Mark and Lara

It is not often that all four of us are invited to a wedding. Mark and Lara’s wedding is on a day when the weather is neither wet or dry. It has the most beautiful set of bridesmaids and grooms-men to complement an even more beautiful bride and smart looking groom. The ceremony is very traditional and refreshingly simple.

The reception is a blast – Mark and Lara made their entrance with drums and festivities which set the tone for the night and it was just a high from that point on. There were belly dancing and ‘tinikling’, a real representation of the mix between their two cultures.

For me, however, the highlight was when Mark made a speech. He surprised Lara with a song. Burt Bacharac’s – I Say A Little Prayer. A little cheesy you might think – but he got Glenn (brother) to pretend to be hurrying him along, Tita Agnes (his mum), to sing a line, all the bridesmaid to wear special hats as they sang the chorous – and the whole presidential entourage having props to wave along as Mark singing in acapella until this time was joined by the band … (did I capture that right?). We can see – even from across the wedding hall – how Lara’s face lit up, and we can only stipulate how Mark is scoring piles of brownie points at this.

But what really struck me is when Mark said (after a very long albeit interesting speech), ‘If the wedding is a contest on who gets the better partner – then I win hands down’. You could almost hear the crowd go ‘aaaooohhhhh’ (and I hear the register ringing more brownie points for Mark) … At this I find myself turning my head towards my wife, reflecting, that if this was indeed contest, I too have won the lottery.

Here’s wishing the best for Mark and Lara – you’re off to a good start kids – but knowing you all these years, and how wonderful you both are – the future is going to be spectacular!