MANILA -- After experiencing heartbreaks, failed relationships and tears in the past, vlogger and businesswoman China Roces finally found her true love.

Early this month, Roces tied to knot with her friend and business partner, David Santos, at the Parañaque City Hall. The ceremony was witnessed by their family members and officiated by presiding judge Marisa Buenagua.

The couple decided to have a simple, civil wedding with only their family and closest friends in attendance. They plan to hold a church wedding eventually.

“We decided to have a civil wedding to make everything formal,” Santos told ABS-CBN News. “Para maging official na lahat sa pagsasama namin. I am forty. I’m not getting any younger.”

Roces added: “Pinili namin intimate friends and family lang kasi if I will invite all my friends, sobrang dami na agad. So we made this wedding very special, very exclusive for our closest friends.”

They became a couple only last May, after four years of knowing each other and being friends. Santos popped the question to Roces last July that got her totally surprised.

“We both wanted to settle down [respectively] even before na hindi pa kami,” shared Roces, who hails from Misamis Occidental. “Hindi nga lang namin nakukuha ang tamang partner. Hindi namin naisip na kami pala mag-end up with each other.

“Friends pa lang kami, partner ko siya palagi in many business deals. ‘Pag meron kaming binebenta, kami ang magkatulong. We always do business. He has a trading business and he is a shareholder of a security agency.”

• Ex-'Street Beauty' China Roces now a businesswoman

Although they have children of their own, the arrangement is never complicated for both Santos and Roces. Santos has a two-year-old son with his former partner. Roces has three children – Lymhie Dine, 15; Ghian Nicole, 12; and Timothy, turning three in March.

“Gusto niya even before, kids ko at anak niya, mag-bonding,” Roces shared. “There are times na hindi niya nakikita ang kid niya, but he gives regular support naman to his son. Responsible siya na tatay.”

While they were in the ceremony, Roces was admittedly on tenterhooks, while Santos was relaxed. “Chill lang siya,” Roces described her groom. “Ako may halong kaba, excitement, nerbiyos. First time ko ikasal. Ang dami kong failed relationships.”

Roces and Santos met each other in 2018 in an event in Quezon City through her best friend, Janice Dizon. After that, Roces and Santos got close. Since they both live in the same area in Las Piñas, they often hang out with friends in his place, where he lives alone.

This year, Santos put up a Christmas tree in his house for the first time. “Nasanay siya to always spend Christmas alone,” Roces granted. “This time, hindi na. His family is in Manila.”

Roces, who used to do sexy roles on the big screen, is no longer willing to bare in front of the cameras. In indie films, Roces debuted in Del Carmen’s “Sabine” (2013), with Bangs Garcia in the titular role.

Roces also appeared in Romy Suzara’s horror flick, “Sigaw sa Hatinggabi” (2014), Caesar Soriano’s “Ang Misyon: The Marawi Siege Story” (2018) and Joel Lamangan’s “Silab” (2021).

“Ang pinakagusto ko kay China, napaka-generous sa lahat,” Santos said. “Sa time, sa love niya, sa lahat ng bagay.”

Meanwhile, Roces also commended her husband. “He always finds ways to make me happy. Sometimes when I’m stressed, gumagawa siya ng way para maging relaxed ako.”

Even with Roces’ parents, once they learned about the relationship, it was easy to accept Santos into the family. Even Roces’ children, they were merely surprised but no vehement reactions, when they learned about the romance.

“I already told China this. Sabi ko sa kanya, mamahalin ko siya sa hirap at ginhawa,” Santos allowed. “Tatanggapin ko lahat-lahat kung ano man ang meron siya.”

Roces, meanwhile, told her husband, “Mamahalin ko siya habang buhay, habang nabubuhay kami.”

They are both excited to dive in Maldives, where they will spend a nine-day honeymoon. Their Air Asia flight will be via Kuala Lumpur, then they will board a sea plane when they get to Maldives to reach an island where they will stay.

She learned how to dive through Santos, who has been diving for the past eleven years. They both previously went diving in Anilao in Batangas and also in Biliran, Leyte.

Santos’ friend, Cris, from Austria, will join them in the trip. That will also serve as a much-needed rest and recreation (R&R) for the couple who have been working respectively this year.