Oriental Glam Wedding

I'm sure many of you know by now who Maple Loo is....

She's one of the judges on TV3's reality talent search show Gangstarz...Last Sunday was her wedding to Italian pretty boy, Federico Assaro.The theme was Oriental Glam - trust her to come up with a theme like that....

As one of her closest friends (we've known each other for like 13 years) I was to be with her at her parents house in the morning....

She was all made up and dressed and then her parents put the veil on her head...

I never knew this before but it seems it's customary in Chinese tradition where the bride's family and friends make life difficult for the groom before he can 'have' his bride.... he is to be teased and play games given to him by the friends and family....

It was so much fun! Maple wasn't allowed to come out of the room upstairs and I know she was dying of curiosity when she heard all of the screams of laughter coming from downstairs..

Federico was given a tray full of bras, panties and underwear and he had to pick out which one's were Maple's size. Ifhe chose a wrong pair, one of his friends in his entourage had to wear it!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! I will let the next few photos speak for themselves!

Federico DID know which the correct ones were but once he realised wrong choices would result in humiliating his friends, he of course took the opportunity to 'dress' them up!!!

After a few more silly games (push ups, eating horrible food...) he was allowed to see Maple in the room... and she did look beautiful!

Next, we went to Tamarind Springs for lunch where I ate all of the fantastic food til I was totally stuffed! Yummy, yummy....

In the afternoon, I slept..... like a log! totally exhausted from the week's events and Maple had asked me to be MC for her glamorous wedding at the Renaissance that night so I needed the rest...

Because I was MC, I didn't get a chance to take that many photos.... but I can tell you it was very grand.... Ning sang 'Sweet Love' (beautifully of course...) while the bride and groom cut the cake. There were also several dance performances by people Maple had performed with as entertainment for the night...

(when I get photos of this from other people who attended the event too, I will put them up)

But let me tell you the most unpredictable thing that happened to me that night....

I invited some of Maple's closest friends up on stage to share a few short stories or memories they have of Maple.... Of course, I was expected to do the same....

Towards the end of my little speech, with NO WARNING at all... I choked, tears welled up in my eyes and I cried...... I CRIED!!! I could hear the ballroom go deathly quiet and everyone who knew me in the audience was shocked... I have NEVER cried openly in public like that before and I really didn't expect this to happen to ME! Such a cliche... crying at best friend's wedding....

I wanted to say more, but due to the unforeseen circumstances I cut my speech short, regained my composure as quickly as possible and carried on.....

I went down into the audience and found Vernon and still stunned from my little emotional outburst, I mistakenly introduced him as the co-host of Gangstarz... to which he whispered loudly to me 'I'm NOT CO-HOST! I'm CO-JUDGE!!!"

Aduh! Lucky somewhere in him he does love me, if not sure die one!!!!

As you can see from the picture above, I am sticking to my word of avoiding wearing black! I wasn't sure about buying this dress when I first saw it.. but the shopgirl insisted I try it on, and when I did, I knew I wanted it! I'm definitely being a bit more adventurous in my wardrobe escapades this year!

Once I've taken a picture with Mr Manager, must take with the diva also right!!!

For the remainder of the night I was seriously trying to 'tanam malu' from my little crying episode..... aduh! I'm still trying to 'tanam malu' actually..... I can just imagine Maple telling her children one day "Your Aunty Sasha cried at Mummy's wedding! On stage! In public! And she never does!"

This story will probably never go away..... sigh... nevermind.. there are worse things in life...

Above from left is Jeslina Hashim who was the wedding planner, me, Maple and Linda Hashim

After the reception was over, I wanted to leave (malu punya pasal) but Maple wouldn't let me.... "NO! YOU HAVE TO STAY! Come back to my room with me.. I want to talk to you..."

While I was waiting for her to say bye all the people who came that night, several people came up to me and said a variety of things...

"You're so sweet to cry...."

"Drama lah you..."

"You're a very good MC... You should be a tv host" (really, someone actually said this to me!)

"You must be very good friends..."

All I could do was smile and nod....

Finally Maple came up to me....

Me - I'm so sorry I cried... I didn't do it on purpose! I don't know what's wrong with me or what happened to me!

Maple - You made me and a lot of other people cry too ok.... But that's ok... only you could have done this.. thank you so much... you're the best...

then she hugged me and we both cried!

Aduh! How lah..... ( maple another one susah to cry ok!)

We both needed a few minutes to wipe tears and then we decided to go back to her hotel room so I could help her get her things together....

When she lifted up her skirt to walk, I gasped!!! I saw her shoes (nothing else ok!) and they were red jewelled shoes!!!!

As soon as we got back to the room, she took them off and I tried them on....

Oh my God Maple! Where did you find these shoes! They are gorgeous! They will make a fine addition to my red shoe collection! I have to go and buy them!!!

After watching me pose with the shoes for about 5 minutes in front of the mirror, Maple said..

"Take them..... I want you to have them..."

Oh NO! I can't take your wedding shoes! Just tell me where you got them and I'll go and get them...

"NO! I wanted to give you something as a thank you for all you've done for me today and since you love these so much, please have them..... I can't think of anybody better to have my wedding shoes...."

I almost cried again ok!

We finally said good bye and I went home...

I tried them on again when I got home.....

Just beautiful......

Maple and Federico... all the best.. now always and forever....