How this couple DIY-ed their wedding this pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — For most couples, tying the knot in the middle of a pandemic is not an easy ordeal.

But several couples have proven that love can conquer all, even a pandemic.

Bride Nikka Angela Matibag shared that she originally planned to get married with now husband Marvin Marasigan on December 20 at their favorite go-to place as a couple, a chapel atop a hill in Baguio City. However, when the coronavirus pandemic happened, the couple had to change plans and went through challenges.

“Because of the pandemic, it became a struggle for Marvin’s parents to fly home. We were also worried about whether other people can also make it to our wedding given the ‘new normal.’ I told Marvin that I don’t want to march the aisle without his parents and my closest friends to witness it so we just decided to do civil wedding first,” Matibag shared.

In light of this, Matibag and Marasigan made some adjustments to make their dream wedding come true with only three weeks of preparation time.

The bride shared that they had to plan and do everything by themselves because she had no event coordinator and they only had a little time.

After choosing the date, which was October 8 this year, the couple proceeded to DIY (do-it-yourself) their wedding.

Matibag shared the rundown of the things they DIY-ed:

Location

“We searched and booked the place ourselves using Airbnb,” the bride said.

In looking for a venue, Matibag said the first thing that they considered was that it should be near their house.

“We were lucky we have this beautiful property just few kilometers away so all of our guests, who are mostly relatives and friends, didn’t have a hard time going to the venue. The venue was perfect. It has a nice pool with a view and the wind was so crisp and cool,” she shared.

Theme

The Marasigan couple did not follow a theme for the wedding. They just opted for a dreamy, classy and intimate vibe.

“So the glass house with a breathtaking view, the beautiful indoor lights, all the fresh flowers, and the cold Baguio-like weather all contributed to the overall look and ambiance of the place,” Matibag said.

Dessert corner

For the dessert corner, Matibag said that she was very hands-on with the design and execution of the sweets, citing that she carefully thought all of them. This includes a three-tier decorated cake with fresh flowers as main wedding cake, quarantine-themed cake and flower-themed cupcakes and lollicakes.  

“I also included a couple quarantine-themed cake just so when we look back, we can be reminded that our wedding happened during the pandemic,” she added.

Program (emcee and singer)

On the other hand, for the wedding program, the couple did not went far and chose those close to them to take charge.

Matibag asked her best friend to arrange the program who also served as the host.

She also hired a violinist who auditioned to her online, while also sending links to his YouTube channel. Another guest, who is a natural singer, also serenaded the guests.

“I’m lucky that my best friend was born talented and can 'wear many hats.' She served as our emcee during the wedding, and it was quite memorable because she also hosted my debut more than a decade ago,” the bride said.

Because the groom’s parents could not fly to the Philippines, they just played a recorded message for the couple.

Giveaways

The couple individually sourced the content of their  giveaway box.

"Marvin picked up each item from different places before finally putting them together," the bride said.

The box contained mugs, coffee beans, pure honey and minimalist cakes with thank-you notes for the guests.

Having successfully staged a wedding with a limited time while also juggling it with work, Matibag said that it was a fulfilling moment to see them all together.

"Even with restrictions, we still manage to achieve the wedding we have imagined. We barely slept throughout the whole planning but everything was worth it. Through it all, I’ve confirmed how good of a team we made. I’m proud how we managed the pressure and I celebrate these little discoveries we see from each other," she said. 

The new couple said that when you really want to make things happen, you defy the odds.