Behind the scenes of Coleen Garcia and Billy Crawford’s wedding — as told by maid of honor Ria Atayde

Image: Metrophoto

Being maid of honor is both a privilege and a responsibility, one that entails being the bride’s right-hand woman.

But for actress Ria Atayde, being MOH was a unique situation: the bride and groom were no other than Coleen Garcia and Billy Crawford who had a highly-anticipated and high-profile wedding to plan.

Image: Metrophoto

How she earned this special position of trust with the couple goes way back to when she and third cousin Coleen were younger. As she recounted in her maid of honor speech, though they weren’t close during childhood, they formed an inseparable bond after experiencing heartbreaks at the same time.

“She’s like an older and younger sister rolled into one,” she describes to INQUIRER.net. “I love her like a sister and she treats me the same.”

Image: Metrophoto

“Billy, on the other hand, has easily become one of my best friends through the years. He’s like a kuya who guides me but a brother who lets me make my own mistakes but is there to help me through it.”

She has dubbed herself their “official third wheel” for good reason: “I’m like a third party in the sense that I help mediate when they have issues. They always drag me out to go with the two of them and we hang out just the three of us all the time.”

In fact, becoming maid of honor seemed to be a given for her and Garcia. “I actually don’t remember exactly how she asked me. But I feel like we both just knew.”

‘Felt like my wedding’

Long before the wedding, Atayde had already been hatching a plan with Crawford. “I was involved even before the proposal. I helped B get Coleen’s ring size. Helped him choose [the ring] though it was really his choice naman.”

LOOK: Billy Crawford, Coleen Garcia get engaged

The proposal was their secret for an entire 19 months, during which she was trusted to keep the ring and keep her lips sealed to Garcia — no easy feat considering how much the cousins confide in each other.

On December 2016, Crawford finally popped the question to his “It’s Showtime” co-host in front of a gathering that was Atayde’s doing, too. “I made the video, I reserved the place—that involved,” she stresses.

As with the proposal, Atayde was part of the wedding preparations since day one. “I was helping them every step of the way. I was organizing stuff for them, I helped distribute their invites. I felt like it was also my wedding,” she laughs.

Though no doubt challenging, Atayde had no qualms over her labor of love. She worked in tandem with the coordinator even if she had her own commitments, but overall, it was an enjoyable experience for the three.

“We’d really be forced to see each other which was not something we were always able to do since we were busy with work and all,” says Atayde.

Image: Metrophoto

In good humor, Atayde describes Garcia’s bride-to-be disposition. “She was Bridechilla for sure!” she laughingly recounts. “Not until the last two weeks though. She started to be more anal about things then.”

“Billy was very supportive and super flexible,” she adds.

Atayde also headed the bride’s destination bachelorette party in a spectacular getaway to Hawaii. When asked about the choice of vacation spot, she says it was based on the outdoor activities Garcia loves, which are hiking, swimming and relaxing at the beach.

Image: SweetEscape

Though they were with Garcia’s closest friends during the trip, the two had time alone at the majestic peak of the Koko Head Crater trail. “We had our little convo there, reassuring each other that we’ll be there for each other. Forever,” Atayde divulges.

‘My two grooms’

The wedding date was set on April 20 at the luxurious Balesin Island Club, a fitting venue for the beach-loving couple. The groom and bride’s entourage and several guests made it to the island the day before, in time for a welcoming party at night.

“I loved being around the people who love Coleen and Billy a lot — enough to prioritize them and celebrate their love and union,” shares Atayde of the festivities. “It was so much fun! Everyone got to meet and it was nice because they really brought people together.”

The high from the evening party set the tone for the emotional wedding day.

“The whole wedding was beautiful,” Atayde gushes. As seen in pictures online, the venue had an ethereal atmosphere care of renowned events stylist Gideon Hermosa.

The gorgeous floral backdrop made the love in the air all the more radiant, especially as the bride, who donned a shimmery and exquisite Galia Lahav gown, walked the aisle.

“I couldn’t control my tears,” Atayde recalls. “I kept looking at Billy, seeing the amount of love he had for her. He was crying even before they opened the door!”

Image: Metrophoto

Image: Metrophoto

“As Coleen was walking, she looked at me and Billy and said ‘My two grooms,’” she recalls with amusement. “I kept crying.”

The reception offered star-studded entertainment, thanks to the couple’s friends who are musicians: Regine Velasquez, Jay R and Kris Lawrence were some of the celebrities who treated guests with their artistic flair.

A particularly standout moment was when Crawford crooned during the father-daughter dance for Garcia and dad Jose. “I don’t think I’ve been to a wedding where that’s happened. It was beautiful,” notes Atayde.

As for what’s next for the couple, Atayde hopes they will enjoy each other’s company in married life. But as she said in her speech, she is already excited to become a “cool Tita of Manila to all the little Coleens and Billies.”

Though Atayde claims she isn’t “qualified” to give relationship advice, the easygoing actress does have words of wisdom for her cousin: “I just constantly remind [Coleen] that relationships are composed of various daily choices. And that she deserves the world… so she should always prioritize herself, too.” JB

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