"Pink is Charlene’s favorite color," says Joe Salazar who’s on pins and needles beating a self-imposed May 20 deadline to finish Charlene’s gown and those of her entourage. "But for her entourage, I will use other colors to jazz it up, like silver grey and apple green – silver grey for the mothers of the bride and the groom, and apple green for the secondary sponsors."
And here comes the groom, all abloom in a black Armani suit. Aga himself went to Milan to choose his Giorgio Armani suit. He was hoping to get his lovely bride a Vera Wang gown. But when the couple went to New York late last year, they were told they had to order six months in advance. Charlene was not the least bit disappointed because she has always favored local designers. When she asked her friends who they’d recommend, Joe Salazar’s name consistently cropped up. And so, one fine day in November last year, Charlene and Aga appeared at the doorstep of Joe Salazar’s shop in Malate. Charlene was wearing a body-hugging blouse and pants. She glowed, even without makeup, outdazzling the heart-shaped diamond engagement ring and earrings Aga gave her.
"They looked very much in love," says a starry-eyed Joe. "They’re such a nice couple, with no airs, no star complex at all. Charlene did all the talking; Aga was just listening. Aga left it all up to Charlene. Aga told me, ‘Kung ano ang gusto ni Charlene.’"
Joe knew just what Charlene wanted, or so he thought. "I’d never met her before but I often watched her on Keep on Dancing," Joe relates. "I told her I’d make her a really sexy serpentina gown to suit her personality. But I was surprised when she told me, ‘Joe, I’m too conservative for that, hindi ako pupwede dyan. The person you see on TV is not me. Hindi ako yon. Iba ako sa totoo.’"
What Charlene really wanted was the standard off-the-shoulder, A-line princess cut. No serpentina to show off her curves, please.
"She said that as a young girl, she had dreamed of walking down the aisle in this gown," Joe notes.
Aga struck a good bargain with Joe. "Aga told me, ‘Medyo wag masyadong mataas ang presyo,’ so I came up with a comfortable budget," is all Joe’s saying when asked how much Charlene’s gown costs.
Joe got two neckties from Milan for Aga to match his Armani suit. Aga could choose between a silver grey necktie and one in powder pink or old rose.
For Charlene, Joe had dreamed up a gown fit for a fair-complexioned beauty princess. "I’ll use gazar, lined with powder pink silk organza," he describes. "I got the material from New York, I may be using 20 yards. I’ll try to make the gown really light, with very light petticoat, so it won’t feel hot ... I’m thinking of combining rosettes and beadwork but not too much. Charlene wants minimal embellishment. So the beadwork will be just on the shoulders, with Swarovski rhinestones, and the rosettes will be at the back. It will be a low back. I’ll do a five-meter train. Charlene asked me if she could wear a tiara but I told her that a more toned-down veil would better match her sweet personality. So I’m making her a plain veil in pure silk tulle."
While Charlene wants something really simple for herself, she wants something more frilly for her entourage. "So for the rest of the entourage I’m doing something medyo fantasy," says Joe.
Charlene will wear simple studs for her earrings. Joe wants Charlene to put her smooth-as-silk brownish black hair up. "So she’d look neat, even if she’s stressed as most brides are," he points out. "I suggested Patrick Rosas to do her hair and makeup."
Leila Almario is doing Charlene’s shoes. "She wants the heels to be no more than two-and-a-half inches high, as she doesn’t want to look taller than Aga, ayaw nyang masapawan si Aga," says Joe. "Actually, they’re both 5’7" barefoot."
Yes, Mom Elvie Gonzales says that Charlene is wearing something old (maybe a veil from Nena Vera-Perez), something blue (could be a garter), and something borrowed (maybe a piece of jewelry from Elvie).
No, Elvie will not let Charlene fit the finished wedding gown. "Maybe just the lining and unfinished upper part of the gown," says Joe. "Superstitious din."
Yes, of course, Elvie is doing her daughter’s wedding cake. "It’s a seven-layer cake five to six feet tall," she reveals. "It’s adorned with Swarovski crystals and has touches of pink. We’re still deliberating on whether it’ll be a carrot cake or a fruit cake. It’s got to be something that would last for many days. It will done in our kitchen in Manila and will be transported, layer by layer, to Baguio."
Having done many other wedding cakes before, Elvie who runs her own bakeshop named Elvie G. (with outlets at SM Megamall, SM Centerpoint and SM North Edsa) is tickled pink to do her own daughter’s wedding cake. Needless to say, it’ll be a sweet labor of love.
Robert Blancaflor of 1816 flowers is making the bridal bouquet. "I still don’t know what flowers we’re getting," says Robert. "Charlene wants it to be a surprise. But definitely, we’re getting them from abroad."
The reception at Camp John Hay will be catered by Le Souffle. The couple has invited some 400 guests, a lot of them flying in from Europe and the States. Aga and Charlene are hosting a four-day celebration so their friends can get to know each other. They’ve also shelved their honeymoon so they could spend more time with their friends.
"They really want to go to Europe for their honeymoon but that will have to wait," says Elvie, and adds, waxing romantic, "Anyway, every day can be a honeymoon."
And why did the couple pick May 28?
"Because it falls on a Monday, which is a special day for Aga and Charlene because that’s the day when they used to tape for Oki Doki Dok," Elvie explains.
Fifteen out of Joe Salazar’s 20 workers are toiling away 16 hours a day to finish Charlene’s gown and those of her entourage on or before the May 20 deadline.
Members of the wedding party have started coming in to be measured. This afternoon, we see Charlene’s graceful Keep on Dancing co-host Maribeth Bichara glide into Joe’s shop in denim pants and sexy red tee. Maribeth is a secondary sponsor, together with Apples Aberin and Liezl Martinez.
Charlene’s former classmate at Marymount College, Reizza Roxas, is maid of honor while matrons of honor are Arlene Muhlach and Jereri Hermogino.
"Yes, Charlene will keep on dancing even after the wedding," Maribeth tells us. "She’s doing the show live until May 19. We’re doing advance tapings. Maybe Charlene will only slow down when she gets pregnant."
Charlene’s mom Elvie and Aga’s mom Anita had also shown up, separately, and they promised Joe that when they get back, they’d be 10 pounds lighter, the better to fit into their gowns."Sabi ko, sige antayin natin wag lang masyadong last-minute," says Joe.
So who are the couple’s principal sponsors?
"They’re people who have touched their lives one way or the other," says Elvie. "Leading the lineup are President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Joe de Venecia, Senator Loren Legarda, Mother Lily Monteverde, Vic del Rosario, Charo Santos, Freddie Santos, Gabby Lopez, Vilma Santos, Fernando Poe, Jr., Marichu Maceda, the owner of Jollibee Toni Tan Caktiong, and Bernie and Marilen Concepcion."
It’s a showbiz match produced in heaven, the couple’s friends and families swear. But many were taken aback when late last year, Aga announced that he was marrying Charlene. After all, Aga, one of the most eligible bachelors in town, had been romantically linked to a lot of women in and out of showbiz, among them actresses Gretchen Barretto, Mikey Cojuangco (they were on only for a week), Aiko Melendez, Ruffa Gutierrez, and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, a good friend of Charlene.
Flashback: Charlene, 13, returns to the Philippines from the States. It’s her first trip back home since she left at age 4, after her parents separated. She accompanies her cousin JC Bonnin, now a pastor, to the set of Bagets where she meets 19-year-old Aga Muhlach. Aga finds her really cute but chubby. Charlene goes back to the States.
Five years later, they meet again – she as a candidate to the 1994 Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageant and he as one of the judges. To this day, Aga remembers Charlene as wearing a gown in tiger print by Pitoy Moreno. Still no sparks? Please be patient.
"After the contest, when Charlene entered the movies, their paths would always cross," relates Aga’s PR manager Ethel Ramos. "And Aga noticed that Charlene was always present at every important occasion in his life. "Like at the opening of Aga’s first ACA Video shop, the launch of ‘Ma Aga Ang Pasko’ or the inauguration of his Center for the Deaf."
Two-and-a-half years ago, Aga played Jose Rizal and yes, Charlene was Josephine Bracken. The play toured the provinces. No, Aga and Charlene did not bid each other mi ultimo adios after that. When Oki Doki Dok needed another girl on the cast, they got Charlene.
"Charlene and Aga really became friends seven years ago," says Ethel. "Charlene would consult Aga on some major decisions like when she was asked to represent the country to the Miss World pageant. Aga told her she didn’t have to go as she already had a title – and she didn’t. She was also concerned about Aga, like the time he was seriously involved with somebody and Charlene said, ‘I don’t think Morning is thinking of getting married yet.’"
Ethel goes on to relate: "All this time, Aga’s mom Anita was noticing Charlene and Charlene’s mom Elvie was noticing Aga. Secretly, they wanted their children for each other. And without both of them knowing it, they were praying for it."
God wasn’t deaf. In June last year, Aga broke up with his girlfriend. In August, the cast of Oki Doki Dok went to Singapore for Aga’s birthday presentation. Everybody knew it wasn’t part of the script anymore when Aga proposed and Charlene accepted.
"Once you have found her, never let her go," Aga told his friends. "We’re meant for each other Swak pala kami."
She calls him "Morning" and he calls her "Baby." Aga says he’s discovering something beautiful about Charlene every day. Aga wants three children. And Charlene? ‘Kung ano ang gusto ni Morning," says the loving bride.
Like a movie with a happy ending, this wedding is bound to make you cry.