted them warmly.

“Good afternoon. I’m Aruna. I have an appointment with Mbak Helena.”

The staff member smiled and asked them to wait a moment before contacting Helena by phone.

Not long afterward, a petite woman with a milk-tea-brown bob emerged from the back of the boutique.

“Hello, Mbak Aruna. Welcome. I’m Helena.”

She immediately greeted Aruna with a warm handshake.

“I’m Rianti, Kak Helen!”

Rianti cheerfully held out her hand as if they had been friends for years.

Helena laughed softly.

“Oh, so you’re her younger sister?”

“Yes. The chattiest one.”

“Kak!” Rianti protested.

Danar simply nodded politely from behind them.

“Let’s talk inside, shall we?”

Helena led them to the consultation room.

A circular burgundy velvet sofa surrounded a low marble table. In one corner, several mannequins wore unfinished gown prototypes, their intricate beading details still in progress.

After inviting the three of them to sit, Helena picked up a digital tablet.

“Shall we start with the wedding outfits or the family attire?”

“Aruna’s wedding dress first, please, Mbak.”

Danar answered while gently squeezing Aruna’s fingers.

Rianti immediately cleared her throat.

“And Mas Danar’s, too. You’re both getting married, after all.”

Helena laughed.

Aruna could only shake her head in amusement.

“Very well. Let’s start with the bride and groom, then. Have you thought about what kind of designs you’d like, Mbak Aruna?”

Aruna offered a faint smile.

“For the akad, I’d like a traditional white kebaya. A classic kutu baru style, knee-length, paired with a songket skirt.”

She paused for a moment.

Her eyes wandered into the distance, as though she were already picturing the outfit in her mind.

“For the reception, I’d like a simple A-line gown. Ivory, with a soft, flowing fabric. Nothing stiff or overly elaborate. A V-neckline, but not too low, and long sleeves made of sheer, lightweight tulle.”

Helena’s smile widened.

“A beautiful choice. For that kind of gown, I’d recommend premium silk crepe. It drapes beautifully and feels light while still maintaining its structure.”

Her assistant promptly arrived with several fabric samples.

Helena spread them across the table.

Aruna touched one of them.

The surface felt smooth, and the fabric had just the right weight against her palm.

“I like this one.”

“The ivory silk crepe?”

Aruna nodded.

“This one.”

Helena recorded her choice.

“Excellent. We’ll lock that in.”

She then turned to Danar.

“Now, for Mas Danar. Since Mbak Aruna’s reception gown will be minimalist and elegant, I’d recommend a classic tuxedo in midnight blue or jet black.”

Helena showed them several designs on her tablet.

“We could go with a three-piece suit, complete with a waistcoat, a white shirt, and a black bow tie. A slim-fit cut, but still comfortable enough to move around in.”

Danar glanced at Aruna.

“What do you think?”

“Midnight blue looks good.”

“Then I’ll go with Aruna’s choice.”

Rianti raised an eyebrow.

“Well, look at that. A groom who knows how to listen.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing at all.”

Rianti gave him a mischievous smile.

Helena turned back to Danar.

“What about the akad? Grooms traditionally wear a beskap or another traditional outfit that complements the bride’s kebaya.”

Danar considered it for a moment.

“Mbak, since the ceremony is in the morning and the event itself will be simple, I think a formal suit would be more practical.”

“Absolutely. In that case, I’d suggest light gray with a white shirt.”

Danar looked at Aruna.

“What do you think?”

“Perfect. It’ll suit a morning ceremony.”

Danar turned back to Helena.

“Light gray, then.”

Helena recorded his final choice.

“Wonderful. That settles the wedding outfits.”

She swiped to another screen on her tablet.

“Now, let’s move on to the family attire.”

Rianti immediately sat up straighter.

Finally.

This was the part she had been waiting for.

Helena smiled.

“To get started, could you tell me how many immediate family members from each side will need outfits?”

Aruna counted briefly.

“Ten from my side.”

Helena made a note.

“And from Mas Danar’s side?”

Danar fell silent for a moment.

“From my side … seven.”

Aruna’s hand, which had been checking a message from Dayu on her phone, suddenly stopped moving.

She turned toward him.

“Seven?”

Danar nodded.

“Weren’t there only Om Reza, his wife, and your two cousins in Bandung?”

Aruna frowned.

“Who are the other three? How come I’ve never heard about them?”

Danar hesitated briefly before answering.

“There’s Tante Laras and her husband, Om Hendra. They have an only child, Biyan.”

Aruna stared at him.

“I’ve never met them.”

“They rarely keep in touch with me. But they’ll be coming to our wedding.”

Danar gently squeezed her fingers.

“You’ll meet them soon enough.”

Aruna was about to ask another question.

But Danar’s calm expression stopped the words before they could leave her lips.

Noticing the shift in the atmosphere, Rianti stepped in to rescue the conversation.

“Mbak Helena, we can sort out the family details later. I think the most important thing right now is choosing the colors, right?”

Helena smiled professionally.

“Of course.”

She tapped her tablet.

“Since Mbak Aruna’s gown will be ivory and Mas Danar will be wearing midnight blue, I’d suggest family colors that complement both.”

Several color options appeared on the screen.

“Sage green or champagne.”

Rianti immediately nudged Aruna’s arm.

“Kak, look at the sage green. It’s gorgeous.”

Aruna studied the shade.

“It is.”

“Champagne could work for Mas Danar’s family, too.”

Aruna shook her head.

“Let’s not split the colors like that.”

Rianti turned toward her.

“Why not?”

“When we take family photos, it’ll look as though there are two separate camps.”

Aruna looked at Helena.

“What if the men from both families wear champagne, while the women wear sage green?”

Helena smiled immediately.

“That’s an excellent idea.”

She tapped her tablet several times.

“So, instead of assigning different colors to each family, we’ll differentiate them by outfit category. The family photos will look much more cohesive.”

Aruna nodded.

“Yes. I prefer that.”

Helena then asked her assistant to bring out several fabric samples.

Rianti was already buzzing with excitement again.

Aruna could only let out a small sigh.

It felt as though they had barely spent a few minutes in the boutique, yet their list of wedding decisions had already grown longer.

And they hadn’t even chosen the family outfit designs yet.