TheBanyanTree: The Wedding Chronicles

[Monique]

My youngest brother is getting married, right after the Chinese New Year. My
fiance’s friend John, who’s supposed to be in our wedding, is getting
married this summer. My fiance’s other friend, Craig, has been contemplating
popping the question for the past few months – he has the ring, he’s had it
for months, he just hasn’t decided on the right “time.”

 

We’re thinking of eloping. Running off to Zanzibar and just getting it done.
Not right now of course, but later. In the meantime, we’ve been looking for
venues. We want to be outdoors. We want everyone to have a good time and
celebrate with us. We want a string quartet and we want food. And we’re
thinking, or rather, I’m thinking, I also want to continue to dig my way out
of debt and not end up owing after the wedding. This is where running off to
Zanzibar comes in. It’s not really Zanzibar, since I imagine that would cost
also, but Las Vegas. I was so not going to do that. But then again . . .
there’s supposed to be a reception in Anchorage after the wedding. I would
say that would suffice, but it won’t be my friends, my current family.
Fiance said we could run off and get married and then have a reception here
afterwards, like his friend Laura did. “But the party is the expensive
part!” I said, knowing as I said it that one is not to use the “p” word on
such an occasion, but let’s get real: it’s a party, and it’s a party where I
don’t want to be doing a lot of the work myself. So we’re looking at
options. We’re evaluating venues. We’re pondering.

 

My brother and his fiancée have been engaged for several weeks now. They
became engaged and two days later left on a scheduled trip to visit her
relatives in Vietnam. While there, they found traditional wedding outfits
for both of them. And she found a white wedding dress. By now they probably
have a venue, a guest list (I’m hoping I’m on it – I told her it was
mandatory to invite me), and a photographer. (I’m not sure I NEED a
photographer, but at any rate our friend Laura is one, so that’s covered.) 

 

We’ll figure it out. Though I can’t say I’m much help. Yesterday I decided
the colors should be neon orange and green. This is apparently not a good
idea. I shall rethink this. Perhaps this is why I’m told a long lead time is
needed. It isn’t of course – everything is variable, and it can take any
length of time. It just depends, doesn’t it?