The not-so-typical pair met under typical circumstances in 2005, when they were asked to judge the Mister and Miss Medicine pageant at the University of Santo Tomas. Hayden, who had been welcomed with applause (“It was my birthday,” he confirms), instantly caught Vicki’s eye. “I decided to introduce myself,” she recalls. “I found out he was the president of the interns’ association of the Makati Medical Centre, as well as Mr UST and a member of the varsity basketball team. He was a bit of a star, really.” She invited Hayden, who intended to become a plastic surgeon after graduating, to visit her clinic to learn the ropes.

To this day, they are still unsure of when the tides shifted and things turned romantic; they simply got on very well and liked each other’s company. “We had our own little world,” shares Hayden. “We were happy in the bubble that we’d created for ourselves.” They kept their relationship on the downlow, but someone saw them at a party and spilt the beans. And, despite the stigma, they soldiered on.

Marriage had not been in the cards for the couple. Vicki, who was previously married, made a vow to herself that she would not do it again. Hayden, who had dreams of a wedding of his own, respected her decision. “We were happy together, but I did have intentions of letting him go so he could find his future wife,” says Vicki. “At that stage, we were going through so many things. Because society does not really approve of older women dating younger men, even those close to us had their doubts. And it took its toll on Hayden, too. Around his peers, he was a big deal. But in some of my circles, he would be dismissed. When we were alone together, we were alright. When we had to mingle, things would grow difficult.”

Plans And Setbacks

Hayden first proposed to Vicki in Houston, Texas in 2011, but challenges came aplenty and plans would fall to the wayside. Everything was put on indefinite hold. It would take faith and the arrival of their little girl, Scarlet Snow, to change their outlook towards marriage. “Before I became a Christian, spirituality had no influence on me,” shares Hayden. “I did, however, understand the value of marriage; I knew that it was sacred. Because we wanted to honour God and give Scarlet a complete family, we decided that it was finally time.”

They were originally set to tie the knot at an earlier date. Javi Martinez of Yaparazzi Events had been tapped as wedding director, a concept for the invitation had been drawn up, and the bride-to-be even had a selection of gowns just waiting to be worn. Hayden says, “We had a new problem we needed to settle. I myself was not ready; I had to go through another fine-tuning, so to speak.” The couple then turned to their spiritual advisor and mentor, renowned Christian apologist Dr Ravi Zacharias, for guidance.

“It was a difficult cycle—we kept breaking up and making up,” recalls Vicki. “Dr Ravi called one day and said, ‘I’m getting tired of the two of you. You have to either decide to break up or decide to get married, but you can’t keep doing this.’ And he sent us the best reconciliators (people who help resolve disputes in Christian churches), even flying them in from the United States and Australia. We sat down with them from eight in the morning to eight in the evening for five and a half days in January. They instructed us not to see nor contact each other for six months. After that we would re-convene and decide whether we would stay together or break up for good. But we were unable to stay apart.” They were wed in a civil ceremony in June, with preparations for their church wedding in Paris already underway. 

The couple chose Dr Ravi, who had been highly instrumental in their reconciliatory process, to offciate their marriage. “You have to book Dr Ravi in advance because he has so many engagements,” Hayden adds. “When he gave us a date, we immediately penciled it in. He knows us so well, and he had been cheering us on all this time. Aside from that, we really wanted our friends to listen to him speak.”

Selecting the perfect venue would also prove to be a challenge. They scoured Paris for hotels, but none had the space to accommodate their growing guest list, which had ballooned to 250. Vicki’s sister, Karen Cancio-Litre, had been the one to bring up the idea of holding it at the Palais Garnier. When they went for the ocular, Vicki was instantly enamoured by the opulent interiors. But the Palais Garnier was a government institution, and faith-related events were not allowed to be held within its walls.

“It was a highly stressful situation,” recalls Vicki. “We were to have the wedding proper at the American Church in Paris, but we did not have any alternative venues for the reception. I just wanted to give up, but Javi really pushed for it. He kept going and going, and was somehow able to negotiate those tough terms and conditions. The amount of effort he put into making this happen is truly commendable.” As a surprise for the guests, the Palais Garnier was kept under wraps until hats bearing its coordinates (48.8720 N, 2.3316 E) were handed out at the welcome dinner.

The invitations were intricate and personal. Conceptualised by the couple, the gold- embossed creation was realised by illustrator Trish Gesilva-Ong and graphic designer Patria David. The illustrations depict Hayden, Vicki, and Scarlet (with her lamb, Isaiah) with some of their favourite things: a Birkin bag, a pair of Valentino shoes, a camera, and books, to name a few. Religious symbols as well as some of the couple’s favourite verses (Romans 8:28 and Ecclesiastes 4:17) were incorporated into the drawings. A board insert inscribed with the Canticle of Love and a map showing Parisian landmarks illustrated by Robert Alejandro of Papelmeroti were also included.

A special occasion calls for an equally special gown, and Vicki was given not just one but four Michael Cinco creations to choose from. Handmade by 11 seamstresses, her beautiful blush wedding gown with a three-metre train was made of French lace and fully embroidered baroque pattern, beaded with transparent and rose opal Swarovski crystals. A veil and a bouquet of white Lily of the Valley would complete her elegant look. And just like her mum, Scarlet Snow had custom dresses of her own for the big day, by couture children’s wear brand Mischka Aoki.

The couple chose Cartier’s Trinity for their wedding rings. “There will be three in our marriage: myself, Hayden, and God. The rings join to create a bond that is hard to break,” explains Vicki.

To Have and To Hold

On 2 September 2017, the lovely bride walked down the aisle on the arm of son Quark Henares, to the song “With You” from the musical Pippin, to meet her dapper groom. Cristalle Belo-Pitt and Piolo Pascual served as the readers, while Jodi Sta Maria and Derek Ramsay were the candle sponsors. Andrew Elias Tan-Chi and Nathaniel James Alcasid were the Bible and ring bearers, respectively; Zia Dantes, Taylen Tan-Chi, and their very own Scarlet Snow were the flower girls. Philippine Tatler EIC Anton San Diego was the best man and Karen Cancio-Litre was the maid of honour.

For many of the guests, the exchange of vows—deeply and truly moving—was the highlight of the wedding. Vicki, who had committed her vows to memory and heart, professed her love to her husband, saying, “When I was at my ugliest, when I couldn’t even look at the mirror because I was so ugly in my mind, I would look at my reflection in your eyes, and you would always make me feel beautiful and desirable.” And Hayden’s promise to his wife? That he would love her fully and exclusively. He vowed, “You are my beloved, Vicki. There is nothing you can do that can make me not love you. Even if I lose the friendship of everyone else, I will be on your side, by your side, and we will sort things out together as we trust God for guidance.”

 After the ceremony, the guests were shuttled off to the Palais Garnier, where they were greeted by a red carpet and a crowd of cheering onlookers. Additional security had to be called in, but the couple was highly appreciative of the support shown to them by the Filipino community in Paris. Adds Vicki, “They were very sweet. Someone even wrote me that they were so proud of us for being able to mount a wedding at the Palais Garnier because it really is no easy feat.”

Event stylist Robert Blanca or and florist Anne Vitchen of The Ritz Paris collaborated on a set-up that would complement the ornate interiors. From the bouquets that lined the Grand Staircase to the arrangements atop the gold mirrored tables at the Grand Foyer, the sight was a majestic one to behold. “The group that was to use the venue after us asked permission to borrow our design,” says Hayden. “When we agreed, they ended up scrapping their own.”

One of the most magical moments of the night was the couple’s first dance, which was done on the Grand Staircase. Hayden and Vicki, who had changed into a white Tom Ford tux and a pale blue Mark Bumgarner gown, respectively, danced a waltz choreographed by Lala Dinglasan to the tune of “Take Me as I Am,” which they had recorded and sang themselves. “Our rehearsal period for both the dance and vocal recording was very short,” recalls Vicki. “We had one voice lesson a week for three months, and about six dance rehearsals. And I was quite scared because the floor was very slippery, and I never really got to practice with the gown on. There was this one dance step I was only able to perfect on the wedding itself, all in large thanks to Hayden being a supportive partner.”

Guests were then ushered into the Grand Foyer for dinner, which was prepared by prestigious French catering service Potel et Chabot. Serenades from opera singers as well as performances from Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez served as the night’s entertainment.

Anton and Karen, two people who, according to Vicki, know and understand them very well, stood to deliver touching speeches. But the true surprise was that Hayden’s father, who is known to be a reserved man, had elected to speak at the last minute. “This meant so much to Hayden,” shares Vicki. “No boy becomes a man until his father anoints him as one, and for him to say how proud he was of Hayden was such a big deal.” The night’s festivities capped off with a post-reception party that went on until the wee hours of the morning. 

“We truly enjoyed our wedding; we did not feel as if we were performing for an audience,” Hayden professes. “And we were so touched that so many of our friends and family took the time to fly out and be with us on our special day. Some—Piolo, Jodi, Alden [Richards], and Bryanboy—had engagements, but flew in overnight to take part. And Derek and Joanne [Villablanca] went the extra mile after a flight mishap to make it. We really cannot thank everyone enough.”

Though they have been together for over a decade, married life—a union blessed by God—marks a new chapter in Hayden and Vicki’s lives. And though the future is uncertain, it is one they will walk together. As Hayden promised his wife, “walang iwanan”—“ I will never leave you.

Photography by Joel Serrato, Jose Villa team, and Marc Henrich Go | Art Direction by Anton San Diego