A Seaside Wedding in Moalboal, Philippines (2018)

In March 2018, I travelled to Cebu in the Philippines with a friend to attend a colleague’s wedding in Moalboal.

I had never been to Moalboal before, and apart from the wedding, we didn’t have much of a sightseeing itinerary. The plan was fairly simple: fly to Cebu, make our way to Moalboal and attend the wedding.

Towering clouds lit by a low sun, seen from an aircraft window, with the curve of an engine along the bottom of the frame. — Above the clouds on the way to Cebu.

Apart from my travelling companion and the colleague getting married, I didn’t know anyone else attending. I was going to meet most of the people there for the first time.

Looking back, it turned out to be quite a memorable trip, not only because of the beautiful seaside wedding but also because of the people I met along the way.

A Night in Cebu

We spent our first night in Cebu City before travelling to Moalboal.

After arriving, we had some time to walk around the city. Later that evening, we went out for dinner and drinks at a rooftop bar.

A curved, multi-level terrace of brightly lit restaurants at night, with diners on every level, tower blocks behind and a lit garden in front. — Cebu City at night.

It was a pleasant way to begin the trip, enjoying the city before heading somewhere quieter the following day.

The next morning, we set off for Moalboal by car.

A view over Cebu City under a grey morning sky: a tall white tower block and a hotel with turrets on the left, low buildings and trees, and green hills and distant towers beyond. — Cebu City the next morning.

The Long Drive to Moalboal

The journey from Cebu to Moalboal was a long one. We travelled through towns, past green hills and along stretches of coastal road.

The view from the back seat of a car: the driver from behind with his hands on the wheel, and a wet, tree-lined road ahead passing under a town arch. — On the road to Moalboal.

I remember looking out of the car window as the scenery changed along the way. There were hills, patches of greenery and occasional views of the sea.

Forested hills and a valley under heavy grey cloud, seen over a roadside wall from a moving car. — Green hills along the way.

Calm grey-green sea with mangroves growing in the water and a low headland in the distance, seen past concrete roadside barriers. — Green hills along the way.

Eventually, we arrived at Hale Manna, the seaside resort where we would be staying and where the wedding was going to take place.

A two-storey resort building with a red roof and wooden balconies, half hidden by trees and flowering shrubs, behind a wooden sign reading “Halemanna” on a lawn. — Hale Manna.

Quite a number of people had travelled there for the occasion. I shared a large room with three other men: the friend I had travelled with and two of the groom’s friends whom I was meeting for the first time.

It was a little different from travelling with a group of people I already knew, but everyone was there for the same occasion.

A Day by the Sea

We had some free time on the day before the wedding.

Hale Manna had beautiful grounds overlooking the sea, with gardens, trees and places to sit and enjoy the surroundings.

A sloping lawn with trees hung with paper lanterns, low stone-edged flower beds and a thatched hut, with the sea visible between the trunks. — The gardens, with the sea beyond.

Old stone steps with a rough wooden handrail leading up to a lawn, with trees, red benches and a thatched building beyond. — The gardens, with the sea beyond.

We went swimming and spent some time by the water. One thing I clearly remember was how shallow the sea was for quite a long stretch. You could walk surprisingly far out into the water.

Looking out to sea past a pair of legs in sandals stretched out on the sand, with a dark rock on the left, an outrigger boat and a small floating platform offshore. — Time by the water.

We also went over to a neighbouring resort for some beer at its bar.

At one point, we took scooters out to explore beyond Hale Manna. There wasn’t much farther out, at least from what I remember, but it was nice to ride around and see a little of the surrounding area.

It was a relaxed day, with no particular rush to be anywhere.

A green net hammock tied between two trees on a shady lawn, with lanterns in the branches and a wooden “Halemanna” sign beyond. — A hammock in the garden.

Red wooden chairs and picnic tables under spreading trees by the sea, beside an open-sided bar with a thatched roof. — A hammock in the garden.

That evening, the groom’s friends gathered for a sharing session. I remember it being a gathering without drinks, possibly connected to Christian traditions, although I no longer recall the details clearly.

It was part of the time everyone spent together before the wedding the following day.

A Wedding With a View

The wedding took place on 26 March at Hale Manna.

Of all the weddings I’ve attended, this was one that stood out because of its setting.

The ceremony was held outdoors beside the sea, with chairs arranged facing the water. The walk towards the ceremony area, the trees, the decorations and the beautiful view beyond made the whole place feel special.

Guests on white folding chairs under large trees hung with lights, facing the couple and the officiant, who stand silhouetted against the sea and a pale sunset sky. — The ceremony beside the sea.

I remember being fascinated by the surroundings.

As the ceremony took place in the late afternoon, the sea and the fading daylight formed a beautiful backdrop. It was quite different from the weddings I had been accustomed to attending.

I was glad to be there to celebrate my colleague’s marriage and to experience a wedding in such a lovely setting.

The Night Everyone Kept Laughing

As beautiful as the ceremony was, my favourite memory came afterwards.

Following the wedding, everyone gathered at Hale Manna and stayed together late into the night.

A garden at dusk under a deep blue sky, lit by strings of round lights in the trees, with guests gathering on the lawn in the distance. — The evening gathering under the garden lights.

Most of the people there were new to me, but that didn’t matter much once everyone started talking and laughing.

There was one guest in particular whom I had only just met. He wasn’t one of the men sharing our room, but he was incredibly funny. Throughout the evening, he kept everyone laughing.

I can’t remember all the jokes or exactly what was said anymore. What I do remember is how much we laughed that night.

It was one of those unexpected moments when you find yourself having a wonderful time with people you barely knew a day or two earlier.

The seaside ceremony had been beautiful, but the laughter afterwards was what made the occasion especially memorable for me.

The Journey Home

We left Moalboal the following day, 27 March, and made the long journey back to Cebu before flying home to Singapore that same day.

It had been a short trip, but one filled with good memories.

Looking back, I remember the first evening in Cebu, the drive through the countryside, the shallow sea at Hale Manna and the wonderful setting of the wedding.

But most of all, I remember the laughter that night.

I had travelled to the Philippines to attend a colleague’s wedding, knowing only two people there. By the time I left, I had shared an unforgettable evening with people I’d only just met.

Sometimes it’s the unexpected moments, rather than the things you plan, that stay with you the longest.