Heart & Chiz…and the Twins: We Are Family

A modern kind of fairy tale.

That’s how Heart Evangelista describes her and Sen. Chiz Escudero’s wedding on Feb. 15 (a day after she turns 30) in Balesin Island, Quezon Province.

“A simple wedding,” she adds, “something that we can afford. It’s every little thing that we love put together in one event. They want me to sing, I don’t want to sing. They want to choreograph the dance but I don’t like it. I just want the people to see us who we are — as normal people.”

But since Heart and Chiz love music, it will be a song-filled affair arranged by two wedding planners, one for the Balesin Island wedding and the other for a post-wedding reception in Manila on Feb. 18.

“One song is How Did You Know,” says Heart. “Bagay sa aming dalawa ang lyrics. Another is Lady In Red, the song playing at a restaurant where I first saw Chiz in 2007. Naging crush ko siya starting at that time. When I got home, I downloaded the song right away. Our first dance will be to the tune of Lady In Red. There’s also Sade’s By Your Side na bagay na bagay din sa amin ang lyrics.”

Asked what song virtually describes their colorful love story, Heart picked The Light written by Sara Bareilles, with a line that goes: Never mind what I knew/nothing seems to matter now/who I was without you I can do without…

“You know, Chiz and I both come from a very colorful past,” reminded Heart. “We have so many lessons to teach each other. That’s why I like to call our wedding a modern kind of fairy tale.”

The wedding will cap a three-year (by May 10, their anniversary) romance kicked off by a blind date arranged by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Chiz’s seven-year-old twins (from a failed marriage) will be part of the entourage, Ma. Cecilia as Flower Girl and Joaquin as Ring Bearer.

All set, except that both Chiz and Heart have yet to sort things out with Heart’s parents who are invited but not sure if they will show up.

First things first. People have this impression that you are competing with Marian (Rivera whose wedding to Dingdong Dantes on Dec. 30 last year was touted by GMA publicists as “The Royal Wedding”).

“Once and for all, I will say that no, we are not competing with anybody, although I am aware that people maybe can’t wait to see what we’re going to do. Our wedding is actually very simple, contrary to what people might be expecting. That is how we want it to be. You know, life is already so complicated as it is and we don’t want our wedding to make it more complicated. We are being practical.”

Are you disappointed that Pres. Noynoy Aquino, the Best Man, was requested by Chiz not to attend (after P-Noy was criticized when he attended the DongYan wedding as Witness of Honor)?

“No, not at all. We understand the situation. But he will be attending the reception (in Manila).”

You look like you are ready, willing and able to be Mrs. Chiz Escudero.

“Super ready! I’m very excited. People might be suspecting that I am pressured and stressed. Actually, I’m not. I’m very relaxed. It’s really Chiz who is so into the whole thing. Lagi siyang nagti-text sa Viber, ‘Do you like the food; which one do you like?’ Turo-turo lang ako. He’s in-charge of everything. Ini-enjoy niya.”

Does the gown fit?

“I’ll have a fitting any time this week for the gown by Izra Santos who is arriving from Dubai. I’m wearing that for the wedding ceremony. The one by Monique (Lhuillier) finished na. I went to L.A. for it. That’s for the reception in Manila.”

Why Balesin Island as venue for the wedding?

“Even before Balesin was opened, it had become some kind of a hideout for me and Chiz. It holds a lot of fond memories for us. Besides, we don’t really want our wedding to be huge, especially since it’s a combination of showbiz and politics. We want it to be as intimate as possible, even if there are about 150 people attending, most of them are super-duper close sa amin. The reception in Manila will be held at Bayleaf Pavillion (near Sofitel). We are inviting around 1,500 to 1,800 guests. We’re hosting another reception in Sorsogon a few days later.”

How did you win the hearts of the twins?

“It just happened naturally. You know how kids are, the more you try to win them, the more they avoid you. I have a way with kids kasi sanay ako sa mga pamangkin ko. It was easy with me and the twins.”

How do they call you?

“Tita Heart.”

How soon do you and Chiz plan to have your own child(ren)?

“Hmmmm, it depends. I just signed a few commercial contracts  that require media exposure so hindi naman siguro okey for me to show up na buntis ako. Besides, I’m supposed to go back to work after the wedding. So siguro Chiz and I will start working on it a year after the wedding.”

How many children do you want to have?

“Again, I believe in being practical, so I think I want just one or two.”

Doesn’t the 15-year gap between you and Chiz (who turned 45 on Oct. 10 last year) give you any problem?

“It works beautifully with us. He’s always 15 years ahead of me in most anything — when it comes to cooking, household chores, handling finances, etc. He’s hands-on in everything. I’m lucky because, you know, I lived a sheltered life — you know, I had so much in life. My dad spoiled me with everything. I’m glad that I have found someone who teaches me new things and guides me. I’m such a lucky girl to have somebody like Chiz.”

Why do you say that?

“Well, he takes good care of me, he opens my eyes to so many things in life. We have a perfectly balanced life. Hindi niya ako masyadong bini-baby. Kunwari, may pinagdadaanan ako about work or finances, he lets me work things out and gives me (pieces of) advice only when I ask for it. He would tell me, ‘You know, we won’t be together all the time, so you have to learn how to stand on your own two feet.’ I appreciate the things that he does for me. I’m a better person today than I was five years ago. It’s not that I am so in love with who I am today. Everybody knows the restlessness of my youth, I’ve always been honest with myself. But I am happy with who I turned out to be.”

I didn’t know that Chiz is a good cook.

“Oh yes, he is! Magaling siyang magluto. Mahilig siya mag-paella o mag-salpicao at kung anu-ano pa. I used to be his taster but I have learned to do a lot of recipes. He has been passing to me a lot of responsibilities. Kunwari he’s not home, when I’m free he asks me to put the kids to sleep.”

Do you sing them to sleep?

“No. I just tell them stories.”

You signed a pre-nup. Was it a mutual decision?

“Well, it started as a joke with Tita Miriam (Sen. Defensor-Santiago). Come to think of it, maybe it wasn’t a joke after all. My parents also wanted that. You know, Chiz and I want my parents to be happy. We still don’t know if they are going to the wedding but we do hope and pray that they do.”

As a married couple, you must start your life on a positive note. Are you taking further efforts to win back your parents? (Heart has already made peace with her dad, but she still has to do the same with her mom who is her carbon copy.)

“Of course, of course! My mom just got back from the States last week. I really hope that we could settle things na kami-kami lang, away from the media. We will see, we will see!”

What about Chiz, is he doing the same?

“Oh yes, he is. But siempre, mahirap talaga.”

You’ve been to several places. Where do you plan to spend your honeymoon?

“Maybe in a place that we haven’t been to. Hindi pa kami nakapag-Japan, hindi pa kami nakapag-Italy. We’ve only been to Paris. But since even if he will be my husband, I won’t really completely own him; I have to share him with the whole country, he being a senator. I understand that, so we cannot just leave. The honeymoon can wait…until he has time.”

You have your own place and so does Chiz, located within minutes of each other. Do you plan to have a “conjugal” home?

“Before we got engaged, I was already building my own house near where I live. If they want to share it with me, fine. No issue. My home is their home; they are my new family. But that might be two years from now. Depende. In the meantime, the arrangement will be the same.”

Any changes in your career after Feb. 15?

“Thankfully, Chiz is not the, you know, ‘dictating’ type; he doesn’t make paki-alam with my career. He lets me do what I please. But once married, especially to a senator, I guess I will have to observe some ‘don’t’s,’ like it won’t be all right for you to see me kissing this and that actor on TV. Kelangan piliin ko na ang mga projects. After the wedding, I will leave behind the Heart Evangelista that people used to know.”

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