Tenor Jenmai de Asis Buntalilid married KJ Cabrera at the Bacolod Cosmopolitan Christian Church on Friday, March 3, and delighted their guests with a music-filled reception.
Among those who performed were Asia’s Timeless Diva Dulce, the couple’s godmother, and the Filipino tenors composed of the groom and Christian Nagano, Ervin Lumauag and Richard Supat.
The love story of KJ and Jenmai started when they were pre-school classmates in 1988 at Cosmopolitan Evangelical Church in Bacolod City.
Jenmai had a crush on KJ and he would wait after their classes to be with her. They were also paired by their teachers during school activities. They parted ways after pre-school and went on with their lives.
KJ joined the corporate world while Jenmai pursued his dream of becoming a musician.
In 2015, KJ went to Bacolod Cosmopolitan Christian Church to attend a concert for a cause. Little did she know that the guest artist at that concert would be Jenmai, her pre-school classmate who had a crush on her. She approached him after the concert and introduced herself. Jenmai then said: “Of course, you’ re KJ, my pre-school crush”. It was the start of a beautiful reconnection.
Courtship didn’t happen for the couple. Friendship paved the way for them to realize that they already loved each other. Their first official date was at Bacolod Central Market, doing errands. It’s also one of KJ’s favorite places.
In June 2022 Jenmai invited KJ to go to Baguio on a vacation where he proposed to her.
Love is truly sweeter if you wait for God’s perfect timing. His plan is perfect, the groom said.*