These Newlyweds Met as Newborns in the Same Hospital

Anja has also been documenting their wedding journey online through her Steal My Wedding series, where she shares everything from the suppliers she worked with to the details she chose for the celebration. “I genuinely loved the whole planning process,” she said. “I spent so much time choosing every detail and working with suppliers I really loved, and after the wedding, I realized I had so much information, inspiration, and advice that I wanted to share instead of keeping it all to myself.”

The series isn’t limited to wedding planning, either. Anja has also shared some of the story behind her and Gab’s relationship, including a video that currently has 2.5 million views, where Gab narrates how they first met. “The day that she was born, we were put beside each other, so technically, the first photo of Anja, I am there.”

Anja tells Preview, “For the entire seven years we were together, whenever someone asked how we met, I would say college, while Gab would insist that we actually met at the hospital and joke that he had known me my whole life. I always thought he was just being dramatic.”

A month before their wedding, the couple went through their baby photos and came across the ones taken at the hospital. Their names were written on the bassinets, proving what Gab had always claimed. “I was genuinely shocked,” said Anja. “After seven years of Gab telling that story, we suddenly had photographic proof that he had been right all along.”

She added, “That made the whole thing feel even more surreal. Finding that photo made us realize that our paths had crossed from literally the very beginning.”

Anja initially thought people would be interested only in the details of their wedding, but the response to their story proved otherwise. “I never expected so many people to connect with it. Seeing people say that our story made them believe in destiny or the invisible string theory has been really sweet.”

Being beside each other as newborns was only the beginning. They ended up in the same playschool when they were two years old, where, coincidentally, Anja was cast as Mother Mary and Gab as Joseph for a school production.

The two lost touch as they pursued their studies at different schools, although they would occasionally see each other through their mutual friends. Somehow, they found their way back to each other in college. “Despite originally applying to completely different courses, we both ended up switching to Management Engineering at Ateneo [de Manila University],” said Anja.

There, they became classmates in a few subjects and eventually reconnected as groupmates for a project during the summer between their freshman and sophomore years. Anja recalled, “We bonded over very nerdy things at first, like math and science videos and Rubik’s cubing, and eventually started spending more and more time together.”

She and Gab started dating in December 2018 and became a couple in April 2019. In their sixth year together, they traveled to Château de Chantilly in Paris, France, where Anja thought they were having an anniversary photoshoot. Instead, halfway through the shoot, Gab got down on one knee and proposed. “I was so happy that instead of crying, I was laughing, smiling, and literally jumping around.”

As the daughter of Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, senior vice president of GMA Network and president of GMA Films, Anja attended the GMA Gala with Gab in 2025, where they “hard-launched” their engagement.

After seven years together, and an even longer history of little coincidences, they exchanged vows at the Manila Cathedral last July 11 in front of their friends and family. The reception was held at Foro de Intramuros, which can accommodate up to 1,000 people, but the couple opted for a more intimate celebration with just 300 guests. As described by the impeccable event designer Gideon Hermosa, “Sometimes, the greatest luxury is making a grand space feel intimate.”

For their special day, Gab donned a tailored suit by Fort & Tailler, while Anja wore a timeless creation by Francis Libiran. With its wide train, classic bow, and elegant draping, her wedding dress was nothing short of elegant.

The invisible string theory evokes the idea that an unseen thread connects two people, and while the universe may stretch or even tangle that string, it will continue to draw them together until the right moment for their paths to finally cross.

“Looking back now, it’s funny because it doesn’t feel like there was just one moment when we ‘met,’” said Anja. “Our paths crossed over and over again until eventually the timing was right. Whether or not there is literally an invisible string connecting two people, our story has definitely made us believe that, sometimes, two people are just meant to keep finding their way back to each other.”

Gab Romualdez works at Ayala Corporation on the business development team, where he focuses on strategy, business development, and transactions. His work mainly covers the company’s retail and consumer businesses. Prior to this, he worked in investment banking at Credit Suisse and started his career at J.P. Morgan.

Meanwhile, Anja Romualdez works with her family, helping manage and evaluate their investments while pursuing a master’s degree in Wealth Management at Columbia University. Before this, she also worked in venture capital and at a nonprofit, where she supported high-impact entrepreneurs.

Outside of work, the 26-year-olds “love traveling, working out, trying new restaurants, and pretty much finding any excuse to spend time together.” They also spend much of their time with their Old English Sheepdog, Winnie, who was also present at their wedding.