wedding dinners

i never like to attend wedding dinners these days. and i say so becos in recent years, all the wedding dinners seemed so childish. all the games, the toasts… even the bride and the groom seemed child-like. or perhaps i have outgrown them.

but last weekend was different. i attended a wedding of two friends. it was interesting cos when i arrived, the reception ladies asked me are you with the guy or the lady's side? i was like errrr, both? anyway, both of them worked with me when i did a tour in the headquarters in 2001. at that time, they were young. in their early-20s, for that matter. and interestingly one reported to the other. we went through all sorts of challenges and we worked pretty well as a team. and after i left, we kept in contact. and through the years, while they dated, they kept their relationship secret. but to me, i kinda suspected all along that they were going together… i could probably guess why they felt awkward. the guy was a non-commissioned officer, while the lady was a senior officer. but to me, it didn't matter. i thought they were very happy being in each others company. and it was only a couple of years back when they started posting their holiday pictures together that they finally came out to everyone about their relationship (or perhaps to me! haha...)

and i have time and again hinted (and later asked) when they would be getting married. and it was only last year that the guy finally broke the news to me. i happily accepted his invite. and when i attended the wedding, i was near tearing. seeing them walked into the ballroom and onto the stage, i felt a lump in my throat. for that moment, i understood how parents feel when they see their children get married. while our age gap wasn't that great, i felt almost like a parent cos i have watch them grow over the last 12-13 years. and in that sense, i felt like a parent. lol! and i didn't think their wedding was childish at all. in fact, seeing two persons in their 30s getting married, the whole affair seemed so dignified, mature and celebratory. there were certainly no rowdy games, no noisy bridesmaid and best men. i hadn't enjoyed a wedding dinner so much for a very long time.

i wish them well, from the bottom of my heart.

:-)