What you should know about the Marian-Dingdong wedding

MANILA, Philippines - Today is the big day. After years of being a relationship, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes are set to tie the knot today.

The wedding, dubbed as “The Royal Wedding” by their home network GMA-7, is dubbed as the year’s biggest celebrity wedding. And in a year with several celeb weddings, that’s a big title to bestow upon anyone.

Before the couple exchange their I do’s later, here are some things you should know the Marian-Dingdong wedding:

1. The wedding will be held at the Immaculate Conception Church in Cubao, Quezon City. According to previous reports, Dingdong chose the wedding venue due to sentimental reasons. The church, he said, was where he was baptized. “There’s a sense of going back to where you started,” Dingdong said in a previous interview. 

2. The wedding ceremony will be held at around 2:30 P.M. Meanwhile, the reception will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena at 6 P.M. According to a TV reports, roads near the Immaculate Conception Church will be closed to give way to wedding guests.

3. The actor proposed to Marian last August during a live airing of her self-titled dance show on GMA-7. Dingdong first proposed to Marian in 2012 during his 32nd birthday. The first proposal was done in Macau at the Butterfly Pavillion.

4. Dingdong gave Marian a Harry Winston engagement ring during his proposal last August.

5. The star-studded wedding entourage include President Benigno Aquino III, Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez, directors Mac Alejandre and Joyce Bernal, Sharon Cuneta, former GMA-7 executive Wilma Galvante, Ben Chan, Felipe Gozon and Lily Monteverde, among others, as principal sponsors. 

6. Marian had around  eight showers during the course of her four-month engagement to Dingdong. Why so many? The actress said she’s not in the position to decline showers given to her by friends. Vicky Belo and her “Eat Bulaga” co-hosts were among those who gave her a bridal shower.

7. Marian will walk down the aisle in an Michael Cinco wedding gown. 

8. Meanwhile, Dingdong will wear a suit by Randy Ortiz for the wedding. 

9. Marian had to be baptized again since her baptism in Spain was not honored here in our country.

10. About 5,000 pieces of flowers were used to decorate the Immaculate Conception Church for the wedding.

11. As they gave away the invitations, it was noted there that their guests could opt to donate cash for Dingdong's Yes Pinoy Foundation, which helps provide for children's education.