My grandarents' 50th wedding anniversary

Not often that we get to see couples, even married ones, last very long. So it's always special when you see two people celebrating their Golden wedding anniversary. And it's even more special when those people are your grandparents.

It was held on a Tuesday night, in a church somewhere in Manila (I drove there with my family so they just gave me instructions on how to get there while I was driving, but I never really got the name of the church). Apparently, this is the same church where my grandparents got married, so it was kinda cool for their 50th anniversary to be held there again.

The church ceremony started around 6pm. I was the best man, so I marched first. It was good too because my two nephews marched right after me, and since there was no rehearsal or anything, I just told both of them to walk like me (which they did, and I was mighty proud of them for that! =))

From church we headed down the road to the Old Swiss Inn in Manila (didn't realize there was one there) for the reception. Most of the invitees were relatives, taking up about three-quarters of the area and so it was like a family reunion. The food was pretty good, and since there weren't that many people, the lines at the buffet never got too long.

The main part of the program was supposed to consist of a few speeches - from my grandfather, his brother, his sister, and my grandma's friend. There was a slideshow of pictures as well. Also, my mom performed a really awesome dance number with a dance instructor that was very very well received (she performed it at work during one of their events), before I took the mic to sing 'The way you look tonight' (I was thinking of singing something less gasgas but everyone suggested that I sing something that's more popular so that the folks won't get too bored. One of my grand-aunties said I sang very well and my grandma and my mom told me that she must have really liked it because my grand-auntie apparently doesn't just give out praise like that. Cool for me, then. =)

The program ended up being extended since my grandfather and all his siblings can play the piano, the violin, or both, and a lot of folks sing pretty well too. Then once the program itself was over, it was hanging out with everyone and catching up and playing with my nephews and lots of picture taking (sorry, Tita Gail, I promised to send you pictures but the night was so hectic that I wasn't able to take any. Tita Jill said she'd send Nanay and Tatay a CD with all the pics she took, and once she does that I can put them up online).

All in all a fantastic celebration, and everyone, especially my grandparents, were very happy. The ceremony itself was simple but for the fact that so many people stayed late into the night in party mode on a weeknight, this wedding has to be one of the best ones I've ever attended.