The entourage await the showing of the pre-wedding video on the screen in the background.

We make our entrance to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together."

Hosts Norman Analista and Shirley Estoy moderate the evening.

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In a Daze

By Juvy

As I try and think back to the reception, I can remember one overwhelming feeling -- dazed. With all the months of planning that went into picking the flowers (I had to have the centerpieces on a pedestal!), designing the stage layout (trellises!), and gathering the entertainment (Someone has to sing our song!), it didn't seem to matter if things don't happen as planned. Heck, my bridesmaids were going crazy trying to figure out last minute details when I wasn't there to decide.

I think someone later told me that things like, "Where did Juvy say this was supposed to go?" were common phrases. Or how about, "I don't know how to decorate these stairs!" It must have looked pretty funny to the guests entering the ballroom.

But, Carlo and I feel we accomplished what we set out to do -- entertain our guests.

Pacific Star Hotel's Chamorro Ballroom had one advantage over the other hotels in Tumon -- a 20-foot screen. Photographer David Peele, who handled our photography and video, produced a beautiful 17-minute pre-wedding video that lit up the ballroom on that screen. Along with several of our songs, the video included montages of our childhood and couple pictures and video skit that Carlo and I wrote that we filmed on Pleasure Island in Tumon.

After the video, we walked into the ballroom to the tune of "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, one of our wedding songs.

Friends also helped provide the entertainment. One of my students at Inarajan Middle School, Joanna Rabago, offered to perform at the wedding. Soon a fellow teacher, Mr. Gofigan, and other students also joined. They did several local dances, funny songs, and even a Tagalog song that Mr. Gofigan had to phonetically learn from two of the Filipino teachers at IMS.

A former co-worker, Gene Maestrecampo, also helped me get in touch with singer Emily Sotomil. She sang a beautiful rendition of our song, "We Could Be In Love," by Lea Salonga and Brad Kane.

Continued