A sweet Southern wedding

Two old-wealth Southern barons and baronesses’ familles were united at the tres elegant wedding of beautiful couple Jacques-O Coscolluela and Sabrina Garcia in the City of Smiles, Bacolod, dahlings.

During the royalettes’ wedding, the Queen of Peace Church bustled with both Negros Occidental and Oriental’s old guards, palanggas. After all, the dashing groom is the son of Orlando Coscolluela and Palanca Awards Hall of Famer Dr. Elsa Martinez Coscolluela while the radiant bride is the popular daughter of the late well-loved Dr. Bob Garcia and Southern socialite Melinda Arcenas vda. de Garcia.

Kate Moss look-alike Sabrina wore a Rajo Laurel bustier gown. Her mother Melinda’s Rajo gown was a dramatic draped sheath dripping with heirloom jewelry.

The hotshot principal sponsors, palanggas, included the handsome son of Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Paco Magsaysay; dynamic Bacolod Mayor Joy Valdez; Murcia Mayor Esteban Coscolluela and Marylyn Altajeros; simpatico Bacolod Vice Mayor Ramiro "Chick" Garcia and Elizabeth Coscolluela; David Arcenas and vivacious socialite Inday Lacson Gabaldon; popular crooner and tycoon Jose Mari Chan; Mary Ann Galeno; Bacolod’s best L’Fisher Hotel’s hardworking heiress Roseller Ciocon and stylish Chona Jison Gonzaga; popular lawyer Rafael Dinglasan and Margarita Guingona; Southern social columnist and the bride’s uncle, world traveler Edouard Garcia and charmante Angela Henson; Southern gent Manuel Lopez and demure Marilou Jalandoni; Francisco Martinez and bubbly Marjorie Martir; Bart Puzon and Carmita Remollo; dashing Felix Trebol and Manila socialite and Bacolod’s statuesque La Infanta Cristina "Bibing" Villanueva.

Famille heirloom taken out of vaults sparkled as two-year-old Joco Martir Coscolluela carried the arrhae, an heirloom piece of the bride’s grandmother, the ever youthful Doña Nena Lacson vda. de Garcia.

Motoring in from Dumaguete City, palanggas, were the wealthy Martinez famille: Francel and Bingbing M. and their eye-catching daughters Kristina, Kyra and Kisha; Cesing and Carmita Remollo and sons JunJun, Rino and Melo and his wife Jenny. The groom’s cousin Joe Martinez Erum and nephew Kyle jetted in from Davao City. The best man was the groom’s brother, John Paul Martinez Coscolluela while the maid of honor was the bride’s pretty, pretty sister, Giselle Margarita Garcia.

Aside from the newlyweds, the star stealers were their gorgeous twins Santi and Quintin who had the invitees doting endlessly over them, dahlings.

A grand reception followed, dahlings, at the posh-y La Proa Ballroom of classy L’Fisher Hotel. Naturellement, it overflowed with old-wealth namedroppables like the Coscolluelas, Martinezes and Lacsons. They and other "low-profilers" like them may not attend every or almost every event in the South’s social circuit but they are high in net worth and so much more chic than other "high-profilers", palanggas.

The bridesmaids were all head turners: Melanie Cusi; Christine Esteban; Emma Jalandoni; Michelle Lacson; Patricia Locsin; Ines Lovina; and Carmela and Katrina Yulo. They wove through the tables handing out giveaways.

The all-eligible groom’s men were Benjamin Cuaycong; James Dinsay; Eric Gallaga; Robertino Garcia; Fean Trebol; Dennis Valdes; Tyrone Yusingco; and Paolo Zayco. They all eagerly lined up to catch the garter.

Coscolluela grand matriarch, la simpatica Doña Margarita Henares-C. joined in the fun celebration as two chi-chi familles united for another Southern dynasty.

Here’s to one of the sweetest young couples of the South, Mr. and Mrs. Jasques-O Coscolluela.

Cheers, palanggas!

Manille salutes the Queen

This year, the British people and their friends worldwide celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II. A program of regional and Commonwealth visits by the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and many other events, dahlings, were held under the six jubilee themes – celebration, community, service, past and future, giving thanks and Commonwealth. The Queen attended a Jubilee Church service at Windsor Castle and a thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Already a tres popular persona, British Ambassador Paul Dimond and his nice wife, Carolyn D. led the Cosmo Manille festivities marking Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee a couple of weeks ago, palanggas.

Some 700 of Cosmo Manille’s hotshots including Ambassador Dimond’s colleagues from the chic-ky diplomatic corps; government heavyweights; mega business leaders; representatives of local and British NGOs; media members; and other organizations from Filipino and British communities in the country graced the event.

Ambassador Dimond and DFA Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin led a toast to Her Majesty with the Russian Ambassador Anatoli Khmelnitski, the acting dean of the diplomatic corps.

The Philippine Air Force band serenaded the chi-chi guests. The Hotel Intercontinental Manila provided the catering, dahlings.

It was the first formal reception hosted by Ambassador Dimond, dahlings, at his sprawling, well manicured garden in posh-y North Forbes. He stood in the reception line with his wife and the British Embassy’s Defense Attache, Col. Martin and Carole Stretch.

Heading the embassy row’s pack were US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone; el caballero Spanish Ambassador Tomas Pantoja; Israeli Ambassador Irit Ben Abba; Belgian Ambassador Roland van Remoortele and his wife Sylvia; tres charmante French Ambassador Renee Veyret; Australian Ambassador Ruth Pearce; popular Singaporean couple, Ambassador Jackie Foo and his wife Dr. Sue Yumian F.; EU Charge’ d’ Affaires Luc Vandebon; Mr. and Mrs. Dougal Aucoin, CDA of Canada; and Mr. and Mrs. Hanjo de Kuiper, CDA of the Netherlands.

Also seen were adorable to know Ces Oreña-Drilon of ABS-CBN; GMA Radio president Mike Enriquez; Philippine STAR’s very own superstars, Max and Dr. Preciosa Soliven and vivaciously fun Grace Glory Go; moi and moi pal, Johnny Litton; our palangga, photographer Pepper Teehankee; Butch Bonsol and Agnes Abrau; our amiga Bambi Harper, the popular Dusit Hotel top PR manager; vibrantly energetic, Woman of all Seasons Bing Carrion- Buck, president and publisher of total PR Marketing and Communications company Seagull Phils., Inc. and also the publisher and author of the first and only coffee-table book on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo: Continuing The Legacy of Principled Leadership); Geoffrey Short, one of the British Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors; Jeremy Cliff; Mr. and Mrs. David Forsyth of Mabey and Johnson; still a very popular gentleman, former President Fidel Ramos; Uniliver Phils.’ Howard Belton; Moving and Storage’s well-liked Brian Lane; plus other representatives of British companies in the Philippines.

In another part of the garden were beautiful couples George and Stella Araneta and Andy Bautista and Tisha Cruz-B., plus tons of super fun partying British School teachers, naturellement.

Ambassador Dimond said, "I am honored to note during the Queen’s Jubilee the strong ties between the Philippines and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, across all walks of life–trade and investment, education, the exchange of professional skills and good governance. Also over the last year, we have seen a range of events linking the two countries, from maritime to business and defense and cultural activity. We are much involved together over conflict prevention, peace building, development, human and child rights and inter-faith dialogue."

The invitees were given gorgeous long-stemmed golden yellow roses flown in especially for the event as a souvenir of this tres enchanting evening.

God save the Queen! Cheers!

Leave it to the Southern clan to have a super wedding and a great time.

See you!