After the hot and humid late December wedding of elder sister Maddy in Bohol, off we went – Debbie Palao and I — to freezing cold Baguio for younger sister Mai Mai’s turn to wed on January 5, 2008. This time, Deb was one of the principal sponsors.
After the earth colors (white, sand beige and stone grey) theme of Maddy’s beach resort reception, the entourage had to be in different shades of dark blue for Mai Mai’s affair, signified by the custom-made invitations in dark blue and gold, reflecting Vincent van Gogh’s haunting work of a starry, starry night. As it was the Feast of the Epiphany, the three little boys – the ring, Bible and arrhae bearers – were dressed as the Three Kings in capes and with crowns. Everything was just perfect, even the “canyao” (the Igorot festive ritual for happy events like marriage and birth) pre-wedding get-together for all the relatives in a garden setting that had everyone huddle near the bonfire in the cold highland night.
I remember staying in Baby Osmeña-Madrid’s gorgeous house in Ayala-Alabang Subdivision many times in the 80s, before my family got the condo unit in Greenhills. Like sisters, Baby and I always looked forward to those reunions when we could share updates in our separate lives. Knowing that I was a night person, Baby would caution the two young ones – JV (my husband’s godson who calls me Mommy Ninang) and Mai Mai – not to disturb me when they would leave early for school. But Mai Mai could not be deterred. I would be roused at six thirty in the morning with a whisper at my room’s window, near the garage: “Mommy Ninang…Mommy Ninang…good morning!” To which I would open my door to kiss her and JV before they left for school…to their mom’s great dismay!
The affectionate little girl I used to cuddle and tell stories to has grown to be a very successful career woman, still highly independent and a go-getter in the first order! She was assigned in Singapore for three years, as Brand Manager of Procter and Gamble, before her marriage. After their month-long honeymoon in Australia, Mai Mai is now back to her position in P & G, while Pio is co-owner of Bright Development, a condominium builder in Quezon City.
May you live in love, faith and joy!