TOPAZ HORIZON

It's the eve of our fourth wedding anniversary and Vince and I found ourselves talking about how we ended up having the wedding of not our dreams. If you know us at all, we're not the sort of people who dreamed of white gowns and designer bridesmaid dresses, tearful speeches and towering cake, first dances and gorgeous photo shoots, and all the extravaganza that weddings entail.

There's only one thing that's happening on April--the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. So Elaine, my magazine's associate features editor, who's been doing research, shared with us the video of Diana's long march down that aisle so many years ago. Confession: I've never actually watched this most famous wedding before! It took my breath away.



Did you hear the people roar? Did you hear the trill and bellow of the trumpets? I got goosebumps honestly. I imagine a saint's arrival at heaven to be greeted like that, with applause and trumpets.

In her voluminous dress, Diana still looked very elegant and beautiful, even brave. Well, every person about to get married has to be brave!

My own wedding was very simple. So was Vito's baptism. Vince and I aren't the pomp-and-pageantry type. We like to dress up and eat well, but we don't like programs or dance numbers or long speeches or giveaways and stuff like that. For a lot of people, events are a big show (and there's nothing wrong with that!) but for Vince and me, our events are very private and quiet.

But watching Diana's wedding, I can't help but feel that weddings should indeed be like that--a spectacular show! I certainly now wish my wedding march had been accompanied by such fanfare! Drums and trumpets and the thunderous roar of thousands of happy people! Hear! Hear!

... is I have no more friends who'll get married in the next three to five years. That means Vito won't ever get to be a ring/coin/Bible bearer. It would've been so cute to see him in a little suit or barong, walking most seriously (I imagine him to take his duties most seriously!) down that long aisle. I'd be such a proud momma!

Vince's cute nephews Kevin and Zo at our 2007 wedding

Well, I did propose to Vince that we could renew our vows when Vito's 3 or 4 or 5 years old. That way, Vito gets to be a ring bearer and I get to have new wedding jewelry! Definitely a fantastic plan! Now if only I can fit into my gown again...

Nope. I didn't diet or exercise to fit into that dress. I was really just thin. Now my birthing hips are impossible!

Saw these photos from 8 months ago. And I just got nostalgic. We were so happy!
This was at Nikki's wedding and these are the glamorous people that make up our Wine Night group. Can I just point out my arm??? I was actually eating a LOT at that time because I was 4 months pregnant.

Yep, I was 4 months pregnant then. A lot has happened since... the pneumonia scare for me, magazine features for some, finding and losing love for one, heartbreak for others, a homecoming, leaving for another land for one, I gave birth to Vito and had postpartum depression, etc. A lot truly has happened in the past 8 months!

But certain things remain...

Here's to us, my darling drunks!

Last week, Alvin passed by the office to get a bag of beauty products for his wife, my darling dearest friend Mariel. He's flying off to New York City to see her and I had to send Mariel some prettifiers. I should've included a heated blanket, too, since it'll be cold there but, hey, the newlyweds haven't seen each other in 4 months so I guess they won't need help in the heat department!

Mariel, your hubby's so cute. He's not a demonstrative kinda guy and I've never known him to be expressive, but when he was at the office, he just suddenly said, "I'm so excited. I haven't seen her in four months!"

Neighbor! I just melted for you!!!

I honestly don't know how you two do this long-distance relationship thing (remember that song I dedicated to you both?) but I know you'll be truly together one day soonest!

To my readers, see Mariel and Alvin's wedding in the current issue of Martha Stewart Weddings! And watch the beautiful video Pat Dy made for them here. Mariel's wedding is one of the loveliest weddings I've ever been to--made me cry. All the drama, the family stories, the old friends who flew in, the gorgeous weather, the romance, the style! Just the ingredients you need for a truly heartwarming wedding!  

So many cute photos from Mariel's wedding so here are more!

The night before the wedding, maid of honor Kai Morales and matron of honor me trooped to Mariel's suite to go over the details of the big day.

Then all of Mariel's friends came by to help with the souvenirs. We all had to fold boxes for the candy bar and guests can just scoop all the candy and chocolate they want into the boxes!

Next morning was bright and sunshiny! Vince and me at the hotel lobby, gathering with all the other guests to board our coasters that will take us to the church.

Outside the church, we wait with Kai. It's breezy in the shadow of the cathedral but inside, ooh wow, it was hot!

The reception was held on the beach. This is my first beach wedding! It's very relaxed and happy. What I really like about Mariel's wedding was it still looked so fabulous! A lot of beach weddings I see in magazines are so... blah. 

Gorgeous guests: photographer Monica Barretto, Martha Stewart Weddings Philippines editor-in-chief Tata Mapa and makeup artist Marie Calica.

I really should put all these nice pics in a USB stick and plug it into our unused digital frame that we got for free when Vince bought his computer monitor last year. Yep, we have a really nice digital frame that we aren't using! But with all the pics I have now, I think it's time to fire it up.

Oh, for more on Mariel's wedding, click here and here.

Photos by Monica Barretto.

The bride. Glorious in a Rajo Laurel creation. That skirt is just incredible, Nikki! I want to hear all about the creation process or maybe we can feature it in a bridal story in OK!. What do you think?!

The groom. Looking dashing in his three-piece suit. Looking very serious, too! Bernard, I prefer you when you're smiling--you look like a smiley face! I think that's what got Nikki hooked!

The entourage. This photo is so surreal, like it was for a fashion magazine! And, unlike a fashion magazine, this photo is not Photoshopped, so yes, the ladies really do look like they're fans of Stimerex ES--although they aren't! Those svelte bodies are the result of good ol' exercise and diet.

The guests who can't keep their hands off each other. Someone tell these two to save it for the bedroom. Really! Look at where all this affection got that girl--pregnant! I think this was the part the candle kept going out and I found it funny and Vince didn't.

The OK! girls. Everyone's here except Joanna, who was occupied with domestic matters (she is a new mom, after all, and traveling can be stressful). These are the women who make each issue of my magazine fantabulous each month! We're a happy bunch who likes Hollywood happenings and eating, eating, eating! We love swooning over love stories, too, so this was definitely a night to remember.

Photos (except last) by Pat Dy

The Manila String Machine.



My brother, a cellist, is part of this quartet, and they were the ones who played at my wedding. They also played at Issa Litton's wedding. And they will perform soon at my friend Mariel's wedding.

I noticed as I was blog-hopping that there are so many bride-to-be's out there, all furiously/dreamily/feverishly planning their wedding. Well, might I make a suggestion? If you're the type of bride and groom who care about the details, then a string quartet definitely makes your wedding more elegant and more beautiful.

My wedding was just lovely--intimate, quiet and glamorous. Well, my parents would have preferred a large and noisy event (I'm from a large and ridiculously noisy family) but for Vince and me, the only sound we wanted to hear that day was that of well wishes and laughter and the music of strings.

My uncle, Papa's brother, did decide to stir things up and campaign for a senator (to my horror, the uncle even showed up in jeans and a campaign shirt)... and that is a story for another day!

Aside from that annoying snafu, my wedding was elegant. And while I have my friends and sisters-in-law to thank for that, I also know that the beautiful music my brother and his friends played was the thread that held it all together. Never underestimate the power of music. In this case, on perhaps the happiest day of your life, the Manila String Machine will be the perfect accompaniment to start your journey to happily ever after!

Bad things don't have to be the end of the world. For me, one bad storm was the beginning of a whole new world.

As regular readers of this blog know, Vince and I have been together since 1999. You also know that I never wanted to get married. While I loved Vince, I was quite averse to the idea of marriage, even if it was to Vince. But on September 28, 2006, that all changed when Typhoon Milenyo blew into town.

We were in Vince's 23rd-floor apartment that stormy morning and as I was waiting for him to dress up for work, I heard the sound of wind whistling fiercely and of water dripping... fast. I looked at the kitchen sink—nope, faucet was off. I looked under the sink—nope, no leaks. I looked for the source of the sound, which was getting faster and louder, and to my horror discovered that water was pouring in through the windows! The wind was so strong, it was literally pushing in water through the air holes of the glass windows (the air holes regulate air pressure). The good news was the glass didn't break; the bad news was the entire apartment was surrounded by windows!

I immediately alerted Vince and we tried plugging the holes. Didn't work. The wind was so strong, the water was actually jetting through! Vince hollered at me to save his precious books, which were shelved under the windows. He didn't need to tell me twice. He was busy unplugging his entertainment system. The water rose higher and higher, spreading throughout the parquet floors. It was so surreal because here we were 23 floors up and we were flooded in!

To make a long story short, Vince and I moved furniture and mopped up water the entire day, throwing buckets of it in the sink and the shower, still unbelieving that we were in a flood. But I liked how we handled the situation: Vince was entirely in control and I didn't lose my head either. We were a team, calm and methodical, not needing to tell each other what to do (although we were deeply upset inside!). In the evening, as we sank our tired asses onto the sofa, I remember looking at Vince and thinking, "I'm marrying this man."

Nope, it wasn't a romantic moment. I didn't feel warm and fuzzy inside. I was tired and cold and wet and hungry, and Vince was the same. We weren't even talking to each other, so exhausted were we! Not exactly a scene out of a movie. But there I was, looking at him coldly assessing the damage, and I knew then that when I go through the worst storms life can unleash, there is only one person I want to be with. The decision to marry him wasn't borne of a romantic or passionate emotion, it was born out of simple logic and it is perhaps the most intelligent decision I've ever made.

Three months after Typhoon Milenyo hit, I proposed marriage with a Sony Playstation 3 and Vince accepted and presented me with a diamond ring. Not a bad exchange, I say! We married in April 2007, just seven months after Milenyo. So, incredibly, Milenyo led to marriage!

What wonderful changes do you think Ondoy will bring?

I seem to be posting on Wednesdays and Sundays!

This weekend was extremely busy. First, a wedding on Saturday afternoon. Second, a birthday-karaoke party that night. Third, shopping on Sunday! Fourth, a visit to my in-laws. Today will just be about the wedding!

Pinky Jacob, my grade school friend from Assumption, got married to her longtime sweetheart Derek Ileto at the Christ the King Church in Taytay, Rizal. They wanted to get married somewhere different. Yeah. Everyone in Manila gets married in Intramuros, that church near Mall of Asia, in Calaruega, or in Forbes Park. Ho hum. So, even though getting to Taytay was really hard, it was great to discover a new place!

The church is so high up the hills that its nickname is "Church in the Sky." The view is fantastic. What I found most remarkable about the small church was the altar. Check that out!

Pinky and Derek (sorry for the blurry shot). Their vows were filled with laughter and tears. The priest asked, "Pinky, do you accept Derek as..." Pinky said, "I do, Father." Pause. Then priest said, "Pinky, let me finish the question." Everyone had a huge laugh over that one!

This is Clarissa, another classmate from Assumption. She's Pinky's best friend and maid of honor. Clar is now based in New York City, busy making films.

Outfit shot! The dress is a gorgeous Zara floaty creation. It's green with gold floral and paisley design, with a huge bow at the neck. The bow covers the deep V neckline! It's also very sheer so I had to wear a slip underneath it. Brown tights are from Tesco (yes, the supermarket) at London. Brown pumps from Nine West. I'm still looking for the perfect platform shoes for this dress--since it's so floaty, it needs sturdy shoes to ground it. The fab bag is from my mother-in-law.

Vince and me. I'm having a bad hair day! Vince's tie is Cirque du Soleil, which he got from Las Vegas. See the creepy faces? He wore that because the wedding theme was carnivale and Mardi Gras. Cool tie. Cooler guy.