‘Our day was so casual and it was really just a day to celebrate us’
Aaron Ricabo met Mickey Sulit were classmates in the same university, but neither of them new they were in the same class till they met at a church gathering held at Mickey’s home. “From day one, I saw Aaron as a friend but Aaron viewed our relationship differently,” says Mickey. “He pursued and courted me for seven months and I kept rejecting him until one day, God told me to give him a chance.”
That chance turned into four years of dating and of course, a proposal. Aaron, a digital communications officer, and Mickey, a social media officer, were planning for a wedding by the mountains with 100 guests. “Unfortunately, due to the sudden re-introduction of COVID restrictions, we had to strip down our wedding to just 12 people. We didn’t want to wait any longer so we just decided to push through with an intimate celebration,” Mickey says.
On September 30, 2021, Aaron and Mickey were married in Canberra, Australia, and by 7pm, the Ricabos were in their Airbnb, dressed in their pajamas, enjoying burgers because the restrictions meant they could not have a reception. “How good is that?!? If we had a normal reception, we would have to worry about going around and mingling with family and friends,” says Mickey.
Below, Mickey talks more about the decision they made to push through with their elopement and why “it was perfect the way it was”.
Did you have a theme or motif for your wedding?
Yes, the theme was timeless and classic so all of the guests had to wear white.
Why did you choose to elope?
The original plan was to have an outdoor ceremony and reception by the mountains with 100 guests. Unfortunately, due to the sudden re-introduction of COVID restrictions, we had to strip down our wedding to just 12 people. We didn’t want to wait any longer especially after the whole engagement situation so we just decided to push through with an intimate celebration.
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The intimate wedding turned out to be so beautiful and simple and we wouldn’t want it any other way! We highly recommend it because there was no stress with guests, family politics, and the logistics of the day. Our day was so casual and it was really just a day to celebrate us–and that’s what a wedding should really be about.
Would you do anything differently, in hindsight?
If we waited a few more weeks, we would’ve been able to invite a few more guests but honestly, it was perfect the way it was.
What were the challenges encountered during the wedding preparation?
COVID was a big factor. Having to take into account our guests’ safety was our number one priority. Second was the guest list. We had to stick to a budget so we had to be very wise with the guest list. Lastly, family traditions. There were certain things we didn’t want to do but somehow we had to meet some of family members’ expectations.
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How did you handle the challenges?
Lots of prayer. We always had to step back and reflect and choose our battles. We had to remind ourselves that planning a wedding shouldn’t cause division but rather unite us. Planning a wedding should be an exciting time and not a stressful one.
How did you feel during the wedding?
We were both very nervous but we were more excited. After everything we’ve been through, we were just excited to be with each other!
What were your most memorable moments from your wedding?
The most memorable moment was when we were driving to our Airbnb straight after our simple wedding ceremony. It was just us two in the car and it was sinking in that, that was officially the beginning of our new life together. Since we didn’t (and we couldn’t) have a reception, we just had burgers delivered to our Airbnb for dinner. It was just us two having a simple dinner at 7pm in our pajamas on our wedding night–how good is that?!? If we had a normal reception, we would have to worry about going around and mingling with family and friends.
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The best part was that we got to enjoy each others company as husband and wife on our wedding day without being too tired and without having to meet our guests’ expectations. (Watch Aaron and Mickey’s elopement video here.)
Do you have advice for couples planning their pandemic wedding?
Our advice is to focus on each other–nothing else matters! Don’t be afraid to break tradition, do whatever you want. It’s your big day and you only get to do it once so do it right.
Think about your guests. Their safety is important so don’t do something that would make your guests feel uncomfortable.
