Martin & Nina's wedding

 

i can't believe i'm writing a post on Martin and Nina's wedding more than half a month after the most grande day of their lives. please pardon the tardiness but my life currently lacks a laptop so that's my excuse. 

Martin ohhh Martin. throughout high school and college years my friends awaited the day that he bring a girl around that we would genuinely like and respect. see, Martin is a sweetheart. that's to say he will do anything (i repeat...ANYTHING)  for the people he cares about. once he decides he likes someone he puts his all into it. whether it's family, friends or potential girlfriends. but the problem with this is that just because he saw the world in someone else doesn't mean that they deserved to be a part of his world. i wanted to see him with someone worthy of his thoughtfulness, kindness and caring ways. true, he says some asshole things sometimes and can be inappropriate at other times but if you know him well you know he's joking and would never hurt a fly (so to speak). ultimately he's a big bundle of jokes and warmth. i just wanted to see him with someone who looked at him with the same admiration as he had for them. enter Nina. one thanksgiving gathering years ago Martin brought Nina over to my house and almost immediately i could tell that they were a kickass pairing. they made each other laugh and seemed so comfortable with each other (something i never felt with any other girls i'd met prior). it didn't hurt that she was also super cute, goofy and easy to talk to. all of our friends instantly liked her and were hoping that one day they'd get married. 

wellllllll it looks like our dreams have come true! on August 2nd they were married at St. Vincent's Boys School in San Rafael among a huge gathering of 350 friends and family. she looked beautiful and he looked stressed. but that's okay because it's in his nature to give a damn about everybody else's experience. while i wish he were able to just take a step back and relax to enjoy himself, he wanted to make sure everybody else was having a good time. this is what i love about Martin. when people stood to give speeches and the audience gave less attention than the speaker deserved, Martin made sure that the audience knew he wanted their undivided attention towards the speaker to give them the respect they deserved for getting up in front of hundreds of people to talk. luckily with a little liquor and a lot of love, he was able to end his night dancing with some of his best friends along with his blushing bride. the wedding as a whole was relaxed and full of heart. people enjoyed themselves as they shared in a moment everybody was genuinely happy to witness.

Nina and Martin, as you already know, i am so so very happy for you guys. i couldn't think of either of your lives without the other. Nina, welcome to our friend-family (even though you were fully welcomed years ago already)!

the quick glimpse i got of Nina at the beginning of her trek down the verrrry long aisle of people waiting to witness their love day.

 

from a far, zoomed in as much as my iphone would allow

my favorite lady friends! 

jenny, trina, kris, kim, jax, steph, bryli and meiche

my awesome date for the night

my date and my Special Friend's date. they have to hang together because Kris and i are like this [crosses fingers over one another].

Brylersons lookin' cool in her shades

hey pretty lady! i see you!

adorable, you two!

this is how i like them the most, always making each other laugh

cute and simple

kris said "she never drinks with us! she drinks with other people but never invites us to drink with her!" so here it is! and for the record that's not true. our early-mid 20's were full of liver destruction.

Martin's mom has always been like our own mother. she looked radiant that day and full of so much happiness. not only did her son get married and she gained a daughter, but she also became a grandmother just two weeks prior. what an awesome year for her!

1) props 2) dinosaur faces (because Bryli was saying something about dino faces) 3) regularis 4) the "EAE" symbol (our high school clique name. i will not break down the acronym due to embarrassment though) which i obviously was not well versed in.

me and mine

the CUTEST vietnamese outfits! you can't really tell but Nina's was made of red lace for a more modern version and it was just perfect!

dancing with mama

what a great grooms cake. it's SO them. actually, it literally is them.

git it!

Eric caught the garter, which is fitting considering we've all been waiting ever so patiently for him to propose to Kim. i'm waiting for that text or call, dude. can you just do it already?

physical therapy school is supposed to make you super knowledgeable about the human body and it's muscular system but judging by this picture it obviously doesn't teach you how to use those muscles for dancing purposes, huh Dr. Toy? also, let it be known that i will NEVER call you Dr. Toy unless it's in mockery. you're still Pattoy to me.

line dances aren't a chinese thing....jenny looks like she's having fun. pattoy looks confused and fearful.

our boys being awesome as always!

jax is not loving this moment.or is she?

open your eyeeeees Tedison!

dancing with the lady of the night!

wisp her away

 all love, smiles and happiness for Martin on his big day! i'm oh so very happy for you, BD!

cancun for #karlsgettingmuried

view from my hotel room! =)

hola! just got back from Cancun a few days ago for Karl and Muri's wedding, hashtagged karlsgettingmuried. though not very long, it was an awesome fun trip. in short, the extended weekend consisted of trying to even out a horrid body tan at the beach to no avail, a welcome party with a sunset background, Karl actually getting Muried, loads of face stuffing and too much liver deterioration, a trip to Xichen Itza, search for legit local food, new friends and hilarious conversation. i'll keep this post with less words and more photos because sometimes i talk too much and today i won't. 

hi boys! my mexican for the weekend, ex-actual-roommate and roomie for the weekend Fern, who provided as my personal translator. and john who just looks like he's mexican. 

John, Johnson, Karl, Muri, Fern

first encounters with some of the 60+ people who were in Cancun for the wedding.

hey, beautiful! i'd like to keep seeing you every day for the rest of my life mmmkay?

at the welcome dinner with that gorgeous sunset as our backdrop.

laaaadies! i clearly didn't get the patterned dresses memo. in my defense the invite said "casual" sooo...

snagging one of very few moments with the lady of the weekend.

Johnson and i were the only people from work (Muri's my coworker as well as a friend outside of work) who were able to make it to the wedding. 

*Coworker Friends, i wish you all could have been there! we need to plan a vacay!

*sorry Stella, i stole you man for the night! jk! 

*John, awesome...your thumb made it into the shot! 

you know what i liked most about this wedding was that not everything had to be perfect and Karl and Muri would be just fine with that. the flower girl didn't touch one flower, come time for vows we all discovered that they were hidden in the MOH's purse which was sitting in the audience somewhere, at some point during the ceremony the words "nooo...not 'single'" were said by Muri to correct a mistake Karl had made, and with all eyes on her on the way into the reception the bride tripped. but they just laugh it off because marriage and life in general isn't about perfection or putting on a face, it's about experience and laughter. at some point during the reception Muri asked me if i cried (which for the record, i did) because she knows that if i'm in attendance at a wedding in which i don't think the bride and groom are an amazing match for each other, i shed no tears. there is an ease about the way they interact with each other that makes me truly believe that these two were meant to be. cheers to a wonderful life together, you two! 

she is often mistaken for one of my people (chinese). it's pretty clear where she gets that from, huh? 

i like taking hands photos during weddings. also...f*ck old school paper! nowadays ipads and iphones deliver vows. 

=)

the new Mr. and Mrs. Detert!!

Karl has never looked more dapper than on his wedding day...

Trae and Jerel

Angel and Evan

Zye and Fern

Kat and Ceaze

spent a bunch of time hanging out with this funny ass group of fellas over the weekend. 

*how many "this could be you" Tinder photos did you guys snag that weekend? haha ;)

Augs and Special Friend

Arthur, Abby, Kris

you guys know how every girl has that ombre hair thing going on? i'm taking it to the next level with the ombre body. dark on top and fades to light. so. not. cool. but seriously...i might have to Donald Duck it  (y'know...wear tops only, no bottoms) for a while to even out this tan!

me: do you want to take a picture with their sombreros on?

kris: uhh maybe wait until they stop singing first?

me: no, let's just take them...i don't think they'll mind...

for the record no latino guy minds asian chicks wanting to borrow their anything.

shots with the newlyweds! 

is this not the most cute, awesome and appropriate favor ever?? 

roomies!

table 6

haha! i love that the bride didn't care to look flawless in every photo. 

commanding the bar! she tends to do this when she's drunk.

uh-oh! he's going in with a purpose...

oh damn! 

cute!

see what i mean by not having to be flawless? this picture encapsulates her personality. forget the dress or being classy (haha!) as long as you're having fun! 

Erica and Doug

with the beautiful bride! aaaaand Karl's semi-photobomb! 

with the ever changing color of the room our pearly whites look like grillz.

we were all clearly increasingly intoxicating as the night progressed

boys prom pic

our turn, ladies! nice pose Karl.

do. not. know. oh now i see...so thaaaat's what my resting bitch face looks like! they look cute..i look like an asshole. 

oh, just resting.

i'm not sure what's going on but it's cute. 

a group of us at the Mayan ruins, Xichen Itza

hmm...without that shadow below me, i almost look like i photoshopped myself in.

a quick trip to the ceynote, which is located amidst a normal town. above this are buildings and such. cool, huh?

we were in search of chicarones and found them at the Mercado 23, which is where all the legit, non-tourist mexican food is

maize and cacao drink. not my favorite. 

pork taco time. 

Fern was in search of chocolate milk, which is nostalgic for him and reminds him of his kiddie days spent in Guadalajara. success! 

last drink in Mexico! baby coronas! 

taking a little autobus to the Mercado 28, which is just a whole bunch of stuff (souvenirs) and haggling. no thanks.

we had a nine hour layover in Mexico City and found a mexican Denny's called Wings to spend our time at. as the big buff Mexican, his job was to protect us and our things but considering we call him Narcoleptic Fern, i knew this wasn't going to be the case. see what i meeeaan? haha!

awesome times, friends! 

Karl and Muri, love you guys!