Photo grabbed from Micheal Ouano’s Facebook post
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Valentine’s Day is still a few weeks away but love is already in the air for some netizens.
A prenuptial photoshoot featuring Jollibee, the mascot, became an online sensation as everyone greeted the New Year today, Tuesday. January 1, 2019.
The couple on the viral photo was identified as Catherine Mae Antolijao, and Cris Angelo Gimena, both 23 years old, who will tie the knot this January 26.
Between a kneeling Gimena proposing to his future wife Antolijao with a bouquet of flowers was the mascot of the popular Filipino fast food chain, apparently blushing over the scene with his hands on his cheeks.
Antolijao was dressed in her old college uniform while Gimena was in his Jolibee service crew uniform.
Posted on the evening of December 30 by wedding photographer Michael Joel Ouano, the photo gained over 2,500 reactions and shared more than 650 times over Facebook as of noon today.
“Where all the LOVE story begins! Bida ang SAYA,” read Ouano’s caption.
https://www.facebook.com/100009690109284/posts/811947652471564/
In an online interview with Cebu Daily News, Ouano said their production team came up with the concept when the couple requested to feature the place where they first met three years ago, a Jollibee branch in Barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City.
According to the photographer, Gimena and Antolijao began their relationship when both were still studying in college.
“They first met in Jollibee – Maguikay while the groom was a working-student there, and that the bride’s mother was a regular customer. The bride’s family also lives in a residential area behind that Jollibee branch,” Ouano said in Cebuano.
Ouano said the photoshoot was done in just one day.
“So the couple told us this idea, and the story of their relationship. It took us an hour and a half to complete their attires. We started (setting up) around 7 a.m. then completed it at 11 a.m. Then we waited for the mascot to arrive. Before 6 p.m., we already finished everything,” Ouano said.
“The groom is now working as a manager in another Jollibee branch within Mandaue City. And fortunately, the branch manager of Jollibee – Maguikay was his friend so he requested to do the photoshoot there,” he added.
Ouano did not expect for the photo to go viral.
“Until now, I have mixed emotions when the notifications keep popping. I posted the photo right away. When I arrived in our house after doing grocery for New Year’s Eve, I was surprised it immediately received 800 likes and 175 shares!” he added. /elb
