10 Years Married: From 8AM Vows to Riyadh City Lights

It feels like just yesterday when we said I do at 8AM — and I still remember thinking, Why didn’t we make it 9 instead?Haha. But here we are, a decade into marriage, 14 years together, and living this unexpected chapter of our lives in Saudi Arabia.

Watch our SDE here!💙

Currently, we’re based in Al Ahsa, one of the oldest provinces in Saudi. For those unfamiliar, think of it as the probinsya version of Saudi — calm, rich in heritage, and definitely far from the city buzz. So for our 10th anniversary, we decided to shake (yesss - shake! lol) things up a bit and drive to Riyadh, the capital.

Imagine two probinsyanas from some quiet part of the Philippines heading to Manila — that was the vibe.

The Road to Riyadh

My favorite road sign! haha!

We left Al Ahsa around 10AM and arrived in Riyadh a little past 1PM. (Yes, that’s 3+ hours on the road!) With check-in at the Four Seasons Hotel only starting at 4PM — 4PM, can you believe that? — we had time to kill.

First stop? The holy grail of comfort food: Jollibee. We ordered all our favorites — Jolly Spaghetti, Burger Steak, Peach Mango Pie, and of course, Chicken Joy. After lunch, I may or may not have indulged in a bit of makeup shopping while strolling through the mall. 😜

Hotel Check-In & Surprises

Check-in was smooth, though the bellman was a little too enthusiastic. He gave us the full tour — floor guide, room how-tos, even offered to place our luggage in the closet despite us already standing right next to it. As a hotelier, I appreciate service — but there’s a line between helpful and hovering, right? Nonetheless, the room was BEAUTIFUL!!! 

Ton had arranged some sweet surprises in the room: foil balloons of “10”, plus regular balloons. But he looked a bit uneasy, saying a few things were missing. Not long after, a beautiful floral arrangement arrived. Still, he said it wasn’t everything he had arranged.

Later that evening, we headed to Le Meridien for a Le Petit Chef dinner — a fun, immersive dining experience we had tried before in Manila. This time, it was surprisingly 50% cheaper than Manila’s version, making this one of the few things that is cheaper here in KSA compared back home. It wasn't as interactive as the one in Manila which had a host in costume  but the experience was still magical. 

Tomato Salad

Trio Cheese Ravioli

Angus Tenderloin Steak and Fries

Japanese Mont Blanc

When we returned to our room, some of the “missing” details were finally added: rose petals on the bed (which Ton specifically said we didn’t like because they stain the sheets — hotelier problems again 😅) and a cute and yummy heart-shaped cheesecake.

If Ton didn’t look so worried earlier, I wouldn’t have suspected anything — I would’ve just thought he planned surprises in stages! We capped the night watching our current Netflix obsession: When Life Gives You Tangerines.

The night before our trip — May 22 here in Saudi, but already May 23 in the Philippines — Ton surprised me with a super thoughtful anniversary gift. He gave me a tin box, which was so on point because the 10th wedding anniversary is traditionally the tin anniversary. Inside was a beautiful scented set: a candle, potpourri, and a diffuser — basically, all the things that make the bubble bath girly in me happy. 

The tin had the word “something” printed on it, and his card had the most Ton line ever — a sweet note with a pun about giving me “some-tin special.” 🥹💛

Of course, I packed the fragrance set with me for the hotel stay and brought my usual bubble bath essentials — eye mask, lip mask, and face mask — because what’s an anniversary getaway without a mini spa moment?

Day Two: Japanese Feels & Warm Service

We checked out at noon and headed to Myazu, a fancy Japanese restaurant we tried two years ago. We were pleasantly surprised to see Ronald, our waiter from before, still there — and still as warm as ever. He remembered us and seemed genuinely happy to serve fellow Filipinos again.

After taking our orders, we asked about their King Crab sushi — but instead of confirming, Ronald admitted he had already included their best-seller sushi on the house since we didn’t order any. 🥹💖

Chan San - our complimentary treat from Ronald

Mixed Berry Mojito

Popcorn Shrimp

Scallop and Foie Gras Dumpling

Spring Chicken

Wagyu Beef Kushi

Food was chef’s kiss, and when it came time for dessert, he asked if we were celebrating something so we told him we were celebrating our anniversary. He said, “Ako na bahala po,” and sure enough, a special anniversary dessert arrived: a rectangular plate with “Happy Anniversary” in white chocolate, a mini smoke jar for drama, and our beloved date cake — all complimentary again.

Date Cake

We made a quick stop at Color Theory, a craft store I was excited to check out, but left empty-handed as the store was almost bare. I was happy to see Distress Ink here in Saudi though! Hehe.

Home Again

We drove back home to Al Ahsa with happy hearts and full bellies.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years? Ton’s effort. Whether it was our first anniversary as boyfriend-girlfriend or our 10th as a married couple, he’s always put in the time and thought to make it special — and I love it.

10 years married, 14 years together — and yes, we still genuinely enjoy spending weekends together. Here’s to growing, traveling, eating, and watching Netflix side by side for many more years to come. 💗