Wedding in Boracay

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

- Ecclesiastes 3:11




...a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance...

- Ecclesiastes 3:4




Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

- Psalm 30:5

This has been a difficult month for me, but I have decided long ago that my life will not be defined by my momentary struggles. Barb Osbron, a dear friend and mentor, now with her loving Creator in heaven, always said these words to me, "This too shall pass. There is a time and a season for everything." I have held on to her words of wisdom and have derived much hope and comfort from them.

It would have been easier for me to opt to back out from certain commitments, but again, that was not the road I chose...

For the love of Lourdes, a close friend of mine, two weeks ago I embarked on a long journey to attend her son's destination wedding in the beautiful island of Boracay.

It turned out to be a delightful time of physical refreshing and soul renewal, a trip laden with fun, and much laughter. A reprieve, that's an appropriate word to describe it.

For indeed, as Solomon, a man of wisdom writes, "To everything there is a time and a season."

We do not thresh wheat forever, there is a time of grinding it, and baking bread from it.

Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

Share my joy, dear friends, as I tell the story....



On September 16, David and Kirsty were wed in a beautiful ceremony on Boracay Island.

David is the youngest son of my dear friend Lourdes, and I was invited to stand as one of the principal sponsors.

Boracay Island ranks fourth in the world's top ten islands and is one of the leading tourist destinations in our country. It is located off the northwest corner of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region, approximately 196 miles south of Manila.

Pastor Joe was the officiating minister, and his wife Marilou was also one of the principal sponsors.

Pastor Joe decided to drive all the way from Bacolod City to Boracay. Since Bacolod is located on the island of Negros and Boracay is on Panay Island, this required us to take a cargo ship to the next island. (The Philippines is an archipelago composed of 7,100 islands!)

Our journey as participants in this memorable event began at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday morning when four of us - Pastor Joe, Marilou, our friend Cristina, and I, boarded the Maria Beatriz ro-ro (short for "roll on/roll off") cargo ship bound for Iloilo, a province in the Island of Panay.

Below is the rest of the story in pictures.

Day One - September 15, 2011
Departure from Bacolod City
Travel to and Arrival in Boracay

photo by JTA

Marilou, me and Cristina on board the RORO cargo ship bound for Iloilo.
Our ship left the BREDCO Port of Bacolod at exactly 3 a.m. of September 15.


Arrival in Port of Dumangas, Iloilo Province, Panay Island, at sunrise 5:45 a.m.

photo by JTA

unloading of vehicles

photo by JTA

a snapshot of the Maria Beatriz cargo ship.
We had to quickly get on Pastor Joe's car to begin the six hour road trip to the Port of Caticlan.

photo by JTA

Stopover for breakfast at Pengee's Roadside Restaurant in Dumarao, Capiz Province
We're shown here waiting for the rest of our food to be served.
Pastor Joe is never in any of the pictures - he's the photographer!

photo by JTA

We arrived at the Port of Caticlan, Aklan Province, at 11 a.m.

I took this shot of my friend Cristina, on board the tiny fast ferry from Port of Caticlan to Boracay Island.

photo by JTA

Boracay Island, just a few minutes away.

photo by JTA

Arrival in Boracay Island - Marilou, me, and Cristina

photo by JTA

Beautiful Boracay Island

photo by JTA

We call these "tri-cycles" - for a small fee, they can bring arriving visitors to any point on Boracay Island.

photo by JTA

a billboard advertisement

photo by JTA

on the jeepney that shuttled us to our hotel

photo by JTA

Arrival at White House Hotel, on Station One

photo by JTA

After a simple lunch by the beach, a long nap, and a shower... we were ready for the wedding rehearsal.
Marilou, Kirsty, Cristina, and me

photo by JTA

at the lobby of Shangri-la Hotel, Boracay, after the wedding rehearsal

Day Two - September 16, 2011
Enjoying Boracay Beach
Wedding Day

photo by JTA

sunrise over Boracay Island



more pictures of Station One, Boracay Beach

photo by JTA

photo by JTA


photo by JTA

photo by JTA

Cristina and me, out for a late morning stroll on the beach

shopping for authentic South Sea pearls

Kirsty and Dabi's Wedding
Shangri-la Boracay Resort and Spa

photo by JTA

upon our arrival at the wedding venue

photo by JTA

preparations for the beachfront reception

photo by JTA

preparations for the wedding ceremony

photo by JTA

photo by JTA

the bridal canopy

photo by JTA

Miles, the pastry chef. He was my student in gradeschool!

photo by JTA

intricate sand sculpture for the buffet "table"

photo by JTA

more preparations

photo by JTA

guests were shuttled from the hotel lobby down to the beach front

photo by JTA

me, Cristina and Marilou - wearing tropical colors, the wedding motif

photo by JTA

Luigi, the eldest son of Lourdes, greeting Marilou.

bridesmaids' bouquets

sand sculpture

photo by JTA

bride's father

photo by JTA

bride's mother

Pastor Joe and Marilou

floral decor on tables

the groom, David

the bridal canopy, now ready for the ceremony to begin

David and Kirsty exchanging wedding vows

The Lord painted this lovely sunset sky for David and Kirsty on their wedding day!

Luigi and his mom, Lourdes

The couple gives a blessing to the bride's parents

David gives his mom a tight hug after giving her a blessing

photo by JTA

Marilou and me after the ceremony

Lovely Marissa, David's sister, with Cristina

me, Lourdes, Bong and his wife Joy

photo by JTA

Lourdes, full of thanksgiving. The Lord favored us with beautiful weather!

photo by JTA

There was food overflowing.
These are the chefs who worked very hard to prepare all the food!

blue crab, tiger prawns and buttered clams

photo by JTA

Bride and groom

photo by JTA

Guests enjoying themselves on this very special destination wedding

beach inspired wedding cake

Dabi and Kirsty - so in love!

The glowing bride!

Fireworks to celebrate the start of a life together

photo by JTA

on our shuttle car, back to the hotel main building

Day Three - September 17, 2011
Last day in Boracay
Departure from Boracay

early morning by the beach

photo by JTA

all our bags are packed...

photo by JTA

on the jeep that will take us to the port of Boracay


about to board the fast ferry from Boracay port



arrival at Caticlan jetty port

"Good bye for now, Boracay! Thanks for the lovely memories..."

photo by JTA

stopover in Kalibo, Aklan for coffee, after a sumptuous lunch

photo by JTA

dusk over Panay Island, shot taken on board cargo ship back to Port of Bacolod

photo by JTA

on board RORO cargo ship bound for Bacolod on Negros Island

Thank You, dear Father, for the opportunity to be an eyewitness of the favor You poured on my friend Lourdes and her whole family. We had prayed for this wedding, for it to be a testimony of Your loving grace and provision. We wanted You to be glorified through it every step of the way. You heard our prayers, especially the prayers of Lourdes... You graced us with Your presence. You touched us with Your mercy and compassion.

And now I pray for the road ahead of Dabi and Kirsty - go before them, keep Your hedge of protection around them, teach them the life lessons they need to learn, encourage them when they falter, pour daily hope into their hearts, strengthen them with Your joy when the road seems long and the end of the road is nowhere in sight. Let them remember this day of gladness... continually deepen their hunger and thirst for more of You!