our story

it was love at first sight. on the third time we met.

The first…

Beverly and Maria have known each other for most of their lives. They had gone to the same all-girls Catholic school in the Philippines where they spent lunch together every day until the sixth grade. But depending on who you ask, this story is not true.

Maria remembers Beverly very well – with her different colored hair clips, ties, and headbands. While Beverly, well, she remembers trading lunches and chasing ladybugs in the garden better than she can recall sitting with Maria at the lunch table.

The second…

When their families moved to the United States, they remained connected through their teenage years using various social media platforms, like Friendster, MySpace, Xanga, and Facebook.

Beverly and Maria began to form a bond sharing similar experiences and perspectives unique to young first-generation immigrants. They will always be grateful for their parents, who have worked hard to provide them with the privilege and promise of the American Dream.

The third…

After college, Maria decided to hop on the Amtrak to visit Chicago and reunite with Beverly IRL. That summer, Maria saw American art pieces you would only see in textbooks and experience world-class architecture in the birthplace of skyscrapers.

Three types of deep-dish pizza, two Portillo’s cake shakes, and a Journey concert later, it was time for Maria to catch the Lake Shore Limited back to New York City.

Just a small town girl now living in the Second City, Beverly strolled along Maria towards the waiting area at Union Station. With hands buried deep in her pockets, she searched through her thoughts to string together the right words to say goodbye. But in that moment, only one thing was sure: “this could not be the end.”

wedding

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