Year In Review: Celeb Weddings, Engagements, Baby News, And Awards That Made 2019 Great
Amidst all the trouble that 2019 brought, these celebs and personalities managed to bring generous doses of shareable happiness and positivity with them!
Going through the motions day in and day out for all 12 months in a year can really make life feel a little bleak and dull at times, so when there are things—happy things!—in the headlines that are worth leaning about and remembering, we definitely pay attention.
Looking back at 2019, it was definitely a great year for love and family, given all the beautiful engagements, weddings, baby announcements, and births that happened alongside other personal milestones of some of local entertainment's biggest stars.
To remind you of all the awesome things that happened to our favorite celebs and personalities this year, we're sharing a gallery of photos and stories of all the events that made an impression on us.
Filipino celebrity year end news that made headlines in 2019
Filipino celebrity year end news that made headlines in 2019
Karen Gallman becomes Miss Intercontinental 2019
And she made history while she was she was at it! Karen was the first Filipina to bring home the title in the pageant's 47-year history.
Ava Diaz gets engaged
Isabelle Daza's little sister, Ava, is now on her way to becoming a Mrs.! She got engaged in January on a family trip to Europe where her sister and mom, Gloria Diaz, were right there with her to celebrate the special moment.
The Legaspi twins turn 18
Cassy and Mavy brought the Oscar's red carpet to Manila when they threw a glitzy birthday bash in January and had an awesome production to complete the night! Their outfits and set design speak for themselves, and definitely raised the bar for 18th birthdays to come.
Korina Sanchez's twins are born
The world met twins Pilar and Pepe in February, and it was love at first sight. The tiny tots were born with the assistance of a surrogate and are Korina and Mar Roxas' first children together. They're turning one in a couple of months, which means that we're keeping our eyes peeled for what's sure to be an epic birthday party.
Arjo Atayde and Maine Mendonza become showbiz's newest It-coupl
It was early in the summer when Arjo and Maine revealed that they were indeed a couple—and the reactions were huge! Some were ecstatic for the couple, while others believed that they were more suited for other partners. However, almost a year later, they're still very much in love and happily coupled up.
Pia Wurtzbach gets a twin
Or at least, one in wax! Hong Kong's Madame Tussauds unveiled an eerily realistic figure of the Miss Universe titleholder in March, and at times, even we can't tell who's who!
Claudine and Gretchen Barretto make up
In spite of all the family drama surrounding the Barretto clan, 2019 held some good news for sisters Claudine and Gretchen who patched things up in March.
Dani Barretto celebrates personal milestones
This beauty ticked off two items on her checklist in 2019: get married, and start a family! She exchanged "I do's" at the altar with Xavi Panlilio in April and by September, they were parents to little one Millie.
Marian Rivera becomes a mom of two
In April, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes became parents of two! Baby Ziggy is the newest addition to their beautiful family, making Zia an ate, too.
Camille Co becomes Mrs. Koro
Wedding bells ran when Camile Co married longtime love Joni Koro in a pretty ceremony in Italy. Everything about the event was picture-perfect, from the outfits, to the venue, to the springtime charm enveloping everybody there.
Katarina Rodriguez becomes Save the Children Philippines' first-ever ambassador
It was awesome to see that without winning beauty pageant titles, this beauty maintained her passion for service and used her voice and influence to further her advocacy.
The Kramers' family life events
There's no family like the Kramers and thanks to their lovability and charm, so many people stand behind them to congratulate them when something amazing comes their way. In 2019, they had two amazing things happen: they moved into their first family home that Doug and Cheska managed from the ground up, and they're expecting baby number four!
Shaina Magdayao represents the Philippines at Cannes 2019
She was at the renowned international film festival for Lav Diaz' "Ang Hupa," the only Filipino entry at the event. She arrived in a beautiful Vania Romoff gown, too, that made her experience all the more memorable.
Fatima Rabago becomes a mommy of two
Her second baby? Kenzo, a son. The model and fitness influencer gave birth to her second child in June.
Jane de Leon is Darna
More than two hundred girls auditioned for the coveted role, but in the end, it was meant for Jane de Leon. The young actress took over Liza Soberano who backed out of the role due to complications from a previous injury.
Angel Locsin says "Yes!" to Neil Arce
The actress got together with Neil, a director, in 2018 and made waves when they made their relationship IG official. A year after, they would become husband and wife in the making, which makes us doubly excited for what their wedding will look like.
Baby #2 for Georgina Wilson
Archie now has a little brother—Alfie! Her second son with husband Arthur Burnand was born in July and made his first Instagram appearance at the end of the month.
Zephanie Dimaranan's dreams come true
This 16-year-old became Idol Philippines' first winner. She's so far made a handful of guest appearances on some of the industry's variety shows and held a solo concert.
Matteo and Sarah get engaged
Surprise! After keeping it a secret for an entire year, this starry-eyed couple revealed that they were engaged last November. The news was a huge shock to many as Matteo and Sarah are known to keep their relationship private, but this was clearly news worth sharing with their fans and celebrating. Details of their wedding have yet to be revealed!
"Hello, Love, Goodbye" becomes the country's top grossing film of all time
Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo made box office history when they told the tale of a Hong Kong-based OFWs surpassing struggles and making a better life for her family and more importantly, themselves. Their onscreen electricity helped too, of course! To date, the Cathy Molina-directed gem has earned P880 million worldwide.
Heart Evangelista's powerful 2019
She regularly gets invited to fashion shows in New York, Paris, Milan and beyond, she was featured in an international magazine, she collaborated with a French bag brand, she launched more collections under her brand Love Marie, and on top of all that, she was chosen to be part of Vogue 100! She's a fashionista that made wave after wave in the local and international fashion scenes all throughout 2019—we can't wait for what Heart's 2020 will bring.
Saab Magalona welcomes a baby a boy
This isn't just cause for celebration on its own. If you remember, Saab faced a painful reality in 2017 when she gave birth to a twin son and daughter, but only her son survived. Her healthy pregnancy and delivery the second time around was a true blessing for the whole family.
Sarah Lahbati and Richard Gutierrez make it official
Although they've been a couple for a long time and have two sons together, Sarah Lahbati and Richard Guiterrez have yet to have to celebrate their love in a wedding. They finally decided to hold one in 2020, and made the announcement in October.
Mond Gutierrez's Halloween party, Opulence: Let Them Eat Cake turned into reality
Raymond Gutierrez did not disappoint. He promised his audience that he would deliver an epic Halloween party, and boy was it something. Taking inspiration from Sofia Coppola's 2006 masterpiece "Marie Antoinette," the party indulged in everything over-the-top, costumes, decor, and yes, cakes, included.
James Reid and Momoland's Nancy's upcoming teleserye
Their project is the first of its kind in the Philippines' entertainment industry! Actor, dancer, and singer James Reid was officially paired with Nancy, a K-Pop singer from girl group Momoland, and the two are slated to star in a teleserye together. The project is sure to be a hit, as it combines the star power of two hugely popular idols of today's generation.
Jess Wilson gets engaged
And apparently, the entire thing was partly orchestrated by her friends and her sister, Georgina Wilson, who were all there with her to see the magical moment unfold. The entrepreneur and model is now set to marry her longtime boyfriend, Moritz Gastl.
Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico's first baby
It's going to be a girl, and one beautiful little girl, at that! Solenn and Nico announced that they were expecting their first child in August and revealed her gender in November.
Martha Stewart arrives in the Philippines
It was her first-ever Philippine visit, and she made the most of it by doing a ton of fun stuff: sampling local cuisine, delivering a leadership talk, touring Manila on foot, and yes, even planting rice at a private farm, muddy legs and all.
Anne Curtis' hugely successful year
Where do we begin? Actress, host, and entrepreneur Anne Curtis had an awesome 2019 with the continued success of her cosmetics brand blk cosmetics, her international recognition as a style icon, finally meeting her Korean idol Gong Yoo, and the best news of them all: the announcement of her first baby! She and her husband Erwan Heussaff broke the news in November.
Ballet Philippines hits their 50th year with a beautiful performance
The premier ballet dance company of the country partnered with fashion designer Michael Cinco for a stunning performance-meets-fashion show spectacle in September. Classic "The Swan Lake" got a different spin in the extra special event that was the very definition of artsy sophistication.
"Eerie" makes it to Netflix
Philippine cinema (its horror movies, specifically) reached a new high when "Eerie" was chosen to be part of Netlflix's lineup in September. The scary movie had genre fanatics in a daze and received tons of praise from an international audience.
KC Concepcion becomes the first-ever ambassador of Shiseido
The jewelry designer and actress gushed how she had always loved the Japanese cosmetics brand since she was a teenger, making it a lovely honor to be named the first Pinay ambassador to represent the brand.
Rachel Peters gets herself a fiancé
Walking down the aisle is now on Rachel Peters' agenda. She got engaged to Migz Villafuerte, Camarines Sur governor, in November while on a trip to Bali with friends. How romantic is this picture of hers that came with her engagement announcement?
Mariel Padilla gives birth
Hello to you too, Gabriela! She was born at the end of November, making Mariel and Robin Padilla's first daughter Isabella a big sister. The mommy was extra happy about her safe delivery as she had suffered from miscarriages in the past. Congratulations to the happy family!
Unified: Sarah G and Regine V's concert
Popstar Royalty and Asia's songbird get together for the first time, ever! Sarah Geronimo and Regine Velasquez's fans can look forward to an epic Valentine's Day in 2020, as the two singers scheduled a two-night concert on the day.
Judy Ann Santos wins big at the 41st Cairo International Film Festival
That's right—Filipino talent is being recognized in places as far as Egypt! The actress who brought attention to Filipino acting power was none other than Judy Ann Santos who bagged the best actress award for her role in "Mindanao," a film focusing on the life of a woman caring for her ailing children while her husband fights in war.
Vhong Navarro gets married
Vhong and Tanya were a couple for at least a decade before they tied the knot. But when they did in an intimate ceremony on wintry evening in Kyoto, Japan, there was magic in the air.
Sam Pinto starts her journey to "I do"
Sam's about to become a Mrs.! We're sitting tight until her big day and until then, we're cooing over pretty engagement that took place in Australia last November.
Joyce Pring gets the best beach surprise, ever
She thought she was planning a surprise birthday party for a family member, but it was her who got surprised! She got engaged in Boracay and the shock of the experience was clear—just check out the look on her face and all the happy tears she cried!
Tricia Centenera launches a new show
The web series, called "Talk with Tricia" centers on all this host's advocacies: self-care, women empowerment, body positivity, and work-life balance among many other things. The first episode launched in November and those that followed have all been well-received!
Kryz Uy is expecting
"I'm pregnant," she tearfully announced on an Instagram post after showing a clip of her eagerly waiting for two pregnancy tests to bring her good news. She shared the happy news in December, much to the delight of her followers. This is Kryz's first pregnancy with her husband, entrepreneur Slater Young.
Filipino athletes give the Philippines 149 gold medals at the 2019 SEA Games
Here is Kim Mangrobang, a triathlete and gold medalist, with her teammates at the recently concluded SEA Games. With hundreds of other Filipino athletes that represented the Philippines in every sport at the athletic competition, they helped the country beat its previous record of gold medals won at previous SEA Game editions.
Bea Alonzo's star power gets recognized
Filipinos know just how talented of an actress Bea Alonzo is, but her place in the industry was further validated when she was recognized by variety as one of Asia's most high-potential actresses to cross over to Hollywood. She was given an Asian Stars Up Next award at a ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, where her contemporaries from other Asian countries were officially introduced to an international audience.
Lynn Pinugu becomes an Obama Leader
Lynn Pinugu, a staunch social advocate and co-founder of She Talks Asia, was chosen to be an Obama Leader. The opportunity allowed her to meet President Barack and Michelle Obama themselves whose Obama Leader program gathers the most promising leaders from around Asia and the Pacific and immerses them in a year-long program to sharpen their skills while also giving them a chance to make meaningful connections and find inspiration from others' work.
Bono, Zipline, And The Philippine Red Cross launch a medical blood delivery service
It's the first time a drone-powered blood delivery service will ever be used in the Philippines, and it's predicted to have positive far-reaching effects Filipinos who need it most. We can thank U2's Bono, a philanthropist and human rights advocate, who helped push the agenda in time for U2's first-ever Philippine concert.
Margarita Fores cooks for U2
On U2's first evening in Manila, they headed over to Grace Park where Chef Margarita Fores delighted them with local flavors blended perfection with her expertise in Italian cooking. Bono and The Edge had nothing but praise for the lechon, diwal pasta, steak, and more that the award-winning chef prepared just for them.
Victor Basa ties the knot
On a pretty December afternoon, Victor Basa and Stephanie Dan became husband and wife. The couple that had been together for four years exchanged "I do's" in front of 200 guests, solidifying their commitment to each other.
Anne Curtis' baby is a girl!
Anne and Erwan held a baby shower in December some days before Christmas and with pink props, announced that they're expecting a baby girl. Anne is due to give birth in March.
Boop and and Kim Yap make additions to their family
Surprise! Sisters and celeb stylists Kim and Boop Yap had a family-centric 2019. Boop gave birth to her second son, while Kim is expecting.
Kylie Padilla gets the best Christmas gift
It came in the form of a bouncing baby boy named Axl. The cutie pie was born on December 9, giving this mommy all more reasons to feel grateful over the holidays.
Stephen Baldwin comes to the Philippines
He didn't just visit either; he made a movie! That's right, Hailey Baldwin's dad and Justin Bieber's father-in-law was in town in December to promote the film "Kaibigan" and talk about how he hopes to have more Philippines-based projects in the future.
Photos from @solenn @annecurtissmith @aldenrichards02 @iamhearte @abscbn @matteog @korina @kimmangrobang @danibarretto @marieltpadilla @beaalonzo @dougkramer @fatimarabago @vhongnavarro @arjoatayde @claudbarretto @ilovegeorgina @thatguyslater @itscamilleco @officialjudy @cathygonzaga @rachelpetersx @avadiazdaza @opulence_letthemeatcake @boopyap @sarahlahbati @cassy @marianrivera @sampinto_ @lynnpinuguv @marthastewart48 @triciacentenera @katarinarodri @shaina_magdayao @itskcconcepcion@kylienicolepadilla @stephaniedan1 @jesswilson @moaarena @therealangelocsin @margaritafroes @iamjanedeleon @saabmagalona @zozitunzi / U2 and Red Cross photos from Christina Lopez / Madame Tussauds photos courtesy of Storyscope Strategic Communications Group / Stephen Baldwin photo by Stephen Capuchino / Ballet Philippines photo by Daniel Soriano
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