Congratulations, old friend!

(Daddy congratulates)

Last week was the wedding ceremony of one of my closest friends, Yirong. And if there was one word to describe my feeling, it would have to be 'Finally!'.

Finally, because I have known Yirong since 1989 (that's 23 years, if you are still calculating) and he was the last among our band of brothers to tie the knot so we are all truly happy for him.

Finally, because he proposed on a helicopter so we are all truly happy that he was the final one. As my other close friend, Zhihao, put it, "We're glad that he got married last, so that none of us are pressured to follow suit. Plus the fact that it is dangerous to reject someone in a flying helicopter."

Finally too, because all of us have been looking forward to this wedding ever since the beginning of 2012. So we were taking this as a chance to have a short break, especially since we friends had been booked for a night's stay at Amara Sanctuary Resort.

Needless to say, the monkies fell in love with the resort room. But as much as they would like to stay dormant in the room and on the comfy bed, there was a solemnization at next-door Capella to attend.

The outdoor solemnization area was set amid lush greenery, and everything looked very fitting and grand. With the potential to be ruined if our some kids' playful screams shatter the serenity of the surroundings.

Luckily, the kids had each other for company, as well as juices for hydration.

Very yumseng moment, don't you think? I was relieved they didn't mimic their adult counterparts and yell out 'Yumseng!' when the Justice of Peace was addressing the couple.

As for Ale, she was more preoccupied with the water feature. Which was a good thing too - as long as she didn't fall in. That would be like a mini Chingay 2012 performance all over again.

Soon, the solemnization ceremony started proper.

As Caitlin the gorgeous bride made her way towards the solemnization table, Yirong the erm... clean-shaven groom was busy suppressing his jitters.

You can't really tell, but he was swashed with a tide of relief when he took over Caitlin's hands from her father.

Watching them, it certainly brought back many memories of mine. Almost 9 years ago. And now, the wifey & I have 3 kids to show for it.

And yes, all of us would love this pair of newlyweds to crank up the baby machinery in the quickest possible time too!

And by the time the dinner banquet started, I together with other friends, were busy running around and helping out with the wedding stuff.

Hence, I don't have a lot of banquet photos to show for. Except this.

And this much-cherished group photo.

As expected, the revelry continued late into the morning - 4am to be exact. So it was a miraculous thing we - and I mean the fathers - managed to wake up barely in time for the hotel's breakfast.

Well actually, we had our own kids to thank. Because they remembered we had promised them something come the next morning.

This.

How can any resort go wrong with a kiddies pool, and with a slide at that?

Unsurprisingly, the kiddos had so much fun on the slide that I lost count of the number of times they had been on it.

And again and again.

I think, among the four of them, they must have went down the slide using any permutation available.

The slide pool's depth is 0.5m so I guess most toddlers would be able to have a go at it. Under an adult's supervision of course.

But for those really younger ones, there's also shallower 0.3m wading pool too. Which the kids found it to be utterly boring of course.

But at least Ale was happy with it!

Either that, or she was equally happy with just relaxing on the deck chair. Heh.

Whichever way, whichever pool, all the kids definitely enjoyed this short break and treat.

As for us adults, we are happy to be able to share each other's milestones for the past 23 years. And that day was yet another significant chapter in our lives, more so for Yirong.

To the newlyweds Yirong & Caitlin, if I may offer you this tiny bit of advice, having already a head-start with a fabulous wife and 3 lovely monkies myself:

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.

Congratulations to the both of you, and I am certain that the both of you will have a beautiful and blissful marriage together.