Monday, January 28, 2008

I do!

By any measure, most weddings that we go to are pretty run-of-the-mill affairs. The same rituals, the same greetings; you go through dinner doing small chats because you’re invited. However, as I experienced recently, once you’re involved and the couple happen to be your great friends, it becomes such an exciting and wonderful event.

Eugeen and Winnie got married at a beachside resort a couple of weeks ago, and I happened to be his Kato (that’s super duper sidekick for you people who didn’t grow up watching 70’s TV comic shows) – best man, army general and dinner emcee. Some people say ‘one leg kick’. It was scary, exciting, fun, and I loved it because it was for two friends close to me.

It helped that the wedding was at a resort and we had to make a trip there. It felt like a short holiday and really set the mood for the weekend. As we haven’t gathered together for some time, it also felt like a reunion of sorts for our university mates.

The morning started off well enough with the groom’s dad giving us lads the lowdown on life’s three stages – dating, marriage, and kids. Mind you that was before breakfast, and I noticed we didn’t eat much after. When the time came, we had to drive EG out for a spin before coming back to pick up his bride. Well, we actually did two spins because there was no one to open the door for him the first time! Minor hiccups, but memorable J

We stormed the Women’s Tactical Front, taking on everything they threw at us, even though at some point it was more ‘WTF??’ than a tactical front. We endured oranges, push ups, ice cold feet, chillies, nursery rhymes and the rubbing of certain, ahem, bodily parts. All in good fun and great times, hehe.

The most meaningful part of the day for me though was the wedding ceremony. Standing beside my main man at the front, I couldn’t help but be welled up by emotions as I watched the bride walking down the aisle with her dad. Tears were in her eyes and I knew father and daughter must’ve had a good heart-to-heart right before. Their parents looked proud, and I’m sure they were. I don’t know how EG felt waiting for his bride, but I was enormously proud and happy for the both of them. At that moment, they felt close like family to me, and deserved nothing less than each other. The ceremony was simple, and yet very beautiful.

Emceeing for dinner was nerve wrecking as I had never done it, and it must have shown to the people who asked me why I was so tense. Mates, you try to be funny and witty in front of 30-odd tables! The butterflies were having a ball in my knotted insides. But it went well, everyone had a fun time and I’m glad my speech was well received. I had been working on it for weeks, revising and practicing with friends. I wanted it to be my present for EG and Winnie, and I wanted it to be good. Thanks goodness they all laughed!

I had lessons from the groom’s dad again the next morning with a reminder to quickly get one for myself too, but I took it all in like a soldier. It had been a great weekend, and it had been a fantastic wedding, what with all of us close friends taking part in the celebrations. I think all wedding should be at resorts now; it’s just so much more fun!

2 comments:

pENguiN~ said...

Hey, thanks for the great present. Seriously you did a darn good job in the em-ceeing. Everyone had fun!! U might want to consider doing it part time. Hehe...

Btw, I wasn't teary. My artificial eyelashes are poking my eye that's why I kept checking it out. Many thought I was tearing, actually I wasn't.

The Hungry Hog said...

Haha really? well you sure had everyone fooled! Well at least it was touching at that time.

Thanks babe glad you guys had a good time :) Emceeing is quite fun actually, but I think I need much more practice first! The good crowd helped too.