Cebu society celebrated a stylish pairing last Dec. 12 when Cybill Gayatin, daughter of Bill and renowned Cebu-based fashion designer Arcy Gayatin, married Kevin Guynn, son of Lilian Guynn and the late Robert Cartwright Guynn, at the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod.

The Mass was officiated by Fr. Xamie Reyes, a good friend of the groom’s family, who flew in from Chicago, with Fr. Ernesto Javier concelebrating.

Kevin, who is Filipino-American, was born and raised in Chicago, but is now based in Cebu to oversee the construction of a waste-to-energy power plant.

Arcy Gayatin made her daughter’s gown and those of the entire entourage, from the maids of honor, bridesmaids and ninangs, to the flower girls, bearers and the groom’s mom, and her own ensemble.

The bridal gown was made of silk cocoon with a very pale blush lining and hardly any beading, but with hand-stitched appliqués made from five different kinds of lace. Some of the lace used was provided by designer Felix Yu, who made Arcy’s own wedding gown over 30 years ago.

The bridesmaids and maids of honor were in blush and light sage, while the ninangs were in taupe and blush.

Arcy’s good friend and one of the ninongs, Protacio Empaces, made the after-party gown which Cybill changed into toward the end of the reception.

Kevin’s barong and those of the best men and groomsmen were by Cybill’s good friend Edwin Ao, also one of the secondary sponsors.

Live trees

Ninang Teresin Mendezona conceptualized the decor, using plants such as full-grown ficus trees from Jaime Chua’s garden. Annie Aboitiz provided the bougainvillea that decorated the altar. “Tita Teresin was so sweet, and actually grew the alambrillo plants that decorated the aisle,” says Cybill. “She started growing them when she found out I got engaged a year ago. Both she and Tita Annie had to move their plants to their respective garages to protect them from the storm that had hit a few days before the wedding.”

Ninang Marissa Fernan gave the couple the gift of music, getting the University of San Carlos Choir for the wedding Mass, and a double string quartet from the Cebu Philharmonic to play during the processional. For her bridal march, Cybill wanted to walk down the aisle to the “Portuguese Love Theme” from “Love, Actually,” which Marissa had especially arranged.

Reception was at the Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu, and featured a setup of long tables—one long presidential table of 66 down the middle, with more long tables arranged in a horseshoe-like configuration on each side.

The all-white table centerpieces were also by Teresin, who worked with florist Debbie Huang of Simple Wishes.

The highlight of the entire setup was a giant 56 x 16-ft all-white, floral paper wall made by the bride’s two aunts, Boogie Ancajas and Debbie Bontes. The wall featured over 800 flowers in different designs and sizes, and took six months to make.

The principal sponsors were mostly relatives, close friends, and people the couple look up to. Kevin’s best men were Cybill’s brother Mic Gayatin, and Daniel Hennigan, a friend from high school who delivered the best man’s speech. His groomsmen were his cousin Gerald Nayre, and friends Mark Such and Ryan Engle.

Cybill, a Lifestyle columnist with friend Kaye Luym Sala (Set in Cebu), had three maids of honor: friends Jula Leodones, Sam Briones-Lagaac and Vani Sathisan, who delivered the maid of honor’s speech. Bridesmaids were friends Shauna Welch, Lucija Kukolj and Marissa Corrente.

Secondary sponsors included Javi and Kaye Sala, Edwin Ao and Mary Ty, Sergio Pardo and Darren Zanoria.

Family, friends and even families of friends flew in from all over the world, which, Cybill says, made them feel “incredibly loved.”