The day showbiz turned marriage into a spectacle

DECEMBER 30 is to millions of Filipinos Rizal Day to remember the day the Spaniards executed him for allegedly inciting his fellow “indios” (as they were called by the colonists) to rebellion. Thanks but no thanks to his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

But last Tuesday, as government officials were busy laying wreaths on numerous Rizal monuments around the country, Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, anointed King and Queen of primetime television by the owners of GMA Network, Inc., awoke to prepare themselves for the grand spectacle that they and their managers and TV producers had laid out for this once in a lifetime event in the two actors’ lives. It was even called the “royal wedding” by the network.

The Dantes-Gracia Nuptials, the Kapuso network envisioned it to be something worthy of a television special that it could mine weeks after the couple had gone off to a still unannounced place for their honeymoon. Already, teasers of the special have been popping out on your screens immediately after the event. You’d know it, if you were a loyal Kapuso follower.

Some people whose eyebrows were always raised as high as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai with mere mention of show business, people or event, were, of course, dismayed, especially those with abodes near and around the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City where the streets where they live were closed for traffic as early as the first hours of the morning of Rizal Day. Well, naturally, security was of prime concern by the wedding coordinators as President Benigno C. Aquino was attending being the wedding’s “Witness of Honour.” We learned he didn’t want to be one of the principal sponsors (as he is still not married), so the couple with the help of their wedding coordinator created a label to suit his stature.

The much-publicized wedding, albeit referred to by the network’s public relations team as a “Royal Wedding” but when anyone asked them about the royal pedigree (real, huh?) of either of the two, the publicists would only smile at you, had a weekly update in the bride’s weekly musical show Marian for the fans to know who would be in the wedding entourage.

So, the final entourage had 20 motley pairs of principal sponsors that included GMA Network’s top guns Atty. Felipe L. Gozon and Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., actor-turned-politician Vilma Santos-Recto, the President’s sister Kris Aquino, the bride’s manager Antonio P. Tuviera and the groom’s manager Petty P. Lansigan, and fellow actors as well as movie producers, designers, and sponsors that have helped the couple in their career, like beauty specialist Dr. Vicky Belo.

The entourage also had a long list of groomsmen and bridesmaids, mostly friends and relatives of either the groom or the bride. And Dantes had three Best Men, Rivera had three Maids of Honor.

AiAi de las Alas was a secondary sponsor, in charge of the veil along with actor Gabby Eigenmann. Couple Richard Gomez and Lucy Torres were the candle sponsors. KC Concepcion and Senator Bam Aquino took charge of the cord.

The popular diminutive child star Ryzza Mae Dizon was among eight flower girls.

The elaborate wedding ceremony had other personalities on the entourage as ring bearer, bible bearer (this is new, huh) and coin bearer. There are even a couple who were designated as rosary bearers, and six boys as crucifix bearers.

As we all had seen on TV, it was a concelebrated mass that had some netizens asking, “Why?” Even the wedding of real royalty, like Prince William of England, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine “Kate” Middleton was officiated by just the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, while the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, preached the sermon.

Well, England’s royalty are not Catholics, fans of the two Kapuso stars said.

Dantes and Rivera made sure the church in which they would be wedded had the trimmings worthy for their man-given titles. The arches were decked with flowers, so were the pews. They rolled a red carpet, just like in the Academy Awards. They even hired professional lighting people to light up the interior of the church (for television coverage.)

The entrance of the groom was dramatic. He arrived on a Ducati bike and put on his Randy Ortiz white jacket over black slacks ahead of the bride who rode a restored and refurbished Mercedes-Benz in her P2-million trousseau (obviously inspired by the princesses in Disney’s animated films) by Dubai-based Filipino dressmaker Michael Cinco.

The estranged parents of Rivera, Francisco Javier A. Gracia, the Spaniard father, and Spain-based Filipino mother, Amalia R. de los Santos, were reunited, if only for the wedding. They gave their daughter away. While, the Dantes brood, led by the father, Sixto Z. Dantes, Jr., and mother, Ma. Angelita, were totally consumed in Dingdong’s fairy tale-like wedding.

The ceremony took almost four hours to finish, including the photo ops with family, entourage friends, and fans who all rushed to the Mall of Asia Arena that had been transformed into a huge banquet hall with hanging bahay kubo chandelier-like lamps. The newly weds sat in a mock gazebo overlooking their guests. A towering wedding cake that also served as screen for projected images to make it look like a decorated cake was the centerpiece of the reception.

Guests had cocktails at the lobby area while waiting for the newly weds. And when they arrived, the guests were ushered into the arena-turned-banquet hall.

The menu was as elaborate as the wedding ceremony. A guest said, it was Spanish and Filipino cuisine combined. No, it wasn’t fusion, just a smattering of both cuisines.

Here’s the menu: for starter, the soup was Sinigang na Hipon ni Marian, the salad—Ensalada of Organic Greens, Pancit-Pancitan, Alugbati Flowers, Tagaytay Tomatoes, Jamon Iberico Crisp, Guava Jelly-Jerez Vinaigrette; and then Seabass and Seafood Paella “Sa Tampipi” Saffron Mayonesa, American Lemon. For intermission, there was Calamansi Sgroppino before the main course was served, which was Braised and Grilled US Angus Short Ribs with Balsamico Adobo, Nata de Coco Atchara, Roasted Red and Yellow Capsicums and Sweet Potato Mash.

The dinner was capped with the menu’s The Sweet Duet of Tiramisu de Argellanas con Dulce de Leche and Leche Flan de Aya. Coffee or Tea was also served.

The reception was as elaborate starting with the couple getting a slice of cake they partook of along with wine and then there was dancing, like what it is in all showbiz parties.

Everyone had fun, I suppose, especially the couple and their families. That’s showbiz, folks. Not even the late Fernando Poe, Jr. and Susan Roces had a spectacular wedding even when they were really the King and Queen of Philippine movies. And neither Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion who were showbiz’s darling couple for a while.

I have to take my hats off to Dingdong and Marian for putting up a spectacular show that made a lot of people forget it was Rizal Day that day.