cousin's wedding
play by play, on family
18 December 2021.
It was my cousin Ate Isa’s wedding with Kuya Art.
The nokia phone came out to snap these photographs on this day, attempting to alleviate a surrounding melancholy. Half of my cousin’s family could not make it on this day, having to attend remotely from the Philippines. I’d like to think that my antics with this phone helped a tiny bit.
The wedding was held in Church of Our Lady Star of The Sea, in Yishun. Having spent a bulk of three years in Yishun JC, I remember looking around and reminiscing as we got closer to the church. Yishun is and always will be chill in my book.
Ate Ta likes taking photos and Lola likes the colour blue. Lola prefers the night time. She says it is because the day has ended and it is time to rest. I should take her advice more often. Ate Ta laughed when I showed her this photo. She tells me to eat more these days.
Quickly snapped this, amidst a sea of smartphones. There were a decent amount of guests, filling out enough seats to signify a lively occasion. Definitely a better arrangement than the pandemic weddings of yesteryear.
Joshua is Ate Isa’s younger brother. We are the same age, he was born 10 plus hours earlier than me. He used to wield that fact to taunt me when we were younger. Or maybe I am imagining it. When we were children, my parents used to bring my siblings and I over and I would play his gameboy advance and family desktop. Pokémon, Maplesea. My starter was Bulbasaur and I played Rogue in Cassiopeia. Always looked forward to the weekend with them.
Distinctly remember a dream I had on a Friday in my youth. Dreamt up a whole day of activities with the cousins, swimming was one of them. The whole day following that felt like strange deja vu.
Their family was the only extended family we had in Singapore, the rest were in the Philippines and the States. A lot of fond memories were spent in their houses, weeks bookended with fun and games with the backdrop of recorded American Idol episodes that the adults would lap up. Either that or maybe House, s/o Hugh Laurie.
Can’t remember much from the car ride to the reception. Joshua was still processing that his older sister was already married, Ate Isa’s friends chatting in the front. My brother and I were just soaking everything in. Plus, I believe that we got the best ride to the reception cause we decided to do this.
I remember Ate Isa giving me advice, being kind, vocal of her love of family, smiling, being excited, writing great birthday cards, concerned, asking me for advice, screaming just like her mother during tense films, hugging tightly, functioning as second older sister I never had (Ate Ta number 1).
At the wedding reception, I realised the wedding videography team comprised of 2/3 people that I already knew. One from my Junior College class, the other a senior from my Secondary School. Vaguely remember talking about cinematography, the 1/3 that I did not know talked about his love for Roger Deakins. His social media handle includes the aforementioned surname. Odd day with many different familiarities.
Overall, great day. Not much rumination in this post but that’s fine. Later that evening I met up with Gurveer and YL at his old place. Watched Power of the Dog and took a video of his dog too.
Will be going to Singapore and the Philippines end of this year, can’t wait to see family I have not seen in a while.
It’s almost creeping up to their one year anniversary, wonder how marriage has been for them.
Have a good weekend.