Altough I had planned for a simple wedding, now with barely a month left,I seem to be running short of time. I have already more or less got the wedding album ready, finalized the wedding dinner location, got our wedding bands, contacted florist for all the flowers I need, getting to a photographer for the actual day..sounds like I am almost ready?
Maybe I should mention what needs to be done instead..
The guest list for the wedding dinner is quite difficult for me..I cannot just invite all the people I know. I want it to be a small simple event..in fact,a wedding dinner was not even on my plan originally. How did this idea took its roots on my wedding plan..? I think I probably can attribute it to a long-standing Chinese tradition to have a dinner to celebrate a wedding..hmm..why not just say its my mum's wish?
I started looking out for the smallest location I can find to hold a wedding dinner for my relatives and a few friends. After trying out a number of places..I thought I finally found the perfect location that can house the maximum of 15 tables..Peach Garden@ Novena Gardens. My mum violently objected to my proposal. Reason: no stage(for 15 tables)! Gosh..why do we need to have a stage for a wedding dinner?? Why can't I just sit and eat like everybody else?
The search is on again and I contact a friend of mine from the army whose father operate a restaurant: Beng Hiang Restaurant. I arranged for my family to go try it out during one of our dinners. The food is delicious, they can accommodate the small number of tables I requested and it's got a stage! Guess what? My mum complained that parking is inconvenient,have to walk through construction sites etc..etc..
I almost wanted to give up the idea(or rather my mother's idea) of holding a wedding dinner when one afternoon,while I was driving, this place suddenly popped up in my mind. It was a place that I frequented with my family since I was young, but stopped going in recent years since my grandparents passed away. I immediately told my friend beside me that we need to take a detour to go check out this place. This place is the same age as me,I already feel a certain affinity to it even before I reach it.
I arrived when they were having an afternoon break,but the captain wast there to answer my queries. I knew immediately that this is the location I want and should my mum reject my choice again, the dinner will be off my wedding plan. The only catch is that I need to get a minimum of 20 tables..well..my wedding plan just grew bigger :P
Anyway,allow me to be secretive about the location of this place until all my guest have receive their invitation cards..I promise I'll write about it later.
Let me move on to my guest list...and why its not so easy..
10 tables were assigned to my mum for all the relatives. So I need to plan for only 10 tables.. and I do so table by table..and it includes some of my collegues from Propnex, some senior agents from my ex-company McDowell Realty Network, Primary School friends, Secondary School friends, Junior College friends, Army friends, fellow Workers' Party members and also some friends whom we used to hang out a lot together.
It is very touching for me to have some of them replying my sms almost immediately with their address asking me not to forget to send them the invitation..etc etc..
Some replied asking me who I am because a few phone upgrades,they no longer had my number on their phones,but I called them back immediately and glad they recognize my voice still.
Some called back saying they cannot attend because they are getting married near my date(it is not auspicious for Chinese to attend weddings within say 3 months of their wedding date), or they are on overseas assignment.
Of course,there are some who have yet to reply. When I look at my list again,some tables are full,but some barely half filled and I don't intend to combine tables. .
Looks like I'll have to wait a few more days before I send out the invitation cards..
In the meantime, I'll have to look into the preparation of the Thailand side(my wife is a Thai)..and the furnitures, and the air-tickets,and the translator,and the upcoming visa application,alcohol purchase and 101 other things.
Special thanks to all my friends who offered their help..but a lot of the things that I require,I got to oversee them personally.
Yeah..I manage to keep up at least a blog update this month :)
