Congratulations to my cousin Nadine who just got engaged to her long-time boyfriend (and now fiancé) Adam!
I only found out through Facebook but that was good enough for me! I can't wait to attend their wedding now, assuming we're invited!
Looking at the stats, the other Andersons lead the way in terms of kids with two of them having a child with their respective partners, while the Brens will lead the way in terms of marriages, with one already married, and another set to marry soon!
As for us Andersons...
Showing posts with label Wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wedding. Show all posts
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Monday, 9 January 2012
Surprise Marriage
As you may have read earlier, Martyn and Bronz only just recently announced their engagement to us. Today was the BIG day!
Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to the actual wedding at the registry office as it was during the day and I had to work, but my parents and brothers were able to attend though.
Apparently it was not a long ceremony with the registry lady asking Martyn and Bronz to repeat a few things before saying their 'I do's', exchanging rings and then the kiss.
I didn't miss out on everything though, as our family minus our dad (who had to work) attended the family dinner at Martyn's mum's house in South Auckland after work.
We don't visit Martyn's mum's side of the family that often, and so it was good meeting them and getting to know them a bit better.
We were one of the first people there and so we just waited around till everyone showed up. Some of our cousins came soon.
There were a few speeches made by parents of both of them, and others including our Aunty Noeline. After that, it was time for dinner! There was plenty of food to eat. Aonghas and I took our food outside to eat as there was more space, and ended up talking to Martyn's uncle.
We then returned inside to witness Martyn and Bronz cut the wedding cake, and then do some traditional Samoan dance. Despite Martyn's pleas, I think everyone was too shy to join in, except for our cousin Janice though!
Dessert was the last thing to do for the night, and just like dinner there was plenty of it!
I'm so happy for Martyn and Bronz! They look so happy together and with a baby on the way I'm sure they will make good parents!
Congratulations to the both of you!
Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to the actual wedding at the registry office as it was during the day and I had to work, but my parents and brothers were able to attend though.
Apparently it was not a long ceremony with the registry lady asking Martyn and Bronz to repeat a few things before saying their 'I do's', exchanging rings and then the kiss.
I didn't miss out on everything though, as our family minus our dad (who had to work) attended the family dinner at Martyn's mum's house in South Auckland after work.
We don't visit Martyn's mum's side of the family that often, and so it was good meeting them and getting to know them a bit better.
We were one of the first people there and so we just waited around till everyone showed up. Some of our cousins came soon.
There were a few speeches made by parents of both of them, and others including our Aunty Noeline. After that, it was time for dinner! There was plenty of food to eat. Aonghas and I took our food outside to eat as there was more space, and ended up talking to Martyn's uncle.
We then returned inside to witness Martyn and Bronz cut the wedding cake, and then do some traditional Samoan dance. Despite Martyn's pleas, I think everyone was too shy to join in, except for our cousin Janice though!
Dessert was the last thing to do for the night, and just like dinner there was plenty of it!
I'm so happy for Martyn and Bronz! They look so happy together and with a baby on the way I'm sure they will make good parents!
Congratulations to the both of you!
Thursday, 29 December 2011
A Life Together
Congratulations to our cousin Martyn and his partner Bronwyn on announcing their plans to get married!
Friday, 25 February 2011
The Wedding Gift
A week after their wedding, Gabrielle and Tim made it to our youth group night tonight, in which we were having movie night - How to Train a Dragon.
I was put in charge of getting a wedding present for them on behalf of Oddfellows. I had asked for contributions a week before the wedding and was surprised at just how generous everyone was! We raised over $100!
The only problem was what to give them...We had a discussion at the end of youth group the night before the wedding and ended up deciding to buy them a digital photo frame.
Aonghas bought one today before youth group and loaded it with some wedding photos On had taken and some music Tim had recorded on a CD that he gave to everyone who attended their wedding banquet.
After the movie and the discussion, Aonghas and Cleo presented the present to the newlyweds and it turns out Tim has been wanting to get a digital photo frame for quite a while now! Thank goodness no one else gave one to him!
Hopefully they don't delete our photos!
I was put in charge of getting a wedding present for them on behalf of Oddfellows. I had asked for contributions a week before the wedding and was surprised at just how generous everyone was! We raised over $100!
The only problem was what to give them...We had a discussion at the end of youth group the night before the wedding and ended up deciding to buy them a digital photo frame.
Aonghas bought one today before youth group and loaded it with some wedding photos On had taken and some music Tim had recorded on a CD that he gave to everyone who attended their wedding banquet.
After the movie and the discussion, Aonghas and Cleo presented the present to the newlyweds and it turns out Tim has been wanting to get a digital photo frame for quite a while now! Thank goodness no one else gave one to him!
Hopefully they don't delete our photos!
Saturday, 19 February 2011
A Marriage to Make it Official
It was the big day today. Tim and Gabrielle were finally tying the knot!
Because we all had a role to play in this wedding, we all needed to be there earlier than others. My mum was helping with the food preparation so had to get to the church by 10am, while Aonghas was doing all the videography which meant he would be filming everything from the beginning of the day till the end, so he had to meet the bride and groom at their house by 9am. As for the rest of us, Hamish and I were part of the string quartet who would be playing music in the ceremony, so we had to get to the church by midday.
Hamish, my dad and I got to the church and we started setting up in the hall when the drama started though. Hamish's A-string broke! It's the second time in less than a week that his A-string had broke! We had to decide whether to quickly go out and buy a new A-string, or go all the way home to grab the other viola. My dad and Hamish ended up going all the way home to get the other viola since it would be too costly to buy just one string and a new string would be hard to tune in such a short time.
While they went off to get the other viola, I was tuning my cello when my bridge collapsed! It came as quite a shock as it made a huge sound! Luckily nothing broke and with Jenny's help I was able to put the bridge back up, and tune the cello properly.
By then we didn't have much time left and the wedding was soon about to start. Aonghas had only just arrived and was busy setting up all the cameras and audio equipment, while Hamish still hadn't gotten back. The wedding had to be delayed a few minutes for both of them. Hamish soon arrived though and it was all go!
We started off playing Humoresque in the background, before playing For Unto Us a Child is Born as the parents walked up the aisle. Finally it was Gabrielle's turn to walk up the aisle with her dad as Jenny, Richard and I played The Prayer.
We sang a couple of hymns before the minister spoke and his wife gave a heartfelt speech speech about Tim and Gabrielle's love for each other.
After that, it was time for the bride and groom to exchange vows. Tim gave his in Cantonese while Gabrielle gave her's in English.
Finally the minister announced them husband and wife, and the highlight of the wedding...time to kiss the bride! Everyone was cheering, especially all the young people watching from upstairs!
We played 'You Raise Me Up' as they signed the marriage register. Gabrielle then treated us to a rendition of Amazing Grace with Tim playing on the piano, before it was time for us to play the 'Hallelujah Chorus' as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife.
It wasn't too long till they came back in and took photos with various different groups. I was lucky and got to be in two group photos - the string quartet photo and the Oddfellows photo. I have to admit I've never seen Oddfellows dressed this nicely and formally! I was quite impressed!
Because Oddfellows were the last group to take a photo with the bride and groom, we were the last to get to the food! There was still plenty of food for all of us when we got there though, and my mum had saved a plate of food for me too! BONUS!!
The bride and groom mixed and mingled with all the guests before Gabrielle did the bouquet toss. The bridesmaid, Lilian, ended up catching the flowers (I missed out grrr) but she didn't get it without a fight! She was nice enough to share the flowers with the other girls though!
People started leaving soon, and because Oddfellows had to help clean up, we had to stay behind and do exactly that. The only problem was there were only a few of us! It was just as well there wasn't too much cleaning that needed to be done.
By the time we had finished cleaning up, it was 5.30pm and it was time to head on to the next venue - Si Chuan Restaurant for the wedding banquet!
Our family was seated at table 16, which was all the way in the far corner. I was seated next to Tommy and Harris, while I had Jenny, Angie and Nadine opposite me. Besides me though was an empty seat, so I was pretty much on my own for the night!
This was the first Chinese wedding banquet I'd been to, so it was quite different to what I'm used to at restaurants. Instead of ordering our own food, dishes trickled out throughout the night.
We got a quite a range, from meat to green vegetables to lobster and fried rice. There was even a edible bowl made of dry noodles with vegetables in it! We were all warned by Gabrielle at the beginning to pace ourselves!
While we were eating, Tim and Gabrielle started off the speeches and then invited their best man, bridesmaid and parents to give speeches. Because I was right in the corner right next to kids making heaps of noise, I had a hard time hearing what they were actually saying!
I didn't really have anyone to talk to for most of the night, but fortunately Jireh came over to my table to talk and entertain me! We even made the phrase
'I <3 U'
with the puzzles that were scattered across all the tables!
The night ended with Tim and Gabrielle going around to have a toast with each table.
I still can't believe they're finally married! They've been together for quite a while now and are quite a great couple. I wish them all the happiness for their marriage and hopefully it's a long, happy and fun marriage!
- Some photos courtesy of On, Nadine and Tim!
Because we all had a role to play in this wedding, we all needed to be there earlier than others. My mum was helping with the food preparation so had to get to the church by 10am, while Aonghas was doing all the videography which meant he would be filming everything from the beginning of the day till the end, so he had to meet the bride and groom at their house by 9am. As for the rest of us, Hamish and I were part of the string quartet who would be playing music in the ceremony, so we had to get to the church by midday.
Hamish, my dad and I got to the church and we started setting up in the hall when the drama started though. Hamish's A-string broke! It's the second time in less than a week that his A-string had broke! We had to decide whether to quickly go out and buy a new A-string, or go all the way home to grab the other viola. My dad and Hamish ended up going all the way home to get the other viola since it would be too costly to buy just one string and a new string would be hard to tune in such a short time.
While they went off to get the other viola, I was tuning my cello when my bridge collapsed! It came as quite a shock as it made a huge sound! Luckily nothing broke and with Jenny's help I was able to put the bridge back up, and tune the cello properly.
By then we didn't have much time left and the wedding was soon about to start. Aonghas had only just arrived and was busy setting up all the cameras and audio equipment, while Hamish still hadn't gotten back. The wedding had to be delayed a few minutes for both of them. Hamish soon arrived though and it was all go!
We started off playing Humoresque in the background, before playing For Unto Us a Child is Born as the parents walked up the aisle. Finally it was Gabrielle's turn to walk up the aisle with her dad as Jenny, Richard and I played The Prayer.
We sang a couple of hymns before the minister spoke and his wife gave a heartfelt speech speech about Tim and Gabrielle's love for each other.
After that, it was time for the bride and groom to exchange vows. Tim gave his in Cantonese while Gabrielle gave her's in English.
Finally the minister announced them husband and wife, and the highlight of the wedding...time to kiss the bride! Everyone was cheering, especially all the young people watching from upstairs!
We played 'You Raise Me Up' as they signed the marriage register. Gabrielle then treated us to a rendition of Amazing Grace with Tim playing on the piano, before it was time for us to play the 'Hallelujah Chorus' as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife.
It wasn't too long till they came back in and took photos with various different groups. I was lucky and got to be in two group photos - the string quartet photo and the Oddfellows photo. I have to admit I've never seen Oddfellows dressed this nicely and formally! I was quite impressed!
Because Oddfellows were the last group to take a photo with the bride and groom, we were the last to get to the food! There was still plenty of food for all of us when we got there though, and my mum had saved a plate of food for me too! BONUS!!
The bride and groom mixed and mingled with all the guests before Gabrielle did the bouquet toss. The bridesmaid, Lilian, ended up catching the flowers (I missed out grrr) but she didn't get it without a fight! She was nice enough to share the flowers with the other girls though!
People started leaving soon, and because Oddfellows had to help clean up, we had to stay behind and do exactly that. The only problem was there were only a few of us! It was just as well there wasn't too much cleaning that needed to be done.
By the time we had finished cleaning up, it was 5.30pm and it was time to head on to the next venue - Si Chuan Restaurant for the wedding banquet!
Our family was seated at table 16, which was all the way in the far corner. I was seated next to Tommy and Harris, while I had Jenny, Angie and Nadine opposite me. Besides me though was an empty seat, so I was pretty much on my own for the night!
This was the first Chinese wedding banquet I'd been to, so it was quite different to what I'm used to at restaurants. Instead of ordering our own food, dishes trickled out throughout the night.
We got a quite a range, from meat to green vegetables to lobster and fried rice. There was even a edible bowl made of dry noodles with vegetables in it! We were all warned by Gabrielle at the beginning to pace ourselves!
While we were eating, Tim and Gabrielle started off the speeches and then invited their best man, bridesmaid and parents to give speeches. Because I was right in the corner right next to kids making heaps of noise, I had a hard time hearing what they were actually saying!
I didn't really have anyone to talk to for most of the night, but fortunately Jireh came over to my table to talk and entertain me! We even made the phrase
'I <3 U'
with the puzzles that were scattered across all the tables!
The night ended with Tim and Gabrielle going around to have a toast with each table.
I still can't believe they're finally married! They've been together for quite a while now and are quite a great couple. I wish them all the happiness for their marriage and hopefully it's a long, happy and fun marriage!
- Some photos courtesy of On, Nadine and Tim!
Thursday, 17 February 2011
The Final Rehearsal
Tonight was the final wedding rehearsal for Tim and Gabrielle's wedding before the big day this coming Saturday.
Angie needed a ride so my brothers picked her up before coming to pick me up in the city after work. I first had to return some medicine to another pharmacy that we borrowed from earlier in the day though. While I was there, I saw this offer of a free first aid kit with every purchase of this antiseptic, and because I've been looking for a small first aid kit to buy for myself for a while now, I just bought it!
Once they picked me up, we headed over to the church in Remuera and after finding where it was, we decided to pick up some food from the nearby McDonald's before returning to the church.
This was the first time we had been to this church and it was quite nice and modern looking inside. It looked slightly smaller than our own church though.
We just ran through some of the key moments of the wedding, like the beginning when the important people walk up the aisle, the vows and the signing of the marriage register before the night was over.
The big day is drawing closer and closer each day!
Angie needed a ride so my brothers picked her up before coming to pick me up in the city after work. I first had to return some medicine to another pharmacy that we borrowed from earlier in the day though. While I was there, I saw this offer of a free first aid kit with every purchase of this antiseptic, and because I've been looking for a small first aid kit to buy for myself for a while now, I just bought it!
Once they picked me up, we headed over to the church in Remuera and after finding where it was, we decided to pick up some food from the nearby McDonald's before returning to the church.
This was the first time we had been to this church and it was quite nice and modern looking inside. It looked slightly smaller than our own church though.
The big day is drawing closer and closer each day!
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Preparing Music for a Wedding
We had our first music rehearsal for Tim and Gabrielle's wedding tonight. They're both our youth group leaders and we've known them for quite a while, so it's quite important for us. Some of the songs that our string quartet made of people from youth group have been asked to play include The Hallelujah Chorus, The Prayer and You Raise Me Up.
Originally Tim had asked us to play these two other songs, but we couldn't pull it off! I think we might have made him a little depressed when he heard us playing it! He ended up changing those two songs to two others we've played before - Humoresque and For Unto Us a Child is Born.
We better start practising more, as the wedding is only in a few more weeks and we don't want to let them down!
Originally Tim had asked us to play these two other songs, but we couldn't pull it off! I think we might have made him a little depressed when he heard us playing it! He ended up changing those two songs to two others we've played before - Humoresque and For Unto Us a Child is Born.
We better start practising more, as the wedding is only in a few more weeks and we don't want to let them down!
Sunday, 29 August 2010
The Wedding We Never Witnessed
Today, Rayson and May, two people from our church were to get married over in Hong Kong. Because all of us back in New Zealand wouldn't be able to make it, Rayson had set up a live stream so we could all watch it.
At church in the morning, we all had a discussion about who was going to watch it, what time it would be taking place and whose house we'd go to watch it. We finally decided we'd go to the Chins' house!
Aonghas and I (Hamish stayed home because of an assignment due the next day) picked up Jenny and then went over to their house. We were slightly late because picking up Jenny was a last minute thing. Claire got the laptop connected to the TV but...the live stream wouldn't work! We tried and tried again but it still wouldn't work! On (our youth group leader) and Hamish sent me texts asking if I could get it to work as well!
We ended up just spending the night eating chips, burnt popcorn and watching the beginning of Shutter Island before we had to go and drop Jenny off!
We didn't get to watch the wedding in the end but we're sure it was a good day for Rayson and May. Congratulations to the both of you!
At church in the morning, we all had a discussion about who was going to watch it, what time it would be taking place and whose house we'd go to watch it. We finally decided we'd go to the Chins' house!
Aonghas and I (Hamish stayed home because of an assignment due the next day) picked up Jenny and then went over to their house. We were slightly late because picking up Jenny was a last minute thing. Claire got the laptop connected to the TV but...the live stream wouldn't work! We tried and tried again but it still wouldn't work! On (our youth group leader) and Hamish sent me texts asking if I could get it to work as well!
We ended up just spending the night eating chips, burnt popcorn and watching the beginning of Shutter Island before we had to go and drop Jenny off!
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