A couple in the Philippines held their wedding ceremony at a Catholic church submerged in floodwaters, despite weeks of heavy monsoon rains that have inundated large parts of the country. Leian Lieza Galang and Gilbert Chico, both in their 30s, exchanged vows on Tuesday inside St John the Baptist Church in Hagonoy town, north of Manila, where water levels reached hip height.

The parish priest officiated an abbreviated ceremony late that morning amid the rising floodwaters, according to wedding photographer Mikko Rey Alfonso, who documented the unusual event. Alfonso noted that church officials had recommended postponing the wedding due to the ongoing flooding, but the couple chose to proceed. The flooding at the parish had persisted for nearly a month.

Monsoon rains in August have caused widespread damage in northern Luzon, resulting in landslides and flash floods that claimed at least 34 lives, according to official figures. Despite the challenges, the couple remained determined to mark their union with the ceremony.

Photographs and video shared on the parish’s Facebook page showed scenes of the wedding: the bride was greeted with a hug from her parents in front of empty pews decorated with plastic flower bouquets, while a young boy carrying the wedding rings waded through waist-high water along the aisle.

To protect her gown, Galang arrived at the church in a rickshaw with a raised chassis and had the train of her off-shoulder white dress shortened to facilitate movement through the floodwaters. Attendance was limited, with fewer than 15 guests present to witness the ceremony.

Alfonso described the efforts of the church staff to accommodate the couple’s wishes, saying parishioners did their best to create a meaningful day under difficult circumstances. “They love each other. Nothing could stop their union,” he said.