TODAY -- 08-08-08 -- my friends Fil and Gina are getting married at a Cebu resort and I am supposed to stand as a sponsor. Work in Manila keeps me from joining them on this joyous occasion, however, so I am writing this hub specially for them.

Fil and Gina -- let me give you some unsolicited advice which I usually give friends who are tying the knot.

Make sure your percentages add up to a hundred (as my mathematician-husband would say). Marriage is rarely a 50-50 proposition. Sometimes, it is 70-30. Other times it is 60-40. And there are many, many instances when it is 90-10. It helps if you are willing to take turns playing the minority role.

I must also tell you that marriage is not like disco dancing where anything goes, you can do as you please, and you don't even have to pay attention to what your partner is doing. Marriage is strictly ballroom dancing. It is a slow waltz, a sensual foxtrot, a breathtaking tango. You have to synchronize and match each other's steps to make a success of it.

Many years ago, a friend of mine was telling me how hard it was to look for a mate. He said he was not looking for much. In fact, he had only two specifications for the woman of his dreams. One was that she should be able to make him laugh. The other was that she should be able to turn him on.

Today, I would like to ask everyone to join me in a toast for Fil and Gina: May you discover about each other -- every single day of your married life -- something that will make you laugh, and something that will turn you on.