My Brother's Wedding

A Love’s Worth
By Juan Manuel G. Gadi

“Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill mannered nor does it seek its own interest. Love withstands anger and forgets offenses. It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices with the truth. Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

After 9 years, everything happened!

Last January 2, 2008 was an intimate Christian wedding of Gil Emilio Mario ‘Gio’ Guino-o Gadi and Helen Grace Lim y Parreño at the Grand Agila Ballroom of the Waterfront Insular Hotel of Davao attended by their families and immediate relatives from Manila, Davao and Norway as well as, the couple’s good friends. The wedding ceremony was officiated by Rev. Lathur D. Badoy of the Lighthouse Christian Church where the couple belongs. Gio who was born in Manila and grandson of the former mayors of Kidapawan City, Cotabato province during the 60’s, Dr. Gil F. Gadi and Dr. Emma Gadi y Bagtas; film theatre circa tycoon of Southern Mindanao and real estate entrepreneur, Emilio Guino-o, Sr. and Lourdes Einarsen y Paredes Norwegian-Filipino Immigrant and son of businessman, Jose Manuel B. Gadi and businesswoman, Emilord Guino-o y Paredes. While Helen coming from a Chinese family, born in Davao and daughter of entrepreneur, Reynaldo B. Lim and housewife, Lilia Lim y Parreño.

Both Gio and Helen are business graduates of the Ateneo de Davao University. Gio, a marketing graduate of batch 2000 and Helen, a management graduate are now both based in Hong Kong, Republic of China. Gio is currently connected with Pacific Prospects – an integrated Asian financial publishing, conference, research and consultancy business for more than a year now and was nominated as Incisive Media’s Employee of the Year for Asia Pacific that will take place in London, England anytime this year while Helen works in Kowloon Hotel as a Club Floor purser. Their audacious love story all started when they became classmates in one of their philosophy subjects in the Canisius building of the Ateneo university grounds.

While in college, Gio vividly described how he got attracted to Helen. Both are fans of the band Smashing Pumpkins with hits like “Today”, “`1979”, “Mayonnaise”, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”, etc. Helen’s friends’ often called her “Billy” (Smashing Pumpkins’ vocalist’s name) with her wide tantalizing eyes framed with blue mascara – Gio simply saw something that is unusual and sets her apart from the other girls on campus. “Something unique” as he remarked. Thus, made him persistent in knowing Helen more. On the other hand, Helen always remembered Gio’s trademark - his outrageous humour and contagious laugh, as well as, his amorous side - sneaking his love letters for her by surprisingly tucking it in her notebook, like a grade schooler’s secret. And there were those consistent, off-peak phone calls he would make every night. Since that day on, their love story that started as innocent college students has been something worth fighting for. A love story that brewed for 9 years has now been bonded and sealed with God’s blessing and their parents’ love. Simply, a love story that is indeed in full bloom.

Gio and Helen basically conceptualized and organized their Christian wedding while in Hong Kong with the help of the groom’s mom and younger brother, Juan— who are both in Davao. Since, the couple wanted an intimate ceremony instead of a social thing, they deliberately stressed out the importance of simplicity in the ambience and ceremony. The people involved in the organization described it as a “never-ending online conferencing, budgeting and prayers”. With the grace of God and fervent support from other family members and friends, the wedding was pulled of. Their wedding conceptualized an in-door Japanese garden accented with a water fountain and Capiz lights. Their "ikebana" inspired table floral centrepiece utilized yellow dendrubium orchids, white calla lilies and white Malaysian mums accented with rich foliage, dead twigs and candle tea lights were created by Alice Manacap – a good friend. The bride’s bouquet consist of white stargazers and yellow Holland roses stacked with a pale gold sinamay lace. The bride wore a simple beaded white dress courtesy of Wedding Bells and her white Doc Martens boots as her official slippers on her wedding day while the groom wore a simple embroidered pinya Barong Tagalog courtesy of Wedding Bells and his black Doc Martens boots.


The Celestial band began with their version of “Ikaw” during the bridal entourage march. As the bride make her much- awaited walk down the aisle with mother and older brother Ricky P. Lim, Chad Borja leads it off with a serenade in the tune of “How did you know”. With no dry eyes in sight, it dawned an eerie feeling that moved everyone. Its simplicity definitely radiated radical elegance.

The couple’s well thought-of list of godparents’ for their principal sponsors involves respectable individuals in their lives whom blessed their marriage with love, deep founded faith and prosperity throughout their Christian married life.

The godfathers’ consists of

• Rev. Lathur D. Badoy
• Mr. Danilo A. Torre
• Mr. Ray V. Quitain
• Mr. Marcinito P. De Castro
• Hon. Anthony G. Del Rosario
• Mr. Dante B. Sarraga, Jr.
• Mr. Marlon Jaro
• Mr. Emilio P. Guino-o III
• Mr. Michael Stanhope
• Mr. Allan C. Barriga
• Mr. Paterno S. Mendoza, Jr.
• Mr Rolly G. Buyao
  
• Mr. Ramon Lapat.

While their godmothers’

• Rev. Leah Hope Badoy y Saavedra
• Mrs. Ruth Torre y Saavedra
• Ms. Dolores J. Franks
• Ms. Edith P. Guino-o
• Ms. Maria Emerald B. Gross-Singson
• Ms. Elizabeth P. Guino-o
• Ms. Susan V. Guino-o
• Ms. Marilou M. Garillos
• Ms Beverly G. Chappell
• Mrs. Gladys Jane Chan y Lim – older sister of the bride
• Mrs. Maripet Gutierrez y Guino-o
• Ms. Maripaz G. Yuzon and
  
• Ms. Aracelli C. Coruña.

To assist the couple in their needs, the groom’s best men and the bride’s maid of honor are influential individuals that definitely made a milestone in their lives; Joseph Marie Lorenzo G. Gadi – the groom’s youngest brother and Michael A. Mabagos – the groom’s old friend who is now based in Sydney, Australia were his best men while Jocy L. So was the bride’s maid of honor. The groomsmen are John Christian G. Scar – the groom’s cousin from Norway, John Paul P. Yñiguez, Albernitto P. De Castro and James L. Gorrez while the bridesmaids are Emma Lourdes Clotilde G. Gadi – sister of the groom, Erlyn V. Uy and Leah M. Bartiquin. To light the couple’s path are Martin Bryan A. Cam and Carolyn B. Go while the pair that clothed the couple are Josue D. Tesado, Jr. and Andrea Leung. The couple who bound Gio and Helen together were Juan Manuel Tomas G. Gadi – brother of the groom and fiancée Rica Janet Villanueva y Magno. To carry the couple’s symbol of love, faith and treasure; Lathur Carlos Paul S. Badoy – son of the officiating minister was the ring bearer, Noelle P. Guino-o was the Bible bearer, the couple’s only daughter Zakiyah Gabrielle L. Gadi as the coin bearer and the groom’s young adult cousins from Norway as their flower girls namely, Mary Lou G. Scar and Mai Lisa P. Guino-o. Good friend Alexis Lumbatan hosted the Gadi-Lim nuptial.

It was definitely a wedding to remember for everyone who attended it. The family, relatives and friends felt the sincerity, as well as, the purity of the much-awaited Christian wedding of the couple in the Philippines. To Gio and Helen, Congratulations and Best Wishes!

(Photos by Boy Lim)