Filipino Doctors Meet in Chicago and Find Their Happily Ever After
As Eula Plana Tetangco and Enrique Padilla Campos walked on the powdery white sand on the island of Siargao, an unsuspecting Eula turned around and saw Ikey on his knees, an encased diamond ring in hand.
“I have never met anyone more caring or considerate who makes me laugh every day, someone who wants the same things in life,” Eula tells Town&Country. “The answer was easy: Yes.”
Eula is the daughter of former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Ikey popped the question during a trip to Siargao in January 2018. “By that point, I think we both understood how important we were to each other but if you ask Eula, the beach proposal was still a surprise!” he says. Ever the planner, he stealthily caught the moment on video through a drone hovering nearby. After Eula gave her answer, Ikey triumphantly raised both arms in the air out of excitement.
The two work as physicians in the United States, where Ikey is finishing his training in cardiology and Eula is completing her stint in gastroenterology. When asked how they met, each
“We began dating a year and a half later, after going to a Christmas light show in Lincoln Park on the north side of Chicago with a group of friends.” They have happily been a couple since February 2016.
While their careers often take a toll on their personal lives, it helps that they work in the same field. “Our relationship is easy somehow. The work of a physician can be quite demanding but having our other half able to relate to those hard days is really valuable.”
“When I first started to get to know Eula, it was very comforting to know that not only was she from Manila but she could also relate to the rigors of a doctor’s life,”
“Our time together eased the stress of work,” Eula says. “His affection and intellect shone through into the spring and summer, and I could see we were walking similar paths. He may seem serious at first but Ikey is one of the silliest people I know. He makes me laugh all the time, and I think that's important.”
Through their photographs planted on save the date cards and postcards at their wedding reception, the couple’s loved ones caught a glimpse of a pivotal character in their relationship: the city of Chicago. Despite their love for the city, they chose to celebrate their union at home in Manila, where they could have friends and loved ones close.
Postcards from Chicago were distributed at the reception
“We wanted an elegant celebration in the Filipino tradition with small touches of Chicago here and there so our guests could understand our love story a little better,” says Eula. It was a challenge to have to coordinate all the way from Chicago but the couple managed with the help of their parents and their trusty planner Liza Alviedo of Kasalan Coordination Services.
The couple exchanged vows at the altar of Santuario de San Antonio, where Ikey’s parents had done the same over 30 years prior.
Eula walks down the aisle of Santuario de San Antonio
The day of their wedding on January the 6th radiated with love. “Ikey had each of his three brothers—Nic, Tommy, and JP—bring me something on the morning of the wedding,” Eula says. “It started with a latte, which was a lifesaver because I did not have time to eat breakfast. Then came a beautiful bouquet of flowers and lastly, a pair of diamond earrings with his last letter to me as my fiancé.”
The bride and groom with their entourage
The groom fondly recalls the breathtaking moment the doors of the church opened to reveal his bride. Eula wore an intricate
While waiting for the reception to begin, the guests enjoyed a grazing table prepared by chef Ariel Manuel of Bistro Manuel.
The reception at the grand ballroom of Shangri-La at the Fort was interspersed with small, special moments. Both their fathers gave heartfelt speeches. The newlyweds took to the dancefloor to perform a number that they had worked on “quite a lot.” Ikey’s brother Nic also surprised everyone with two beautiful songs, while elder brother Tommy choreographed a dance set with participation from cousins Julia and Sofia. Eula had the pleasure of seeing her father dance for the first time during their father-daughter dance.
Meanwhile, the tone was set by performances from the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra. The ballroom was also embellished with elegant arrangements by Tony Padilla of Floral Designs. Ramon Rubio and NYAPS (Not Your Average Photo Studio) documented the moments shared throughout the evening, while For You Are Mine caught these moments on video.
The bride shares a dance with her father, Amando Tetangco Jr.
Scenes from the reception at Shangri-La at the Fort
The next chapter of their lives will see them apart for some time as they complete their sub-specialty training in separate states. “[But] the thought of just being together, quiet, and happy wherever our next stop takes us, will be what we are most excited to experience next as a married couple.”
See more photos from the wedding below:
The bride and groom with their parents.
Mia Tetangco, Amando Tetangco Jr., Eula Tetangco Campos, Elvira Plana Tetangco, Miko Tetangco, Zara Tetangco, and Patrick Tetangco
Tommy Campos, Enrique Campos, Ikey Campos, Susana Campos, JP Campos, and Nic Campos
Enrique E. Campos and Susana P. Campos
