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No Reception All Pink Manila Wedding

No Reception All Pink Manila Wedding

It all started out as an interest in her dog’s puppies–or so she thought. Matthew Chua Tan met Suzanne Frances Pe de Asis at the vet when both brought their dogs for a checkup. “He showed interest in my then pregnant chowchow and started a small conversation. As a prospect client for my dog’s puppies, I eventually gave my number which I don’t normally do,” says Suzy.
Mat tried pursuing Suzy, which she shut down right away because she was unavailable. After what feels like fate bringing them together, a few more declines from Suzy, and a couple of years, Mat and Suzy got together in 2018 and he proposed on December 2020.Mat and Suzy were married on November 18, 2021 at The Manila Cathedral Basilica and opted out of celebrating with a reception. Suzy says their families felt it was the safer choice and the couple also saved themselves of the possible headache of possibly having to reschedule due to changing alert levels.

Below, Suzy talks about how they planned their no-reception ‘la vie en rose’ themed wedding:

Tell us your love story.
It was in 2015 when we first met at Animal House Clinic. We were both having our dogs (mine is chowchow and his is shih tzu) checked at the vet when he saw me at the cashier. He showed interest in my then pregnant ChowChow and started a small conversation. As a prospect client for my dog’s puppies, I eventually gave my number which I don’t normally do. I was about to leave the vet when he offered us a ride home; therefore, making me realize what his real intention was.

Two days after we met, he texted me and asked questions about my favorite places and favorite food. I honestly responded that I was unavailable then and that I cannot entertain him. He respected my reply, but insisted to remain friends on Facebook.

Fast forward to 2017, we randomly saw each other at church. He was about to leave and I was about to attend the next service. Again, by fate, we bumped into each other. We were both shocked and then I greeted him and he just smiled back.

It was in 2018 when he reached out again, after seeing my updated Facebook status. He asked about how I was and just remained constant. It took him a few declines before I agreed to a dinner and a movie. Since then, we just clicked. He proposed in December 2020 after two years of courtship.

Did you have theme or motif for your wedding?
Our theme is La Vie En Rose or “Life in Pink”. For me, pink represents happiness. Embracing the struggles I’ve been through, God made me stronger and helped me bloomed into the woman I am today.

Our plan was always just the church wedding only. However, we deviated from our initial wedding date of October 6, 2021 because Mat and his family were locked down (granular lockdown) at their townhouse.

We notice you didn’t have a reception. What made you decide to do away with it?
Both families decided not to proceed with the reception for everyone’s safety and also to save ourselves from the headache of having to postpone or move the date in lieu of government mandated lockdowns (level 3 and level 4). We both believe that the wedding ceremony is much more important than the celebration.

Our wedding coordinator also shared her experiences. Most of her clients who booked suppliers (hotel, florist, production) were having a hard time in aligning the suppliers’ schedules as they were affected by the lockdown level alerts in the metro. Some even opted for civil weddings and then later, think of options on how they can consume their non-refundable downpayments.

What were the challenges you encountered while planning your wedding?
The biggest challenge was in finding a new date after being locked down. First, the schedule of suppliers. Second, the availability of church.

How did you handle the challenges?
Mat thought of changing the church in order to get the date that we wanted since Christ the King was unavailable for November 18, 2021. Also, it was no longer an option to have it in early 2022 as one of my bridesmaids will be leaving for the US in December. We called all the churches available in Manila, Makati and San Juan.

The only available church for November 18 3 PM was The Manila Cathedral. The next thing we did was to reserve the date. The Manila Cathedral told us they do not accept bookings in such short time, but after hearing our plea, they reviewed our files and accepted us.

How did you feel during your wedding?
I felt the abounding grace and love of God. I don’t deserve anything yet he answered my greatest and longest prayer of having my own family. That day, He took my scars and replaced it with joy. My cup overfloweth.

What were your most memorable moments from your wedding day?
The most unforgettable moment was when Mat removed my veil and kissed me the first time as his wife. Seeing his face beam with joy is just priceless.

Please share your advice for other couples planning their wedding.
Keep the wedding celebration simple. It’s best to save up for your future life together. The wedding is just a day, the important part is the marriage, which will last a lifetime. Do not spend what you cannot afford.

Book suppliers with years of credentials to assure quality and timeline compliance.

Best to invest in good photographers and videographers as they are the ones who’ll document your biggest day.

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