Kiana Valenciano on Getting Her Own Kind of Happily Ever After

Fun fact: For the after-party, she slipped into a fun little frock she thrifted while in California. She took the piece to Neric Beltran for some careful restoration, since she knew it was the perfect thing to wear while dancing the night away.

The day before the celebration, Kiana and her bridesmaids treated themselves to some pampering from NEW Lounge. The bride admittedly needed a pep talk to ease her anxieties, and with everyone she holds near and dear booked in the same vicinity, it wasn’t hard to gain a sense of calm.

Before getting some beauty sleep, Kiana had a little slumber party with three of her cousins. It was some sort of tradition of theirs before each one would get hitched. “Sleepovers have been our thing since we were little babies growing up in the same compound. We reminisced about our childhoods, talked about where life has taken us, and gushed (and vented!) about our husbands,” she shares. “I went to sleep that night feeling incredibly loved, blessed, and excited.”

When the glitter settled, Kiana indulged in sleep as her husband made sure their guests were well-accommodated. “We wrapped up in the early hours of the morning and I was just completely overcome by emotion,” she giddily recalls. “All our closest friends stayed with us, making sure we were hydrated, comfortable, and having the time of our lives. I just felt so loved, and so in love.”

It’s been six or so months since Kiana recited her vows, and since then, she’s settled into a lifestyle she fully resonates with. When it comes to her fashion sense, she’s glad she now has two closets to pull from. “As an oversized-loving girl, Sandro’s closet is officially an extension of my own,” she quips. While she believes that the core of her style will remain the same, she does see it evolving in small ways. “Being married to him has brought me a new kind of confidence and comfort that I feel will naturally find its way into how I dress,” she says.

In retrospect, Kiana attributes her “bridal glow” to factors beyond what one sees on the surface. After getting married twice, she recognizes how a Filipina bride, and a woman in general, is worth more than just the fancy dresses she wears. “There’s still constant noise about how we should live, what roles we should play, and which traditions we’re expected to follow,” she expresses. 

“And while I hold a deep respect for certain traditions, there’s also something so powerful about being a woman today… to have choices, to have agency, and to be seen as essential.”