Following a week of festivities with friends and family, on 18 October 2002, Angela and I were married, followed by reception on the 20th at the FCC in Hong Kong. It was so much fun, we decided to do it again in Canada, during the Christmas holidays, a year after I proposed in Cambodia.
This time was much more relaxed as we had my brother Robert and my father doing the running around and organizing for us. Having learnt our lessons with the Hong Kong wedding, we decided to really keep things as simple as possible with a much smaller affair, about half the size as the Hong Kong reception. The date was set at the Palais de Justice for the 28th of December. We arrived in Montreal on the 21st of December and first took time to be with family, including my 3 month old niece, Yasmine (apparently "Derek" not suitable name for girl). A bit of snow, colourful lights and Christmas mass put us in the Christmas spirit. On Christmas Day, presents were opened and much food eaten. Watched "It's a Wonderful Life" for the umpteenth time.
On the day before the wedding, my best man and brother, Rob, took us on a dry run of the big event. Made sure we knew where everything and insured there were no peanuts or MSG in the food. Since we were technically married already, we decided to have a night out with boys and girls together instead separate bachelor parties and bachelorette parties (ie no naked people). We went back home to change before meeting up with a bunch of old friends at Le Bifetheque for the singles party dinner. My old friend from Hong Kong, Paul, flew in from Toronto, joining us for dinner. Didn't have a very late night out, but we did manage to have a few drinks at a bar on Crescent Street. The civil ceremony suddenly got bigger as most everyone at the singles party wanted to come to the civil ceremony.
Everything seemed quite relaxed on the big day. Dad got the flowers. Of course Angela took several hours to get ready. As we were late for the singles party, my friend Brian arrived to drive Angela and myself over to the Palais de Justice while Dad drove the rest of the family and Paul. Brian, Angela and I were almost the last to arrive. Everyone else was there except sister Diahann & her husband Chris, who was also supposed to take video. Gave quick instructions to Paul, before signing the necessary documents. Diahann & Chris arrived at the last minute with baby in tow. Video camera was handed back to Chris. My mother and brother were our witnesses. After the ceremony, Angela and I faced a huge wall of cameras (I then make some remark about a firing squad).
Rob, Brian, Paul, Angela and I decided to take pictures outside City Hall and meet the others at the Chinatown Holiday Inn for coffee. Took pictures quite quickly as it was getting windy and cold. Arrived at the Holiday Inn with no family in sight. Rob and I took a walk around Chinatown looking for the family, only to find them upon our return to the hotel. Apparently there was some kind of diaper accident at the Palais de Justice (don't recall having so many discussions about toilet functions with my sister before). After coffee my sister was looking for another place to change diapers. Angela observed babies only seem to sleep, eat, and poop. Mom insisted there is no baby changing table in the toilet. I told her to check again as there was one in the male toilet. Baby changing table found in female toilet.
The dinner venue, La Maison Kam Fung, has a special place in my heart. Not only is it one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Montreal (where the family had many a dim sum) but it was the only way I remembered Angela's Chinese name (Lee Kam Fong). We waited until the rest of the thirty some odd guests arrived. It was a scrumptious meal, even impressing my "best Chinese food is in Hong Kong" wife. We had to go back in the cold to get back to our cars. As a car drove by with wedding guests, Angela jumped in, abandoning me for a warm car.
Drinks and dessert were served at my parents' home. There we found out that my brother-in-law almost got mugged in front of the Palais de Justice by some guy who took a fancy to the video camera. However the would-be-mugger wasn't very big and my brother-in-law told him, "Don't even think about it". Champagne toasts before everyone got comfy in the basement to watch highlights from the Hong Kong wedding video. And then it was over.
Angela and I enjoyed a few more days in Montreal before our return to Hong Kong. My parents, sister Diahann, her husband Chris, and their baby left the same day as us for my cousin Joanne's wedding in Trinidad. On the way to the airport Angela asked me where I wanted to get married next. Assumed she was joking...
12 January 2003
