It’s the day of the wedding. I checked the calendar hanging by the wall, checked my phone, even the date projected on my laptop computer said that it really is February 18. The date of our wedding. The day when forever with her would start. Okay, not forever since nobody lives that long. Lifetime. A lifetime with her is going to start today.

When I stood in front of the wedding venue, I still couldn’t believe how those three months of preparation could fly by that quick. She called her parents right after she said yes to me while looking at the ring I gave her to seal the deal. She’s teary-eyed while relaying the good news to her mom on the phone while I hug her tight throughout that call. We were both crying happy tears and I know that we looked like idiots out there on the street crying while I hug her as she cries on the phone.

But all those are gone now. All I can feel now is great anticipation to the big event that’s gonna occur in these very ruins. Nope, we’re not getting married in a church since the both of us doesn’t have a religion. That’s probably one of the biggest things we have in common. Probably the same reason why we can talk about everything. There are no religious belief to stand as a wall between us, nothing on that league to divides us. Am I marrying her because of that? No. I am marrying her because despite all of those differences we have, we accept each other and we love each other nonetheless. I couldn’t wait to call her my wife and give her my surname.

In Korea, the wife gets to keep her surname even after the marriage. That’s one great thing for feminists out there who objects about their surnames being changed to that of their husbands after marriage. Thinking that by doing so, they are stripped off their individuality. I am not against any belief of any group of people. I am not bashing. I am just telling.

Now, back to my issue. Since that is the case in Korea, she decided on getting married in her country where by law, she is to use my surname which really elates her. Says it would really make her happy to carry my family’s name. I am a lot happier to know that she does.

And given that she doesn’t have a religion, she has dreamt of having her wedding in one of the many ancient ruins in her country, says it’s unique. I didn’t give it a lot of thinking though. I don’t care about the venue where the wedding would take place. All I know is the place where I wanna get married is anywhere as long as it’s beside her.

We are now in an ancient ruins. My family and hers with some of our closest friends; the people who stood witness through the growth of our story, our romance. From day one, and through the days to come, these are the people who we believe would always be there for us, supporting our love. The people who would weep when we hurt, and the same people who would be genuinely happy when we’re happy. These people are the people who would bear witness to this love from here onto the next life if ever there really is one.

I can hear the bells ringing indicating that my bride has come. From where I am standing, I couldn’t see her yet but I know that she indeed has come. I can feel her, walking closer and closer to me. Walking closer and closer to the life we promise to share with each other. I couldn’t hear any more bells ringing, the pounding on my chest is even louder, the ringing in my ears is stronger.

At last, I can see her in her wedding dress which she designed herself. Yep, she might not draw as well as I do but, her imagination and creativity aren’t to be looked over. She can’t draw the design for other people to see how it looks like but she can show you how it’s done. And for the clothes of the guests, she asked me to draw it for her as we sit closely together so she can correct the tiniest detail. I love that; being the body to her brain.

Here she comes. The most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. She smiled at me and all the apprehensions and nervousness were washed completely away. The past doesn’t matter now. I am staring at my present whom I would really really love to share my future with. I smiled back though I know it’s strained as I stop myself from crying. I never tear my gaze from her, not one second but I know that everyone in the venue is crying as well, I can hear their silent sobs.

How come it’s okay to cry in a wedding but find it blasphemous to laugh in a funeral? Just a thought.

Finally, I have her in my arms. I can see that she’s crying as well but I can also see that she’s smiling under her ‘belo’.

The ceremony started but without the other ceremonies of a Christian wedding, it went quick. We exchanged our self-composed vows which made the witnesses’ eyes water even more, we exchanged rings next. And to make things official, the provincial Governor who would authorize our being one by the law said the words we are greatly waiting to answer with ‘I dos’.

“Do you accept her as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?”

“I do.” I am bursting with happiness as I say those two words while looking deeply into her eyes. The tears long gone now.

“Do you accept him as your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?