Unforgettable guests

Last March, we had a beach wedding. We had the ceremony in a chapel on the beach and the reception literally 3 meters away from the water.

During the in-between (time between the ceremony and reception when the couple usually have their pictorials), most of the guests proceeded to the reception site while some, who were checked-in at the resort, went to their rooms to freshen up.

When most of the guests were already seated and we were just waiting for the couple to finish with the touch-up, I sat in the guest registration table to rest. Aside from the fact na malayo yung ceremony and reception areas (super malapad yung beach eh), super hirap pang maglakad sa buhangin while ushering the guests so I was a bit tired by this time. Before I could fully rest, I saw one of the bride’s aunts who also happened to be one of the ninangs, walking towards the reception area.  Now, all of my team members already had an encounter with this tita/ninang, like she wouldn’t move during group pictorials when asked kaya nahihirapan yung photographers, she wouldn’t line up during processional, etc. But since that was the second wedding in their family that we’d handled, mejo sanay na naman ako. Plus, never niya naman ako tinarayan direcho, palagi lang tinataasan ng kilay. Hahaha!

Upon seeing the direction she was taking, I knew she wouldn’t pass by the guest reg table and would instead cut across the sand. So with weary legs and a big smile, I approached her and asked if she already knew her table number (baka naman kasi na-usher na siya and umalis lang pala). This is how the conversation went (oh yeah, before you read this, the bride already warned me about her – na ganito siya talaga – kaya siguro kinaya ko rin):

* C – Clarice; TM – Tita Maganda

C: Hi Ma’am. I will show you to your seat. Do you already know your table number?

TM: (in a masungit tone) Not yet

C: This way, please.

*** We walked a couple of meters.***

C: (hay! nag-small talk pa kasi) It’s so difficult po to walk in the sand. Ang hirap po no? (this was said in a respectful tone, I swear, plus if you know me, you know I’m magalang. and valid what I said coz some guests already removed their shoes.)

TM:  No. I’M thin. I don’t know with you (sabay taas ng kilay)

C: *** thunderstuck and speechless***

*** Out of nowehere, Mitch (my reception coordinator) and Juvy arrived.***

Mitch: Ms. Clarice, Sir Juvy will show Mrs. <name of ninang> to her seat.

C: (to the ninang) Ma’am, I’ll turn you over to Sir Juvy.

***When they’ve walked several meters***

Mitch: Okay ka lang? Andami na niyang tinarayan sa atin. Kaya si Juvy na lang para hindi na ikaw.

C: Okay lang. Mataba daw ako eh.

I then proceeded to tell her what happened. Tawa kami ng tawa.

Hay, unforgettable guests!