Then came Simon and Chloe’s turn. Chloe, in our humble opinion, gave the best speech of the night.
“I’m not someone who talks much, but I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude,” she began in Mandarin.
Chloe, who grew up in Malaysia, first thanked her parents for giving her the freedom to pursue her dreams from a young age. She also expressed her gratitude towards Simon’s parents, her friends, and her wedding party.
“Lastly, I want to thank my husband, [the person who] will be by my side every step of the way in the future. Thank you for appearing in my life, for showing me all the things I’ve never seen, and for letting me experience all the things I didn’t get to experience in the past. I chose you, not because I’m past 30, and want to quickly settle down. It’s because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. In the future, I hope we’ll cherish each other, and the time we get to spend together.”
“I know we will have fights, and will disagree with each other at times, but I hope we’ll never care about who wins or loses, because when you lose, I’ll lose with you, and when you’re victorious, I’ll always be there to share your victory. In poverty and in wealth, and in sickness or health, I’ll always be by your side. I will love you, be loyal to you, and protect you forever.”
Now, who’s cutting onions?
Simon’s speech was equally moving, especially the part where he took the time to honour and thank his stepfather.
“He’s been in my life ever since I was five,” revealed Simon.
“I call him uncle. When I told him I wanted to learn swimming, he would come home from work at 5pm sharp every single day to take me swimming. He never missed a day, and I learnt how to swim in two weeks. When I told him I liked Fann Wong, he brought me to Sungei Road to buy photos of Fann Wong.
“Today, my mentor told me: “Simon, if you regard him as a father, you should call him ‘dad’.” So I want to tell him, Pa, thank you for loving me since I was young, and for treating me as a son. You don’t have to worry about anything when you grow old, I’ll definitely take good care of you,” said Simon, all choked up with emotion.
He then ended his speech by addressing his bride: “To my beloved wife, we’ve waited for three years, and finally this day has come. Thank you for your companionship, and for helping me understand what it means to win together during the ups, and to get back on our feet together during the downs. If you ask me if my wife will still be with me if I lose everything today, I can confidently tell you she will not leave me. Because that’s where we started. If I lose everything, I will tell you that I will still live my life well, because I am still with the person who means the most to me.
“You never looked down on me, even when I only had $10. You encouraged me to work, you never minded my past, and the fact that I’ve been to jail. It’s because of your unwavering support that I’ve managed to achieve what I have today. I might not have been the best boyfriend, but I promise to be the best husband.”
The clock struck 11, and the couple would go on to take pictures with their guests and mingle with their nearest and dearest, all while the alcohol kept flowing, and the conversations continued late into the night.