Kat’s got that Christian spirit

He’s 36 and she’s 33. And they’ve been going steady for two years (since Nov. 18, 2015), long enough for them to know each other pretty well.

“About time we settled down,” Christian Bautista told Conversations.

The soon-to-be Mrs. Christian Bautista is Kat Ramnani, one-fourth Filipino, one-fourth American, one-fourth Irish and one-fourth Indian. An amazing mix as you can see in the pictures on this and the “jump” pages, taken during the sweethearts’ journey around Europe, with a sojourn in Venice where Christian popped the de rigueur question “Will you marry me?” to which Kat readily said, “Yes!” That was last Oct. 30. 

As the excited Christian posted on his Facebook, “I wanted a picturesque spot to make the proposal. Should it be the cliffs of Santorini, the ancient sites of Athens or the romantic city of Florence? Places that were too public. So when we were back at the hotel eating cold pizza when it was just the two of us, that was where I asked her. No frills. Just real truth and real love. And she said yes.”

And, may I hasten to add, no drama, so unlike other celebrity proposals made at a crowded mall, on national television during the taping of a show, at the basketball court, at the airport or anywhere calculated to draw people’s attention.

For four years now, Kat has been Globe Telecom manager for Content and Strategic Partnerships of the Mobile Data Service division. After tucking up a Business Marketing & Communications degree from Santa Clara University, a private Jesuit university in Silicon Valley, California, Kat worked in the US for Google, and then at Apple and Facebook before she came home and joined Globe.

Christian talked about “how it all happened” in this exclusive Conversation.

Why did you choose Venice for the proposal? 

“I didn’t really choose a destination. I chose a time that felt right to do it. It so happened that we were in Venice at that time. After a long day of mishaps (caught late train, missed our boat), we had a really special moment where everything felt so right. That’s when I asked her.”

What were you in Venice for?

“We were there for vacation; we had been planning this holiday for a year. We explored Greece and Italy. We visited Athens, Santorini, Venice, Florence and Milan. We went to see the sights, ate good food, and shopped till we dropped.”

People might suspect that you just wanted to go with the “trend” of showbiz couples proposing. 

“I believe proposing is not a trend. It never is. It is a serious commitment.”

How did you meet and fall in love?

“We met a few years ago through common friends. We became friends at first. After a year and a half of being friends, we started dating and eventually, officially became a couple.

“We met in an Escape room (in Breakout Paragon Plaza, a recreation center in Mandaluyong City). It’s a game room where you and your friends discover ways and clues to reach the next room. It just so happened that later on in life we would find out that we were looking for each other.”

When did you realize that you were compatible and ready for marriage? 

“There’s a feeling in your gut, deep down, that will tell you that it’s time. Compatibility is all about finding someone that interprets love the same way you do. You both do your best to stick together and love each other despite different personalities and backgrounds. As for being ready for marriage, I believe it’s always about putting in the effort that both of you want to make it work all the time.”

What do you have in common (likes and dislikes, etc.)? 

“We both like eating good food and sourcing out the best restaurants when we travel. We love traveling. We love to talk about tech news and invest and support in kick-starter companies.

“We love animals and really corny jokes, and we love working out. We love to surf. She actually was the first person to teach me how to surf during a La Union birthday trip that she organized and planned for my family, friends, and me.”

What kind of wedding do you plan to have?

“We haven’t started with wedding planning yet. There’s so much that we need to do and we are still at the stage of asking advice and guidance from friends about it. But we want an intimate wedding with loved ones filled with lots of good food, love and laughter.” 

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)