When they arrived at the wedding venue, Noah and Natasha saw that the reception had already begun. Mahesa and Irawan were on stage, giving their welcome speeches as the fathers of the bride and groom.
The wedding organizer team, who had been waiting for them outside, instructed them to remain inside the car. It was not yet time for them to make their entrance.
They would enter only after both fathers had finished their speeches.
Not long after, they heard the MC announce their arrival and invite them into the reception area.
Guided by the wedding organizers, Noah and Natasha slowly made their way toward the rustic wedding stage, surrounded by lush, forest-themed decorations. A green carpet stretched across the synthetic grass toward the stage, with white flower petals scattered along its length.
They walked down the carpet with Natasha gently holding Noah's left arm.
On both sides of the carpet stood several square tables, each surrounded by eight beautifully designed wooden chairs. The tables and chairs were decorated with arrangements of green leaves, pinecones, white roses, green tulle, and white satin.
As Noah and Natasha entered, every guest turned to look at them.
Natasha knew that many of them were probably wondering why the groom had suddenly changed. She could hear whispers spreading among the guests as they watched the couple make their way toward the stage.
Only the immediate family knew that Adam had disappeared. A few other people had also been informed about the situation, but most of the guests had no idea what had happened.
Dr. Indria and Dr. Niken, who were sitting together at one of the tables, looked at Natasha questioningly, silently asking her for an explanation.
Natasha gave them a brief nod, as if telling them to be patient.
When they reached the rustic, forest-themed stage, decorated predominantly in shades of green, they were asked to take their seats. Noah sat to Natasha's right.
There were also seats for both sets of parents on either side of the stage.
One event followed another, and everything went smoothly.
The guests congratulated the newlyweds, food and drinks were served, and everyone took pictures with the couple. The entertainment was lively as well, keeping the atmosphere cheerful throughout the evening.
The only thing Natasha was worried about was the weather.
The entire reception was held outdoors, completely beneath the open sky. There was no tent covering the guests. The only tent was set up over the buffet area.
The reception would be paused when it was time for the evening prayer.
As darkness slowly descended, beautiful lights began to illuminate the venue. The lively atmosphere gradually transformed into something warmer, more intimate, and romantic.
Soft music began to fill the air.
Mahesa had deliberately invited several popular artists from the capital, including a young pianist who was currently at the peak of his popularity.
There was also a famous celebrity couple who performed some of their biggest hits.
The highlight of the evening was the newlyweds' first dance as husband and wife.
A beautiful piano melody filled the air as Noah took Natasha's hand and led her toward the center of the reception area. Together, they stepped onto a low, semicircular stage.
Noah gazed at Natasha tenderly before placing one hand around her waist and holding her other hand firmly with his free hand.
Following the gentle rhythm of the piano, they began to move gracefully around the stage, becoming the center of everyone's attention.
When the music finally came to an end, applause filled the venue as they slowly stepped down from the stage.
"Little sis, can I have the second dance?" Jonathan approached the newlyweds and held out his hand toward his sister.
"Of course," Natasha replied.
The second dance was not limited to just one couple.
Several couples joined them on the dance floor—Natasha and Jonathan, Noah and his mother, their parents, Monica and Armand, along with several other couples.
As the night grew later, the party became even livelier.
The soft piano melodies were replaced by energetic music that had everyone dancing until they were drenched in sweat.
---
Exhausted after the long celebration, Noah and Natasha returned to the villa together in Noah's black Ford Ranger Raptor.
Meanwhile, their parents went straight back to the hotel because they would be returning to Jakarta the following afternoon.
Jonathan, who had arrived earlier in Noah's car, returned to the hotel with his father.
As soon as Noah and Natasha arrived at the villa, they went straight to their bedroom.
"Who should shower first, you or me?" Natasha asked.
"You go first. I don't mind. I just want to lie down for a while. I'm exhausted," Noah replied.
He sat down on the sofa, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over the backrest. He then loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt.
"This was only a hundred guests, Noah. In three days, there'll be five times as many," Natasha said with a small smile.
"You're right..." Noah suddenly realized that everything was far from over. "How could I forget? The reception in Jakarta..."
Seeing the expression on Noah's face, Natasha burst into laughter as she walked into the bathroom.