Before I reach the age of 30, I'd be happily married and have 3 cute kids. That's me dreaming eons ago when I was little and extremely naive about life. Oh the dreams we made when we were young! I'm now fast approaching the age that every 20-something dreads. I was once asked by my father when can he expect his apo from me. I snorted at his question like it was a big joke. My old man must have dropped his expectation of me having kids. Apologies, father dear. Maybe someday.
I know I'm not getting any younger but marriage is not yet part of my journey into adulthood and maturity. I'm happy for my friends and colleague who have decided to settle down by tying the knot, so to speak. And I'm glad that they invited me to witness their special occasion. Just a month ago, two of my friends marched to the altar to seal their fate (kidding!). No, I'm not bitter, I simply have a terrible humor. Their wedding ceremonies were nothing short of awesome. It's nice to see them march, with oh-so-happy faces, towards  marriagedom (don't look it up, I just made the term) where a nice house and cute little kids await them.

You know what I like most about weddings? No, not the cake - it's not meant to be shared with guests anyway. It's not the free food and beverages either. The church? Not either. It's the suit! It's one of those rare occasions in which I get to wear a formal attire and look good and simply feel good. Haha. No, not really. It's actually that moment which everyone anticipates in every wedding ceremony - the arrival of the bride at the church and her slow, elegant walk in the aisle to meet her prince charming, who's glowing with pride. It gets me every time. That and the exchange of vows plus the ceremonious wearing of the ring.
I'm getting teary-eyed just thinking about it. Neither the brides nor the grooms of these weddings shed a tear when they took their vows, pambihira! Kidding. But I swear I got all choked up inside while I watched them confess their devotion to one another in front of their family and friends. I was just happy for them, that's all. And I got to practice my non-existent wedding photography skills. Haha!
The journey to the wedding venues wasn't very easy. What makes getting to Fernwood (where Bride and Groom No. 1, Hannie & Alexis, got wed) challenging was the terrible traffic and the dearth of cabs willing to take passengers to their destinations. It was a Friday, which made matters worse. We tried our luck at Ali Mall in Cubao where we waited in vain for half an hour. We decided to ride on a jeepney and got off along Kalayaan to wait for a cab. Taxis hardly came by in the area. My friend who was wearing high heels was about to lose her patience when at last a cab stopped for us.
Getting to Lopez, Quezon (for the wedding of Bride and Groom No. 2, Em & Zig), on the other hand was equally challenging and a real test of patience. It's a 7-hour ride from Manila: 4 hours to Lucena, and another 3 to Lopez). I'm used to long trips like this but for some reason, I found it exhausting. But make no mistake, it was still fun because I was in a company of cool friends who made the journey somehow bearable.

The Brides (Hannie, top photo, high school classmate and friend; Em, bottom, officemate and friend)


The Couple (Hannie & Alexis; Em & Zig)


The Vows


Friends (High school friends; colleagues)


Cute kids

Colleagues getting wacky


Reception


And the couples live happily ever after. :-)
Best wishes, Hannie & Alexis; and Em & Zig. 

*All photos were posted with permission from the brides.