Our Wedding

Click here to add stories about the Bride growing up.

It all began in a little house in the Philippines: Allan Bantug Cantos was born in 1972, 7 years before Star Wars hit the big screen.  Family moved to Houston, TX before my 1st birthday, and I've been here ever since.  Fast forward 35 years to 2008, and now you're caught up.

Lee-

One happy night in October 2006, I was at a friend's birthday party. It was happy because I was enjoying the single life and was in the mood to have fun with my friends.  The birthday girl wanted to go to Cecil's at one point after a bout of dancing at the Black Swan.  "Let's go meet my friend Allan!" she insisted. Not trusting her to drive, I took her there. This Allan person was outside with a few other people: his friend Jacob, Mike the Roommate and Jessica: The Roommate's Girlfriend and probably one or two more I can't recall. 

Eventually we made our way inside where Birthday Girl and I sat on the couch with Allan nearby.  At first glance I thought he was attractive but he also looked either:

1) bored

2) too good to be there

3) buzzing

We talked a little bit and that was all.  After awhile I made my happy way home.

I honestly didn't think about Allan again until Birthday Girl came to the dancers in December with a volunteer opportunity-Toys for Tots.  She was putting this effort on for Delta Sigma Pi, a professional fraternity for business majors. I was the lone volunteer for this one-but I was happy to do it. Christmas is about kids and giving after all. Still happy with my single life, I wanted to spread the joy around so off I went. She informed me that Allan (aka The President) would be there as well.

"Do you remember him Lee?'

"No, not really."

 "The guy we met at Cecil's for my birthday."

I had met a lot of guys that night honestly and couldn't pick him out.

"Which one?"

"The Filipino guy."

"Oh him. The bored one?"

"Yeah, he's the president. He'll be there."

Now in my years of dating and generally being out among the rest of the general population, I have discoverd that when you are looking sloppy, no make-up, have bed head and attired in well worn clothes, that is when you meet the kind of person you wished you had made more effort for.  And of course, this was no exception. Anyone that knows me knows how CURLY my hair is. I usually like to straighten it, but I wasn't in the mood that day. I had on old jeans, flip flops and a yellow (yes, dad I know that yellow doesn't look good on olive skin) tank top. I had on light pink lip gloss at best. So...I wasn't looking to meet anyone special and pretty well made up my mind that it would be a bunch of girls, toys and teddy bears.

Birthday Girl and Allan were at a McDonalds near the facility and I met them there.  He looked much better in the daylight and I was suddenly aware of how slovenly I thought I looked. We ate, chit chatted and left to go to the facility. I was in a great mood! It was the Christmas Season, I'm helping little tykes and enjoying the single life still. As we walking up to the door, I told Allan "I'm single!".

Okay.

Now if you ask him, he'll say that I came on to him and was pretty much throwing out a line his direction. But what he didn't know is that I was so happy about it, that I told the grocery store clerk, gas station attendent and pretty much anyone else that asked "How are you?" Being single was such a great thing after leaving a relationship that lasted much longer than it should have and I wanted everyone to know.

So we stuffed toys in bags and made more small talk and discoverd that we both worked in the Galleria area, on opposite sides of Post Oak in fact.  He asked me if I wanted to go to lunch sometime. I was agreeable and gave him my number.

Which he wrote down wrong.

So he made a bold move and asked the Birthday Girl for it knowing that this could be touchy. She gave it to him and he called and we made plans to go to Cafe Adobe. I wouldn't look like a curly haired olive this time.

We had a good time, sat outside and talked about our families and what we studied in school. Safe subjects. I found him easy to talk to and nice to look at.  And he didn't look bored. :)  I have always gone for the tall, dark and handsome type. No blond guys for me thanks. The two blond fellows I dated were more nervous than cats in heat. I enjoyed our date and he gave me a kiss on the cheek when we parted ways.

I wondered if he gave every female a kiss on the cheek or if he liked me more than the average girl.  Not that a kiss on the cheek is a foreign thing. I come from a very affectionate, demonstrative family. I recalled that many asian cultures frown on PDA and my past experiance confirmed that. Maybe Filipinos or at least this one, were different. 

That date lead to many others. A year later, here we are! We've grown very close to each other and I can't say enough how happy I am to be with Allan. Not only is he my fiance, he's become my best friend. He's still the president by the way, so I guess this means that I'll be the first lady. :)