GASTON PEREZ DE TAGLE & CLAUDIA SQUILLANTINI
The Law of Love
In 2002, two teenagers met at a restaurant in Fort Bonifacio. Claudia Squillantini spent most of her attention on her Nokia 3310, much to the dismay of her seatmate, Gaston Perez de Tagle. And yet, fourteen years later, they were married.
The two were a famous couple among their relatives and friends, their natural intelligence and high spirits sparking both lively disagreements and rollicking discussions. Their relationship saw them both through high school, through university in two different countries, and finally through law school together at Ateneo Law School.
Gaston planned to propose after both he and Claudia passed their bar examinations, launched into their careers as ambitious attorneys-at-law. Mindful of the importance Claudia placed on family, and wanting to be respectful, Gaston made sure to seek out his intended fiancée’s parents, Enzo and Alessandra Squillantini, and ask for their blessing. They were happy to give it to him (especially after fourteen years of knowing him).
The wedding itself took place in historic and newly renovated Manila Cathedral on the 12th of January 2018. The 12th dawned bright and clear. The bride entered to a perfectly timed flourish of music through gauzy white curtains set up near the cathedral’s main entrance. Arianne Abela, who flew in from San Francisco for the occasion, sang the “Ave Maria” while her husband, Noah Horn, played the organ. The bride, adhering to the old wedding tradition, made sure her wedding outfit consisted of something old (an heirloom veil worn by her grandmother and mother at their weddings), something new (her dress, by La-based Filipina designer Monique Lhuillier), something borrowed (a traditional payneta from Chloe Romulo Periquet) and something blue (her jewelry).
After the ceremony, the party headed to Blue Leaf Filipinas, located near Manila Bay. As a spectacular Manila sunset painted the sky red, the reception swung into life. Guests first mingled in the grassy outdoor courtyard, snacking on small, exquisite hors d’oeuvres and sipping cocktails. The room was filled with greenery, with giant tree-sprigs mounted in glass. More sprigs were entwined with the crystal chandeliers, while gauzy white drapes hung from the ceiling, softening the look of the entire room. Mel Villena’s 18-piece AMP big band ensemble filled the air with jazzy tunes to complete the ambiance, including perennial favorites like “Sing Sing Sing” and “Sway”.
The event was catered by chef Billy King, of Le Souffle and Truffles fame, head chef at the Camp John Hay Manor. A four-corner buffet was set up to satisfy guests’ appetites, with multiple stations scattered throughout the venue for guests’ easy access. A salad bar with crisp Baguio greens and an oyster bar full of fresh Palawan shellfish provided the starters. Then, their appetites whetted, guests moved onto a wide variety of main dishes, ranging from salmon to chicken to roast beef, with trays full of buttered vegetables and pasta stations for freshly-made plates. The dessert stations boasted fountains with cascade of luscious milk chocolate, and crystalline croqueen-bouche towers centering a full display of traditional French desserts, to finish the guests off with sweetness.
After moving speeches from the fathers of the bride and groom, the best man, and the maid of honor, it was time for everyone to hit the dance floor. And so, the happy couple launched into their new lives together with the best possible start, filled with the well wishes and good intentions of their family and friends.