Lara Quigaman and Marco Alcaraz have been married for almost a decade now.
Most showbiz fans would remember that Lara and Marco got married on July 8, 2012, at Hacienda Isabella in Cavite.
But it was only revealed recently that they actually had a "secret" civil wedding in Vancouver, Canada on January 1, 2011.
Back then, the media had yet to know about their engagement.
In fact, it was only weeks after the civil wedding that Lara and Marco made their engagement public.
REMEMBERING THE CAVITE WEDDING
On July 8, 2020, Lara and Marco took to their YouTube vlog to relive their wedding day in Cavite and reflect on their marriage.
"Nung kinasal kami ni Marco, nung July 8 sa Silang, Cavite, buntis na ako kay Noah nang almost five months," Lara recalled, taking out her wedding dress designed by Veejay Floresca.
The couple's wedding vows contained the announcement that they were expecting their first child. It was news they had kept secret until that very moment.
"Naalala ko pa na parang a week before ng wedding, parang ilang beses yata ina-adjust ni Veejay itong gown kasi every time na ifi-fit ko, hindi na niya masara iyong likod.
"Ang galing ni Veejay kasi hindi talaga napansin ng mga tao na malaki na tiyan ko nung suot ko ito."
Lara also made the request of designing the dress wth a slit, so that the focus would be there instead of her tummy area.
Marco wore a Randy Ortiz suit.
To this day, he still wears the suit jacket to hosting gigs.
Marco recalled feeling nervous that day since it appeared to rain non-stop.
He recounted, "Iyong room kung saan ako nagste-stay, kita mo kung may mga tao na ba o wala pa.
"Bakit wala pa mga tao? Malapit na mag-four? Pero bakit wala pa mga tao? So, iyong tibok ng puso sobrang bilis na, di ba?
"'Tapos sabi ko, 'Lord, sayang naman Lord. Iyong gastos namin dito, napakamahal ng wedding, 'tapos wala man lang iyong mga na-invite natin di ba?'"
Lara, for her part, was much calmer than her husband that afternoon.
Anticipating the Pinoy habit of arriving later than the agreed time to an event, Lara said they intentionally set their wedding at four o'clock so that people would be on time for the real ceremony that was set at five o'clock.
"Knowing kasi mga Pinoy, alam mo na Filipino time, ang ginawa namin talaga ang start ng ceremony talaga five o'clock. Para four o’clock magdatingan lang ng mga tao," she said.
Referring to the rain, Lara continued, "Quietly, I was really praying. Ako, at peace lang ako kasi I really knew that the rain would stop."
Lara and Marco had no second venue option for that day.
If the rain continued until the ceremony, they would accept the fact that they would be soaking wet since the wedding was held out in the open.
But the rain stopped on time.
Lara said, "And God was really good and sobra iyong favor niya during that day, kasi bago talaga mag-five o'clock tumigil umulan."
Lara and Marco also took the opportunity to thank their wedding guests once more.
Marco remarked, "Gusto ko rin kunin ang opportunity na ito to thank lahat ng mga ninongs and ninangs, relatives namin, lahat ng guests na pumunta kasi sobrang effort pumunta doon."
Lara added, "Oo, malayo kasi sa Silang, Cavite, and Sunday iyon. Family day.
"Sobra iyong gift of presence dahil nga alam natin kung gaano kalayo.
"Iyong pagpunta nila, iyon na iyong regalo nila sa atin, e. Kaya we really appreciate it...
"We really want them to witness iyong vows namin for each other, so sobra kaming happy kasi punung-puno talaga iyong ceremony."
Secret to a strong marriage
Lara and Marco then gave some tips on how to keep a marriage strong through the years.
The former beauty queen advised singles to put God first before finding the right partner.
After ending a not-so-good relationship, Lara prayed that next man she would meet would become her future husband.
And indeed, that man was Marco.
"Marco came at the right time.
"Malalaman mo din na siya iyong right person for you kapag hindi umiikot iyong mundo mo doon sa tao na iyon, na hindi nasisira ang relationship mo sa ibang tao para lang maging okay kayo.
"Saka you really just have to pray talaga for that person. Iyon iyong sabi nga sa Matthew 6:33: 'Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you.'
"Kailangan talaga si Lord ang unahin natin hanapin bago natin hanapin iyong mapapang-asawa natin and the rest will simply follow."
Lara added that a "happy life" shouldn't just depend on a "happy wife."
She said, "Hindi puwede na happy wife lang, kasi kapag happy wife lang, in the long run kapag hindi na happy husband niyo, either may gagawin na iba or aalis na sa relationship.
"Kailangan pareho kayong happy."
For his part, Marco underlined the importance of having support in a relationship.
He said, "Dapat sa isang relationship, hindi kayo naghihilaan pababa. Naghihilaan kayo pataas.
"Kayong dalawa, nagtutulungan kayo ma-achieve kung ano man pangarap niyo sa buhay.
"Dapat rin siyempre, mas mapalapit kayo sa Panginoon."
Both of them underlined that no relationship and no person is perfect.
Lara remarked, "Kailangan talaga na hindi tayo mag-e-expect na lahat ng gusto natin magagawa o gagawin nung asawa natin.
"Kung kaya nga tayo patawarin ni Lord sa lahat ng ginawa nating kasalanan natin, sino tayo para hindi natin patawarin mga asawa natin?"
Lara and Marco have two sons: Noah and Tobias.
They are currently expecting their third son, who is due in September 2020.
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