Cosmic Attraction: Inside Sofia Coyiuto-Tan and Ross Tan’s dreamy wedding

The proposal was joyfully unexpected, according to the bride. Tan dropped Coyiuto off at her childhood home after spending a night out with friends. Little would she know that she was in for the surprise of her life. Tan caught her attention in the garden when he played one of her favourite songs, Mikrokosmos by BTS.

“I saw our pavilion had fairy lights on them. That’s when I realised what was happening,” she gushes. After saying yes, the bride’s friends and family surprised the couple and emerged from the dining room. “I had no idea they were there! It was everything I hoped for in a proposal—to be surrounded by our loved ones in the home I grew up in.”

Planning a wedding for 700 guests was challenging, as the couple still wanted the festivities to feel intimate and personal. Working with their coordinator, Jenny Lim, allowed them a programme that stayed true to their vision. “We wanted our wedding to feel light, classy and understated,” the bride shared. The church was decked out in clouds of gypsophila courtesy of Teddy Manuel, who helped add a modern twist to the wedding’s classic green and white theme.

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The bride fell head-over-heels in love with a Monique Lhuillier gown she spotted at the label’s Melrose Place location in Los Angeles. “I decided [on the gown] then and there. I love how it looked soft, natural and feminine.” She changed into “the perfect dancing outfit” by Vania Romoff for the reception, which her friends described as “very Marilyn Monroe”. Additionally, Coyiuto’s sisters stunned in aquamarine Rajo Laurel dresses while her bridesmaids wore emerald green courtesy of Sharleen Solis.

The reception was held at Conrad Manila. With an extensive guest list, the couple wanted their wedding to accommodate everyone. Though the wedding fell on a Sunday, the day before the workweek started, many guests kept the party going and danced the night away. The hotel was their sole choice since China Blue is the couple’s favourite Chinese restaurant. “We have no regrets; guests were raving about the food afterwards. We are immensely grateful to the Conrad and China Blue team.”

Singers Gab and Kara Pangilinan, close friends of the bride and groom, provided musical performances. Gab sang a rendition of Lea Salonga’s Two Words as the bride descended the aisle. At the reception, the sisters performed The Journey by Salonga, Runaway by The Corrs and Landslide by Fleetwood Mac.

Fittingly, the couple’s most cherished part of their wedding day was their first dance. “Our love for dancing is one of the reasons why we fell in love with each other and played such an important role in our wedding,” says Coyiuto, who co-founded 808 Studio, Manila’s first boutique dance fitness studio. Ross was co-captain team and president of the Company of Ateneo Dancers.

“I thought I’d be nervous, but as soon as I stepped on stage, I let go and just had the best time!” she describes the magic moment. “Many guests told us that our first dance was their favourite part of the night. It started with just the two of us slow dancing, then we excited the energy and ended with our family and friends joining us. It became one big dance party!”

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