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| Behind the Scenes with Ivy Visitacion |
This is a love story that began 35 years ago. The groom, Pastor Amado Perez, met his future bride, Teena Orola, during a church event when she had just graduated from high school.
At that time, though, they each had different plans for their future. Teena was entering the university and Amado was answering a call to serve God on a higher level. The years passed and their lives went on different directions. The pastor’s life took him to other places and a ministry in Eastern Visayas, while Teena’s brought her to distant shores.
After a long while, she came back to her family in Bacolod while he expanded his own ministry and built other churches. But fate brought them together again during a chance meeting in one church function in Bohol. This time, the pastor was a widower with grown-up children, and Teena had grown to be a mature woman, who had weathered the storms that life has to offer.
They held long talks afterwards and suddenly, they realized that friendship had blossomed into love. Teena’s former high school classmates were thrilled at the news. Their group, who called themselves the “Yaya Sisterhood”, became her wedding planners. And they gave Teena a ‘wedding to remember’.
The venue was the grand ballroom of Sugarland Hotel in Bacolod, that was filled with family and guests. Teena looked radiant as she walked down the aisle to the altar where her groom eagerly waited for her. Her family – the Orolas – was there in full force as were the children of Pastor Amado.
After the wedding ceremony, a most enjoyable program was held where the groom sang a love song to his bride as her friends cheered him on. Teena’s siblings welcomed Amado to their family and his son, Dove, gave a beautiful message to his new “Mom”, after which he sang to them.
It was such a touching and intimate moment that almost brought people to tears. This was one wedding where you could feel true love in the air. To the newlyweds, congratulations and best wishes!*
