A magical wedding for Ross Rica and Darren Deen

The beautiful just before dusk wedding of Ross Rica King and Darren Deen was absolutamente the grandest in Cebu in recent memory. Defintely a spectacular one full of unexpected magic.

The dashingly handsome groom, a highly successful businessman and an avid sportsman was the city’s most eligible bachelor for the longest time. He took his captivatingly simpatica novia for his life long partner at solemn nuptial rites officiated by Monsignor Adelito Abella, assisted by Rev. Father Regis Wan and by everybody’s friend the likeable and full of pleasant surprises Rev. Father Ernesto Javier of the Society of Jesus.

El estilo de arquitectura of The Sacred Heart Church never looked so stately and majestic as on el dia de la boda as when Cebu’s premier interior decorator with impeccable classical taste and style icon, Rosebud Sala lovingly transformed the parish into a magnificently understated and truly uplifting house of prayer.

The imposing columns were fully draped in the purest white satin with a profusion of the greenest of greens with dozens upon dozens of calla lilies, anthuriums and white roses which adorned the center altar. The same eye-catching elegant pattern but naturalmente in a smaller scale was replicated on the aisle.

The radiant bride with the expert guidance of makeup guru Manila’s top artist Patrick Rosas was a vision to behold. She wore a white chantilly lace sleeveless bridal gown by Cebu-born now Beverly Hills-based and much sought after international designer Monique Lhuillier. She walked in the arm of her proud father Ricarido King with dotting mom Rosalinda King at her side to the strains of the Voices of Praise Choir.

Seated on either side of the aisle were the main sponsors led by the brides uncles Robin and Luis King, the couples dear friends Carlos Palanca III and businessman Michel Lhuillier, Kazuie Hirose who flew in from Japan exclusively for the ceremonies, and Kazuo Wada .

The lady sponsors included la madrina de bautizo del novio, Lourdes Cacho, tias de la novia Grace Gonzalez, Haydee King and Victoria Tiu, business partner Linda Chang and dear family friends Annabelle Luym and Annabelle Aboitiz.

After the ce-remonia, lleno de detalles con mucho amor, the over 1,500 guests proceeded without a hitch to the Grand Convention Center, one of Cebu’s biggest venues for the much talked about reception. The massive lobby with a high ceiling was intricately decorated with what seemed like countless cascading white dendrubiums from top to bottom in between several cocktail tables covered in white manteles setting the genial mood for a huge celebration.

This time the artistic and talented, party planner and may I add the dependable miracle worker Teresin Mendezona with Cebu’s foremost florist Pinky Chang, the hard-to-beat supplier of the hard to come by flowers whipped up her own kind of original magic as the ballroom metamorphosed into a virtual paradise.

La alta sociedad de Cebu came to celebrate. The Kings and Deens were present in full force along with the Aboitizes, Osmeñas, Rotaeches, Garcias, Lhuilliers, Pelaez, Fernans, Chiongbians, Escaños just to name a few.

A well thought out feast complemented with the finest selection of wines was set at buffet tables with everything one could possibly desire.

Dancing followed and we danced till dawn.

Era una noche inolvidable.