It was the summer of 1992 when we met each other in Buklod ng Pag-ibig (BNP) Catholic Charismatic Community where both our parents were members. In 1993, the ministry had a summer outing at Valdez farms. We had many activities. In this farm, Ron wrote a letter to me saying that he felt something for me. He gave the letter when it was almost time to go, leaving no room for me to react. Since then, Ron kept communication lines open. He left for the states to finish high school. Despite the distance, Ron never forgot special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas and Valentines Day. He would send letters and even made long distance phone calls to keep in touch Ron left for the States while Giselle stayed on in Manila.

In 1994, my family went to the states for a vacation. I decided to call Ron to let him know I was in the states. He got the surprise of his life when he found out I was actually in D.C, just a few minutes away from Virginia. I, on the other hand was amazed how Ron transformed from being the boy she knew... to a handsome man... no more eye glasses... no more braces...

Despite the distance, we continued to keep in touch. In December 1994, Ron arrived in Manila to spend Christmas with his family. For almost a month, Ron expressed his love for me. I, on the other hand was just scared because of the fact that Ron will be leaving soon. On January 4, 1995, At Dean Street Cafe earlier that afternoon, Ron told me that he was leaving already and he wanted to know if I felt the same way for him too. I did, but I was hesitant to admit it yet because I knew Ron was leaving for the states in 2 days. After consulting with friends, I knew I couldn't deny the fact that I have also fallen for Ron.

That evening, I called Ron at home. They were having a despedida party for him."Ron, I need to to tell you something but I am shy"... this was my opening line."Sabihin mo na kasi. Ano ba yun?" Ron said. " Huwag nalang..." Then Ron asked " are you going to say that you love me too?" I said, "YES".

It was January 4, 1995, over the phone, our love and friendship took flight...


The Proposal

Happy Birthday Giselle! Today I turned 26. Weird, but the minute I got up, I knew this day would be extra special. Seems like the butterflies in my stomach never left na. Ron picked me up exactly at 12nn. He had beautiful white roses for me. They were very nice! He took me to Kaya, a korean restaurant along Jupiter St. He ordered so much food but for some reason, I can not eat. It must be the butterflies! Oh no, dumadami yung butterflies. Can't eat na. Can't even stand up. Poor Ron, he did not enjoy his lunch too. He had to take me home to rest.

That night, we invited some close family and friends over to have dinner at home. Just a simple celebration. After taking medicines, I felt a bit better-- but where was Ron? He texted me that he was going back to school for a while then home to change and that he was on his way to my house-- he arrived so late na. Around 9pm.

He handed me a puzzle box and said to me-- lets do the puzzle NOW. "But there are so many visitors, love, we can do the puzzle next time" was what I told him. Besides, the puzzle was 1000 pieces. How can we possibly finish doing the puzzle that night?! Ron was acting weird that night. He stayed with my friends from work. As I moved around, entertaining family and friends, I felt him gazing at me... I felt his eyes following me everywhere I went.

When everyone finally went home, Ron and I were left alone, in our family room. He was very quiet. I asked him if there was anything wrong... he said "wala naman". All of a sudden, he got down to his knees and asked me "Giselle, will you marry me"? I felt tears suddenly running down my cheeks as I replied "of course I will". We hugged and I felt Ron's love for me-- it was overwhelming. He then took out pieces of the puzzle he gave me ealier and in those pieces were the words "will you marry me"... no wonder he was so eager for me to complete the puzzle!

As I look back on that day, I will never forget the way Ron looked at me. It was as if I was the only thing that mattered to him...


Our Rings

Wedding preps began and we were so caught up with everything when we realized we had no rings yet! It was 6 months before the wedding, almost everything was in place except for the rings. We visited quite a number of jewelers, but none of them seemed to be able to make the design Ron had in mind. Ron wanted a simple band that had a groove but they were all telling him that it was just not possible.

Now just 5 months away, almost desperate-- I began to dig into piles of calling cards and brochures from wedding fairs we've attended. Luckily, I found the calling card of Matus. We set an appointment to meet with Alain and Mye at the Podium. Just in one meeting, they were able to visualize the design Ron wanted. They were so easy to talk to and this was something Ron and I liked with them. After a thorough discussion regarding the design and the cost, a contract was drawn and finally, we had a jeweler who agreed to the design Ron wanted—the question was if they will be able to make it just like what Ron had in mind. Two weeks after, Alain called and told me that Ron's ring was ready for pick up. We were both pleased with the outcome of Ron's ring. In that second meeting, I had my own ring made too. We are very satisfied and happy with our rings. We believed that if we were to wear them everyday for the rest of our lives, it is worth investing on. Matus was a good investment. We made the right choice.