A bride's tale

If there is one trait among many that Dato Macapagal-Arroyo finds outstanding about his bride-to-be Kakai Manotok, it is her genuine concern for people. When going out to events she makes sure that the drivers are fed and that they are not overly taxed. She is capable of speaking to yayas and bank presidents with the same congenial manner. For this interview, we spoke about her upcoming wedding and her thoughts on marriage. True to Dato’s perception, she was the embodiment of grace and solicitude.

Dato and Kakai will be wed on May 16 at the Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati City with Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin as the primary officiating prelate. He will be assisted by Bishop Socrates Villegas, Fr. Patricio Lim, Fr. Antonio Rosales OFM, Fr. Raymund Benedict Hizon, SJ.

The principal sponsors include Enrique Aboitiz Jr., Teresa Gozon, Arturo Macapagal, Adelia Kruidenier, Enrique Razon Jr., Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, lawyer Arthur Villaraza, Corazon Tamayo, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Georgina de Venecia.

Secondary sponsors are (candle) Marc Fragada and Beatriz Tomas, (veil) Andrew de Castro and Angelica Datiles, (cord) Enrique Voltaire Garcia III and Cristina Silva Navarro. Jode Ynigo Manotok will be ring bearer while Justin Lopez will be coin bearer. Flower girls are Anja-Teresa Abrogar, Victoria Macapagal and Isabella Coleen Coreto. Maids of honor will be Evangelina Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo and Maria Veronica Manotok while best men will be Rinand Maquiling and Elner-Ian Belen.

Salazar for the bride, Moreno for the groom

Kakai explains, "Dato and I had almost one year to plan for our wedding and as such, we had enough time to pick out and engage who we determined to be the best people to provide the items we would need."

As always fashion designer extraordinaire Joe Salazar has created a new look for Kakai and her female entourage. Joe relates, "I envisioned a Maria Clara-inspired look for Kakai using satin and silk organza. But it is very modern. The characteristic I took from the Maria Clara look is the use of the panuelo and even that will have a modern bent to it. For the female entourage I used four-ply silk organza and also used the Maria Clara theme with a modern twist. Kakai will be wearing Lila Almario shoes."

The men turned to senior fashion czar Pitoy Moreno for their outfits. Over-all theme colors are fuchsia and yellow.

Flowers for the wedding and reception will be provided by Robert Blancaflor of 1816 Flowers and Event Styling. The bridal bouquet will consist of the delicate white Eucharis combined with Lily of the Valley. 1816 will be introducing a new trend in entourage bouquets for the wedding. These bouquets will consist of peonies, Ecuador roses and zantedeschias in shades of fuchsia, yellow and apple green. Glass vases, white flowers and apple green candles will be used in the entire church setting. Flowers to be used will include hydrangeas, Casablanca liliums and roses. For the reception, hydrangeas, zantedeschia, Belles of Ireland and peonies in shades of fuchsia, yellow and apple green will be used. A play of tall glass vases with candles will line the walkway from the garden to where the reception will be held.

John Lesaca and Bernie Pasamba Double String Quartet will provide music while The Ateneo Chorale will provide the vocals. Celebrity maquillage expert Fanny Serrano will be handling Kakai’s hair and makeup while ace lens men Patrick Uy and Benny Bondoc (ABBA Photo) will capture the evening’s event in stills while Storytellers will handle the video footage.

A honeymoon in Europe

Ever Engraving made invitations, the pearl rosary giveaways in silk pouches were made by no less than the bride’s mother Cynthia Salamon Manotok. Caterers for the evening would be Cibo (head caterer) , Sugi and El Comedor. Wedding coordinators are Rachel Climent of Bride’s Maids & Co. while over-all coordinator is Bettina Aboitiz. "Both Rachel and Bettina have been so helpful and have saved us from a lot of stress!" Kakai shares.

After the wedding the newlyweds will fly to Europe where they will be visiting their friends Todday and Gigi Salazar in Amsterdam after which they shall head off to Barcelona, Rome and Paris.

About her expectations of marriage, Kakai has this to share: "I expect marriage to bring Dato and myself even closer to one another. While I realize that there may be some surprises (coming in the form of previously unknown personality traits surfacing after we start living with each other), I believe that we will have a relatively easy time adjusting to married life as we have been together for more than seven years and have known each other for 11 years. Except maybe for the fact that we will from hereon be more dependent on one another and hopefully we’ll be blessed with a child in the next few years. I don’t really expect our lives to change much in our first years together. I will continue working and attending to my business commitments. Dato will be completing his law degree while working at the same time.

"We would like to have three to four children. If we are blessed with a child right away, we would gladly welcome it. Where child rearing is concerned, if Dato could have his way, he wants to be the spoiler while relegating the nasty task of imparting discipline to me! That aside, we are in agreement that we will bring up our children in much the same way as we were brought up in a loving home rich in traditional values."

On her views on now being in the limelight: "I personally don’t think that being in the public eye will be difficult for me because I (and Dato for that matter) intend to keep a low profile after we get married. I realize there will always be some interest in us for as long as Dato is a presidential son and I am married to him. Because I will soon be appending Dato’s surname to my own. I know I will have to be ever conscious of my actions since I wouldn’t want to do anything that could tarnish the legacy that his mother, grandfather and brother have built. I don’t see this as a potential problem since I don’t intend to do anything controversial anyway. After our wedding and when all the interest from the media dies down, I plan to quietly resume with my work (I am senior associate for Debt Capital Markets with HSBC) and attend to my other commitments.

"Our relationship has gone through tests several times in the past. Even after trying to be apart twice before, we still ended up going back to each other. Each of those times I knew it would already be impossible for me to live without him.

"My parents (Rufino Luis "Bogie" Manotok who is managing director and head of Strategic Planning at Ayala Corp. and Cynthia Salomon Manotok) both love Dato. They don’t treat him any differently from my siblings. When my parents are asked by their friends to describe Dato, they say he is the perfect gentleman – very polite and well-mannered, and he treats me extremely well."

‘Strong like GMA’

As for her relationship with her future mother-in-law Kakai has this to say, "I have a very good relationship with President GMA. When Dato and I started going out, she was already a senator and as such she has always been very busy. When she has free time, however, she makes it a point to be with her family, and that’s when I get to see her. Despite all the concerns that must be weighing on her mind, she always asks me how I am, and particulars about my work, my business, my family, etc. She has taken a personal concern about the things I want to achieve – for instance, she has been encouraging me to pursue a long-delayed MBA degree.

"I admire President GMA for her upstanding principles, and her strength in the face of adversity. Her resolve to do what is best for the country is very tough, and as a citizen I respect that deeply. I am extremely proud of the fact that my future mom-in-law is a public servant, not a politician. For me, there’s a big difference.

"As for common personality traits, several people have told me that I have a strong and assertive personality, much like my future mother-in-law. Dato has also pointed out that we are both quite organized and structured in our ways of thinking."

To Dato and Kakai, we wish you all the blessings in the world! You have gone through many challenges in your relationship and have hurdled them with ease; each hurdle overcome has brought you closer together! To both of you I wish nothing but the best. May your marital joy be as bountiful as the sea, your troubles as light as its foam!