Philippine Couple Marries in Waist-Deep Floodwaters

Love found a way through the floodwaters in Hagonoy, Philippines, where a couple refused to let nature postpone their dream wedding.

Leian Lieza Galang clutched her white bouquet and gathered her off-shoulder gown as she waded into murky brown floodwaters inside Saint John the Baptist church on Tuesday. Her groom, Gilbert Chico, met her at the altar where they stood in waist-deep water to exchange vows.

The church had been partially underwater for nearly a month after heavy monsoon rains pounded the region throughout August. Parish officials advised the couple to postpone, but Galang and Chico had their reasons for pressing forward.

Chico, who works as a rigger in the Middle East, had come home early after an ankle injury from a basketball game. The couple decided to move their December wedding up while he was home recovering. When floodwaters refused to recede, they made a choice that stunned their community.

"We were in complete uniform. We did not mind that our gown and coat got soaked," Chico told reporters. The bride had her wedding gown altered to shorten the train so she could safely navigate the water.

The couple arrived together in a rickshaw with an elevated chassis, keeping their clothes pristine until they reached the church courtyard. Fewer than 15 people attended the abbreviated ceremony. One photo captured a young ring bearer walking down the aisle with floodwater up to his waist.

Sunny's Take

Wedding photographer Mikko Rey Alfonso captured the extraordinary moment for the couple. "Since they wanted to see it through, we the servants of the parish did the best we could to make this a special day for them," he said.

The video posted on the parish's Facebook page shows the bride being hugged by her parents in front of empty pews adorned with plastic flower bouquets. Despite the challenging conditions, the parish priest declared them husband and wife in a ceremony that honored both their commitment and their circumstances.

The monsoon rains that created their unusual wedding venue had caused landslides and flash floods across the northern Philippines, affecting countless families. But for Galang and Chico, the floodwaters became part of their love story rather than an obstacle to it.

Sometimes the most memorable moments happen when we embrace the imperfect circumstances life hands us and find beauty anyway.