I just did it at my nephew’s wedding
January 25, 2004 | 12:00am
You have to attend my wedding," my nephew Patrick told me in Decem-ber 2002. "No way," I said to him. I was serious. "I don’t attend weddings." Patrick Moran is my eldest nephew, the son of my brother Danny and my sister-in-law Tessie Mercado Moran. "Sige na, Tita Kathy. There’s no way you’re not going to be there," added Patrick.
It’s not easy to say no to nephews and nieces. At least I find it quite difficult, all the more because Patrick is the first of nephews and nieces (there are 19 of them) to get married.
Patrick’s wedding to Aysa Feliciano, daughter of Tony and Bella Feliciano, took one year to come true. "You still can get married ahead of me," Patrick teased me.
"Yup," was my quick reply.
I recall seeing Patrick broken-hearted when he and Aysa split up a few years back. "But I know she is the one I will marry," he said when I asked him about her.
Aysa and Patrick got together when they were in third year college at Ateneo and were classmates in Philosophy class. "It was not love at first sight for Patrick and Aysa," said Fr. Nemi Que, SJ, in his homily during the wedding. "But when their teacher made Patrick sit beside Aysa in that Philosophy class, I am sure that neither Patrick nor Aysa thought that they would one day walk down the aisle and become husband and wife."
Patrick and Aysa became a couple in March 1997.
Two very different people they are. Patrick, like the rest of my siblings and myself, is into sports. In fact, sports ruled his life when he was in college. "What better way to meet girls?" Patrick used to say.
For her part, when Aysa graduated from Poveda Learning Center, she was awarded the Josefa Segovia Award, which is given to the most distinguished graduating student. And before Patrick came into her life she was a constant Dean’s Lister at the Ateneo.
"When Aysa got together with me I don’t think she hit the Dean’s List again. She also failed to graduate with honors by .03. I stopped scouting for girls when Aysa came. And the Ateneo football team for which I was playing never won the championship again. We were such disappointments. But we were probably the happiest we ever were in our lives," quipped Patrick.
Their relationship has had its ups and downs, but is now the stronger for it, Patrick and Aysa said. When they split up in October 2000, both of them were working in New York – Aysa was and is still with the UN as a staffmember, while Patrick works as a technology consultant specializing in investment firms.
"I wanted her back, she didn’t want me. She wanted me back, I did and then she didn’t want me again," said Patrick. "I don’t blame her because I was the one who chose to break it off because of the differences which held us together for all the other years."
With all of that behind them, Aysa laughs when she recalls how Patrick proposed to her. "Pauline and Pamy (Patrick’s younger sisters) were staring at me. It was even Pauline who told me that her Kuya Patrick had a gift for me," recalled a laughing Aysa. "When I got the ring from Patrick I was surprised, and then he formally proposed to me."
In truth, she said, "When we got back together in 2002 I knew it was Patrick I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." As for Patrick, "After seven years I realized that I wasn’t ecstatic nor euphoric but marrying Aysa just felt right."
On Dec. 29, 2003, Patrick and Aysa finally tied the knot.
"Kathy," Patrick’s mom Tessie said to me. "Kayo ni Hans ang sa offertory. Please magbihis ka naman. Minsan lang ‘to."
"Patay," was my reply.
I am a jeans and T-shirt kinda person, so what to do?
My editor suggested: "I think you will like Patrice Ramos Diaz. But you better get your outfit made now because December is a busy month."
Today, I consider Patrice – who also did Aysa’s wedding gown – a genius in my book. I had only one request: that she make me an outfit I could wear with my pink Nike trainers.
I got my outfit on the day of the wedding. "I really like your outfit. And your shoes are just perfect," said my Ninang to me when I saw her at the wedding.
Now one of the best things about weddings is that the families directly involved in them are so distracted, so neither Tessie nor Danny noticed my shoes. It was only my eldest brother Mike, who was one of the ninongs in the wedding, who noticed and said, "I wish I were wearing my running shoes."
For my family, it was probably a good thing that I did not need to walk down the aisle with the bridal entourage, which included Edgardo Lorenzana, Leah Mercado, Mike Moran, Rosalinda Rosero, Rich Tiutan and Olivia Santos as the principal sponsors. The best man was Patrick’s brother Philip while maid of honor was Mia Fausto. The bridesmaids included Joanne Kathlyn Suarez, Romina Anna Rosero and Trina Tiutan. The groomsmen were Allan Feliciano, Antonio Feliciano and Patrick’s youngest brother Paolo. Junior bridesmaids were Pauline Moran and Amika Mercado. Flower girl was Pamy Moran.
By the time my turn came to walk down the aisle for the offertory, my relatives were in a prayerful mood so that although they noticed the shoes, they could only smile.
And come to think of it, I haven’t attended a wedding in years so I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Aysa and Patrick exchange marriage vows and also exchange arrhae, traditionally given by the groom to the bride. Patrick and Aysa gave the arrhae to each other as a sign of their commitment to share their lives fully and without reservation, and pledged their dedication to each other’s welfare and that of their children.
I don’t remember when the tradition changed so that both bride and groom now exchange arrhae, but to me it was just right and in keeping with the times.
Patrick and Aysa are back in New York, starting a married life together.
It’s not easy to say no to nephews and nieces. At least I find it quite difficult, all the more because Patrick is the first of nephews and nieces (there are 19 of them) to get married.
Patrick’s wedding to Aysa Feliciano, daughter of Tony and Bella Feliciano, took one year to come true. "You still can get married ahead of me," Patrick teased me.
"Yup," was my quick reply.
I recall seeing Patrick broken-hearted when he and Aysa split up a few years back. "But I know she is the one I will marry," he said when I asked him about her.
Aysa and Patrick got together when they were in third year college at Ateneo and were classmates in Philosophy class. "It was not love at first sight for Patrick and Aysa," said Fr. Nemi Que, SJ, in his homily during the wedding. "But when their teacher made Patrick sit beside Aysa in that Philosophy class, I am sure that neither Patrick nor Aysa thought that they would one day walk down the aisle and become husband and wife."
Patrick and Aysa became a couple in March 1997.
Two very different people they are. Patrick, like the rest of my siblings and myself, is into sports. In fact, sports ruled his life when he was in college. "What better way to meet girls?" Patrick used to say.
For her part, when Aysa graduated from Poveda Learning Center, she was awarded the Josefa Segovia Award, which is given to the most distinguished graduating student. And before Patrick came into her life she was a constant Dean’s Lister at the Ateneo.
"When Aysa got together with me I don’t think she hit the Dean’s List again. She also failed to graduate with honors by .03. I stopped scouting for girls when Aysa came. And the Ateneo football team for which I was playing never won the championship again. We were such disappointments. But we were probably the happiest we ever were in our lives," quipped Patrick.
Their relationship has had its ups and downs, but is now the stronger for it, Patrick and Aysa said. When they split up in October 2000, both of them were working in New York – Aysa was and is still with the UN as a staffmember, while Patrick works as a technology consultant specializing in investment firms.
"I wanted her back, she didn’t want me. She wanted me back, I did and then she didn’t want me again," said Patrick. "I don’t blame her because I was the one who chose to break it off because of the differences which held us together for all the other years."
With all of that behind them, Aysa laughs when she recalls how Patrick proposed to her. "Pauline and Pamy (Patrick’s younger sisters) were staring at me. It was even Pauline who told me that her Kuya Patrick had a gift for me," recalled a laughing Aysa. "When I got the ring from Patrick I was surprised, and then he formally proposed to me."
In truth, she said, "When we got back together in 2002 I knew it was Patrick I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." As for Patrick, "After seven years I realized that I wasn’t ecstatic nor euphoric but marrying Aysa just felt right."
On Dec. 29, 2003, Patrick and Aysa finally tied the knot.
"Kathy," Patrick’s mom Tessie said to me. "Kayo ni Hans ang sa offertory. Please magbihis ka naman. Minsan lang ‘to."
"Patay," was my reply.
I am a jeans and T-shirt kinda person, so what to do?
My editor suggested: "I think you will like Patrice Ramos Diaz. But you better get your outfit made now because December is a busy month."
Today, I consider Patrice – who also did Aysa’s wedding gown – a genius in my book. I had only one request: that she make me an outfit I could wear with my pink Nike trainers.
I got my outfit on the day of the wedding. "I really like your outfit. And your shoes are just perfect," said my Ninang to me when I saw her at the wedding.
Now one of the best things about weddings is that the families directly involved in them are so distracted, so neither Tessie nor Danny noticed my shoes. It was only my eldest brother Mike, who was one of the ninongs in the wedding, who noticed and said, "I wish I were wearing my running shoes."
For my family, it was probably a good thing that I did not need to walk down the aisle with the bridal entourage, which included Edgardo Lorenzana, Leah Mercado, Mike Moran, Rosalinda Rosero, Rich Tiutan and Olivia Santos as the principal sponsors. The best man was Patrick’s brother Philip while maid of honor was Mia Fausto. The bridesmaids included Joanne Kathlyn Suarez, Romina Anna Rosero and Trina Tiutan. The groomsmen were Allan Feliciano, Antonio Feliciano and Patrick’s youngest brother Paolo. Junior bridesmaids were Pauline Moran and Amika Mercado. Flower girl was Pamy Moran.
By the time my turn came to walk down the aisle for the offertory, my relatives were in a prayerful mood so that although they noticed the shoes, they could only smile.
And come to think of it, I haven’t attended a wedding in years so I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Aysa and Patrick exchange marriage vows and also exchange arrhae, traditionally given by the groom to the bride. Patrick and Aysa gave the arrhae to each other as a sign of their commitment to share their lives fully and without reservation, and pledged their dedication to each other’s welfare and that of their children.
I don’t remember when the tradition changed so that both bride and groom now exchange arrhae, but to me it was just right and in keeping with the times.
Patrick and Aysa are back in New York, starting a married life together.
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