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Imagine yourself trying to relax on the day before your wedding, casually having merienda with your loved ones, when you suddenly receive a photo message showing a volcano letting off steam. And it's not just any other volcano, but the one close to your wedding venue!

What will you do? Will you still push through with it?

This is exactly what happened to Diwa Tiongson and Emman Rodil. The couple wed at Caleruega Church in Nasugbu, Batangas, approximately 26 km from Taal Volcano, on January 13, just a day after the said volcano erupted.

A love that blossomed in the mountains

Diwa and Emman met through the UP Mountaineers organization, and they're both into hiking, running, and rock climbing.

Diwa shared with GMANetwork.com a brief history of their relationship.

“We first met in 2015, but I only really got to know Emman in 2017 when we both started rock climbing and I would often see him around the climbing gym where we train.

"You could say that it was a whirlwind romance because we have only been together for two years, but it really feels like we've known each other forever.”

The couple had been planning their wedding for a year, and they've always dreamed of getting married in the mountains since they both love the outdoors.

Diwa explained, “We dreamed of getting married in the mountains, but knew that we couldn't burden our families with a grueling hike, so we started to look for churches near mountains.

"We chose Caleruega Church specifically for its sprawling gardens and its proximity to Mt. Batulao. We actually went on a day hike of Mt. Batulao before going to Caleruega Church for an ocular.”

Caught by surprise

During the first few hours of January 12, the day of the Taal Volcano eruption, Diwa was completely clueless that Mother Nature was about to give them a very memorable surprise.

She vividly recalled how she found out about it.

“We were casually eating merienda at Nuvali when we heard the news. Family members who were already in Tagaytay sent us some pictures of what looked like Taal letting off some steam.

“I was completely unaware of how this would affect the next 24 hours until rain and ash started pouring on our windshield, completely blocking our view of the road.

"We knew then that it was serious, but the thought of postponing the wedding never crossed my mind. I guess I was still hopeful that everything would clear up in the morning.”

The worse was yet to come

Within hours after Taal Volcano spewed a mile-high cloud of ash, multiple earthquakes were felt, and the volcanic ash scattered to as far as the CALABARZON region and Metro Manila.

This prompted some of her guests to leave hours before her wedding.

Diwa expressed her disappointment, saying, “I felt a bit disheartened when my friends (who were also checked in the same hotel) decided to leave at around midnight when the tremors were at its worst.

"But I thought, I don't really need anyone else to be there at the wedding except Emman and our families.”

Aside from that, there were a few other setbacks that Diwa, Emman, and their guests encountered on their big day.

Diwa detailed, “I had zero sleep but didn't feel tired at all. I felt anxious because our on-the-day coordinator informed me that they won't be able to make it due to inaccessible roads.

“Our suppliers were coming in and I was talking and coordinating with so many people.

“Guests who traveled from Manila had to brave muddy roads, while other guests who were billeted in other hotels also experienced power shortages.”

It initially looked like everything was not going according to plan, but the couple did not let these obstacles ruin their special day.

For better or worse

The morning of their wedding day came and the situation miraculously took a 180-degree turn.

Diwa described what the surroundings looked like on their big day, saying, “The sun shone bright and it was like any normal day. We could barely feel the tremors at this point, and the smell of sulfur in the air has completely vanished.

"Emman's father, a retired general, was able to get in touch with USEC Solidum, and he assured us that we are well outside the evacuation zone.

“Our wedding reception was supposed to be in Balay Dako in Tagaytay, but they kindly agreed to deliver the food to Abagatan Ti Manila, where we had an intimate reception inside one of their dining rooms.

“We were really blessed with good weather, and our reception and Caleruega Church were spared the worst of the ash fall.”

Love conquers all

Diwa and Emman definitely have no regrets about getting married a day after the Taal Volcano erupted.

Diwa said, “Nothing could ruin our special day, and it was perfect despite the setbacks we encountered.

"If anything, this whole experience taught me that Emman and I are a rock-solid team, and we are ready to take on life's surprises.”

Truly, this couple has proven that there's no force more powerful than love -not even a volcanic eruption!