Love is in the air at Lancaster New City as 20 couples said ‘I do’

CAVITE — Wedding bells were ringing at Lancaster New City’s Parish of the Holy Family last June 29, as 20 couples of different ages and walks of life stood in front of God, friends and family to exchange their vows. These couples were the lucky few whose dream weddings came true at Lancaster New City’s “Kasalang Bayan.”

Held annually, the Kasalang Bayan fulfills the dreams of couples who wish to have a traditional church wedding but can’t afford to. The couples are treated to a complete wedding experience from the prenuptial photo shoot complete with hair and make-up, to the pre-wedding seminars.

On the day of the actual wedding, the couples are given their own bridal bouquet and boutonniere, cord, veil and arrhae. They are also provided with a grand reception with souvenirs for their guests, their own wedding cakes, and copies of their prenuptial, wedding and reception photos and videos.

Lancaster New City developer Pro-Friends chose 20 couples from hundreds of applicants based on the love stories that they shared. Some were stories of friendships that blossomed into romance; others were stories of second chances, and there are some that proved how love can conquer trials and hardships.

The Gabriel's and the Forte's got the wedding of their dreams thanks to Pro-Friends.

Three times the charm

For Augusto and Aiza Forte, third time’s the charm. The couple tried to join two other mass wedding ceremonies but failed to due to issues with necessary documents. Finally, their perseverance paid off.

“This time, it was truly meant for us,” says Aiza.

Before saying their “I dos,” the couple met at work where they were friends for years before their relationship blossomed into love that lasted for six years. Their relationship brought them an adorable one-year-old daughter.

“We met at work. At first, we didn’t work together but when I was transferred to his department that was the first time I noticed him. We became friends—best friends, until he courted me,” shares Aiza.

“I cannot explain it, but I just knew that she was the one for me. She was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with,” says Augusto.

Asked what will be his promise to his new wife, Aiza, now that they are finally married, he had this to say, “I promise that I will love her and our daughter. And I promise to take care of them, always.”

Love, a second time

For Glenn and Donnabel Gabriel, their love story proved that love is sweeter the second time around. The couple has been together for a total of 27 years. However, their relationship was a tumultuous one, often on-and-off until they finally separated for nine years. But fate had other plans.

After nine years, the couple saw each other again at their child’s graduation ceremony. From there, they rekindled their love for one another, which led them to the wedding aisle.

“She was single, and I was single so I decided to court her,” shares Glenn. “We dated, I would pick her up from work or from her house. She saw that I was a changed man and that I was really serious about her.”

“My friends and colleagues told me to try applying for Lancaster’s Kasalang Bayan. I was still having doubts if this time our relationship would last for good. But then I thought that maybe the Kasalang Bayan was a sign from God, telling us that he was blessing us and this was truly for forever,” shares Donnabel.

“Now that I am his wife, I promise that I will do all that I can as his wife, as the mother to our four children, and grandmother to our three grandchildren. When there are problems, we promised to talk about it first until we can find a solution for it. Once there’s a problem, we face it head-on and without any delay. We want to be a role model to our children,” says Donnabel.

“We are very happy. Our children are very happy that now we are finally together. It’s a different kind of happiness and love, the kind that cannot be replaced by money or other material things,” she adds.

“We believe in the importance of strong families to have stronger communities. We’re not just building houses, we’re building communities and you start with the family,” says Maresh Matias, assistant vice president for Marketing at Lancaster New City.

At Lancaster New City’s Parish of the Holy Family last June 29, as 20 couples of different ages and walks of life stood in front of God, friends and family to exchange their vows.

Building communities

“The company’s vision is to build communities and transform the lives of the people living in these communities. The Kasalang Bayan is one of the programs that we offer because we have a parish in Lancaster New City, it is a way to encourage residents who are not yet married to have the chance to receive the sacrament of the Holy Matrimony,” Matias says.

“Lancaster New City is a family-friendly city. You can live, learn, work, play, and pray inside. You also have more chances to be with your family and to build your dreams together,” she adds.

Lancaster New City Cavite is the flagship project of PRO-FRIENDS. It is your family-friendly township of more than 1,600 hectares where residents may Live, Learn, Work, Play, and Pray. For more information, visit www.lancastercavite.com.