pedo mellon a minno

Just got back from my cousin Singhuey's wedding back in the ole hometown of kluang... man, it was one massive event! woah...

Anyways, it was off to a good start when we actually arrived 1.5 hrs before the wedding (this means we set off at some unearthly hour which must not be named!) at our cousin's place to get changed and then to church do some last minute rehearsals and stuff. It was a nice, formal, presbyterian wedding, good 'ol formal eulogies, , hymns, benediction and stuff. I had to check out the piano- apparently it was on the verge of breakdown, and din't want a broken string for a legacy. There, i found out they had actually prepared an electone-feel-alike keyboard for me (!!)... quite sufficiently pleased with it, better then a twangy petrof any day. : )

The humble, old-ish, stainglassed church was fully packed out with friends and relatives from all over- sensory and memory overload! Simply amazing... relatives... there's no end to them! I mentally classified the relatives i met into two categories- those that i know (30%) and those that i don't (70%). Infact, i don't even know if those i don't know are relatives. haha. Anyhows, every now and then i get pulled to say hello to a total stranger, and my mom or aunt or whoever, will tell me how i'm related to this person, and how i had to address this fella in the chinese titling. Soooo confusing... Later over dinner i find out from JS how the western relations naming works, e.g. 2nd cousin, twice removed. So much simpler; no hassle.

[So,.... do you know your relations???]

Nice, long, formal wedding- felt like a business transaction. Haha... if you think about it, all weddings are transactions- legal, financial, social, emotional and spiritual... anyways. But a nice transaction nonetheless, as weddings go. There was a nice pipe-organ introit and recessional to start and end it all- totally traditional.

The opening prayer by a deacon was almost a complete sermon- thematic introduction, main point, subpoints, anecdotes, development, closing statements, amen. haha. And finally, a church where the hymns were sung with gusto... amazing... i raised the key for the last verse of the last hymn, and the congregation really took off and hit the high F right at the last line! When was the last time i heard such a congregation attack hymns back home? Oh- the pastor was one mean preaching and solemnizing machine- he spoke simultaneously in mandarin and english for the solemnization. Never seen anyone do that... Cool!

End photo taking was one massive logistic nightmare- the sheer volume of guest was something the half-dozen photographers were not prepared for. Also, i realize, if only someone could count out 1,2,3, so the 15 cameras could all click away simultaneously on 3, it will save so much time... but no one did- it took ages before it was completed, so mouth cramp.

Right after the wedding reception, we checked in to the hotel our aunt had booked for us... it was a really big and neat hotel- all 12 storeys of it. Guess what! it turned out that the majority of the hotel was booked out with relatives and friends from out of town, who came for the event... so it was pretty much relatives here, there, everywhere, bump bump. Our room on the 11th floor had a really nice view of Gunung Lambak- kluang's very own mountain backyard... taller than singapore's at anyrate! Was glad to sleep the afternoon away- quiet, restful and productive.

The wedding dinner was at the same hotel... kinda cool- 80 tables. Dinner must have been one massive logistics and admin operation. Even more relations- many drove in late afternoon just for the dinner, kids in tow. The dinner was mc-ed by another deacon, who's a doctor by profession- he was practically a medical stand-up comedian. And there were quite a few doctors and dentists present too, including the former State Physician, whatever that meant. And some datuks too... it was pretty much a doctor, dentist, datin, datuk dinner... hahahah... This is what happens when a doctor marries a dentist, and have another dentist for your father-in-law. The doctor-dentist jibe went on when the couple gave their appreciation at the end of dinner. Bizzare.

Anyways, i'm relieved to be home (not to mention a weekend away from playing 2 services). It was quite an experience, and i'm grateful i'm not in the centre of the whirlwind... yet!

Ooh, and, i bought a bottle of goat's milk on my way back... more on it sometime... i think.