Super stars Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes wed in QC cathedral

Superstars Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera on December 30 exchanged wedding vows after more than five years of being a couple in ceremonies at the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City.
The star-studded ceremony of the GMA Network’s Primetime King and Queen was described as “fairy tale” and “royal wedding” with no less than President Benigno S. Aquino III attending as Dingdong’s best man.

The mass and wedding in the church where Dingdong was baptized was celebrated by Cubao Archbishop Honesto Ongtioco, seven other bishops and seven priests.
Among the 40 principal sponsors were presidential sister Kris Aquino, megastar Sharon Cuneta, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos and Bench founder Ben Chan. The couple had 18 groomsmen, 18 bridesmaids and 25 secondary sponsors, including comedienne Ai Ai delas Alas and actor Richard Gomez.
Marian, 30, who sparkled in a Michael Cinco gown, was brought to the altar by her Spanish father Francisco Alonso and Filipino mother Amalia Rivera. Marian’s gown was made more elegant by a cathedral length train, according to her network. She carried bouquet of white roses and had on a veil attached to her head with a tiara.
Dingdong, 34, came in an elegant white tuxedo on a Ducati motorbike while Marian arrived in the church on board the groom’s first car, a restored 1976 Mercedes Benz sedan.
Marian and Dingdong met in 2007 when they co-starred in the local adaptation of the Spanish television series “MariMar.” They went on to play sweethearts in several more TV series, including “Dyesebel” in 2008.
Before reaching the altar, Marian stopped to kiss her maternal grandmother, Francisca, whom she has credited for raising her in Cavite while her mother worked overseas.
The widely publicized Spanish romance theme wedding which was covered by GMA and ABS-CBN and other networks was described as a wedding fit for royalty.
During the homily, Novaliches bishop Teodoro Bacani wished eternal love for the celebrity couple.
“Ang teleserye ay may katapusan, ito ay may katapusan din. Ang katapusan ay ang walang hanggan,” Bacani said.
At 4:10 p.m, Dantes and Rivera were pronounced as husband and wife. The couple then sealed their marriage with a kiss that lasted for eight seconds.
President Aquino took time off his busy schedule to attend the wedding of Dingdong whom he appointed as commissioner-at-large for the National Youth Commission, as the couple’s “witness of honor.”
There were 20 pairs of principal sponsors which included the couple’s friends in the field of show business, fashion, and politics such as GMA-7 CEO Felipe Gozon, singer-couple Ogie and Regine Velasquez Alcasid, and fashion designer Randy Ortiz,German Moreno, movie producer Lily Monteverde, Celia Rodriguez, , Wilson Tieng, Wilma Galvante and Dr. Vicki Belo. Among the secondary sponsors were Ai Ai delas Alas, Richard Gomez, KC Concepcion, and Ryzza Mae Dizon.
Dantes’ brother, Jose Angelo, served as one of his best men while celebrities Ana Feleo and Roxanne Barcelo were among Rivera’s maids of honor.
Even the music played during the wedding ceremony seemed like personal choices –from Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” to Eraserheads’ “Ang Huling el Bimbo” rendered by an orchestra and at times, sung by combined chorale groups.
The guests came in red and black; the women with roses in their hair, and coin bearers dressed like Spanish matadors. The Spanish motif was a reminder of Rivera’s roots in Madrid. Her father had flown in from Madrid days before the wedding.
The mass went solemnly with the couple exchanging meaningful, happy glances, and beaming at each other during the homily and throughout the proceedings.
The reception –a sit-down Italian banquet reportedly for 1,000 guests –was held at The Arena of The SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
In lieu of gifts, well-wishers were encouraged to make donations to YesPinoy, an organization of the National Youth Commission where Dantes is Commissioner-at-Large.
The GMA-7 actor arrived at the wedding venue in a black Ducati motorcycle, wearing a Randy Ortiz cream suit. Meanwhile, the stunning bride wore a Michael Cinco ecru lace wedding gown studded with Swarovski crystals and a pearl tiara.
The romance between the two blossomed after they were first paired onscreen in the local adaptation of the Mexican telenovela hit “Marimar.”
Dantes proposed twice to Rivera: first in 2012 in Macau and the second time was last August when he asked for her hand on live television.
Well-wished poured for the celebrity couple on social media, with the #DongYanWedding topping the worldwide trends on Twitter.
Dantes and Rivera were in a relationship for years before he proposed to her first, in Macau’s Butterfly Garden, then on national TV a few years later.
They shot several pre-nuptial photos and videos in Pampanga and Dubai after the wedding announcement. Rivera had at least eight bridal showers tendered for her by family, friends and fans.