After a while, the couple was still hugging each other.
*Cough*
"Ahem, you two can do that for as long as you wish tonight. Shall we continue with the rest of the ceremony before heading to the wedding hall?" Mother Yang reminded them that the camera has been running for the past ten minutes focused on their loving hug. At the same time, Grandparents Xu, Grandparents Yang, Parents Yang, and Parents Xu were already seated, waiting for the couple to serve them tea.
The couple quickly separated and kneeled in front of their elders. In the order of grandparents to their parents, Ya Nuo and Huan Hei presented them tea, received their red envelopes and blessings. Finally, the tea ceremony is completed, and they headed towards the wedding hall.
- Wedding Hall -
Even though they called it wedding hall, the location was actually a garden venue. The breathtaking view of blossomed flowers around the bride and groom blinded the guests effectively. It was a pain for singles to see, but also a very beautiful picture to capture in their memories. The nature theme didn't require much decoration as flowers were colorful and the sky was blue.
The ceremony began as the pianist played You Look So Beautiful In White as the opening tune. Ya Nuo held onto her father's arm as they stepped onto the flower petal path. Huan Hei was waiting on the other end of the path smiling brightly at his bride. When they reached Huan Hei, Father Yang gave her a tight hug, whispering to her, "You look so beautiful today. Daddy wishes you two a lifetime of happiness."
"Thank you daddy." Her eyes turned pink.
Father Yang turned to Huan Hei and placed her hand into his, "I'm leaving my daughter to your care from now on. You better treat her well."
"Yes, dad" He smiled, showing his teeth.
It was time for the couple to exchange their vows. They decided to write their own and take turns saying it to each other. He gazed into her deep, sincere eyes as he placed the microphone closer to his mouth.
"Many people make the mistakes when they think that vows are only said during the highest point of their relationships. Vows mean so much more than just words spit out at the moment or out of impulsion. In front of everyone here, I pledge to be your companion and friend until we grow old that our hair turns white."
His hands held hers gently and his thumb rubbed her palms, "Since our first date, I've been telling myself and you, 'maybe,' 'someday,' 'Somehow,' and many other words that hints to our future. Now that we're standing side by side, ready to call each other husband and wife, I can finally say to you that when I made the promises to you, I meant every word. From the transition of 'I will,' 'you will,' to 'we will,' we've gone from two individuals to us."
"From this moment onwards, whatever you face, we'll face it together. Through sickness or in health, in richness or in debt, even when your cooking turns moldy, and our youth no longer remains, I swear my faith, love, trust, and life to you. And once again, in front of everyone, I will repeat, I do, as many times as you wish me to. From the beginning to the end, I will walk this journey with you and tell our future generations our love story. I love you."
"Wooooooooo" The crowd cheered as he finished his vows. They noticed his misty eyes as he said his speech. He barely got to 'I love you' before Ya Nuo wiped the teardrop off his face.
Ya Nuo laughed, bringing happy tears out of her eyes, "My turn." He handed over the microphone and held her hands as she said her vows.
"From childhood till now, you've been there for me. Whenever I felt upset or that I'm in pain, you're the first person I turned to. Your embrace always provided me the comfort I wanted. I remember how you jokingly proposed that if I became someone's wife, that person would be the happiest man ever and that man would be you. Years later, today, the person standing in front of me, listening to my vows, is you and will always be you."
"The silly guy who spent his efforts in making different types of lemonade and made everyone in Taekwondo house try it until it tasted good just to woo me closer to you. The guy who never fails to surprise me and amaze me with his level of goofiness to match mine. I love every side of you."
"I questioned if you were sure that I was really the one you want to live with for the rest of our lives. I even found reasons such as burning pots, terrible cooking, and not knowing how to do different chores, but your response to me was that you love me for me. You didn't care whether I had all those qualities because I'm the one you want to marry, not the chores. You gave me the confidence to be your wife." She locked their fingers together as she continued.
"I'm standing here today in front of everyone to be my witness, that I, Yang Ya Nuo, promise to be loyal to you, Xu Huan Hei, in sickness, in health, through poverty, and rich, from black, gray to white hair, until there's no more breaths in me to exhale, I will love you always. Just like now to the end, I'll hold your hands tightly. I love you, my companion, my lover, my soul mate."
The couple exchanged rings after they had repeated their "I do's."
The officiant cleared his throat, "Xu Huan Hei and Yang Ya Nuo, you two have expressed your love through the commitment and promises you have just made. Though you've probably kissed a thousand times or many more. This one is different. I now, pronounce you husband and wife. You can now seal the agreement with a kiss. You may kiss the bride!"
With everyone as their witness, they sealed their promises with a deep kiss. This kiss would've lasted more than five minutes if they weren't interrupted by the crowd's excitement. Everyone cheered louder as the couple blushed from their teasing.
The first dance belonged to our lovely couple as flower petals surrounded them, painting a beautiful scenario. Just like nature, their love was pure and strong. As the newlyweds looked affectionately into each other's eyes, they exchanged smiles and whispered, "I love you so much."