A Wedding of Two Dear Friends

It is an awkward feeling when you realise that you're not that young anymore, although you may feel it [young]. This was apparent when the bunch of us ex-form 6 classmates learned that two of our dear friends were getting married (to each other). I guess this wasn't much of a surprise to us - it was just the next natural step in their long courtship.

But what surprised me was when the [then] bride-to-be SMS-ed me asking whether I could be her bridesmaid! There were supposed to be the three of us, but in the end only J and I accepted the bride-to-be's request.

As part of our bridesmaid responsibilities, we were tasked to help set up a photo booth for their church wedding. Understandably our budget was low, so we decided to make most of the props. We had colourful heart-shaped fans with messages on them, lips, moustaches, fancy glasses, hats (borrowed a turban headgear from mom's kindy), masks, a conversation bubble (like a white board) and my favourite - a bride-and-groom-personalised headband. In the midst of all the busyness, I didn't get to take photos of all the props we had. These are the few photos I managed to scrape up:

YC and I had to divide the writing job between the both of us - mine's on the right side. I particularly like the double happiness fan that we Google-imaged and the task of draw/modify it fell to yours truly.

Our paper beards, lips, moustaches and spectacle frames. The backs of the lips props were either red colour papers or red felt.

This headband was a last minute combination of two ideas into one prop. And apparently it was the most popular prop! I love it! (and how we assembled it - I love it even more!)

Us after the rehearsal on Malaysia Day - putting up the photo booth background J and I painted the very same morning!

Although this is the second peer wedding (close friends) I've attended, it is the first that I know both the bride and bridegroom equally well. So it was one that was very meaningful and one that would set a benchmark for the rest of us. One that we teased about for seven years and finally had come true.

Ok, editing out my musings. The wedding was a simple yet unique one. The bridegroom decided to sing (in his awkward [or seemingly so] voice) "Marry Me" for the bridal march. I had to be the first bridesmaid because I was the smaller among the two of us (!?!). I was so worried that my dress would be to "open" for a church setting, so I had someone sew in sparkly netting as straps. It was the right decision - a number of people expressed that they liked that feature of my dress!

The beautiful bride and her dad marched behind J - 10 steps after (as the Pastor had instructed). I don't really recall what happened next, as everything went by so fast and then we were at the pews singing praise and worship. One thing that I put my hats off to the couple is that they managed to rope in their friends to practically do everything for their wedding - flower arrangements, church decorations, worship band, troupe of photographers and videographer, registration, ushers and "our" little photo booth. No need for a professional wedding planner and it was all pure teamwork! And the bride has excellent PR skills - making everyone feel great during HER big day!

Weddings are usually a sticky event where the parents on both sides and the couple face a tug-of-war on who wants what. That's where most of the stress comes from and is many times the make-it-or-break-it point in the union of the two families. From what my friend (the bride) has revealed, both their parents meddled little in the planning and the result - a wedding all about them [the couple]! I would say this was a mission well accomplished! Major!

One part of the whole process that I will remember is seeing where my two friends got their genes from. We could actually pinpoint who looks like which parent and who acts like which parent! And oh, what a "torture" it was for YC and I to keep getting teased by the bridegroom's dad who was trying to tell us at all possible times of what "good catches" his other two younger sons were!?! They were little boys who (apparently) visited our class when we were all studying together in Form 6 Science 1 in Samad!!! LOL

Anyway, forget that part. It was a wedding that was intimate and I'm so glad to see the both of them so happy. I wish them, BC & MC, the most joyful of marriages and to take Genesis 1:28 {be fruitful and multiply} as a Scriptural advice! teehee ;)

Amidst all the busyness, this is the only photo that I managed to take as evidence that I was actually involved in the church wedding that day! - my bridesmaid bouquet!

Us - Ex-form 6 Science 1 (Class of 2004)! This is 47.62% of our class...