Beginning the Year with a Perfect Wedding

There couldn't have been a better way for me to celebrate New Year's.

It's Sunday morning, probably my most favorite time in the world and I'm reeling from my Kat and Pat Wedding weekend. You see, two of my dearest friends tied the knot over the first weekend of the year and it's the most wonderful wedding in recent memory.

Knowing me, I've been teary eyed most of the time pre, during and post wedding. Kat and Pat are definitely the most affectionate, loving couple I've ever been with in my whole life. When you're with them, it's inevitable to feel lovey dovey as well, to be touched with all the little things they've done for each other, all the ways they worked their lives together, it is fascinating. The groom's family flown all the way from North America, too, and it was so nice to have met people who are kind and fun.

Kat's vow started with M. Scott Peck's memorable lines from The Road Less Traveled, “Love is the free exercise of choice. Two people love each other only when they are quite capable of living without each other but choose to live with each other.” For us in the crowd, whether we were in a marriage, a relationship or in a relationship with ourselves, with Christ, it rang true. It reminded me that love was not a trap we fall into but a conscious, daily, hourly, every hour, every second choice we make. It was a good weekend to discover the meaning of love.

More than love, the long holiday taught me a lot of things. It taught me not to settle for anything less than I deserve, to stand up and say what I want {maybe with a little bit of help from vino}, close things that are begging to be closed, face the year with courage, love and kindness.

With that, here are some photos from the lovely destination wedding:

It was almost midnight, with my champagne partner in crime, Nicole at Maya

On holidays, we have champagne instead of coffee | Ibiza

The Kat and Pat lootbag. Notice the Pat and Kat Fish Crackers =P

Dinner with the Three Nicoles at Abaca

Compliments of the Moevenpick Hotel. Daghang salamat!

Mostly, we were under the sun.

My first glimpse of the beautiful bride and first time to be teary eyed.

The Wedding Venue

With the BDJ girls --- notice how I'm so short. Had to wear flats because my sprain hasn't healed yet!

Makeup by Erika Diaz and hair by Darwin

The Lovely Bride in her Cherry Veric Samuya gown, makeup by Robbie Pinera and hair by Raymond Santiago