I was not prepared for the waves of utter joy and love that shone down on us on our wedding day. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. And I know I will remember it for as long as I live.
The day dawned quite gray. We slept late the night before because we had to cut the write-ups for the giveaways (potted rosemary), and I had to rewrite my vows. My mom and I got up early. She was going to the church and reception for last-minute arrangements and I was worrying about the weather. All of a sudden, we receive a text from Angie Cruz. The suppliers' van, which was supposed to pick them up at 7 am was late! It was 7.30 already and my mom scrambled to the phone to call the van supplier. For some unknown reason, someone switched the dates in her record book, putting our reservation date as the 25th, and not the 18th! After much bulyawan and a flurry of directions-giving, the van got to the pick up points and was on its way to Tagaytay at 8 am.
Meanwhile, the skies were still gray, my mom and sister had gone to the church and reception for set-up, I had bathed, and the Divas had arrived to keep me sane. By this time I had called the hotel's reception to ask about weather updates. According to them they weren't expecting any storms, and that the weather in Tags usually starts out wet and gray in the morning, and then the sun shines around lunch. My brother comforted me by saying, bad luck happens in threes, and the van fiasco had fulfilled the third requirement, so I shouldn't worry about the weather. Alternately, my sisters would call out to me when they saw the sun peek from behind the clouds.
At around 9.45 th flowers came. And. they. were. gorgeous! They were all I dreamed! My concept worked! The Yu sisters are absolutely the most talented florists ever! They captured the carefree beauty of wildflower bouquets, the scents, the colors, the textures. They indeed, looked like flowers plucked from a meadow. I congratulated Karen on a splendid job, and I couldn't wait to hold my bouquet. Boy was it heavy. But it was perfect.
At 10.05, the suppliers' van came, and in flew Angie and Odgie, Rene and Joseph (photogs) and Eto and co. (video). They got to work right away and went on making everyone up, catching each moment from that time on til 2 pm. Yes, 2 pm. We were late, but just fashionably so. My poor mother was so agitated by that fact, forgetting that she had been harassed by everything else related to the wedding since Thursday. Her energy, or rather her adrenaline was all that seemed to keep her going. Either that or, as my siblings and I theorize, she just did not want to feel her emotions. :)
So we got to the chuch at around 2.30, and it was just as well that we were a bit late. If we had arrived earlier, some of the principal sponsors would not have been able to march. Anyhow, my dad kept me company by the car as the entourage lined up. Finally, it was my turn to walk. As I stood by the doorway, I didn't know how to focus. The faces of all the people there--faces I recognized and didn't recognize at the same time--caught my breath. They were all waiting for me. My moment had come.
Finally I ventured a step, and slowly my other foot followed, and through the craning necks and smiling faces, I caught Benc's eyes. I looked around one more time and I could feel myself starting to cry. My dad smiled warmly, my mom tried hard not to weep and I turned my attention on Benc and the tears started glistening in his eyes. Suddenly I felt calm, and right then i knew everything would be all right.
Suddenly, as if from force of habit, after taking my hand, Benc leaned over to kiss my cheek. A collective gasp that quickly turned into laughter filled the chapel, and I pulled away, shaking Benc's arm, saying, "not yet! later pa!". My poor husband turned red inspite of himself, and the people in the church laughed some more. I was glad that happened, because it helped set the tone of the whole ceremony and celebration for the rest of the day.
...To be continued
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