A photographer captured the moment a couple said “I do” as a volcano erupted in the background of their wedding.
On Sunday 12 January, Chino and Kat Vaflor were married in the Philippines.
The venue for their wedding was 10 miles away from the Taal volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the country.
Over the weekend, clouds of ash began spewing from the volcano, resulting in the evacuation of around 8,000 people and warnings of an imminent “hazardous explosive eruption“.
Wedding photographer Randolf Evan said that the wedding party were worried the volcanic activity would prevent the ceremony from taking place.
“We were actually nervous because while working we kept on checking social media for updates on the volcanic eruption,” the photographer told CNN.
“So we were actually aware of the warnings and escalating levels that was being announced real time.”
Evan added that they “discussed discreetly” what they would do “when worst comes to worst”.
In one of the pictures, the married couple smile at one another as an enormous plume of volcanic smoke looms behind them.
In another photograph, the wedding marquee is pictured adorned with fairy lights below dark, menacing-looking clouds.
According to authorities in the Philippines, hundreds of thousands of people will be evacuated from areas surrounding the volcano.
On Sunday, the volcano blasted steam, ash and pebbles between six and nine miles into the sky, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
To keep up to date with the latest news regarding the Taal volcano, follow The Independent‘s live blog here.
