TOPAZ HORIZON

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Britney baby, one more time!

I'm a pop music fan and for me, after Madonna, Britney Spears rules. I really love Britney Spears. She exploded into the international scene in 1999, just when my love story with Vince was beginning. So her superstar career is as old as my love affair, and whenever I hear a Britney song, I can pinpoint a Vince memory. This makes rock-fan Vince cringe, of course, haha.

Man, I know all the biggest songs from all her albums: "One More Time," "Sometimes," "Oops... I Did It Again," "Lucky," "Stronger," "Girl in the Mirror," "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," "Toxic," "Everytime," "My Prerogative," and "Do Somethin'." So now that's she's getting back into shape again and going to the recording studio, I really hope Britney's back!

In this video, don't you just miss her? She was so cute and innocent back then. Anyway, this song, "Sometimes," was my song for Vince when we were still dating. Did you know he asked me to marry him a month after we met? The guy scared me witless but in my heart I was singing,

"Hope that you will wait for me
You'll see that you're the only one for me!
I want to believe in everything that you say
'Coz it sounds sooooo good
But if you really wanted me, move slow
There's things about me you just have to know..."

Vince, I'm glad you waited eight long years for me to finally make up my mind. And everything you said not only sounded good, it is all good. And I am with you now day and night. Your silly rabbit has finally stopped running away.

Monday, April 30, 2007

The surprise bridal shower

... really took me by surprise. It was held a week before the wedding and I was very sick with the flu. I wanted to stay in bed so I got quite annoyed that Vince and Kate insisted I had to fit my gown one last time. Vince had to drag me to Kate's atelier and when I got there...

S U R P R I S E !

So pardon my bleary self in these photos. I may have looked like a wreck but I was so so so happy this whole night.

Thanks - Kate, Mariel, Lana, Marcie (who provided these pics), Kat, Alvin, Francis, my surprise guests that I met that night, and of course, Vince!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Vince and I did it!

April 18, 2007

Villa San Miguel, Archbishop's Palace

Mandaluyong City

After eight full years of being I and you, he and she, him and her, Vince and I are now we.

I am now Mrs. Sales.

That’s just awesome.

Special guests

Aside from my best friend Aida flying in all the way from Europe, we were also grateful that Vince’s best friend, Jukka, also managed to get to Manila (from wherever in the world he happened to be—he’s a documentary producer) a couple of days before the wedding.

Theodore teased that we had celebrities in the house. What with our cousin Iza and the Valdes couple, Dennis and Tessa, in attendance. Well, these people are actually my friends!

P.S. Tessa featured the wedding in her column in last Sunday's society pages. I hope you all got your copy of Philippine Daily Inquirer! If you didn't, read the online version here.

What’s a wedding without speeches?

My dearest best friend Aida flew all the way from Antibes, France, just to be at my wedding. She was lovely. She’s my heart warmer.

Theodore introduces Papa who gave a sweet and funny speech (whew, no tears!).

Vince’s dad was up next. He admonished us all to take better care of our world now because we may not have a world to give to our children.

Vince and I thank our guests. I adore this man I married. Really.

The evening’s entertainment

We totally abused our friendship with Kate. Not only did she create our stunning gowns, she also sang us two songs! That Yamaha keyboard is a gift from one of her many male admirers, by the way.

My cousin, former theater actress Ate Tricia Jimenez, sang us a song, too. She was accompanied by my brother Theodore Amper and his string quartet, The Manila String Machine.

The night’s undisputed star—the cake!

Well, by default, as bride and groom, Vince and I had to endure being the center of attention. We dreaded that but it actually turned out okay. Here we are cutting the cake. That cake is three full layers of quadruple chocolate—no styro! Chocolate sponge cake with chocolate butter cream slathered in chocolate glaze and sprinkled with chocolate shavings. This was the hit of the night.

Strawberry and chocolate girls

Look at my delightful flower girls and junior bridesmaid! Aren’t their gowns amazing? They’re beautifully beaded satin and lace with full petticoats. Kate Torralba, my designer and bridesmaid, totally outdid herself!