After meeting unexpectedly in Los Angeles in 2022, Filipino fashion designer Andrea Tetangco and Filipino-American sports executive Banjo Albano formed a partnership of shared values and a mutual vision for the future, their intimate two-part wedding a reflection of the life they’ve chosen to build.
Love, for the most part, often sneaks up on you, woven into the unassuming moments of everyday life. That was the case for Banjo Albano and Andrea Tetangco. The two met in Los Angeles in 2022, during Andrea’s first trip abroad after the pandemic. She was on vacation, while Banjo was in town for a business trip. Through mutual friends, they found themselves in the same place on a pleasant evening, unaware that the chance encounter would change the trajectory of their personal lives.
Andrea—a Filipino fashion designer and entrepreneur—has spent nearly two decades building her namesake label, known for its sophisticated approach to bespokeBespokeMade to order to a client's exact wishes and measurements, rather than chosen from ready-made stock. Bespoke tailoring, jewelry, furniture, and travel experiences reflect personal taste and craftsmanship, and areGo to Bespoke Glossary bridal gowns, evening wear, and ready-to-wear collections. Meanwhile, Banjo—a Filipino-American sports executive and entrepreneur raised in New York—works at the intersection of basketball, business, and culture, creating opportunities and connections across industries.
Despite their different professional worlds, the two discovered an alignment in the things that mattered most. Their relationship grew through meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and the everyday ways they showed up for one another. “I never fully understood what people meant when they said, ‘When you know, you know,’ until we experienced it for ourselves,” Andrea shares. “You feel at peace, you feel safe to be yourself, and you no longer feel the need to question where you stand.”
READ ALSO: Jme Escaler And Tamika Santos Celebrate Beneath The South African Mountains
Clear-Sighted Love With Banjo Albano And Andrea Tetangco
For Andrea, the certainty she found in Banjo stemmed from more than simple chemistry: their shared faith, values, and vision for the future gave them a sense of direction. “I’ve always believed that we have to become the person we hope to attract,” Andrea explains. “Marriage is not just about finding the right person; it is also about becoming the right partner.”
After four years together, Banjo proposed at home. Knowing Andrea’s preference for something simple and intimate, he prepared a romantic setting filled with roses and candles. In fact, Andrea recalls that there were so many candles, he nearly set the house on fire, and it’s a detail that still makes her laugh.
As someone whose work involves creating beautiful pieces for other people’s milestones, Andrea has always kept her personal life private. This made the proposal all the more meaningful. “The beauty was in the intention, the effort, and the fact that it was a moment that belonged only to us,” she says.
The couple had already discussed marriage, their future, and even the kind of engagement ring Andrea wanted, so the proposal wasn’t entirely unexpected. Nevertheless, hearing Banjo ask her to spend the rest of her life with him was an emotional experience Andrea hadn’t quite anticipated.
A Wedding That Took Its Time
The couple chose to celebrate their marriage in two parts, beginning with a civil wedding at Manila City Hall three months before their reception at Manila House. Surrounded by their immediate family for the first occasion, they kept the ceremony tight-knit and personal, reserving a later celebration for their wider circle of loved ones.
For Andrea, who has never been drawn to grand weddings or lengthy preparations, this arrangement allowed them to appreciate each milestone without feeling rushed. The reception was envisioned as an elegant evening full of life, beginning with cocktails, followed by a romantic candlelit dinner, and ending with an energetic celebration on the dance floor.
Andrea, of course, designed her own wedding gown and reception dresses, as well as the suits and entourage gowns, incorporating her personal aesthetic into the celebration. The affair was “intimate, intentional, and soulful,” as the bride describes, which was everything the couple had hoped for. That sentiment is a mirror to how the designer understands love itself. “Ultimately, real love is not measured by how beautifully it begins, but by how faithfully it is given, day after day,” she explains.
When I ask what song would serve as the soundtrack to their relationship, they name Snoh Aalegra’s “Find Someone Like You,” which they both adore and say is probably their most-played on Spotify. “Baby I, I want this / Can we make this last forever?” Aalegra sings toward the tune’s end. It’s a rhetorical question and a promise all at once, for in the case of Banjo and Andrea, there’s only one answer: yes, because we choose to.
Explore the wedding of Banjo Albano and Andrea Tetangco below.
Photography by Pearl Studio, Ryan Pineda, Rax Mercado, and Magic Liwanag, courtesy of Banjo Albano and Andrea Tetangco
Frequently Asked Questions
Filipino fashion designer Andrea Tetangco and Filipino-American sports executive Banjo Albano met in Los Angeles in 2022 through mutual friends. Andrea was on vacation, while Banjo was in the city for a business trip.
Andrea Tetangco is a Filipino fashion designer and entrepreneur who has spent nearly two decades building her namesake label, known for bespoke bridal gowns, evening wear, and ready-to-wear collections.
Banjo proposed at home after four years together, preparing a romantic setting filled with roses and candles. Knowing Andrea preferred something simple and intimate, he made the occasion personal and meaningful.
The couple celebrated their wedding in two parts. They first held an intimate civil ceremony at Manila City Hall, surrounded by immediate family, followed by a reception at Manila House three months later.
Andrea Tetangco designed her own wedding gown and reception dresses, as well as the suits and entourage gowns, incorporating her personal aesthetic into the couple’s intimate and elegant wedding celebration.
