mass wedding

i attended a mass wedding this afternoon...  first time for me to witness one.  a friend whose office was organizing the activity invited me to the event.  two things:

1.  she wanted me to see the couples whose stories, she said, would really touch your heart.

2.  she wanted me to take pics.  nope, not as an official photographer...  just our usual wont where we get together and click, click, click.

i did not really commit to going.  i was kidding her if she could marry me off there then i'd show up, harhar...  ; p

this morning, however, she called to remind me about the invitation.  there was a slight drizzle and i was sleepy but i was thinking if she called to remind me then she really wanted me to be there.  now, i love this friend dearly so off i went.

before leaving, i, of course, informed my dad where i was going.

me to dad:  'i'm going to the city hall...'

dad:  'it's a saturday... what are you going to do there?'

me:  'i'm going to attend a mass wedding...'

dad:  'with?'

me:  '<female friend's name>... it's a project of their office...'

dad:  'ah, ok... take care...'

uhm...  i wonder what his reaction would have been had i mentioned a masculine name.  maybe he would have blocked my car, hahaha...  ; )

i arrive at the venue with my tripod and my memory cards and my spare batteries and my charger and, guess what, i forgot my camera!  this is not the first time this happened!  ugh, ugh, ugh, i'm turning senile...  huhuhu...  :'(

the times this happened in the past, i just dispensed with taking pics.  this time though, i decided to use my phone.  i wasn't sure how the pics would turn out...  i haven't really taken many pics with my phone.

well, downloading the shots i'd say i wasn't that disappointed with the outcome (click here for the pictures)...  nothing great but not that awfully bad either...  definitely better than nothing.  my complaints are basically the speed and the brightness.  i had to delete certain pics because they either came too late or were too dark.

anyway, there were around a hundred couples who tied the knot.  the venue was at the city hall...  trimmings were sparse...  the ceremony was very simple...  only the bride and groom marched down the aisle.

dunno what happened...  i was ok all along but when the couples started to walk down the aisle i seemed to choke with emotions.  you see all sorts...  couples young and old...  bride and groom of all shapes and sizes...  clothes of varying presentability.  regardless of the physical and material state, however, you can feel their inner joy at finally being able to wed.  certain scenes tugged at the heart and was a good reminder that it really is better to be lacking in material things but overflowing with love than awash in material things but wanting in love.

anyway, a reverend officiated, with the guys first reciting their wedding vows in the vernacular, followed by their brides who recited theirs in english.

then the ring...  and the kiss...  the couples were asked to repeat the latter...  the first one was deemed too short.  they announced that the longevity of your marriage is tied to the duration of your kiss...  a one-second-kiss is equivalent to one year of marriage; two-seconds, two years; five seconds, five years and so forth.  (oh..  i should have kissed forever...  aw!)

they also had the cake, wine and dove ceremonies...  they had only one cake, three pairs of wine glasses and a pair of doves...  not all couples got to do it therefore...  just a selected few.

some of these newlyweds have been together for years...  living as a couple...  living as a family (there were those who marched down the aisle with their child).  you'd think having lived together for so long they'd already forgo the idea of a wedding.  but no...  it appears what is viewed by others as a mere piece of paper has remained at the back of their minds and in their hearts.  given half a chance they'd formalize the union.

hmmm...  some things simply are not quite complete without its pair...  love and a relationship...  a relationship and a wedding...  a wedding and a lasting marriage...

congratulations and best wishes to the newlyweds...  make it good...  and make it last...

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