Once upon a time…in a lush island kingdom far far away, a princess married her prince, and with their cheering subjects’ approval and the encouragement of a herd of barking seals, they rode away on prancing white ponies accompanied by a most winsome gang of elves and gnomes and leprechauns and unicorns and dwarfs and mermaids and fairies, and one or two goblins and two trolls. They galloped over land and sea and more land to the benighted kingdom of Austin, Texas where, in spite of the danger, a Democratic mayor kept them safe from all harm. It was a beautiful thing…except for the goblins. (There was also some concern about the trolls, but they were Norwegian, and the feeling was that they would foreswear dirty tricks for one of their own [Norwegian, not troll])

In January 2025, my granddaughter Teresa married her love Jon on a tiny island near a small island (Busuanga) only a short distance off a bigger island in a land called the Philippine Islands. Teresa’s mom is a proud Filipina, and it was an enormous source of pride for her, and joy for both her and Teresa, who has spent many happy times over the years on Busuanga where her mom grew up. Teresa the traveler did like the idea of a destination wedding, but only if the destination had meaning: Busuanga fit the bill.

So, while all the parties, celebratory events, and numerous hang-out-and-have-fun activities occurred in various Busuanga locations, the critical “I pronounce you…” moments took place on a tiny bit of land comprised only of cooling breezes, soft white sand, and swaying palms, surrounded by the bluest of seas.

Eighty of T & J’s family members and friends flew halfway around the world to join the party and witness the big moment. And what a spectacular bunch we were. Handsome middle-agers, stunning young people, a few cute kids…and a token little old lady.

Pictures will mostly replace the hundreds of other adjectives I’m tempted to include. I do feel compelled, however, to attempt a description of what I personally considered the most spectacular moment of all.

Teresa, the beautiful bride arrived on the wedding island by speedboat She was cleverly concealed in a black cloak until she reached the head of the ‘aisle,’ down which she walked to join the groom. It was brilliant…. (I’m sure she has her own story of how this was all planned and orchestrated…but I haven’t heard it, and I want to share my perception anyway.)

I must say, while I’m proud of Teresa for many things, this to me was a unique glimpse  of her not always on display; the result of her gentle but slightly wicked sense of humor and her mastery of dramatic understatement, surely fostered by years of the Magic Kingdom, Phantom of the Opera, the Paris Olympics, and, I like to think, nurtured by the various dance/theatre events she’s shared with me over the years. She made the best use of saying her marriage vows on that sandy smidgeon of her island birthright with a mysterious opening, dramatically reintroducing herself to her love, along with the big reveal of her personally designed, demurely and seductively glamorous wedding dress, as his romantically wedded wife.

What loyal and proud families and fine friends flew all the way over the ocean to celebrate Teresa and Jon, how beautiful the faces and outfits and flowers and joy expressed. Jon’s dad offered a speech in his role as officiant that seemed a perfect expression of what a marriage represents—laden with family histories, personal stories about the couple that were real and moving without being overly-sentimental, and just the right amount of wise words, laughter, and a few tears. We were all proud of and honored to know Teresa and Jon…and to be on an island in the sun while our American world still seemed somewhat solid.(You’ve just seen a small sampling of the wedding photos courtesy of Legion Rules Photography/Philippines). The remainder of the photos are mine.