A WHIRLWIND ROMANCE FOR BUGSY AND LESLIE ANN
- Jaime Picornell
- Apr 27, 2019
- 4 min read
Elegantly printed invitations have been out for some weeks now for the wedding of pretty lawyer Leslie Ann Reyes, lovely daughter of Brigadier General Bayani Reyes and Mrs. Virgie Reyes, to dashing businessman Jose "Bugsy" Hernandez, son of Larry Hernandez and Mrs. Benilda Hernandez of Manila.
That will be on Sunday, May 5 at the Shangri-la's Mactan Resort and Spa. The ceremony starts at 3:30 PM at the resort's Ocean Pavilion. A shuttle will take the guests from the main lobby starting at 2:30 PM.
After the wedding ceremony, cocktails will be served even as guests will be shuttled to the Marquee for the reception and dinner.
"Ours was a whirlwind romance," says Leslie Ann whose friends and family call L.A. She is tall and beautiful, with a promising career. An adorable girl in every way. Her engagement to Bugsy is a tale, as told by her, of high drama.
Bugsy himself, a very successful businessman based in Cebu is also gifted with his share of dramatic flair. A few nights before proposing to Leslie Ann, he went to her home while she was asleep.
With an element of secrecy, he told her parents he wanted to marry their daughter and asked for their blessing. It was granted. He then flew his family from Manila. They came, and all got together at the Mactan Shangri-la for New Year's Eve.
At the stroke of midnight, at the Shangri-La beach, he got down on one knee facing Leslie Ann and asked her to marry him as fireworks lit the skies. Both families blissfully locked on. Let's take it from Leslie Ann:
"He knew that Shangri-La was one of my favorite places growing up and I always wanted to get married in their small glass house called Ocean Pavilion which is nestled in between a pretty garden, and is overlooking the sea. So, that is why he proposed in Shangri-la, and that is also where we are tying the knot."
By all signs it is going to be a grand event. Eighteen couples will stand as principal sponsors:
Ambassador Francisco Benedicto and Engr. Lea Delfinado, Secretary Mark Villar and the Hon. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, General Rhodel Sermonia and Mrs. Thelma Roa Rama, Hon. Rafael Yabut and Engr. Daisy Toledo, Hon. Dimas Soguilon and Engr. Elsie Sabay;
Rex Maria Mendoza and Susan Pastrano Torres, Hon. Felipe Antonio Remollo and Dr. Rafaelita Pelaez, Engr. Edgar Tabacon and Engr. Haydee Alunan, Engr. Joselito Sayson and Engr. Suzette Nwanka;
Honorary Consul of Spain Anton Perdices and Mrs. Maria Paz Vicente Perdices, Edmund and Judy Gaisano, Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama, Ricardo and Babie Go, John Young and Marlyn Cang;
Renato and Dr. Lucellea Mercado, Dennis Pastrano and Mrs. Aida Uy, Ray and Venus Manigsaca, and Jose Vicente del Prado Jr. and Mrs. Maria Carla Larrazabal del Prado.
There are two best men, Bugsy's brothers Carlos Miguel and Paolo Roman Hernandez, while their sister Maria Larissa Hernandez is Best Woman. Sheila Reyes will be her sister L.A.'s maid of honor.
Here comes the 8 bridesmaids - Michelle Alfonso, Casey Ngo, Lorraine Boon, Ronna Rodas, Jamie Evangelista, Stephanie Santiago, Anna Ong Vaño, and Erica Alegre.
There are also 8 groomsmen - Miguel Nolasco, Niño Ramos, Henson Tan, Garry Ong, Arnold Hernandez, Brando Raya, Allan Martos, and Francis Cruz.
In the entourage as secondary sponsors are Dr. Winthrop and Sheila Uy for the candle; Duke and Christina Frasco for the veil; Vincent Guzman and Marie Lorraine Garrett for the cord.
The pages are Sebastian Rama with the rings; Ezra Sanchez, the bible; and Aiden Uy, the coins. The flower girls are Aria Gutierrez, Lauren Fernandez, Adrienne Fernandez and Alexandra Bacungan.
The next event for the Cebu chapter of La Chaine des Rotisseurs is a fellowship titled Safari Encounter on May 18 at Michel Lhuillier's Cebu Safari and Adventure Park in the municipality of Carmen in northern Cebu.
Check out the video below from the Facebook page of Cebu Safari and Adventure Park
Wild animals like lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras, birds including graceful swans, reptiles of all sizes, and many more are exhibited in what could easily be regarded as the best zoo in the land.
The whole thing brings to mind what we've seen in the movies. If you haven't seen it, you can easily access the MGM movie of 1953 titled "Mogambo" with Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly. In the 1960s, there was "Hatari" starring John Wayne and for which Henry Mancini composed "Elephant Walk."
Safari Encounter may also invoke Indiana Jones, so take out those khaki outfits, or slip into attire you may call summery chic.
On May 18 the fun starts at 1PM assembly time for those who would like to book for transport to the Safari. You can leave your cars parked at the Marco Polo. Upon arrival at the Safari Park tour the whole area.
Amiable host Michel Lhuillier has been hands on in the preparations for this event, assisted by Elmera Abellanosa who handles the secretariat of La Chaine in Cebu. The event counts with the full cooperation of Brian Connelly, general manager of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel. The Marco Polo's kitchen brigade will be sent to the Safari Park to prepare a fabulous buffet spread that involves events manager Joward Tongco and executive chef Juanito Abangan. Special equipment has been designed for this event. Carts and trolleys will bring to the tables the better to serve the diners.
Cocktails start serving at 5PM with dinner set at 6:30PM. The affair should be over by 9PM with transportation returning to the Marco Polo.
"We're up to it," says Eduard Loop, VP and COO of the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park. That afternoon of May 18 he has a wedding of a first cousin. Right after his "paso", there'll be a sleek helicopter to whisk him to La Chaine 's event in 14 minutes.
Comments