Holy Matrimony

More than a year ago, 2 close friends decided to tie the knot, and they are now Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Liaw, officially our beloved Pastor of GEPC and his wife. Then the wheels were set in motion, I watched their wedding planner sit down with them to decide on the color theme for the wedding, the reservations, the wedding invitations, the cut off dates, the wedding photography, down to the pageboy’s suit. I watched their Officiating Minister, Rev. Koshy Thomas conduct their marriage counseling classes when he flies to Kuala Lumpur to minister to GEPC, All these took place well in advance, in the span of a year! At which point it reminded me of our Father who takes painstaking efforts to prepare a bride for His son. He takes note of the littlest details, down to the very minute of the time taken for the wedding procession to walk through the aisle and the colors of the ribbons that adorn the hair of the flower girl.

The ceremony started very (extremely!) early in the morning. The people involved, family and extended families, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, video crew, photographer, make-up artist were all up at the crack of dawn, oh no, wait! BEFORE the crack of dawn, it was still pitch black when we reached the bride’s home.
I saw the blushing bride having her hair teased into curls and her face freshly made up, every bit the radiant bride.
I watched the Mother of the Bride gently place the veil over her beloved daughter and gave her kiss that spoke volumes without saying a word, a kiss that encompasses all her blessings and hope for a marriage that will bring her daughter joy all the days of her life.











Then the groom and the groomsmen arrived. It is after all tradition that the groom and groomsmen must do “battle” for the bride.

The opponents: Sweet, gentle, ribbon and high heeled wearing satin dresses bridesmaid. That doesn’t sound so formidable until they hear the games and items devised for them to do before they even have the chance to cross the threshold of the bride’s front door! Lethal.

I watched (and laughed a lot!) at the groomsmen who did pirouettes. Yes, that is correct, 2 grown men pirouetting. All in the name of the mission to get the bride! Then, I saw the groom who hates to be part of all these games as reiterated many times throughout the months of the wedding preparation, willingly go door to door bearing a sign that says “I’m the bridegroom, please help me get my bride”, of which he had to get the neighbors to sign on it and give their addresses and home numbers!

I saw the groom, sweating in his white tuxedo answering a Bible quiz prepared, writing a song impromptu to sing to the bride, and singing with gusto at the bride’s door. Finally the hard won bride opened her door and received her groom.
The tea ceremony followed, the wedding couple will serve tea to their elders in deference and acknowledgement of them as such. Very apt in keeping to the commandment, “Thou shalt honor Thy parents.”
Thus the lovely bride is carried over the threshold of their bridal suite.














In a whirlwind, the bridal procession was herded (like sheep!) into cars and dropped onto the ceremony grounds.
We obligingly ran around to make sure all preparations were in order with the ground crew. (Ha!) We waited for the guests to arrive (nervously), for them to sign the guest book, give their best wishes, be given the order of service for the day, watched them take their places (glancing at the clock every other 5 minutes), walked up and down to ward off the energy stirred up by nervousness, and as the places were filled, the emcees took their places (now we’re all on tenterhooks!) and finally the bride arrived, nervously and shyly taking her place with her arm on her elder brother’s (man of the house) who will be giving her away.
A significant gesture that symbolizes that she is now passed over from her maiden home to that of her husband’s for protection and care.

As the ceremony reached it’s peak, the very part where the bride and groom exchange their vows and agree to care for and be there for each other in sickness and health, for poorer or richer, two words that bear the most significance, “I do” are uttered.

Two such simple words, yet carries such meaning, such commitment, such promise, such hope for a lifetime. The promise of all promises. The beginning of a journey no longer for one’s self, but a journey that doubles joy and divides sorrow. The end of “I” and the beginning of “we”. Such is the beginning of this couple’s path, which is strewn with blessings from all who love them.