In my aunt's wedding where when she entered the church there were bubbles floating as she passed and walked down the aisle. My officemate's wedding reception was in this nice restaurant atop a hill and there was a beautiful (and I bet expensive) fireworks show. My friends (lots of them) wedding gown made by some designer and costs a lot to make, the reception in a glitzy hotel and of course the wedding photographers to ink the moment for posterity. In short I've witnessed, first hand, spectacular and glamorous weddings.
At 4:30am we were already at the church, the sun has yet to shine.
The bride is in this white dress which by the looks of it is not fancy or glamorous. It's a simple white dress. She bought it from a flea market downtown. She has a very simple makeup (if loose powder and lipstick passes as such) with lipstick as blush-on. She only had a bouquet of flowers (more like a dozen roses formed like a ball). She did not came on a bridal car, but on a taxi. She did not came from a hotel but from her house. She has no bridesmaid or maid of honor. She has only herself.
The groom, well men are easier to dress, is on this barong that I could associate with what groomsmen wear at weddings (grooms wear tuxedo these days). He sat silently on the church pew waiting for the time. I dont know if he's nervous but I think he was. He has no groom's men or best man. He has only himself.
People came to the church praying the rosary (dawn rosary procession) and a novena followed. The church's lights are still off (except for those lighting the patron images) and the altar is only lit by candles. The ambiance of the whole church is not of what you imagine for a wedding, it is more akin to a holy week mass for fire and water.
The aisle is not decorated with flowers. There were no sign of wedding coordinators busying around. There were only people attending the novena on an off-lit church, the sun hasn't shine yet.
Then the novena ended. A beautiful song is being sung by a choir member - about love, love found for forever. Then the bride and the groom were called and told to walk towards the altar. No entourage, no time to photograph, it was all too quick and the lights are still off.
They were seated on two mono-block chairs. Nothing fancy. It isn't even covered by anything to at least make them comfortable.
There were not one but two couple being wed on this early day. Two couples who doesn't know each other.
One of them is my parents.
I can't help but feel pity on how barebones this wedding is. I've been to so many weddings and I cant help compare how this wedding of my parents is this basic. I can't help feeling guilty that I didn't lend a hand on planning this or coordinating this important day of their lives and maybe also mine.
I looked at the face of my father, it is way older than I remember. He forgot how to smile, except when my nephew and niece dances or do silly stuffs that he blurts into laughter. He is the groom that just sat silently and waited. He doesn't talk too much if at all.
My mother is getting older too, but she ages more slowly because she was an active athlete on her younger days. This whole wedding at the church is my mother's biggest wish. My parents were already married legally years ago before we were born, but the church thing is the one thing my mother believe should happen because she feels that God did not blessed their union.
My mother is the blushing bride (thanks to the lipstick blush on) which did not blend well with her skin tone. She is the bride to be that did all planning from the date to the reception and her dress. She thought that she's the only one who cried during her wedding. She was wrong.
I did cry. But I cried in silence. It is a mixed emotion of guilt, embarrassment, proud of mama kind of stuff.
The wedding ceremony ended, and I really felt my mother's happiness.
She deserves to be happy, everyone does.
Back to weddings, I just been reminded that marriage (the ceremony) does not need to be high profile costing near millions. All it needs is two people who promises to love one another 'til death do they part.
