Quick Wedding Reminders :)

*17 days. There are still a thousand things to do and a thousand details to iron out. I've been receiving queries from guests and I just thought of posting one quick reminder/guidance. Please bear with us, formal/printed invitations are still being rushed (due to last minute changes). 

Reminder to self: Keep calm, pray and delegate to the groom and friends. Been receiving offers of help and I am deeply touched. Here we go: :)

WEDSITE:  http://rolandolaidel.com/

(the site has the map, out-of-town guests guide, dress code, gift guide (ehem) and more)

DRESS CODE:

WEDDING BEHAVIOUR GUIDE:

♥♥♥

There is no better gift than your presence and prayers, 

but if you intend to send us gifts, 

please know that we will set up residence abroad.

The Proposal (Groom's Version)

She was here in Dublin, and one of these days, I would pop the question. I’ve been telling her for so many times that without a doubt, she’s the girl that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I let the week pass so she could feel more at ease with my current world. I knew she was struggling with the cold weather here.

Everything had already been taken care of. I had bought the ring. I had asked her to go to Ireland. I secured her parents' blessing before she went here. Thankfully they gave their yes but with so much precautions, which I understood completely. Lai was the only girl and they demanded me to take care of her. My parents also approved of my plan to marry Lai. I had talked to some of our friends about it. I asked all of them who knew to keep everything in secret.

The ring was the biggest challenge of all. I had to get her ring finger size twice. First, in February 2011 when Lai visited me in Singapore. I commissioned our friends Joanne and Tina to get Laidel to try one of the rings and buy the one that fit her. It was a clever plan that almost worked except that the ring had a moveable band that got deformed when I brought it to Ireland. So I had to ask another friend of hers, Luan, to fish for Lai's ring finger size, yet again in April 2011.

Now the only thing left was for me to ask the question.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011, Wednesday - It was a very normal Irish day, all-seasons in one day. I was particularly happy and jumpy today, a bit tense about the thing I was about to do. I went home early and found Lai searching the web for our next weekend tour. I had an idea before that we shoot photos of ourselves so I dragged her on doing it.

Then we were read Day 33 of 40 Days of Love devotional (the book is entitled Relationship Principles of Jesus). We've been doing our devotional for more than 2 months in Skype. The topic for that day was how humility handles our relationship with God. Jesus said, "Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."

Getting married is a life changing decision. It is a commitment and it requires trusting God more than anything else. We had been praying and asking God's will for our relationship and our future plans. We had entrusted our future together with God and I guessed, what was left now was to trust. Trust the author of our love. Trust the holder of our future. Trust in God. 

At the end of the day's topic, I just knew this was the perfect timing, I knew what was my heart's desire and I have faith He would take care of Lai and I. I held her hands... took my time... and finally asked her... "Lai... will you marry me?" After three repeats, I heard her YES!!! 

The Proposal (Bride's Version)

In August 28, 2011, I went to Ireland with my red suitcase and my heart on my sleeve. When Lando asked me to visit him, I had a feeling he would propose. He had told me in various ways that he wanted to marry me someday. I gave him a hint that I wanted a simple proposal. The fact that he arranged for this trip was already grand enough, I couldn't wish for more! I just wanted him to simply ask. My heart was very much ready for the answer.

***

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011, Wednesday - Today, I bravely stepped out of the veranda and noticed some leaves in lovely hues of yellow and red. I smelled autumn! No doubt, Ireland was beautiful and a walk in the park might be great, but the cold weather was too much for me sometimes. For today, staying home while the rest of Dubliners worked was the better option.

To my surprise, Lando came home earlier than usual and so much earlier than his colleagues. I could sense the joy and excitement in his voice as he set up the tripod and dragged me into taking our portraits (the picture up there was from our photo session). But I had no great expectations for today. I'd been here 11 days and hadn't heard a single thing about the ring or the proposal. I thought perhaps, he was just in a jumpy-happy mode today.

After which, we continued our devotional on 40 Days of Love. We prayed and discussed each other's reflection on how trusting God could better our relationships. We talked about some of our hopes, as we always did. At the end of each day's topic were verses to remember and questions to consider. He read the verse to remember and then suddenly fell silent, so therefore I asked, "Ano ung question to consider mahal?"  In silence, he took my hands and held them gently. He looked at me with such tenderness that my heart started beating fast. He smiled and softly, he said, "So Lai... (pause).. the question to consider is... (another pause as he held my hands tighter)... Will you marry me?"

I could only smile and giggle, lost in the rush of emotions. I read somewhere that when this moment finally happens in your life, your heart beats wildly, and you want to laugh and cry at the same time.  You see, this wasn't the first time he asked me that question. This time though we were not in Skype. We were in the same time zone and I could actually feel his hand holding mine.

"Lai, will you marry me?" He asked more audibly for the second time... and the third time before the reality of the moment began sinking in."Yes, of course! I will marry you!" We hugged, probably the longest hug in Ireland that day. He slipped on a simple diamond ring on my finger and again, we hugged. I could hear him saying, "Lai, mahal na mahal kita" while hugging me. I could only whisper my thanks to Someone up there for orchestrating this wonderful moment.  It was a simple engagement, but He unfolded it so lovingly for us.

Thank you dear God, for September 7, 2011... and most of all, thank you for my fiancé. :)