Mar-Korina's people's wedding special news coverage

Guests arrives at Santo Domingo church:



The ceremony begins:



Korina walks down the aisle:



The promise:



The wedding dress, motifs, flowers, decorations, etc.:




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MANILA - Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and broadcaster Korina Sanchez on Tuesday afternoon exchanged "I do's" at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City. The ceremony started at 4 p.m. Tuesday as thousands of guests and well-wishers arrived to witness the union.
Crowds outside the church cheered and shouted "Korina!" as Sanchez, wearing a Filipiniana gown, stepped out of the bridal car. A white sheet held up by several ushers prevented people from seeing Sanchez until the start of her bridal march.
The Philippine Madrigal Singers sang “Ave Maria” as the entourage marched toward the altar.
As she was walking down the aisle with his brother, Sanchez shed tears of joy while Ray An Fuentes' “Umagang Kay Ganda” was being played in the background. Roxas, who was waiting at the altar, was also seen wiping away tears.
In his homily, Fr. Tito Caluag reminded the couple to love and serve one another throughout their married lives. "I believe that giving one's self to love brings blessing to one's self and to society," he said.

Wedding vows

In his wedding vow, Roxas described his bride as "God's precious gift."
"Korina, I take you as God's precious gift. I love you as you are. You are precious to me. I am happy we are together and truly thank you for taking me and putting up with me. I give myself to you as your best friend, to applaud when you succeed and encourage when you stumble. I offer myself to you as your husband in respect and in trust. Today I take you to be my wife. I promise to be with you and be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life," he said.
In turn, Korina said Roxas was the fulfillment of everything she ever wanted in a husband.
"Minamahal kong Mar, matagal ang panahong lumipas na tayo ay nagsarili ng landas at naghintay ng pagkakataong ito. Tayo ngayon ay pinagpala ng tadhana at ng Panginoon na mahanap ang isa't isa. Totoo pala na ang pangarap ay nagaganap.
"Ikaw ang katuparan ng lahat ng aking hinintay at minimithi ng aking puso na maging kasama, karamay, kaibigan at kakampi. Ikaw ang aking pinili upang alayan ng lahat ng iyong kakailanganin sa isang kasama at katabi sa buhay sa abot ng aking makakaya. Dumaan man ang unos, mga pagsubok, ang sakit, ang kabiguan, ako ay mananatiling dikit sa iyong dibdib kahawak ng mahigpit ng iyong mga kamay. Ngunit sabay din tayong lalakbay sa landas na itinahak ng Panginoon sa atin. Magkasama tayong ngingiti, tatawa, hahalakhak sa malaki man na tagumpay at sa pinakamababaw na biro.
"Mar, ang pangako ko sa iyo, saksi ang aking mga yumaong magulang na si Celia at Ramon, katuwang ng aking buong pamilya at lahat ng nagmamahal sa ating dalawa, basbas ng langit ang aking pagmamahal sa iyo at kasama ng Panginoon kahapon, ngayon at bukas, ako'y iyong-iyo."

Who's who

A veritable who’s who of the Philippine society attended the wedding ceremony. Political and show business personalities as well as representatives from various political organizations and non-government organizations have been invited to the event.
Among those spotted at the church were Randy David, Rey Langit, Pitoy Moreno, Paeng Nepomuceno, Vehnee Saturno, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Basil Valdez, Wilson Tieng of Solar Films, ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio, former Senator Letty Ramos Shahani,Ralph Recto, Lily Monteverde, Teodoro Locsin, former President Joseph Estrada, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri and his wife; US Ambassador Kristie Anne Kenney;
Broadcasters Bernadette Sembrano, Ina Reformina, Willard Cheng, Alex Santos, Ted Failon, Joey Villarama, Julius and Christine Babao, and Doris Bigornia, former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Congressmen Teofisto Guingona III, Antonio Cuenco and Neptali Gonzales, Lopez family patriarch Oscar Lopez. Fernando Zobel, Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares III and wife;
Jacqui Aquino, Maurice Arcache, Viel Aquino, Joselito Payumo, Joey Lina, Lauren Dyogi, Greggy Araneta and wife Irene Marcos-Araneta, Cesar Purisima, Karina David, Renato Constantino, Sister Mary John Mananzan, former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Fr. Tito Caluag and Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada.
White roses and sampaguita, Sanchez's favorite flowers, adorned the church. Sponsors and guests wore Filipiniana attires.
Fans and supporters of the couple also gathered in church ground to get a glimpse of the bride and groom.
The principal sponsors are Chief Justice Reynato Puno, former Senate President Jovito Salonga, Eugenio Lopez III, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Jorge Araneta, Ms. Rosa Rosal, Helen Costales, Ruby Roxas, Cecilia Lazaro, and Maria Fores.
Roxas’ 16-year old son, Paolo Zaldarriaga, stood as the senator’s best man, while Dang Cecilio-Palance was the matron of honor.
The ring bearer is Kris Aquino’s son, James Yap Jr., while Miguel Sanchez and Matthew Garcia are the coin and Bible bearers.
In their earlier interviews on radio dzMM, both Sanchez and Roxas could not contain their excitement. "Hindi na yata mapipigilan ito," Sanchez said.
"Parang bungee jumping. Para siyang isang malalim na malalim na talon tapos hindi mo talaga matitiyak kung ano ang kala-landingan mo. Pero dahil mahigpit ang pagkakatali sa iyong binti ng lubid ng pagmamahal, alam mong ligtas ka na la-landing…. it's really a very exciting adventure," Sanchez added.
The senator, for his part, said he felt both tense and excited after waking up on Tuesday, knowing that he would be a married man at the end of the day.
"Ang unang agenda sa abot kaya ng panahon at tuhod ko ay magkaroon ng mga anak...Ang sarap isipin na sana may mga chikiting kami at nakaupo kami sa sofa. Nai-imagine ko ‘yong Sunday lunch na magkasama kami at mga anak namin at mga apo sana. Komportableng-komportable ‘yong imahe sa puso ko at sa kaisipan ko. Kaya dumating na 'This is it!'" he said.
There will be no grand reception after the ceremony. The senator from Capiz and the veteran broadcast anchor decided to donate the money to 6 charity organizations providing assistance to victims of typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”
After the ceremony, the couple is set to meet with their guests in the courtyard where food and refreshments will be served.
Reports said more than 200 police have been deployed in the area to maintain peace and order. With reports from Reyma Buan-Deveza and Boy Villasanta, abs-cbnNEWS.com, and ANC

The fiesta like reception:

MANILA - It might not have the folkloric intensity of a Vilma Santos-Ralph Recto wedding at the Lipa City Cathedral in Batangas some years back, or the grand, starry exchange of vows between Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion at the Manila Cathedral. But the Mar Roxas-Korina Sanchez union was still the wedding of the year to boot.

It was also a big bang, a party of perfect mix of social classes.

The venue, to begin with, had a citified ambience with metro guests coming in and a Hispanic feel of its Dominican-dominated locale.

Of course, the elegance wasn’t lost a bit primarily because the celebrators were mostly stylish.

As early as Tuesday, the preparation at the Santo Domingo Church was to the letter as the wedding planners were all agog in setting the whole place with Filipiniana mood and atmosphere.

Cibo catering was in place hours before the occasion. It served native delicacies of Spanish influences like rice cake, diced banana cakes, mini sandwiches of pan de sal, pastillas and other merienda cena.

The wedding day was a lot cozier and more tranquil, but not without the threats of impending climate idiosyncrasy. The sun shone brightly despite the previous night’s drizzle in some parts of the city.

People from all walks of life started milling around the church yard, trying to find out how to get in and had a good chance of watching the event.

It was history in the making, of course. Here was a senator of the land, a grandson of a former president of the country and a son of a great statesman, marrying a controversial broadcast figure.

All eyes were laid on them.

A comfortable space was allotted to ordinary folks inside the compound, but only a number of them, a good number of them, though, could be accommodated.

It was fiesta-like.

As usual, sidewalk vendors took a good chance at their merchandise as an enterprising man displayed his full scale of Korina and Mar pins. They were sold for P15 and were selling like hotcakes, but a lady photographer had it for free from the media registration panel.

A helicopter hovered above before and during the matrimonial ceremony.

Media people who didn’t have invitations were fighting tooth and nail to get access cards.

Most of the guests were on time to fill up the huge holy place, a historic landmark.

As usual, the corridors leading to the church were filled with people not necessarily hearing mass, but attending to some businesses directly or indirectly connected with the Roxas-Sanchez wedding.

Some principal sponsors, especially the senior ones, were early birds. Other members of the entourage were ready to march, but had to be stationed in one corner for common instruction.

The little boys and girls had to be looked over by their moms particularly. Bridesmaids and best men had to wait patiently.

What to do in waiting for the bride to come? Pleasantries could be more effective to combat boredom.

Outside, the people were frantic to see their favorite stars on film and TV, and would easily yell or shout their names in wild abandon.

One and a half hour late of the scheduled procession, the lady of the hour came rushing in. This time, she had to be covered with yards of seemingly piña clothes to the church doorsteps.

When she was finally unveiled, the crowd broke loose.

The proceeding was entirely solemn. Unto the night, the moon was shining its half.

It wasn’t the end of the fiesta celebration but just the beginning of it.