Simple Joys, Breaking Traditions, and All Our Favorite Things (and People)

Featuring Miguel Francisco Ma. G. Lopez and Alyssa Camille D. Santos | As told by Miguel G. Lopez

Our Story

Our married life began long before the wedding, more than two years ago when we moved in together. We had already decided to settle down about six months into our relationship—right when we bought a lot during the pandemic. That piece of land would someday hold our future home. We decided to live together not just because we loved each other deeply but because we wanted to be sure. Could we handle life’s ups and downs together?

Turns out, we could. Even on the days when it felt like we couldn’t, we did. We made it through some tough moments, and those challenges strengthened my resolve to marry Aly, my classmate and crush from college.

I proposed to her six months after we moved in. By that time, we had seen each other’s best and worst sides. Before asking her, I sought blessings from both our families—my mom, her mom and stepdad, and her dad. Thankfully, they all said yes.

When it came time for the proposal, that’s all I could muster: “With everyone’s approval… Will you marry me?”

All the other heartfelt words I had prepared disappeared the moment I stood in front of her on the beach, under the morning sun. I was so overwhelmed I forgot to kneel. Probably one of the most awkward and unromantic proposals in history. But she said yes anyway.

And that began our 18-month journey to plan the perfect wedding—or rather, the perfectly simple, relaxed, and cozy day we envisioned.

Planning Our Wedding

Aly and I are both simple people. We love the little joys in life—a delicious meal, even if it’s from a street vendor; a cocktail that gets us tipsy and makes us laugh; dancing like no one’s watching; days at home, doing chores while teasing each other; or spontaneous road trips to Tagaytay for bulalo at midnight. These are the things that bring us joy, and we wanted our wedding to feel just like that: joyful, relaxed, and full of love.

We started by looking for a venue in Tagaytay, visiting all the usual spots. But none of them had the magic we were hoping for. Then, by chance, we stumbled upon a hidden gem. We were lost looking for another place when we drove by a beautiful house in Alfonso, Cavite. We took a chance, asked about it, and learned it was a newly opened events place—Arocarria.

The moment we saw the garden, we knew. This was it. Simple but stunning, just like Aly. After that, we looked at a few more venues, but nothing compared. Arocarria was the one, and everything else fell into place after that.

Choosing our suppliers was easy because we knew what we wanted—great food (Moment Group), strong drinks (Manila Craft), and amazing music (Polygroove and DJ Patrick Vee). The charm of Arocarria was enough, so we kept the decor minimal and let nature be our backdrop. To capture all the moments, we trusted Ram Marcelo and Hello and Co. Cinema to photograph and film the day as it unfolded.

Our Wedding

Throughout the planning, friends and family kept asking, “How are the preparations going? Are you nervous?” We always replied that we were fine, excited even. But there were bumps along the way—issues with suppliers, budgets, and dividing up tasks. But these challenges brought us closer and prepared us for the future. We knew that life’s hurdles wouldn’t stop with the wedding and facing them together made us stronger.

On the day of our wedding, we tossed a few traditions aside. The night before, I went straight to Aly’s room as soon as I arrived at Hill Creek because I had missed her (she left our place three days earlier). We spent time together, practicing our dance and just enjoying the calm before the storm with her maid of honor until 2 a.m.

We broke another tradition by having a “first look” before the ceremony. We shared a private moment in an empty ballroom where we exchanged personal vows and had our first dance. It was fun, intimate, and full of laughter—a perfect way to start the day.

At the reception, we ditched the usual bouquet toss, garter toss, and money dance. Instead, we threw a big celebration of love. Guests were welcomed with a cocktail hour, complete with live instrumental music, delicious appetizers, and drinks. We kicked off the party by running into the crowd to Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA, dancing with our guests and taking fun photos with each table.

After a dinner filled with laughter and heartfelt speeches from our best friends and parents, we let our parents take the dance floor first to share a romantic dance. Then, it was time for the parent-and-child dances—Slipping Through My Fingers for Aly and her dads, and Dancing Queen for me and my mom.

When it was finally time for our dance, we surprised everyone by getting them onto the dance floor for one last photo. Then, the DJ dropped a beat, and we kept everyone on the floor, dancing the night away.

That’s how our wedding became a night of celebration—full of dancing, laughter, and love. Everyone was up on their feet, joining in the joy, and celebrating not just our love but the love we all shared.

Because, at the end of the day, a beautiful wedding isn’t about lavish decor or traditions. It’s about staying true to who you are, sharing love, and celebrating with the people who support your journey together.