LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — A total of 29 couples exchanged their marriage vows in La Trinidad town in Benguet province, one of the highlights of the town’s 37th Strawberry Festival on Wednesday.
The mass-wedding ceremony officiated by Mayor Romeo Salda was in recognition of the town’s main product – the strawberry, which is regarded in the Roman empire as the “fruit of love” because of its heart shape and vivid red color.
This year’s celebration exceeded last year’s mass wedding rites, which had 23 couples joining.
The matrimonial rites were held at the municipal gym and witnessed by immediate relatives of the couples.
“May God guide you throughout your married life,” said Salda, as he congratulated the newlyweds.
After the ceremony, Salda and La Trinidad Vice Mayor Joey Jovencio Marrero gave wedding tokens, which included coffee plants. This was made after each of the newlyweds went up the stage for the ceremonial slicing of cake.
The local government prepared a big strawberry cake designed with a strawberry fruit on top and gave a toast with strawberry wine, while photos of the newlyweds were taken for posterity.
Among the couples were 25-year-old PO1 Regina Cariño, a member of the City Mobile Force Company of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), and husband Ricky Locano, a small-scale mining operator.
“The best of things happen to those who can wait,” the couple said in unison.
The groom waited for seven years to get her “yes” to marry him and the two decided to take advantage of the mass wedding sponsored by the municipal government.
Christine Gina Camsol, manager of the Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA) Baguio-Benguet, in her inspirational message, urged the newly married couples to love and respect each other and keep their vow of loyalty toward each other forever. (Primo Agatep/PNA)
