I was perhaps the last to be onboard this super-duper-mega-secret-cloak-and-dagger-reel-to-real-wedding-of-the-year.

And I almost didn’t make it (more on this later).

We got to Laiya around midnight Monday.  We had to head out to where the Team of Rita Neri Wedding Planners was (Sabangan) first to get our security passes.

It was well beyond 1a when we got to our place and had around an hours worth of shuteye before the 3a calltime at Balai Laiya.

It was surreal!

At 330a - the place was still in darkness.  KC Concepcion, just woken up, drop-dead as ever.  A boisterous Sharon keeping the bridal prep up and alive (giving a new meaning to the word hyper).  And wouldn’t you know a bride we shot several years ago- Jett - who is Juday’s surrogate mom when she’s in San Francisco.  Ogie and Regine having pandesal and white cheese (courtesy of chef Gene Gonzales’ team).  And of course, our lovely Bride -  quiet, at peace, not visibly nervous, but eagerly anticipating.

We were shooting with funky 8mm cameras so there was a lot of small talk and curious glances at what we were doing.

Everybody was friendly and jovial- the camera crew, Patrick Uy’s team, the artistas, the-super coordinators from RN  - dare I say it? - it felt like a regular wedding.

545a Daybreak was fast approaching.  There was no fiery ball of sun rising as it was cloudy, but a perfect blue was enveloping the sky.  Time to go to the church.

Shooting guerilla is both constraining and liberating at the same time.  I take it granted sometimes having a full crew in the regular weddings we shoot.  Somebody’s in charge of doing audio, lighting, prepping the SDE etc.

With a 2 person team (including myself), shooting the wedding of the year, the battle plan was to be adjusted.

We opted to shoot in Super8 film.  Keeping in mind that the big network (edit: it was actually Glisaz who was in charge, thanks Sir Yong!) was to supply the video end of the coverage, we had to offer something different and unique.  What better way than to shoot the entire event in celluloid?

I first broached the idea to our former groom RJ Ledesma who was a close friend of the couple.  The idea caught Ryan’s attention.  The first time we met a couple of weeks ago, they were deeply thankful.  Definitely not as thankful as I was to be part of the team.  (Did I mention I was starstruck the first time I meant Judy Ann? - so humble, so radiant).

635a I hooked up audio recording through the kindness of the audio people of Forsc Inc.  San Juan de Nepomuceno’s grounds was abuzz but at this time, the local townspeople didn’t know quite yet what was going on.

The ceremony proceeded with only the Matron of Honor, Sharon, the little bride, Yohan and the bride marching down the aisle.  No kilometric queue of principal sponsors or entourage.

Ryan was just plain happy it was happening.  You could tell.  Just positively happy.

Suzie Abrera was there, and In Paolo’s words, arguably the hottest Ninang in recent history.

The vows were something else, elegantly simple, heartfelt, real.

The couple exited via the side of the church in a non-descript vehicle.  By this time throngs of people have congregated outside the church to see what the hullabaloo was about.  With Ryan driving the bridal ‘pick-up-truck”, the couple sped back to the resort were brunch was waiting.

901a So much has happened and yet it was barely mid-morning.  Brunch was served and the guests feasted on fresh bibinga , Batangas coffee, tapa, longganisa and danggit.  Can’t quite recall but I believe they were carving a turkey too.

I wasn’t able to shoot the reception in Anilao.  I had my good friend (Cocoy Sarmenta) and associate shoot that and the boat ride from Laiya.

Why?  - because I was heading for Austin, Texas.

Backstory  # 1

I arrived on Tuesday, April 14 from our 2 week long trip (Baltimore, New York, SanFo).  Having slacked off for the better part of April, I felt compelled to go to the office the same day to do some work.

Afternoon, I got a call from Rita Neri herself telling me I was “in’!  Booya!

No details could be disclosed yet though.

I met Rita the next day and she dropped the bomb - the wedding was April 28 (not the rumored May date).

I turned pale and a big big lump on my throat welled up.  April 28 was right smack in the middle of Re:Frame Austin. There was NO WAY I would not come to RF.  But there was no videographer in his right mind who would pass up the chance to be part of the biggest wedding in recent memory.

I was caught between a rock and a hard place.

The whole time for me was agonizing.  It was good that the ReFrame collective was understanding enough (and the attendees as well).  I explained my dilemma to Juday and Ryan and they perfectly understood too.

So after a three hour drive from Laiya,  off I went to the airport - flying out to Austin for approximately 20 hours and doing my presentation.

WTF was I thinking?

And oh I ask for your patience for our piece on this one.  The Super8 needs to be processed in Cali and we’re not letting anything out until stuff from ABS is aired. (and of course my first audience would be the couple themselves).