Funny hitches on the day they got hitched

There were a lot of hitches when Vandolf Quezon and Jenny Salimao got hitched. Fortunately, it still turned out to be a happy event in the end, particularly for the young couple especially after they survived all those obstacles that cropped up before and even during the wedding.

Problem No. 1 was the venue for the church ceremony. The original site was the Notre Dame Devi Chapelle at the Fernbrook, Gardens in Portolino in South Daang Reyna in Las Piñas. That would have been very convenient for the guests because after the ceremony, everyone would just walk to the reception area — a large hall also situated within the Fernbrook Gardens compound.

But the chapel — even as I write this — has yet to be completed. Also, even if it was finished in time for Vandolf and Jenny’s wedding, I doubt if it would fit all the invited guests.

Days before the wedding, Vandolf even went on TV to announce the change of venue. It was going to be moved to this church in Alabang — and that was all I understood.

On the day of the wedding last Dec. 3, a lot of the guests were caught in traffic starting in EDSA (in the Makati area). Even South Superhighway was slow. As a result, a lot of the guests came in late, including the groom’s father, the King of Comedy, Dolphy.

In my case, when my executive producer Reylie Manalo told me that the ceremony had been moved to the “church in Alabang,” I assumed it was the one in Alabang Town Center. I knew that church. The late Chat Silayan got married there (to Mike Bailon in 1992). And so that was where I went.

The church doors were all shut when I got there. When I called my executive producer, she said that the doors had been purposely closed (I guess to ward off uninvited guests.) But she was sending somebody to fetch me at the front door and so I waited. Pressing my ear against the door, I remember telling myself. “This is such a quiet wedding.”

Some 10 minutes had passed and the person fetching me had yet to arrive. Meanwhile, I was standing outside the shut front doors in a formal black suit. All by myself, I looked like a lonely, pathetic groom stood up not only by the bride, but by the entire wedding party.

After another 10 minutes of texting and calling up each other, my executive producer and I finally realized that I went to the wrong church. The church was inside Ayala Alabang — inside the village and not in the commercial center. Proceed there immediately, my boss told me.

That was another 20 minutes lost because traffic in Alabang is horrible and the church was far (and I mean far) from the village gate. When I got to the church (the right one), everything was running smoothly — and solemnly. But prior to that, there was another hitch: Jenny was supposed to ride a gilded carriage, except that the horse fainted and could not be revived in time for the ceremony. The vintage car that ferried Vandolf to church had to be sent back to fetch Jenny. Fortunately, everything went smoothly from that time on.

Jenny, a professional dancer (she started on Magandang Tanghali, Bayan), was a radiant bride and Vandolf was dapper in a shimmering golden green suit (I have to give it to him for having been able to get away with it.)

Was there a collective ABS-CBN snub? (Supposedly because it was GMA 7 that got the exclusive rights to cover the wedding.) Before I could cry boycott, I saw Susan Roces, Nova Villa and ABS-CBN executive Linggit Tan, who all stood there as principal sponsors. At the reception, Bayani Agbayani was also there. But there really were a lot of ABS-CBN people who failed to show up — even if they were in the list of principal sponsors.

However, it was still a happy occasion because all the rest were there anyway: Wilma Galvante, Al Quinn, Sen. Loren Legarda, Pilita Corales, Mayor Jojo Binay, Avin Arayata, Rep. Mary Mitzi Cajayon, Nene Riego, Lorna Tolentino (escorted by son Ralph), Sen. Chiz Escudero, Kitchie Benedicto and Ricky Reyes.

The Quizons, of course, were present (with 18 children, they’re a party by themselves); Eric, Ronnie, Boy II, Sahlee (she still looks young) and the rest of the siblings. (Jeffrey Quizon, unfortunately, was unable to make it because he had to be in Baguio for a shoot.) Half brother Mark Anthony Fernandez was also there and so was stepmom Zsa Zsa Padilla, who made heads turn even in church.

At the reception in Fernbrook Gardens (it’s a bit far —  you can practically smell Cavite proper from there), mother of the groom Alma Moreno (she also looked lovely — especially after having lost weight) seemed very happy because people were having a great time. The food was terrific and Eric Quizon gushed over the salmon. Pokwang (who hosted the event with Eric), however, skipped dinner — “because I already ate yesterday.” (Apparently, she’s really slaving it out to maintain that slim figure of hers). Other celebrity guests spotted at the reception were Jomari Yllana, Ces Quesada, LJ Moreno and Janno Gibbs, who rendered several fast numbers late in the evening.

The full coverage of the Vandolf-Jenny wedding will be aired on Startalk this Saturday, Dec. 8, on GMA 7 right after Eat, Bulaga!.