Melanie Marquez told me she is now busy taking up—I kid you not—law

“DID YOU GO TO THE WEDDING?” SEEMS to be the question on everyone’s lips these days.

For my good friend Joe Fores, the answer is “Yes. And yes. And yes.”

Joe’s wedding trifecta, of course, was led off by that of his cousin, Sen. Mar Roxas, to broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez. And it seems all of us were there, too, thanks to the TV coverage and public interest in the event. Santo Domingo Church was packed to the rafters, and the happy couple was beaming from the moment Mar got off his padyak to meet his beautiful bride.

In a wonderful touch, Mar and Korina dispensed with their reception at Araneta Coliseum and instead donated those funds to our badly affected typhoon victims. It was also great to see how Mar maintains his low-key image despite the media storm, continuing to sport his Timex watch rather than some glitzy other brand. “I heard,” I should add.

Unfortunately for me, “Celebrity Duets” was taping that same afternoon. The show had a Halloween theme, so the production took longer than usual. I had on an elaborate Queen Elizabeth-inspired ensemble, beautifully created by designer-professor Eric Pineda, and it’s just too bad I wasn’t able to do a quick costume change into my planned Markorina outfit—a Jan Garcia-designed, bejeweled gown—and make it to the church.

Rambunctious

I actually did see Joe in a wedding, but this was midweek at the union of golfer Charlie Carmona and triathlete Leana Farrales. Charleana’s rambunctious celebration had guests dancing until the stroke of midnight, when the new bride also welcomed her birthday.

Charlie and Leana actually met on the golf course, but her fierce competitiveness has led her to embrace triathlon. As my tri buddy, she watches over my race gear and the details of nutrition and hydration, while I focus on race fashion. We both train with Ironman champ Ani de Leon.

Leana walked down the aisle in a classic creation by her uncle, Master Ben Farrales. Mang Ben also made me a beautiful, fully beaded gown of French velvet, as the proxy bridesmaid in place of my cousin Leica Carpo.

The “dean of Philippine fashion” has been very busy organizing his monumental charity fashion show, where over a hundred designers raised more funds for calamity victims. Maybe the only senior designer to command authority over fashion designers of different generations, Mang Ben brought together all these talents, along with some of our legendary supermodels, for a “reunion” show, all for a worthy cause.

“Celebrity Duets Season 2” contender Melanie Marquez, who was yesterday’s guest host, was one of the models at the finale with Mang Ben’s creations. Melanie told me she is now busy taking up—I kid you not—law. She is really quite a remarkable woman and will be quite a formidable lawyer when she passes the bar.

Romantic and glam designer Randy Ortiz, who made the wedding barong of Senator Mar, was also part of the show of Mang Ben. He told me it was an honor to be part of the production and to do his share to help.

Holiday collection

Apart from this, Randy also donated part of the proceeds of the sales at the launch of the new holiday collection of Plains & Prints, where he collaborated with creative head and owner Roxanne Farillas.

The blockbuster P&P collection has been very well-received, and limited-edition pieces are almost sold out. The Randy Ortiz for Plains & Prints cocktail launch at Ayala Museum gathered fashionistas and celebrities like Gelli de Belen and Wilma Doesnt, who were clad in their stylish Randy clothes.

All these newlywed couples should head to their honeymoons using the latest Tumi luggage. Their new Fall-Winter Collection was launched with cool cocktails at Greenbelt 5’s Fashion Walk last month. Tumi representative Tom Nelson even flew in from New Jersey just for the occasion.

As the world’s leading brand of prestige travel, business and personal accessories, Tumi has always been known for its standard-setting innovations and classy designs. The latest collection, presented on an eye-catching hologram screen and highlighted by the new Tumi Light and Tumi T-Pass lines, is no exception.

And it may all be very well for Senator Mar to arrive at his wedding in a padyak, but for really glam transport, most grooms should really look into the Porsche Panamera.

Sports sedan

Porsche Philippines recently held a private viewing of this first-ever, four-door sports luxury sedan for select VIPs and members of Porsche Club Philippines. The Panamera is a groundbreaking original, redefining the auto market’s Gran Turismo category by giving the racecar more generous space—real rear seats—and comfort—two more doors—while retaining the driving dynamics of the brand.

In short, Porsche’s successful venture with the Cayenne into the luxury SUV market has made them realize there is a market of family men out there who want to own a Porsche but just can’t rationalize buying a two-seater, which is perhaps more appropriate to parade a mistress around. So the Panamera says, “Yes, I drive a Porsche, and I can have my wife and kids with me at the same time.”

Porsche Philippines head Roberto Coyiuto III welcomed the luminaries of the Porsche AG world who flew in for the private viewing: Dr. Stefan Knirsch, Michael Heller, Herwart Fleischer and Andreas Thiele, as well as Porsche Club president and car aficionado Ramon S. Ang, taking a break from his San Miguel responsibilities. Indeed, the Panamera shows Porsche’s strong commitment to the Philippines.

I actually don’t know how Joe completed his hat trick of weddings this week, as the last one was just last night, on the eve of Halloween. Instead, I spent the evening at a Halloween party at The Establishment at The Fort. So it may not have been a week of yes and yes and yes for me, but it was just as fun as always.

E-mail the author at seaprincess@inquirer. com.ph