Wedding Date: July 7, 2007
Wedding venue: St. John Bosco Parish, Arnaiz Street, Makati City
Reception: Le Soufflé, Rockwell Center, Makati

(YES! September 2007 issue)

In a live interview with The Buzz the day after their wedding, Chris held his wife’s hand and simply said, "I just hope I can live up to your expectations and put a smile on your face every day, and I love you."

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Pre-wedding preparations for the bride and groom were done at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati. Krist Bansuelo did Nikki’s hair and make-up. Her hair ornaments are actually earrings and a brooch from the T. Florencio Jewelry shop at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

As the bride walked down the aisle, the Philippine Madrigal Singers—accompanied by the String Minstrels orchestra—beautifully sang George Canseco’s “Ikaw.” All of Nikki’s close female friends were in tears.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

The first time around—that is, the civil wedding in Canada—was as sweet and as memorable as the second, Nikki says: “Noong civil namin, sabi ko hindi ako iiyak talaga. Ang saya-saya ko noong araw na ’yon. Diyos ko, noong nagsasabi na ’yong pari, ‘I know this is only a civil ceremony, pero because you’re both Catholics, I want to bless both of you’—naku, ayan na, nagluluha na ako. Noong vows ko, ngisi naman ako nang ngisi. ’Yong una, ang gloomy. Kasi, height ng winter sa Toronto. ‘Ano ba ’to, ikakasal ako walang kaaraw-araw?’ Two hours before the wedding, umaraw. Perfect lang talaga lahat.”

(YES! September 2007 issue)

The family of the bride: (left to right) kuya Alfred Garcia; grandmother Alicia Valdez; dad Rodolfo Garcia Jr.; Nikki (born Ma. Alinica Valdez Garcia); mom Norma Garcia; sister Angeli Garcia, who was also one of the maids of honor; and brother Antonio Garcia.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

The newlyweds with the groom’s family: (left to right) Chris’s uncle from Vancouver, Mario Alvarez; sister Barbara Lina; mom Vilma Lina-Medina; and Chris’s 15-year-old son, Julian Emile Lina, who was also his best man.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

The Rev. Fr. Jerry Gaela officially pronounced Chris and Nikki husband and wife at exactly 8:16 p.m. During the exchange of rings—platinum band rings purchased in Canada—the couple pledged to each other: “I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and loyalty, and with my heart I pledge to you all that I am. My love, like this ring, has no end.”

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Rica Peralejo, Nikki’s best friend and one of the three maids of honor, was also the designated host during the reception. “I refuse to be emotional, so watch this,” Rica said as she introduced an audiovisual presentation recounting the couple’s love story.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

The groomsmen and the bridesmaids: (left) pop singer Christopher “Top” Suzara, former vocalist of the band Freestyle, and Ouija star Jolina Magdangal (right).

(YES! September 2007 issue)

TV personality Bobby Yan, the late Rico Yan’s older brother, and actress Assunta de Rossi-Ledesma, who’s currently taking a breather from showbiz.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Funny faces: (left to right, front row) Alfred Garcia, Top Suzara, and Edu Manzano; (center row) Bobby Yan; Julian Lina; Bayani Agbayani; and Beth Tamayo’s husband Johnny Wong; (back row) Angeli Garcia; Assunta de Rossi-Ledesma; Rica Peralejo; flower girl Amanda Peralejo; Barbara Lina; the newlyweds; cousin Beth Tamayo-Wong; Cat Ilacad; Jolina Magdangal; Nina Tiongko; and Jill Roxas.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Pilipinas Game KNB? host Edu Manzano and funnyman Bayani Agbayani took pictures of their darling “Camilla”—that’s Nikki’s character in the now defunct sitcom Ok Fine, Whatever, where the three worked together.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Nikki’s Walang Kapalit co-star, Piolo Pascual, offered to sing “Kailangan Kita.” Piolo and Nikki are both with Star Magic, ABS-CBN’s talent agency.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

The newlyweds with their principal sponsors: (L-R, front row) Elena dela Vega; Rica’s mom, Alice Peralejo; Vivian Hao; Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan; Nikki and Chris; Susan Interior; Elsie Altamirano-Villanueva; comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas; Purita Buni; and Rosella Fuertes, proxy for Maricel Soriano; (back row) Jimmy Chang, proxy for Aga Muhlach; Perry Villanueva; Jun Anievas; film and television director Wenn Deramas; Mario Alvarez; Toronto producer Christopher Hao of Trustee Entertainment; producer Orly Ilacad; and Boy Interior. Some of the sponsors and guests flew in from Canada especially for this occasion.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Singer-actress Agot Isidro—here with husband Manu Sandejas—became close to the bride when they were both in the cast of the 2005 theatrical production of the musical Footloose.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

As a surprise wedding gift, Nikki dedicated an original song, “No One Else,” to hubby Chris. "No One Else" was written by Top Suzara.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Following tradition, Rodolfo Garcia Jr. got the first post-wedding dance with his daughter. “My dad is a man of few words,” says Nikki, a self-confessed iyakin. “The only thing he told us was to love and respect each other. Noong sumasayaw kami noong wedding, mas naiyak ako sobra when he whispered in my ear, ‘Huwag ka nang umiyak.’”

(YES! September 2007 issue)

The newlyweds danced and sang to the tune of Kenny Latimore’s “For You,” which Chris had personally requested.

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Pops Fernandez—Ate Pipay to Nikki—belted out the hit song “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang?” with Top Suzara. Before singing, she said: “To Nikki and Chris: kakantahin namin ito pero hindi para sa inyo ang message ng song, ha?”

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Ninang Sharon had this to say to the bride and groom: “Marriage is not an easy thing. It’s a decision you have to renew every time you wake up.”

(YES! September 2007 issue)

Ninang Ai-Ai—here with Direk Wenn Deramas—had flown in from the U.S. only two days before the wedding and was still jet-lagged. She thought the wedding was on a Friday instead of a Saturday, and she already had her hair and make-up done when she found out she got the dates wrong. In introducing Ai-Ai during the reception, event host Rica Peralejo said: “Ito po, kahapon pa po siya nandito. Hindi pa ready si Nikki, nandito na siya.”

(YES! September 2007 issue)

On July 9, the newlyweds went off to Amanpulo, Palawan, for a four-day honeymoon.

(YES! September 2007 issue)