How ‘Heart’ and Jake got their dream wedding

Photo grabbed from Jake Almacen’s FB Post

The dream of a big wedding is a common one.

It should be complete with fine cars, gorgeous flowers, a lavish reception and your favorite people to come and enjoy your special day.

Planning will always be tedious, sometimes formidable for most couple.

However, when you are presented with an opportunity at hand to make your dream wedding possible, you do what it takes to make it a reality.

That is what Jake and Ma. Corazon “Heart” Almacen are aiming for.

“We joined the competition because the dream of having a wedding in Radisson Blu is one and extra special,” said Ma. Corazon Almacen.

Ma. Corazon and her husband Jake, won Radisson Blu Cebu’s “Your Dream Wedding On Us” contest last June 2018.

Their entry was a photo outside the Liloan Port clad in a wedding attire depicting something old, something borrowed and something blue.

Meant to be

“We used my mother’s wedding gown for the shoot,” said Jake Almacen who, according to him, depicted the “something borrowed” criteria.

The gown which was kept for about 20 years fit perfectly on her bride as they posed, hoping to get a perfect shot.

“We did not alter the gown, it was like really meant to be,” said Jake.

For something old, the couple chose the Liloan Port as their location, while for something blue, the couple explained that they wanted their wedding at Radisson Blu Cebu.

Magical upgrade

Photo grabbed from Jake Almacen’s FB Post

When planning a wedding, wouldn’t it be great to steer away from the unnecessary hassle?

It’s probably every bride’s dream to avoid getting buried by the stress that comes with wedding preparations, and Ma. Corazon got just that.

Although they already had plans in mind and booked a wedding planner, the couple said that it was a major upgrade towards their initial plan.

“We already booked a wedding planner and made arrangements, but it was not stressful at all, our wedding was upgraded to a premium location,”  said Ma. Corazon.

“Every bit of the wedding was truly magical because of Radisson,”  she added.

The couple was married at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church in Barangay Lahug.

With them winning the competition, the couple was entitled to a wedding reception venue at Radisson, food and beverage for 100 guests, nuptial photoshoot by Rock Paper Scissors Photography and a pair of wedding bands by Diagold.

“It think it was more than safe to say that we had a magical upgrade with our wedding,” said Jake.

“I remembered that we already had a prenup shoot, but a friend told us about the competition so I emailed Radisson to inquire even before the competition was posted online,” Jake said.

Getting Ready

Like any ordinary couple, theirs was not love at first sight.

According to Jake, he already had a girlfriend before she met Ma. Corazon.

“We were classmates before at (University of) San Carlos, but I knew that there was a spark between us,” said Jake.

So when the two graduated in college, the Chemical Engineering graduates decided to meet up and try scuba diving and the rest was history.

“Si Heart (Ma. Corazon) hilig og travel while ako hilig og diving, and I invited her to try scuba diving and didto nag start tanan,” said Jake.

“Heart (Ma. Corazon) likes to travel while I like to dive, and I invited her to try scuba diving and that was where it all started.)

The couple were in a relationship for almost four years before they finally tied the knot.

They married on January 11.

Although the date was not something significant, Jake said they chose the date because both of them, had to wait for their relatives who were working at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to arrive back in the country.

“It was something to remember gyud, seeing all the special people in one place, magical gyud,” said Heart.

Giving Back

As a premier wedding destination, Radisson Blu Cebu has always been at the forefront of giving its guests something special, something for the books to remember.

From celebrity weddings to grand gestures of saying their I Do’s, the hotel is committed to staying true to its mission of providing magical memories for everyone.

According to Christine Estrella, Radisson Blu Cebu marketing and communications executive, the competition was created as a way of giving back to the couples who have been with the hotel and made moments with them.

“We wanted to make happily ever after moments with them, and plus our bridal fail has been a signature here at Radisson,” said Estrella.

For the past three years, Radisson has continued to make every girl’s dream of having a magical wedding through their “Your Dream Wedding On Us” competition.

This year, as they celebrate their fifth bridal fair, bigger prices are at stake for this year’s lucky couple who will be joining “Your Dream Wedding On Us.”

A pair of wedding bands by Diagold Jewelry, a nuptial photo shoot by Rock Paper Scissors Photography, a bridal gown designed by Disegno Dado and a bridal bouquet arranged by Cuckoo Cloud Concepts are at stake for the winning couple.

Estrella also thanked the support of their weddings suppliers who share the same vision of making every couple’s dreams come true.

“We are so lucky to have these wedding suppliers who supported us because they see that we have the same goal which is to make magical moments with our guests,” said Estrella.

Beautiful life

While it may be five months after their marriage, the couple expressed that they have no plans of starting a family yet.

“We have plans of going abroad man gyud. That is why it is not in our plans pa,” said Jake.

“I recalled when every time we passed by the hotel mo ana gyud ko sa akung mama na dinha mi kaslon gyud,” said Jake.

However, as the beautiful as their wedding might seem, Jake said that they were in a perfect place and taking everything slowly, enjoying every moment of the married life.

“As beautiful as the wedding is, mas beautiful ang among married life,” said Jake noting that there is nothing more beautiful compared to marrying the love of his life, “Heart.” /dbs