Wedding night spent on floor

It doesn’t happen to other newly-weds I know but it did to Joyce Jimenez and Paul Ely Egbalic who capped their three-year romance with a quiet, solemn wedding last Aug. 23 in Walnut, California — that is, spending the wedding night on a carpeted floor.

“I hardly slept the night before because we decided not to hire a wedding planner and I myself made my bouquet and the corsages,” related Joyce with a laugh. “I took care of the sitting arrangement, etc. After barely two hours of sleep, I woke up at 5 a.m. and had my hair and make-up done. After the wedding, which was really nice and intimate, we planned to have a nightout with friends. After the reception, Paul and I went to my parent’s house for merienda. A party was going on so we retreated to the computer room, lay on the floor and just fell asleep, I in my gown designed by Frederick Peralta and Paul in his tux. When we woke up, it was too late for the nightout. And that was how we spent our wedding night.”

The truth was that there was no need for a honeymoon because, according to Joyce, “It happened even before the wedding,” in December last year when they spent a weekend in Boracay.

And then, only three weeks after the wedding, Joyce came back alone, leaving Paul in the States.

“From the start,” said Joyce, “we agreed that he would stay in the States because he would be training in Georgia for four months and I would come back to attend to my commitments here. Paul has been with the US military for a few years before he became an officer. We discussed everything before he even proposed to me. I even told him to wait a while but he said he understood the situation. He’s supportive sa akin and vice-versa.”

But eventually, they might settle down in the States and start a family.

“I’m ready to be a housewife,” said Joyce. “I’m used to the American lifestyle — you know, without a maid. I can do household chores. Remember, I grew up in the States. I did that when I lived alone while studying in Australia.”

Isn’t it hard to keep a long-distance marriage?

“In the meantine, we talk by phone, we exchange text messages and we chat on the Internet. Every three months, I will be with him in California where we are spending Christmas together.”

And how soon do they plan to have a baby?

“That will come later, once we are settled na.”

More cheers for Charice abroad

Once again, Charice got a standing ovation two weeks ago from an audience of 50,000 Rotterdam, The Netherlands, when she sang You’ll Never Walk Alone at the 100th-anniversary of the World Cup Soccer, graced by Europe’s biggest soccer stars.

That’s the brief report by Funfare’s San Francisco-based contributor Bradford Adkins.

Only a week later, on Sept. 15, Charice added yet another feather to her cap by doing a duet of Because You Loved Me with no less than Celine Dion at the Madison Square Garden in New York, which was part of Celine’s Taking Chances World Tour 2008, highlights of which were aired on Oprah on Sept. 19.

Like Oprah Winfrey (and Ellen DeGeneres and Paul O’Brady before her), Celine was completely won over by Charice. She introduced Charice this way:

They actually told me about an incredible young singer that she (Oprah Winfrey) discovered a while back. You know, if you watch Oprah last week, you know all about her. This young lady’s name is Charice. I’m so excited. She’s 16 years old and she’s from the Philippines.

Let me tell you, she has a voice that can literally blow the roof off Madison Square Garden and she just might. But the real story is how Charice and her mom escaped the terrifying experience and had to leave Charice’s violent father. You know,to start a life of their own.

Charice vowed to save her mom from a life of desperation and despair. You know, through prayers and dreams and God-given talent, an incredible voice, Charice entered every singing contest in her native country and [was] eventually noticed by such influential people.

You know, a show in Oprah and Oprah wanted to take her and took her under her wings. Then, the David Foster joined her. I had the chance to see Charice perform one of my songs on Oprah last week. I have a little bit of difficulty to talk right now because I met Charice, and I’m so emotional... So I’m searching and looking for my words...trying to control my emotion.

I invited her to come here tonight to sing with me. Where are you, sweetheart? There she is. Come down, Sweetie.

The camera caught Charice and her mom Raquel, in tears. Then, Charice was escorted to the stage by the bodyguards.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is Charice. (To Charice) You look spectacular! Are you shaking? Are you okay? Don’t be nervous and, I think, a lot of people, they understand that you are nervous. 

I’m gonna tell you one thing, the talent we’re not gonna talk about, because you have. The strength, we’re not gonna talk about because you have, and so the love. And I have to tell you, the family, we’ll gonna talk because you have to.

One time, my manager, my husband (Rene Angelil), told me, “Celine...” Because when I started to sing, I was 12 years old, so 12 and 16, it’s the same, okay? He told me, “Celine, I know you’re nervous, don’t be scared. You love to sing. When you go up there, you’ll be nervous. Don’t be.”

I will give you an image that you can think about. Think that all the people you see in front of you are your brothers and sisters. You’re singing in your living room and these are your family.  They can’t wait to hear you sing. I think I know you want to dedicate this song to your mother. So we’re gonna sing Because You Loved Me for your mother.

How nice of Celine to let Charice shine! After they sang, Celine gave Charice a big hug, all the while touching Charice’s hair, amidst a standing ovation.

“Your mother is extremely proud of you,” Celine told Charice, “so we are as well. You did amazing and the roof of Madison went up tonight,” adding in jest, “But I’ll ask you, Charice. When you do Madison Square Garden, are you gonna invite me.”

Charice could only laugh and mumble a “Thank you!”

“I love you,” added Celine, “and I cannot wait for you to perform here for a full concert.”

(Note: Check out YouTube for Charice’s performance with Celine Dion and you, too, will say, “Wow, wow, wow!”) 

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