Chut Cuerva & Kim Kokseng: From Central Park to Napa Valley
I made sure it was a pang Romansa Espesyal,” says Chut Cuerva when he told us the good news about his engagement to Kim Kokseng. It was summertime in New York when Chut proposed to her in Central Park.
It was a whirlwind romance and we were surprised how fast it happened. We met Kim in February, and we realized immediately why Chut fell in love so easily with Kim because she is just so easy to get along with and we loved her right away! Kim is Cebuana, which can only mean that she is very malambing — loving, sweet, generous and warm.
It was because of Chut’s good friend, Cecile Ang, and a common friend and best man, Marty Qua, that the couple met. “It started when my friend Kim recently moved to Manila. Little did she know what was in store for her. Who knew that a simple click by @chutster to follow @kimm_stagram would change his life completely. I have never seen Chut so fulfilled and content,” said Marty.
Says Kim’s best friend Mia Zamora: “She has a heart as big and as warm as her laugh. Thank you, Chut, for making our Kimmy very happy. Because ever since the two of you started dating, she’s been different; there’s a sparkle in her eye, and a glow to her smile and she shines like the gem that we always knew she was. You brought out the best in her as she has with you.”
Chut is a man of fine taste and he pays great attention to detail. We receive the most personalized gifts from him and everything he does is carried out with much thought and elegant execution. Says his best friend, Marco Antonio: “Chut is a self-professed flâneur — a man of leisure, a connoisseur of the street. His broad interests run deep, from hunting down highly sought-after Old World vintage wines in Bordeaux to New World Napa wines, to constantly expanding his knowledge of design and architecture, be it Bauhaus or mid-century Modern; or driving a Vespa in not-so-motorcycle-chic Manila. As a flâneur, Chut dedicates his life to pleasure and beauty. He is also an obsessive perfectionist: it is precisely because of Chut’s thirst for aesthetic perfection that we — the lucky 162 family and friends of Chut and Kim’s — get to celebrate in this picture-perfect, super-sosy, Michelin-starred, Robert Parker-approved wine-filled wedding extravaganza.”
It was no surprise to all of us that the wedding was conducted in such good taste. The reception was at the Meadowood Napa Valley Resort in St. Helena, California — a luxury resort and private club with a golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool, croquet, fitness and spa for members. It houses one of the two three-Michelin-starred restaurants in Napa, the Restaurant at Meadowood. It’s a perfect venue for a destination wedding.
In attendance were family and friends coming from five groups — D’Berks, Team Calypso, La Fam, The Baby Wine Club and Nisekrew. Gathering 162 guests is quite a feat for a destination wedding, but as Rev. Dalton said, he could feel the “presence” and love in the room. And that’s the most magical thing about this wedding: we all laughed and cried, listening to all the roasts and toasts of close friends Marty Qua, Marco Antonio, Ed Ngo, Mia Zamora, Menchit Mabanta and Johann Espiritu. We cherished every single moment of the three-day event.
Rev. Dalton quoted Meister Eckhart: “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank you,’ it will be enough.” This sums up the magical event of Kim and Chut. Always be grateful to God for all our blessings. And those blessings include a most beautiful wedding for a sweet couple who are lucky to have each other, delicious food to eat, great company with a close-knit family and friends of the couple and a safe journey for everyone who attended the celebration.
