Chinee had her heart broken many times through the years when she and Mark dated. Her family went through financial difficulties and their house was submerged in flood waters during typhoon Ondoy. They eventually lost the same house—and everything in it—to a fire in the early hours of November 15, 2014. That was a date to remember for all the wrong reasons. But Mark, being the optimist that he is, decided to erase the bad memories of that day and replace them with good ones.
Weddings
Mark & Chinee
A CHANGE OF FORTUNE
Santuario San Antonio and Shangri-la at the Fort
Five years later, Mark and Chinee got married. When the couple started their preparations, they were dead set on making their wedding classic and timeless. Chinee thought of what to give Mark for a wedding gift. She didn’t think of an expensive one, and wanted it to be something personal. A year before their wedding, she had kept a diary for Mark. Every night, she would sit at her desk and write about the things she wanted to tell him. She documented each day that went by with either happy or sad jottings marked by honesty and sincerity. The diary with her personal thoughts was the most significant wedding gift she could ever give to Mark. It also became the inspiration of the couple’s wedding giveaways—blank notebooks that can be used as journals.
Both Mark and Chinee wanted everything about their wedding day to be light and uncomplicated. They shied away from lavish decorations, color requirements for guests, and the much-dreaded singles games. Instead, the couple pushed for beautiful centerpieces in place of ceiling decorations. They even told guests to wear any color they like. Mark chose the main color motif—it was celadon, referring to the glaze of traditional porcelain wares in Korea, one of newlyweds’ favorite countries to visit.
As for Chinee’s dress, she has an affinity for truly Filipino items, so she opted for a piña silk gown. With her mom, Chinee went to Lumban, Laguna to have customized piña cocoon cloth for the attires of the flower girls. Mark, meanwhile, used his late grandfather’s cufflinks, which he specifically asked from his grandmother. The engagement ring is encrusted with a precious stone from the wedding ring of Mark’s grandmother, and surrounded by gemstones from the wedding ring of Chinee’s mother.
The reception ended later than expected. To the couple’s surprise, hardly any of their guests was in the mood to go home yet. They were joined by most of their friends and family at the after-party. For them, this was proof that people were having a good time. Mark’s dad hired a singer-guitarist, and their guests started volunteering to sing their preferred songs. The night turned into a round of spontaneous rockeoke. Indeed, it was all that the newlyweds had hoped for. Their recently married peers would tell them that they hardly remember what happened during their wedding day, but Mark and Chinee’s wedding was, in hindsight, a real epiphany. Both were determined to make November 15 into a cheery, effortless day of good memories and new beginnings with the people who are important to them. In fact, they knew that they had succeeded in achieving that goal. Because November 15 has now become a date to remember for all the right reasons.
Cake:
Penk Ching
Invitation:
Amis Print
Event Styling:
Spruce Floral Designs
Photography:
Jeff And Lisa Photography
Videography:
Notion In Motion
Gown:
Veluz
Suit:
Francis Libiran
Entourage Gowns:
Herald Salas
Photobooth:
Baicapture
Music:
Manila String Machine
Host:
Atom Ungson
Cocktail Snacks:
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs
Makeup:
Paolo Castillon
Hair:
Tatin Manalo
Groom’s:
Hair Jun Lape
Sponsor’s Gifts:
Authentic Woods
Giveaways:
Anoresa And Lilia Aseron
Lights & Sounds:
Forsc Ink