Our Love Story

In Makati, a city alive with crowded sidewalks, fancy hotels, and nonstop energy, Vlad and Ginky were about to cross paths in the most unexpected way.

She was on her lunch break, while he was exploring the skylines and shopping centers. 

Vlad stepped into a busy Starbucks for a quick snack. Looking around, he saw a table with one empty chair. 

He walked over and asked the beautiful lady sitting there if he could join her. She nodded with a shy smile. 

They sat across from each other. 

“Hi, I’m Vlad,” he said. 

“Hello, I’m Ginky,” she replied, blushing a little. 

Vlad explained that he was new in the city, just visiting for a few days. 

“Oh, how do you like it so far? Where have you been?” Ginky asked. 

And before they knew it, their simple chat turned into something truly special. 

What they didn’t know was that fate had been at work, crafting their story long before their paths crossed. 

A week earlier, Vlad had just arrived in the Philippines. After a long weekend of travel, he landed in Manila on a Monday. 

Without wasting time, he checked into his hotel and set out to explore the city. 

Meanwhile, Ginky was attending a work conference in Makati. When lunchtime came, she walked to a nearby Starbucks, ordered her favorite coffee, and sat down. 

At almost the same time, Vlad, tired and hungry, noticed a large building that housed several familiar fast-food outlets inside. 

One of them was a Starbucks. He entered for a snack and a coffee, sat quietly, enjoyed his drink, and left without noticing anyone around. 

A week later, when they finally met, conversation came so naturally. They exchanged numbers, Facebook and Instagram. 

From that day forward, they never stopped talking. They were chatting every day, video calling, always making time for each other. 

It was only a month later that they realized they had been at the same Starbucks a week before their “real” meeting. They had already crossed paths once, without even noticing. 

It seems like fate brought them back together after their first invisible encounter as strangers, waiting for the perfect time to begin their story.

For half of our relationship, we were thousands of miles apart and living in different timezones. Distance was a challenge, but it was never a barrier. We found creative ways to stay connected — long hours of daily calls, late-night video chats, and sharing the little moments of our day became the foundation of our story. Through the highs and lows, new achievements, and health crisis, we supported each other from afar, always cheering one another on. 

Our love grew with every adventure we took, and it was only fitting that our wedding would be a celebration of that journey. The journey that once spanned countries is finally leading us home, to one place, to one future.