A wedding for the books
MANILA, Philippines - There are many beautiful weddings… some set against the setting sun, with waves clapping for the newlywed couple. Others are oozing with club music, with the strobe lights welcoming the bride and groom for the party of their lives. But for Rocky (Ramon Miguel B. Abaño) and Sarah (Sarah Amelyn G. Bautista), their beautiful wedding is one to be remembered for the timeless, heartfelt words shared and its generous soul — a “Prose and Poetry Wedding with a Soul,” as described by their godfather, Jim Paredes.
And a fitting description it was. As Rocky and Sarah exchanged “I do’s” last Jan. 22, they not only shared their vows in front of families and friends, they shared their thoughts and words on love and life with their first co-authored book, Under the January Moon (published by Central Books Publishing). The book, given as a wedding souvenir to their guests, is a collection of prose and poetry written by them throughout the years.
Under the January Moon is not only their concrete expression of love for the written word but also their personal vehicle to raise funds for GK-Sagip, Gawad Kalinga’s program for elementary-age children in depressed communities and Santa Maria Eufrasia Daycare Center, a school in the mountains of Sariaya, Quezon, practicing the Waldorf teaching method. Guests who received a copy of the book as a souvenir were also encouraged to buy a copy for a friend, with all profits from the book sale to be donated to the two institutions under the name of the donor guest.
This passion to serve others goes way back from how the couple found in each other a “lifetime co-author.” Rocky, from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, and Sarah, of the Ateneo de Manila University graduated with honors and subsequently entered the corporate world (Rocky currently works for Globe Telecom while Sarah works for Nestle Phils. Inc). Their first meet-up was in 2004 during an assembly of their church group, Singles for Christ. It was simple hi’s and hellos at first, but each had separately volunteered to serve in GK-Sagip in Barangka, Mandaluyong which gave them an opportunity to serve together. While teaching kids, a growing admiration developed for each other, brought about by their common love for children and the poor. This same passion eventually brought them together.
The couple’s love affair with literature coupled with a strong heart for their advocacy married beautifully, evident not only in the book they co-authored but also in the wedding celebration they planned.
Prose and Poetry was consistently and thoughtfully carried all throughout their wedding, from the ceremony at Immaculate Conception Cathedral to the reception at Crossroad 77. Hardbound, antique books filled the tables, each named after the couple’s favorite writers. Literary pieces were to be found from the old letters, postcards and parchment scrolls set on the tables, to the escort cards shown in the form of library cards, up until the prose and poetry boards on easel standees scattered in the hall.
The program itself was also coupled with soul and literary flair. Guests were serenaded by a performance from their godfather and the bride’s former professor Jim Paredes of the APO Hiking Society. A student-led orchestra in the Ateneo de Manila University, The Blue Symphony, also rendered outstanding music for the evening. A poetry reading of Pablo Neruda’s “If You Forget Me” was performed by Bart Guingona, a theater and TV actor and director, to the instant and resounding applause of everyone. A heartwarming and endearing AVP was also shown featuring the couple’s growing-up years, coupled with poems the bride and groom chose for each other. And a surprise gift from the groom’s dad, Lito Abaño, was also in line with the theme — he wrote a lyrical poetry aptly transformed into a song and a music video dedicated to the couple.
It was pure literary love under the romantic January moon. And it did not remain only as a beautifully-themed wedding but a heartfelt, sincere and meaningful one. Their guests went home with teary eyes, enduring smiles, and words that linger.
It was an event and a union filled with drama and adventure, some fantasy, a pinch of unavoidable suspense, and a great deal of romance. It is but proper that their story be told so like a good book, it may live forever.
If you want to help the fundraising project of Rocky and Sarah, you may order their book, Under the January Moon online at http://www.central.com.ph/bookstoreplus/products/AAB935/.
