A love that feels like home

WE Team

Featuring Karlo Andreo Marfori and Karmel Althea Lansang Samonte-Marfori

Karlo and Karmel’s story began quietly, without fireworks or grand expectations, just a mutual friend, a cousin-organic setup, and two people in very different seasons of life.

Karlo was living abroad, while Karmel was only weeks into preparing for the most important board exam of her life. Falling in love, at the time, felt like a far-off idea. “Meeting ‘the one’ felt unimaginable then,” the bride shares.

Their first date has since earned two versions. From Karlo’s point of view, it was instant, he allegedly knew within 30 minutes. Karmel laughs at the contrast. “I had a great time, but I was honestly wondering if risking a second date days before my board exam was a good idea.”

Still, one date turned into many, arcade afternoons, hearing Mass together, meeting barkadas, and eventually, families. With every shared moment, the relationship grew steadier, more intentional, and clearly built for the long run.

Talks of marriage came early. Both were clear from the start that they were dating with purpose. They dreamed of a December wedding, and when January 2025 arrived without a proposal, Karmel assumed plans had shifted. What she didn’t know was that by March, Karlo had already driven to her hometown to ask for her parents’ blessing.

A few weeks after their anniversary, under the guise of a quick Tagaytay escape, Karlo proposed. From his unusual eagerness to take videos to his restless pacing after a massage, the signs were there.

With Taal Lake in view, he knelt, asked the question, and whisked her off to dinner, complete with a photographer and family secretly in on the plan. “Everything suddenly made sense,” Karmel recalls.

They chose Baguio for their wedding, a place rich in Karmel’s childhood memories and meaningful to her family. Their ceremony honored faith and Filipino tradition, from the veil and cord rituals to heirlooms worn with pride, Karmel in her mother’s wedding gown, lovingly restored, and Karlo in pieces passed down through generations.

“We honored Filipino traditions through the veil and cord ceremony, symbolizing unity, and protection, with our families actively involved. The cord we used was especially meaningful, it was the same cord used in the weddings of Karlo’s older sister Kaye and cousin Jessica. Our initials are now engraved alongside theirs, with one remaining space reserved for our cousin Kobe, continuing a shared family legacy.”, shares Karmel.

Sunflowers appeared throughout, a nod to their shared love for UP Diliman and Filipino heritage.
The reception unfolded as an intimate celebration of culture and connection. They chose a Modern Filipino theme to reflect their love for country and heritage; serving tsokolateng batirol, bibingka, puto bumbong, kwek-kwek, fishball, and other comforts reminiscent of Paskong Pilipino and UP Diliman.

Even the details told a story, from lechon sauce made with a Marfori family recipe to Pampanga-sourced ingredients honoring Karmel’s roots. Sunflowers dotted the room, and a cake inspired by the couple’s love for golf balanced playfulness with a classic all-white finish. “It looked chaotic on paper,” Karmel says, “but somehow it all came together.”

“Our wedding felt like home,” Karmel says. “Nothing forced. Just love, faith, family, and the beginning of our forever, together.”