Let me set the scene...it was my mother's cousin's wedding...so everyone except a few were Chinese. It took place at a golf resort...we could see the golfers while we watched the ceremony.
Incidently my mother's cousin's name is Frank.
So...we get there 40 minutes early and get programs and sit down. It's bright and sunny. All the guests arrive and we exchange pleasantries. All the distant relatives that I haven't seen for a year (since the last wedding...) talk about how tall and pretty I am in Chinese. (I can understand what they're saying...they think I can't.) Eh. The golfers are still putting and the sun is very hot. The ceremony starts. We, the audience, are of course facing directly into the sun. Everyone begins to get hot and shades themselves with their programs. There are some hymns and scripture reading. (It is easy to tell that most of the people attending aren't Christian...) Beautiful wedding dress, the groomsmen are getting hot in their suits. Then they read a passage from Colossians 3, "You can read it in your programs with us, in English, Chinese, and for those who are so inclined...it is printed in Elvish around the border." I flip to the page and sure enough...Elvish..=_0. I soon find out that my mother's cousin is a very big LOTR nut...as the ressessional walks down the aisle to "Into the West" or one of those heroic LOTR music selections...I don't know. It was great.
The reception was next. I went to find out where I was to sit in the banquet hall and was informed that I'm sitting at table "Bambi". My mother's cousin Frank is also a Disney nut. (My little cousin's family was sitting at table "Simba".) The meal was wonderful. Roast beef and about 7 different kinds of salad. After we were seated...we were informed that there would be none of this "clinking the glasses to make the bride and groom kiss" stuff...we would have to perform "challenges"...if you succeed to complete the challenge then the bride and groom would kiss for you...and the quality and duration of the kiss would be determined on how well you performed. Ha ha. I thought it was ecceedingly amusing...especially when I learned that each "challenge" was tailored to fit the people assigned to the table.
Here are some examples:
- Come up with two girl's names and two boy's names for future kids that have to be at least four syllables each. (They came up with Elizabeth, Victoria, Napoleon, Alibaba...
...that got a long kiss.)- Name the bride and groom's two most popular terms of endearment. (The table guessed Honey and "Carebear"....that only got a peck on the cheek.)
All during this there was Disney music (Or should I say...Mannheim Meets the Mouse) playing...most enjoyable.
The wedding favors were little Chinese take-out boxes that were empty and you could over to this table with tons of bowls of candy (Whoppers, Gummy Oranges, Mints, Raspberry Drops, Caramel Peanut Clusters...etc.) and you could fill up your box with your choice and take it home! What fun! Must remember this for my own wedding.
Then we went home...it was a great day. (We left at 8am and didn't get home until 5pm.) If I forgot something...then I'll post it later...enjoy.
And during the whole wedding cerimony, one of the groomsmen (the groom's brother) chewed gum through the whole thing! 
