On friends and weddings

Longish post. If you don't wanna bore yourself, go straight ahead to the pics :D
http://elenadacs.multiply.com/photos/album/70

- - - - -

My college friend Ei got married to her guy Chippy last May 5 in the faraway land of Antipolo. The ceremony itself was a simple, no-frills, down-to-earth wedding. Sadly, as the couple was saying their vows (which, by the way, were the most sincere vows I've ever witnessed *tear*), the church band was having their frickin practice just beside the church. What the hell was up with that.

The reception was rockin. Literally. It was held in the garden of an old house slash art gallery also in Antipolo. When we got to the place, one of my first thoughts was - What the heck? Some of the guy guests changed into jeans and shirts! Daya! Hehehe.

So yeah, it was a really cool, laid-back thing. Gals were free to wear slippers if their heels were killing them, smokers just went on and puffed away, the bride even changed into blouse and slacks once the program (which was short and sweet) was over. The food was delicious (sushi! cheesecake!), and the entertainment was awesome. It was one big jamming session.

There was the awesome awesome girl duo (Lee and Lexi, tama ba?) that played really long and wonderful sets. There was the band (of Cholo?) that did nice covers of some Fall Out Boy songs and some stuff from the '90s. There was Bobo, Chippy's brother's bandmate from Australia, who had a really amusing song about his foreskin. And there was the fantabulous Johnoy Danao, who the couple invited to play the hit Bridge song "Kahit Na", a song that practically told the story of Ei and Chippy. Johnoy didn't really expect to play much I guess, but his wonderful Dave Matthews and Coldplay and Oasis covers kept him in the spotlight for quite a while.

Of course the pro-musicians who really deserved that spotlight, pero ang panalo ay ang pinaka-wala-lang sa mga tumugtog - ako! Hahaha! Most of the girls had gone up front and sung already, and it was just Karen and me left. The whole time I was watching the girl duo perform in front, I was really envious, wishing I could be even be half as talented as them. Then my friend Sam started egging me on, telling me to play something - anything! - para maitayo ang bandila ng picnics barkada namin. So I yielded, thinking that maybe I could play a decent song. I was also thinking that if I mess this up, at least I tried and I won't go home thinking "what if?!"

So yeah, I played a couple of songs which I didn't quite manage to pull off properly. STP's "Plush", siyempre, with Drew and Sam on vocals. National anthem ko na yun sa gitara. Lisa Loeb's "Do You Sleep", with Christi on vocals. And the Eheads' "Ang Huling El Bimbo", with my drunken friends on vocals, and Martin saying something like 'times like these you don't need talent but friendship.' Hahaha, langya. And then Ei sang "Minsan", which was also from the Eheads. You know, just like our good old picnic days at UP.

The last two pics in the album I posted here are actually from a different get together, about a week after the wedding. Us girls and Coco decided to hang out at 77cafe along Kamuning. Fun, because their FA (fine arts) barkada from UP also turned up at the place. And then the Pisay boys aka Galera Army Boys also spent the night there while waiting for their bus trip to Galera.

Just a while ago, I came home from Cheska's place, where her mom cooked dinner for Ei's despidida (the couple is going back home to Australia this Saturday). I've got no pictures from that party, which was basically just eating and jamming din lang. But at least I came home with that nice, fuzzy, warm feeling you get after spending quality time with folks who mean the world to you.

Congrats Ei and Chippy! And thanks for making your wedding and homecoming a wonderful excuse for the girls to see each other again and make time for each other after SUCH A LONG TIME. Bon voyage!