The Destination Proposal of a Philly Sous Chef and Wine Pro

Groom-to-be Juan De Ocampo proposed to Bonnary Lek on a trip to the Philippines. / Photographs courtesy of Bonnary Lek and Juan De Ocampo

Sure, we love an only-in-Philly proposal. But every now and again a destination engagement (starring Philly folks, of course) will catch our eye. And why not? A romantic getaway does indeed set the scene — beautiful beach views, time spent connecting with one another away from the hustle of daily life. That’s why we’re bringing you this proposal, which took place when a Philly sous chef and wine pro were vacationing in the Philippines. And though they were far from their Philly home, the couple found a few connections to the city where they fell in love. Read all about the stunning sunset engagement below. And if you need more inspiration, check out our proposal coverage here.

The couple: Bonnary Lek, 45, is the senior director of communications at Wine Enthusiast and holds a Level 2 WSET certification in wine. Juan De Ocampo, 44, is the sous chef at Fiorella. They live in a townhouse on the border of Grad Hospital and Point Breeze.

How they met: Bonnary and Juan originally met as students at the University of Maryland-College Park. While they had a few mutual friends back then, they were “barely acquaintances,” says Juan. Nearly two decades later, they met again in New York City, at a meetup of college friends. Juan was working there as a chef at the time, but when Bonnary told him she was living in Philly, he immediately shouted “215, BABY!” she recalls. The two eventually began texting and made plans to meet in Philly on New Year’s Eve — for dinner at Royal Boucherie. And the next morning — New Year’s Day 2022 — Juan asked to make the relationship official.

The proposal: The couple had planned a trip to the Philippines in 2025. Bonnary and her parents had never been; she wanted to see her college pal, Gerald; and Juan is originally from the Philippines. It also made for a perfect excuse to propose — though Juan hadn’t figured out the details yet. “When I felt the moment, that’s when I was going for it,” he says.

The last leg of the vacation was in Boracay, where they were greeted with a copy of the LOVE sculpture in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying. Bonnary and Juan had to snap a picture because it (obviously) reminded them of Philly. It seemed like as good a sign as any that Boracay was the place at which to get down on one knee. So on a sunset yacht party cruise, Juan popped the question. (And Gerald was there to capture the moment.)

Her reaction: “I had zero idea a proposal was happening,” Bonnary admits. “In fact, I peeled the gel polish off my nails the night before Juan proposed.”

His reaction: “She said yes and teared up,” Juan says. “I’m very lucky to have Bonnary in my life.”

The rings: Juan proposed with not one, but two rings — a sapphire one that belonged to his mother and a diamond one that belonged to his late grandmother. Bonnary wears Juan’s grandmother’s ring as her engagement ring. Juan’s mom insisted she keep the sapphire ring as a congratulatory gift.

The post-proposal moments: The group celebrated with dinner at Shakey’s Pizza, a spot Bonnary had pointed out before they boarded the cruise. As they were walking to the restaurant, they saw a sandcastle sculpture that said “Boracay Feb 17 2025.” They took a picture in front of it to commemorate the day. And for a last toast: a bottle of 2020 Bordeaux, halo-halo, and a tres leches cake at Gerald’s friend’s restaurant, Cha Cha’s.

The Big Day plans: The couple plans to have two weddings — one traditional Khmer ceremony in Maryland and another celebration in Philly.

Get more great content from Philadelphia Wedding:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | NEWSLETTER

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Philadelphia Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.