SHE was once half of this generation’s most phenomenal love teams. But actress-TV host Maine Mendoza has come a long way since her early days as the lip syncing dubsmash queen and the nation’s most beloved Yaya Dub, who was brought up by her three hilarious grandmothers in television’s first ever kalye series.
Now, Maine is officially on her way to fulfilling what may be her biggest role yet: a wife to the love of her life, Arjo Atayde.
As the two celebrities head off to becoming husband and wife, let’s look back at the timeline of their fairytale romance.
- July 28, 2013 – The tweet that made Maine the manifestation queen
Call it a work of the law of attraction or manifestation. Long before Maine knew she would be a celebrity, she seems to have already asked the universe for the husband she wants to have through a tweet she made on July 28, 2013.
Her tweet was short and simple. It said “Arjo cutie” and followed it with a crying emoji.
- July 4, 2015 – Yaya Dub
Two years later, Maine was launched as part of longest-running noontime show Eat Bulaga. She was introduced as the speechless, lip-syncing Yaya Dub who served as the personal assistant of Lola Nidora, played by comedian Wally Bayola on the program’s Juan For All All For Juan segment.
Prior to this, she became known on the pre-TikTok app Dubsmash, where a user can lip synch to audio from movies, TV shows, or songs.
- July 16, 2015 – The birth of AlDub
Maine’s showbiz journey would not be complete without the mention of her team-up with Alden Richards.
Her role as Yaya Dub had her career skyrocketing to new heights after she flashed an unscripted giddy smile towards Alden’s dimpled face on July 16, 2015. This moment, and the on-screen chemistry between the two, gave birth to the country’s first split screen love team.
Since then, the Maine and Alden tandem got the nation so hooked that their fans, known as the AlDub nation, had seriously hoped they would end up together.
- July 28, 2018 – First meeting
However, fate had different plans for Maine.
On July 28, 2018, five years after her prophesying tweet, she met Arjo on the set of the comedic movie Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles, which was headlined by Metro Manila Film Festival kings Vic Sotto and Coco Martin.
Arjo was part of the supporting cast and played Andre Montenegro, the leader of a drug syndicate. He had one scene with Maine where he threatened to hurt her in order to escape.
While they were never romantically paired in the movie, it was clear that something was brewing behind the scenes.
- Last quarter of 2018 – dates and public sightings
By the end of 2018, there were frequent sightings of Maine and Arjo in public, and out on dates, which sent social media abuzz. They were even spotted wearing Halloween costumes as Fred and Daphne of the ‘90s cartoon Scooby Doo.
In November of the same year, the two were speculated to have gone to Bali, Indonesia together after eagle-eyed netizens noticed their identical Instagram stories.
- December 2018 – getting to know each other better
Rumors about a romance between Maine and Arjo became more intense. It prompted members of the entertainment press to ask Maine if they are an item.
However, Maine only said they were “going out as friends” and were “getting to know each other first.”
“Siyempre, paano mo makilala ang isang tao kung hindi kayo magsasama at mag-uusap?” she added.
- January 2019 – Exclusively dating
A month later, Arjo admitted that he and Maine were exclusively dating.
He made the statement when reporters caught up with him during the press conference for his movie Tol where members of the media asked him straight up if he and Maine were officially together.
“We are exclusively dating and I’m the happiest right now. Hanggang doon na lang po muna,” he said.
During this time, Arjo faced a deluge of online attacks from fans of Maine and Alden. The actress herself called them “delusional” for believing, and even making up stories, that she and her love team partner were romantically involved in real life.
Even Arjo’s family was subjected to online attacks by some members of the AlDub nation, and the actor cried foul over this.
“I don’t know how to get mad. I don’t know how to disrespect people. I despise disrespectful people. If they disrespect me, it’s fine, though. But for my family to get affected, for Maine to be disrespected… that’s not okay with me. Do it in front of me, try it. I dare you guys. I dare you!” he said.
But Arjo stood by his relationship with Maine.
“I would not fight if the girl isn’t willing to fight for it, to be honest,” he said.
5. February 2019 – Instagram reveal
In February 2019, Maine made their relationship Instagram official when she posted a photo of them together in her Instagram stories during the product launch of her collaboration with MAC Cosmetics in New York City.
The black and white photo showed her riding a wrecking ball while Arjo stood behind her. They both had wacky smiles on their faces.
She captioned it, “Uy may fan.”
6. March 2, 2019 – Confirmed
The night before her 24th birthday, Maine wrote a heartfelt blog post revealing she is officially dating Arjo.
She shared that Arjo makes her really happy and that there are so many reasons why choosing him is the right decision for her.
“He always goes out of his way to make me extra happy and actually puts in effort in everything he does,” she said.
“I appreciate everything he does for me and I am happy that I get to experience such wonderful things,” she added.
She also clarified that she and Alden are just “good friends and workmates.”
7. March 3, 2019 – Arjo’s sweet birthday message to Maine
Soon after they officially made their relationship public, Maine and Arjo became more demonstrative and expressive about their love.
A day after Maine’s admission, Arjo posted a photo of them together, which he captioned, “My reason for being. Happy birthday to my main.”
- March 23, 2019 – Alumni Homecoming
In the same month, the two went out on their first public appearance as an official couple. Maine brought Arjo with her to her alumni homecoming at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (major in Culinary Arts).
- April 26, 2019 – Arjo admits he would marry Maine
TV host Boy Abunda asked Arjo, “If you were to marry a girl today and this is the last day of the world, the girl would be?” Arjo smiled to himself before saying, “Maine.”
- October 13, 2019 – Arjo dedicates his award to Maine
As Arjo accepted his award as Best Drama Supporting Actor during the 33rd Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) Star Awards for Television, he made special mention of his lady love: “Last but not the least, Maine, thank you so much for being such an inspiration, for being my every day, for keeping up with my weirdness, this one’s for you.”
- December 21, 2019 – The first anniversary
Maine and Arjo celebrated their first anniversary with a beach getaway.
They dedicated short but sweet and meaningful messages to each other.
“Happy first,” Maine wrote with a heart emoji. Arjo then replied: “I’m crying.. I love you.”
Arjo then made his own post. “Thank you for everything, babs. Happy first anniversary!!! I love you.”
- December 21, 2020 – The second anniversary
For their second year, Maine and Arjo headed off to a beach trip as the pandemic restrictions eased.
In an Instagram post, Arjo said, “I love you more than you could possibly imagine. Happy 2nd anniversary bubs.”
Maine, meanwhile, wrote a simple but meaningful message, “happy second.”
- December 21, 2021 – The third anniversary
Clearly water lovers, Maine and Arjo celebrated their third anniversary by having a picnic on a yacht.
“Life with you just keeps getting better. Happy 3rd Anniversary my bubba pie pie,” Arjo said.
Maine made a similar post with the caption, “happy third.”
- July 28, 2022 – The engagement
Maine posted a video of their engagement that took place a month earlier. They were both crying in the video as Arjo went on one knee and popped the question.
“Been a month and it still feels surreal. Me and you, what a feeling,” Maine wrote in the caption.
15. The big day
A decade since she posted that prophetic “Arjo cutie” tweet, Maine and Arjo finally married on July 28, 2023 in an intimate but extravagant in Baguio City.
The wedding was well attended by the couple’s family and closest friends from in and out of showbiz.
