Rossana Tanada Ocampo and Marco Gopengco Rodriguez lived just a village away from each other, but it was not until they were both well out of college and into their professional careers that they met.
Ocampo had come home after a four-year stint in Milan taking up fashion design and working as apprentice for a fashion house that carried a range of signature brands. Rodriguez was honed into the family business of marketing and supplying high-end roofing materials, which took him to the enclaves of gated villages and vacation homes.
Like most single men and ladies, both enjoyed the company of friends and the night circuit. They met casually, but eyed each other warily. Rodriguez was unsure of the fashionista façade of Ocampo, and she, on the other hand, found him seemingly aloof.
Special destination
But a few months later, thrown into each other’s company, conversation just flowed and attraction flowered. The courting and dating game started and Tagaytay became a special destination—Antonio’s, specifically, which became a getaway haven for the two. Even the engagement proposal was hatched there, requiring the cooperation of proprietor Antonio himself.
And so the couple decided that their wedding would take place where their romantic memories were made. Halfway to Tagaytay, at the St. John Bosco Parish in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Rodriguez and Ocampo solemnly pledged their vows.
The church altar was draped in a cloud of white blossoms of roses, snapdragons, hydrangeas, cabbage roses, liliums and other snowy varieties, some encased in tall transparent vases. More blooms decorated the aisle.
Wellington Soong, Wilfrido Sanchez, Aristeo Puyat, Leonardo Tanada, Amado Bagatsing, Wilfrido Reyes and Eduardo Alunan, with partners Susan Concepcion, Lulu Tan Gan, Irene Francisco, Ana Marie Tiaoqui, Mary Rose Moreno and Paz Payawal stood as principal sponsors.
The bride was radiant and self-assured in an off-white exquisite gown by Cary Santiago, which had extraordinary triangular layered pleats, and a flowing white veil with delicately spaced lace-like cutouts near the border.
The maid and matrons of honor as well as several bridesmaids wore gowns designed by the bride herself, intricately blending a range of prints to create a clever assortment of hues.
The groom cut a handsome figure in his dark-gray Joey Samson suit. Best men were Alexis Ledesma and Ted Tinsay; the maid of honor, Isha Andaya; and the matrons of honor Christine Daez and Marielle Po.
Fr. David Clay, a Rodriguez family friend and favorite minister, officiated the rites.
Sumptuous reception
Fireworks lit up Antonio’s Tagaytay garden as guests were treated to cocktails and a sumptuous array of delectable appetizers: sour cabbage soup, fresh mesclum salad, crumbled Bleu d’ Auvergne, walnuts, dried currants and cranberries with balsamic vinaigrette were followed by a refreshing dalandan sorbet.
For the main entrée, there was a choice of roast certified angus beef with morel sauce on truffle mashed potato and horsedish stuffed tomato, or grilled Chilean sea bass glazed with balsamic reduction, and pommery spaetzle, ending perfectly with tartufo nero drizzled with Grand Marnier.
Dinner speeches from both families and friends were often brief but certainly lively, witty and sentimental. The couple gamly danced a surprise saucy salsa number, followed by an operatic number, “Nessun Dorma”—another surprise—from good friend Joshua Tiu. Both elicited much applause from the guests.
Guests then launched into a long night of dancing that lasted till the cool balmy weather of Tagaytay welcomed the chirping of birds at dawn.
It is a blessing that though Rodriguez and Ocampo were strangers for most of their life despite living merely a village apart, their meeting led to a romance with a happy ending and an auspicious beginning for the rest of their days.
