5 Things We Love About Valeen Montenegro and Riel Manuel's Wedding

Valeen Montenegro and Riel Manuel are officially Mr. and Mrs. The couple tied the knot with an understatedly elegant wedding that echoed their no-fuss personalities.

Valeen and Riel’s wedding took place on January 12, 2024, with the ceremony held at Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Forbes Park, Makati and the reception at The Conservatory at The Peninsula Manila. 

Their love for adventure and exploring the world together is crystal-clear from their scenic outdoor engagement in November 2022 to their easy-breezy camping-themed engagement shoot by Amady.

As Valeen and Riel stepped into this adventure of a lifetime, they made sure their wedding, filed under the social media hashtag #OhWellManuel, was memorable through and through. One way they got to achieve that was by entrusting their big day with a team of suppliers who understood who they were as a couple and knew how to elevate the event without veering away from their personalities. 

A beautiful story, for instance, is how Valeen tapped her best friend, bridal gown designer Banggo Niu, to create her wedding gown. On Instagram, Banggo dedicated a post to her college best friend Valeen, telling her, “I will never forget the time I told you back in university that I would make your wedding gown! And now, the time has come! It’s an honor to be a part of this new chapter in your life, Vee! Love you.”

The couple’s wedding coordinator, Cha Andrada, was also introduced to Valeen and Riel through a mutual friend who, as Cha told us, “thought we would work well together.” And their friend was right. “After the initial introduction, we had a chance to talk, and we realized that we shared similar values and had the same goal一to make their wedding seamless and uncomplicated,” Cha shared. “Our initial conversation was a great example of how meaningful connections can lead to exciting opportunities.” 

Cha further shared that the couple was keen on details but so easy to work with because they knew what they wanted from the get-go: a seamless, effortlessly elegant wedding. Planning a January wedding does come with challenges; but, with a couple like Valeen and Riel who “have a clear vision of what they want for their wedding” and are also open to suggestions, the wedding planning process was a breeze and made room for creativity to flourish.   

The stunning outcome of this wedding also highlights the importance of working with wedding suppliers whose vision and aesthetic align perfectly with the couple. With classic and simple elegance for a theme, event stylist Dave Sandoval was the fitting choice to translate Valeen and Riel’s wedding mood board to a tangible dream event worth raving about for years. After the wedding, Valeen told Dave, “Love how you really know us.” Valeen is an actress, host, comedienne, vlogger, fitness enthusiast, and the entrepreneur behind Anaya Swimwear. Riel is a cinematographer.

Even with the exciting wedding trends emerging these days, timelessness will always be an important factor for this special occasion. “I think couples will still want a classic look for this year,” Dave said. After all, it is every engaged couple’s goal to have a wedding they would love to look back on even as many years passed. And this wedding fits that description seamlessly. One of Valeen’s bridesmaids, Dasuri Choi, can attest to that, as she said, “The wedding was really perfect until the after party. Good job!!!"

Scroll through the gallery below for the details we loved from Valeen Montenegro and Riel Manuel’s wedding:

Other suppliers who contributed to making this dream wedding come true include Liya Fine Jewelry for their wedding bands, Fort & Tailler for Riel’s tuxedo, and High Impact Events for the lights and sounds system. 

Photography by Amady