A storybook wedding for Claudine & Raymart

It’s nine days to D-Day when Claudine Barretto, 26, daughter of Mr. Miguel Alvir Barretto and Mrs. Estrella Castelo Barretto; and Raymart Santiago, 32, son of the late producer-director Pablo Santiago and Mrs. Cielito Legaspi Santiago, exchange vows at a Christian wedding set near dusk at the Tagaytay Highlands golf course, Tagaytay City, which will be transformed by florist Ting Blando of The Flower Shop, according to the cover story by Timi Nubla in the March issue of Metro magazine, "into an English garden with spring-colored flowers to match the clear blue afternoon sky."

That’s why the wedding date was moved from January to March because the sweethearts shuddered at the thought of an unexpected rain (or even a drizzle), January being a rainy month, spoiling the outdoor ceremony, every detail of which has been meticulously planned since three years ago when Raymart proposed to Claudine on Valentine’s Day, one year after they began going steady.

"The idea," wrote Timi, "conceptualized by wedding coordinator Marlon Rivera, is to make guests walk from one beautiful set to another, keep them in suspense, and build up their excitement as the night progresses. A string quartet and an orchestra will play original music written for the occasion by composer Trina Belamide."

In this setting, visualize the radiant bride walking daintily down the aisle, wearing "an ecru off-the-shoulder gown, with a long train in various pastel shades of accent, by Randy Ortiz;" while the nervous groom, dapper in a suit by...guess who?...waits for her at the altar to take her into his arms – and into the sunset – for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, till death do them part.

The affair is so exclusive that, I heard, only 200 selected guests are invited.

Here are the members of the Bridal Entourage:

• Principal Sponsors: Mayor Edmundo Jose T. Buencamino and Ms. Glenda Barretto, Mr. Gilberto Duavit and Dra. Vicki Belo, Pres. Joseph Ejercito (Estrada) and Ms. Charo Santos-Concio, Atty. Felipe Gozon and Mrs. Wilma Galvante, Mr. Eugenio Lopez III and Ms. Marichu Maceda, Mr. Juan L. Manahan and Mrs. Mercedes Nakpil, Mr. Fumeo Ohkohara and Ms. Constancia Angeline R. Nubla, Dr. Perfecto Palafox and Mrs. Susan Roces-Poe, Dr. Greg Pastorfide and Mrs. Virgie Ramos, Mr. Rodolfo Quizon and Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto, Mr. Hermogenes Santiago and Mrs. Boots Anson-Roa. Mr. Wellington C. Soong and Ms. Malou N. Santos, and Sen. Vicente Sotto III and Mrs. Helen Sotto.

• Best Men: Reily Pablo L. Santiago Jr. and Reynovich Reyes

• Matron of Honor: Marjorie Bernardine B. Baldivia

• Maid of Honor: Maureen V. Brennan

• Groomsmen: Bobby Andrews, Albert Reyes, Rowell Joseph L. Santiago, Randy Gerard L. Santiago, Dennis Esteban D. Baldivia, Mark Joseph G. Barretto, Miguel John G. Barretto and Pocholo B. de Leon

• Bridesmaids: Bienne C. Andrews, Melissa Racela, Michelle Antoinette Barretto, Marilou C. Santiago, Ma. Rhea S. Joven, Assunta Ledesma, Jenny Miller and Anna Ciara Sotto

• Junior Groomsmen: Joshua Gabriel S. Joven, Andrei Christopher R. Barretto, Anton Joaquin R. Barretto, Ryle Paolo R. Santiago and Johann Daniel S. Joven

• Junior Bridesmaids: Aynrand Danielle B. Baldivia, Alexandra Nicole R. Barretto, Julia Francesca B. Baldivia, Giselle Andrea B. Torres and Claudia Isabelle B. Baldivia.

• Secondary Sponsors: Aga Muhlach and Charlene Muhlach (Candle), Edu Manzano and Yvette Oca (Veil), Benjie Paras and Maricel Soriano (Cord)

• Ring Bearer: Miguel Lucas V. Barretto IV

• Coin Bearer: Leon Marcux B. Baldivia

• Bible Bearer: Raiko Rainier C. Santiago

• Escorts: Ryan Leonardo C. Santiago and Raphael Louis C. Santiago

• Flower Girl: Sabina Natasha B. Santiago

The wedding will cap a romance that took root years ago when Claudine was 10 and not yet in showbiz, but already nursing a crush on Raymart who would ignore her on their first meeting when she was 12, already in showbiz, because, he told Timi Nubla, "I wasn’t minding her, kasi parang ang bata naman nito."

The next time they met was at a mutual friend’s party when she was already in her 20s and, yes, old enough to catch the eye of Raymart who, recalled Claudine to Timi, "was outside smoking" when Claudine arrived, appearing as if he saw an apparition.

Their third encounter happened at the birthday bash of Claudine’s estranged sister Gretchen. Dennis, the Barretto sisters’ brother-in-law (husband of Marjorie Barretto), was too tipsy to fulfill his "assignment" to drive Claudine home, so Raymart did the favor because he happened to live near Claudine’s house (then in Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila).

The rest is...well, find out for yourself the full love story in Timi Nubla’s article in Metro magazine (copies selling like hot pandesal, so better hurry up!).

Now, the ticklish question: Is Gretchen invited to the wedding?

Asked about it by Timi, Claudine answered with a laugh, "Can I have a peaceful wedding, please?"

By all means, Claudine!

Here’s wishing you and Raymart all the best and, as the Chinese would say, may you have a hundred blissful years together!

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