Kane and Yuri

CEBU, Philippines - A love that was founded on friendship and mutual interest in architecture was celebrated last Sunday, March 26, at the Sacred Heart Parish, Cebu City.

Their story began like any other. Christian Ed Kane Chua, a Filipino-Chinese architect, was introduced to Nam Min Young (Yuri) by a friend. Yuri, a Korean national, came to Cebu to establish a business. As fate would have it, Kane had the same thing in mind. Together with their business partners and colleagues, the two set up their furniture design company in 2014.

In the months that passed of being business partners, Kane and Yuri got to know each other well and found out that they had more things in common aside from architecture. Kane admired Yuri’s compassion towards Filipino workers and her efforts in reaching out to them.

Despite the cultural differences, Kane and Yuri fell in love with each other and in the process have come to embrace each other’s ethnicity. In an effort to relate to each other’s culture, the groom learns Korean while the bride learns Cebuano. Kane says that their willingness to compromise is what made their relationship strong.

After dating for two years, Kane was certain that Yuri was the one for him and felt that it was the right time to settle down. He popped the big questionto Yuri on Election Day last year.

The dashing Kane Chua wed his lovely bride, Yuri, in a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony at his favorite church. Chinese customs were also incorporated in the wedding rites like the lighting of incense sticksor the nuptial bow.

Yuri walked down the aisle in a custom-made Dexter Alazas creation, a crystallized bridal gown with layers of illusion tulle fit for royalty. For his part, Kane wore a red suede tux by the same atelier.

The lovely affair was attended by the couple’s closest friends and relatives. Yuri’s family and friends came all the way from Korea to witness the couple’s celebration of eternal love.

From the church, the wedding guests headed to the Santa Maria Ballroom of Radisson Blu Cebu, decorated in ethereal white flowers and ornaments, for the reception and sumptuous dinner.