Fourteen years ago, Rico La Viña sent a text message to Kara Guioguio. They were then both students at Ateneo de Manila University, where he was leading a human rights campaign that she was interested in joining.
No sparks flew the first time Kara Loren Beatrice Vibal Guioguio and Enrico Antonio Bonto La Viña became acquainted in November 2012, when they were both undergraduates at Ateneo. No one predicted they would end up with each other, that they would reconnect, and their romance would lead them to the altar.
Rico never followed up on that text message, and over the next decade, they had a few scattered interactions—like when Kara messaged him for his dad’s contact information, or when they were at the same dinner party and briefly spoke, and then completely forgot about it, until they were well into their relationship.
It wasn’t until August 2022 that the two properly reconnected, a decade after their initial interaction—and this time, it stuck. Their first date was at the jazz bar called 78-53-86 in Quezon City.
It took a while before Kara was introduced to Rico’s family at the start of their relationship. “I didn’t want to introduce someone to my family until I felt pretty good about them,” he said.
Their relationship endured the test of not just time, but even distance. They were physically separated when they took their masteral studies in the US—marketing and strategic communications at New York University for Kara, and a Ph.D in political science at the University of California, Davis for Rico.
On May 15, 2025—one day after Kara’s graduation and one day before Rico’s birthday—they got engaged in Coney Island, New York, with Kara’s mother, well-known PR Peachy Vibal Guioguio, and her godmother present.
“Rico showed great respect and thoughtfulness by asking for our permission before proposing to Kara,” said Peachy. “It was around April last year—Good Friday, to be exact—when he came to visit us. Kara was not home at the time. Over lunch, Rico shared his plan to ask Kara to marry him after her graduation the following month.
“When we were in New York, Rico let me in on the details of his proposal. We even connived so he could be excused to pick up the engagement ring he had ordered and had specifically made in one of the shops in the city. So when he finally proposed, just a few hours after Kara’s graduation, at Coney Island, it was a deeply intimate and moving moment. Only my best friend Marie, who had flown in for Kara’s graduation, and I were there to witness it.
“My emotions were overwhelming and beautifully mixed. I was still basking in the pride and joy of seeing my daughter earn her master’s degree, and then, on the very same day, I watched her step into a new chapter of her life—now engaged to the man she would soon call her husband.”
The newlyweds on the steps of the Supreme Court
When Kara and Rico returned to Manila, they started planning their wedding together. “We initially weren’t planning to have a civil wedding reception because of our April destination wedding,” disclosed Kara. “We thought that we would just have a simple dinner after the civil wedding.
“We decided, however, with two months before the civil wedding date, to have a civil wedding reception. That was the hardest part—planning this celebration within such a short period. For example, we booked most of our suppliers within a month of the civil wedding reception.”
One of the practical challenges the couple faced was that a civil wedding in Manila was required before the destination wedding in April. Peachy, however, knew her daughter has always been very hands-on and thoughtful, carefully planning both ceremonies with intention and grace.
“As parents, we chose to step back and allow her and Rico to lead, offering guidance only when they asked,” said Peachy. “Watching them make decisions together was, in itself, a quiet reassurance that they were truly ready for married life.”
Asking for Kara’s hand in marriage, the traditional pamamanhikan, took place last December. “It was refreshingly simple and intimate,” said Peachy. “Rico’s family—his parents, Atty. Tony and Carmen La Viña, and his siblings, Eman and Rafa—joined our family: Prof. Rene, Kara, Kyla, and myself.
“Keeping it small turned out to be a wonderful decision. The evening was filled with warmth, laughter, and even spontaneous singing. More than a formal tradition, it became a joyful gathering for both families.”
They scheduled the wedding for January 5, 2026 for two reasons. “First, it’s our third-year anniversary as a couple,” Kara shared. “Second, we wanted our civil wedding reception to be a New Year’s celebration, as well.”
At the reception at the Pool House of Grand Hyatt Hotel at Bonifacio Global City (BGC), the respective fathers of the couple addressed them and the guests, too.
Rene and Peachy with daughters Kara and Kyla
The truest beauty of a partnership, according to University of the Philippines Prof. Rene Guioguio, Kara’s dad, is often discovered gradually, revealed through commitment and care. He even quoted St. Paul’s message to the Corinthians (“Love is patient and kind…”). It was a beautiful message.
The bride’s nonagenarian grandparents Zeneida and Mafeo Vibal
The bride with her mom Peachy and make up artist Jerome Chang
“On the one hand, we had already been living together for a year, so waking up beside each other was familiar,” admitted Kara. “But that morning after felt different. It carried a sense of permanence and intention, as if something we had already been building had finally settled into place.”
Rico’s dad, lawyer and educator Tony La Viña, called the couple “old souls,” although both are merely in their early 30s.
“While we’re grateful for many aspects of modern life, especially technology like Zoom that helped us stay close despite the distance, we’re also drawn to things that feel a little more old-school,” said Kara. “For example, we love good books, writing letters to each other, and making time to be together without screens.
“We try to live it out in very ordinary ways. That means being patient with each other, listening carefully, and showing up for the small, everyday responsibilities we share. In our early months, as well as for the rest of our life, that means choosing kindness in routine moments and making a conscious effort to support each other even when we are tired or stressed.”
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen officiated the ceremony at the Supreme Court, and even read a beautiful Khalil Gibran poem. Rico’s baptismal ninong, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Raphael “Popo” Lotilla, was also his wedding ninong.
The couple with their parents, Tony and Titay La Viña (left) and Peachy and Rene Guioguio
Present at the ceremony were Rico’s dad Tony, his mom Titay, and brothers Eman and Rafa. On Kara’s side, there were her mother’s 91-year-old mom Zeneida and dad Mafeo, 93, and their household angels Ate Dessa, Ate Mila, and Yaya Malou, Kara’s yaya since birth. Yaya Malou also signed as witness.
Rico with his dad Tony and brothers Eman and Rafa
Rico with his mom Titay
Noel Cabangon performed at the wedding reception. “We specifically asked him to sing All Too Well, because Rico’s dad, Tony, is a Swiftie (a Taylor Swift fan),” Kara said. “We also prepared a montage of our childhood and growing-up photos that played in the background, while Noel performed his classic song, Kanlungan.
“We asked our DJ, Jazz Zamora, to play music that would appeal to both boomers and millennials. We wanted everyone to have fun together, especially with the help of the dance instructor leading on the floor.”
They had a ’90s-theme photobooth that was a hit with the guests. Each photo was inscribed with words from poet e.e. cummings: “I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)” that was also on the wedding invitation.
The bride’s favorite movie snack is Tater’s popcorn, so that was their wedding giveaway. The wedding cake also had a retro ’90s theme vibe. Photos were taken by Law Tapalla and his team.
Since Rico, a middle child, is a huge NBA fan, he was thrilled with the appearance of “Steph Curry,” who was the big surprise at the reception. “I was both surprised and amused,” he said. “For a moment I didn’t even know how to react, and then I just decided to go with the flow and enjoy it. Kara directly contacted ‘Steph Curry’ on social media.”
Peachy and Professor Rene felt the change in their house the day after the wedding. “Prof, ever the pragmatic one, took it in stride,” Peachy said. “I, on the other hand, felt the quiet weight of the change. I knew I would miss seeing her every day—the small routines, the familiar presence.
“Still, my heart was comforted by her promise to come home as often as she could. After all, she now lives just 20 minutes away—close enough to remind me that while she has begun a new life, she will always have her first home with us.”
Kara and Rico fight about the usual things that most couples argue about. “What I appreciate about our relationship is that we rarely fight about the same issue twice,” Kara said. “Even after a heated argument, we always make space to calm down, understand each other’s point of view, and try to learn and grow from it together.”
Not surprisingly, the couple still discover new things about each other. “Every day, we discover more and more how much we enjoy each other’s company, and how well we get along,” Kara concluded.
