Ultimate goal: Forever
Sustained was the downpour when my niece Nikki Tenorio said “I do” to her best friend Howell Lucy at St. Benedict Parish in Silang, Cavite last Friday. But their love for each other served as the rays of the sun that were missing on that day. So warm that the couple promised before God and man that “forever” was the ultimate goal for the union of two chemical engineers.
Nikki, 28, a price and margin executive at Holcim, a Swiss cement company, was a vision of grace when she walked down the aisle in her Francis Libiran traje de boda. Prominent in her wedding bouquet was the photo of her late grandmother, Candida. The lola’s girl made sure to make Candida part of the celebration because it was the latter’s wish to witness the first wedding of her six grandchildren. She, however, was part of the wedding proposal when Howell popped the question to Nikki in March last year.
By the altar, Howell, 34, a business building executive at Philip Morris, dapper in his Puey Quiñones groom suit, bit his lip as he waited for his bride, excited to share his life with his best friend of seven years. When they met at the altar, Nikki melted in his arms for a while as Howell shed tears of joy. An outburst of happiness enveloped the church as those in attendance clapped to usher the couple into their marriage, which was officiated by Fr. Mardie Maligat.
Nikki and Howell met in 2013 through their tightly knit college organization, the UPLB SchemES. They became instant friends because of their mutual interest in Star Wars. When they discovered they both love coffee, they became best of friends. (Coffee mugs, by the way, were the giveaways at the sumptuous reception held at Alta Veranda de Tibig, also in Silang.)
But like many love stories, theirs was a slow-burn affair that ignited one day at the basketball court in UP Los Baños when Nikki approached Howell for something while he was at the scorer’s table. From then on, they scored big in love. And when they became professionals, not only did they develop and design chemical manufacturing processes, they also developed and designed their life and love. The principles of chemistry, physics and engineering did not take a back seat — they were merged with the principles of love and fidelity.
“This is what we’ve always prayed for — to be with each other forever and always. I promise that I will be excited about the big and little things in our life… Every morning when I wake up, I’ll always have a smile on my face and the energy to face a new day because I know that I will wake up next to you,” Howell said in his vow.
For her part, Nikki said: “This is the happiest day of my life just because I know I am marrying my best friend. For seven years, I knew it was you I would spend the rest of my life with. Thank you for taking care of me, for loving me…”
Congratulations and best wishes, Nikki and Howell!
- Latest
