May 15 2008
A Dream Wedding in the City of Lights!
No. I am not getting married.
Later at
12.20am, is our flight for Paris, France. My first time to be in
Paris. My first time to be in Europe. This is the first trip that we
are complete as a family after many years (I think the last time we’re
complete in a family trip was either gradeschool or highschool). When
we have a chance to go abroad, it is either Bads who is not around, or
me, or mom, or Nick.
But now, my entire family is going to be in Paris, to celebrate the
first wedding in my family on May 17, 2008 (Europe time). My eldest
sister Nina, as the bride(zilla), hehe.
Well, ahhhmmmmm, ehhhmmmmm (ahem)… it is the first time that my name NAOMI THERESE CORPUZ is printed on a national broadsheet!!! 
It is not on the frontpage though. I didn’t top the bar or anything
(na kakaibang greatness). It is on page g2-g3, Philippine Star today,
May 16, 2008. And all because I am the…. BRIDESMAID!!!! Yipeee!!! I
am soooooooooooo excited!!!
From now on, everytime my name is googled, the latest addition to the
search results (other than my social networking sites) is Philippine Star’s:
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Entertainment&p=49&type=2&sec=31
and ABS-CBN’s:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=118404
Anyway, pictures of Chap (a.k.a. Nina Corpuz) and Vince, my future
bro-in-law are not on the Web, they are printed in the Philippine Star
though which is something like this:
So Chap… I
just want you to know that I am very happy for you (yikes! I can’t
believe I am saying this). I’ve known Vince for quite awhile, though I
don’t talk to him most of the time 
.
And Vince…
anyway, I hope to get to talk to you more often. To tell you frankly,
I have a pet-peeve on people who speak the way you do, (with the
Atenean accent), at may kinaiinisan kasi ako na kaboses mo noong college
(and his name need not be mentioned) because he is haughty and
arrogant, and also an Atenean who became my college classmate. Well,
by you, you are able to prove me wrong that not all men (with that kind
of voice and accent) are like that. And actually the exact opposite.
Remain down-to-earth, selfless, understanding, chap’s pacifier,
generous and humble :). One of the main reasons why I am happy, is
that I am certain we are sending her off to a groom who is a good
soul. (duuuuuuuhhhhhhhh Naomi!).
So here is the article today (with emphasis supplied by me):
A dream wedding in the City of Lights
ABS-CBN
news reporter Nina Corpuz, daughter of lawyers Nestor Taylan Corpuz and
Consuelo Fernando Corpuz, will exchange “I do’s” with Vince Rodriguez,
son of the late Edilberto Librea Rodriguez and Maryann O’Connor
Rodriguez, in Paris (yes, the City of Lights) on May 20, at the Eglise
Saint-Severin Church.
The
principal sponsors are: Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and Mrs. Angelica
Banaria, Reynaldo David and Dr. Victoria Belo, Jaime Fernando and Ms.
Amelia Cabal, John Franco and Mrs. Elizabeth Chua, Eugenio Lopez III
and Mrs. Natividad Corpuz, Atty. Ricardo Puno Jr. and Mrs. Rosabella
Corpuz, Danilo Rodriguez and Mrs. Teresa Oben, Wellington Soong and Ms.
Veronica O’Connor, Arturo Valdez and Mrs. Consolacion Ramos, and
Ricardo Veloso and Mrs. Josefina Soriano.
Best Man: Rafael Carlos Rodriguez.
Matron of Honor: Noelle Bernadette Corpuz-Perez.
Groomsman: Nicomedes Romulo Corpuz.
Bridesmaid: Naomi Therese Corpuz. (Wahooo!!!Common, give me a break. It is my blog, pagbigyan).
Junior Bridesmaid: Claudine Rodriguez.
Secondary Sponsors:
Patrick Duran and Divine Banaria-Duran, candle; Denis Wissler and
Imelda Delgado-Wissler, veil; and Claro Rodriguez and Nanette
Cavada-Rodriguez, cord.
Ring Bearer: Nicolas Andre Wissler.
Coin Bearer: Jacob Polpatpigharn.
Bible Bearer: Vincent Dominic Rodriguez.
Flower Girls: Christiane Patricia Fernando, Angelica Eileen Soong and Elisa Marie Anastacia Wissler.
From faraway Paris, Nina sent Funfare the following account of how it all started:
All
I wanted was a private wedding proposal, just the TWO of us. Vince knew
that. And knowing Vince, I knew he wanted the same thing. So how in the
world did he ever come to proposing, kneeling down and asking me to
marry him, in front of all his relatives at a family reunion on
Christmas eve?
I wanted to disappear. No, die.
I
could see Vince’s brother, Raffy, laughing so hard in the background.
His cousins looked happy but we knew for sure none of them wanted to be
in our shoes at that moment. I think I covered my face with my two
hands the whole time. This isn’t happening!
But it did, I said yes and here’s how.
Dec. 24, 2007.
I had work, as usual. The story I worked on was how 400 families, who
lost their houses and all their belongings in a big fire just before
Christmas, were going to celebrate the happiest time of the year. For
the children, the coloring books, crayons and stickers that I brought
for a few of them elicited the happiest faces that I’ve seen in a long
time. But the adults are more realistic. They realized they are now
left with nothing so there is no reason to celebrate, not when your
family is sleeping on cartons in the sidewalk. There is no such thing
as Christmas when you have an empty stomach. At least one single mother
with six children was more hopeful, she said they could always
celebrate Christmas next year.
Another day at work.
When
I finished writing and voicing my report for TV Patrol World, Vince and
I went to Valenzuela to visit my beloved grandmother, Nanay, who
happens to have cancer. My family was in Ilocos but most of my
relatives on my mother’s side were there, including my mom’s identical
twin who came from New Jersey. We had a great time. I played poker for the first time with my cousins and lost P500. Vince won a thousand bucks. Ha, ha, ha!
At 11 o’clock,
I wanted to go home because I was getting sleepy and still had work the
next day. Vince insisted we go to his side of the family naman and, of
course, how could I say no.
From Valenzuela, we drove to his uncle’s house all the way to Valle Verde. We got there at around 11:30 p.m.
I think. Before entering the house, I saw his cousin who congratulated
me on our engagement which caught me by surprise. As we entered the
house, more and more of his relatives were congratulating us on our
“engagement.” I felt more uncomfortable by the minute and when I
couldn’t take it anymore, I pulled Vince to one side almost shouting at
him in my frustration, saying, “I’m not engaged! I’m not engaged!” I
wanted to go home.
We
were about to “escape” when Vince’s uncle started calling everyone to
gather in the sala because “Vince and Nina have an announcement.” Oh
no, Vince and I looked helplessly at each other. What are we supposed
to say?
Vince
and I found ourselves surrounded by everyone who were all excited to
hear “the news.” There was no escaping but Vince managed to disappear
“to get something from his car” as he wasn’t prepared.
When
he got back, everyone was cheering, I heard someone say, “He’s gonna
propose!” Vince was so nervous and embarrassed, he just put the box on
the table. Just like that. Then someone said, “Open it!” So I did and
sure enough it contained a beautiful diamond engagement ring. Okay, did
he think I’m going to put the ring on my finger? So I gave the box back
to him!
At
this point everyone got more excited. I could hear all sorts of voices.
Then someone said, “Vince, kneel…kneel!” So poor Vince got down on
his knees. I kept covering my face with my two hands out of
embarrassment. Then Vince gave a short speech; I don’t really remember
much of what he said as I couldn’t concentrate. I just remember him
saying something like, “I guess this is the time to ask you in front of
my family…chu chu chu…Will you marry me?” And everyone looked at me.
It
was surreal. I couldn’t answer right away because, I don’t know, I
guess I was trying to think of a magic spell for me to disappear at
that moment until someone said, “Nina, what’s your answer?” I realized
I’m only human and it’s not a dream so, of course, I said “Yes!”
Everyone started clapping, etc. Whew! It’s done!
Oh
no, it’s not. His relatives asked me to give a speech. I couldn’t
speak! I don’t really remember what I said. I think I said something
like, “Thank you, I love you and your family, thanks…” Ha, ha, ha! It
sounded so lousy but I meant it. Vince’s family is the best, everyone
who was there, his mom, brother, titos and titas, cousins, they tried
to make me feel comfortable from Day 1. I really, really appreciate
them all.
Then
his relatives asked Vince’s mom, Tita Mary Ann, to give a speech and it
was so touching because she said that Vince’s dad, Tito Ed who passed
away three years ago, was fond of me and loved me and wanted Vince and
I to end up together. Some of Vince’s aunts couldn’t help but get
teary-eyed. What would Tito Ed say? No one knew exactly what he would
have said but he was in our hearts and minds and it was as if he was
also there. I could imagine his laughter. Tito Ed was always laughing
or smiling everytime I saw him. We miss him terribly.
I
found out later on our way home that Vince had planned to propose in my
house, no fireworks, nothing fancy, just the two of us, just how we
both wanted it to be.
I
realized that sometimes things don’t work out as planned because God
has planned something better. It was a happy occasion and it is true,
happiness is always better when shared.
(Postscript:
Two days later, Vince was on a bus to Ilocos. I was talking to Vince
the night before and asked him, “How’s that? My family doesn’t know.”
Vince had scheduled to talk to them a week before Christmas but they
suddenly went home to Ilocos.
On
the morning of Dec. 26, I called Vince’s house and was looking for him
but his mom said he went to the bus station. Okay, I didn’t know.
Anyway, so Vince took the 9 a.m.bus so he would arrive at 7 p.m.
Yes, the trip took 10 hours. Unfortunately, the bus encountered some
engine problems and had to stop for repairs. Then, to make matters
worse, the aircon also got busted. So Vince arrived in our house in
Batac at 10:30 p.m., soaked in sweat!
Fine, it’s not that funny. Anyway, he finally got to talk to my parents. And now,
Paris, here we are!)
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)
