After All

Whew.

Now that that's over, I can hang up my nazi bossy boots and stop plaguing my brother with endless reminders of things-I-think-you-forgot-to-do-aha-I’m-right.

It turned out really well. The venue (Ciao, the Italian restaurant next to RHB Centre on Jalan Tun Razak) looked smashing, the food was yummy (not to mention filling, unlike most Chinese dinners after which supper at the nearest mamak or wantanmee stall is almost compulsory) and the bride and groom had a jolly good time.


The dinner was held in Ciao’s very spacious garden, under tent-like canopies fixed over concrete floors (unlike other outdoor settings where canopies are pitched directly on the grass – not a good idea if it rains beforehand and the grass gets wet and muddy, an open invitation for heels to get stuck and gowns to get splattered with mud). There was an initial problem with mozzies, but that was solved once the citronella torches were lit.

The only glitch thereafter was how very hot it was, despite the many ceiling fans suspended from the canopy. We had expected rain in the afternoon or early evening, but since it didn’t, the incredible heat from the day lingered on into the night. The perils of an outdoor dinner, you have no control over the elements.

A winding garden path, blazing torches, a backdrop of fairy lights, flowers streaming from tall pots, a fountain sparkling with tea-lights, light jazz in the background and waiters serving wine, sangria and juice. A very nice change from the traditional Chinese dinner we had for the relatives in Malacca.

The part I liked best was the couple’s entrance. Wonder if anyone realised the significance of the music he chose for the wedding march – “After All”by Peter Cetera and Cher. My heart swelled with the opening bars, as the French doors opened and they walked through, down the stairs, past the fountain. Two hearts, one life.

Well, here we are again;
I guess it must be fate.
We’ve tried it on our own,
But deep inside we’ve known
We’d be back to set things straight.

I still remember when
Your kiss was so brand new.
Every memory repeats,
Every step I take retreats,
Every journey always brings me back to you.

After all the stops and starts,
We keep coming back to these two hearts,
Two angels who’ve been rescued from the fall.
After all that we’ve been through,
It all comes down to me and you.

I guess it’s meant to be,
Forever you and me,
after all.

The context being a truly stupid, no-basis, time-wasting, short-lived break-up, courtesy of my prima donna brother, two years ago. Goodness, the times I’ve wondered why he wasn’t the one born a girl.


The bride was beautiful, and I’m not saying this because it’s the polite/romantic description for brides, reality notwithstanding. She truly is. As for my brother, well, it’s a good thing that he got all the good genetic stuff from my parents, in particular, Mum. Ok, maybe I’m biased, but it was truly such a lovely sight to watch them absolutely glow with the joy and significance of the moment.

So nice, so nice! And the music, so good, soooo goood!!!! My brother and I have loved After All for years and it’s bloody excellent therefore, strange as it may sound, that they did have that stupid split, just so that this song could be used so very appropriately.


At toast time, he worked the crowd with the ol’ family charm, without needing to refer to any planned speech. The family charm that's passed down the male line...that's how he keeps them falling in droves. I know for a fact that there were at least three, but I'm sure there were many more female hearts secretly singing "I went to your wedding, although I was dreading, the thought of losing you...my poor heart kept saying - your dreams, your dreams are through - " that night.

Anyway. To my surprise, after the thank yous to the parents and me, he even thanked Snowie for helping to set up the proposal! Snowie and I had concocted an elaborate plan in cahoots with my brother to lure the bride to a rose-petal strewn, candle-lit gazebo in the middle of a swimming pool set in resort-like surroundings; ie my condo, where a bucket of ice, chilled champagne and a long-stemmed rose awaited. Unfortunately the wind kept blowing the candles out, the cheap champagne glasses went “chunk” instead of “chink” and the petals were being blown into the pool where some condo residents were STILL swimming. So romance. Snowie sorted that out the swimmers by herding them into a darker corner of the pool.

After the actual proposal (he sang “That’s All” and got down on one knee), we went to his apartment (while they went for dinner), dumped the rest of the petals all over the floor and on the bed, and left a pathway of lit candles and petals from the door to the bed. Romance or what?? Heh.


I was mighty chuffed that he had quietly worked Snowie into the “family part” of the speech. I wuuv my brother…sniff.

And at the end of the evening when we were taking a family photo (one that included my uncles, aunts and cousins), Mum’s penchant for dragging unrelated persons into pictures worked in my favour…she insisted that Snowie join us. Heehee. If only you knew, Mum.

And the best part is…not only was my dress a hit, I actually felt quite comfortable wearing it and being who they expect me to be. That’s actually quite an accomplishment, given my history of self-loathing and insecurity.

For that, I have Snowie to thank. With much patience and perseverance, she’s quietly pushed the “This is going to make me look like a freak” thoughts out of my mind, always providing the reassurance that it’s what’s inside that matters. Giving me the self-confidence I’ve always lacked.


How very apt, on a night when unconditional love was honoured and celebrated.

Oh my speech turned out well too. I hadn’t finished with the writing by the time I was called, and I couldn’t read my own frantic scrawling either. So I ad-libbed. Some people, I was later told, had to keep tears in check, and some even came up later to say that they really liked it. I guess I did ok.


So, all in all, it was a pretty good night.