S U R P R I S E !
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| Roy = birthday boy; Faith = girl with tiara |
I married my childhood best friend in a quarantined wedding!
Above is a picture of us in the year 2000 when we were 7 years old
(I clearly was ready to be his bride in that tiara, white dress and white heels lol)
Now 2020, here we are!
........
I decided to revive this (very dead/outdated) blog to share our story leading up to our solemnisation.
As our story goes (if you've read it 6 years ago in one of my posts below), Roy and I have closely walked through life being partners in everything for two decades.
We began dating when we both studied abroad in the University of Melbourne (which we returned to for pre-wedding shots)
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| @ University of Melbourne |
Before we began dating, Roy did a liquid fast for 40 days, praying for several things and on top of that list was for his first girlfriend, as he believed he was finally ready to get married. So moving into courtship, I always knew Roy was ready for marriage and he would ask me often within the 5 years, when would be a good time to pop the question. My reply would always be the same - 'pray about it and when God gives the green light then go ahead'.
In May 2019, Roy successfully surprised me on a balcony on top of the city skyline, with my family and closest friends; some who he flew in for the proposal. Roy shared with me the vision he received for what God wanted to do with our relationship. He then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was an easy (and too quick for the pictures) yes!
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| Roy made a book to share our story and vision through visuals |
We then got to the crazy wedding planning and we prayed for it for more than a year.
Since we began dating in Melbourne and had our first date in the Moomba carnival, we wanted to go back there in March 2020 for meaningful pre-wedding shots.
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| March 2020 @ Moomba Carnival, Melbourne |
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| First ride we took together 6 years ago |
Whilst we were in Melbourne, we received news that the Covid-19 situation was declared a global pandemic. We flew home and literally the day after reaching KL, Malaysia declared a lockdown.
At this time, the whole world stopped. We recognised that a lot of suffering was going on worldwide and many times, I felt guilt over worrying what would then happen to my wedding plans in such times like these, but I knew there were many #coronabrides and #covidgrooms who were going through this same difficulty.
We had to painfully undo a year-plus of wedding planning, letting go of our ideals and adjusting to new plans everyday. Nevertheless, we remained rigidly hopeful to keep a specific date because of what it represented to us. As a backstory, Roy asked me to be his girlfriend on June 7th. This date was right smack in the middle of both our birthdays (Roy's being March 7th and mine being September 7th), which were exactly half a year apart. This date represented Christ always in the centre of our relationship, who put us together before we understood and will continue to be the glue who holds us together for the years to come. We believed this is of God.
So, we mapped out various strategies for something to still happen on this date. We had Plan A to Plan Z and it was discouraging as we kept having to discard the dream wedding we initially planned and accept the new Plan B then Plan C then Plan D etc. After a few months of monitoring the situation, we decided to postpone our wedding reception to ensure everyone's safety but still hoped we could at least be legalised and solemnised.
In May, the government announced that the quarantine would extend until June 9th, providing no protocols for solemnisations. We then received a call from the pastor who was initially to register us, telling us we had to settle for Plan Z, which was that we could not even sign the registration papers altogether; which basically meant that we were not getting married at all.
My heart broke but I knew that so far throughout my entire life and journey with Roy, all has been in God's perfect timing and He still is in control.
After all had been stripped back and we were left with literally nothing, we realised what was most important to us. We realised we didn't need the idealistic 'grand' wedding, nor the big celebration we were so excited to have, but all we wanted was simply and plainly, God and each other. We set our priorities straight- firstly we needed to get legally married, secondly to get solemnised under God (no matter how simple and small the ceremony) and thirdly to fight for this significant date, which forever would be the date to celebrate our love and reflect on the goodness of God.
But this was literally I M P O S S I B L E.
So, we problem-solved. We called several pastors and they all weren't able to conduct registrations at this time. We then spent an entire day calling JPN (the National Registration Department) who could not even schedule an appointment date as they weren't fully functioning as of yet and appointments were fully booked for a long time. Once the conditional quarantine began, we drove around to many different JPNs, lining up for hours and going back again and again to try to get a slot. We were told there was a lot of backlog they had to process before giving us a spot probably after May. To get legally married in JPN, you would have to wait 22 days from the date of your registration, which cut too close to the date we were fighting for. After receiving rejection upon rejection, Roy and I drove home feeling disheartened and confused. I told God out loud
'if this is Your date, You make it happen; if not, we will happily celebrate any other date as well and will still honour You'.
It felt like we were in a battle, with the odds against us, fighting for something we believed was of God and everyone around us thought we were silly/crazy/irrational/you-name-it!
When we arrived home, I buried myself under the sheets and had nothing to say. Roy encouraged us to pause to pray and worship, and to seek God for clarity if we should stop fighting for this impossible date. So we opened our devotionals and the title read, 'It's possible with God'. We were stunned. We then received Scriptures such as, Psalm 60:11-12 that human help is worthless but 'WITH GOD, we shall gain the victory' and John 8:29 that Jesus says He is NOT ALONE for He stands with the Father who sent Him. We closed our Bibles and wanted to worship so we switched on a random Christian worship playlist and every song was about God fighting the battles for us and bringing us the victory.
Roy & I were affirmed and convicted that God wanted us to stand firm on this date for no other reason but to honour and glorify Him. We also knew it wouldn't be possible of our own doing. So we surrendered our uncertainty, helplessness and confusion, and told the Lord, we make the horse ready for the day of battle but the victory belongs to Him. We had done all we possibly could, and now it was time for God to do the impossible.
After that prayer, everything suddenly flew by super smoothly, compared to when we felt we had to fight so hard.
(But even though it became smooth sailing, the suspense on our end was still kind of insane.)
Our first miracle took place exactly 22 days before the weekend of our solemnisation. At the very last-second, we managed to get a spot to register and most places were fully packed (we know cause we called and drove around to ask) but received a spot to sign the papers at JPN on the weekend of June 7th.
And so that weekend, we were legally married in JPN;
masks, sanitizers, social distancing and all the usual shebang!
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| Before signing @ JPN |
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| With our marriage certificates // After signing @ JPN |
Our second miracle was the solemnisation. Since we had no choice, we thought we had to settle for a mini solemnisation on June 7th, with just a pastor to solemnise and our parents inside the house.
Yet when we prayed for the wedding, we received the wedding theme about a garden in springtime and coming away in intimacy (Song of Songs 2:11-13). So, my ideal plan was to have an intimate 20 people solemnisation in my garden at home.
Again because of all the uncertainty, we had these as our Plan A and Plan B.
By some bizarre miracle, early that same week, the government announced on June 2nd that
solemnisations were allowed,
preferably in outdoor settings
with 20 people, following the SOPs.
It was bizarre as the quarantine was ending June 9th,
and they could have announced it then instead.
But one week early! Perfectly in time!
I was awe-struck and shocked to my very core.
solemnisations were allowed,
preferably in outdoor settings
with 20 people, following the SOPs.
It was bizarre as the quarantine was ending June 9th,
and they could have announced it then instead.
But one week early! Perfectly in time!
I was awe-struck and shocked to my very core.
Now apparently, we could have an intimate garden ceremony with a few more family members and my maid-of-honour,
as we irrationally hoped for.
as we irrationally hoped for.
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| Our Quarantine Garden Wedding @ home |
Now apparently, we would be lawfully solemnised on June 7th, the date we wanted to honour God;
the date that was completely impossible, made possible by literally only God Himself.
.......
I can't believe June 7th actually happened perfectly.
It was not at all what we had initially planned but it was better than what human hands could plan.
The whole ride became a testimony of God's goodness; He truly became the centre of the day.
God made beauty out of ashes, joy in times of mourning, praise instead of despair, miracles in a pandemic.
I threw out more than a year of wedding plans,
I was told I could not get married now and to just postpone everything,
BUT GOD had better plans.
Since the proposal, I told God that what I wanted most in my wedding would be for God to show up,
if not, there would be no point.
And He did!
He showed up wayyyyy before the day.
He showed up when I was seven and met Roy,
He showed up when we dated in Melbourne 6 years ago,
He showed up in the proposal last year,
He showed up throughout the on-again off-again wedding planning,
and He showed up so tangibly on June 7th; we were all in tears.
What a very faithful, powerful, intimate God. We have never been alone.
Sometimes it's easy to think we are so insignificant but know this,
God is with us.
I remember my premarital counsellor, Elder Rose, declared a word over Roy and I when the lockdown first happened in March. She received John 2:10 for us - that Jesus loved weddings and performed His first miracle at a wedding when there was no wine left. He turned water into wine and this wine tasted better than the original choice.
And similarly that Jesus loved our wedding and that He could do a miracle at our wedding when there are no plans left. He can turn something simple to taste better than the original choice.
In March, I fully believed what she said without understanding the 'how',
but now I've tasted and seen.
And similarly that Jesus loved our wedding and that He could do a miracle at our wedding when there are no plans left. He can turn something simple to taste better than the original choice.
In March, I fully believed what she said without understanding the 'how',
but now I've tasted and seen.
We're extremely grateful for encouragement and words of knowledge that have been spoken to us in this period of time.
We look forward and are super stoked to have our family and friends from all over the world come celebrate our postponed wedding reception (hopefully if everything is safe) next year 😍😍💫 !
So thankful for all the support and love we have received which has definitely carried us through.
So thankful also for Roy who has stood firmly with me, believing hand-in-hand through and through. Roy, your faith has kept me unshakable in times I needed it most and I have learnt that we can go through difficult times and make difficult decisions together as a strong team.
So whatever craziness again comes our way,
I'm sure we can face it hand-in-hand-in-hand (God with us) 😉
We look forward and are super stoked to have our family and friends from all over the world come celebrate our postponed wedding reception (hopefully if everything is safe) next year 😍😍💫 !
So thankful for all the support and love we have received which has definitely carried us through.
So thankful also for Roy who has stood firmly with me, believing hand-in-hand through and through. Roy, your faith has kept me unshakable in times I needed it most and I have learnt that we can go through difficult times and make difficult decisions together as a strong team.
So whatever craziness again comes our way,
I'm sure we can face it hand-in-hand-in-hand (God with us) 😉
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So yep,
Roy & I are solemnised!
Roy & I are solemnised!
It was a small, intimate, simple but absolutely perfect ceremony in my backyard.
I would not have changed it for the world.
I would not have changed it for the world.
Please enjoy some pictures of
my #coronabride #quarantinewedding #bizarremiracle #Godinthecentre
solemnisation below!
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| Our First Kiss! |
'Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him'
Psalm 34:8
