The poster of Ciara Sotto's latest movie, 'SpEd Hearts'

Less than a week from now and Ciara Sotto will be Mrs. Ciara Sotto-Oconer.

But before she and her fiancé Joe ride into the sunset on a white horse (maybe a white limousine in this case), the 29-year-old singer-actress shared with Manila Bulletin Entertainment Online and other members of the press the advice that her cousin Megastar Sharon Cuneta gave in picking “the one.”

“Ate Sharon told me to marry someone you cannot live without, not someone you can live with,” she said.

“Nung sinabi ko sa kanya na ikakasal ako, sabi niya, ‘Mahal mo ba talaga ‘to?' Sabi ko ‘Yes, Ate, totoo.’ So gusto niya sure lang talaga ako na hindi ako magkakamali.”

Ciara and Joe’s serendipitous love story began when they met during a U.S. junket of “Eat Bulaga.”

And albeit she could hardly contain her excitement over her coming wedding at the Manila Polo Club, Ciara admitted that the punctilious preparations are giving her the jitters.

“No matter how long you’ve been planning pala, may makakalimutan ka pa rin, may konting stress pa ring mangyayari.

“I’m just thankful that my family is helping me, and my friends are helping me, so excited naman ako but kinakabahan pa rin ako kung pano 'yong mga littlest details na gusto ko sana nandun pa na baka hindi nila magawa. Pero excited po talaga ako,” she related.

Ciara said her mom, former actress Helen Gamboa, who is understandably emotional over giving away her daughter, still cries a river whenever the idea crosses her mind.

“I don’t think mababawasan 'yong pag-iyak,” Ciara revealed. “I keep telling her na ‘Ma, it’s just that hindi lang ako nakatira sa bahay.’ Siyempre our relationship will never change, and for sure, I’ll still love her more because mararanasan ko na 'yong hirap na dinanas niya for us, dahil magiging wife na ko and magiging mother na rin ako soon, someday, if we get blessed.”

Ciara maintained that she will not leave showbiz despite changing her surname.

“Ako po gusto ko pa rin pong mag-showbiz, eh. Gusto ko pa rin pong mag-artista. Marami pa rin akong gustong gawin and he’s very understanding naman. Alam naman niya that I love what I do.

“Same thing with him, he really loves his job, pareho lang kami. We support each other. And we won’t change our job just because we’re married,” said the “Eat Bulaga” host.

So, where and when will the honeymoon be?

“Wala pa pong honeymoon eh. Kasi po sabay 'yong wedding tsaka 'yong pagpapagawa nung condo na titirahan namin. Magse-save na lang kami for the honeymoon siguro after the election,” she said.

As for having children, Ciara believes that “it’s better to enjoy your partner first kasi pag may kids na, iba na 'yong focus.”

For now, Ciara said she obtained good training for motherhood via her new film, “SpEd Hearts.” The actress plays a Special Education teacher who, beset with burdens of normal living, finds hope and inspiration in her special children, who are often regarded as “abnormal.”

Ciara enthused: “Hindi ako nahirapan na makihalubilo sa kanila, kasi sobrang mahilig ako sa bata. And feeling ng mga bata, kasing-edad nila ako kahit ganito na ang edad ko.”

She added that her role, which she deemed different from her previous portrayals on the boob tube and the big screen, will help inspire others to be understanding of autistic, ADHD, or ADD-stricken children.

“'Yong role na ‘to, it’s close to my heart. Parang nakakatulong ka rin dito sa movie na dapat patient ka sa mga bata, na dapat iintindihin mo sila and treat them as normal as can be, like how you treat other normal kids who don’t have problems,” Ciara related.

The movie, directed by Felbert Go, also stars her cousin Danica Sotto, together with Paolo Rivero, Adrian Landicho, and RC Pagtalunan.