A Bulaga kind of marriage

MANILA, Philippines – Age doesn’t matter. Proof: Vic Sotto, 61, and Pauleen Luna, 27, who happily bridged the 34-year yawning gap by exchanging “I do’s” for better or for worse, ‘till…last Saturday night, Jan. 30, at the St. James The Great Parish in Ayala Alabang, Muntinliupa City, witnessed by members of their families and close friends.

During the homily, the celebrant, Fr. Jeffrey Quintela, injected a touch of comedy.

Addressing Pauleen, Fr. Jeffrey said (in the vernacular), “Noong sumali ka sa Little Miss Philippines at tinanong ka ng host na si Vic kung ano ang gusto mo maging paglaki mo, sinagot mo ba ng, ‘maging asawa po n‘yo, puede ba ‘yon?’”

Pauleen grew up and became a mainstay on the show and, as they say, the rest is beautiful history.

Pauleen was then six years old with a missing front tooth. When Vic started courting Pauleen, her parents, Eugenio and Chat, used to tease Pauleen by replaying the video of that little pageant. At first against the match, Pauleen’s parents gave in, convinced how much Pauleen love(s) her suitor who is a few years older than them.

So how would Vic, whose first marriage (to Dina Bonnevie) was annulled, address his (second set of) in-laws?

The Luna children fondly call their mom “Mother Lu” and their dad “Father Lu,” so the new son-in-law thought of a way to iron out the little kink.

“Puede po ba ‘pare’ at ‘mare’ na lang?”

Some of Vic’s four children (two with Dina and one each with Coney Reyes and Angela Luz) and children-in-law are older than Pauleen. Will they call Pauleen “Mommy?”

The road to the altar proved to be rough and rocky but Vic and Pauleen hit their goal in God’s good time, sa tamang panahon. It took Vic some time to convince, not just Pauleen’s parents, but his children as well. All’s well that ends well. Vic’s siblings (Tito, Val and Maru) and his children (and in-laws) were all accounted for at the exclusively-family wedding.

It was recalled that in a TV interview, Vic said that if you opened his heart, the name inscribed in it is “Pauleen Luna.”

Noted Fr. Jeffrey, “Your heart is big. Also written in it are the names of your children.”

That made Vic cry (he does every time his children are mentioned). Then, he cried again at the end of the ceremony when he kissed Pauleen, hugged her, kissed her again, and hugged her oh-so-tightly that it seemed he would never let her go.

Yes, there’s forever, according to Vic. The age-gap nevertheless, the newly-weds vowed to live happily ever after at their dream house in Ayala Alabang where they plan to raise (more) children.

But first, the honeymoon in Maldives… – PHOTOS by VER PAULINO