Bel and Richard's story sounds like that of a romantic comedy: from the way they met on Bel's 23rd birthday, to how Richard proposed on her 29th. Their English-inspired, classic vintage reception at Taal Vista, Tagaytay felt like a giant tea party, albeit for the shots of tequila and absence of restraint as the couple tried to outdo each other with surprises.
Want to know more about Bel and Richard's story? Click on any of the following links.
LOVE STORY
It was April 2004 and the eve of Bel's 23rd birthday. She was in a bar with her girlfriend, when it dawned to her that this was the age that her mother got married and yet Bel didn't even have a boyfriend. "I wasn't really looking though," she recalls. She was preoccupied with whether or not she should stay in the UK after graduating or return to Manila for work. Richard, who knew Bel's friend, saw the two at the bar and was introduced to Bel. Bel and Richard hit it off, and they became a couple nine months later.
On the eve of Bel's 28th birthday, the couple had dinner at Sofitel. Bel knew something was up because Richard "downed the wine in no time at all." They walked outside by the bay and there was a table reserved just for them. He started his "speech" about how long they've been together, and asked for her hand. A stunned Bel said yes, and she remembers the camera flashes from afar, caused by Richard's photographer friends from Imagine Nation who were there to capture the whole thing. When the proposal finally sank in the next day, Bel asked her mother for her wedding gown as she wanted to wear it for her wedding.
Back to main page
Find out about their preparations
WEDDING PREPARATIONS
The couple had a classic, vintage wedding that employed muted colors of an English garden: lavender, powder blue, old rose and violet. Bel walked down the aisle in a vintage English-inspired gown that had her mom's wedding gown reworked into the dress.
The reception was held at the Taal Vista Hotel, and in keeping with the theme, tables were accented with birdcages and pearl necklaces, treasure boxes and teacups. Since Bel was "not a very big fan of mushy stuff," the couple opened the program by dancing to More Today Than Yesterday of Spiral Staircase. Her mom's friends Eugene Villaluz and Ding Mercado performed, while Richard surprised Bel with a music video he made with friends, and Bel surprised him back by singing I Do by Lea Salonga. The couple also came up with games to keep the guests entertained. One memorable game had an Apple iPod as the prize, where participants drank a shot of Richard's favorite Patron tequila if they got the answers wrong. The couple noticed the guests went for the shots instead of the prize!
Even if the entire ballroom was full, the couple described their evening as intimate: packed with humor and love, with absolutely no room for stiffness.
