To my ever dearest Honey, Ten years together, eight years married! I love how I can tell you anything. I love how I can be so attracted to you. I love that we sometimes pretend that we just met. I love how we keep our marriage beyond exciting. I love it that you are my bestest friend. I love my life with you. I love you so much, Mahal. Here’s to forever with you! Happy anniversary, Chris Jan!
Iloveyoumahal,
Honey
That love note, sent by Sherilyn Reyes to her husband Chris Tan on their recent anniversary, is one of the many (including precious pictures from the family album) preserved for posterity in the booklet-styled invitation to their church wedding on Monday, Dec. 10, at the Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills, San Juan City.
Who would have thought, after 11 beautiful years, (that) we will finally be able to formally seal our never-ending love for each other before the Lord…said another note.
For Sherilyn and Chris, it has indeed been a long night’s journey into day, fraught with trials that they survived together, hands locked together, never letting go, come what might.
They both came from failed first marriages, with hers lasting no more than seven years and his barely two years. They both have one kid each from their busted unions. Their exes have found their own new happiness, too, hers with a non-showbiz woman and his, with the ex-boyfriend of a TV-host/politician who’s now the wife of an actor/aspiring-politician, proving that love is lovelier the second time around, more comfortable the second time one falls.
When Sherilyn and Chris first met, they were convinced that a second chance at love and loving (“forever,” as Sherilyn’s favorite word puts it) was beckoning.
That was on Aug. 4, 2001, Sherilyn would never forget. Although still not fancy-free, they were both trapped in unhappy marriages unstoppably headed for the rocks, practically living lives apart from their partners.
He was a basketball player and she was then one of the co-hosts of the GMA noontime show Eat, Bulaga! He was the avid fan longing to meet his idol. His dream came true when his team was invited (thanks to Nap Gutierrez!) to play on the show.
“Chris went there just to meet me and not to court me,” clarified Sherilyn. “He asked for my phone number but I didn’t give it to him. Bakit, I don’t even know him! Besides, I was afraid that he and his friends might just be betting on me — you know, how players are…nagpupustahan kung sino ang makakakuha sa girl.
“He has guts. After the show, he visited me in the Eat, Bulaga! dressing room and all of us were there. He started making small talk. It turned out that I knew his ex-girlfriend, but he already had a new girlfriend then. Every time I was with his (new) girlfriend, sinisiraan ko si Chris sa kanya. I never thought na ‘yung guy na sinisiraan ko would end up my husband.”
Later on, when he asked for a date, she even dared him.
“Okay, bring along your wife,” laughed Sherilyn. “I learned na kasi that he was also married but I didn’t know that he and his wife were not okay anymore, just like me and my husband.”
To make a story short(er), they started dating and after their respective marriages were declared null and void, they decided to live together and have a child, now 10. They have another child, one-year old. They got married in civil rites.
“Chris hasn’t changed since then,” said Sherilyn, “Up to now, he acts as if he’s still courting me.”
Their church wedding is “three years in the making,” according to Sherilyn, because they had to wait for Chris’ first marriage to be annulled by the church. The clearance was made last February and that’s when Chris started to plan the wedding all by himself. “So I felt as if I’m just invited to the wedding,” said Sherilyn. “All I did was take care of the church requirements and the gowns of the entourage. The rest, siya na ang bahala.”
Her son, Ryle “Paoie” Paolo, from her previous marriage will act as Best Man along with her and Chris’ son Lorenz Christopher R. Tan; and their baby girl, Anya Sabrina, Maid of Honor.
“Chris treats Paoie like his own child,” said Sherilyn, “and I love him all the more for that.”
Here’s the bridal entourage:
• Principal Sponsors: Rep. Vicente Belmonte and Linda Reyes, Joey de Leon and his wife Aileen Macapagal, Dr. Joel Elises and Vicky Elises, Nori Hernandez and Flor Aguilar, Sonny Magundayao and Pin Magundayao, Edu Manzano and Theresa Conejero, Edgar Mortiz and his wife Milet Santos, Frank Camer-Pesci and Ellen Camer-Pesci, Exequiel Robles and Lilybeth Rasonable, Engr. Jun Santos and Dr. Dana Santos, Dr. Andy Tan and Joy Lim, and Antonio Tuviera and his wife Madeleine.
• Groomsmen: Nikky Nicandro, Toy Armada, Yo Ocampo, Jaybee Reyes, Wowie Rivera, Matt Makalintal, Javier Villaruel and Vianney Guese.
• Bridesmaids: Sheila Uy Reyes, Shirley Reyes-Liao, Carlene Aguilar-Ocampo, Via R. Reyes, Angelu de Leon-Rivera, Mylene Sanchez, Olivia Daytia and Ronalyn Tamayo.
• Veil: Alvin de Luna and Dr. Ninia Rodil de Luna.
• Light: Jeffrey Yap and Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla.
• Cord: Alfrancis Chua and Jocelyn Chua.
• Ring Bearer: Gavin R. Angeles.
• Coin Bearer: Calix Andrea A. Ho
• Flower Girls: Natalia Sabine R. Reyes and Gabrielle Ross R. Angeles.
It wasn’t smooth sailing all the way. At the start, since they are both strong-willed, they would clash, until she realized that she had to let Chris have the final say on issues that they would argue over. They compromised. Because of Chris, Sherilyn has become a sports-lover (wake-boarding, etc.), and Chris has learned to accept the vagaries of showbiz.
“Before,” recalled Sherilyn, “he didn’t want me to wear clothes na medyo sexy. ‘Nung naging kami, palagi akong naka-polo with pins between the buttons. As in, well-covered talaga ako. I would bring him along para masanay siya sa showbiz. Now, I can wear sexy if the situation calls for it. No more pins!”
This Christmas is their first as a married couple, under the law and in the eyes of God.
“It will be different from our past 10 Christmases,” assured Sherilyn, “so we really have a good reason to celebrate.”
(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com.)