Alex Sycip & Sofia Palaganas: High-energy dancing and speeches that left everyone in tears
On Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, Sofia Palaganas and Alex SyCip were married at Santuario de San Antonio in a ceremony that felt intimate despite the full church. Sofia’s walk down the long aisle, gently sloping upward toward the altar, was cinematic in the quietest way—reverent, radiant, and undeniably emotional. There was not a dry eye in sight.
Their story has a full-circle kind of magic. They first crossed paths as classmates at Brent International School Manila when Sofia entered for ninth grade—she was only there briefly, but it became an early thread in a much longer story. Nearly a decade later, life brought Alex back into my orbit when I bumped into him walking home in Ayala Alabang Village, after we hadn’t properly reconnected since our school days. I pulled together a simple post-pandemic “catch-up” dinner, just as friends, as the world began opening up again—and that night quietly changed everything.
As one of Sofia’s bridesmaids and best friends—and someone who’s known Sofia since we were babies and Alex since we were six—watching them say “yes” felt deeply personal. It wasn’t about the years in between; it was about how naturally it all made sense once the timing finally aligned.
(First row, from left) Riane Yulo, Vendela Siasat, Monica Lorenzo, Candice dela Cruz, Issiah Ramirez, Giana Dato, Gregan Palaganas, Alex Gotianun, Wes Cabangon, David Cuenca, and Michael James Lhuillier.
If the ceremony was heartfelt, the celebration was pure energy. The Grand Ballroom at Shangri-La The Fort was transformed into a lush Amazon rainforest dreamscape—vibrant greens, emerald velvet draping, bold blooms, and performers setting the tone from the moment guests arrived. The night carried a joyful rhythm—a steady pulse of drums, shimmying, dancing, and constant celebration—yet the most unforgettable moments were the speeches. Sofia is profoundly loved, and it showed: her younger sister’s speech and her father’s words left everyone in tears.
Then came the showstopper: a high-energy samba performance by Alex, Sofia, and her family—Alex in a crisp white suit, Sofia shimmering in a beaded dress with feathers and tassels—dancing their hearts out with the kind of joy you can’t script.
And because Sofia and Alex never do things halfway, the celebration moved to Uma Nota, tucked into an intimate back room, where friends—many flown in from around the world—turned the afterparty into a warm, hilarious, beautiful reunion over comfort food and one last round of dancing. Even the priest remarked he’d rarely seen a wedding with so many friends in attendance—and it felt like the truest snapshot of who they are: loved widely, held closely, and surrounded by the kind of community that shows up. Watching their love story unfold reminds me that what’s meant for you won’t pass you by—it simply finds its timing.
