It seems to be a trend to get married this year or something as this blog would total the number of weddings I attended to
5. Amy told me the other day that she read that
this was a good year for girls born in the year of the Rooster to get married this year, or they would meet their best potential partner. Maybe that's the reason why so many friends are getting married, most of them just signing the agreement papers.
Anyhoo... the weddings seem to just happen one after another.
Starting with the one between my distant cousin,
Esther, and
Brian-Francis. I still don't get the whole hyphenated name but to each his own. It was held outdoors at the
Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, which was a nice change but a rather risky choice since November was part of the whole rainy season. Well lucky for them, the whole day was nice and breezy, but those trying to catch a beautiful sunset were sorely disappointed.
Fussing Over The Wedding Cake
Mucking Around
I actually enjoyed myself at this one just because it was different and rather simple. Although it was a buffet dinner, it didn't bother me one bit because that meant I could eat till I'm actually full, plus I can eat as much as I like of something that I found yummy without appearing like some greedy person depriving someone else of their portion.
Of all things I didn't expect there, the one who stole the trophy would be my Primary 6 form teacher, Mr Tan, who was seated right opposite me on the next table. I didn't even notice him when everyone was mingling around and we only saw each other when everyone took their seats before dinner was served. Rather amazing that we took seats that happen to face each other. Rather odd but it's kinda fun to catch up with someone who only remembers you when you were aged 12.
Back to the wedding... It was all yum and fun until the MC got up on stage and started the whole champagne ceremony, which led to speeches from the maid-of-honour and the bestman. Following that was what spoiled the whole thing for me, the father of the bride singing something for them.
It's not his singing, but rather the song. Well good on him for getting up there and all, but sometimes, I just rather eat and watch a slideshow of the couples' childhood.
LAH LAH LAAAAAAAAH
Nature Joining In The Party
When that was done, the MC said one of the most stupid things I've ever heard. After the speech by the couple thanking anything and everyone, he told the guests to "continue with your dinner while the bride and groom will do the unconventional thing of taking photos with the people at each table".
UNCONVENTIONAL? ... I'm not sure if he grew up in Singapore but he probably hasn't gone to enough weddings here...
Dancing With His New Mom-In-Law
Best thing of the night was the chocolate gateaux on the dessert line - Sinfully delicious. If I could take the whole thing home I would but seems like everyone liked it too.. DAMN! Well at least I got to take home a piece of the wedding cake, which was made by my aunt. Somehow I was told to hold a spray bottle filled with rum that was used to moisten the cake... but I think it would be better just used as breath freshener?
The next wedding was held exactly 3 weeks after that, celebrating
Adrian's, another distant cousin, marriage to
Madelaine. This one was held at the
Conrad International Centennial Singapore, and it was a rather glamourous-looking affair. Well the hotel had their standards to upkeep, but it wasn't the hotel, rather the people and their attitudes. Some acted as though they were a class above the rest and that was just plain bullshit...
Plus I was rather pissed that I didn't bother to bring my camera, but good thing for mobile phones these days I guess.
The dinner started late, unlike Esther's, and the weird thing was that they didn't serve beer until the second course. Which was really crappy news since I sooooo needed alcohol in my system to get though all that's going on around that ballroom. Well, the server assigned to my table was really professional, had an especially good memory, and she was quick although she had a slight limp.
She made it a lot more tolerable, and better as time went by and she kept plying me with more alcohol.
What I liked about the wedding was that the food was plated, and so once again, no one saying that I took more than my share. Although... our table had a few extra plates because of my aunts' absence and I took an extra helping of some dishes. I especially loved the very first course, the "cold dish", or in this case, Conrad's version of it. Tasting portions of 5 different dishes all on one plate!
Fave!
Mom's Special Portion Minus Leeks
Classy Kong Bak Pao
Apple Pie In A Shot Glass
Spoiler of the night was when the couple came in, Adrian singing to Madelaine and she acting all shy and cute... OH GIVE ME A BREAK... OR 10 MORE BEERS PLEASE! Thank goodness my stomach didn't get the better of me and help the yummy food in, but my eyes could have spun out of control at all the cheese. Later when the video presentation was shown, the people up front were fit to be an audience for a US talk-show. Laughing at something funny is common, but going "AWWWWW" really loud when you see a sleeping baby is not and it rather fake. Wait... thinking back, I think I did see someone holding the cue cards up.
Overall, as my uncle put in the comment at the end of the dinner, it was "
nothing beyond my expectations" but it sure made me dislike some people more.
Finally, a week later, it was time for
Junaida, my ex classmate, to celebrate her marriage to
Zaid. It started off as a rather bad day for me with a reply from Ai Li that arrived at 8am, followed by some idiot calling me at 9 in the morning. Honestly, people who are awake that time in the morning on a Sunday ought to either get a life that doesn't have them bored enough to use the phone or just shot dead. I later find out that the very idiot was actually Fadillah trying to find out what time I was attending the wedding. Then again, I'll still say it was dumb to do so at that time as it was stated that the couple will be there around 1.30pm, so would I wake up at 9am just to go have some pictures taken in the afternoon. It continues an hour later when the messages start coming in asking if I wanted to meet up before I left for the wedding.
I got so bloody irritated I just went online and started ranting to Amy about the day.
So later I leave the house to meet up with Ai Li, Li Hui and Diana and end up getting caught in the downpour.
NIiiiiCE.... I end up having to sit in the front seat of the cab, all damp and with the cold air-con blasting.... I'll be sick in no time...
GRrrrEAT!
We get to the location and not one familiar face can be seen. Furthermore, none of us knew her parents or siblings. Good thing as we tried to get another classmate, there was a lady behind us who kinda eavesdropped and decided to help us.
After enjoying a simple, but really tasty sampling of the buffet, we continued to wait for the couple while catching up on the latest happenings with each of us. About and hour later, we were joined by Fadillah and Rosi and their partners. While they had their meals, we just grabbed all the pineapple tarts on the tray... there wasn't enough for 2 per person anyway.... and continued with another round playing catch up.
About another hour goes
by before we see cameramen running about, signalling the arrival of Junaida and Zaid. Everyone seems to be rushing to get their photos taken with them and then it was our turn. With the cameras that we had, we had to smile for 4 shots and our faces were already cramping by the 2nd. I wonder how these couples can hold their smiles the whole day with every photo they have to take. Maybe it's kinda stuck that way after a while... Guess that's why I like being behind the camera.
