Salve Villarosa and Alex van Schoonhoven met in high school and lost touch. A game ultimately brought them back to each other’s lives.
Salve Villarosa and Alex van Schoonhoven are among the lucky ones who found love early. The couple met in high school and described their puppy love as timid, as they were young and understandably shy to express themselves. And like most relationships that started in their youth, they too had to part ways.
“We knew we liked each other back then,” Salve said, recounting their moments back in high school. “But, in classic high school fashion, it never went anywhere after,” Alex continued.
Salve emphasized how she was raised in a traditional Filipino household, where she was guided by her grandmother. “Don’t date right now,” she would tell her granddaughter. “Finish college first.” She obliged.
She and Alex lost touch for four years, but fate had other plans.
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Reuniting through a game
Salve is in the creative industry and works in theater marketing and public relations, whereas Alex is working for Riot Games as a competitive operations specialist. The two were prom dates in high school, an instance that led them to each other’s lives. After high school, they went their separate ways.
In 2017, one of their mutual friends held a Dungeons & Dragons session, and invited both of them. That was where they reconnected once more.
They have dated ever since, and have stayed together for seven years.
The couple said they have braved the dreaded long distance relationship for about three years, but they proved their love is strong enough to conquer that ordeal.
Salve and Alex described themselves as a nerdy couple. They bonded well over reading, history, and video games. “We’re a good example of [the concept of] marrying your best friend,” Alex said. “That’s a good way of characterizing ourselves. We always find something to talk about, whether it’s the latest book release or latest games, fantasy series, or movies.”
Endgame from the beginning
“In [romantic] films, there is usually a particular scene where a character realizes that a person is ‘the one’ for them,” Alex commented. “I didn’t have a specific moment of realization. I just knew at some point, within one year into our relationship, that she is the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. That fact stayed true even despite fights or arguments. From then on, I never looked back.”
Alex knew both of them strived hard to maintain and improve their relationship to the point that they realized they wanted to get married.
Incidentally, Salve also did not have a specific reason for knowing Alex was the one. “For me, it was the realization when we started dating, that he will be a part of my life permanently,” she conveyed. “It was a given already. Even if people tried to freak me out when they say ‘So is there going to be a wedding?’ I would say, ‘Yeah, of course.’ That wasn’t even a question. It was an endgame from the beginning.”
The proposal
Alex planned to propose in 2022. He was based in Berlin, Germany at the time, so they were in a long distance relationship. “Our lives were set and we were both in a good place,” he chronicled. “The time was perfect. However, Salve and I were so close despite being in different parts of the world, to the point that it was hard to surprise her. She knows when a surprise is coming.”
Alex set the plan in motion: he bought the ring, asked for Salve’s parents’ permission, and scheduled the proposal during her birthday week. “The plan was to do it on her parents’ anniversary, July 23, which is well within the week of her birthday,” he explained. “It was an excuse to dress up.”
Salve said, due to their distance at the time, they would schedule calls twice a day. But on the day that Alex was flying back to Manila, he told her that he was sick. “He’d tell me, ‘let’s just do voice call instead of video call.’ I would sometimes miss him [his calls] due to the time difference. And when I wake up, he’d say ‘I took some medicine, I’m sleepy.’ That’s why his proposal was so mind blowing, because he was so convincing. Little did I know, he was on a flight going to the Philippines.”
Salve was so amazed with the fact that Alex brought props which would make her think he was still in Berlin. He brought his pillowcase, convincing Salve that he, in fact, was sick and in bed.
“It’s the only time I’ll use the sick card,” Alex jokingly said.
The reveal and the “yes”
Alex drove to Tagaytay with his and Salve’s best friends who turned into a well-oiled machine as they set up the room for the proposal. The couple loved the film Tangled, especially when they were in high school, so that became the theme. Salve’s room was decorated with lanterns and the song “I See The Light” from the film played on the hidden speakers. They also set up an iPad to record the moment.
Salve entered the room after her family and friends coaxed her to get upstairs. She thought it was a joint celebration with her parents’ anniversary due to their huge birthday sign for her.
As soon as she came in, she was so surprised to see a laptop with the words “Play Me” flashing. It was a video of Alex greeting her “Happy Birthday, all the way from Berlin!” and requesting for her to go back downstairs as he had a gift for her. When she opened the door, Alex appeared, came in, and proposed while “I See The Light” played in the background.
“It was nice,” Salve narrated. “We’ve always talked about how we preferred private proposals. But after our moment, we went back to celebrate with our family and friends.” The next day, they held a pamamanhikan, or a traditional Filipino way of formally proposing to the bride-to-be with both sides of their families present.
Wedding highlights
Salve and Alex got married on November 18, 2023 at the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan. The groom said the whole wedding was a huge highlight for him. “Seeing her walking down the aisle was a huge moment.”
Salve got nostalgic as she reflected on their wedding. “It’s so funny because, when we went to prom, we did the cotillion, right? We actually won prom prince and princess, and I got so kilig. I was on a high. However, I tripped over my dress literally five minutes after the coronation. Everybody saw it so it was embarrassing, but at the same time, fun. During our wedding, there was a gust of wind and I lost my footing again! But it was a full circle moment. Seeing our family and friends genuinely smiling made me think, ‘It’s okay. I’m still on my way to marry Alex.’”
Another highlight for Salve was having the song “Fields of Gold” during her bridal march. She wanted it to be her wedding song since she was 16. “Everything’s so overwhelming when you walk down the aisle,” she stipulated. “My eyesight wasn’t that great, so I had to look for Alex as I was walking. Finally, our eyes met just as the lyrics went, ‘I never make promises lightly.’ That was a goosebump moment for me.”
Alex chimed in, saying he and Salve chose stellar suppliers for the wedding. “They really understood what we wanted and listened to what we disliked,” he explained. “I used to work in gaming events, and Sam was in theater events and marketing. It’s not the same as wedding events, but we have a bit of an experience with similar circumstances. We understand the stress that comes with it. So, seeing it all come together was great.”
One in heart and mind
The couple expressed it was their priority to make sure the guests had a fun time during the wedding. “They were ecstatic for us and were there for us,” Alex said. “The event was really a thank you to make them happy, and when they all felt that way, it meant a lot to us.”
The husband and wife remembered a part of their special day which attested to how their connection was very much real. “We did personal vows at the end of our Catholic ceremony,” Salve revealed. “We didn’t tell each other beforehand, of course. So, when we finally delivered our words to each other, we discovered that we wrote along the same theme. I started saying, ‘I only read about love stories in books. I got to have one because of you.’”
Salve continued, “Alex’s vows started with the words, ‘I can’t find the words, but I know how much you love books.’ Then, he quoted some of my favorite book characters and included it in his vows.”
She remembered seeing their principal sponsors laughing as they were saying vows to each other. “It was a moment when we realized, yeah, this is real.”
The bride and groom as the guests of honor
“Somebody told me that the wedding planning is hectic and stressful,” Salve commented. “But [to couples who will marry soon] don’t forget to enjoy. At the end of the day, you get to marry your person. Nothing else matters.”
Salve added that maintaining an open line of communication with one’s future spouse is essential in wedding planning.
“My advice is more on for the guy in the relationship,” Alex expressed. “It’s okay to be hyper invested in your wedding. You can weigh in or have a say in it because as Salve said, communication is key. It’s not just her wedding–it is both of you–your wedding. Add your elements, details you want, or a bit of you in the wedding, and then when you come to a crossroad, talk about it.”
Salve began to talk about something she read about weddings. “I read that a couple is the guest of honor, and not the host, on their wedding day. I think a lot of times they would worry about if the guests have already eaten, or if they are okay or bored at the event. You planned the wedding, so you’d think you’re the host. But you’re not. They’re there to honor and celebrate you. They are there for you. So, you’re the guest of honor.”
“And, to add, practice your smile,” Alex advised. “Halfway through the day, my jaws were so painful. I was massaging my cheeks already by dinnertime. Have cheek exercises leading up to the wedding. It was fun though.”
Always together now
The pair describe their wedded life as splendid.
“We were doing long distance for more than three years,” Salve explained. “This may be misinterpreted, but I really appreciate that now we take each other for granted. By saying that, I mean, we used to make the most out of our moments together because of distance separating us. We used to always do activities together because we won’t see each other for three months or so. But now, we get to just stay home together, eat dinner at home, because now we’re always together.”
Alex then expressed how married life is for him. “I got to marry my best friend,” he said. “It’s like having a permanent sleepover. The best part is we always get to decide what to do. As Salve said earlier, we did long distance before, so the beauty of the now is that we’re no longer rushing. We’re taking our time and enjoying each other’s company.”
Against all odds, Salve and Alex’s love story came full circle and defied time and distance. Their love only grew stronger and culminated in a heartfelt union that symbolized their unwavering commitment. Their journey serves as a reminder that true love conquers any obstacle, weaving a tale of enduring romance that will inspire generations to come.
Photos from ProudRad.
VENUE Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Bataan
WEDDING DRESS Monique Lhuillier
BRIDAL AND ENTOURAGE BAGS Aranáz
CATERER Cibo di Marghi by Margarita Fores
VIDEOGRAPHY Mayad Studios
PHOTOGRAPHY ProudRad
STYLIST Robert Blancaflor
WEDDING COORDINATOR La Belle Fete
PRIEST/PRESIDER Archbishop Socrates Villegas
GROOM’S BARONG Joji Aguilar
ENTOURAGE DRESSES Debbie Co
REHEARSAL DINNER DRESS Joji Aguilar
RECEPTION DRESS Essense of Australia
INVITATIONS The Write Impression (Illustrations by Reena Gabriel & Thea Ong)
CAKE Penk Ching
CHURCH MUSICIANS Manila String Machine
HAIR AND MAKEUP JA Feliciano and Emman Magpantay
BRIDAL HEADPIECE Nestina Accessories
BRIDAL SHOES Doreen Odvinia
