“I don’t want to talk about it”… No Rod is not here, but the singer of the band is. Belting this evergreen hit, to the crowd, having cocktails, and waiting to be ushered into the ballroom for the wedding dinner.

Jeannie, when signing us in, noted that we did not personally know the other guests assigned to our table. Great way to start the new year – meeting and making new friends.

It has been a great start of the new year. 2.75 days are up. People are still wishing each other “Happy New Year”. Depends on how you look at it, every day is a new year.

When the doors of the ballroom were opened and guests began making their way to their designated seating arrangements; I reminisced about the first time being in this ballroom some over two and a half decades ago when this hotel was under a different name. I was in life insurance back then. It was one of the many functions for top achievers and if my memory serves me well; we had quite a many functions for achievers held here. The service at that time was good (hence the multiple functions that we celebrated there).

As we entered the grand ballroom, we were engulfed in its bright, well lit, well decor-ed room that made everyone, both formal and informal, comfortable. I cannot say it looked just the same as back then. The room would have been renovated, refurbished and transformed several times over the years.

We got to our table with ease after having studied…(well, not really studied… more like glanced) at the floor plan of the table arrangement. Several of the guests assigned to our table, were already seated.

I cannot remember if there was a time there was an awkward silence…you know…when we don’t know the others and the others don’t know us. When everyone tries not to make eye contact but gazes around the room, look at the ceiling and admire the chandeliers, study the food itinerary intensely, whip out their cell phones… Well folks, there wasn’t any at our table.

It didn’t take us long to get acquainted. Three ladies, like Jeannie; were from the food industry, the same as Joon; Grace’s mother. Some others were neighbours. Mike is a pilot, flying Boeing 777 for one of the world’s leading airlines. And I, I the Hatted Writer; was accompanying Jeannie.

The bride, Grace; and bridegroom, Dave; arrived shortly and were escorted to the main table. It didn’t take us long to realise that this wasn’t the usual “stiff, prim & proper” wedding reception.

A live band was in attendance, singing and playing songs that the people in the room could sing, hum, tap fingers or feet, to. A young lady, who was the M.C., probably related to Grace; was wonderful. During the evening, she sang several upbeat songs. A young violinist, performed on stage, several times during the evening.

This violinist, a girl of about 10 years; did not seem to play based on memorizing note for note on a score sheet. She played with pizazz. I liked how she put zest into parts of the songs she played that only displayed her confidence.

Joon’s schoolmates from Muar; belted out a popular song, too. It looked like everyone there, were musically inclined.

This was followed by a speech made by Grace and Dave. They, then made their way round to all the tables, “yamseng-ing” away and having photographs taken with the guests.

What a great way to start the new year. A beautiful wedding reception. Jeannie and I sure had fun. It could probably be also due to the livewire at our table – a Malaysian lady, residing in Hong Kong; with her witty sense of humour. I think this was one of the best wedding receptions I have attended in a long time.