We first met at San Carlos Town Center Mall. Laurence had his signature serious face, while I brought my fun personality into the mix. While waiting for me, he was busy researching restaurants and places to eat, but the moment he saw me, he said he nervously closed all his tabs, deleting all his careful planning.

Of course, I didn’t come just to date for fun—I started observing him closely that day. We ended up dining at Shakey’s, which became our special tradition every year on this day. Over pizza and conversation, his poker face slowly started to loosen up. Afterward, we explored a new food spot where he became more talkative and relaxed.

He gave me thoughtful little gifts—a pair of wired earphones, the lipstick I had been searching for, and a hard drive. Hours passed quickly, and we finally said goodbye. He insisted on walking me to my siblings, Sam and Dianne, who got to meet him briefly before he left. That day marked the start of our journey together and why we chose October for our wedding.

We were celebrating my brother’s graduation, and I teasingly invited Laurence. He didn’t hesitate and promised he would come—even though I warned him that my father’s side relatives would also be there.

On the day, he arrived prepared, bringing a huge cake and big pizzas. I remember seeing him nervously walking in, sweating and juggling all the food. While I can’t recall the exact introductions—he politely greeted everyone—he fit right in. Before leaving, he had a talk with my parents, answering the usual questions that parents ask a suitor to get to know him. Hours passed, and we finally said our goodbyes.

After that day, he would often come to our house, and we started dating more regularly. He would hire a local tricycle driver to pick me up from our home, so I never had to commute. That day marked a special step in our journey together and affirmed his sincere intention in pursuing me.

Before Valentine’s Day, Laurence assured me he’d come by before I started work. I was surprised to see a bunch of gifts and a rose waiting for me in the tricycle—I couldn’t help but feel butterflies inside me.

We had breakfast at Jozo Cafe, a cozy spot near my workplace. Before eating, I opened the gifts one by one and was touched to find a letter written on both sides of a small piece of paper. I couldn’t believe how all his heartfelt words fit in such a tiny space! He gave me sandals, a white dress, the letter, and a rose—making my first Valentine’s Day with him truly unforgettable. After breakfast, he brought me to my workplace, which made the morning feel even more special.

Our birthdays are so close—mine on April 3, 1997, and Laurence’s on April 5, 1996—with April 4 sitting right in between, the day we share the same age.

Laurence had just bought his car in December 2021, but he couldn’t drive it yet. By March, he eagerly learned so he could surprise me. Thirty minutes before midnight on my birthday, he picked me up from work and gave me a huge teddy bear, my very first one!

On my birthday, April 3, we went to church with my family and spontaneously decided to go to the beach, enjoying a fun and happy day together. Also that evening, we also dropped by the St. Vincent Ferrer Statue with my siblings and shared a simple, quiet moment there. The next day, April 4, we celebrated our ‘same age’ day with another date—this time at Bueracay, where we stayed, ate, talked about life, and simply had so much fun together.

Even on Laurence’s birthday, April 5, we kept the celebrations going—I sent him a birthday cake while he was at work, making it another joyful day for us.

Since April had become such a special month for us, I felt like it was the perfect month to finally make us officially together as a couple, so I decided to surprise Laurence with a gift that would say ‘yes’—our own special way of beginning our relationship.

It was a summer afternoon at 2 PM. Before going to Binmaley, I asked Laurence if we could first stop by Pagal to pick up the gift I ordered for my youngest sister’s upcoming birthday on the 24th. He casually said, ‘no worries,’ not knowing that the gift was actually for him. We had a little mishap trying to locate the seller’s place—We both assumed we were already in Barangay Pagal, not realizing we had actually ended up in Barangay Tandoc. We waited there for about 15 minutes before I realized our mistake. Laughing at our lapses, we finally found the right address, and Laurence picked up the gift, which was neatly tied with a ribbon. Without any curiosity, he just placed it on the car seat, and we drove off to Binmaley still laughing about our missed location.

As we dined at The Yellow Beach Villas in Binmaley, it suddenly rained. After we had our food, I then handed him the gift we picked up. He was surprised to realize that it is a customized gift for him. As he was opening it, I almost started crying just before he could read the word ‘yes.’ He was completely shocked, teary-eyed, and couldn’t believe it—he said he didn’t see it coming. He hugged me tightly and, with so much sincerity, thanked me for finally saying yes after months of patiently pursuing me. On our way home, he was still overjoyed—like on cloud nine—smiling the whole time as he drove me back. Later that evening, we dropped by JB De Guzman Restaurant to celebrate my youngest sister’s birthday in advance. We didn’t announce it yet to my family, but we shared quiet, happy glances at each other, knowing in our hearts that we were now officially together.

To celebrate our first anniversary, Laurence entrusted me to plan our itinerary. I booked our hotel and lined up restaurants and tourist spots in Bolinao. One of our first stops was the Enchanted Cave, where we explored and swam together before ending the night with a dip at Villa Soledad Beach Resort's pool. Despite a little hiccup—his toothache that kept him from fully enjoying our night swimming—he felt better the next morning, and we carried on with Dianne, my youngest sister who came as our chaperone. The next day, we headed to Camp Puor and were amazed by its breathtaking view. We also tried out different trendy restaurants, enjoying good food and great company all throughout the trip.

But one of the highlights for me was when Laurence surprised me with a big photo frame filled with memories of our one year together—so sweet and unexpected of him. We exchanged gifts, shared laughter, and made memories that made our first anniversary truly unforgettable.

During Monic's birthday, his sister, Laurence introduced me to his mom and two female siblings. I was so nervous but came prepared. Just two minutes before reaching their home, the cake slipped off the car seat due to a sudden brake. Seeing it fall, tears started to well up, and I had to stop myself—I couldn’t let myself meet them with a crying face!

Thankfully, his family was so sweet and kind, and they didn’t mind the mishap at all. We later dined at Matutina’s-Gerry’s Seafoods on De Venecia Road, Dagupan, and I didn’t feel out of place even for a moment. That day was the beginning of my bond with his family.

For our second anniversary, Laurence entrusted me again to plan the itinerary, and we chose Baguio City—my alma mater—so I thought I’d guide him through everything. But he had a surprise planned that completely caught me off guard.

Despite some delays due to work and other things, he still managed to surprise me. We set up a video to capture memories for the future, arranging the background, table, food, and wine together. As I tried to look cute for the video, he set up the background music—and then played our song, “When I Met You.”

The moment the song started, I got emotional. He came closer, grabbed my hand, and led me to dance, singing along and making me even more emotional. After the song, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a wallet, which confused me. Then he pulled out another item—a box

Still puzzled, I watched as he knelt and opened the box to reveal a ring, asking in a shaky voice, “Will you marry me?” I was in complete awe, asking him multiple times if he was serious. My knees felt weak from the surprise, and after nearly five minutes, I said, “Oo naman, syempre!” He placed the ring on my finger, and I couldn’t stop crying—the reality hit me that he was truly marrying me.

For this special evening, Laurence let me choose the place to dine, and this time both our families were present. We planned to announce that we had been engaged for two months, making the evening even more meaningful. My Aunt from the USA, who is like a second mom to me, was also there, making it a perfect celebration.

Just before the day, I couldn’t help but share the news with my two sisters. They were overjoyed, emotional, and excited for their Ate, and that’s when the second surprise proposal began.

It was a rainy evening, and Laurence arrived with his family. As he saw me, he handed me a huge bouquet of roses—his signature style of giving the biggest and most thoughtful gifts. We dined at Conrad’s on De Venecia Road, Dagupan, and during dinner, Laurence with a hint of nerves, told everyone that we were engaged and soon to be married. Everyone celebrated happily, sharing in our excitement and wedding plans.

Afterward, Laurence suggested a night walk on the beach. Initially, I was confused why Bonuan Beach, but I went with the flow. Walking hand in hand, I noticed a kubo with candlelight. We approached, and to my surprise, our song “When I Met You” was playing. Inside, a heart-shaped candlelight setup with “Marry Me” letters awaited me.

With our families as witnesses, Laurence knelt on the sand, pulled out a ring, and asked again, “Will you marry me?” Overwhelmed with emotion, we shared the moment together while our families celebrated around us. That night became yet another unforgettable and historic moment in our relationship.