“Andy’s one wedding request was for us to get married in the beach house he grew up in and we had an incredible dream team that made it happen,” recalls Thea Jacinto-Ugarte, who married the love of her life, Andy Ugarte, on March 18, 2017.

Most of their wedding planning was done remotely as both were still living in NYC at the time and Rachel Martelino of Bridesmaids and Co guided them through the entire destination wedding process. On the eve before their big day, the couple hosted a beachside bienvenida cocktail at Punta Fuego, Batangas, for their 250 guests, who travelled from relatively near (Manila) and far (the four corners of the globe).

The day of, Thea, stunning in her Pronovias gown and cape, and Andy, in his Barong Tagalog, exchanged vows at the Nuestra señora del Pilar Church. A special witness was their sweet mini long- haired dachshund, Alfie. At the beach home reception, they had cocktail areas spread throughout the house and garden accentuated by Thea’s favourite capiz strands suspended from trees and flowers by Floriade. everyone indulged in the pepitos and lechon from La Tasca and the three-tiered cake from The delightful Miss Joyce. Being that there wasn’t the usual venue restrictions, of course, everyone chatted and danced till the wee hours.