Krizia & Robin

Krizia and I met back in February 2016 when I was in the Philippines with my family for my cousin’s wedding. She accidentally sent me a friend request on Facebook which I accepted. She was beautiful and I wanted to know more about her and her daughter. After a day of chatting, I realised that we had a mutual friend nearby and arranged for us all to get sushi together. From the very moment we met we knew that we had a special connection and would have a future together. She even met my mom, brothers and some of my cousins that night! Afterwards we went to a ‘restobar’ to relax and chill. We really did fall in love that night and had a long-distance relationship for almost three years. I originally planned to propose in April 2017, but plans changed when Krizia’s daughter Sophia fell ill with Dengue and passed away at the end of 2016. I immediately flew to the Philippines. It was a very sad time for us, and I tried to keep Krizia’s spirits up as much as I could. I planned a simple proposal in a hotel that my cousin worked in just over a week later. We had a little surprise for her; a letter and the engagement ring. It was a very emotional moment.

We chose to marry in Tagaytay in the dry season – the temperature is cooler there than elsewhere in the country and the air is clean. We loved the idea of a garden wedding with a priceless view and through our own research, and on the recommendation of our wedding coordinator, we chose Clearwater House Tagaytay as our venue. It was perfect with its view of the Taal Volcano.

Food at the reception was plated and served for ‘VIPs’, while the other guests selected from a buffet. We had a wide range of foreign dishes that had all stood out during our food tasting. The options on offer included chicken pineapple salad, Vietnamese shrimp and pork balls, Chicken Galantina, baked cobbler with walnuts and mushroom and more. Our guests loved the pot roast beef with mushroom gravy which is similar to the famous Filipino dish Beef Caldereta. Dessert included pastries, fruit tartlets and panna cotta.

There were many special moments throughout the day. The start of the ceremony signified a new beginning for us. The presentation of God’s knot (cord of three strands) showed our guests that to have a strong and healthy relationship you have to have God in your midst. It was also great to see all of our family and friends interacting at the reception. We allocated a special corner beside us for Sophia with her picture, candles and flowers which really gave us the feeling that she is still with us. We know that Sophia is happy now and in heaven guiding us. Our wedding day was full of emotions and amazingly beautiful.

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