Went to Kelly's wedding today. She was a colleague of mine from an internship company I worked for in the past. She's been through some pretty rough patches in the past, and I'm truly glad that she's found someone and settled down with him.

Reached the Goldkist Beach Resort (at East Coast) at around 5.55pm. Got a little disorientated ar first, but I finally managed to find Villas E01 and E02 where the wedding was held. Yup. It's my very first chalet-and-bbq wedding. Interesting concept, no? When I arrived there, guests were milling about, drinking and chatting.

I found some of my other colleagues and we talked for a while. Sharlene (my SMU schoolmate and former fellow intern there) was late and she called me up only when the ceremony started. I managed to tell her the directions quietly while the proceedings went on.

It was a simple but meaningful affair. Kelly looked resplendent in a lacy white dress while John (who's Scottish), sad to say, looked a little hot. Lol. In the presence of the Justice of the Peace from the ROM, they sat at a table and signed the marriage documents. This was follwed by a solemnization ceremony (when Sharlene arrived) in which the rings were exchanged and it all ended with a quick kiss. The last bit was celebrated with much fanfare. Everyone cheered and pulled party poppers, including moi.

What followed was the traditional bouquet-flinging ceremony during which the bride would throw a bouquet to all the single ladies. According to tradition, whoever caught it would be the next one to get married. Sharlene, Ivy (an ex-colleague) and I were ushered to the front with all the other girls, and then Kelly turned around backwards and threw the bouquet through the air. Strangely enough, NO ONE wanted to catch it. Lol. In the end, a lady decided to take the plunge and picked it up off the floor. Guess everyone was too shy, or didn't want to appear too desperate. Hehe.

After that, the 3 of us sat down and had an enriching talk with Isabella, a fiesty Scottish lady and a friend of the groom. Having been to many places around the world, she had plenty of stories to tell over a drink and cigarettes.

It was amazing but time passed so quickly. In the blink of an eye, the bright sunshine of day gave way to the soft blue of evening and finally night. As it was getting late, the 3 of us left, with Sharlene giving us a lift home.

On the whole, it was an enjoyable experience. The atmosphere was much more relaxing than the usual sit-down dinner affair and I could tell that everyone had a great time. I guess it shows that it doesn't matter how fancy your wedding is, as long as there are friends and family who are there to enjoy it with you.

I wish the new couple all the best and may they have many happy years together. =)