A week and a day

And it's totally weird but I did enjoy attending my wedding.  Hardly a fan, I reckon I can explain it now.

The thing about being Chinese, and planning a wedding is this: There are many Chinese wedding customs and practices that nobody is quite sure why they are there, or why they are carried out in a certain way, or why they are (even) necessary, but the elders in the family will insist that they are carried out anyway.  And sometimes, these people who may insist that such practices be carried out aren't even the parents, or even an older person!  It's like, suddenly, this is everybody's "big day" (Oh, and don't get me started on the offense I took with the terminology - big day).  And the same people are mad with you (I mean me) and at you  (me again) because you (I) didn't plan your (my) wedding to their convenience ("Sentosa?  Why so far?"  Enough said.).

According to Collins English Dictionary, a wedding is the act of marrying or the celebration of a marriage.  What I find most difficult to comprehend is the practice of inviting the whole kampong to a wedding reception, many of whom, I secretly suspect, may not even care to share the joy, just because it seems the right thing to do.  Annoyingly, the hospitality industry fully understand the concept of mian zi (面子) and capitalised on this wedding business opportunity (Does the phrase "a minimum of 25 to 30 tables" sound familiar to you?).

Believe me when I tell you the many baffled looks (and some others classified as looks of disbelief, seriously) I've gotten because there will not be any gate-crash games, or that I opted for one wedding dress (and not the usual two or three), or that all we really want is a small and intimate wedding celebration that we can remember, and heavens forbid the multiple march ins, yum sengs and photo montage!

Sure, I relented to some things to keep the parents, particularly my mum, happy.  At the end of the day, I'm glad we stuck to our guns too.  Bridezilla? Maybe, but I'm not a clueless 18-year-old who wishes for nothing less than a magical wedding.

Of course, whatever could go wrong did go wrong, somewhat.  Our schedule went into overrun in the morning; I looked like Superman's twin with the out-of-place-fringe under the veil (and nobody told me!); our wedding cake almost never came; M had a boo boo moment during the profession of vows;  I completely forgot my thank you speech during the lunch reception and I broke out in hives before lunch was over!

But we are so blessed with friends who readily offered their help, friends and family who flew in specially to attend our wedding celebration, and the heartfelt wishes and gifts (including air mailed gifts) from everyone.  We feel so loved.

Thank you Lord, for blessing us with a beautiful wedding, and countless memorable moments as we embark on our journey with You at the centre of our lives.