Hi Everyone,
I was going to blog about the wedding weekend we had. Everything from the Registration of Marriage to the tea ceremony and to the wedding dinner. But this was one occasion where I found it so hard to take pictures. So neither me or Shorty had many good pictures of the event. Fortunately we had our wedding photographer do it all but we haven’t got any pictures back from him yet. So we decided to wait till the pictures are out so we can do justice and tell the story of what really happened that weekend.
In the mean time I can share this video that shows a few parts of our registration of marriage and tea ceremony.
It’s done by Crazy Monkey Studios, the people who did the Meme Proposal and one of the most talented video production people I know. I’m blessed to have them film our wedding.
And I thought that perhaps… it was worth sharing my wedding speech with you guys.
Now the speech that you will see below is basically whatever I could recollect that I said. Because while I wrote out a speech beforehand, I didn’t necessarily follow the script precisely. The first half of it at least was kinda taken off the cuff so I’m going to try reconstruct it as best as I can. Perhaps you guys can compare it then to what I really said when a video of the speech comes out.
So here it is:
Before I start on my speech, I have a confession. There is… a significant amount of alcohol in my blood right now. I made a mistake. At first I thought that for the earlier part of the night I should avoid my friends whom I knew would make me drink a lot. So I opted to visit the tables of my father’s friends. What I didn’t realize was that my father’s friends drink even more than my friends. So ladies & gentlemen, forgive me as I give you this speech in a semi-sober state.
I want to start with a conversation I had with my father many many years ago. When I was young, I used to tell my father that I would grow up to do many things. I had many dreams. I dreamt of being a soldier, a postman or even a pilot. One of the dreams I had though was to marry a beautiful girl. My father had a different point of view. He said “Son.. you don’t marry a girl just because she’s beautiful. You marry a girl who can be a good partner for you in the many ups and downs of life”.
After having spent the past 28 years watching my parents and how they lived their marriage, I began to understand. I saw them live their lives through the ups and downs. I saw how my Dad and Mum were there for each other whenever one needed the other, I watched them build their careers together, watched them make money and lose money together… and more importantly I watched them raise a family. In the many times that I would say hurtful things to my father or my mother, I would watch them take turns to console one another. My parents don’t know this… but it is from them that I learned the meaning of marriage. Marriage is not about romance or not just about love. It’s about having someone who will always be there for you through the ups and downs of life… and it’s about finding happiness.
I have imagined this moment all my life. I would be standing here up during my wedding in front of my closest family and friends and giving this very speech. The only part that was missing in my imagination was who the person standing next to me would be. Tonight I see her. And she is beautiful.
Growing up, Audrey and I were taught that we should be perfectionists in everything we do. From our studies, our work and yes… eventually find the perfect somebody and have the perfect wedding to start a perfect marriage.
That didn’t work out. Audrey and I are very far from a perfect couple. She’s short, I’m fat. She’s forgetful, I have a bad temper. She falls sick once every two weeks, and I have recurrent medical problems with my eyes. We annoy each other almost every day… but somehow in the weirdest way that I nor the universe can understand… we make each other happy.
Audrey and I have been together for almost 4 years now and till now each and every day together is like an adventure. Not a day goes by where we don’t make each other laugh or smile. In these 4 years we learn about the good and the bad we have in each other. We learn to treasure the good and embrace the bad…. And that’s why we call each other Fatty and Shorty.
We are one of the most imperfect couples out here… but we think we’re perfect for each other. So that’s why we’re all here today. To celebrate the wedding of an imperfect couple that is perfect for one another.
When I look back in life, so many things had come together to bring us to where we are today. I owe a great deal to my father and mother who have been to me the best parents any boy on this Earth could ever want. My Dad taught me how its okay to make mistakes in life, but to never let the mistakes keep you down. My Mom taught me to be kind and forgiving to others. Together they taught me to be humble in whatever I do.
In raising me, my parents never asked that I score straight As or have a successful career or make a lot of money. Their only wish was that I grow up, to be a good person.
Mom and Dad, I hope that after 28 years of my life, I am as good a person as you want me to be. I promise to care and love you both for the rest of my life.
From today on I no longer have just 2 parents. I am blessed enough to have 4. Aunty Joyce and Uncle Ooi, it is for the first time now that I will call you Dad and Mom. You have both done an amazing job raising Audrey and I can only wish that I will be able to raise my future daughter as well as you have raised Audrey. I know how precious Audrey is to you both so thank you for trusting Audrey with me. I promise that for as long as my heart beats, I will take care of her.
My last thanks tonight goes to our siblings. To my brothers Kong and Liang, my sister Li, thank you for always being around and for putting up with me. There are no better siblings to grow up with than the 3 of you.
To my brother-in-law Barry… I know we started off like oil and water, but thank you for opening up yourself to me.
To my dear wife Audrey: Today is the end of our courtship but the beginning of a new adventure. Yes just like any adventure, it will have ups and downs. But from now on we will always have each other to laugh together in the good times and cry together in the bad. What matters is that I love you and I know that we will make each other happy.
So my dear wife…. our Adventure is out there.
Timothy Tiah – Co-Founder of Colony, Kuala Lumpur Co-Working Space