Food industry prince weds Cinderella beauty
It was a romantic sunset wedding by the beach filled with love, laughter, music and bonding when Leo Po and Marielle Santos were married at the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort in Kota Kinabalu,
“We wanted our wedding to be a sort of mini-vacation for our guests,” Leo and Marielle say. “Kota Kinabalu was our first option because we had visited the resort before and really enjoyed our stay.”
Their parents Richard Po and Angelita Po, Al Santos and Therese Coronel-Santos agreed. Wedding invites came with helpful inserts — sight-seeing and shopping sites and hotel bookings. Flights were coursed through Angel Antonio of United Travel Consultants. Each room was provided special beach bags filled with sunblock, after-sun lotion, local kropeck snack, bottles of water, and insect repellant, which proved very useful as the resort is set beside a rainforest.
On the first night, guests strolled over to the Tepi Laut poolside restaurant in white, the theme for the despedida de soltera hosted by the bride’s parents. The venue captures the charm of
The next day, the Wedding Pavillion facing the sea was turned into a small chapel with a glass altar. Leo and Marielle exchange vows as the sun glistening beautifully on the water. Rajo Laurel created an intricately embroidered and beaded gown for the bride. Her bridesmaids were in sunny yellows and cool aquas, while the matron-of-honor Michelle Santos-Lim, wore a ripe apple green. Both mothers stood out elegantly, Therese Santos in a strikingly simple yet elegant red Valentino gown and Angelita Po wearing a lovely lace gown by Rajo Laurel in fuchsia. After the entourage walked in to the tune of Northern Lights by Lux, everyone was awed as the band began to sing Kaskade’s chill-out version of Stepping Out to usher in the bride.
Later in the evening, the bride’s father Al Santos reiterated what Father Boyd Sulpico mentioned in his homily. Divine intervention, he called it. It had rained every afternoon for three months in Kota Kinabalu prior to the wedding. Prayers were answered as the sun shone brightly at the wedding venue.
It was close to sundown when guests walked into the garden for cocktails personalized for the occasion — the margarita, cutely coined as “Mariellita,” or the caiphirinia, dubbed “Leotini.”
At The Coast restaurant, the bride and groom danced, first to Stevie Wonder’s Knocks Me Off My Feet then to Love at First Sight by Kylie Minogue. Leo got amused applause when he pulled out his glow sticks for a solo number.
Dinner was again a testament to the couple’s love for food. Highlights were the Crispy Panko Crub Cake delightfully served with a unique tomato-chili sorbet. Atlantic Cod Fish Wrapped in Beef Pancetta and Grill Australian Beef Tenderloin were so deliciously tender, Valrhoma Dark Chocolate Cake and White Chocolate Panna Cotta were dessert treats.
The couple was serenaded by Valentine Uy who chose a song from the musical South Pacific, and Juliana Bendicto who sang O Sole Mio. Not to be outdone, Leo surprised his bride by singing Elton John’s Beautiful In My Eyes after their champagne toast. Ramon “RJ” Jacinto was present and Al Santos comically asked the rock legend to proxy his singing duties and belt out of a few rock n’ roll tunes with the band. Monique Albert sang Everything But The Girl’s I Didn’t Know I was Looking for Love accompanied by JP Enriquez on guitar, Rajo Laurel sang a fun rendition of Build Me Up Buttercup while Ipe Cruz crooned to The Way You Look Tonight. DJ Benjo Marquez hit the decks playing crowd favorites all night till early morning.
The next day, the guests, still high on the evening’s magic, had one last breakfast together, taking home the pleasant memories of a wonderful wedding and a great weekend.
