The. EstherChew: Happily ever after...

Woke up at 4am today to send my sister to the airport. She is on her way to her honeymoon!!!!

How I wish I could join them. To just sit around, basking in the sun, sea breeze blowing at your face, the sound of waves when you wake up... Sigh! Bliss....

I need a holiday...

Anyway, here's an update on the wedding.

My eldest sister wanted something simple. So BIL and her decided to just register. But alas, the mother-in-law said "No". She wanted the full wedding package. So it was back and forth for sometime before they settled on a tea ceremony and a dinner. After consulting some-feng-shui-master-monk thingie, 9.9.10 was the ideal date. And the dinner will be held at Overseas Restaurant @ Jaya 1/ Palm Square.

So hence, on Thursday, 9th September, bright and earlier in the morning, the whole process began.

Make-up & Hair stylist was here by 4.30am. Relatives and friends were at our house by 7.45am.. well, at least some were.*lets not talk about who was late*

The groom entourage arrived very early and we started panicking cos we were not ready... when questioned, the answer given was "The groom very excited"".. :) So the groom and his heng tais had to wait till we got ready...

For those who have not experience a chinese wedding before, let me try to explain some to you... well, given that I'm quite a banana myself.. I will try my very best *promise*...

..........................I started this post on Monday but couldn't finish it... life seem to be getting more and more hectic...

Anyway, let me continue.. according to chinese transdition, the groom is not allowed to alight from the car until a male from the bride side opens the car door for him.

Here is my brother bargaining for his fee...

Before the groom and his entourage could enter the house to collect the bride, there must perform some task to the satisfaction of the zhi muis (sisters or close friends of the bride). And since this is the time to be mean to them, we decided to have a little fun.. After all, life is not easy. Marriage is about the pain, sourness, bitterness and sweetness and sometimes doing things that you don't want to, right?

1st task : Drink from the potty.

Not to worry about their health, its just ginger tea..

2nd task : Waxing ... Well, they need to understand what we girls go through..

And dancing to "All the Single Ladies by Beyonce" and "Nobody nobody by the Wondergirls" in the garden... in full view of all our neighbours *evil grin*

But it was so much fun.. they were quite sporting..

3rd task : Eating baby bittergourd and sour plum

Task 1 to 3 was done by the groom heng tais (brothers or close friends) but the 4th and final task had to be done by the groom..

4th task : *1st part* The groom had to sing a love song for his bride-to-be.. He started to panic as he wasn't really a singer.. but finally settle on "I'm so lonely" song..

*2nd part* Reading and signing of the Wedding agreement. My sister had wrote a long list of things that she wanted him to do.. It started from "Thou shall have no other girls besides me" to "Thou shall do my laundry for the rest of my life" and "Thou shall give me 60% of your salary each month" and etc.. etc..

Haha... He did sign it... Now I'm wondering if he will follow it through...

Anyway, the funny part was.. My brother dressed up in 1 of my dresses and pretended to be my sister. And when the groom enter the room, my brother jumped on him and started kissing him and proclaiming his love for my BIL. Talk about a scary, hairy armpit hair bride in a bright pink dress.. Arrrgggghhhhh!!!! *shivers* Note to self, never ever let my brother wear a dress again..

No pictures was taken as the camera man was still outside the room.. It was very unexpected.. and most of them were caught by surprise.. especially the groom.. the look on his face was priceless...

Anyway, after the whole hoo-haa died down. The groom and bride met up.. and kiss and..

Live happily ever after...

THE END!!!

Haha.. you wish.. It's not that simple... They have to go through the whole tea ceremony thingie where they have to serve tea to my parents and relatives and in return get some red packets or presents. We, the younger sisters and relatives, get red packets from them instead.. How nice to be younger.. hehe..

Finally, after all this is over, the bride and groom leaves the house for the tea ceremony session at the groom house. But before leaving, the bride have to be led out to the car by my dad, who is the bride's father *duh* with a red umbrella.. Don't ask me why because I really do not know...

Wait, I go google it..

This is what it says "Sometimes, a red umbrella is used to shield the bride as the opening of the umbrella will symbolize her bringing many descendants to the groom's family."

Oh dear, I just found out that what my family did was just a small part of the whole chinses wedding.. There is so many other customes and procedures to follow.. *sweat* Why chinese wedding so complicated one??? Note to self : NO TRADITIONAL CHINESE WEDDING..

Anyway, I won't bore you with my long-winded, random post.. *I think its the result of not blogging for so long*

After the tea ceremony, there was just the night dinner; so I will just leave some pictures with you ok?

The happy bride & groom leaving the house..