Roman & Shalani's Roman Holiday

Now it can be told: The honeymoon of Rizal Congressman Roman Romulo and Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad was almost cancelled at the last minute even when they had been booked already for Europe.

“They were busy preparing for their wedding weeks earlier so they wanted to spend time with their respective constituents,” Mons Romulo, Roman’s sister who writes a Sunday column for The STAR’s Life section and who booked for the couple’s flight, told Funfare. “I advised them to give time to themselves, kasi next year election na and they will be busy with the campaign.”

It’s no secret that Roman is running for reelection (not for Senator as rumored) and Shalani might run for Congresswoman. If she wins, Shalani will add more beauty and glamour to the House of Representatives whose members include Lucy Torres-Gomez (Ormoc City), Lani Mercado-Revilla (Cavite), former First Lady Imelda Marcos (Ilocos Norte), Rachel “Baby” Arenas (Pangasinan) and Gina de Venecia (Pangasinan).

Four days after their wedding on Jan. 22, the newlyweds flew to Europe where they spent four days in Paris and four days in Rome. And what a Roman Holiday it was! They had their pictures taken at the Eternal City’s tourist attraction including the many fountains (one of them the Fountain of Trevi where they threw coins and made their wishes, you know, just like in the Hollywood movie Three Coins in the Fountain which was shot there) and the Spanish Steps (also popularized by many Hollywood films) where they hugged and kissed.

While waiting for their own home to be fixed, Roman and Shalani are staying at the house of Roman’s parents, former Foreign Affairs Sec. Bert Romulo and wife Lovely Romulo, together with Roman’s sister Lupe and her son. They are staying in a two-bedroom wing near the garden.

“They might move into their new house maybe end of this month,” said Mons.

Almost two months after the wedding, Shalani is blending beautifully well into the Romulo family.

“They complement each other,” observed Mons. “Roman is a typical lawyer, very formal and straightforward; while Shalani is warm and cariñosa.”

Anytime now, Shalani will resume hosting a show also on TV5, not Willie Revillame’s Wil Time Bigtime but a new noontime game show with Edu Manzano as co-host. The timeslot is ideal for Shalani who could have time for her constituents the whole afternoon.

Is Shalani, as per the rumors, already experiencing morning sickness and craving for manggang hilaw?

“Ay,” laughed Mons, “I don’t know. I wouldn’t dare ask her or Roman about that.”

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