'Dingdong paid for wedding'

MANILA, Philippines - Teena Barretto, the wedding coordinator of Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, defended the couple against online bashers who criticized the newly-weds for their wedding ceremony.

 

Marian and Dingdong received criticism when they tied the knot on December 30 in a “lavish” ceremony at the Immaculate Concepcion Church in Quezon City and the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. 

 

The wedding, wrote one blogger in an article that became viral online, was “needlessly extravagant.” 

 

WATCH: Marian Rivera-Dingdong Dantes wedding video

 

This came after reports revealed Marian’s Michael Cinco wedding dress allegedly cost P2 million. The couple’s 13 feet wedding cake also received international media attention.

 

On her Instagram account, Barretto defended Marian and Dingdong, saying it was the GMA-7 actor who paid for the wedding.

 

“Dingdong paid for the wedding. And it was not a cheap wedding,” she said. “While some sponsors were graciously accepted, most were politely declined.”

 

Barretto added: “The amount of sponsorship / xdeal is not even 5% of the total wedding cost paid by the groom. Given that, one can say that yes indeed "they paid for their wedding".”

 

The wedding cake, the wedding coordinator explained, “was really a gift from Goldilocks.” Dingdong is an endorser of the said brand.

 

“While we are thankful to those who were very generous with their products and services, I still feel it is unfair that the couple is being bashed this way for something so beautiful, and most importantly, something they worked so hard for,” Barretto said.

 

LOOK: Marian, Dingdong in Boracay after wedding

 

“Dingdong had the purest intention of giving Marian the best wedding she deserves.”

 

“To those with very strong opinion/s re the matter, you may start by posting your name beside your two cents. Its very hard to trust the words of brave people hiding behind the anonymous moniker,” she added.