A Russian debut (1)

The sounds of mazurkas playing filled the starlit night as the selected guest list filed into the grand residence of popular Iloilo couple Judgee Lopez Pena and Sarah Opolencia Pena for the grand debut of their daughter Risa.

A small European salon was built specially for the occasion in the driveway of the house where guests wrote down their names in perfumed books and deposited meaningful gifts for the girl-turned-lady that night.

The backyard was turned into a mini-castle with a stage filled with flowers and towers where a princess could have felt very much at home looking down at the colorful crowd. A magnificent throne awaited the arrival of the debutante as the guests paraded up and down the well-set tables greeting us and snubbing whoever... Pretty soon trumpets blared and a gasp travelled amongst the perfumed set. Indeed, darling Risa has blossomed into a devastating exotic beauty. Studying legal management in the Ateneo de Manila, she has been declared the Queen of Jaro, Queen Risa I of Isabela, joining Panay and Negros Islands into her glittering kingdoms.

Her gown was inspired from a portrait of legendary beauty Queen Sisi of Austria and she looked every part the regal royalette as she made her entrance on a special bridge made over the swimming pool filled with swans and exotic blooms.*