What a whirlwind of activity it’s been this past week! Kristine had her beautiful, perfect wedding at Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort & Spa, for which I was her personal assistant, accountant, doorman and shrink in addition to being her bridesmaid. I also had the privilege of meeting Brian’s super-nice family and friends from South Africa (we went on a trip to Moalboal 2 days prior to the wedding) and I am so happy that Tin is now a part of their family.
I first wrote about their engagement around 3 months ago (story found here) and it was so exciting to finally watch the big day unfold.
I arrived at the hotel around 5 PM the day before the wedding to help her with some last-minute things, fixing the seating arrangement, picking up the videographer team from the airport (and I was a little giddy over meeting THE Jason Magbanua), answering the phone, etc.
She was a little stressed out about the weather, the dress, and just all the little things that could go wrong. I told her that even if it did rain, or if any of those other minor nuisances happened, it wouldn’t matter as long as she would spend the rest of her life with the man of her dreams. That seemed to calm her down enough for us to finally get some sleep a little past midnight.
Around 5 AM, we woke up to the sound of thunder and Tin’s sister, Cindy, ringing the bell at our door to be fitted into the dress I’d made for her since she had just arrived from Singapore. When we drew the curtains open, we were dismayed to see a completely cloud-covered sky and pouring rain. I told Tin I was confident that it wouldn’t rain during the ceremony and promised that if it started to clear up in the morning, the sun would shine in the afternoon. At 6, we went down and had a quick breakfast, then went back to the room so I could quickly hem Cindy’s dress while Tin relaxed in the tub.
Soon, the various teams began to arrive: WenWen Zaspa’s hair and makeup entourage, Shirley Ong’s events team, Jason Magbanua’s team, Lito Inso’s photography team, Philip Tampus (who made Kristine’s wedding dress), and all the rest.
Everyone was on time so we got ready with lots of time to spare and Tin didn’t have to rush through the photo shoots. The best part of the day was when my prediction came true. The sky turned blue and the sun did come out! It didn’t rain at all during the wedding.
Shang, my other best friend whom I’ve known since high school, also flew in from Singapore and joined us in the chaos (the rest of our group, Cindy and Julie, joined us later at the ceremony so it was our first complete reunion in almost 4 years).
Finally, after the never-ending photo shoots, we got in the van that took us to the ocean pavilion. I know I’m always saying in my cynical and rational way that I think extravagant weddings are a waste of money, but looking at that chapel adorned with flowers, in the middle of a beautiful garden and overlooking a calm, blue sea, I can see why so many brides spend so much time and effort in planning their weddings. It was like stepping into a fantasy.
It was a small, intimate ceremony, with lots of people –myself included– shedding a few tears when Kristine, the beautiful bride, walked down the aisle toward a dashing, smiling groom. Brian using the traditional Filipino “mano po” gesture (bringing Tin’s mother’s hand to his forehead) was such a classy touch. They exchanged traditional vows and were afterward greeted by a shower of flower petals outside the chapel, thrown by all the guests.
The rest of the night was fun, with absolutely delicious food and short, sweet speeches. I also sang for the couple, at Kristine’s request even though I get terrible stage fright. I will only do that for my family and closest friends, of whom Kristine is the best. 🙂 Tin and Brian didn’t even get to finish their meal until the program was over and guests started to leave. I got a kick out of watching them just sitting there, smiling and talking, finally catching a break after a hectic day. Before bugging them for pictures, Shang, Julie, Cindy and I took some time to catch up on each others’ lives, just lounging in the garden.
Finally, it was time to say goodbye and it was bittersweet, leaving on such a high note but knowing that I won’t be seeing my friend again for a long time (they are leaving for their honeymoon and then flying back to Dubai).
At the end of the night as I was driving home, I asked myself why this wedding in particular was really emotional for me, considering the many weddings I’ve attended in the past few years. And I suppose it’s because I’ve known Kristine so long and so well, and I see how truly happy she finally is. But aside from that, it also made me – a self-confessed cynic and hardened pessimist when it comes to romantic relationships – see that in this messed up world of broken hearts, low standards and failed marriages, true love does indeed exist. Even if it does make me gag a little to say something as cheesy as that.
Brian and Kristine, I pray that you two will have a long, happy, blissful marriage. And you’d better, otherwise I will feel like a total jackass for writing that last paragraph.
I love you guys!
Brian & Kristine Wedding Video from Kristine Nazaret on Vimeo.
Same-day edit video by Jason Magbanua
