From the second Marc Julius Reyes laid eyes on Elaiza Joyce Ramos, he was smitten. “Elaiza was the one woman in school that caught my curiosity on Day 1,” Mr. Reyes stated.
However this love-at-first-sight story, which started on June 13, 2011, with two highschool sophomores at a faculty in Quezon Metropolis, Philippines, didn’t actually start till January 2013.
“We turned seatmates as assigned by our trainer,” Ms. Ramos stated. “For nearly all classroom actions we have been companions.”
The 2 had messaged repeatedly about assignments. However a number of weeks later, there was a shift and their messages turned extra private.
“Marc is the mysterious kind, so when he lastly opened as much as me, I realized a unique aspect of Marc, and that’s once I began to fall for him,” Ms. Ramos, now 26, stated.
Mr. Reyes, additionally 26, was taken, too. “I admired her for being objective pushed even at a younger age,” he stated. “It was like she already knew what she needed to realize sooner or later. She made me wish to come to high school each day.”
As a result of Ms. Ramos’s dad and mom have been strict, it was laborious for the 2 of them to spend a lot time collectively. However on July 7, 2013, the day after Mr. Reyes’s sixteenth birthday, he informed her that spending just a few hours together with her can be the most effective birthday present.
“I appreciated him already however I nonetheless hadn’t informed him,” Ms. Ramos stated. “I wasn’t positive if he felt the identical means about me. However I instantly stated sure to having a avenue meals date with him. We had fishball, kikiam and kwek-kwek with vinegar sauce. The date price round $2.”
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Ten days later, the pair turned an official couple. “I popped the query throughout class break,” Mr. Reyes stated. “I sneakily gave her snacks and requested her to be my woman. When she stated sure, I couldn’t comprise my emotions, however I needed to. We exchanged secret appears to be like as nobody in our class knew about our relationship.”
The 2 fortunately dated — in secret — for 2 years. However in December 2014, as faculty freshmen, they made a tricky name.
“We determined to finish our relationship as we have been at totally different universities at the moment,” Ms. Ramos stated. She additionally didn’t wish to disappoint her dad and mom who anticipated her to solely concentrate on her research.
Ms. Ramos, an accounts receivable analyst on the finance staff at IBM Enterprise Companies in Quezon Metropolis, Philippines, has a bachelor’s diploma in finance and monetary administration from Far Japanese College in Quezon Metropolis, Philippines. She grew up in Bulacan, a province within the Philippines.
Mr. Reyes, who works in data know-how at PLDT, previously referred to as Philippine Lengthy Distance Phone Firm, has a bachelor’s diploma from STI School, previously referred to as Methods Expertise Institute in Quezon Metropolis, Philippines. Mr. Reyes grew up in Caloocan Metropolis within the Philippines, the place the couple now lives.
Mr. Reyes stated that though it was extremely difficult, he “nonetheless tried to know that perhaps this was the most effective factor for us.” Each birthday and vacation, although, he would ship her a brief message.
He feared she may change into the one who received away. However, Mr. Reyes stated, “I made a decision to danger it and anticipate Elaiza,” with out courting anybody else.
In June 2021, some highschool classmates deliberate a small reunion. As quickly as the 2 noticed each other, Ms. Ramos stated, “I felt the butterflies once more.” Weeks glided by, and so they realized they have been speaking on the cellphone or messaging each day. On Sept. 26, 2021, Ms. Ramos agreed as soon as once more to be Mr. Reyes’s girlfriend.
“He instantly introduced me to his household’s home to formally introduce me,” Ms. Ramos stated.
Ms. Ramos launched him to her household the subsequent day. “Our relationship was now accepted on each side,” Ms. Ramos stated. “So, no extra sneaky dates for us.”
Mr. Reyes proposed to Ms. Ramos on July 9, 2023, whereas on trip, within the excellent place for a real Disney princess fan like Ms. Ramos — Hong Kong Disneyland. Ms. Ramos had informed Mr. Reyes how a lot she liked Aurora from Sleeping Magnificence after they have been nonetheless in highschool.
“Once I proposed she stored telling me how amused she was that I nonetheless remembered these particulars she informed me years in the past,” Mr. Reyes stated.
The 2 have been wed April 17 by the Rev. Jun Meneses, a Roman Catholic priest with the Parish of the Immaculate Coronary heart of Mary in Antipolo, Philippines, with 150 visitors in attendance.
A reception adopted on the close by Jamesville Resort and Resort, at which Ms. Ramos stated, “We determined to have meals carts of our favourite date snacks from highschool, reminiscent of Potato Nook Fries and pizza from Pizzaderia.”
“Our love story took longer than regular, however I’m blissful that it has a contented ending,” Mr. Reyes stated. “Each time Elaiza asks me why I waited for her as an alternative of on the lookout for another person, I at all times inform her that I couldn’t image myself marrying and constructing a future with any woman aside from her. She is my old flame.”
