From best friends to lovers, Thomasian alumni Mia Buenafe and Carl Vicencio looked back on their campus love story during their pre-wedding shoot last February which trended online.
Shooting the pre-nuptial photos at UST, according to the couple, was the “best choice” since the University holds their fondest memories.
“[A]ll our memories were made there and I think it’s a way for us to remember where we started. Sometimes kasi nakakalimutan namin, and parang ba something na pampakilig ulit. ‘Oh naalala mo dito mo ako binigyan ng love letter mo, dito mo ako sinusundo,” Buenafe told TomasinoWeb.
Their photos which featured the Main Building, Benavides Park or Lover’s Lane, and Roque Ruaño building garnered a total of 1,300 shares and over 2,000 reactions as of writing.
Carl and Mia wanted to go back where it all began, University of Santo Tomas 😊
From classmates to bestfriends, and now…
Posted by Peek A Boo Stories on Friday, March 19, 2021
The couple is set to get married on November 2021.
Art of give and take
Buenafe and Vicencio were both hailed from the Faculty of Engineering before Vicencio moved to the College of Commerce and Business Administration.
Vicencio recalled confessing through a seven-page letter, but Buenafe was not ready for a relationship at that time because she wanted to focus on studying.
Instead of giving up and out of respect, Vicencio gave the distance his bride-to-be needed as he patiently waited for her. They became an official couple in 2012.
“[N]oong dumi-distansya naman ako parang nagbago ata isip nito, natauhan tapos ayon parang dun nag start na maging okay ulit,” Vicencio told TomasinoWeb.
The couple recalled their mini dates in Dapitan, where they would usually drink milk tea and eat siomai, and the footlong stall in P.Noval where they shared their first meal together.
They reminded Thomasians that love is all about give and take, as well as compromise and patience.
“[I]t takes two to tango talaga eh. For [me] kasi I don’t think na we will last for eight years if hindi kami naging patient and nagcompromise. Give and take talaga siya,” Buenafe said.
Vicencio, on the other hand, stressed the importance of respecting the wishes and boundaries of your partner.
“[T]apos yun nga i-respect mo [yung] wish nung isa. Don’t take it against [them] na kung gusto nila mag aral muna,” he said.
Pandemic, behind the scenes
To turn their Thomasian-themed photoshoot into reality, the couple sent emails to the University administrators as early as January.
“First with sec-gen (Secretary-General), kasi we plan to shoot in the Faculty of Engineering since we want to have those classroom shots […] and then after noon, we secured a lot of permits through email since there’s no office right now,” Buenafe explained.
They also needed to follow strict health protocols during the shoot to avoid possible Covid-19 transmission.
Before the photoshoot, the two accomplished various health declaration forms for all individuals involved to ensure that no one showed symptoms of Covid-19.
Only a maximum of four people were allowed inside the Roque Ruaño building. The photographers, videographers, and stylists were also required to wear face masks and face shield throughout their stay in the campus.
The couple did the same when moving from one location to another.
“We’re very lucky talaga na pumayag at least wala din masyadong tao so parang good time rin na mag picture kasi wala masyado exposure. Kasi kung makikita niyo yung mga picture kami lang talaga yung tao, ‘yung tao that time ang marami lang sa [UST] hospital,” Buenafe shared.
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