Ruffa-Yilmaz wedding ‘spectacular’

As I was saying, the double wedding of Ruffa Gutierrez and her Turkish fiancé Yilmaz Bektas (first in Manila on March 25 and then in Istanbul on May 11) will be pushed through, despite recent doubts that it might not because the lovers are back into their "LQ" (as in "Lovers’ Quarrel") routine.

"But still," according to Ruffa’s mom, Annabelle Rama, "I told Ruffa to think some more... to think one million times, para siguradong-sigurado na talaga siya. They kissed and made up only a few hours after they fought. No, there was no violence; sigawan lang sila as usual. Parang aso’t-pusa.

While everything is set – from the date and venue to the wedding entourage, etc. – it’s not quite sure yet who will design Ruffa’s gown (Inno Sotto has been tapped to do the gowns of the bridal sponsors, both secondary and principal). Ruffa initially wanted either Valentino or Christian Dior but both designers required at least six months notice prior to the wedding date.

"Ruffa could have chosen a Dior or Valentino gown off the rack but she said that since she’s getting married only once in her life, she wanted the gown to be original, purposely designed for her. She wants to feel like the most beautiful bride in the world on her wedding day(s)."

The Manila wedding, to be solemnized at The Fort, is nothing less than "spectacular," from the reception to the dressing up of the venue to the wedding entourage. Since Annabelle didn’t want to release the list of sponsors, Funfare put one over her by getting the "coveted" list straight from Istanbul.

Take a deep breath before you go over it...

• Maids of Honor: Donita Rose Cavett and Kesra Bektas

• Best Man: Halil Falyali

• Bridesmaids: Vina Morales, Sharmaine Arnaiz, Antonia Marie Collins, Natasha Ghaedi and Katrina Jessica Guidotti.

• Groom’s Men: Newruz Bektas, Serder Kilerci, Mehdi Ucak, Ersan Koc and Birol Gundogdu

• Secondary Sponsors: Gretchen Barretto and Richard Gomez (veil), Pops Fernandez and Jomari Yllana (cord), Kris Aquino and Enrico Quizon (candle)

• Flower Girls: Michelle Muhlfeld and Arabela Davao

• Ring Bearrer: Vincent Vaughan Romey

• Coin Bearer: Paul Edward Rama

• Bible Bearer: Diego Emmanuel de Leon Gutierrez

Offertory

• Candles: Rudy Fernandez and Lorna Tolentino

• Flowers: Alma Moreno

• Fruits: Ma. Carmina Villarroel

• Wine and Water: Albert Martinez

• Pong Wine: Phillip Salvador

• Chalice: Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr.

• Lector: Snooky Serna

• First Reading: Nadia Montenegro

• Second Reading: Quezon City Councilor Aiko Melendez

• Prayer of the Faithful: Kaye Torres

Principal Sponsors

• Former President Fidel Valdez Ramos and Hon. Sen. Loren Legarda

• Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Hon. Justice Consuelo Santiago

• Hon. House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. and Mrs. Georgina de Venecia

• Hon. Sen. Edgardo Angara and (Tarlac) Gov. Margarita delos Reyes Cojuangco

• Hon. Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Madam Stella Marquez de Araneta

• Hon. Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. and Ms. Lily Monteverde

• Hon. Raul Roco and Ms. Donna Villa

• Hon. Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, Jr. and Ms. Helen Gamboa-Sotto

• Hon. Makati City Mayor JeJomar Binay and Ms. Sharon Cuneta Pangilinan

• Mr. Albert Aguirre and Ms. Lorna Arceo

• Mr. Silvano Bulgari and Ms. Vivien Fermin

• Mr. Danny Dolor and Ms. Wilma Galvante

• Mr. Ernest Escaler and Ms. Sabina Cuyugan

• Mr. German Moreno and Ms. Maria Lourdes Jimenez Carvajal

• Mr. Fernando Poe, Jr and Ms. Susan Roces Poe

• Mr. Rodolfo Quizon and Ms. Minnie Osmeña

• Atty. Napoleon Rama and Ms. Mary Ann Ojeda

• Mr. Ricardo Reyes and Ms. Angeli Valenciano

• Sultan Armando de Rossi and Ms. Cristina Yang

• Mr. Yadi Sichani and Ms. Mariquita Yeung

Whew! All accounted for.

Oh, well, what more can I say but it will be The Wedding of the Decade?

The Bektas Family Tree lists more than 300,000 members. Should I say to Ruffa and Yilmaz...may your tribe increase (even more)?

Dante Balboa au naturel

Seiko discovery Dante Balboa has no qualms about stripping, not if the role (or even the pictorial) calls for it.

What Dante hasn’t shown on the big screen so far will be displayed to full advantage in The Bomb, part of a trilogy (the two others are Watawat and Walang Iwanan) written by Rene Villanueva, which will be mounted by PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) at the PETA Dulaang Raha Sulayman in Fort Santiago on Feb. 6, 7 and 8; 13, 14 and 15; and 20, 21 and 22. Showtime is 7 p.m. (For particulars, call 724-9637 or 410-0822.) Director is Soxie Topacio.

"Yes," confirmed Dante, "I’m going totally naked in my role as a bold star. The Bomb is about sex exploitation but it is not exploitative. It’s a dream come true for me. Sabi nila, unless you do theater you can’t be called a real actor."

Dante’s character is weak in the head ("Hindi matalino") but strong in sex appeal, so he lands in showbiz as a bold star. Also in the play are Wowie de Guzman as a confused guy from a middle-class family dying to also be a bold star and Carlo Enriquez (the gay friend of Billy in the PLDT commercial) as the seminarian who has a good influence on both the characters of Dante and Wowie.

Dante took the audition amidst the apprehension of some friends; they thought that a stage performance is premature for the new actor. "He still has to work on his speaking voice which may be alright for the screen but not for the stage," a friend said.

Dante’s manager, Iman Esturco, on the other hand, was worried about his ward‘s schedule. He is busy with his studies and school projects at the U.P. College of Mass Communication where he is a graduating film major (he finished his first college degree in Architecture earlier at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines). On the side, he does ramp modeling. He also does regular workouts. How does he intend to handle all these activities?

Friends, it seems, initially underestimated Dante. But the guy is determined. Direk Soxie, it seems, saw this. Moreover, the young actor has the looks and physique needed for the role and current limitations could be worked out during the rehearsals. Direk Soxie is also an acting teacher in PETA.

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