Aunt Memoirs

Mama told me that she volunteered me to be the official photographer for her youngest sister’s wedding. That’s before she told me that my Aunt wanted me to be her Maid Of Honor.

I am both thrilled and sort of torn after hearing this. You see, I’ve never been asked to be someone’s Maid Of Honor before. Let alone be an official photographer for a huge event.

To give you a little background about the bride-to-be, Tita Maan is my favorite aunt. The coolest. She’s a huge Eraserheads and Ely Buendia fan. And yes, you’ve guessed it, she’s the one who introduced me to the foursome’s music. My mother thought Eraserhead’s music was too loud for a then ten-year-old girl like me. But my Tita Maan insisted and eventually convinced my mom that it is indeed cool and worth listening to. I remember how thrilled my Tita was when she shared meeting Ely and the rest of the band for the first time at a gig in Mayrics. Dinayo pa talaga nya. I think that was during the release of the Sticker Happy album. She’s already 18 years old that time, so ok nang mag-lamyerda ika nga.

I never dreaded high school because of her. I remember asking my mom when will be the time I can wear the same uniform as Tita Maan’s. She never was the popular girl, and she does not belong to the popular crowd either. But she enjoyed school and the company of her few chosen friends the same as any popular girl would have. Seeing her every afternoon after school whenever I visit my mom at the faculty room, all excited to share how her day was made me admire her as a student. I often hear my mom being so proud of her accomplishments for the day because she always aced her exams and projects.

College year wasn’t as good as her high school year though. Having to deal with the worst professors and accusing her of something that she did not do was a huge blow for her. Well I think that was meant to happen, for I and my other cousins who look up to her will not be able to know the Tita Maan that we know today. The strong, passionate and caring Aunt that we know. She continued her life, found the best job, and is now getting married.

Her to-be-hubby is one lucky man.

Now to whether I’ll be among the ladies walking down the aisle on my Tita’s big day or the one who will be a shutterbug and capture this new phase in her life, I’ve decided to do the latter. Taking pictures is a natural high for me. The mere act of taking pictures and being able to express myself using the camera is the best feeling. I told my mom it would be a challenge to take great pictures with our point-and-shoot camera. Then she told me that she would ask their school’s media department if they can lend us their DSLR for a day or two, which made me more excited and wish that May 23 is a day away.