The Journey | Rasmussen Communicat

The Journey

Here's how Jon and Mary launched their great adventure to became "Jon & Mary,"

leading to their marriage on February 25, 2025.

Chapter 1:
A Sign o' the Times

Jon & Mary was a match made in cyberspace, meeting on an online site specializing in international connections in January 2019.

Mary was on the site to "practice her English,"

while Jon admits he was there to meet someone.

Nevertheless, Jon was more than happy to help her elevate her already formidable English skills.

And in fact, their affection grew through wordplay.

Chapter 2:
The Next Step

They established a comfortable rapport through video chat services that quickly evolved to daily conversations.

Considering the logistics, that was the easy part.

Arrangements were made for them to meet in person in September of that year, in Coron Town, which is on the island of Busuanga, which is in the Philippine province of Palawan.

Why on earth there, you ask?

Because Jon has been scuba diving in the Philippines since 2014, and Coron is world renowned for a rich trove of WWII Japanese shipwrecks in calm, relatively shallow waters. It's also stunningly beautiful. (Click on any photo to enlarge)

Chapter 3:
"Meet Cute"?

They settled into the Two Seasons Resort in Coron, and got to know each other over the next few days though hikes,

meals and boat trips under glorious blue skies and magnificent sunset dinners.

After a few dives by Jon to several shipwrecks, the dynamic duo decided to take a day to motorbike around Busuanga Island.

A fateful decision.

While the skies and roads were both clear and dry, after cresting a small rise they suddenly encountered a sharp turn with a layer of sand spread across the road.

With a millisecond to decide whether to turn or go straight into what looked like a ravine of unknown depth, Jon attempted to turn on the sand, with a very predictable result.

The good news was that Jon cushioned Mary as they slid along the sand-covered concrete.

Fortune smiled on the couple as someone miraculously appeared (after not seeing anyone for almost a half hour) to assist them in getting to a hospital and then to the hotel, where they needed a full four days of recuperation to ensure Jon had enough strength to endure the flight out of Coron.

When told of the story later on, a good friend of Jon said, "Well, that's certainly a bonding experience."

Chapter 4:
The Proposal

After both were able to heal (which for Jon required a 2-week hospital stay), Jon decided to propose to Mary in November 2022 as part of a return trip to Coron. While Jon chickened-out on his initial plan to propose at the summit of Mt. Tapyas in Coron, he finally found the courage to pop the question over dinner at the Peninsula Hotel in Manila on the last night of the trip.

Chapter 5:
The Announcement

Then it was time for our intrepid couple to inform their families, and for Jon, to actually meet Mary's family!

Chapter 6:
The Wedding

February 25, 2025 was selected as the date, and the location was ...where else?

Where it all began, of course, and the resort stepped up to provide a magnificent setting,

with Jon's niece Jennifer and cousin Fae helping with the decor.

The date was set for February 25, 2025, and the location ...where else?

It was only natural to go where it all started, and the Two Seasons really stepped up to provide a magnificent setting.

Both families were able to attend, and meet.

The Ceremony

In Filipino weddings, the official witnesses and signatories on the marriage certificate are called Godfathers and Godmothers. Jon's brother-in-law, Chris Owens, served as Godfather (and ring bearer!), while Leah Ysulat, an employee at Two Seasons who was crucial in Jon & Mary's recovery in the aftermath of the accident 6 years earlier was the Godmother, and sang the wedding's theme song during the procession.

Jon's mom was even able to attend ...thanks to his sister Sue secretly placing her photo on the dais.