Starting the new year as husband and wife are 2002 Ateneo basketball champion Marco Benitez and his lovely chinita bride Nikki Lee. Marco proposed last year in Boracay on their sixth year of togetherness and promptly got married as soon as the year changed to 2013 at the Santuario de San Antonio Church with their favorite priest, Fr. Tito Caluag, officiating the sacrament of matrimony.
Many of the couple’s favorite people attended the wedding reception and the famed Bayanihan performed a short dance to honor the newlyweds since Marco’s mother Suzie Moya Benitez is the super efficient managing directress of this internationally awarded dance troupe that has been bringing honors to our country.
I particularly enjoyed the wedding because I had time to spend with my 98-year-old baptismal godmother and Benitez matriarch Helena Benitez. She has been my role model with her active participation in Philippine education, politics, social and civic works and just plain common sense. When I asked her how we could emulate her, she replied with her unfailing smile, “Keep your body and mind active every day. Otherwise it will stagnate and fail you.â€
I was further impressed to learn that Nikki is not only lovely to look at but is brainy as well. She has been an honor student in all the schools she attended — from Poveda to UP and the Ateneo for her master’s degree. She is currently a top executive in the Coca-Cola Company.
Now heading the Benitez family’s numerous businesses, Marco spoke from the heart and explained to the wedding guests, “It means the world to us to have you here with us. You are our companions, mentors, very good friends and our favorite people in the world.†He ended his short speech with a tribute to his pretty wife that made the ladies swoon, â€To my wife Nikki, tonight is as perfect as you are.â€
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