2 Weddings and a Funeral

hahaha! just kidding! i was just playing around...'always the bridesmaid never the bride'? whatever!! :)

Seriously now, since i've been in Thailand the past 6 months, i have attended 2 weddings and unfortuantely, one funeral.

*The first wedding was for my Thai co-worker in March - very nice with simple elegance and family style meal. that is where i met the author of 'Restless Souls' (yes, i'm still reading it - it's heavy stuff!) who is friends with my coworker and her husband. they are both older and first married! very sweet - they also just got a great new house.

*In May, i attended another co-workers mother's funeral in a northern thailand village. it was very sad because her mother was only in her early 50's and my coworker couldn't come home from the U.S to attend. so a few of us from the office went to support her family. it was definately hard to be there, i mean no funeral is exactly easy, especially when you never knew the person, but i felt honored to represent our organization by being there for our friend.

it was a Lahu Hilltribe ceremony in a beautiful village, with all the community people in attendance. it was really a nice ceremony - gathering of friends and family, eating, sharing, singing and paying respect. i just felt that it said alot about the kind of woman she was that so many people came to pay their respects, and what a great support a neighborhood can be, if we let it! when do we really talk to our neighbors and get involved in their lives?? i know i don't! this time will be different - i want to make more of an effort in my next place...i challenge you to do the same!

*On a lighter note, the second wedding i went to was this June at a local fancy hotel for a friend of a friend...now my friend! I was invited after hanging out with her and my friend Liz a few times - then i was asked to be the 'unofficial wedding planner' for the event - since i've been to so many weddings in my lifetime already (about 40 now, give or take!?)

i was also invited to experience the Chinese traditional brunch the morning of the wedding, where the groom has to 'bribe' his way into the bride's house! he had to give money to family and friends blockaiding each doorway in the house in order to pass and get to her (with a handful of flowers and money!) right on. then the groom's family comes and brings gifts for the bride...and then the bride and groom give gifts to their families - very cool! she was covered in jewelry at that point (very Mr. T - yes, i made her do an impersonation too! "i pity the fool"!) :) hahaha.



then off to the ceremony and reception! it was a beautiful ceremony - very red and very ornate.

they even had a relative sing "If" by Bread - oh, i am such a sap.... there wasn't too much for me to do actually (cuz i was working, ya know!) - just help seat people and tell people to get their picture taken etc, so i got to enjoy the festivities - a 10 course Chinese meal, slideshow, cake cutting with a sword (yup - that was a first for me too!) and KARAOKE! hahaha. no, i did not partake - not in front of 300 strangers! :) it was a nice time.

*i swear, the weddings (and babies, as it seems) never end for me. back in the states - i have several newborns to visit (and some pregnant friends!) and several friends getting married....oivey.