MANILA, Philippines - It has been a season for brides marching down the aisles of chapels, churches, shrines and even the cathedral.

Tippy Sala and Mikkel Gutierrez chose the Chapel of St. Jude at Camp Lapu-Lapu for their morning wedding one sunny Saturday. She is the daughter of Juan B. Sala and Josie Militar Sala; he is the son of Ramon Gutierrez and Anna Manahan Gutierrez of Manila.

Tippy?s aunt Rosebud Sala was among the sponsors. She collected congratulations for the decor at the chapel and the ballroom of Casino Español where the reception and brunch were held.

Before getting there, the newlyweds went to the ancestral home of Tippy?s maternal grandmother, Doña Carmen Rodriguez de Martinez, to leave her bridal bouquet at the altar of the Virgin Mary.

Flowing Filipiniana

The wedding of Melissa Unchuan, daughter of Francisco Unchuan and Marissa Rodriguez Unchuan, to Cesar Seno III took place at the imposing Redemptorist Parish. He is the son of Cesar Alexander Seno and Fatima Seno.

The bride?s mom has an identical twin, Marielou Rodriguez Cañizares, who figured among the madrinas and dressed in flowing Filipiniana as the rest of the ladies. Of course, many mistook her for Marissa, and vice versa, including relatives.

The reception that followed was held at the Unchuan family?s White Sands Resort in Mactan, al fresco. Pinky Chang had turned it into a fairyland where orchids dripped from every tree, and myriad lights blinked like a million fireflies in the breeze.

Ayn Kira Soriaga, daughter of Moises and Minda Soriaga, was married to Charles Rafanan, son of Numeriano and Zosima Rafanan, at the bride?s parish in Mandaue City?the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in which the council Charie Soriaga, the bride?s aunt, is most active.

Lots of friends and relatives attended, and then hied to the ballroom of the Cebu Country Club for the reception and general merry-making.

Relaxed bride

It was a Sunday wedding for Fatima Gretchen Schuck Fernandez, daughter of Sandra Geraldine Schuck Fernandez, and Romulo de Leon IV, son of Romulo de Leon III and Rosario Aleli Muñoz de Leon, at Sacred Heart Parish.

Heading the principal sponsors were José Edgar and Charity Muñoz, radiant over the fact that the bride is her niece, and the groom, his nephew. The reception and dinner that followed was at the ballroom of Casino Español de Cebu.

The National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City was the setting for the wedding of Michelle del Gallego to Tomas Ngo. She is the daughter of Miguel Juan del Gallego and Maria Elena Galan del Gallego; he is the son of Cynthia Almendras Aguinaldo and Alexander Ngo Sr.

Michelle was a most relaxed bride, having said from the start it would all just fall into place, which it did. She thanked Abigail Ngo for the decor and other details, and her sister Mona Lisa del Gallego Jarque for confecting the dazzling earrings she wore.

The celebration was at the Salon de España of Casino Español de Cebu where a sumptuous dinner was served, followed by all-night dancing to the Renaissance Band.

Dream come true

Ina Reyes and Cay Baluyot settled in Texas where they met, fell in love, and got married in a civil ceremony. Their dream came true when the planned religious wedding took place in Cebu?s Metropolitan Cathedral amid attendant splendor.

Ina is the daughter of Florentino Reyes and Serina Jean Carballo; Cay is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cayetano Baluyot Sr. They looked radiant as they received family and friends (some from the US) for the reception at Plantation Bay in Mactan, which is owned by Ina?s family.

Manny Gonzalez, who masterminded Plantation Bay, was around. He had supervised the celebration and surpassed himself for a darling niece. The resort?s specialties were laid on the buffet, and the evening was capped by a grandiose fireworks display, visible as far as Bohol.

The Sacred Heart Parish was filled to capacity for the wedding of Nina Kokseng, daughter of Earl Kokseng and Jocelyn Quintos Kokseng, to Ranny Misa, son of Edmundo Misa and Helen Franco Misa. It was an event that had the magic touch of Teresin Mendezona. After the church rites, there was a reception for 900 guests at the grand ballroom of Cebu Grand Convention Center.