First of two parts

Dahlings, do people have to be reminded that formal events call for proper decorum?

Apparently yes, because sometimes, things just don’t fall into place. At the recent annual Philippine Tatler Ball, in which all proceeds go to the Virlanie Foundation, a major social faux pas was committed at one table.

Seated were a celebrity couple in the early stage of their relationship. Let’s call the woman Female A. At the same table was a woman guest, Female B, who was throwing dagger looks at the couple, especially at Female A, all night.

When Female B finally spoke, she told Female A: “You better beware. My husband is the lawyer of your boyfriend’s wife and she is taking him (your BF) to court!”

It’s been public knowledge that the man in question has been estranged from his wife for maybe more than a decade. In fact, after a string of failed relationships, it seems that it’s only now that he has finally found the right woman, to the delight of his many friends like moi.

A sidelight to the incident was that Female B, who misbehaved and showed disrespect to her hosts, has been stricken off future Tatler Ball guest lists—forever!

Major no-no

At another table, a bejeweled woman guest arrived with an extra person in tow. This is a major no-no in an event with a seating arrangement that has been painstakingly arranged weeks in advance.

But since she’s a good friend of the hosts, a place for her uninvited companion was arranged—at another table. However, the woman guest asked the waiters to add one more plate setting for her companion, turning a comfortable table for 10 into a tight 11.

This did not sit well with a couple who were assigned to the same table because they felt squeezed in. The couple left the event without even finishing their dinner.

Declined

Oh yes, the thick-faced woman guest has also been stricken off future Tatler Ball guest lists.

Still another unwelcome guest is a PR practitioner who we learned had been asking Tatler permission to bring his own photographer to take shots of his client at the ball. His request had been declined several times, yet on the night of the ball, his photographer showed up.

The photographer was just doing as he was told, but Tatler has put the PR practitioner on its blacklist, for good!

So, palangga, the Philippine Tatler Ball gets more and more exciting every year!

Try to get an invite this year; after all, there are now three vacant seats that used to be reserved for those now banned for trying hard to “climb every mountain”—as the song goes.