GIANT WEDDING CAKE. Forty three couples exchange their vows during a mass wedding at a mall with a giant wedding cake as their treat to their guests on Saturday (September 22, 2018). (Photo by Pamela Mariz Geminiano)
BAGUIO CITY -- The exchange of vows of 43 couples at a mall in this city was made more memorable when they shared with their “guests” a 13-ton, 24-foot tall wedding cake on Saturday.
The giant cake was a “gift” from the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) for the love birds during the city’s annual mass wedding, and also to celebrate the Hotel and Restaurant Tourism (HRT) weekend.
The HRT weekend is an annual event of the HRAB, which aims to revitalize the tourism industry in the city. The event involves Hotel and Restaurant and Tourism students from various schools in the country competing in the different tourism trade skills.
The wedding cake, said to be third largest wedding cake presented by HRAB, was unveiled with the 43 brides and grooms slicing it and giving each partner a bite of the sweet delight before it was shared with their "guests" ,including Typhoon Ompong evacuees.
Previous reports said that the cake can feed 10,000 to 12,000 people.
The gigantic four-tiered cake with banana, chocolate, carrot, and vanilla flavors was created by a group of 20 pastry chefs and 30 professionals led by Baguio Country Club (BCC) executive pastry chef Arthur Nocaza.
Andrew Pinero, BCC Guest and members relations manager and the spokesperson of HRAB, said the first tier of the cake was served to the public at the mall, the second tier was given to the evacuees in Itogon, the third tier was divided among the 43 couples and the topmost layer was divided to the volunteers, who helped in the preparations.
The ingredients in the preparation include 700 kilos of butter, 800 kilos of sugar, 18,000 pieces of fresh eggs, 150 cans of evaporated milk, 30 sacks of all-purpose flour, 20 sacks of cake flour,10 kilos of walnuts, 10 kilos of baking powder, 10 kilos baking soda, 50 kilos of cocoa powder, 18 kilos of ricoa powder, 25,000 pieces of banana, 500 kilos of carrots, 10 cans of corn oil, and 1,500 liters of whipping cream.
The total cost of the ingredients was PHP1,348,684.
The unveiling of the biggest wedding cake coincided with the city’s celebration of the Family Month and the 109th Baguio anniversary month celebration.
City Social Welfare Officer Betty Fangasan said the event is the 24th year of the city’s “Kasalang Bayan”, which aims to legalize the bond between cohabiting couples.
This is also to secure the children's future and for the young couples, who cannot afford to tie the knot because of financial constraints.
City Mayor Mauricio Domogan officiated the civil ceremony. The vice mayor, councilors and city department heads served as primary sponsors.
Peter Paguerao, 52, and his wife Conception Kilayon, 55, the oldest couple to get married, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) the secret to a happy and long lasting marriage is to always trust each other and to settle arguments before going to bed. The two have been living together for 32 years and have six offsprings.
Meanwhile, the youngest couple - Niño Jose Estioco, 22 and Ezra Rimando, 19 - said that they inspire each other.
"Ezra has been my inspiration for three years, with our parents' guide and with our efforts, I think we can live like any other families regardless of our age," Estioco said. (PNA)
