KaladKaren on marrying fiancé Luke: It’s a personal choice, not a bold statement

For TV personality KaladKaren, more than being a bold and positive statement for the LGBTQIA+ community, she wants her wedding to longtime British boyfriend Luke Wrightson to be remembered as commitment based on their personal choices and love for each other.

“It’s not something out of the ordinary. It happens to a lot of us in the community. Its just a little more impactful because it was me, but there are a lot of transgender women like me, especially in the United Kingdom, who have partners, longtime boyfriends, or are already married,” she told Inquirer Entertainment in an exclusive interview days prior to tying the knot with Luke in his hometown, Scarborough, in North Yorkshire, England.

“Luke and I decided to get married because of our personal choices. I think that my being a figure in the LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippines is only secondary, although it’s awesome to think that I got married to the person I love, and I’m giving inspiration to other people at the same time,” said KaladKaren, whose given name is Jervi Lisaba.

KaladKaren, who is also a TV host and impersonator, added: “This is just a reminder that we are all human beings; and just like cisgender women, transgender women can be wives as well. We can also be mothers, sisters; and we can have the fairy-tale wedding that we want, too.”

‘Cherry on top’

KaladKaren has been engaged to Luke since four years ago. In July, Luke popped the question once again. When asked how important this second proposal was to her, KaladKaren said: “For me, it’s the cherry on top of the cake. It wasn’t necessary at all, but it made me feel special. It’s also a refresher of the engagement because we’ve been engaged for four years and it happened in our little balcony during the pandemic lockdowns. I guess he thought it was the best time to really execute his dream wedding proposal,” said the bride.

The wedding happened yesterday (Sept. 8) because KaladKaren considers it a special day. “It’s Mama Mary’s birthday, and I’ve always been a Marian devotee. I’m also happy that the Ghost Month is finished—I’m a believer of that. Also, 8 is a lucky number for me. I will marry Luke on any date, regardless.”

As to the kind of bride KaladKaren would like to describe herself, she said: “More than a ‘bridezilla,’ I’m a ‘control freak’ bride.”

“I am an overthinker and I’m very independent when it comes to achieving my goals. As much as possible, I was very hands-on with everything—the decorations, venue, my dress, the wedding rings. I personally picked all of them. I also like how Luke collaborates with me with all of these. I always get his opinion, but at the end of the day, everything is still up to me,” she began.

“I don’t consider myself a bridezilla. I’ve been very nice to my suppliers. It’s just that I’m very firm. I would ask to see their pegs of the decorations. While I appreciate all these people helping me, I cannot help but micromanage sometimes. It’s hard to be a control freak,” she said.

We then asked KaladKaren to describe what kind of wedding she had hoped to experience. To this, she said: “I imagined it to be a very memorable, solemn, heartfelt celebration, with all my closest friends and family. The venue is very beautiful (a hotel in Northern England that was built in the 1800s), and so is the view. I hope these factors helped make our celebration even more special. I’ve also been praying for good weather so we can enjoy the day—British weather is very unpredictable. I imagined a beautiful bride and groom just sharing their love for each other.”

Her wedding gown is a gift from fashion designer Francis Libiran, KaladKaren shared. “It’s the silhouette that I want. It’s a fabulous mermaid-cut dress, with embroidery and lots of beads. I just found out that the average price of a dress in his bridal collection is $10,000—that’s roughly around P600,000! My God! My heart is so happy that I get to wear his beautiful design. I’ve always admired his creativity,” she said, adding that Luke’s suit—also by Francis—is in white, too.

Memories in Scarborough

KaladKaren asked her friends, “It’s Showtime!” hosts Vice Ganda and Kim Chiu, to be her bridesmaids, but the two failed to attend due to work commitments. Also on the list of bridesmaids was actress-TV host Karla Estrada.

“Vice even cried because he couldn’t make it. After throwing a bridal shower for me, he said that if I decide to get married in the Philippines, he would pay for everything. I appreciate the gesture. I really love these girls. They’re very much part of who I am,” she added.

The wedding invitation is in green, KaladKaren’s favorite color. “I just want neutral colors and white because the venue is a garden that’s overlooking a bay,” she said. “I first saw this beautiful place when we attended a wedding of Luke’s friend. This is important because we’re in his hometown. This is where he grew up. I’m happy that Scarborough will be a memorable place for both of us.”