We're getting married!

Y: I remember a certain rainy day back in 2011 during one of our trainings for the Engineering Student Council campaign around Teachers Village in Maginhawa. That was when I first laid my eyes on Cindy (naks 😃). Instant crush alert— ganda eh, tapos very vibrant personality, totally my type. We clicked as friends, but medyo torpe si dudung, so I didn't really make any moves. Naisip ko: ay ganda nito, kinda out of my league. C: l remember the first time I met Yam during one of our Engineering Student Council training sessions. Our department did not have representatives from other political party, so the focus was on departments with competitors. Consequently, I had more opportunities to watch him from a distance while he stood in front, and I sat at the back. He was always at the end of our political party line because the department he represented starts with 'M.' I'm not sure if it was my constant gaze that led people to tease us, but a few members from both our political party and the opposing one asked if I liked Yam, to which I remember replying 'yes.' Many people might have noticed, except for him.

C: After graduation, we lost touch. I have a close friend I still meet occasionally. During one of our regular meet-ups, he brought Yam along. What started as occasional hangouts with the three of us evolved into situations where our friend often canceled, leaving just Yam and me. Despite spending a lot of time together, Yam never confessed his feelings to me. I had to ask him directly because he never expressed anything. When I confronted him, it didn’t work out. Nevertheless, we’ve stayed friends over the next months. In 2018, we attended CJ and Adrian’s wedding. The timing never seemed right for us, causing some frustration. Perhaps a couple of drinks helped me start a chat with Yam. After that, things got a bit awkward, but we decided to try long-distance relationship, fully aware of the challenges based on our past experiences. Unfortunately, time once again worked against us. The distance eventually got the best of us, leading us to part ways. Y: Actually, naging kami na last 2018 pa! We were friends and stayed in touch throughout the years, even when I was in Singapore, and she was in New Zealand. It came to a point where I confessed my feelings (or forced to ;), inspired nga ako ng song na Torpedo by Eraserheads HAHA). Eventually, a few months later, we met again at CJ and Adrian's wedding. She had a few too many drinks and confessed that she felt the same way - she was feeling really tipsy afterward, HAHA. We had a long-distance relationship for a few months, but it didn't work out, and we went our separate ways.

Y: We reconnected last May 2022. I was already in Belgium, and she was in the US. It was easy to pick up where we left off, and a few months later, she visited me in Belgium (feeling pogi ako haha). She thought she was attending a picnic with friends on a rainy and windy autumn morning. Props to her, though - she had her nails ready on her ring finger! C: Isn't it funny how alcohol can be a relationship game-changer? That one tipsy night in May 2022, I mustered the courage to randomly ask Yam, after years of no communication, 'Ano plano mo after grad school?' Surprisingly, that simple question became a turning point. Despite the embarrassing means, I gained an invaluable lifetime partner in the process. Had to navigate through a 2-month waiting game before he finally said 'Yes' to me (HAHA, haba ng hair ng lolo mo). I had a feeling that now was the best time for us. We knew we were ready, and the next step was to get married. I was preparing to visit him in Belgium after two months of dating when he casually asked for a way to talk to my parents. Realizing he might pop the question, I made sure my nails were ready for the visit – better safe than sorry! During the two-week stay, as I was getting ready to head back to US, I had lost hope that he would propose. I thought we might be moving too fast. So, I decided to ditch the hints and just enjoy the rest of my time in Belgium. When my guard was down, that's when he surprised me with the proposal. I couldn’t have wished for a better way to be proposed to - it was the best moment with God’s best right in front of me.

Y: The image playing in my mind is me walking down the aisle of Madre de Dios first, followed by my family and dearest friends. Finally, the door opens - accompanied by sweet melodies from our wedding band - and there's Cindy, in her white dress and flowers, slowly walking towards me. Can't guarantee tears, but I'm definitely feeling a bit emotional as I write this! :)) Hoping the rest of the celebration goes smoothly. Come celebrate with us, and let's make memories we'll cherish forever. ❤ C: What excites me the most, other than marrying the love of my life, is sharing this significant moment with my closest friends and family. I’m all about making every detail count because I want each person to feel incredibly important on our wedding day. While I have other ways to express my gratitude for everyone accepting Yam as my soon-to-be other half, I also want to cap off my single era with a bang, surrounded by those who will continue to be part of my life as I embrace the wife era. Come celebrate with us—everything we've prepared is for you! P.S.: As I’ve spilled in some of my replies, booze played cupid for us, so get ready for some epic drinks. <3.