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On This Net I Thee Wed - Times Of India (July 4, 98) |
People usually have fond memories of their wedding day. I remember
my marriage for a different reason - for one, it was a very impulsive
decision. That, and the fact that I got married in my shorts!
It happened like this. Myfi and I were logged on to the Net from
home, searching for some information for her research paper, when
I stumbled across a site that conducted marriage ceremonies online.
Whether I was just not thinking or was plain bored, I'll never
know, but I popped the big question. Without batting an eyelid,
she agreed. "Let's do it", she said, "here and
now." It didn't matter to either of us that I was in my shorts,
while she was in jeans and a flannel shirt. We entered our names
in the site register, and with our hands on the keyboard, entered
the portals of the site to the familiar strains of Here comes
the bride.
The ceremony proper started off with the usual cautionary measure,
asking people who had sufficient cause to prevent this marriage
to speak up, or forever hold their peace. We got away easily,
since it was just the two of us at our wedding.
Solemn silence followed as the exchange of vows took place next
- "Lyndon Cerejo, will you take Myfi Lazrado to be your
virtual wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour, and
keep her in sickness and in health until death do you part?".
Since this was probably the last time that my opinion would be
sought, I meekly pressed the "I will" button. Myfi did
so too.
For the record, we both had to type in our virtual vows on the
page that followed : "For better, for worse, for richer,
for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part".
While I painstakingly keyed in the entire pledge, Myfi, on the
other hand, didn't have the patience and left out a few words
here and there. Finally it read :"I Myfi Lazrado take you,
Lyndon Cerejo, for my virtual lawful husband, to have to hold,
from this day forward, for better, for richer, in health, till
debt do us part."
A few seconds later, we were pronounced virtual husband and wife,
and given official permission to kiss each other. Thus blissfully
engaged, I faintly remember hearing sounds of a church organ playing
The Grand March in the background, while three cherubs showered
us with confetti online. We were just a mouse click away from
the Virtual Wedding Certificate, duly signed by the Cyberminister
- Doc Love.
Of course, we don't expect anyone to acknowledge this marriage,
our proof being a mere printout of the certificate, and since
no witnesses, family or friends were present. Besides, we had
to rush with the ceremony And since we had to get married before
we got disconnected by VSNL, which is why we didn't even have
time to arrange for a photographer, or a live video transmission
over the Internet.
As for our honeymoon? We went right back to our research paper.
Maybe Dad was right - since I spend every waking hour with my
computer, I'd best get married to my PC, settle down and have
a lot of laptops. That way, we'd spend a lot of quality time together.
And when the kids - my tiny laptops - are troublesome and difficult
to manage, it's just a matter of three buttons - the Control-Alt-Delete
would do the trick!
When you feel the urge to walk down the aisle with your Pentium,
click on http://www.nadtech.com/wedding.html
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