THE Spanish press was abuzz with stories about the wedding of real estate executive and restaurateur Paola Zobel de Ayala and Argentine polo player Santiago Laborde.
The Zobels are socially prominent in Spain as they are in the Philippines. The daughter of billionaire Iñigo Zobel and model-turned-magazine publisher Maricris Cardenas, Paola, is vice president of the family’s Sotogrande, touted as the largest and most luxurious residential development in Andalucia, Spain.
It’s been said to be the playground of the rich and famous and is host to several polo fields owned by the Zobels.
The wedding was held last Aug. 30 at Our Lady of the Mercedes, followed by the reception at Ayala Polo Club where tents were decked with romantic lights and elegant floral arrangements under the guidance of the bride’s mother.
A dinner was also held in one of Paola’s restaurants, Asador Cancha II, which had Argentinean asados or grills, naturally. Part of the entertainment was a horse dancing with a flamenco bailaora.
Spanish online media reported that the wedding had a VIP guest list of 500, ranging from Spanish aristocracy to top polo players.
The A-list included Isabel Preysler and her daughters Tamara Falcó and Ana Boyer, and Preysler’s beau, the famous novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, Rosario Domecq and pro polo players such as Fernando Primo de Rivera, Yago Espinosa de los Monteros, Daniel Entrecanales; the Vallejo-Nájera and Mora Figueroa, owners of the Santa María Polo Club.
Iñigo Zobel’s polo mates Prince Jefri and son Bahar of Brunei, Princess Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah, daughter of the Sultan of Brunei, were also there.
The Zobels who were present included Paola’s uncles and aunts Jaime and Lizzie; Fernando, Bea Jr., Cristina, Mercedes and step-grandmother Dee.
Also spotted were Gretchen Oppen Cojuangco, Menchu Soriano, Carol Garcia and Rosanna Tuason Fores.
Although the dress code was dark suit and cocktail dress, the Filipino men proudly wore their barong.
The newlyweds are said to be building their residence in San Enrique de Guadiaro near the Paniagua estate, where Sotogrande founder Joseph McMicking and Mercedes Zobel de Ayala once lived.