Christine Chang Photography

This week I came across an interesting thought, that one reason why people marry is because, subconsciously, they desire a witness to their lives.  A person’s every move and thought adds up to a single life to be lived, and one way of understanding yourself is have a witness (like a spouse) who will know you, perhaps, better than you know yourself.  That was a little bit of what was going through my head as I covered Nancy and Ricky’s wedding, my last wedding of 2008.

If I had to summarize this wedding into one feeling I would say that throughout the engagement sessions and the wedding Nancy and Ricky were content.  Content that they found each other, content that they now can progress through life as one.  They spoke Cantonese to each other, and though I didn’t understand a thing they said it was just as well, because there were times when this language allowed them to be intimate in their own way—all I understood were the smiles, the kisses, and their eyes—eyes that said pretty much that this was the best thing to do and the best place to be.

Speaking of places, Ricky is a first generation Chinese immigrant, in that while I was born in Los Angeles (which makes me second generation since my parents were the ones who immigrated), Ricky didn’t come to the United States until he was in his teens.  So he has achieved what my parents had achieved: the establishment of the American Dream.  It’s no walk in the park to pick up a language, get a new job, and establish a life here.  But that’s what Ricky did, and he thanked his mom and dad for supporting him all the way. Then his mom burst into tears.  It must be that mixed feeling of sorrow and joy, which also made me believe Ricky when he thanked his mom for raising him because he was a really mischievous kid.  Also, Nancy’s dad did double duty.  Reverend Lau walked her daughter down the aisle, handed her over to Ricky, and stepped up to marry them as a reverend.  I think we can all learn much from these acts of love.

Some pictures below: