"Yes, I do"... 26 times

CEBU, Philippines – Thousands of kisses, hundreds of wishful spectators, 52 binding rings, 26 lovely couples, united as one heart and unanimously saying, “Yes, I do.” These and more described that sweet sacred scene.

June is for tapping the wedding bells.

And June 27, 2009 was never too late for tapping those wedding bells 26 times over, as 26 brides and grooms from five towns of Northern Cebu (Daanbantayan, Bogo, Medellin, San Remigio and Tabuelan) walked down the aisle for their eternal commitment of sacrifice and love in a grand mass wedding at San Remigio Parish Church.

Harmonized and framed, the special mass wedding event was sponsored by San Remigio Beach Club with the theme, “Yes I do: A Mass Wedding at San Remigio.”

The best of both worlds was at hand for the 26 pairs, as gracious accommodation by the SRBC and a grand preparation by the Association of Sugbu Wedding Planners and Coordinators, weddingABCs.com and Wedding Essentials backed them up.

The wedding was made more special as TV personality Korina Sanchez, representing her soon-to-be groom Sen. Mar Roxas, graced the ceremony as the newly-weds’ Ninang.

Aside from Mar and Korina, Department of Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, who was represented by Undersecretary Phineas Alburo, was also one of the sponsors during the mass wedding. Other principal sponsors of the wedding were Bogo Mayor Celestino Martinez III & Mrs. Jennifer Martinez, San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez & Mrs. Ada Martinez, San Remigio Vice Mayor Hernan Antonio Bascon, Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez and Atty. Alfonso Pestolante & Mrs. Maria Vida Pestolante.

Honoring the event for an hour or two, Korina Sanchez personally extended her warmest congratulations and best wishes to the newlyweds.

Thrilled too for her own wedding, she shared that it’s a “thrill” for likes of Mar and Korina to be their Ninong and Ninang and be part of the wedding.

Happiness is important to her as, she said: “I want to share happy memories with them and be part of their happy memories.”

The future Mrs. Roxas also had a one-on-one chat with the couples and gave wedding tokens to them. The couples also received a lechon from Ninong Mar and Ninang Korina.

The mass wedding in San Remegio will be featured in in ABS-CBN’s Rated K. Some clips of the ceremony also will be used as part of the footage for the wedding special that will be aired over ABS-CBN soon.

At around 6 in the evening, the fascinating beach reception at the San Remigio Beach Club followed. Surrounded by the sea, the 26 newly wedded couples felt the romantic sea breeze as they were serenaded and entertained by love songs and splendid performances.

Overlooking the vast waters, friends and guests also enjoyed the place and the delectable display of dishes prepared for them.

SRBC General Manager Anthony Ynoc said that their resort, being a family-oriented place, is currently doing charity work and community outreach programs.

“San Remigio Beach Club is gearing towards doing fulfilling events, and a good way to start such is through this mass wedding,” he said. Ynoc added that they are planning to have this mass wedding ceremony as an annual event in San Remigio.

SRBC is currently sending 60 kids to school as a community outreach program. SRBC President and CEO Antonio Ynoc, however, said that a huge event like a mass wedding is a better and a more meaningful way to give back to the community the blessings that the people had also given to SRBC.