Engagement Stories Archives - Calyxta - Every woman's beauty source and resource.

Engagement Stories: Mara Gutierrez and Mikey Bitanga

Anne Concepcion — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 05:45:57 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Mara Gutierrez and Mikey Bitanga

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

My name is Mara, 30, a finance professional specializing in private banking, relationship and portfolio management, investment advisory, and sales. My fiancé, Mikey, is 7 years my senior. Among other things, he works mainly as an entrepreneur and as the Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer of one of their family businesses in technology and telecommunications.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

We met each other for the very first time on the 22^nd of September in 2018. We had been texting for a few days leading up to this date, our first date, which also happened to be a blind date. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

If you’re wondering how he got my number, well, he was resourceful enough to find it through a common friend. Apparently, one of his good friends, Marco, happened to be cousins with one of mine, Celina. My number was shared by Celina to Marco and then to my now fiancé, Mikey, and the rest they say, is history.

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

Tears—lots of them!

It happened on our very first anniversary and I came prepared. My nails were freshly manicured and at the salon earlier that day, they asked me what kind of look I wanted to go for and admittedly I said, “bridal.” Haha!

He picked me up that evening and we headed towards what would’ve been a “surprise” venue as he refused to tell me where dinner reservations were despite my incessant asking. In the car, busy on my phone, I hadn’t noticed that the driver had taken us to his new place, one that he had just moved into the same week. He goes on to say that he forgot his jacket and that he had to run in to get it. I asked to wait in the car instead although he insisted that I go down and since I greatly refused, he then admitted that the surprise dinner was where we were, at his new place!

I get down and I see the set up. Beautiful but clearly done by his own mom and their household staff and not at all by him. The food was superb—we have this almost every Sunday with his family. And when the bottle of wine was finally finished, Mikey goes on to tell me that it’s time for me to open my gift.

As I open the gift, he mentions that it may not be exactly to my liking and I was already feeling rather annoyed. Why get me something not to my liking, I thought? I tear off the wrapping to reveal a rather shiny box. I then unbox a pair of Havaianas! They were cute but slippers? For a first anniversary? He then started to taunt me by saying how useful they could be around the house for when I come over and then I burst into tears of disappointment. Haha! I start to verbalize how underwhelmed I am by the evening, how I thought he would propose and how he could do so much better than a pair of Havaianas. I was inconsolable.

But to my surprise, he goes on to say the sweetest of things, tells me to look further into the box and that is when I realize that I had not seen another box underneath all that was inside the silver box. He then got down on one knee and proposed, and I cried even harder because not only was I overwhelmed with indescribable joy, I also felt terrible for complaining early on.

My sister, a photographer, and some waiters then walk into the house! They had been waiting to come in the whole time I was crying. A few moments later, my friends and his follow in order to celebrate our anniversary and engagement. The evening also served as a pre-housewarming celebration in what would be our future home together.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

Aside from my sister, and both Mikey’s and my friends, my fiance’s mom. She and I had been texting while Mikey and I were having dinner. She kept asking me to send her photos of the set up secretly waiting to be updated whether I had been proposed to our not! I was also in touch with my mom who shared a Viber group with my future mother-in-law, and one of my closest Ninangs. They knew all along what would happen that night and wanted to be updated real time.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

Funny as it may seem but the first thing that came to mind was that I’d be able to put all the wedding Excel files that I had worked on even before I got engaged, to actual use. I had already come up with a tentative guestlist, entourage list, list of suppliers, etc. from a few months back. Hihi!

The best thing about our relationship is that it has always been intentional. Marriage was always discussed. We’ve always been so aligned, and I always knew that Mikey would be the man I would marry.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

The post Engagement Stories: Mara Gutierrez and Mikey Bitanga appeared first on Calyxta.

Engagement Stories: Brage Stuve and Ina Yulo

Anne Concepcion — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 16:00:10 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Ina Yulo and Brage Stuve

1. Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

My name is Ina and I was born and raised in Manila, but have been living in London for nearly six years. I work as the Startup Marketing Manager for UK and Ireland at Amazon Web Services. My fiancé’s name is Brage and he’s originally from Norway. He works as a Management Consultant here in London.

2. When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

We started dating in September 2014. It was the year that I first moved to London and we actually met on a night out at an 80s-themed club called Maggie’s. We randomly bumped into each other in the club and started chatting. Then I said I was hungry, so Brage took me to the 24-hour restaurant next door. I’d like to think our relationship has reflected that night quite a bit with me always being hungry and complaining until he finds me something to eat. Haha!

3. What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

It happened on the weekend that our parents were meeting for the first time. Since my parents live in the Philippines and Brage’s parents live in Norway, it was quite difficult to get them in the same city. However, my family had planned a trip to visit me in London, so Brage made sure his parents flew in for a weekend, too. Everyone met over brunch on a Saturday, then we invited both families over for a home-cooked dinner in our flat in the evening. On Sunday, I had booked a big table for everyone for a pub lunch where we could watch the World Cup. As we were getting ready, Brage made up a story that the air-con broke down in his parents’ hotel and he had to go and check on it. I had just showered and didn’t even blow dry my hair or put makeup. I still remember lying in bed waiting for him whilst watching Eminem music videos. Haha! I finally called him, annoyed, and asked him where he was as we were going to be late. He said he was coming in an Uber and that he would pick me up. I was annoyed throughout the entire Uber ride because the pub was walking distance from our house and I didn’t understand why we had to suddenly take a car. My being annoyed ended up distracting me from the fact that we were going in a different direction (despite me asking why the driver was taking that particular route and Brage saying because the original route had a lot of traffic). Eventually, we got to Blake’s Hotel and when I asked, “Is the pub around the corner?”, Brage answered: “Plans have changed.” At that moment, I knew what was about to happen. He led me inside and out to the garden where Blake’s has a gazebo called The Bird Cage. He took me inside, and popped the question.

After saying yes, a waiter brought out a bottle of champagne for us. We celebrated for about 15 minutes before Brage excused himself to go to the restroom, but he was actually picking up our families and my best friend, Chabeli, who were waiting outside. They came and celebrated with us, and we all had a great lunch and more champagne together. After that, Brage had one more surprise, which was that he had booked for us to stay the night at Blake’s, a beautiful boutique hotel in South Kensington.

4. Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

During our celebratory lunch we FaceTimed with a number of our closest friends and family to make sure that they knew before everyone else. We spent the next day in Cambridge with both of our families, and it was really nice to be able to relax away from everything after an emotion-filled weekend.

5. What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

We started thinking about when we would have the wedding. The “where” bit is something that wasn’t really a question as ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to get married in my dad’s hometown of Canlubang, in the same church that my parents and grandparents got married in.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

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Engagement Stories: Marc Enriquez and Allysiu Alvarez

Anne Concepcion — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 06:23:46 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Allysiu Alvarez and Marc Enriquez

1. Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

My name is Allysiu Alvarez. I am 24 years old from Metro Manila. I was a former hotelier who handled social events, but I recently resigned because I wanted to focus on and explore different opportunities coming my way. I currently own a photo booth company with my fiancé and run a YouTube channel with makeup, lifestyle, and travel content. I also help in our family business in which we manufacture and supply fine jewelry.

My fiancé is Marc Enriquez, 30 years old. He manages their family business, Brewing Point Neighborhood Café.

2. When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

I first met Marc when I was 13 years old. This was 10 years ago back in 2009. He was the photographer in the dance class/studio I enrolled in. On the same day, I added him on Facebook! Though he was my Facebook friend, we did not have any communication at all until last 2013, when my mom started attending Zumba classes in the same dance studio we met in. My mom became friends with the titas there including his mom. Ever since then, everyone started teasing us with each other. Lol! Later on, I invited him to my debut, and surprisingly, he attended. On my actual 18^th birthday, he sent me a message on Facebook. That’s when everything started. As of now, we are officially 5 years together!

3. What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share the story with us?

My sister planned her wedding this September 2019, so in order to avoid sukob, I knew that our wedding would be in the year 2020. I was honestly expecting him to propose around October 2019 since January was a bit early, so I was so surprised. I had no idea!

On the day of the proposal, I was so busy with work since I was leaving for Hong Kong the next day, so I had to fix my endorsements. I used to stay in the office until 10:00 PM because I didn’t like to have pending work. He told my boss and colleagues about the proposal since I would have stayed in the office if they did not push me to “pack” for my vacation.

Marc and his family messaged in our Viber group that there will be a dinner for Marc’s niece’s birthday. So I finished work around 8:00 PM and drove in my black t-shirt and white culottes – just my usual chill comfortable outfit. So when I got there, Marc’s sister-in-law, Van, was in the restaurant waiting for me. She told me to change my outfit. So from there, I already had an idea that something was up. I did not want to assume, so I was just laughing. On the 2nd floor of Brewing Point, there was already a setup: flower petals, balloons, a flat screen TV, and a chair were all waiting for me. They made me watch an AVP – a compilation of our photos through the years.

I was already in tears watching the video. Then, Ate Van led me to a room. I started to cry again when I saw everyone – both of our families were complete (even the kids!), and most of my best friends were there.

He said his speech and asked the big question! It was the most perfect proposal I could have ever dreamed of.

4. Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

Since all of my family and most of my best friends were there already, I just sent out my engagement ring photo to my college best friends, my former colleagues, and of course, uploaded it on social media.

5. What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

The first thing I thought was the date and the venue. I had to inquire and make reservations right away!

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

The post Engagement Stories: Marc Enriquez and Allysiu Alvarez appeared first on Calyxta.

Engagement Stories: Jico Joson and Raizel Baltazar

Maan Fernandez — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 04:57:45 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Jico Joson and Raizel Baltazar

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

I’m Raizel Baltazar. I’m a full-time licensed Financial Advisor from Sun Life Financial. My fiance is Jico Joson, and he’s the Art Director of Cosmo.ph.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

We started dating around 10 years ago. We went to the same college (UST) and his brother was my block mate and kabarkada. We started hanging out at a time when we both just came from a breakup. Since his brother is my friend, I’d hang out in their house to cry. Hahaha!

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

Initial reaction was–-tulala lang. We got engaged at the airport. Nobody knew his plan except for his parents and my parents (a few hours before the proposal). He was going to pick me up from the airport. I came from a company outing, so there were a lot, I mean A LOT of SunLifers at the airport. Then when I went out of the airport, he was just standing there in the waiting area, wearing a white long-sleeved polo and dress pants (something that he wouldn’t normally wear to an airport trip) and he was holding a bouquet of white flowers. Then I knew something was up. I was yelling, “Ano yan suot mo?!” (What are you wearing?!) Hahaha! Then there. He approached me and proposed. It was so noisy in the airport, nakakahiya! Hahaha! Luckily, my colleagues were able to capture the moment.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

I asked Jico if my sister knew, but she didn’t since she was out of the country that time. There was no chance to meet her personally. So I messaged her via Viber on our way home. Why? Because she’s my big sister!

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

Budget! Haha.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

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Engagement Story: Cayo Fragada and Gretchen Gatan

Maan Fernandez — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 07:19:30 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Cayo Fragada and Gretchen Gatan

August 27, 2018 at the Church of Gesu

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

My name is Gretchen Gatan, and I’m the Managing Editor of www.calyxta.com, the Beauty and Lifestyle Blogger behind www.gretasjunkyard.com, and I’m a Makeup Artist! My fiancé, Cayo Fragada, works in marketing and operations at an online gaming company, and because of the nature of his job, he self-learned how to make websites and e-commerce sites during his free time—a service he offers to entrepreneurs and startup companies.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

It’s actually a pretty long story, but Cayo and I started out as friends first. We went to the same university, Ateneo de Manila (he was a batch higher), but we only hung out because of Ultimate Frisbee. His younger brother, Chino, was my good friend as well—we were teammates when we played for the Ateneo Ultimate Frisbee team.

In 2012, the three of us became teammates under a competitive Pool A team called K3 (which was short for Katipunan Killer Kleats, since most of the players were from Ateneo). Cayo was the team captain, and he appointed me as his co-captain, because he needed someone to lead the girls. So we really started out as good friends—I even knew the history of girls he dated (back then, he was dating someone until they eventually broke up). I wouldn’t say that I was drawn to him immediately, but a small part of me always wondered about the possibility of “us” because of how solid our friendship felt, and how we constantly talked, challenged, and empowered one another—not just on the field, but even outside (I remember I had just graduated from college, and was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my career—he helped me a lot in that aspect, and was even the one who built and continues to maintain my blog!).

I think it was during April or May 2013 when we joined a beach tournament in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan that our love story truly started—in the middle of a game, I suffered from a heat stroke, and Cayo was the one who took care of me the whole weekend. Later on in our relationship, he told me that he remembers thinking to himself during that weekend, “Hey, I think I want to take care of this girl forever.”

From group hangouts with our team, we started going out as just us. We even tried to hide it at first, but only because we didn’t want people to tease us—especially because EVERYONE (his mom, Chino, our teammates, and our friends) all believed that one day, we would eventually get together. And we knew that they would all say, “We told you so!” Haha.

We officially got together on December 13, 2013 (it was a Friday the 13th) in Panglao, Bohol—a special date because we both love the number 13. It was his jersey number when he used to play basketball for the Ateneo Varsity Team, and it was coincidentally my jersey number when I used to play softball for the Poveda Varsity Team. When we became teammates, we even fought over the jersey number at one point! But eventually, when we got together, he gave up the jersey number for me. Haha! That’s basically how our love story started, and I think what strengthened our relationship even more apart from starting out as good friends first was how we constantly kept the communication lines open. It was very easy to do that ever since we started dating, because we would ride together to and from work. Everyday, he would pick me up from my house, drop me off in my office in Makati, then head to his office (which is a 10-minute walk away from mine). After work, he’d either pick me up or I’d walk to his office, have dinner, and then go home together. So imagine all that time in traffic just talking about anything and everything for the last five years!

Nowadays, we still play Ultimate (but not as competitive as before), and we’ve become that type of couple who loves just staying at home on weekends to watch movies or play video games.

“Hey, I think I want to take care of this girl forever.”

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

It felt like an out-of-body experience. We both didn’t even realize that the Ateneo college bell had rung literally after Cayo stood up to hug me after I said, “Of course!”

He proposed to me on August 27, 2018—a few days before we were supposed to fly to Europe with his family. This trip was something we were both looking forward to for months, because it was his gift to me. And though I’m already close with his family, it was a chance for us to bond even more. It’s funny because EVERYONE (his friends, my friends, and just about anyone who knew about our trip) expected him to propose there. Calyxta’s Editorial Assistant, Maan, and I even reviewed our itinerary to see which specific place from the four countries we were visiting (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) he would do it in. Our guess was Lake Bled in Slovenia. True enough, that was Cayo’s original plan—to propose in the church on the island of Lake Bled! But because everyone expected it to happen, he decided to throw the biggest curveball.

On August 27, he brought me to Ateneo (specifically the Church of the Gesu) and made me believe that he was keen on starting his own YouTube channel (which I found so weird). He wanted to film his first vlog episode in what he calls his second home (because he studied there from prep until college). He even set up two cameras—one from afar, and one camera, which I was holding. For a last-minute plan, I think he did pretty well with his acting. Haha!

“It felt like an out-of-body experience.”

The One with @cay013’s Proposal 😂💜 #TeamCatch13 #CayoNaNiGretch 💍

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

I messaged my best friend, Kim, Calyxta’s Editorial Assistant, Maan, and Calyxta’s Graphic and Media Artist, Ming. Because the day before, when Cayo told me he wanted to go to Ateneo to reminisce, I sent a screenshot of our conversation to the three and told them I found it a little strange that we would be going to Ateneo on a random holiday. We all had a hunch, but didn’t want to assume anything! Haha. After he proposed, we drove to Mario’s Restaurant (his family’s go-to ever since he was a kid), and found both our families already waiting to celebrate our engagement with us.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

Since we were leaving for Europe a few days after he proposed, he told me to try not to think about wedding plans until after we got back—just so we could fully enjoy the trip. But of course, being the obsessive control freak that I am, who already created a Trello board, Pinterest board, and Google Docs way before the proposal, I already had a wedding motif in mind, as well as my list of top suppliers. It was just a matter of finding the right date, setting a budget, and seeing which aspects of our wedding we wanted to prioritize more (like good food!). We just booked our church and hotel, and we’re set to get married in September 2019!

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

The post Engagement Story: Cayo Fragada and Gretchen Gatan appeared first on Calyxta.

Engagement Stories: Karl Soriano and Denise Amora

Maan Fernandez — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:08:40 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Karl Soriano and Denise Amora

May 12, 2018 at Boracay

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

I’m Denise Ann Mañosca Amora. My friends call me Amora. I’m 29 years old, working as an Account Director at an Advertising Agency. My fiancé is Karl William Louise Lazo Soriano, or Kiwi in short. He’s 34 years old and is working as a lawyer.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

We started dating in 2012. One of my girl friends became friends with Kiwi in May 2012. On May 26, 2012, he saw a picture of me and my friends together and invited us over for drinks at his house. My friend brought me with her since we were together anyway, and she introduced me to Kiwi. After exactly a month, Kiwi reached out and we started talking everyday. That’s when we started dating, I guess.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

We messaged my mom right after it happened and since we were really going to meet up with our friends, they were one of the first to know! It was just timely that we were really going out for drinks, so we ended up with an engagement party as well!

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

My gown, the venues, and the food! I was the type of kid who’d always dream about what I wanted for my wedding, so I wasn’t completely clueless about the most important things that I needed to immediately plan. I always knew the type of gown I wanted and that I wanted Bizu for our food. I also always wanted to get married in a beautiful church, so I knew I had to book those things soonest possible!

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

Story: We’d already been talking about our plans for the future, so getting engaged wasn’t much of a surprise anymore. But I didn’t know when or how Kiwi planned to propose, so that was the main surprise. We were in Boracay last May 12, 2018 waiting to go out for drinks (it was around 12mn already). While we were pre-gaming in Sur, waiting for our friends to get ready, we started talking about when he was planning to propose. I wanted to buy a bag then, so I needed to know when he was going to propose so I can decide whether to save my money for a wedding or buy the bag that I wanted. He told me that he planned to propose but maybe not that year. After that conversation, we were about to leave already to meet our friends, when he asked me to accompany him to his hotel room so he could freshen up a bit first. Since I had to pee anyway, I went up to his room. When we got there, he asked me to sit on the bed, handed me earphones and asked me to listen to a song. When I put on the earphones, the song that was playing was one of our favorites – ‘Til Kingdom Come by Coldplay. He handed me a letter and while I was reading his letter, he knelt down in front of me and held up the ring as I read the last few lines of his letter where he asked me to marry him.

My initial reaction? I was just totally filled with joy and amazed at the timing of our engagement since I had no clue when he was going to do it. It was also quite surreal especially that he was able to surprise me, because usually I’m quite difficult to surprise (I usually find out what he’s up to before he could go through with things). After our proposal, he said that he didn’t plan a specific time to propose. He got the ring the day before he left for Boracay. He prepared the letter on the same day and just brought it anyway, in case he felt that it was the right time to pop the question. And I guess it was!

“After our proposal, he said that he didn’t plan a specific time to propose. He got the ring the day before he left for Boracay. He prepared the letter on the same day and just brought it anyway.”

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

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Engagement Stories: Ervin Lugay and Kim Tingson

Maan Fernandez — Fri, 25 May 2018 01:49:50 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories

Ervin Lugay and Kim Tingson

January 2018 at Conrad Hotel

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

We’re Kim Tingson and Ervin Lugay. Kim is currently doing freelance graphic arts while Ervin is a contractor and the Principal Architect at his own private practice.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

We met through Tinder on January 22, 2015 and started dating on January 27 that same year. I just broke up with my boyfriend at the time and one of my friends introduced me to Tinder as a means of distraction. So, I went on a few dates, and made some friends along the way, too. Then I met Lugs (Ervin). We started talking and we clicked. Cliché as it sounds, we really did have a connection. We had the same humor, perspective on relationships, etc. We were supposed to go out a week before our first date but I ditched. Then I found out that he went all the way to Paranaque to pick me up supposedly. He’s from Marikina, so yun pa lang plus points na. And then we just kept seeing each other from there.

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

Embarrassed. Ayoko na sinusurprise in general. We were having dinner at Conrad Hotel (outdoor) with a view of the Pyromusical. And then the waiter offered to take our photo. I thought nothing of it thinking that maybe it was part of their service because I’m sure a lot of people checked in just for the event. So G naman ako, then he faced me and told me he loved me, then he got down on one knee. Nahiya ako because the restaurant’s facade is glass, and people were taking photos of the fireworks and we totally photobombed their photos! I didn’t say YES immediately because I kept asking him to stand up and he didn’t until I said yes.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

My mom and my sisters just to find out that they already knew. He asked my family’s permission months before.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

Planning ANYTHING makes me anxious. I thought about the stress coming our way. Haha. But also the excitement because Ervin’s excited and enthusiastic about the wedding and I know that we’ll be fine because I know he’ll be beside me every step of the way. I won’t be a Bridezilla.

“I didn’t say YES immediately because I kept asking him to stand up and he didn’t until I said yes.”

A thousand years was playing during the pyromusical. Great timing. <3

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Engagement Story: Paolo Salgado and Gela Munoz

Maan Fernandez — Thu, 17 May 2018 03:33:24 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Gela Munoz and Paolo Salgado

January 19, 2018 at SM MOA by The Bay

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

Paolo: I’m Paolo Salgado, a 28-year-old Creative currently running my own independent design studio, Agape Design Studio. I do brand identity work for start-ups and established companies, helping them tell their story and engage their target audience.

Gela: Hi! I’m Angela “Gela” Muñoz, a 27-year-old Company Director for my family’s development corporation. Truth be told, I play many roles in our family’s business, some of which are: social media manager, graphic designer, marketing head, events director, HR, and an apprentice to my Dad’s position. During my spare time, I like to dabble in social media as “Gelabeef.” I part-own and founded EFFY Clothing (an online street style clothing brand), and I am also a freelance fashion stylist.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

Paolo: We started dating five years ago, back in 2013. We had a lot of mutual friends – my college classmates were her high school friends. Our love story actually started through Facebook! I would always see Gela’s profile, commenting on our common friend’s posts and found myself attracted to her – I was hoping that one day I would bump into her, and meet her in person! After waiting for months and still not having the chance to meet her in person, our common friend posted an artwork of mine, she commented, and soon, we were “meeting each other” for the first time in the comments section. I didn’t waste anytime and quickly messaged her! Initially, my first message did not get the reaction that I had hoped for. But, I didn’t give up and continued to pursue her online. After months and months of chatting, she finally agreed to go on a date with me. August 21, 2012 was the first day that we saw each other in person. A year of courtship later, she finally became my girlfriend (my first serious one)! And, after five years of officially being together, with God’s (and our family’s) blessing, my Facebook crush is now my fiancée!

“My Facebook crush is now my fiancée!”

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

Gela: Honestly, I felt like it was my birthday or that I already got married – it was such a joy filled, extraordinary day! I was so excited to be someone’s fiancé, let alone be Paolo’s fiancé! After that though, I was kind of nervous for the first ever meet-up of our families. Because, I have told Paolo before that I wanted our families to be there if ever he was to propose. Lo and behold, my nerves were uncalled for because as we entered the room that Paolo prepared for the post-proposal dinner, our families were there – happy for us both and getting along!

Paolo: A lot of relief and happiness! During the whole preparation, I would pray that even though it would be extremely hard to keep it a secret from her (she’s sly like a fox and very detective like in her observations), I hoped for two things to happen. First is that I would be able to show her that I can be the man who can lead her in marriage and that God’s presence will be there throughout the whole proposal. Because of God’s grace and goodness, all my prayers were answered! She was beyond happy and it honestly felt like we were married already! I managed to keep her request of the actual proposal being private (we were up several feet in the air!) and include the special feeling of it being a public proposal – so many onlookers were gathered at the end of the Ferris wheel ride… we felt like we were in a movie!

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

Gela: For us, it wasn’t just one person – it was our families! It was my request that if ever Paolo should propose, I wanted our families to be there with us right after!

Paolo: After the proposal at the Ferris wheel, both of our families were waiting for us at the Conrad Hotel. We made it a point to be able to share this once in a lifetime experience with both of our families first, as they are a very important part of our lives.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

Gela: Yay! My Pinterest “Dream Wedding” board will finally come to life! Hehe! On a more serious note, that we should semi-start thinking about all the details – first the date, the venue, color scheme, and our initial guestlist.

Paolo: Post proposal, we had our first date as an engaged couple at our favorite café in BF. We chose possible dates for our wedding, talked about venues, and the number of attendees. Of course, we also talked about our planned outfits for the wedding and our color palette.

Engagement Story

Paolo meeting with the SM by The Bay / SM MOA staff – they were very helpful with everything and helped Paolo make his proposal plans come to life!

As he is afraid of heights, Paolo enlisted my best friend, Phoebe, and his best friend, Bill, to ride the Ferris wheel with him (to conquer his fear and get used to riding it) on two separate occasions.

Setting up everything with the photo and video team before he picked me up!

Taking Gela to the Ferris Wheel. The excuse was, we were supposedly having a farewell dinner with my balikbayan grandparents. They’re “late” and thus, we needed to kill time by the bay first.

Screenshots from my phone, which I used to record me asking Gela to be my future wife!

Showing Gela the video that I made for her – up in the air!

Both of us getting giddy before the Ferris wheel went higher – we already knew that something special was about to happen.

After coming down from the Ferris wheel, we were greeted by onlookers, our best friends, and confetti!

Still unintentionally matching even in our surprise proposal! #AlwaysMatchy

Paolo proposed with a beautiful diamond atop a gold Tiffany cut ring.

Posing in front of our new favorite ride.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

The post Engagement Story: Paolo Salgado and Gela Munoz appeared first on Calyxta.

Engagement Stories: Nate Go and Cait Chan

Maan Fernandez — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 10:49:17 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Nate Go and Cait Chan

November 11, 2017 at the Rooftop of Escape Plan MNL’s building along Jupiter Street

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

Nate is an entrepreneur and handles various businesses. One of his newest ventures is Escape Plan Manila, which has immersive escape rooms perfect for corporate, friends, and family bonding. I work full time in Love, C Manila. We supply affordable ready-to-wear and custom gowns for women. Our clients are usually brides-to-be and we help them dress up their bridesmaids and entourage. Our website is www.lovecmanila.com (Shop now! Haha).

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

We started dating 7 years ago. I met him through our common friends. After meeting him twice in random events, he asked me to go out with him. We had dinner and watched Puss in Boots. We lied to each other that we wanted to watch the movie just to spend more time together (but we didn’t really want to watch it. Haha!). We continued dating for three months before we became official.

“He asked me to stand up and then he bended on one knee and proposed. I don’t remember exactly what happened during those minutes. I also can’t recall his speech.”

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

After the proposal, I thought I was dreaming.

Sure, let’s go back to November 11, 2017. I finished working around 4:30pm and I was exhausted from work. I wanted to go home and rest, but we were scheduled to test one of the rooms of Escape Plan Manila at 5pm with a couple of his friends. I wanted to ditch it but in my mind, I had to support Nate. Escape Plan Manila and the proposal venue were in the same building. While in the elevator, he asked me to take off my jacket, which I found weird. I also realized that he was quite overdressed. He brought me to the rooftop, which was kind of strange as Escape Plan Manila was on the fifth floor—but he said that the Escape Room that we were solving started on the rooftop. Too tired to think, I believed him.

As we reached the rooftop, I saw two photographers taking photos of us. The lights suddenly turned on and then I saw the beautiful gazebo full of Christmas lights and red rose petals scattered on the floor. The set up was surreal! Nate knows I love seeing lights, so I was really impressed. I thought, “Escape Plan pa ba ito?!” I also noticed there were people on the other side of the rooftop, but I couldn’t see their faces. Nate led me into the middle of the gazebo. He asked me to sit down with him and watch a photo compilation of our memories together on his tablet. After watching, he asked me to stand up and then he bended down on one knee and proposed. I don’t remember exactly what happened during those minutes. I also can’t recall his speech.

After the proposal, I thought I was dreaming. All our friends showed up from the other side of the roof and gathered towards us. I was really happy finally seeing their faces and at the same time, trying to figure out if all of this was true.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

I called my mom immediately, but she already knew about it because Nate asked for their permission before he proposed. She was actually waiting for my call. Haha!

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

The first thing that entered my mind was the entourage outfits! I want to make the perfect gowns for my girls, of course care of Love, C Manila. I am also excited to make my own wedding gown.

Engagement Story

Nate’s sister and friends helping out with the set up.

To get to the proposal venue, we had to climb a ladder attached to a water tank!

The proposal.

Our family and friends hiding on the other side of the roof while waiting for us to arrive.

Nate and I watching the photo compilation he made on his tablet.

Drone shot taken by his brother while I was crying!

Nate, me, and the ring. <3

Our family and friends finally showed up! <3

The amazing proposal crew.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

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Engagement Stories: Jay Hernandez and Tamara Pineda

Maan Fernandez — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 16:00:06 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Jay Hernandez and Tamara Pineda

November 2, 2017 at Kyoto, Japan

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

Hello! I’m Tamara and I’m a makeup artist. My Fiancé is Jay owns a Pharmaceutical Company.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

Our story started seven years ago when we were classmates in college. He was very subtle with his approach actually. Every time I would make my way to class, he would be waiting somewhere near the classroom just casually talking to his friend. And when he would see me, he would ask if I was going to class already. I’d say yes and he’d ask me to save him a seat. At that time, I thought nothing of it. I didn’t even notice that he was making “moves” na pala on me. Hahahaha!

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

It’s quite a funny story actually. When we got to Japan, it was already 12 midnight and by the time we got to the hotel, it was around 1:30 AM. We were all super tired and I already changed into my pajamas. At around 2 AM, Jay suddenly wanted to go for a walk outside. I said, “What? Are you crazy? It’s so cold outside and it’s so late na!” but he kept on trying to get me outside, but I was really SO LAZY. Then, I laid down in bed already, really ready to call it a night! I guess when I laid down, he accepted that I wasn’t going anywhere. Hahahaha! So, he told me, “Okay, fine. Can you sit up for a minute?” I asked him “Whyyyy?” and he said, “I have something to give you” and then he brought out a black velvet box from his bag. I immediately got up and said, “OMG, babe?!” We were roomies with his brother, Chino, and he was in the shower while this was all happening, so it was just us two. He got down on a bended knee and popped the question, “Will you marry me?“ Of course, I said YES! I was so excited, nervous, and extremely happy. Surprisingly, I did not cry because my default is to laugh when I’m nervous. The proposal was simple and intimate, similar to how he asked me to be his girlfriend seven years ago.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

It was late at night when he proposed, so I tried calling my sister hoping she was still awake. I called her through Facetime and she answered! So, she was the first person I shared it with.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

Hmmm. I think we thought about when we want the wedding the to be held. I didn’t really want a long engagement, so the sooner the better! Choosing the month was definitely one of the first things we thought about.

Night of the Proposal

November 2, 2017 at 2AM (in all our glory!)

Since it was just the two of us when it actually happened, there were no photos taken during the actual proposal.

Taken at Fushimi Inari-Taisha in Kyoto.

This was where he originally planned to pop the question, but we weren’t so sure yet if we were really going to go. We ended up going anyway so we just took post-engagement photos here.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

The post Engagement Stories: Jay Hernandez and Tamara Pineda appeared first on Calyxta.

Engagement Stories: Aren Dale Santos and Charisma Lico

Maan Fernandez — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 10:08:30 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Aren Dale Santos and Charisma Lico

September 23, 2017 at Lemery, Batangas

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

Charisma: We’ve been together for two years, though we’ve known each other since college because we went to the same university. I’m now a full-time Fashion and Advertising Photographer, while my fiancé, Aren, is an architect.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

Charisma: Our love story or how we started as a couple isn’t really something fancy or fairytale-like, all I knew is that God orchestrated everything and that His timing is always perfect.

I’m going to let Aren take over in answering this question since his version of the story is more detailed (or maybe, I just like hearing it from him because it still gives me butterflies until now. Hehe!)

Aren: Around eight years ago, way back in college, I was already crushing on Cha, she already caught my attention but since I was in a relationship that time, I just really admired her secretly. Then after college, we got the chance to work together since I used to run a business and I hired her to be my photographer for the materials of my clothing line. From there, we developed a friendship though we never really hung out much but every once in a while, we get to have small conversations. Being attracted to her for a long time, something grew in me that she’s really my ideal girl, but I wasn’t really optimistic since she was dating someone then.

I was really praying for someone who’s God-fearing and learning that Cha is a Christian, it helped me to solidify my attraction to her. I have always said that I really wanted a girl like her, but God has an amazing plan. Three years after and after being single for quite a long time, she messaged asking a question and that gave me a hint that she was already single. Upon knowing that my ideal girl was already single, I gathered all my confidence to pursue her immediately since I really couldn’t miss out that opportunity. Imagine an open shot to the girl I ever wanted. It was really a chance of a lifetime that I couldn’t pass up.

From prayers and thoughts of having someone “just like her,” God knew better and knew what was really inside my heart. I wanted Cha, and to my surprise, He gave Cha herself. So, it also pays to be patient and prayerful. And that’s where it all began.

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

Charisma: It was overwhelming; I was filled with so much emotion of excitement and joy. I couldn’t believe it was finally happening and that I’m marrying my best friend, the only guy who managed to make me feel killig (I’m not even kidding), and one of the reasons I ever considered marriage in the first place (since I used to not really think about those stuff before). I wasn’t able to sleep the night he proposed to me because we already discussed the idea of it, but I wasn’t really expecting it to happen really soon, although it has been part of my prayer that if he’s really God’s best for me, he would propose within two years—and he did, and that was a pretty clear sign.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

It was both our families who knew first because Aren asked my parents’ blessings first before the proposal. Our friends were also there at the venue when he proposed to celebrate with us.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

We first thought of the date of the wedding and we both agreed to have it sometime in January 2019.

The Engagement Story

PREPARATION

The proposal happened in an Airbnb in Lemery, Batangas, which he rented and I was clueless about it for I thought we were just going to have dinner in Tagaytay for my birthday. Yes, he proposed on my 25th! With the help of our friends, they filled the pathway with candles, which I didn’t see since I was blindfolded and it also rained after.

ACTUAL PROPOSAL

Possibly still the most overwhelming moment in my entire life.

REACTION SHORTLY AFTER THE PROPOSAL

Tears of joy definitely!

My favorite part about this beautiful ring is the verse inside which says,

“I thank my God every time I remember you”.

The post Engagement Stories: Aren Dale Santos and Charisma Lico appeared first on Calyxta.

Engagement Stories: John Ramos and Jill Generoso

Maan Fernandez — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 02:46:29 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

John Ramos and Jill Generoso

December 22, 2016 at Bellarmine Field, Ateneo de Manila University

There’s nothing like going back to your roots and proposing to your future wife right in the school that started it all. Meet John Ramos and Jill Generoso, who got engaged last December 2016 and are about to tie the knot this March 2018! With only a month away until their wedding day, read through the detailed points of view of each one, as they recount the night that John proposed to Jill.

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

I am John Ramos and I am a Training Consultant. This is my fiancé, Jill Generoso, and she is an Organization Development Manager.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

We started dating during the last year of college, which was 8 years ago. Although, we knew each other since high school, we were more of just acquaintances back then. All of a sudden, we became college blockmates and I guess that’s where our friendship started. That’s the good thing about having a foundation of friendship—we already knew each other before we even decided on getting into a relationship. And as the saying goes, the rest was history.

“That’s the good thing about having a foundation of friendship—we already knew each other before we even decided on getting into a relationship.” – John

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

JOHN’S VERSION

Actually, I think she already knew that I was going to propose that night. It could be that thing they call “woman’s intuition”. But I threw her off-guard during dinner saying that I was not yet ready and that her having expectations that night would just make me feel bad. I acted like I was upset with the whole situation that I could not give her what she wanted.

Unknowingly to her, I already bought the ring 8 months in advance. All my friends already knew and I already asked for the blessing of her eldest brother, Martin, back in Feb 2016. After that, I had a chance to be alone with Jerard, the youngest, and asked if it was okay that I propose to her “Ate” late that year. A few months passed and it was already September. I had two months left to propose since I really wanted to end 2016 with a fiancé. I brought her family out for lunch and a movie one Saturday afternoon and had “Tita” alone while Jill was going around the mall. I had my chance and I took it. I told “Tita” how nervous I was to ask for “Tito’s” blessing since he was in the U.S. She told me to not worry because they all saw it as the perfect time for the Jill and I to take the next step. After two weeks of gathering my thoughts on what to say and how to say it, I called “Tito” via FaceTime. We started with our small talk and then I changed the topic and asked permission for me to propose to his unica hija. He told me that of course he will give me his blessing and that even before I asked, I was already part of their family. That made our conversation extra special for me. We talked for two straight hours and here we are.

Jonah, who has been one of my closest friends for 24 years already, helped with the proposal plan. We did this whole hullabaloo that we will be playing basketball with some of our friends. Truth is, we just did an ocular inspection on where I could propose to Jill. But yeah, we still played after so no lies there. I decided for the location to be back in Ateneo because this was where I started falling in love with her. I wanted her to feel how special that place is because this is where I chose to love her and that that love will never change even when we grow older.

JILL’S VERSION

It was just an ordinary date – he picked me up from work then we had dinner before simbang gabi and the annual Christmas party with his friends. While having dinner I told John that I had a feeling he was going to propose that night. He laughed at first and asked why on the world would I think that. So I said that he asked me to wear something nice that day and that a few weeks prior he asked me to give my ring so I can have it resized. What was meant to be a light conversation turned into something serious – he started saying that he wasn’t ready and that the earliest possible time would be two years from that day. He started to feel bad saying that he can’t make me happy because I was having unrealistic expectations. I dismissed the idea and before leaving for simbang gabi, I was settled into thinking that it may not be the right time for us. I was happy – even if he wasn’t going to ask me yet because I’m with the only person I’ll ever love.

We went to the Church of Gesu and he kept calling his best friend who was running late. When the mass began, he said that he wasn’t feeling very well – he was dizzy and he needed to throw up. So we went outside to get some fresh air. We saw this big parol in front of Bellarmine Field and went there. He gave me his notebook to read (we would write letters to each other on our notebooks and let each other read when we’ve finished all the pages). The letters gave subtle hints of his proposal – he wrote on the day he found the ring and that he was so happy about it. He wrote about asking my siblings and my parents. On the last page he said he hopes I’ll say yes. I turned to the next page and nothing was written on it. Coming from the dinner conversation we had about taking the next step, I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. I looked at him without any clue what was happening or what was about to happen. He looked at me, said “Babe” and all of a sudden, without me noticing I was already crying. He cried as well and said that he cannot imagine life without me. He knelt down on one knee and asked, will you give me the honor of calling you my wife? Yes. A million times, yes.

“Yes. A million times, yes.”

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

After the proposal, which Joanh and Clara documented, we went straight to Jill’s house to bring the good news to everyone. We called Gaea, Jill’s cousin who was like a sister she never had and shared what had happened. They both started crying and talked for a little while. I then called my family over the phone to tell them that Jill said yes. Everyone was so happy. Then, we went to my friend’s house since my barkada was waiting there to celebrate our annual Christmas party and at the same time, celebrate the engagement. These are the important people in our lives, God, family and friends. These are the people whom we share almost everything with.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

We agreed on a budget first on what we were willing to spend for the wedding. That was a quick decision to make since we both wanted an intimate ceremony. The next was the date when we wanted to get married. Also, since we got engaged on Dec 22, 2016, we could not really look for locations yet due to it being the Christmas holidays. We booked the church and reception on the first two weeks of January 2017 instead. We were actually surprised because the dates we wanted were already booked. We then chose a different date that matches both the church and reception—and here we are—a month and a 2 weeks prior the wedding. Stressed and ecstatic at the same time.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

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Engagement Stories: Dennis Tan and Dimple Opulencia

Maan Fernandez — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 03:43:58 +0000

Calyxta Engagement Stories:

Dennis Tan and Dimple Opulencia

September 29, 2017 at Dimple’s house in Marikina

Here at Brides by Calyxta, we take pride in all the real and heartfelt stories that have been shared by Real Brides on their bridal journeys—in the hopes that their stories could inspire and maybe even help upcoming brides on planning their own weddings. So it was only fitting that we expanded this section by launching Engagement Stories and interviewing real couples on the very moment they got engaged!

To kick off our very first Calyxta Engagement Story, meet Dennis Tan, who proposed to his fiancée, Dimple Opulencia, last September 2017 and is currently planning for their wedding happening in October 2018. From a One Direction song that sparked the start of their romance, to throwing Dimple off and pretending that he wasn’t ready for marriage yet, read through the detailed account of the day Dennis proposed to his bride-to-be.

Can you give us a quick introduction of yourselves? What do you do?

Dimple and I are officemates. We both work at GMA Network under the Sales and Marketing Group where we develop multi-platform marketing campaigns for advertisers.

When did you start dating? How did your love story start?

I met her in 2011 when I started working at GMA. We worked together on a few projects and I remember having a crush on her but at that time, we were both taken. After a couple of months of working with each other, we became really good friends. We clicked and I enjoyed talking to her a lot. We even took the MRT together after work. There came a point, around mid-2012, that we both became single. I still had a crush on her but after getting to know her, I did not think I had a shot. I’d occasionally throw a few playful hints out there but there was absolutely zero reciprocation from her end.

One time, I told her that the song “What Makes You Beautiful” (by One Direction) reminded me of her. She told me she didn’t know the song. Hahaha! I guess she googled it because after five minutes, she approached me, smiled, and kissed me on the cheek. I was so dazed and it took me a while to process that that was the sign – I had a shot. (Thank you, One Direction!) So I asked her out to dinner and the rest is history.

What was the initial reaction after the proposal? Can you share with us the story?

I think she still couldn’t believe it was real. A couple of months before the proposal, I started feeding her with “hints” that I wasn’t financially ready yet to get married so that I’d completely catch her offguard. After the proposal, she kept on saying that she thought she’d have to wait 1 to 2 more years. Hehe.

Who was the first person you shared your engagement with and why?

Apart from our families, our good friends, Keila and Kevin, who were also recently engaged that year. I guess I told them first because I knew that they’d be able to relate to our happiness the most.

What was the first thing you thought about right after the engagement that’s related to the wedding?

She once told me that she wanted a very intimate wedding (a maximum of 50 people) so when she said yes, the next thing I asked myself was “Now, how do I convince her to invite more people?”

The Engagement Story

I asked a couple of my closest friends from college to help me set up her place and shoot the proposal. She’s a very private person. The last thing she would want is a grand proposal at a public place, so I chose to surprise her at their house.

We lit up candles at the staircase leading up to her room.

I got balloons where I taped photos of us through the years. On the floor, we placed a trail of rose petals leading to her room.

The photos on the balloons were laid out chronologically so I could show her how we grew together through the years. Each photo had its own fun memory.

On her bed, I placed two dozen of her favorite flowers (Tulips), and her favorite character (Pikachu).

I initially wanted to put a dog collar that read, “Will you marry my daddy?” on her dog, Bacon, but that proved to be quite a challenge. I gave her Bacon as a gift a few years back and to this day, she considers him as the best gift ever.

After I proposed, her family and our friends surprised her outside her room. Bacon immediately ran towards her – he obviously didn’t want to help me (with the proposal) but he wanted to be part of the photo.

After the proposal, I invited her out to have dinner with me at UP Town Center where I had another surprise for her. I gathered her barkada and a few of our closest friends so we could all celebrate together.

Want to share your engagement story with us? Shoot us an e-mail at bridesbycalyxta@calyxta.com, and we’d love to hear more about it!

The post Engagement Stories: Dennis Tan and Dimple Opulencia appeared first on Calyxta.