Ex-Us Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas, Jr. marries her long-time Filipina girlfriend Mithi Aquino (not related to Pres. Aquino) on Saturday, March 15 at the Blessed Sacrament Church in Upper West Side, New York.
Ambassador Thomas, 57, has served as the United States Ambassador to the Philippines from 2010 to 2013. Her was designated by US President Barack Obama on November 19, 2009 to replace Kristie Kenney as Ambassador to the Philippines — the first African American to serve at that post and was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 19, 2010 and presented his credentials to Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on April 27, 2010.
While Mithi Aquino, 36, born and educated in Jolo, is a human resource training officer of a British-American cruise line.
The couple first met at a luncheon Holland America Line tendered for its VIP clients where Harry, who was fulfilling his social obligations as a diplomat spotted Mithi then working as front desk trainer for Holland’s training unit UPL on March 5, 2011.
They got engaged on March 30, 2013 in Bohol where Harry made a surprise proposal to Mithi.
Their wedding was very simple; no flower girls, no ring bearers and no paired sponsors. Mithi’s parents were not able to attend (but their photos were stapled in her bouquet of beribboned roses) and so Mithi was escorted to the altar by good friend and philanthropist Lin Bildne.
Mithi walked down the aisle with an Amir Sali wedding dress. Sali is a Paris-trained and Jolo-Sulu-native designer for the royalty of Saudi Arabia. Her veil is a vintage Rene Salud creation.
The newly wed couple plans to settle in Arizona as Mr. Harry Thomas is teaching at the Arizona State University while waiting for his next diplomatic assignment.
Harry Thomas also said they are working on a Philippine wedding for those who were not able to join them in their New York wedding.