Last night’s wedding was one for the books. It was personally special to me because the radiant bride Anna, was the first child among the Logbook Girls’ offsprings, who will get married. “Logbook Girls” is a group of 6 young ladies in their early 20s who became best of friends while working at Ayala Life in the late 80s. Gemma (mother of the bride), Alitte and I, are based here in the country while the other three ( Joy, Gigi and Maribel) are based in the US now. So named because we shared our innermost thoughts and secrets via a logbook, it became a journal and now a symbol of our lifelong friendship. Gemma ,the mother of the bride, was the first to get married among the logbook girls and now holds the distinction of having the first child to get married, as well. It was a lovely night .The theme was Northern Lights , the gorgeous couple’s honeymoon destination. The venue was transformed into a winter wonderland echoing the theme. It was amazing! 
The caterer was none other than the famous Bizu, a favorite among soon to be wedded couples. Here was the 6 course menu served to the principal sponsors. The rest of the guests enjoyed a sumptuous buffet spread
Cocktails
Hors d’oeuvre
Salmon
mushroom
Draft Beer
My favorites are the scrumptious salmon and the flavorful and silky mushroom canapes. What a delightful “distraction” hehehe to while away the time while waiting for the bride and groom to reappear.
Fresh from the bakery
Rex Milano Focaccine, Brioche Roll, Butter
with a glass of Australian Yellow Tail Rose’ wine.
The bread was indeed fresh and lovely.
The wine was sweet which I loved.
Soup
Tomato and Pistou with a glass of white wine
“pistou” per wikipedia – pesto without the nuts
The soup had just the right acidity to prepare the palate for the next courses,
Salad
Plum, Prosciutto and Mozzarella Salad
Candied Walnuts in
Passion Fruit Mirin Vinaigrette
The juiciness of the plum contrasted beautifully with the salty savoriness of the proscuitto, The mozzarella’s creaminess was the perfect foil for the crunchiness of the candied walnuts. The citrusy and vibrant vinaigrette married all the flavors together to create a beautiful explosion of freshness in the mouth. I chose a glass of sparkling wine to complement the dish.
Pasta Course
Crisp Porchetta with Arugula Pesto and Mango Chutney
Grilled Chicken Peri Peri with Tomato Corn Salsa and Cilantro Yoghurt Sauce
Truffle Cream Linguini Pasta with Vaudois Sausage
I only saw and smelled the beautiful truffle pasta. Perfectly seasoned and beautifully al dente, I adored it so much I forgot the other two dishes beside it. I chose to pair it with a glass of white wine.
In fairness, the porchetta had a delightful crunch. The mango chutney tempered the richness of the porchetta. I missed the earthiness of the pesto.
Main Course
10 hour US Roast Beef Belly with mushroom sauce and horse radish cream
Fish with shitake and calamansi caper sauce
Carrot potato puree and vegetable melange
.
The roast beef melts in your mouth. Its richness was perfectly balanced by the silky mushroom sauce and the robust horse radish cream. I paired this with a glass of red wine.
The fish was lovely and fresh. The calamansi caper sauce was a bit overpowering though for me.
Dessert Trio
Mango Chiboust
Macaron de Paris
Sugar Free Hazelnut Brownie and Kahlua Mousse
My favorite among the three is their Sugar -free hazelnut brownie and kahlua mousse. The texture was dreamy. The hazelnut brownie was gorgeous. The kahlua mousse was decadent. I cant stop eating it. I savored each mouthful slowly so as to prolong the sensual experience. I paired this with a glass of sparkling wine and hot tea after.
The macaron was a bit underwhelming probably because Rose’ was not a favorite flavor. It looked beautiful though as it sat there on my plate.
“Chiboust” per wikipedia is a creme patisserie lightened with stiffly beaten egg whites-traditionally a millefeuille cream. It looked like a meringue on top of a cheesecake. It was also good but it was overshadowed by the hazelnut brownie.
The food was gorgeous as was the loving couple who chose it. Hats off to Bizu for the elegant spread and its servers for the topnotch service.
Indeed it was a fabulous night not to mention an emotional one too especially when I saw Gemma tear up on the altar and when she almost choke on her words with her short speech to the bride and the groom. The father-daughter dance was so beautiful and touching, it elicited a collective sigh from the crowd.
The heartwarming love story, the beautiful couple inside and out, the passion evident in the choice of the food, the meticulous eye for details, the amazing Northern-Lights-themed event styling, the year long preparation, the palpable love coming from both the groom and the bride’s family, made last night’s grand celebration a most unforgettable one I will treasure til the Logbook girls’ next nuptial….. hopefully not too soon hehehe
Congratulations inaanak Mr and Mrs. Limchoc