#benwedsrae

I am really not blogging as frequently as I'd like.

I've been really busy and packed since I've gotten back. I am actually watching Conan's Clueless Gamer while blogging right now. And I am really bad at multi-tasking!

Anyway, we recently got to see photos from the wedding (which I aptly coined #benwedsrae but nobody seems to be picking it up!) from our lovely photography buddy, who runs Shots By Joss.

Team Bride :) with my beautiful best friend, the Bride

The other bridesmaids were really nice. From L to R: Beckie (Bride's younger sister), Janus and Betty, both from school and originally from Hong Kong.

The Bride and Groom, with the Groom's adorable twin nieces

 Group photo!

The night reception. English weddings were new for us. Instead of those like Chinese weddings, the English wedding starts with the vows, the speeches, promises, and then its photo taking and drinks, and the food only comes at around 4pm. We were all really hungry by then! After that, there was an after party which lasted through the night.

Beautifully captured by Shots by Joss

Rae and her father, and her parents together on the right

 Ben, the groom gave a really sweet Promises speech, where he fondly states that he promises to try strange Asian food with my best friend. She's half Chinese and half Bruneian, and she loves Asian food and culture.

The groomsmen and bridesmaids

Never did I think I could jump so high and look so nice jumping!

The wedding was lovely, and I wish I could experience it again! It was so beautiful. I didn't get to take many pictures because I was Maid of Honor and I could not bring my phone around everywhere. I did manage to take a few shots before and after the wedding though!

Lovely set up of the tables, differentiated by countries. This Brunei table consisted of friends from Brunei and Malaysia. Rae is also crazy about elephants so the theme was sort of lavender and elephants.

East meets west: Rae is really proud of her roots and never lets people forget it. here, she has her party favors in ang paos (red packets). Inside were cute little elephant bracelets

This was a really amazing candy stand!! it has all kinds of candies, from gobstoppers to marshmallows, to lollipops and so much more. I remember taking a whole bag but I left the bag somewhere without eating them :(

Epic candy stand!

My table spread! Being Maid of Honor, I was seated right in front with the bride, groom and family

We could choose what we wanted to eat prior to the wedding, and I opted for the pork. Can't remember entirely what it was but it was really delicious.

Hehe, follow me on Snapchat at 'abbyccy'

Gifts for the bridesmaids. Thank you! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, or anybody else but at your wedding as your Maid of Honor!

What was really amazing was that there was a lion dance performance! Smack in the middle of nowhere in Dorset, Bournemouth, England! Ha! 

What was even more amazing was that Rae actually got a call 2/3 days before from the troop she hired, calling to cancel because one of the Founding fathers passed away. Its taboo to celebrate occasions when someone passes away in the Chinese culture.

I remember she was really upset, and she called Ben to tell him. So what Ben did, the sweetest thing really, he secretly found another troop (I really don't know how, and where from!) and surprised her on the wedding night! Her (and everyone else's) reaction was priceless :)

Here is a short clip of the lion dance performance:

The wedding was amazing. And the Bride was really beautiful. Can you believe that woman did her own hair on the big day? She carried her own wedding gown, and everybody's dresses (bridesmaids, flower girls) and everything for the wedding by herself in her own car (with my help). She really was the ultimate iron woman, who held it all together so well. I would imagine that anyone else (especially myself) would have freaked out because so many things did not fall according to plan the night before, and the day itself. Makeup took really long, and hers was one of the last to be done, and she was only completely ready less than an hour before she had to walk down the aisle. Truly an amazing woman, who pulled it off and looked so beautiful you wouldn't have expected any hassle behind the scenes.

I was really glad and thankful to have been able to be a part of her Big Day :)

Congratulations to the lovely couple. They are now on their honeymoon in Bali, and I'm so jealous because I am stuck back at work! xx