Yifu Wedding – The night Yifu shed tears

A Wedding Night that is so unprecedented and unforgettable. Never have I been so moved and touched by the sincere, raw, real, unpretentious emotional expression by our good friend, Yifu. Being friend with him for almost 18 years, I have never see him shed tears (besides the passing of his dad in 2000) and expressed gratitude for those he loves so much.

Yes, he mentioned about being prideful. And getting the best for his wedding.

I told many. This was the most stressful wedding day role I ever played. Cos’ from the beginning, Yifu has been “warning” me to do it right. He had made numerous sms, calls to me to check on my standing to make sure he has my best effort for his night. (more “siong” than Juliana and Joanne’s wedding) He has high expectation for his wedding day and he needed it to be executed perfectly. I realized that he placed such high importance for his marriage that he took care of all the details – from MC’s scripts to our movement charts – He did it well and organized. Honestly, he made my job really easy.

It was during his speech (the sober script) last night that made me realized my friend Yifu has grown up. He has crafted a beautiful wedding speech and delivered that speech with crystal, manly yet humorous voice. The speech was obviously pre-scripted but it was beautifully narrated. I always knew Yifu as someone who is uncomfortable in addressing the masses. But he just delivered that piece so well and refined.

I guess Yifu may wake up today not knowing what the hell happened last night. But I believe he took a step bigger than anyone of us to communicate his feelings. For once in my life, I never shed tears in a wedding dinner (come on, this is NOT my best girlfriend’s wedding). He stood there, bravely, discarding his pre-scripted posture and character, expressing his innermost gratitude to his father-in-law, uncle, sisters and friends. I didn’t felt his pain of tears… I shared his tears of joys.

It was chaotic near the stage. The people at HSBC wanna to drink more with him – a farewell gesture to a great colleague before he rejoined IDA. His sisters were worried about him falling off the stage. But that moment when he went on stage hugging his father-in-laws, thanking his sisters for raising him up, Yifu isn’t the only one who shed tears at that point. I looked around me – everyone who could empathise with his emotions cried too.

What took a prideful and face-of-steel-man to his knees to reveal his inner self? Just 10 glasses of wine plus many years of unexpressed feelings.

Hock, if you are sober now and reading this. I want to share with you that you have done us proud. You have really traveled a long way from your car-washing / pizza-delivering days. You wanted a taste of success and high-lifestyle so much – I want to tell you this – You have made it. Not on the day you got your degree. Not on the day you got your condo. Not on the day you had a job with high wages.

You made it on the day when you were drunk. On the day when you shared your deepest joys and gratitude with those who love you. Cos’ when you were so dead drunk, I saw many faces around you – people who really care and love you so much. People who shed tears and laughed with you. They saw your success. You made it, bro.

For those who are as drunk but cannot make a scene (cos’ it is not your day, haaa)…. It has been a beautiful night with so much to ponder about. Especially to Yixi, MingLiang, Stephen, Jimmy and Meijie.  You brothers have taken so much load of work and I can safely retreat to my seat without much worries.