Wedding tears for Aga, Charlene

BAGUIO CITY — The couple in the wedding of the new millennium shed tears of joy in the middle of the ceremony yesterday afternoon at the St. Joseph the Worker Church in Pacdal district here.

Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales were apparently touched as they exchanged vows before the priest, but they broke into smiles afterwards and the guests applauded when Aga said "I do" to his three-month pregnant bride.

Except for that brief spillover of emotion, it was exactly how the couple pictured their wedding to be: quiet, far from the madding crowd, private.

In another touching moment, Aga kissed Charlene twice on the lips and once on the tummy.

There were only around 400 guests — modest, by showbiz standards. And it didn’t matter if the principal sponsor President Arroyo failed to show up, caught up as she was with more mundane concerns such as the latest Abu Sayyaf raid in far-off Palawan (They can write off that place as a potential honeymoon spot for now).

Despite or maybe because she was on the family way, Charlene was radiant in her Joe Salazar gown. Aga for his part looked dapper in his Armani suit bought in Milan last December.

Her groom, who spent millions of pesos for the three-day wedding feast — which kicked off rather symbolically with a few rounds of golf at Camp John Hay — looked equally happy.

The other day, at the pre-wedding Mass, Aga brushed aside ugly talks that his father Alvaro, or Cheng, would "boycott" the wedding due to a fuss over two undelivered invitations.

"It’s their concern, not mine," the actor said. But Cheng surprised everyone by showing up yesterday — perhaps letting bygones be bygones.

The bride’s brother, Richard Bonnin, gave Charlene away. And during Holy Communion, Aga caught the kneeling Charlene from falling.

The wedding was officiated by Rev. Crisostomo Yalung. Mrs. Arroyo was represented by her cousin Erlyn de Leon.

Spotted during the wedding were Regal Films’ Lily Monteverde, Sen. Loren Legarda, ABS-CBN bigwigs Gabby Lopez and Freddie Garcia, Charlene’s mom Elvie Gonzales, Marichu Maceda, businessman Jose Concepcion, popular actor Richard Gomez with wife Lucy and daughter Juliana, Lilibeth Nakpil, talent managers Douglas Quijano and Ethel Ramos, Arlene Muhlach, Albert Martinez with wife Liezl and daughter Alyanna, and Aga’s son by Janice de Belen, Iggy Boy, who was best man.

At the reception, pure gold and silver cutlery brought all the way from Manila were used. The Side A and South Border bands played, and food and drinks were overflowing.

Multicolored flowers from the Netherlands, Australia and Germany adorned the reception venue. Beige-colored linen handpicked by the couple covered the tables.

Charlene carried an expensive bouquet of white imported Lily of the Valley.

The huge cake, a labor of love by Charlene’s mom Elvie, was sent, layer by layer, from Manila.

Aga and Charlene were linked to different partners before their romance was first publicized by The STAR several months ago.

Aga said he will be more discriminating about his choice of TV/movie roles after marriage.

Charlene, who is expecting twins in November, may have to take a leave of absence from Keep on Dancing.

After the honeymoon, which may or may not be in Argentina, the couple will live in Aga’s mansion in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.