It was an elegant Saturday afternoon wedding for Philippe Andre Lhuillier and Carmen Anne Teves, at the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod in the Cebu South Road Properties.
Carmen Anne is the daughter of Carol Ugarte Teves and the late Mateo Teves of Bais, Negros Oriental. Philippe Andre is the son of Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Philippe Lhuillier and Edna Diago Lhuillier, whose family also hails from Bais.
Mateo Luis Teves led his sister to the altar as did the bride’s grandmother Evelyn Graham Ugarte and her brother-in-law Ahmet Mert Bahce.
Listed as principal sponsors were Angelo and Maricris Teves, Chiquiting Sagarbarria and Anita Ugarte, Marcelino Ugarte and Maitos Aldeguer, Leopoldo and Raquel Mathay, Carlos and Mariquita Yeung, Justice Andres Reyes and Baby Cruz, Carlos and Lynette Raymond.
Attending to the bride were her sisters Alexandra Marie Teves Bahce as matron of honor and Isabelle Elise Teves as maid of honor. Philippe Andre had two best men—his brother Jean Henri Lhuillier and Luigi Marcel Goñi.
There were pretty bridesmaids Madeleine Lhuillier, Camille Lhuillier, Geri Camahort, Jessica Armas, Janicka Teves and Cielo Marie de la Rosa. Complementing them were groomsmen Brian and Anthony Raymond, Andreas Klepp, Andoni Goñi, Simon Diago and Marcelino Rotea.
Little attendants were flower girls Dominique Lhuillier, Andrea Hess, Amalia Ugarte, and the pages—Julien Lhuillier, Noah Teves and Christian Hess with the rings, coins and bible, respectively.
The church décor was a labor of love by Teresin Mendezona. She also did the reception and dinner that followed at the main ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. There were swaths of white all over the ceiling, garlands of fairy lights, and glistening crystal chandeliers.
The pre-dinner cocktails at the foyer were lots of fun. Edna and Philippe had brought the Spanish and Portuguese cheeses served. Former President Joseph Estrada was there, and so was Dr. Elenita Binay, plus a galaxy of relations mostly based in Cebu and Negros Oriental.
Among them: Christine Lhuillier Limjoco, Jacquiline Lhuillier Hess, Angie Lhuillier Miranda, Angie Mathieu, Michel and Amparito Lhuillier, Marguerite Lhuillier, Hazel Graham Gonzalez, Paqui Aboitiz with sister Quina Melendez, and Annie Osmeña Aboitiz.
Alastair Granger, the hotel’s food and beverage director, was around seeing to every detail.
Qube Gallery show
Qube Gallery at the Henry Hotel in Banilad hosted Dominic Rubio’s first solo painting exhibit in Cebu, aptly titled “La Familia Cebuana.” Rubio paints figures that evoke the 19th-century “tipos del Pais” as immortalized by that era’s Damian Domingo.
In this exhibit, they are larger-than-life people in costumes set against the backdrop of Cebu heritage sites such as the Basilica del Santo Niño, the parish churches of Argao and Dalaguete, old Magallanes street, and bucolic scenery, like a family riding on a carabao.
The artist was there to explain his works and endlessly pose for photos, as requested by the buyers. Present, too, were the exhibit’s managing director Jack Teotico, plus the gallery’s owners Jon Gotiong and Maris Holopainen. The exhibit runs until May 19.
‘Annie’ in Cebu
The Cebu International School had a two-night run of the Broadway musical comedy “Annie” at the school’s Dragon Dome. In the title role was Patricia Rivera, with Ado Laplana doing a great portrayal of Daddy Warbucks.
In the cast were Gabi Baljak as Miss Hannigan, Marcel Pesch as her brother Rooster Hannigan, Ysabelle Alesna as his girlfriend Lily St. Regis and Maggie Alcala as President Roosevelt.
Also in the cast were Yori Kioke as Sandy, Annie’s dog; and the orphans—Tia Rosengrave, Alyca Buckley, Sophie Donahue, Leah Buckley, Karys Buckley and Phoebe Leonard. Kudos went to the production staff led by Melinda Alford, Angela Pastoriza and Tim Mitchell.
The play is based on a 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie, created by Harold Gray, a man with very conservative views. Through Annie, he expressed his thoughts on society, human nature and government.
The character of Annie gained popularity in the ’30s as a radio series. The musical comedy became a hit in the ’70s. It is set in the ’30s, with Annie quite miserable at the orphanage run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan.
Annie’s situation is altered when asked to visit the home of wealthy industrialist Oliver Warbucks. She charms his household staff and Mr. Warbucks himself, who is perceived as coldhearted.
He proposes to find her parents, offering a reward if they can come and prove their identity. Miss Hannigan goes into action with her brother Rooster and his girl Lily to impersonate Annie’s parents.
This puts Annie in danger, but all’s well as the play has a happy ending. The hit song “Tomorrow” comes from “Annie.”
Ikebana exhibit
The Ikebana International Cebu chapter 145 scored a great triumph with its annual exhibit held at the Atrium of Northwing in SM City Cebu. For three days, it attracted large crowds of appreciative viewers.
Welcoming all was the current Cebu Ikebana president, Norma Sanchez. Guest of honor was consul of Japan Shoji Otake who lit symbolic candles with Cebu Ikebana past president Carmen Go and Manila Ikebana president Nancy Uy.
Naomi Otake, the consul’s wife, was present, and next day gave an Ikebana demonstration of the Japanese art of flower arranging. It was open to the general public.
Among the Cebu Ikebana officers are vice presidents Marilou Hyden and Mariter Klepp; secretaries Rosaline Go and Merce Abellana; treasurer John Ong; assistant treasurer Bethilda Smith; PRO Julius Hofer; Historian Linda To; and the directors—Zelia Borromeo, Edith Caseñas, Angelina Escaño, Carmen Garcia, Barbara Kenny, Rebecca Peralta, Margy Sy and Betty Uy.
