JILL AND OLIVER'S WEDDING

I think I have said often enough how much I love weddings. And for 2016, I was invited to 5 beautiful and lovely ceremonies!!!!

Weddings are like a "level-up" kind of date night for me and the Chinese Dimpol where we get to dress-up, hob-nob with our "grown-up friends", and eat fantabulous food. Of course, besides those things (which I find utterly important), I love being a witness to two people vowing to be together forever: in sickness and in health, and for beauty till wrinkly. THAT is why we make it a point to always attend the ceremony rather than just go straight to the reception. We don't need to watch the latest romcom -- there's a real life FOREVER romance going on and we have the best seats!!!!

Such was the last (but certainly not the least) wedding that we attended in 2016.

Dear Jill is the lady behind THE FOOD SCOUT and I found her so interesting that I stalked her in FB.

Yeah I know. I really stalked her. I'm so pathetic. :(

The stalking paid off when I got to personally meet her and she was just so sweet like a real life Disney princess! I loved her immediately!!!! We became kindred spirits and would often chat up during our KAIN TULOG GANG getogethers. When we finally met her Prince O, we all just felt that they were so perfect for each other. It may sound like a cliche but it was true: they were both good-looking, adorable, super sweet, fun, and just over-all nice people.

So when we got news that they were going to get married, the Chinese Dimpol and I really saved the date. Their upcoming nuptial had all things that were so important to us: we're going to put on the ritz, we're going to chat up with fun adults, and we're going to eat fantabulous food (HELLOOOO... CONRAD HOTEL??).

But of course, the most important of them all was that we will see with our own eyes the union of two souls who were matched up by God to spend the rest of their lives together. We were all so sure that it's just going to be oh so beautiful.

And we were SO right.

Congratulations dear Jill and Oliver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JILL and OLIVER'S wedding....

The PERFECT last wedding for us in 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A study in pink!!

He he he he he!!!!

The Chinese Dimpol and I looked GOOD!!!!!

It was a Sunday so we were in CONRAD MANILA in no time. No traffic! Wohoo!!!!

And we're here!!!

When we arrived, the ceremony was just starting. 

The alert wedding coordinators immediately provided seats and even lent us pens when we needed to write on our gift.

We were able to catch Jill and Oliver say their vows to each other and it got most of the people crying.

I was trying my best to stop myself from choking up tears because my eyeliner was not water proof.

While we were seated, the Chinese Dimpol and I remarked that the afternoon weather was just perfect: there was no heat of the sun and it was slightly windy. Everything was still cool even for my "amerikano-wearing" hubby!

We were able to snag dear Spanky from the beautiful crowd.

Yey! We're with some of the KTG!!!!!!!!!

After the lovely ceremony, there were cocktails.

Of course, since we were all looking fabulous, we immediately lined up for pictures!

l-r THE HUNGRY KAT, BABE FOR FOOD, BETWEEN BITES, FOOD IN THE BAG, and CLICK THE CITY!!!

The munchies that afternoon were not your usual choices when in a cocktail. Me guess it's the bride and groom's favorite snackaroos!

These were just SO fine with us because we also LOVED IT!!!!

I went for a lot of those marshmallows with chocolate inside. Yum!

It matched so well with my chilled white wine!

Yeah right. As if I finished that goblet!

After filling ourselves us with snacks, we took some pictures with THE KTG!!!!

While we were outside, we were able to catch the bride and the groom!!! We immediately snagged a picture with them!

Awwww... new couple priorities!!!!!!!!!

Then finally it was time to go to the Forbes Ballroom of CONRAD MANILA HOTEL!

The ballroom was ginormous!!!!!

I think if I yelled "HELLO", I would get an echo!!!

The lovely place settings for the principal sponsors.

THE KEHK ( as how Frank would say it.)

From what movie is Frank HUH????

And we are in table number 2!!!

As I predicted, special Chinese weddings would call for lauriats!

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LAURIAT and THESE ARE THE DISHES???

OH WE ARE SO HAPPY!!!!

Tee hee!

We settled our butts in table number 2 and fancied the peanuts on the lazy susan.

Hullo from Table number 2!!!

Could you see our 6 photobombers???

CLICK THE CITY...

FOOD IN THE BAG...

DEAR SPANKY...

THE HUNGRY KAT...

BABE FOR FOOD...

and of course...

MR. SERVER DUDE!!! Sumingit din siya!!!

I was seated besides my beautiful kumare from THE FOOD ALPHABET!!!

Woah! It's not everyday I get surrounded by such lovely ladies!!!

(I mean, having multiple mirrors in my room don't count).

The wise reminder on the table.

Now who's ready to eat huh???

WE ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First on the table was the Assorted Chinese Barbecue Combination Platter!

The soy chicken with sesame seeds was so juicy!

My favorite would have to be the shrimp balls with almonds!!!

SO YUM!

I think what I loved more about it is the salted egg center! Yowza!

The barbecue platter was served with my favorite seaweeds. I slurped a lot of this I nearly choked! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Up next was the CONRAD MANILA HOTEL Double Boiled Dry Conch with Bamboo Pith!

This was light, herby, and satisfying in the tummy!

Even if we're all dressed up, we used our pa-cute hands to dive into the CONRAD MANILA HOTEL Barbecue Pork Spare Ribs with Red Wine!

Ermigahd it's like... so sarap to the bones!

I think I'll have 2 pieces with my seaweed!

Then we were served with a big platter of CONRAD HOTEL MANILA Braised Fresh Mushrooms with Vegetable Topped with Enoki Mushrooms!

Oooh I see a lot of Brocolli too!

Is it just me or does that braised mushroom remind you of a turtle shell??

This one's got to be my toppie for the night -- Stir Fried Crab Claws with Salted Egg!

Normally I wouldn't be caught dead trying out a fad because it just seems so "baduy" (well I am a Trying Hard... he he he he) but the crab claws were already so good and it was fried up in salted egg.

I MEAN IT WAS EFFIN FRIED IN SALTED FRICKIN EGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't care if salted egg is everyone's favorite these days, I'm signing in too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH YOU CRAB CLAW. I want to smother you with my hunger.......

In a wedding with a Chinese family, there should always be a Steamed Live Garoupa in Soy Sauce!

I don't need to describe it. I'm sure you'd know it's already delishesssss....

CONRAD HOTEL MANILA Braised Roasted Duck with Wood Fungus in Taro Sauce!

This is me sampling both dishes because I was already getting full!

We didn't have rice for that night but we did get a platter of E-fu Noodles with Tender Sliced Beef!

So slurp worthy!

The beef was buttery tender too!

Of course, I put a small dollop of chili sauce to make my noodles more exciting!

For dessert, we had Mango Pudding and two varieties of Petit Fours!

Awwww... Ain't this too cute to eat????

Don't worry. I bit the head first so that it will stop "looking" at me.

HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Burp! I finished the mango pudding even if I was already full!

Unfortunately, I was not able to get another picture with the Bride and Groom because I have to rush off for my Kumareng Gail's baby shower.

Oh well!!!

Let me repost this romantic kiss of the new couple!!!!

Had an ultimo great time and I'm glad that I was able to spend a wonderful night with these beautiful, crazy (and always hungry) people!!!

Need I say more??? Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

CONGRATULATIONS again dear Jill and Oliver!  Thanks for inviting ERICJAZ FOODIES!!!

We were not able to have a picture with you so we'll just imagine you're with us on the aisle.

He he he he he he!

MWAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

CONRAD MANILA

Seaside Boulevard, Coral Way, Pasay, 

1300 Metro Manila

(02) 833 9999