Valentine's Day is wedding planning day at Kasalang Filipino 2009 Tagaytay Leg

MANILA, Philippines -- Many soon to wed couples visited the Olivarez Convention Center in Tagaytay City as part of their Valentine’s Day getaway to catch the biggest showcase of wedding suppliers in the South.

The event, "My Wedding in Tagaytay," was the second leg of Kasalang Filipino 2009's 12-city wedding fair road show held last Feb. 13-15.

During the first day of the three-day event, co-presented by Kasal.com and ABS-CBN Regional Network Group, and Tagaytay Country Hotel, 15 professional and amateur make-up artists showcased their skills in the Ever Bilena’s Gandang Pinay Bridal Make-up competition. In the afternoon Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) students from different colleges and universities squared off at the Chefs on Parade. 

On Feb. 14, the second day of the event, Cavite Gov. Erineo ‘Ayong’ Maliksi, Department of Tourism (DOT) Region IV Director Louella Jurilla, acclaimed fashion designers Aureo Alonzo, and Ramon Santiago, Tagaytay Country Hotel Operations Manager Ephel Olivarez, and Kasal.com Head Mathel Ong were present during the ribbon cutting ceremony.  

After the ceremony, local couturier Ramon Santiago showcased his latest creation in a bridal fashion show participated by models from Dosh Management. 

Activities for the third day of the wedding fair and exhibit started with a vegetarian cooking demo by vegetarian cookbook author Nona Lema. Michelle Katigbak-Alejandro, Metro Weddings Magazine editor-in-chief also gave the couples a preview of wedding trends for 2009. 

Fernbrook Gardens received the best booth award while Paradiso Terrestre and Club Balai Isabel were chosen as runner-up winners. The winners for best booth were chosen by Ditas Remulla, former First Lady of Cavite, and Aureo Alonzo.

Couples who attended the three-day wedding fair and exhibit received free gift packs, while lucky couples received a special gift pack and gift certificates courtesy of the event sponsors.

In an interview with Kasal.com, Director Jurilla said, “We have positioned Cavite in the domestic front for conferences and wedding destinations, for enjoyment of nature, cuisine, and many other things that relate to wellness”. She adds that through Kasalang Filipino, Tagaytay will be the foremost important wedding destination closest to Metro Manila.

Kasalang Filipino 2009 is a nationwide wedding fair road show which ties 12 Philippine cities with one goal of promoting the local wedding industry. The following are the 12 cities of the 2009 road show – San Pablo, Tagaytay, Tarlac, Dagupan, Legazpi, Dumaguete, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Bacolod, Manila, and Cebu.