Jason Magbanua
© 2024 Jason Magbanua

Jinkee and Gilbert:  A Wedding during Typhoon Urduja

Jinkee and Gilbert: A Wedding during Typhoon Urduja

A Story of Love and Surrender

Rain was non-stop that Saturday in Boracay. Typhoon Urduja was relentless ’til the following day. The main road in the island got flooded and it was impossible to imagine any kind of event to push through, much more a wedding. The rain just didn’t stop at all. All flights were canceled, even land travel from Kalibo and Roxas were not permitted. Hundreds of people got stranded at the jetty port in Caticlan because the ferries were non-operational. And among those who couldn’t cross were scores of wedding guests and the one essential person they needed – the pastor. It was tough. You plan for this one big day for over a year and things beyond your control muck it up.

It was just one big mess. FUBAR.

Now I’d like to tell you what goes through my mind when things like these happen. I really could care less about getting wet, or the discomfort or difficulty of the situation. The SINGULAR thing I am concerned with is the emotional state of my couple.

“How are they?”
“How are they feeling?”

Because I need them to be okay. I need them to be fine. That’s the one thing I ask for so I can do my job to the best of my abilities. If they’re not, I’m not. But how can you ask a bride and a groom to be ok in the midst of a terrible typhoon literally raining on their parade.

Sunday morning at around 9am, Jinkee and Gilbert decided to postpone the weddng for the next day. Of course the fist concern was if the major suppliers were available, us, photo, coordination, the venue.

 

 

It was an easy ask. And it was an easy yes.

We (Mango RV and Amanda) met the couple later in the afternoon and honestly, I expected a ‘zilla freaking out or at least a sobbing mess of a bride.

But I didn’t. We got to meet a couple with spirits up, cheerful and calm. They took everything in stride, accepting what they couldn’t change and accepting the necessary adjustments. They knew the safety and the well-being of their guests were the the priority. They knew not everything was in their power and control. They knew the more they let go, the better things would turn out.

They were ok. So I became ok.

This is their story.

Jinkee and Gilbert

And these precious words from the Bride: