Jamby and Eric: All set for wedding of the year

They couldn’t have chosen a more perfect month for a country wedding, dahlings. December’s cool breeze and romantic starry sky will no doubt entrance all who come for the altar date of dedicated children’s advocate, Jamby Madrigal and international French businessman, tall and handsome Eric Dudoignon-Valade.

Set for Dec. 7 in Calatagan, Batangas, the elegant and solemn wedding is destined to be the wedding of the year. After all, Jamby belongs to one of the wealthiest and most respected familles in the country while Eric is a future count.

"It will be a very traditional wedding," says the shy-ish future bride. "I love tradition and ceremonies. My parents are very excited, especially my mom who is so charmed by Eric. Even when Eric and I were just friends, she had already rooted for him. She really prayed we would end up marrying each other. Traditionally, parents choose the secondary sponsors and most of the invitees so we gladly asked them to do that. I always think weddings are not just for the couple taking a vow, it’s also for their families."

Jamby’s parents, palanggas, are no less than Don Antonio Paternal Madrigal and Doña Amanda Abad Santos-Madrigal.

Jamby and Eric have chosen for sponsors such hotshot social and economic pillars as Ambassador Ramon del Rosario; Francisco Ortigas III; Dr. C.C. Chen; Lorenzo Sembrano; Imelda Cojuangco; Doña Consuelo "Chito" Madrigal-Collantes; Ma. Luisa Unson; and Doña Ma. Luisa Vasquez.

Around 30 of Eric’s close pals and relatives will jet in from Paris and the south of France days before the wedding. Eric has also promised to bring in the best wines from his country for the reception which will also take place in Calatagan. The European delegation will travel with the newlyweds around the Philippines apres the wedding. First stop is Boracay, naturellement.

To make the wedding truly special, palanggas, Jamby asked award-winning young designer Jojie Lloren to make her gown of duchesse satin. It will have a touch of Filipiniana. Eric will wear a barong made of piña from Kalibo, Aklan, also designed by Jojie. Flowers provided by Antonio Garcia of Mabolo will surely draw attention on that day. Margarita Fores of CIBO will prepare a sumptuous menu while her long-time friend, one of STAR’s ace photographers and popular wedding albums specialist, Alex Van Hagen and his pal, renowned photographer Wyg Tysman will take photos for the couple’s wedding albums.

Boracay’s first coffee-table book

The first coffee-table book on Boracay, dahlings, is set to hit bookstores on the first quarter of 2003.

This must-have book entitled The Boracay Lifestyle is a 200-page collection of interesting stories and amazing photographs of the island paradise of Boracay. It features the island’s tres interesting places and personas, unique cuisine, vibrant fashion, architecture, arts and crafts, and naturellement, pulsating night life.

One-of-a-kind, multi-faceted publicist Edd Fuentes enlisted some of the country’s most respected writers and editors like Stella Arnaldo; Tina Cabanayan; Tanya Lara; Lester Ledesma; Francine Medina; Leah Puyat, to present the many facets of Boracay life. Moi am honored to have been asked to be part of this wow coffee-table book.

Serving as editorial consultants are no less than STAR’s Lifestyle editor, fashion plate Millet Mananquil and Penny Azarcon-de la Cruz.

The book features stunning photos of the island as taken by some of the Philippines’ top-of-the-line lensmen and photojournalists, including Alex Van Hagen; Lester Ledesma; George Tapan; Nestor Santiago; and Erwin Lim as well as the finalists of the recently-concluded Boracay Lifestyle photo contest.

Even before the backpackers discovered Boracay, dahlings, Hollywood had captured the beauty of the island during the ’60s in the movie, Too Late the Hero starring Michael Caine, Cliff Robertson and Toshiro Mifune. Then there was Hollywood sex kitten Gina Lollobrigada who photographed Boracay. In the ’70s, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra started the global fad of wearing Boracay’s puka shell necklace, palanggas.

Soon, visitors came to Boracay for short getaways–and ended up living there. You’ll get to know the stories of businessmen, expats, artists and personas who have made Boracay their home in this coffee-table book.

From sunset to sunrise, Boracay, considered the Ibiza of the East, throbs with parties, dahlings, which moi often write about along with the glitziest, hottest and most happening places in the island.

This fabi book will also serve as a guide to Boracay with its list of resorts, restaurants, shops and business establishments that make it one of the world’s most vibrant vacation spots.

The Boracay Lifestyle is definitely an important project that will give Philippine tourism a much-needed boost while highlighting Boracay as the country’s premier tourist destination.

Already in its final stages of production, the book will be printed by Hong Kong’s Rainbow Graphics and will be released in February 2003. The Boracay Lifestyle is published by Fuentes Publicity Network, Inc. in cooperation with popular namedroppables, Fairways and Bluewaters, SEAir and The Sun Village Boracay Resorts.

For more info on The Boracay Lifestyle, please call Project Management Care of Frederick Corpus and Maan Obias at tel. nos. 893-9355, 816-3109, 892-6184; fax no. 812-4797 or e-mail [email protected].

Sweet revenge

Revenge is indeed sweet, dahlings, as proven by a surprise birthday party–again!–given by smart and vivaciously fun Vickie Perez de Tagle for her hubby Peng Perez de Tagle at Billy King’s newly-opened Butcher Shop at The Fort a couple of full moons ago. Judging from the way the invitees kept the party a surprise and the great time everybody had, it seems like surprise parties are the way to go, dahlings.

Only problem is, how do you top such a production number? The answer: Plan a bigger surprise party! That’s exactly what top-of-the-line businessman Peng Perez de T. did with the help of three "witches" or better said, "fairies," observant Cez Ysmael, head turner Janine de Padua and vibrantly fun Southern gal Carla Quimson. He also sought the help of master restaurateur and the king of them all, Billy King, naturellement.

Cez Y. and company prepared the hottest place spot in town, Nuvo at Greenbelt 2, for a fantastic surprise bash for Vickie. Apres being tricked into thinking she was to have dinner at chic-ky Bocarino’s at the New World Hotel, Vickie was brought next door to Nuvo. Only while entering Nuvo did Vickie realize what was going on.

Tons of pals anxiously waited to surprise Vickie, palanggas, including social hotshots Louie and Cez Ysmael; Ed Roxas; Iñaki and Ana Ugarte and their kids Andy and Pia; Louie and Cynthia Heusaff and their heirs Soleim and Erwan; Anton San Diego; Tito Avanceña; super couple Butch Wassmer and Shangri-La Makati’s mega asset Joy Wassmer; brilliant editor and writer Thelma San Juan; Jimbo and Marilou Lacson; Val and Cecille Suarez: Duty Free impresario Chim Esteban; Enzo and Sandie Squillantini and their daughter Claudia; Chichi Lizot; Gina Gomez Jacinto; Patty Lamb del Rosario; Robin and Boots Moyer; Carol Santana; Thelina Nuval of the popular Celadon; JP Santarinala of Premiere Wines who organized the Rhum Martini Bar; John and Valerie Kerr; Louie Jalandoni; Dave; Tere Jesudason; golf gurus Bong Lopez and Chucho Martinez, plus so many others like them who managed to keep their traps shut for maximum effect!

Naturellement, Peng and Vickie’s kids, Mishi, Gaston, Sonsoles and Raphael, all worked to keep Vickie distracted throughout the planning stage. Vickie screamed in delight as she entered Nuvo as everyone applauded while singing Happy Birthday to her.

Nuvo at Greenbelt is another super successful project of Billy King with the V! gang of Louie Ysmael; Ed Roxas; Iñigo Zobel; and Philip Cruz.

It was indeed a sweet revenge bash, palanggas, for Peng P. de Tagle.

Queen for a Day

Moi has always dubbed her the ultra glamorous style icon, patroness of the arts, and one of the most dedicated supporters of numerous religious and charitable organizations, dahlings. Her presence lends elegance to social gatherings while her participation in grand charity balls is a benchmark of their success. Her stamp of approval gives social, religious and charitable organizations prestige. But most of all, she’s a lady with a golden heart.

It is for all these reasons that close friends of lady of ladies Meldy Cojuangco, no less, gathered in the home of another civic-oriented woman of substance, socialite Fe Rodriguez to celebrate one of several birthday lunches and dinners given in her honor. Fe’s brilliant and creative son of all seasons, Junie Rodriguez was responsible for the excellently prepared sumptuous lunch held at his mother’s beautifully interiored apartment. Junie’s effort was well-rewarded by the endless profuse praises he received from celebrator Meldy C. and the chosen invitees that included one of our town’s hostesses with the mostest Mely Hechanova; Menchu Concepcion; world-renowned couturier Pitoy Moreno; elegant Zita Feliciano and her sister Eloy Yan; Tessie Luz; Ofie Recto; hostesses with the mostest Nene Leonor and Letty Syquia; a slimmer Rosita Lesaca who breezed in with celebrator Meldy C.; top-of-the-line couturier Bobby Novenario; Lulu Castañeda; newly appointed Honorary Council of Belize Helen Ong; ace photographer Alex Van Hagen, a close pal of Meldy C.; and, naturellement, moi.

Junie R. prepared a superb Thai menu that included to-die-for pomelo salad with shrimps which had to be refilled thrice because the lunch bunch kept coming back for more until there was nothing left to be refilled, palanggas!

Noticeably missing was Meldy’s bosom pal, vivacious workaholic Marietta Santos couldn’t make it because of an important business matter.

Needless to say, our Queen for a Day Meldy Cojuangco couldn’t have had a nicer get-together. She was overjoyed by the bash beautifully organized by another woman of style and taste, Fe R., no less.

It was a week of super happenings with news on an upcoming coffee-table book on Boracay, a lunch in Fort Bonifacio and a sweet revenge by Peng Perez de Tagle. They were all events that will be hard to forget, palanggas.

Do smile. See you.