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15ƪÎÄÕ¹ᴩӢÓï6¼¶´Ê»ãUNIT1InAnotherWorldHereIam,inChina,halfwayaroundtheworldfromhome.AsIlookatmyclockandcalculatethetimebackhomeIrealizethathalfaworldaway,peoplearebusygettingreadyforawedding.Thebrideismyniece,apersonIfirstmetwhenshewasthreedaysoldIthinkbacktothefirsttimeIhadtheopportunitytobecomeacquaintedwithmyniece.Asmysistercradledherinherarms,theinfantgirlclaspedhermother'soutstretchedfinger.Myintuitiontoldmethathertemperamentwouldbeasunnydisposition,ajoytopeoplearoundherAsshegrew,thecutelittlegirlhadaninfectiouslaughthatstartedasasmallgrin,thenbecameagiggleandgrewlouderandlouderuntilittriggeredaresponsefromallthepeoplearoundherandtheyjoinedin.Asanadolescent,shestudiedhardandenjoyedwelldeservedsuccessinsecondaryschoolassheinteractedwithherpeergroup.Afterreceivingherhighschooldiploma,shechosenursingashercareer.FromthebeginningoftheyoungcouplesromanceitwasevidentthattheywerecompatibleandwerecompletelyintriguedwitheachotherThecouplehadanengagementpartywhenIwasathomeinCanadaafewmonthsago.Thepartywasintheformofapicnicinabeautifulrosegarden.Tocelebrateandtotoasttheirfuture,wedrankchampagne.Astheyposedunderanarchcoveredwithclimbingroses,wesnappedpicturesfortheirphotoalbum.Thecoupledecidedonafallwedding.Plansfortheweddingdaywereactivatedimmediately.Thedecisionsabouttheforthcomingeventweresharedbythewholefamily.Aclosefriendofthefamilywascontactedandinvitedtosingasolojustpriortotheceremony.Thedaybeforetheceremony,arehearsalwouldtakeplacesothattheremainderofthedetailscouldbelookedafterandattendedto.Theplanningthattakesplacebeforehandforoneoftheseeventsandalltheworkthatthebigdayentails,withmanypeoplecollaboratingtomaketheeventrunsmoothly,areimmense.TheconscientiousattentiontodetailwillbeevidenttothespectatorsofthiseventIcanimaginetheexcitementandemotionsofthefamilytoday.Thetimeisnear.Theceremonywillbeginin3shorthours.Thebridewillberadiantasshecomesdowntheaisleescortedbyherfather.Shewillwearhergrandmother'spearlsasanaccessory.Herveilwillbethesameoneashercousinworelastyear.Asiscustomary,underhergarmentsshewillwearabluegarter.AspartofthetraditionofCanadianweddings,shewillbewearingsomethingold(thepearls),somethingnew(hergown),somethingborrowed(theveil)andsomethingblue(thegarter).Asthefirstchordsoftheweddingmarchareplayed(amelodyfamiliartoall),thecongregationwillrise.Gaspswillbeheardastheycatchaglimpseofthebrideinhergorgeousweddinggown.Themotherofthebridewillcalmlyviewthiswholeevent,thoughtearswillblurhervision.Shewillbeovercomewithsentimentatherdaughter'sapparenthappiness.Thepicturewillbeonethatwillembodyhopeforthefutureofhumanity.Asthecoupleexchangeweddingvowstheywillbeaffirmingtheirloveandmakingacommitmenttoeachother.AllthespectatorsaretheretowishthemwellAsthetimeapproaches,Ithinkbacktootherfamilyweddingsovermanyyears.MyoldersisterswereallmarriedinthesamechurchandasbridestheycarriedawhiteBibledecoratedwithtinyroses.Thereceptionsfortheirweddingswereallheldinthesamechurchbasement,astherewasnolargebanquethallinthelocalarea.Thefeastwasusuallycateredbyagroupofchurchmembers.Today'sweddingreceptionwillbeheldinanarenathatwillbedecoratedwithjusttherightamountoffallflowersinwonderfularraystogiveitdignityyetatouchofglamour.Thetabledecorationswillbeamasterpiece.Oneofthetabledecorationswillbesmallpumpkins,usedascontainersforflowersthatwerecollectedfromfamilygardens,surroundedbyalargewreathmadefromlongstalksofwheat.Therewillbeafewcolouredleavesplacedinsidethewreath.Maybetheywilluseoakandmapleleavestoshowthesplendouroftheautumncolours.Thecolouroftheoutfitsthatthebridesmaidsarewearingwillbefallcoloursaswell.Theingeniousdecorationswillbeappreciatedbythemanyguestsattendingthefestivities.Ateachplacesettingtherewillbeaspecialpapernapkinwiththebrideandgroom'snameprintedonitandthedateoftheirwedding.Itwillbecarefullyfoldedplacedontopandofalinennapkin.Thiswillbeoneofthesouvenirstheguestswillhavetocommemoratethespecialweddingday.Alsoateachplacewillbeafewafterdinnermintsfortheguests.Aminiaturetreewillalsobeplacedateachpersonsplace.Theintentisforthegueststotakethelittletreehomandtransplantittoaspecialplace.Inthisway,ourenvironmentisalsoimprovedandthetreewillbecomealivingtributetotheyoungcouple.Thegroomwillcarryheracrossthethresholdasiscustomaryforayoungcoupleastheybegintheirnewlifetogether.ThehoneymoonplanswilltakethemtothewestcoastofCanada.Theywillhaveaweekofprivacyfarawayfromfriendsandfamily.TheywillinhabitacondominiuminthetownofWhistler,BritishColumbia,intheRockyMountains.Theywillfeelasiftheyareroyaltylivinginamansioninthislittlebitofparadiseonearth.Thereafter,theywillreturnhometoOntariowheretheywillresideTheiroriginalplantospendtheirhoneymoononboardayachtintheMediterraneanSeawasabandonedwhenworldcircumstancesdictatedthatourcountryCanadawasasaferchoiceEarlierthismonth,asIthoughtabouttheforthcomingmarriage,andknewthatIwouldbeunabletoattend,Idecidedtowriteamessagetotheyoungcouple.Theintentwasthatthemessagewouldbereadaloudduringtheweddingreception.Inthemessage,IwishedthemwellandurgedthemtocherisheachothereverydayUNIT2Let'sDressUp¡ª¡ªIt'sHa