Firstly, we arrived after quite a rush in a taxi to Neihu, on time, smack on twelve noon, to find the garishly decorated reception area almost deserted. After being ushered with a distinct lack of subtlety to our seats, Bessy introduced us to the few other guests that were around. They subsequently noted that "Taiwanese people don't come till about 30 or 45 minutes after the scheduled start time": lesson number one learned!
We were regaled with high definition, massive sized images of the happy couple projected onto numerous screens around the walls as we waited for any real action to start. These wedding photos are taken many weeks before the main event and usually portray various cute shots from "romantic" locales, such as rowboats on lakes, on the seashore or in dimly lit restaurants. After some electronic intrusion from the professional master of ceremonies, an actual blasted fanfare announced the arrival of the wedding party. Huge double doors swung open to reveal the entry of the party to the accompaniment of strobe lights and a gush of bubbles from a bubble blowing machine. The bridesmaids and partners were followed by the parents of the groom, then Bessy with the groom and Bessy's husband with their daughter, Nicole, the bride. It was all pomp and splendour with an avalanche of silk, taffeta, hairpieces and false eyelashes. The couple then poured the cascading mountain of champagne (which no-one drank) for another photo opportunity, until the fuss slowly died down and the feast began.
We were served so many courses of "special and delicious" food, that I quickly lost count! Cass was served her own vegetarian fare as we were at a "meat" table. Unlike many years ago, I was able to sample all the foods, except perhaps the soup which seemed to be reminiscent of the soup ladled up in "Raiders of the Lost Ark", full of mysterious elements in murky depths, and I'm sure I spotted an eyeball bobbing around in there as well. The one bottle of red wine (for a table of 10!) was supplemented by sickly sweet "juice" although the guy next to me was sculling the vino, necessitating a couple of re-fills.
Halfway through proceedings the groom erupted into a karaoke version of some contemporary Taiwanese love song and paraded through the tables, smiling and waving as he sang, to be joined by much further fanfare, spotlights and bubbles as his new bride re-entered in yet another outfit. Some time after this, the wedding party en masse visited each table in turn, toasting the guests and thanking them for their attendance followed by scurrying still photographers and videographers all with their own paraphernalia.
Another announcement a short time later heralded a mass exit with a great line up of people exiting the venue via taking a photo with the newly wedded couple. The bride was in yet another fantasy style princess dress complete with massive train and she had a basket full of lollies to give to the guests as they posed with them.
Exhausted from all this, we ditched the glad rags when we got home and watched a bit of Twenty20 cricket as an antidote!! We have a slightly truncated week this week and we finish on Thursday afternoon. By the evening we will be flying to Hong Kong, and from there onwards to Frankfurt, then Budapest. With the magic of flying against the various timezones, we'll arrive in Budapest on Friday morning and begin our European Christmas/ New Year white adventure. No blog till at least January 14, a Happy Christmas and New Year to all our family and friends who may be reading.
A short video clip of the wedding appears above. Photos: Lovely Christmas chocolates from one of Cassy's kiddies, stylish mannequins in a new Tienmu cafe, neon reindeer nibbling a well lit pasture, and various wedding shots as described above. I'm reading Michael Connelly's The Black Box at the moment and Cass is reading...?
