A love story rooted in home

Featuring Michael Angelo “Mickey” Fondevilla and Joy Antonette Manong

Some love stories take decades to unfold, and for Mickey and Joy theirs began in the classrooms of their childhood.

“We’ve known each other since preparatory school,” Joy shares. “We were classmates all the way from elementary to high school, and each other’s first and last love.”

After high school, life pulled them to different parts of the globe, Mickey to the US, Joy to the Middle East. Distance tested their love, but in 2019, a fiancée visa petition brought Joy to the US, where they had a civil wedding.

Plans for a church ceremony were delayed by the pandemic. In 2022, they welcomed their daughter Addie. “Once I finished school and Addie was old enough to travel, we knew it was time to make our dream come true,” Joy says.

They chose to wed in the Philippines, surrounded by family and friends who had witnessed their journey. The celebration was a beautiful blend of tradition and nature, a modern Filipiniana garden wedding in warm peach and earth tones.

Guests wore barongs and butterfly-sleeved dresses, adding a graceful harmony to the scene. “I’ve always wanted a Filipiniana gown and a garden setup,” Joy recalls. “The mix of traditional and natural elements made the day feel so ‘us.’”

Special touches reflected their heritage and hearts, Mickey in a full callado barong, Joy’s hair adorned with sampaguita-inspired accents, capiz details in the décor, solihiya chairs, and candlelit tables. Even the menu honored Filipino flavors, and their wedding invitation was written in Tagalog.

One deeply moving surprise came during the ceremony, when the priest announced it was the Feast of the Sacred Heart. “It felt like such a beautiful blessing for our marriage,” Joy says.

The couple gifted gold rosaries to their mothers, honoring their faith and prayers through the years.

At the reception in Plaza Guevarra, a slideshow of childhood photos and relationship milestones played, moments many guests had shared with them. “It wasn’t just a wedding,” Joy reflects.

“It was a reunion of people who had been part of our love story from the very beginning.”

The weather blessed them with sunshine for their garden cocktails, and laughter filled the air during the onsite photo booth sessions.

Their wedding was more than a celebration, it was a homecoming, a testament to enduring love, and a promise to pass on their heritage to their daughter.