LOVE IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Jessica Tan Gan and athlete/ businessman Earl Yap were set up by their older sisters who were friends from high school. To check each other out, the couple had to turn to Facebook and, while chatting on Messenger, they realized they shared many things in common.

After four years of dating, the couple decided to take the plunge. Earl wanted to make sure that he would get an engagement ring that would really be appreciated, so he consulted with Jessica’s childhood friends who, in turn, would try to get hints from her on the ring styles she preferred, which made her quite suspicious. However, it still came as a surprise when Earl showed up one hot day, not in his usual sportswear, but in a formal getup; that got Jessica thinking even more. It was only when Earl smiled and got down on one knee that she realized a proposal was being made right by her front door.

After a civil wedding and the birth of their cute baby Benjamin, the natureloving couple recently opted to have a beach wedding in Siargao surrounded by immediate family members and a chosen group of very close friends and schoolmates them — Xandra Rocha Araneta, Jessica Kienle Maxwell, Pia Moras de Mesa, and Monique Nassr Benitez — who were themselves firsttime mothers and still breastfeeding the babies they brought along.

The mid-afternoon wedding ceremony for the low-key couple was held in nearby Guyam island, while the reception was held at Bayud Boutique Resort in General Luna, Siargao’s main island.

Mother of the bride and top fashion designer Lulu Tan Gan designed the bride’s ensembles (two changes), the godmothers’, bridesmaids’ and the cute flower girls’ gown, which featured a combination of her famed knits and printed jusi tops. Irene Araneta’s artistic touch was evident in the nature-inspired decor for the wedding dinner table and floral hairpieces she handmade for all the guests with materials she personally bought in Divisoria a few days before flying to Siargao.

During the wedding toast, the maid of honor and older sister of the bride Samantha

Tan Gan Altman gave the best advice to her new brother-inlaw to the amusement of the guests: “To keep your marriage static-free: when you are wrong, apologize; when you are correct, zip your mouth.”

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Newlyweds Jessica and Earl Yap onboard their wedding banca. The bride wears a gown designed by her mother Lulu Tan Gan.

Bridesmaids and childhood friends: Jessica Maxwell, Xandra Araneta, Kat Padilla, Ingga Cabangon Chua, Pia de Mesa Beach belles: Nikki Lopez, Trisha Tranch, Jae Ricketts, Allana Montelibano, Stephanie Z. Crespi Tan cousins: Audrey and Adriana Zubiri with Tasha, Clayton and Elaine Tan

Bride’s family: Josef Gueta, Lulu Tan Gan with Samantha, Melvin, Isabel and Christopher Altman

Lulu Tan Gan with the ninangs Mitos Yñiguez, Irene Araneta, author Frannie Jacinto, Annie Rocha

Groom’s family: Bernard and Evelyn Yap with their children Evan Yap, Elaine and Marc Von Grabowski

On the way to Guyam wedding island: Paul Tan, Myrna Po, Natalie and David Ng

Elisa and Gabriel Rocha de Beco, Annika Yap, Olivia and Leo Grgic

Dimitra Nassr prepares her special handmadecaviarpiewithingredients flown in for the wedding celebration.

Aziza and Marlene Mondoñedo with chef Rain Barbers

Ivar Aseron, Carmina Ilagan, Dennis Lustico

Aunty Sam with baby Benjamin Yap