A unique shower for Vanessa Deen

It was almost Christmas, and student-away-from-home Vanessa Deen was on a flight from America to Cebu. Seated beside her was Ramon Araneta, also homeward- bound, to join his family and friends for the holidays.

While a 16-hour flight can very well be boring and oftentimes tiresome, Vanessa and Ramon found themselves continuously animatedly conversing and laughing. Before touchdown, they were sharing their cell numbers with promises to keep in touch. It was such a casual friendly gesture.

Then, their love story begun. Little did they imagine that two years hence, they would be making plans for their wedding.

Recently, Vanessa, the youngest daughter of corporate lawyer Danilo Deen and charming socialite Zeny Chacon Deen, was honoree at a bath-and-kitchen shower at the Cebu Country Club, which was hosted by her madrinas-to-be, fashion icons Rosebud Sala and Amparito Lhuillier, together with fashionable matrons Annie Aboitiz and Annabelle Luym, whose respective husbands will stand as padrinos.

Seen enjoying the Asian-inspired merienda, which was lovingly prepared by Teresin Mendezona, were longtime family friends Hazel Gonzalez, who came with sister Evelyn Ugarte, Annie Mahrt, Angie Mathieu, Carmen Campbell, Lulu Aboitiz, Maribel Antunez, Onker Pido, and Annette Osmeña.

Attending to Vanessa were her sister Jackie Lotzof, sister-in-law Mary Love Deen, and members of the entourage, bridemaids Jaja Chiongbian, Sarrita Pimentel, Kaye Mercado, and Xacah Chang.

Also in attendance were Cebu First Lady Margot Osmeña, SM Cebu top lady Marissa Fernan, hotelier Alice Fernandez, working socialite Anna Marie Dizon, and recent bride Amanda Aboitiz.

The grand wedding will be held in Manila on Jan. 8 at the Parish of Saint James the Great in Ayala-Alabang.