Last Sunday, I had the honor of attending my friend’s wedding as a “Ninang” (godmother). It was a beautiful event, but my journey to get there was anything but smooth. Reflecting on the experience, I’ve come away with some lessons about preparation, perspective, and finding grace in unexpected moments.

Let’s rewind six months ago when my friend told me I would be one of her Ninangs. I immediately thought, I need to go on a diet! I promised myself that I’d shed some weight and find the perfect dress closer to the wedding. Fast forward to last weekend, and while I did find the dress, the “diet” part never quite happened. The pandemic years had taken their toll, and I struggled to get back to my pre-pandemic build.

On the wedding day, my makeup was done, and I was ready to slip into my gown. But as I tried to zip it up, my sister and I realized it wasn’t going to close. We thought, Maybe we just need an extra pair of hands. So, we headed off to pick up my other sister to help. On the way out, I rushed to wear my ring and was dumbfounded when I noticed my finger was turning black already because it was just too tight. And as if it was a series of unfortunate events, I struggled to even put on my slip-on shoes as the strap just couldn’t fit. Thanks to my sister who helped me try to squeeze my feet into them.

And so we met my other sister, and the two of them helped zip me up but still, no luck—and then the zipper snapped. Panic set in as we realized there was no way to close the dress, and the clock was ticking. The wedding was less than 20 minutes away!

We rushed to an alteration shop near my sister’s house, only to find it closed. Desperate, we drove to the mall, hoping for a miracle. The seamstress there shook her head, saying there was nothing she could do. Feeling defeated, I asked her to just sew up the back of the dress, even if it looked terrible. At that point, I didn’t care about appearances—I just needed to be there for my friend.

While waiting, I sent my sister on a mission to find another dress. The first one she showed me was… hideous!!!. I couldn’t bring myself to wear it—it felt like social suicide.

I was already drafting a text to my friend, apologizing for not making it, when my sister sent another photo. It was a long emerald green gown with a gradient to light green. It was beautiful, and—most importantly—it was the only piece available. I told her to buy it immediately.

The dress turned out to be a perfect fit and even more stunning than my original gown. We hurried to the venue and arrived at 4 PM, just as the wedding march was about to begin. Thankfully, Filipino time worked in my favor, and I made it just in time.

These moments were a wake-up call: I needed to take better care of my health and be more prepared. The wake-up alarm this time was just too loud, and I know that for 2025, I need to pay attention to my health already.

It was a stressful and funny moment, but at the same time, it got me thinking as well.

Miracles Don’t Have to Be Grand

Finding the perfect gown in time felt like a miracle. It reminded me that blessings often come in small, unexpected ways.

Preparation Is Key

While miracles can happen, they’re no substitute for preparation. If I had tried on my original gown earlier, I could’ve avoided all the stress and panic.

Good Things Can Come from Bad Situations

My replacement gown turned out to be even better than the original. The zipper breaking was a blessing in disguise because it happened before I reached the venue. Imagine the disaster if it had snapped during the wedding!

This experience was a whirlwind, but it’s one I won’t forget. It taught me to laugh at the chaos, appreciate small blessings, and always be better prepared. As I look back, I’m just grateful I made it to the wedding in one piece—and in a dress that fit.