Ernie Lopez weds Michelle Arville in a simple jeans-and-sweater ceremony in California 2
The new Mr. and Mrs. Lopez in San Mateo, with Dodger who, according to the groom, is their “wedding mascot.”
Culture

Ernie Lopez weds Michelle Arville in a simple jeans-and-sweater ceremony in California

The couple was married at the backyard of the groom’s brother Gabby Lopez’s house in San Mateo 
Jerome Gomez | May 01 2021

It was as simple as any wedding could get. The bride wore a cream sweater and trainer pants, and no veil. The groom was in a white hoodie and jeans. No major VIPs except for family. No wedding car, not even a church. ABS-CBN’s Ernie Lopez and his fiancée of one year Michelle Andrea Arville got married Friday afternoon, April 30, at the backyard garden of Gabby Lopez’s residence in Hillsborough, California. 

Ernie Lopez weds Michelle Arville in a simple jeans-and-sweater ceremony in California 3
The wedding was simple and low key.

“Thank You Lord for giving me a second chance at love. You are truly the God of one more chance,” Ernie wrote on a Facebook post accompanied by pictures of the ceremony. “Thank You for using my family to discover and get to know my forever. She is more than I could have ever imagined or asked for and Your timing is perfect as usual.” 

It will be remembered that it was Ernie’s sister Gina Lopez who brought the two together just before the beloved Bantay Bata founder and former DENR secretary passed away in August of 2019. 

Read about their meeting here. 

Ernie Lopez weds Michelle Arville in a simple jeans-and-sweater ceremony in California 4
The newlyweds with Michelle’s mom Vickie Perez de Tagle de Leon and Ernie’s mother Conchita. Photo from Michelle’s Facebook page.

In April last year, in the middle of lockdown, Ernie, 56, head of Creative Programs Inc. at ABS-CBN, proposed to Michelle, a section manager at St. Luke’s Medical Center BGC’s Patient Experience Group, via a Zoom call witnessed by their close friends. It was also her 49th birthday. He gave her a holographic engagement ring, an idea suggested by his kids. 

Read about that unique engagement here.

Ernie Lopez weds Michelle Arville in a simple jeans-and-sweater ceremony in California 5
The newlyweds with the groom’s brothers and their partners.

“WE WED IN DENIM AND SNEAKERS!!!!” wrote Michelle on her own Facebook post today, announcing the good news of the very low key, very private nuptials, delighted with the fact that she and Ernie were wed in “old jeans, off the rack tops, Fear of God Nike sneakers we already previously owned and used.” She even enumerated the usual wedding staples absent in the event: invitations, photographers, a glam team—she didn’t even thread her eyebrows, she said—wedding coordinators, a choir, bridesmaids and ninongs and ninangs. 

The wedding, however, was witnessed by the couple’s moms, stepdads and siblings.