Spring Memories

Jose Luzuriaga Alvarez III and Tara Lane’s love story goes beyond the initial spark of attraction. Theirs is a love that requires time to grow. “We knew each other since our high school days, but we were not friends at the time,” says Jose. “We reconnected in 2014 during summer break. I have had a crush on her ever since.”

- ANGELA NICOLE GUIRAL

They started testing the waters and got to know more of each other. “He would ask me out on dates, but I only said yes to having lunch with him twice: once in 2015 and then again in 2016,” shares Tara. However, this chapter of their lives fizzled out, and they started seeing other people afterwards.

Fate decided to let their paths cross again in 2020. Their friends planned a trivia night via Zoom, and Jose asked Tara out after that. The couple bonded virtually over wine and jamon—losing track of time.

The date lasted almost 12 hours! But it was the start of something extraordinary, and they continued talking and dating through their screens until Tara moved back to the Philippines in December 2020. “I felt I was ready to marry her when she returned, but I waited a year and a half,” Jose confesses. “I finally asked her in May 2022.”