ETHEL RAMOS:  SHOWBIZ' WEDDING OF THE YEAR

MANILA, March 7, 2006 (MALAYA) By ETHEL RAMOS (‘The wedding of Raymart and Claudine at the Tagaytay Highlands Golf Course on March 27 could be the grandest of all showbiz weddings.’) Showbiz’ wedding of the year

Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada is close to Raymart Santiago’s family. It was Raymart’s dad, the late director Pablo Santiago, who directed Estrada in his first big movie, “Asiong Salonga,” under the movie firm of the Santiagos, Larry Santiago Productions.

Claudine Barretto’s dad, Mike, on the other hand, was Estrada’s classmate at the Ateneo University. When he was newly elected as President, Estrada assigned Claudine’s dad an important job at the Subic Free Port.

Estrada, however, is not taking it against the couple and their respective families, if they have not included him in their wedding entourage, either as a major or secondary sponsor.

Explains the former President when we had a chat with him recently, "Ang dami na sa mga anak ni direk Pablo na inaanak ko, kung hindi sa kasal, sa binyag o sa kumpil. Parang mga anak ko na ‘yang sina Raymart."

The wedding of Raymart and Claudine at the Tagaytay Highlands Golf Course on March 27 could be the grandest of all showbiz weddings. Not unless Kris Aquino decides to come up with a more grandiose one when she weds James Yap in December this year. And knowing Kris, she might just do it.

But at it is, Raymart and Claudine will allow no stone unturned to make their wedding an event of the year in local showbiz. They have a team who is helping them organize the wedding. Ting Blanco is the over-all coordinator. Randy Ortiz will take care of Claudine’s wedding gown as well as the suit or barong which Raymart will wear. Randy is also tasked to do the attires of all the 200 members of the entourage.

It is Celeste Tuviera who will do the hair. Jun Sarte will do her make-up.

Do you know, too, that the couple tapped three caterers? These are Via Mare, Hizon’s and Tagaytay Highlands.

It’s Raymart who is taking care of the wedding giveaways. He might give their guests bonsais, since growing them is one of his special hobbies these days.

And since Claudine adores flowers, there will be flowers all over the venue, all in white but of different kinds.

By the way, if we heard it right, the latest addition to the couple’s major sponsors is Susan Roces.

The late Ronnie Poe, Susan’s husband, was, likewise close to the Santiagos. It was also Raymart’s dad, direk Pablo, who directed Ronnie in his first big movie, "Lo Waist Gang." The director was one of Ronnie’s favorite directors.

A special attraction at the Santiago-Barretto niptials will be the couple’s numerous nieces and nephews. Among them are Dennis Padilla and Marjorie Barretto’s children Aynrand Daniele, Julia Francesca, Alexandra Nicole, Claudia Isabelle (junior bridesmaids) and Leon Marcus (coin bearer).The junior groomsmen include two of Randy’s Santiago and wife, Marilou’s sons, Ryan Leonardo and Rafael Louis. Another nephew, Ryle Paolo, also a junior groomsman, is the son of Junjun (Santiago) and his ex-wife, Sherilyn Reyes.

Raymart and Claudine are both the youngest in their respective families.