(This first appeared in UrbanLife Mindanao Gold Star Daily some weeks ago. This is the longer, more visual version.)
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” – Albert Einstein
For Kor Evangelista Garces, intelligence was not the only thing that fairy tales gave her. Her love for Cinderella, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, and all the fairy tale princesses and princes led to the realization of a beautiful vision – her wedding.
You may have heard of Kor and her husband Ken when you chanced upon an episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho last year. The show featured the story of how they slowly built their dream house together – practically from scratch. Kor’s honesty in sharing their story, which she first posted on Facebook, inspired a lot of people, especially Kagay-anons.
That was almost a year ago. This year, the couple starred in another beautiful story.
Last May 05, Kor and Ken again started making waves online when photos and posts about their fairy tale-themed wedding in Mountain Pines Place, Dahilayan, Bukidnon became viral. I first saw the photos from one of my friends – who is a cousin of Kor – and my initial reaction was, “Whoa! Awesome!”. It’s something we do not see a lot of nowadays, and it is probably the only wedding of its kind in this part of Northern Mindanao.
According to Kor, they started planning for their “Happily Ever After in the Enchanting Woods” in August of 2018, a month after Ken proposed to her on their 4th year anniversary. “I wanted something different because it’s my wedding, and I want it to be really memorable,” Kor said when I asked what made them choose the fairy tale theme. “Initially, we wanted a Game of Thrones theme because we’re both big fans of the show. But when we saw a Game of Thrones-themed wedding featured on Bride and Breakfast, we decided to look for another one.”
After thinking through several options, Kor and Ken finally chose to go with a fairy tale theme. “Who doesn’t love fairy tales? I love fairy tales! And I am lucky to have a husband who loves what I love. He gave his all-out support and helped me every step of the way.”
It wasn’t an easy adventure, according to Kor, but she enjoyed everything. She likes to be hands-on on all the details, so she took care of looking for the sources of all the stuff she needed – from the invitation materials to the giveaways, and even the gowns and suits of the entourage. Fairy tale-themed weddings are not common here in CDO, so it tool a lot of hard work (and patience – especially when looking for sources and suppliers).
But Kor and Ken were determined to bring their fairy tale vision to life, so they did their best to make sure that everything in their checklist was properly done. They combined forces and worked as a team, just like what they did when they built their dream house.
It also helped that Kor had a happy and positive attitude while carrying out her day-to-day tasks for the wedding. Despite the fact that she knew there was a possibility their plan would backfire, she never thought of giving up on her dream. Instead, she persevered and did all that she could – including reach out to sources and suppliers outside of the city and the country.
The Venue
Kor and Ken chose Mountain Pines for their venue because they felt it was the perfect place to hold a fairy tale wedding. According to Kor, “It looks like a place right out of a fairy tale. Also, we wanted the wedding to be in Dahilayan, but we wanted something different, not the ones that were often used by other couples. We were told that we’re only the second couple to be wed in the place. That meant a lot to us.”
They made the right choice because the venue added a lot of authentic feels to the wedding. Her flower girls, dressed as Little Pink Riding Hoods (instead of red), perfectly blended with the forest-like setting. It gave the couple and their guests the feeling that princes and princesses were right around the corner, ready to make a surprise appearance.
It Pays to be Practical
If you’ve seen the photos, you might think that Kor and Ken spent a fortune for their fairy tale wedding. They did not. Kor worked on a lot of the details, so she was able to choose the most practical options and therefore saved on most of the expenses. For example, while most giveaways would cost a total of more than a thousand, she spent only Php1,000 for 100 pieces of vintage keys. Kor also found a good deal for the men’s three-piece suits – more or less Php3,500 including the pants. That’s a bargain already considering that the design has intricate details.
For Kor, it’s about knowing what you want and what you can afford. It’s also about time – devoting time to finding the best deals, the best choices. “I really did research on and offline. I spent a lot of time studying our options. And then I chose the ones that did not only satisfy our requirements but also those that were practical and affordable.”
Personal Touch
Kor and Ken hired a coordinator, a stylist, and the best suppliers in CDO, but they did a lot of the work themselves. She made sure she took care of the most important details herself – she knew what she wanted and how to execute the “enchanting and whimsical” details she envisioned. Her personal touch, and their teamwork – is what helped them realize their dream wedding without having to spend millions.
Here are some of the details of Kor and Ken’s fairy tale-themed wedding. Prepare to be mesmerized.











Kor and Ken’s enchanting wedding, just like their dream house, is an inspiration for couples who want the most important day of their lives to be special and unique. It is proof that if you do everything with passion and hard work, you’ll get what you want – no matter how far-fetched it looks at first. It is also proof that “marriage is not a fairy tale, but weddings can be” (Kor’s own words).
Congratulations, Kor and Ken! Enjoy your happily ever after!
(Photos from Kor’s Facebook page. Used with permission. Photos by Ed Millard.)