Hong Kong - Dec 22 & 23, 2007

Wendy's Wedding

We came to Hong Kong for my cousin Wendy's wedding. It was definitely quite the shindig! We met up with a bunch of relatives and had a pretty good time - and was definitely awed by the grandeur of it all!


The night before the wedding...

Mmm.. roasted suckling pig - first time I've
had it with the head looking at me!

The cousins - with many missing :(

The siblings and their husbands/wives.

After dinner, we had to go to Wendy's hotel suite because my mom had to brush her hair. It's a Chinese tradition where a woman with a "blessed life" (I don't know how else to put it) has to say certain phrases while she combs the bride's hair three times. However, we had to kill a lot of time because Wendy had to go run a bunch of errands, then come back and shower, then went for her fiance to get his hair combed, before she could finally have her hair combed!

Pictured above is the kit - with scissors, thread, a comb,
a mirror, and a hong bao with a pine leaf. The other
items are for after the hair combing ritual.

Wendy with the pine leaf clipped into her hair.

After the hair combing, Wendy had to eat a
湯圓, which is a round gelatinous dessert - like
a Timbit, but hotter and gooey-er and filled with
sesame. Then everyone else had to eat one too.
I think it had something to do with it being round,
so that their marriage/life would last forever type of thing.

The Fung brothers.

Wedding Day!

The family in front of "Bethanie", the chapel
where Wendy was married.

Des attempting to look like Dad.

I have no idea who they are, but the
ring bearer & flower girl sure were cute!

The gorgeous church!

Because there are pillars, this chapel has had
TVs installed in the walls for better viewing!

Wendy's dad lookin' mighty proud!

Sweet Wendy...

Father and bride

Happily married after!

Des, mom and 五姨 婆

五姨 婆 and 五姨公 and us!

The father & mother of the bride and the family.

Wendy & Kenneth!

Gloria, William and my folks

Another family photo!

Amanda and her giant piece of wedding cake!

The head table - the largest I've ever seen - I think
it sat 18???

Me bugging Des... or is it the other way around?!

My lovely groom of 3 1/2 years!

The wedding banquet menu: 10 courses!!!

The MC at the wedding teaching us how to clap. He was
a magician too - his first trick was creating a microphone
from a flame!

The first course, designed by Kenneth (the groom!):
Mille feuille of King Crab Leg and Celeriac Salad,
accompanied by Seared Scallop and Sliced
Barbecued Suckling Pig

Course #2: Baked Sea Conch in Portuguese Sauce

Course #3: Double Boiled Shark's Fin with Brassica in Supreme Soup

Course #5: Steamed Star Garoupa, with its head
on a platter and staring at Amanda.

Wendy's fourth outfit of the day!
(First was a "kwa", a Chinese dress for the morning,
then her wedding dress for the ceremony, then another
wedding dress for the photos pre-banquet, then this
"qipao" for toasting!)

Dad & Mom doing the "cool/cute" sign.

Course #7: Fried Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaf

Des & Kris blowing bubbles - maybe that's why all the guests left?
(Look at the tables behind them - as soon as dessert was served,
everyone "deserted" :))

The line to leave the banquet - it was really really long!!