Radio DJ Sam YG and his non-showbiz partner Essa Santos are now married, after nearly four years of being a couple.
Sam and Essa exchanged wedding vows on March 12, 2022, in a church ceremony at the St. Benedict Parish in Silang, Cavite.
A magical wedding reception followed at the Los Arboles in Tagaytay City.
Here are more enchanting highlights of Sam and Essa’s wedding:
THE BRIDE
Guests were brought to tears as Essa walked down the aisle in a classic A-line wedding gown with a low V neckline by Patricia Santos.
The pageant organizer’s radiant look was put together by her bridal team composed of Robbie Pinera, who did her glowing make-up, and Aries Manal for her hair.
For the church ceremony, Aries gave Essa’s crowning glory a classic bridal updo to keep things simple and draw everyone’s eyes to the unique neckline of her gown.
For Essa’s second look, Aries created some gorgeous waves to highlight her long locks.
To complete her bridal attire, Essa wore accessories by Jacatel and a classy pair of heels by Amina Muaddi from LoveLuxe.
Her unique peacock-themed bouquet of flowers also gave a fun and vibrant pop of color to her wedding look.
THE GROOM
Sam YG was equally dashing in his royal blue suit by Francis Libiran. The ensemble is sleek, clean, and sharp but with a vivid burst of color.
His grooming was done by Makisig by Groom Me Wedding.
Sam finished his look with a stylish pair of shoes from Maganni.
Meanwhile, guests wore outfits in hues of green, mauve, and blush while the couple’s entourage was dressed in emerald green, blue, and black attires.
THE WEDDING INVITATION
For their wedding invitation, Sam and Essa incorporated teal and gold accents with a peacock feather from Print Divas.
In an Instagram post on March 13, 2022, Print Divas shared more details about Sam and Essa's chosen design for their wedding invitation.
"Exquisite peacock wedding invitation in teal and gold. Peacock feather is an icon which not only enhances and improves the beautification of the invitation but also makes sure that the invitation looks pure and spiritual."
Towards the end of the post, Print Divas thanked the couple and wrote, "Thank you @essasantos & @_samyg for the trust. It was fun working with you! Congratulations! [emoji]"
THE GUESTLIST
An estimate of 130 guests attended the wedding.
Among the attendees were the couple’s family and closest celebrity friends, including Sam’s fellow 'Boys Night Out' DJs, Tony Toni, Slick Rick, and Gino Quillamor.
Musician Raymund Marasigan was also at the wedding.
THE BRIDAL CAR AND THE CHURCH
To match her magical church wedding theme, Essa arrived at the church in an English white Rolls-Royce car with rose-red interiors.
Celebrity event stylist Teddy Manuel transformed the church into a dreamy all-white garden. The elegant entrance tunnel filled with white blooms stood out at the wedding.
The entourage’s bouquet in a mix of pink and purple also added life to the couple’s special day.
THE WEDDING VOW
The couple exchanged heartfelt and tear-jerker wedding vows as seen on their SDE video made by Jason Magbanua.
In the video, Essa said, "Sam, all my life I believed that loving someone was just too much for me to handle. I‘ve always been so afraid to be vulnerable and so afraid to hurt.
"Love for me requires too much work too much risk and too much sacrifice and I was so sure I was better off alone–and then I met you."
She enthused, "Looking back, how could I not fall in love—you are patient and kind, humble and hard-working and you light up every room you walk into.
"Sam, you have the best heart and I don’t know what I did right in this life to deserve."
Sam, for his part, told Essa, "You have no idea how much I prayed for someone so smart, so passionate, so beautiful inside out.
"You are my best friend and you are my soulmate.
"I will take you in my arms when you need to be held. I will listen when you need to talk. I will laugh with you in times of joy; and comfort you in times of sadness.
"I will love you for who you are and help you all the way to become all that you want to be."
THE RECEPTION
Event stylist Teddy Manuel worked his magic to turn the reception venue at the Los Arboles into an enchanting view filled with vibrant blooms and candelabras.
The stylist created a breathtaking purple and gold setting with an S-shape seating arrangement.
The tables were covered in hues of cornflowers while the chairs and cutlery featured gold accents.
The ceiling was also covered in purple floral sculptures, gold lanterns, and blue chandeliers.
In an Instagram post on March 17, 2022, Essa revealed she was speechless upon seeing their reception venue for the very first time.
She also expressed her gratitude towards Teddy for his amazing work and for making their wedding day extra special.
Essa wrote, "When we first met with Teddy, I remember he asked me what I wanted. Not having any clue whatsoever what would work, I shrugged and said “maybe stRinG LigHts?” [emoji]
"Fast forward to our first glance at our reception venue and I was (kung applicable lang ang adverb na 'literally' kasi it really is what it felt like) MINDBLOWN. I was speechless, amazed, and overcome with so much gratitude.
"And if you’re wondering if Sam and I really had no idea what to expect, yes we had absolutely no clue. Like with all our other talented and hardworking suppliers, we trusted them completely.
"We were so sure and confident that Teddy knew best and we were only grateful that one of the country’s best was doing our wedding.
"True enough, our venues —the church, cocktails, and reception looked a MILLION times better than we ever imagined.
"We’ve said it over and over, but to our dearest Teddy, thank you. Thank you for giving us this wonderful night! We love you dearly —you are a joy to be with and a friend we will forever treasure [emoji]."
A blue multi-tiered wedding cake with patches of gold was also among the many highlights of the reception.
The wedding guests feasted on Burrata Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula Greens Salad in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Cream of Mixed Mushroom Soup with White Truffle Oil, Grilled Sea Bass in Lemon Caviar Butter Sauce served on a Bed of Sauteed Spinach, Roast U.S Angus Rib-Eye with Port Wine Sauce served with Haricot Vert, and Vanilla Creme Brulee with Fresh Strawberries prepared by Chef Florabel Co-Yatco.
Sam and Essa’s wedding was organized by COT Events.
The momentous event was hosted by the couple themselves. As the radio DJ jokingly said, "Ako na lang din para tipid."
Celebrity photographers Pat Dy, Nelwin Uy, and Chissai Bautista were present to capture the beautiful moments while Jason Magbanua was the official videographer.
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