“Be positive and grateful, and keep on looking forward”
By Misha Fabian
Iñigo Ramos and Sheena Que seem to have run in the same circles all their lives. Iñigo had gone to PAREF Southridge for grade school, while Sheena went to PAREF Woodrose. However, it wasn’t until they were in college that they met–when they joined the same carpool. They instantly became friends and soon found themselves belonging to the same barkada. They were both even part of the same closer inner circle. The two were good friends throughout college and stayed in touch even after graduation.
Romance only blossomed between them seven years later. Sheena was a practicing tax attorney at Reyes, Tacandong, and Co., while Iñigo was starting his own trading business following his stint at Deutsche Bank Malaysia. Iñigo requested Sheena to prepare and notarize a legal document for his business and when he came to pick it up, he noticed what a beautiful, professional woman she’d become. That was when sparks began to fly.
Their feelings heightened when they both attended a common friend’s wedding in Baguio. After all those years of being “just friends”, Iñigo finally asked Sheena out. They decided to give their relationship a try, and the rest is history! The pair dated for four years.
The key to their rock-solid relationship? Friendship! Both Iñigo and Sheena take pride in their solid friendship, which they believe was the foundation of their amazing relationship. It also helped that they were well-loved by each other’s families. Finally, Iñigo proposed last November 2019.
The Wedding
The couple had originally planned to have an intimate ceremony on the July 11, 2020, at Don Bosco Chapel on the Hill, followed by a reception at Antonio’s Tagaytay. They wanted to celebrate at Antonio’s because it was the place where they celebrated many of their milestones as a couple. However, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in their plans and they had to improvise.
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The couple still tied the knot on their initially planned date, and it was an intimate celebration in which they made the most of the situation. Iñigo’s parents and siblings were unable to fly in from the US and Singapore because of the travel restrictions. They attended the ceremony and reception virtually.
Despite the challenges they faced, Iñigo and Sheena were both very excited to get married despite these trying and unpredictable times. They still followed wedding traditions–they did not see each other the day before the wedding, had something new, something borrowed, and something blue!
While the couple is saddened that Iñigo’s parents and siblings could not physically be with them on their special day, they made the most of their situation and did their best to include Iñigo’s family in the planning and preparation of their wedding.
So, what was their biggest challenge in planning their wedding? Ensuring everyone’s safety. They needed to develop and devise a system that would allow for the least amount of physical contact possible, while still allowing the guests have a great time celebrating their union. To overcome their hurdle, the couple researched all the ways they could reduce contact. They distributed masks, face shields, and bottles of alcohol to every single attendee.
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The couple wants to have a grander wedding celebration in the future to renew their vows, and they hope to have all their loved ones with them when they do. The celebration would also be a thanksgiving party of sorts to express their gratitude for having been kept safe, healthy, and comfortable amid the pandemic.
Love truly knows no bounds. Sheena and Iñigo were determined to get married, and with their love for each other, they were able to overcome the obstacles thrown their way by the pandemic.
This is their advice to couples who are planning to get married or are getting married during these trying times: “Be positive and grateful, and keep on looking forward.” While they were unable to have the “wedding of their dreams” and execute it as they had initially planned, they are still ecstatic that they were able to get married and have a beautiful and meaningful ceremony.
