Their non-negotiables were just family, good food, and documentation
Beers, bar chow, and talking until 7 AM was how it all started. Luis Hernandez and Carisa Cruz had common friends for a while, went to the same gym, but never formally met. They were introduced by a common friend and only really got around to talking months after. After their memorable first date that sounds like a movie script, Carrie says “It was the beginning of an adventure full of food trips, workout dates, concerts and gigs, traveling, and the list goes on.” On their third anniversary in 2020, Luis proposed to Carrie in front of their families.
Luis and Carrie started to plan their intimate wedding right away, an out-of-town wedding with 50 guests. By the end of 2020, they were set but the couple decided to move their wedding to Manila just three months away from their chosen date. Unfortunately, the restrictions for Metro Manila tightened and events were no longer allowed. With just three days to go till their wedding, “we went to sleep with no ceremony any reception venue,” Luis says.
Thankfully their family came to the rescue and Luis made sure Carrie was not stressed. The couple was married on July 27, 2021 at Carrie’s home in Cavite with their immediate families and principal sponsors only. They also credit their coordinator, Day One Project, for ensuring that the couple would still have a magical day despite the last minute changes–and a magical day it was!
Below, Luis and Carrie tell us how they navigated all the changes.
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Did you have a theme for your wedding?
CCH: We didn’t really have a theme in mind but my favorite color is navy blue, and Luis’ is olive green, so we just went with that. We also wanted it to be really simple and elegant, so we decided on having lots of whites and greens as well.
LH: As our date drew closer, the non-negotiables became more apparent. With the help of our coordinator and everyone’s safety as our top priority, we realized that we really just wanted to get married in front of both of our families, good food for everyone, and our photo-video suppliers to capture moments that we may miss while we’re busy enjoying the day.
Was this the original wedding plan pre-Covid?
LH: We got engaged during the pandemic, so our initial plan wasn’t so different from how our wedding day turned out. Initially, we planned an out-of-town wedding with a restaurant reception (we just wanted a nice dinner for everyone, no program or anything!) for 50 guests, all of whom were part of our immediate and extended families. We ended up having our ceremony in Carrie’s family home in Cavite with our families and sponsors present, which we realized later on was exactly what we wanted.
What were the challenges encountered during the wedding preparation?
CCH: From September 2020, we were looking at the trend of easing restrictions considering our wedding was going to be in July 2021 so planning was a breeze in the beginning. We ended 2020 with our venue, coordinator, photo and video suppliers booked, with not much left to plan for the next seven months. Come April, we decided to move the wedding to Manila for safety reasons and to make it easier for our families.
LH: Five days before our wedding day, IATF regulations changed from GCQ to GCQ with heightened restrictions and two days after that, we slept with no ceremony and reception venue as LGUs cancelled permits for events.
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How did you handle the challenges?
LH: We barely had 48 hours left to come up with a plan and we knew we couldn’t do it alone, so our families came to the rescue. They played a big part in how our big day turned out, and for that we are eternally grateful! We were also constantly in touch with our coordinator, who was able to simplify the situation for us–she knew what was necessary and what we could do without. We called our family members one by one to update them about the changes. I handled the changes in legal documents, while Carrie took care of other details for the wedding.
CCH: With all these workarounds for our day, our most glaring consideration was wanting everyone to be safe and comfortable.
How did you feel during the wedding? What were your most memorable moments from your wedding?
We were both so overwhelmed with the support and love we received from our families and suppliers-turned-friends. We had a lot on our mind but we decided to trust everyone as we knew they wanted this day to happen as much as we did. Our families and coordinators handled everything from dressing up Carrie’s home to making sure everyone was comfortable. As early as the night before, our coordinator Ge, reached out to us to reassure us that her team will take care of us on our special day and all we had to worry about was saying our I do’s. To say one part of the day was most memorable is a bit difficult as we both agree that despite the day going by so fast, we remember each detail vividly. It was as if everything was in slow motion. But if we were to choose one, it would be the message from our pastor reminding us what the day was really about.
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Please share your advice and tips for other couples who are planning to get married or will be getting in the time of a pandemic?
1. Always make sure to comply with IATF regulations, as well as the LGUs. Make sure minimum health protocols are in place and allot a budget for alcohol, face masks, and testing. When making decisions, keep everyone’s safety in mind.
2. If possible, don’t pay for anything in full until the day of the wedding. Read contracts carefully and double check terms and conditions of all suppliers. Always have contracts on-hand in case any changes need to be made.
3. Do the best you can but prepare to adjust, and know that it’s perfectly fine if not everything goes according to plan.
4. Compartmentalize–It’s really easy to be staggered by a long, complicated to-do list. Take a step back and try to break it down by order of importance. As you check things off that list, you will realize the things you really need to keep and the things you can forego.
5. Pray for guidance and clarity! When everything was getting a bit overwhelming, we prayed a lot and trusted that whatever happens, the day will turn out exactly as He planned.
