And I kind of like it. :) (Hey, it’s Valentines Day, I’m allowed to be keso. Heh.)

So I just finished another wedding album layout for Dave and Farrah, a couple from half-way across the world, whom I only know by name, and by the faces on their lovely wedding photos, which, for the past two weeks, have graced my laptop’s screen and Adobe Photoshop windows. It’s a lot of work, yes, but who wouldn’t enjoy doing something like this? :)

© MyPinoyWeddings.com

I’ve so far designed three albums — one for a couple named Sheila and Vince, another for a Sweet Sixteen-er named Sherrylou, and this latest album for Farrah and Dave. Now let me just say that.. one of the things I really love about this, compared to designing blog templates and websites, is that I don’t have to deal with coding and validating CSS and xhtml. I suck at those things! I really don’t have the patience to do codes and scripts the way Joni so gracefully does it. (Yeah, yeah. I’m a loser like that.)

But even more importantly, I love doing wedding album layouts because while I get to squeeze my creative juices and get paid on the side, I also get to be part of preserving these people’s most special, once-in-a-lifetime moments, albeit anonymously. I love it! :)

Apparently, aside from being surrounded by wedding photos, I’m also being surrounded by talks about marriage and wedding, and people getting married!

The other day, Apple left a comment on my about page, telling me that her husband ran into me and told her I was getting married soon. I made a mental checklist of all the people I ran into lately, and/or if I ever mentioned to anyone *wistfully* that I was getting married, and/or if I happened to have twitted something about getting married soon. I couldn’t remember any.

She must have mistaken me for someone else, I thought. True enough, she later left another comment telling me that she thought I was Liz of Wellwhatever.com. :P

So yeah. I’m sure everyone knows that already, Liz is getting married this year. Joni, Mae, and I heard the exciting news at the start of the year, and we couldn’t be any happier for her. Sigh. One gorjus blogger on her way to march down the isle — that’s definitely something to be excited about. Lead the way, Liz. :)

About three weeks ago, Shiela, another good friend of mine, tied the knot too. Day after her wedding, it was my former colleague, Reah’s turn. Soon, there’s Daph, a college friend. And Sharm, my boss’ fiancee. Haay. I remember that time in college, when I had to attend dozens of debuts within the span of a year. Now, at age 25, I have this list of weddings to look forward to.

So what does a quarter-lifer (like me) feel about being surrounded by weddings, you ask? I’d be lying if I say it doesn’t make me nostalgic, and dreamy, and wishful. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I want to get married anytime soon. It’s more like, people around me getting married being one clear indication that we’re all getting old and stepping up to the next level. More so, it’s a reality check on how fast time flies, and how the world moves on.

Weddings will always be special to us women. Even the simple thoughts of it can make us tear up, smile, dream, and look wistfully out the window and into the clouds — regardless if we’re the ones getting married or not. How else can I explain the joy that came over me, designing Dave and Farrah’s wedding layout above? In spite of not personally knowing these people, a big part of me is sharing their joy.

No, I’m not getting married anytime soon, let me get that one on record. :P But for now, I don’t mind being surrounded by weddings, and the simple joys that come with it. :)