Wedding and the New Year

We had a crazy new years eve. My friend Etty was getting married (marriage ceremony #2, this one for the groom's side) in Sungai Petani (about an hour from here, on the mainland). About a week ago she texted us asking if we wanted to be best man and bridesmaid in her wedding. We were assured that we would have no responsibilities. We got the real low-down from her mother when we arrived at the boutique where they were getting ready, about how we're supposed to walk in with them, wipe Etty's face with tissues, ceremoniously pull out their chairs as they sit to eat, and fan them as they sit on a big white couch in front of the hall. It also seems that singing Celine Dion during karaoke was part of the responsibility as well, but luckily we averted that one.

I laugh when I look at these pictures. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We had never been to a Malay wedding ceremony before, and there are no customary bridesmaids and groomsmen in Malay weddings anyway!

Reuben getting dressed in his borrowed lime-green Baju Melayu, the Malay traditional dress. He matched me and my baju very well.



Fanning the bride





We stopped by a friend's house on the way home, so we didn't get back until about 10pm. Only then did we realize it was new years eve and we did not have any alcohol at home. So we stopped at the store and found a bottle of rum. We rang in the new year sitting by our 'fireplace' listening to Christmas music and drinking Malibu Cokes. That's more like it.



We had a spectacular view of about 6 fireworks shows from our balcony. The perfect place to be!