A love rooted in time

Featuring Miguel Fernando A. Narciso and Carines Maria D. Gaerlan

Miguel and Carines’ story did not begin with a grand introduction, but with familiarity.

Their parents had long been friends, and the two had known of each other since childhood. Years later, fate gently nudged them closer during Miguel’s uncle’s birthday celebration.

What started as playful teasing from family soon softened into meaningful conversations. In the quiet spaces between laughter, something sincere began to grow.

Their first official date unfolded at Jungle Base Coffee Grounds. Both nervous, both hopeful, they found comfort in the simple joy of reconnecting. Over coffee and long talks, walls came down. It was also that afternoon that Inna introduced Miguel to her closest cousins, an early sign of how naturally she welcomed him into her world.

“There was an effortless ease from the start,” Inna shares. “It felt familiar, but also exciting, like discovering something new within something I had always known.”

Seventeen months into their relationship, Miguel planned what Inna thought would be another simple date at Tito Boy’s Restaurant in Clark. Instead, it became the moment that would forever change their story. A bouquet was placed in her hands.

Time seemed to pause. With trembling hands and a full heart, Miguel opened a small box and asked the question that carried all their tomorrows. “I remember everything going quiet,” Inna recalls. “All I felt was love, gratitude, and certainty. Saying yes was the easiest, most beautiful answer of my life.”

Their wedding day honored that same sincerity. The ceremony was intentionally traditional and deeply personal. Heirlooms carried generations of love, Miguel wore a watch that once belonged to his father and brother, while Inna wore her mother’s earrings and tucked a pendant with her mother’s photo into her bouquet.

“It was our way of bringing our families with us as we took this step,” the bride shares. “We felt guided, protected, and surrounded.”

After the vows, the celebration unfolded in warmth. A Modern Filipiniana reception blended clean, contemporary styling with subtle Filipino elements, reflecting their love for tradition made personal.

The couple chose to personally welcome each guest, valuing connection over spectacle. The program was simple, leaving space for laughter, embraces, and unhurried moments.

If their wedding could be summed up in one word, it would be timeless.

More than the details, what lingered was the feeling of standing in a room filled with people who shaped them, witnessing the beginning of a lifelong journey.

“What made the day unforgettable,” Inna says, “was realizing that our love story, rooted in the past, was finally stepping into its forever.”