a soka wedding

this afternoon i attended a soka wedding at tampines. it was an invitation from my former colleague from ghim moh secondary, who is in her 40s. the invitation stated that the ceremony would be held between 1.30 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. i reached tampines soka centre at 1.25 p.m.

it was just like any wedding. the bride was dressed in a white bridal gown and the groom was in coat and tie. we signed the well wishers book before we were ushered into the hall.

there was an altar right in the middle and two candles were lit. there were two trays of fruit, apples and oranges, i think. there must have been a gong and some other paraphernalia. i did not really take a close look.

at 1.45 p.m. the doors to the hall were reopened and, to the tune of the wedding march and applause, the couple walked in. they sat down in front of a table facing the altar. the leader who would be leading in the chanting sat across the table.

two glove-wearing assistants walked up to the altar, one of them used a key to open the doors. the doors opened to reveal some script; there was no idol or image of the buddha. the gong was struck and the chanting of the lotus sutra began.

as the gong was struck, some people, mostly women, in the hall took out their rosaries and small hymn books. they chanted along with the leader. sounded different from the chants i used to hear in a buddhist temple.

when the chanting was over, there was an exchange of ring ceremony and the leader spoke some words of encouragement and advice for the wedded couple. the two assistants closed and locked the doors of the altar.

when the ceremony was over, the more than 200 guests and friends adjourned to the tampines safra club house where the reception was held. it was a buffet lunch catered by the resident caterer of the safra restaurant, sakura.