Our World in Words

My Bestfriend’s Wedding: SSA and the sassy Mandarin Oriental

July 16th marks a year since I tramped the aisle of Sanctuario de San Antonio to witness my bestfriend getting hitched. It seemed only yesterday when she was contemplating about a red bridal dress, because white, in Chinese, is equivalent to mourning.








Re-used wedding bag and my lovely bouquet 🙂


Then there she was, clad in an enchanting, shimmery Francis Libiran Swarovski-embellished dress walking down the aisle.  She was a vision of envy. Never has she looked more charming than on that day. I cried as soon as the bridal car parked in front of the wooden door. 





See, this was the girl who wore loose, worn-out jeans and a pair of ridiculously annoying black sneakers on dates. She is that well-off girl who can not keep her hands off free gulaman in the canteen; that girl whom I took jeepney rides with and picked up stray cats with day-in and day-out for nearly 7 years. And now she’s riding off to the sunset with her chinky-eyed prince for the quiet life in Bicol.

Charming newspaper boy outfit for the little boys 🙂


Always forgetful of the flower over flower rule. 
Was like this even on my wedding day. Sheesh.

Someone is at the wrong pew! Sumama ba naman sa godparents. Haha!



 It was like seeing my own kid grow up and get married. Yep, pretty much like that.





It was hands down, a beautiful and classy wedding, where about 95% of the guest list was Chinese (Jigs and I were the odd ones out).The church  and reception venue were equally stunning. Mandarin Oriental’s styling is eye-candy: the swags, centerpieces and embellishments truly captured what elegance and style are all about.








The sit-down menu was surprisingly filling. I say surprisingly because I’ve been to similar sit-down style occasions, and I always end up wanting a few more bites of each dish because servings were scarce. Not the case in this one. Ikaw na ang susuko sa dami ng food. Servers give you as much as you want, should you ask for it.


Wok-fried shrimps with dried chili and broccoli: Fresh and savory

Braised shark’s fin soup with fish maw and assorted treasure

Food quality is undeniably, first-rate. Not the kind of home-cooked goodness one will find in Chinese restaurants in Binondo. It was more, hmm, lavish and tastefully exquisite. You’d know it was done by fine chefs, not mere cooks, at first bite. It has that distinct effect.






Mandarin three treasure combination platter
My favorite among all the dishes. The seaweeds were super yummy 🙂


Steamed live green garoupa with superior soy sauce, deep-fried crispy chicken with taro paste filling, 
Wok-fried beef tenderloin dice with black pepper and red wine sauce

But more than the cute flower girls and ring and bible bearers, the chic reception, the gorgeous bridal gown and hordes of Chinese people, what made the wedding extra special was the magic that the couple shared. Even in silence it was evident, its scent overpowering, like temple flower at night.






To Yen and Yves, happy anniversary, and may you and your dragon baby be blessed with fortuity and happiness for a lifetime.


About the Author

Gretchen Filart

Gretchen Filart is a writer from the Philippines, where she weaves poems and creative nonfiction about motherhood, love, healing, nature, and intersectionalities. Her works have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, received distinction from phoebe’s Spring Poetry Contest and Navigator’s Travel Writing Competition, and share space in local and foreign publications. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky @gretchenfilart. She’s usually friendly.

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  3. The Hippie Mum says

    Oh, I could imagine how emotional this event was for you 🙂 Nagutom ako sa feast! Hihi.

    Reply

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