Bastes-Serisola Wedding

The wedding day started at 5am at a pre-reserved hotel room, where we bridesmaids and the flowergirls got all 'purtied up' for the wedding.  That included Hair and Makeup, as well as quick manicure/finger and toenails painted for anyone who needed them done (done by me).

We had a lot of fun..though it was a good bit crowded.. ;)

My Wedding Hair (looking from the top)

After preparations/pictures at the hotel, we were driven to the church, where we had paniudto (lunch), and prepared/waited for the wedding to start...

PROCESSIONAL

First to walk down the aisle were the candle lighters - "to light the path".

Then Pastor Nahor (pastor of Marbel Baptist Church) and the other officiating minister--a long time friend of Jim and Sylvette's.

Best Men--Jim Harris' two older brothers.

I think this is neat...the parents walk Jim Harris down the aisle. Then they sit down, while he stands--waiting.

Next the Principal Sponsors entered - "To stand as witnesses to their exchange of vows"

The Boswells from Mercy Clinic

Nanay's boss at the Government Accounting Office..isn't her dress exquisite??

Then came the Bearers....carrying "the symbols of love".

The Bible Bearer - for marriage needs to be founded on the Word of God. He is the pillar of a God-centered marriage. Luke 6:48

The Coin Bearer - representing the most common reasons divorce happens, and how imperative that we give all our finances back to God, for after all, we are only the caretakers. Also, a reminder to earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can. Luke 16:9-13

The Ring Bearer - symbolizing the couple's promise of faithfulness and fidelity for the rest of their lives.

Secondary Sponsors - "To guide them on their way"... "2 to light their path, 2 to clothe them as one, and 2 to bind them together".

Brittany and Vonn

Bridesmaids and Groomsmen (there were many of us...):

JR & Faith (friend of Sylvette's)

Estoy and Elianna (a Boswell girl)

Flower Girls - "To shower the aisles with flowers"

Maid of Honor

(Cousin)

Entrance of the Bride's Parents..

I thought this was really neat....the father escorts his wife (the mother) halfway down the aisle, and then they turn as the bride enters, and escort her the rest of the way down the aisle--together, as a couple, and then give her away.

Giving of the bride.....

In American weddings, we seem to spend thousands of dollars for a 30-60 minute ceremony with little to some really special emphasis on anything other then 'getting hitched'. Then, at the reception, we might have testimonies, or other things like that.....

Here, after the Officiator said his part (especially about it being about time they got married, since they had dated for 6 years ;p), both Jim Harris and Sylvette shared their testimonies and thanked/honored their parents for all their years of investing....

Then, they both went and hugged and kissed their parents, and gave them these HUGE cards with thanks and remembrances...

The officiating minister then gave a powerful mini-seminar on the true meaning of Marriage, pitfalls to watch out for, and deep tips..it was powerful.

Another thing I should add is that because the service is so long (lasting over 1.5 hours), both the bride and groom sit on the stage, and all of the attendants sit in the front pews, coming up as needed.

I don't have any pictures of the rest of us singing, as the photographers were focused on...duh...photographing the bride and groom. ;)

Eva singing her song

Jim has a beautiful voice, and Sylvette really wanted him to sing to her, and so he sang to her...

Tomorrow morning if you wake up

And the sun does not appear

I... I will be here

If in the dark we lose sight of love

Hold my hand and have no fear

'Cause I... I will be here

I will be here, When you feel like being quiet

When you need to speak your mind, I will listen

And I will be here, When the laughter turns to crying

Through the winning, losing, and trying

We'll be together, 'Cause I will be here

Tomorrow morning if you wake up

And the future is unclear

I... I will be here

As sure as seasons are made for change

Our lifetimes are made for years

So I... I will be here

I will be here, And you can cry on my shoulder

When the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you

And I will be here, To watch you grow in beauty

And tell you all the things you are to me

I will be here, hmmm

I will be true to the promise I have made

To you and to the One who gave you to me

And just as sure as seasons are made for change

Our lifetimes are made for years

So I... I will be here

We'll be together, I will be here.

Then, the symbolisms of love and marriage started, with mini seminars on the importance of the truths behind them following as well.

2 ceremonies that I have never seen before, but that deeply impressed me, and I really want to do at my wedding, for my sake...as a reminder of our God-given positions were:

The Veil Ceremony - The veil clothes them as one, but is placed over the man's shoulders and over the woman's head--symbolizing that God has placed the man as the head of the home and has given him the mantle of authority and responsibility for his home, and that he is directly under God. The veil over the woman's head shows that she is under submission to her husband, and will be his helpmeet, not his equal, and is under his umbrella of protection. Ephesians 5:23-31

The Cord Ceremony - The circular ring of cord is placed around the couple, "binding them together", but also symbolizing that though God has specifically given the husband authority in the marriage, under God as Christians, they are both equally important to God. Galatians 3:27, Matthew 19:6

While they said their vows, all of the principal sponsors stood as witnesses.

The signing of the marriage contract.

Lighting of the Unity Candle, during which I sung 'Love of My Life (per Jim's special request) by Michael W. Smith

I cried a lot during this wedding, but especially through this part...when the entire immediate family came up and prayed over the couple. At home, praying over individuals (as well as One Accord Prayer/Crying out to God) is an important and powerful part of our Christian walk, but it is scarcely used by many Christians today, and so to come to the Philippines, and see it actively used, with outstretched arms was powerful...you could feel the powerful presence of God there.

The audience

Pronouncement of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Harris Bastes!!!!

One thing that is debated about weddings, is when to take pictures.... The problem with doing all the pictures after the wedding is that it takes so long for the couple to get to the reception (venue)...

At this wedding, they had a slightly different approach.. All separate pictures were taken before the wedding, but Jim didn't see Sylvette until she walked down the aisle.

However, instead of the bride/groom and bridal party having a grand exit immediately following the Pronouncement, we had 'Pictorials'... With the entire audience watching on...it included family, bridal party, and extended family (which was almost 1/2 the church??), and then anyone else who wanted to be in a group picture....though there were only a few of those.

It went by really fast too...though with 4 cameras taking pictures and videos being taken too, sometimes it was hard to know where to look...

The Bastes family (including the adopted sister)

The Serisola family (though the 2 girls are cousins who just happened to be in the picture)

This wedding was truly the most beautiful, most significant wedding I have ever been to.... There are SO many jewels I took away from this..it was so God-honoring, such a good reminder what marriage is really about---glorifying God, being a light for Him, and producing/training up the next generation to do the same.

Jim and Sylvette are so perfect for each other, and it was a joy to see them joined in Holy Union to serve God together for the rest of their lives. God has been so faithful to them...

Reception Pictures coming next post....

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him...And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

~ Genesis 2:18, 23-24 ~