Q: What are the 3 best words you would use to describe each other?

A: Alex is hard-working, service-oriented, and so dang funny. 

Ariana is happy, caring, and outgoing. 

Q: Favorite things to watch together?

A: Action movies and TV shows! Alex will always introduce me to a new action movie/show to watch together before bed. That’s kinda our thing.

Q: Where did you go on your honeymoon?

A: Mexico!

Q: What moments of your wedding day will you never forget?

A: When Alex and I were alone together in the temple with a couple of people performing the ceremony. I had so much anxiety before that (planning a wedding in 3 months is mega stressful lol), but the moment I entered the room and saw Alex, all that anxiety melted away and I knew that we had made an amazing choice to be together. 

Q: What has been your favourite adventure together so far?

A: Building our photography business. This was never something we had planned or talked about before we got married, or even after it got married. We were just blessed with the opportunity, and it’s been so amazing to watch each other grow as photographers and as business owners. 

Q: What is one thing you’ve learned since getting married?

A: Learning to balance, for sure! We have opposite personalities. I’m an extrovert and Alex is an introvert. We’ve really learned to be mindful of each others’ needs. We’re really good at giving one another what we need in respect of caring for the introvert/extrovert energy. We may be opposites and clash at times, but we also complement each other so well. 

Q: Who is the better cook?

A: Depends on what we’re cooking! Alex is the one who cooks all the Filipino meals. He’s also really good at making everything to perfection in the air fryer. I’m the one who is good at trying out new, delicious recipes, as well as making the crock pot dishes. 

Q: What do you love to do together?

A: We love exploring together, whether that be in our hometown, or in a different country. We love going to the movies, especially for action films. We love eating food. We love running the business together!

Q: What helps you to love the other person when you are mad at them?

A: Trying to see it from the other person’s perspective. 

Q: What are you looking forward to for this next year of marriage?

A: We’re looking forward to new adventures. Alex is almost done his undergrad at UoG, which means we’ll be moving from our home in student housing soon. We’re looking forward to finding a new home to be our base for the next few years, as well as both be working full time in the business. 

Q: What are some things you do to keep your relationship growing?

A: Trying new things together, spending quality time together, and date nights. There’s a quote we love: “We don’t just get to grow old together, we get to grow up together—and that’s the real adventure”. We knew each other for less than a year before we were married. Naturally, we don’t have much history. There’s not a lot that went on pre-marriage that is “ours”. So I find that our relationship grows as we create more memories, traditions, activities, and routines that are “ours”. 

Q: What did you do/are you doing to celebrate your anniversary this year?

A: We celebrated 5 years this August! It was my turn to plan out what we were going to do. I had some big ideas and plans, but then the pandemic happened and pretty much took any travel off the table. We ended up having an engagement session out in Norfolk County the day before our anniversary. So we stayed in the area and went exploring the day after. 

Q: What do you love the most about being married?

A: I just love him. I love that he’s my partner and all that comes with what and who he is. 

Q: Is your marriage now different from what you would have expected it to be when you were first married?

A: Oh totally. I look back and see that we were such babies, hahaha. We’ve both grown a lot. I feel like it gets easier for us the longer we’ve been married because now we know each other more now than ever. 

Q: What’s something your spouse has done to make your marriage better?

A: I think the best thing Alex and I have learned to do, and try to do, is communicate with each other. Sometimes we’re suuuuper stubborn and aren’t always ready to tell each other how we’re feeling, however, when we do communicate, it’s like freaking magic. Everything is always better when we’re able to talk it out. 

Q: What advice would you give a newlywed couple?

A: Keep dating and flirting with your spouse.