Welcome to The Beauty Edit’s newest series, The Beauty of Us. This special section celebrates the people who make up our vibrant community—from longtime members and beauty enthusiasts to fresh faces discovering the joy of beauty for the first time. Here, we shine a spotlight on their journeys, passions, inspiring stories, and personal beauty philosophies, offering an intimate look at the individuals who are part of The Beauty Edit community.
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For many young girls on the path to womanhood, few milestones feel as magical—or as exciting—as planning a dream wedding. It often begins with that first enchanting glimpse of a bride, followed by collecting magazine clippings to build scrapbooks brimming with bridal inspiration. Today, the tradition has simply gone digital—our “scrapbooks” now live on Pinterest boards. (Guilty—we’ve had ours since 2015.)
It’s an unspoken rite of passage, one that evolves beautifully over time—especially when you finally meet the person you choose to love, through sickness and in health.
Some brides have the joy of planning every detail with precision, ensuring every moment unfolds just right. But for a rare few, the wedding itself becomes the biggest surprise of their lives. And within our own The Beauty Edit community, we discovered a love story that fits the latter.
In this interview, we share a journey that’s not just about a wedding, but about love, resilience, and two people who braved every season—yes, even a global pandemic—together.
Kayla, Unfiltered
“I’m Kayla, 34 years old, wife to Aaron Marasigan, and mom to two girls—nine-year-old Aki and four-year-old Mia,” she says, giving us the much-needed introduction before we dive headfirst into her story. While some of us have had the pleasure of meeting her at The Beauty Edit’s events, quick encounters often barely scratch the surface of the people we interact with.
Case in point—how else would we know that this beauty enthusiast once worked as a Research Technician at a Human Cancer Genomic Research Facility? That’s not exactly the kind of detail that comes up in casual conversation.
Fast forward to today, Kayla’s daily routine is anything but predictable. Her husband’s career—he’s the country manager of Mlion Corporation—often takes them from place to place, which means she’s constantly switching roles—think travel coordinator, snack supplier, homeschool mom, and, in her own words, “an all-around chaos manager.”
Despite the beautiful chaos, Kayla shares, “One thing I try to keep consistent is starting my day with quiet time with the Lord—it’s what helps me respond with grace to whatever the day brings.”
Introducing the Husband and the Wife
Kayla describes her and her husband’s dynamic as a mix of personalities—she’s an introverted extrovert, while Aaron is a conflict avoider. She admits they’ve had to be intentional in how they communicate, choosing to strengthen their relationship rather than let their differences drive them apart.
And we don’t doubt they’ve done exactly that—especially considering the challenges they faced during one of the most trying times for many couples planning to wed: the pandemic. While they were civilly married in May 2019, their plans for a church wedding came to a sudden halt when COVID-19 struck.
They tried again in 2022, hoping to finally celebrate with friends and family. But just a week before the wedding, they made the incredibly difficult—but necessary—decision to cancel. “Our marriage at that time was in a very difficult place. Canceling was painful and humiliating,” Kayla shares. Guests had already booked flights. Deposits were made—and not all were refunded. It’s the kind of heartbreak that’s hard to fully grasp unless you’ve lived through it.
And yet, with the clarity only hindsight can bring, Kayla reflects, “We needed that season to confront what was broken, to do the hard work, and to rebuild on a stronger foundation.”
It’s a perspective that speaks volumes—real, vulnerable, and refreshingly honest.
Kept Under Wraps
So how did the surprise wedding come to be? Believe us—it was nothing short of a full-on production.
Spearheaded by her husband and orchestrated with help from their friends in DGroup—an accountability group from their church—the entire event was cleverly disguised as a commercial shoot. The ladies from the group were cast as part of a fictional “Mom Tribe” campaign, complete with lookbooks, contracts, and even an NDA to seal the deal. “It was so believable that I never suspected a thing. I was already daydreaming about the Ninja Foodi I’d buy with my talent fee,” Kayla shares with a laugh. Talk about covering all bases!
In many ways, the surprise wedding brought everything full circle. Friends and plans from the postponed 2022 celebration finally came to life, and even their original wedding coordinator—booked twice before—was in on the surprise. The seed for it all? Planted by a friend who had once pulled off a surprise wedding for his wife back in Canada.
It was a beautiful, unexpected redemption of a moment that had once brought pain—this time, overflowing with joy, laughter, and the people who mattered most.
The Veiled Preparation
When we think of a surprise wedding, one of the first things that comes to mind is the logistics. Who books the hair and makeup artist? What about skin treatments? The nails? So many questions—and we’re sure you’re wondering the same.
“Three days before the wedding, I went to Dr. Sheena of Sheena’s Clinic—a close friend over the years—for a facial,” Kayla shares. “She suggested it would help me look more radiant for the ‘commercial shoot,’ and recommended a HydraFacial and Brightlase. And since she’s been so supportive, she even threw in a Sygmalift treatment for free!”
Well, there goes our question about pre-wedding skin prep—clearly, it was covered.
And just like any legit commercial production, hair, and makeup were booked. But the best part? It was none other than Kris Bacani behind the brush—handpicked by Kayla’s friends because they knew she could bring her exact look to life. Even more touching was how intentional her friends were about the makeup direction: fresh, natural, and not overdone. A look that felt and looked like her—just as it should be.
Unexpected, Unforgettable
With everything so beautifully—and secretly—woven together, we naturally had to ask: Was there a specific moment that really gave her butterflies?
With a lighthearted jab—“I could’ve killed him for pulling this off without me knowing”—Kayla recalls one moment that stood out the most. Amid the excitement, she and Aaron stole away to pause, reflect, and pray. Together, they thanked the Lord for the journey that brought them here—for the grace that held them through the hardest seasons.
“It was such a stark contrast to years ago, when things between us were really bad,” she shares. “In that moment, I was just so aware of how far we’d come.”
It became more than just a surprise wedding. It was a sacred reminder of restoration, answered prayers, and love that endured.
While Kayla admits that a surprise wedding might not be for everyone, she believes it can work—if you have a partner who knows you deeply and can truly pull it off. In their case, the cards played out well. Aaron had a bit of a cheat sheet, thanks to their close-knit circle of friends, but ultimately, the key was trust—and the quiet knowing that this would be a memory they’d cherish for a lifetime.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAYLA CONCEPCION-MARASIGAN
