A. By the morning of November 19, the guests had mostly arrived Cebu. We helped our visitors get billeted in their preferred hotels through wedding package and/or special group discount. The following were the hotels where everybody stayed:
1. Marco Polo Hotel - patronage hotel of the bride and her family, the groom and his siblings and the wedding entourage.
2. Quest Hotel - This is a business hotel, the location which was more convenient for the Tans and the Ledesmas, and our friends from Cotabato. The brides' mother Violet Tan also stayed there, and Hymna (Suiling's friend from United States) and her American boyfriend.
3. Shangrila Mactan Hotel - The wedding reception was to be held at Shangrila Mactan, hence forth my cousins and their spouses (wedding sponsors), niece Dessa and her husband Raffy, and Alberto and Mildred Lim and family opted for Shangrila.
B. Schedules of Activities at Quest Hotel:
1. 6 to 10 AM - breakfast at hotel.
2. 10 AM to 1 PM - hair and make-up inside the room of Violet Tan. Rest and free time for others.
3. 2 PM to 3 PM - departure of assigned vans and their occupants to Sacred Heart Church.
4. 3:30 PM - Wedding mass begins.
5. 4:30 to 5 PM - end of wedding ceremony, picture taking.
6. 5 to 5:30 PM - departure of vans and respective guests from the church to the wedding reception at Shangrila Mactan, Cebu.
Sacred Heart Church was a beautiful church. It was well lighted and air conditioned. White Chrysanthemum flowers and orchids adorned the aisles to the altar. Lucas and I purposely arrived early to see that everything was in order. The offertory gifts were placed near the center pews. They were all wrapped in lavender colored cloths. The groom came in. He was busy and happy as ever. Violet Tan, the mother of the bride talked to me intimately inside the church, but soon everybody else began to arrive. I became busy greeting and talking to the arriving guests. Then we were instructed to queue in line for the cue of bridal march to begin. The organ played and I could not even remember the exact wedding tune.......
I knew I would be emotional. As a mother, I was happy that at long last Emil was getting married at the age of 38. Sui was good for him, but how I wished she were a healthier girl. I had only the best of the best wishes for them both. Emil was so happy! As a mother, I knew my hold for this boy ends today. I would be completely turning him over. I prayed for everything to be right for him. There was a pang in my heart. My tears began to swell from the start of the wedding march. It was hard to fathom for I also cried when Tom got married. This was like graduation. I raised a child and now I am formally turning over my accomplishment. Hard to let go, I guess. Maybe it was just the mother in me. I was actually very happy and eager for the ceremony to begin and the mass to be done. Everything went accordingly well. The choir was beautiful. The presiding priest Father Isagani Ejido was a personal friend of Emil, his classmate and roommate during their masteral stint in AIM. The rite was solemn and meaningful. It had a feeling of family and personal touch. I felt the calming presence and love of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for your kind and gracious blessings!
Below are random pictures of the wedding......
Mother of the groom at the hotel lobby.
Parents of the groom and mother of the bride, ready to depart for the church.
Emil and his parents waiting for the guests and bride to arrive.
Bestman Frederick Rara and Tom, brother of the groom.
Dixon, Emil and Bernard
The bride's maids in lavender all excited.
Ninang Adele arriving.
Uncle Wilson and ninang auntie Diane
Businessmen: Ninong Edgar Lao, Frank Ching and uncle Lucio Tan
Heddy, Nelly, Adele, Marion and Martha
Parents of the groom marching down the aisles.
Abraham Co and Michele Abalos
Edgar Lao and Adele Siy
Sam Baker and Diane Ledesma
Dylan and Marion
Father of the bride John Sarmiento walking her daughter, the radiant bride Sui-Ling to the altar.
Offertory by Mr. and Mrs. Lucas Tan and family.
The wedding ceremony is done. Signing of the marriage contract.
Picture taking after the rites. The newly weds and the parents of the groom.
Newly weds and the relatives of the groom.
Friends and relatives from Cotabato and Cebu.
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