As story lovers, is it any wonder we love for a tale to come full circle? We first met Angel and Dom a few months ago when we shared their beachside engagement. And today? Well, today we’re slipping off our shoes and taking our seat at their glorious day of nuptials in the beautiful treetops of Cairns.

With  Tulieve Photography behind the camera, it was one very auspicious day when Angel and Dom said their vows to one another. “The wedding was on February 12, 2021. 12/02/2021 — a palindrome.” explains Angel. “The date is the same in opposite way because even though we have gone through so many things, have been turned upside down and all over — in the end, we remain together.”

And it seems that there is nothing that could keep these two apart, not even a pandemic, the pair meeting when they were twelve. “It’s such a long story. We basically met when we were 12 years old, maybe even younger when we were in nursery school but we can’t remember. We were born and raised in the same small town. It was such a small world for us. We went to the same high school and were classmates for our first year. We became really good friends and were a part of the same circle of friends.”

Angel found her beautiful gown at Jonovia Bride and Design “I started browsing wedding dresses on Pinterest at the start of 2019. I wasn’t even anywhere near getting engaged yet but I was getting excited about the future. I already knew I wanted a rustic bohemian theme, I knew I wanted a lace dress.

But THE dress is nowhere near the styles I have on my Pinterest board. Not even close. My bridesmaids Ortega Pinky Aira Lara Aoyagi and I went to 3 bridal boutiques in Cairns. I tried approximately 20 wedding dresses: from ball gowns to mermaids, from sexy to elegant, from glamorous to simple. I tried on THE dress at the second boutique we went to — Jonovia Bride and Design. The moment I wore it, I felt it. The subtle but distinctive feeling of calmness and beauty combined. I love its intricate design that showcases both femininity and elegance. I love how it hugs my body and radiates my assets, boosting my confidence and making me feel beautiful.

But the most beautiful thing about THE dress is that it is named Catalina, my grandmother’s name. I only found out about its name after I said yes to THE dress and researched further about it. I found the designer, looked on their website, and there it was. CATALINA. My heart skipped a beat and I instantly knew I chose THE dress, THE perfect dress.”

Dom found the ceremony particularly memorable. “I remember that it was cloudy with a chance of rainy weather that turned everybody anxious especially me cos it was a garden wedding but it turned out to be a wonderful sunny day. It was full of tension, nervousness and overthinking but on top of it was excitement and happiness, I have gotta say it was the best day of my life.”

Angel walked down the aisle to “River Flows In You” played on the violin, meeting her parents at the top of the aisle. “It held a special place in our heart because Dom promised to learn to play that song on the guitar. He was never able to learn it but the song stuck to us.”

“We had our own vows. We wanted the ceremony to be short but meaningful,” tells Angel of the ceremony.

As is the pandemic way of life, Angel and Dom invited guests from far away to join them virtually. “Our wedding was live-streamed via Facebook for all our family and friends in the Philippines and around the world to watch and be a part of. And for Dom’s immediate family, who are all back in the Philippines.”

Dom adds “I remember the time when the ceremony was about to start I was was so nervous that it felt like my heart was gonna pop out thru my chest, it was mixed emotions of happiness and nervousness but by time I saw her walk the aisle for some reason I calmed down and I was not nervousness anymore all I felt at that point was just pure happiness and tears just started flowing.

Yes, I cried like a baby that time, I mean who else wouldn’t be crying if you were about to marry the love of your life. During the ceremony everything felt normal, it felt like it was just us and the celebrant at the place nothing else came thru my mind but only what was happening at the moment.”

Marrying in the treetops at Skypark Cairns was just the mood that Angel and Dom dreamt of. “We had a bohemian rustic wedding. We wanted our wedding to be the epitome of ourselves, as a couple. Hence, it was chill and laid back.”

Angel created much of the decor herself. “I DIYed most, if not all, of the wedding details” she explains. “I was very hands-on and decided at the very beginning that I wasn’t going to hire a planner. Hence all the coordination and planning was done by me.”

Says Dom “I loved watching video greetings from our friends and families back home and then the first dance (which made me cry again). I had mixed emotions again it was happiness and a bit of sadness (which is unlikely for that type of event especially if you are the one getting married) the reason behind this is is that my parents weren’t here to witness it first hand.

The afterparty, the celebration was the bomb! Everybody grabbed their drinks and went down to the dance floor and everyone just went off like a rocket, everybody danced their butts off and everybody was having fun until they got tired. It was an awesome and memorable day not just for us but also for everyone that came.”

The couple danced their dance floor debut to fairy lights and sparkle. “We chose the song “Can’t Help Falling In Love” Kina Grannis’ cover, which she sang on the movie Crazy Rich Asians.

Thanks for sharing your stories with us Angel and Dom! What a gorgeous day you had. Thank you also to Tulieve Photography for sharing today’s images (and the film of the fun!) with us.