On weddings (Part 1)

A "rash" of weddings...

That's what I've been up to these past few weeks. First it was Ella's (family by affinity), then Connie's (a college barkada), and just a few days ago, Tonton's wedding.

All were very nice, all were lots of fun, and all were very big, with more than a hundred people in attendance. The first one felt like it had the whole town of Lazi, Siquijor attending. Their program host knew everyone and could point out who was who, and who did what at random...I was impressed.

The others were equally "family-oriented" and it seemed that in almost all cases, everyone knew both the bride and groom (and the two of them as a couple) for a long time. They known them as a "unit" and showed up to celebrate with the couple what was deemed "inevitable". Because the couple had been together for so long it would seem that their tying the known would only be a formality.

When I go to weddings, I usually look at the tiny details, the ones that involve what these two people are like with each other. I don't even notice the flowers. :-p

What I do notice are the things that everyone sees, and celebrates and cheers for...

      the way the bride beams with happiness,

             her radiance in her miles and miles of tulle and satin, silken finery

                 the way the groom lovingly dabs at his bride's little beads of perspiration during the long homily :-p

                       or the ease with which their lips meet, to seal their union as man and wife forever in a ceremony solemnized in front of people who cherish them.

:-)

Tonton and Nyd (or Doug, as we call him) kissed and then hugged each other tight, as if giving each other a congratulatory squeeze after the ceremonial smooch. After 8 years of being together, you're wont to think that people probably will get sick of each other eventually, but no, it looked as fresh, and as loving as the day they told each other that  cliche "i LOVE yOU."

"If it's really love, you'll know...." That's what they say. If you find that someone you feel you want to spend the rest of your life with, you'll know. And, most probably, as Billy Crystal said it so eloquently, "When you finally find someone who you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible..."

But that's just me... :-)

Right now, I enjoy the whole "pomp and circumstance" of weddings. I love dressing up and taking part in the festivities of a happy occasion. When they call out for the single ladies, I'm still one of those who go up to the front, and proud to be standing there, not feeling guilty to be single (and available), but rather, relishing the fact that at this time in my life, I feel young, and vibrant and have shed all (well, almost all) the insecurities of an awkward youth and am enjoying the current choices I have made for myself.

(whew. long-winded speech,eh?)

Now is the time I feel like I know myself, and learned to appreciate what I do and what I've been through, and what I'm good at.

:-) (And before I start rationalizing any more, I better get on with this piece.)

Some of my friends good-naturedly tell me, "Wow, another wedding? Good...maybe you'll meet Prince Charming this time." I just laugh, and defend myself with a joking, "But I don't go to weddings to meet people (or "get laid"?, haha), I go to weddings to have fun..!" (It doesn't keep them from teasing me, though.)

Come to think about it, it's not hard to get caught up in the romantic "spirit" of weddings, when you're there attending one. One time, in my cousin's wedding way back when I turned 20, there was this guy who stood out.

Well, actually, he walked beside me down the aisle the first time we met, how is that for romantic? :-p I was a bridesmaid, and he was one of the groomsmen (his cousin was the bride, and mine was the groom), and on the eve of our cousins'  wedding, at the rehearsals, we were somehow paired up together.

     Me: Hi, I'm S. What's your name?

     Him: I'm A.

"A." was a nice surprise. Tall and goodlooking, and confident (and wearing the then cool Nike Air Cortez on his feet), and I developed an instant crush. I think I could still remember how he looked like that night...lean and athletic (he was sitting on the steps of the church with his other cousins, they were from Manila), he had an air of quiet cat-like grace, an alluring mysterious quality that really made me stare, despite myself.

With fair "Manila" skin (I think he was part Chinese, i think.), he seemed to...glow? :-p

(NOTE TO SELF: Guys that "glow" in the moonlight/nighttime, you should try to avoid.)

So anyway, as you can pretty much guess, it was a memorable "walk down the aisle" for me, with the romantic church ambience, my long flowing bridesmaids dress, and my hand on this "glow boy's" arm, i was in a bit of bliss, I admit, nevermind that I was in 3 inch heels and that I was hurting later. The party afterwards was at the Dusit Hotel in Makati, and it was more fun, we danced a lot and talked until the party broke up.

:-) Well, to make the story short, things didn't go well. Sometimes, the wedding ambiance induces a fleeting "magical" quality to things that make any romantic little girl (myself especially) get ideas. Needless to say, it didn't go as fairy tales should, although he and I are Facebook friends...and at one time or two, I was able to get huge discounts off a lot of my medical textbooks, from the deal he sprung for me.

(All's well, that ends well, right? :p)

So maybe I'm still a little wary of these romantic overtones these days. They may be good fodder for "How I met Your Mother" stories for the kids I'll later have,  but they WERE terrible emotional rollercoaster rides while I was "in them".

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(to be continued. I've got work. Seeya tomorrow! :-))

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Oh, and here's a thought.... I can't seem to get this song out of my head, since the first time I gave it a listen (yesterday, when I asked someone) . There is something about the singer's voice, the drum beats, the guitar overtones, and the mood in the lyrics that makes it all come together very pleasantly.

Give it a listen. And tell me what you think. (Try not to mind the anime on the video.)