Of Birthdays and Weddings

It's celebration mania this week. ;)

First off, my division kick-started the hullabaloo on Friday with a birthday bash for two colleagues. The birthday boy even gamely downed some piping hot Japanese sake.

Birthday boy Bryan giving Bugs Bunny a good run for his money.



The lovely folks from Division One!



This is how office scandals begin. Kidding haha!



Rushed to City Hall after work to meet Steve, Gelene and Elaine to discuss the couple's wedding, and then made my way to Inter-Continental Hotel to attend Sha'en and Vincent's wedding. They are two friends whom I've gotten to know in London, and it was great meeting so many ex-schoolmates. In good ol' UCL style, we trooped off for some nocturnal activity thereafter. Found an Arabic smoking joint and settled there for drinks. Apparently the article is called a Sheesha, and comprised an ornate cylinder (about the size of a fire extinguisher) with an attendant pipe from which you puffed. Lassitudinous stuff it seems. Chatted until 3am and headed home, absolutely knackered.

Sunday evening I went shopping for a dress for Darren and Hongyuan's wedding. I only had two hours so I focused like a laser beam on getting one, though I would have dearly loved to check out the miscellany of clothes, bags and shoes on sale as well. Eventually I managed to cinch a vintage red number, literally minutes before the shopping mall closed.

Then took a cab to Amara Hotel where we met and discussed the grand to-dos of the following morning. Everything, from handphone numbers of the planners to the hotel check-in details, were hastily scribbled down. Myself and Vicky, the two emcees for the event, stayed back to work out the dialogue, and we were laughing so hard reminiscing about the fond memories we had of our university days in London.

It was a jaw-dropping moment when we learnt that we had to host certain segments in Mandarin as well heheh! So, after all these years of having my Mandarin languishing in the deeper recesses of my mind, it was finally put to good use! Though admittedly I had to make an emergency call to Malaysia to get How Joo to work out certain difficult phrases such as how to say wedding solemnisation ceremony in Mandarin (don't ask me how on earth he knows that one hmmm). Eventually we finished the script sometime past midnight and I must say it was a job well done, given the time constraints and our rusty Mandarin.

Just to share a little something on this lovely couple. Vicky, myself, Darren and Hongyuan used to be housemates in London (122 Southampton Row, Russell Square Mansions - that was our beloved abode), and now the latter two are getting married.

Below is part of the introduction that Vicky and myself crafted for the wedding day, plus some photos of our time overseas, pilfered from Darren's online album eons ago.

Oxford, 2001.



Darren and the lads.



Dinner at Bayswater's Four Seasons restaurant, of the absolutely yummylicious roast duck fame.



Hongyuan's dog which followed her on her travels. This one is taken in Cornwall, 2002.



Darren was the only person in our household who could cook at that time, and that's living amongst three girls. He used to gripe that our kitchen was too hot; hence he would cook topless, save for an apron which only he used. And given his culinary forte and erm... scanty clothing, we aptly named him The Naked Chef (after Jamie Oliver) haha! He's also our resident "auntie", ever on the lookout for bargain basement prices and cheap deals in the supermarket. And I'm sure those who know him well enough can attest to his predilection for a curious belly-rubbing routine after a satisfying meal.

Sha'en, me, Hongyuan and Deirdre.



Mantlepiece above the fireplace in Hongyuan and my room.



Darren's room.



Exam time. Note the difference.



Hongyuan and Vicky mugging away in the wee hours of the night.



As for Hongyuan, well she's the sweetest and most helpful housemate one can hope to have. Of course, she being the only one who ever cleaned our kitchen floor heheh! In fact, she is affectionately known as Maria. ;) She does have her quirks, such as a pathological fear of saliva. Those who have shared a tub of ice-cream with her will know - she'll dig a cavity to mark an exclusive portion of the ice-cream, which nobody else can touch, not even with a disinfected ten-foot barge pole haha!

Not to mention her many... erm... botched-up attempts at housework. When she first cooked rice, she didn't know there was a switch on the cooker which has to be turned on, and all the while we were wondering why the rice took so long to cook! When we opened the lid only to find rice grains swirling about in a watery morass, she 'fessed up to her blunder and there you have it - three famished housemates in utter hysterics!

Our kitchen, including the sight of our beloved trash can overflowing with rubbish.



Maria at work hahaha!



Chinese New Year celebration at our place, 2002.



Bubble mania!



The Incredible Hulk and a blow-fish all rolled into one.



Well, memories aside, as someone who has known the couple since our university days (which was not too long ago hey!), it is very sweet and heart-warming to see them make the transition from being just friends, to chummy housemates, then a couple, and finally - as husband and wife. Must admit I almost teared when I was onstage watching the marriage solemnisation ceremony. It is like watching a creaky reel of old film which brings back a sweet deluge of fond recollections, and looking back at the milestones which they have shared and relished, and finally witnessing them making it to the altar. Darren and Hongyuan, wishing ya two all the very best for the life ahead. =)

Wa-hey! It's the newly-weds!



Hongyuan looking resplendent in her gown.



Messing around in the bridal suite.



Love my retro beehive 'do. Though when I undid my hair later in the day I found a whoppin' 20 hairpins inside!



The emcees - myself and Vicky.



Myself and Best Man, Jinghua.



Me with the Not-So-Naked Chef heheh... ok so today he's clad in a dashing navy ensemble.



Shot of the ballroom after our morning rehearsal.



London Calling... to the faraway towns...



The gals - Ade, myself, Deirdre and Vicky.



Myself and Matthew.



With the bride and groom.



Wishing all the best, ya two! =)