Wedding Expenses

No couple wants to go into debt in the name of wedding budgets and start off the marriage in liabilities. For a perfectly budgeted wedding and honeymoon, carefully itemize each expense to make it a groan-free success. You will be paying out a lot and small items seem to add up and if you are not careful, you can easily go over the budget.

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Who pays for what?

A wedding planner, Patricia, from Wedding Essentials says there are no hard and fast rules as to who pays for what. From her experience it’s the couple that pays for the wedding with the support of their family and friends. Traditionally, the African custom dictates that the groom and his family pay for most of the expenses. So in most cases, you’ll find that many times it’s the groom’s side who take care of the larger side of the cost and the smaller costs like the tents and flowers, the bride plays a dominant role because the theme is normally the bride’s. So together with the groom, they will have to put their money together and decide how much they are going to spend on the different things and to have a contingency. Sometimes depending on the financial status of the couple and their respective families, costs may be shared on any item related to the wedding. While some parents may offer a cash gift for the couple to choose how they want to spend it, offers of cash from uncles, aunties, and grandparents are common but not expected. In the western world and Asian communities, the bride pays for the whole wedding including dowry where applicable.

Gone are the days that couples had to rigidly follow traditional rules and customs. More and more couples are opting for the modern way of setting a wedding and many times, there really are no rules or division of duties. Both parties can agree to share the expenses of the wedding, or the bride and groom can decide to pay for it themselves. Rules are bending or being bent to accommodate the bride and groom’s wishes which are the most important in the end. Couples usually save up for their wedding if they decide to pay for it on their own. Sometimes if the expenses become a tad staggering for them, they may ask for help from close friends or relatives.

Who Pays for What?

Most of you (40%) are paying for your own wedding, of these 64% are using their own savings, while a small percentage (14%) is getting loans from the bank. 18% of you are asking friends to assist you, while 8% of you have your parents financing your wedding. In comparison, 99% of the Asian brides told us their family is paying for the wedding.

How much are People Spending on Weddings?

On average the African bride (51%) is spending Ksh500,000 to Ksh1.5 million, while 19% spend below Ksh500,000. 12% spend over Ksh1.5million. 5.3% are spending over Ksh2.5 million. On average the Asian bride is spending not less than Ksh5 million. The average guest list is not less than 3000, with most holding not less than three parties.

Her Hand in Marriage

99% of the grooms are still the ones popping the big question, of those 43% go down on one knee half the time over a romantic dinner.

Wedding Planning Stress

Surprise, coping with your mother in-law and dealing with both families is the least stressful thing about organizing your wedding. Issues with financial planning ranked first, followed by traditional ceremonies, guest list, and balancing your job with planning weddings, in that order.

The First Night

62 % of you told us that you plan to stay in a hotel for the first night while all of you plan to go for honeymoon. 51% of you will travel to a domestic destination, while 42% plan foreign travel. The rest of you are not sure.

Big Day Beauty

Most of you are planning to change your usual cosmetic brand with more emphasis being on lipstick, perfume and eye shadow. Advertising and magazine articles are still Influencing your choice of a cosmetic brand for your big day beauty

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Janet and Gus

Beginning:

Gus was doing his masters degree in history and Janet pursuing her bachelor’s degree in biology in Pennsylvania and that’s how they met at the library! “We had no courses together and didn’t even take classes in the same building the only place we could have met is in the library. I studied and worked at the library’s café and I noticed that while he was in the library studying, he would buy endless cups of coffee just to keep talking to me.” Janet says.

DSC_0129 (2) DSC_0288 The proposal:

After 1 year, Gus took Janet totally by surprise! “I was returning home from work and when I opened the door to the apartment, and found Gus on one knee I was completely surprised. He says that he was planning on waiting a little longer to have a better setting for the proposal, but he was too excited and just wanted to pop the question.” Janet recalls. But it wasn’t until four years later that they decided to get to “I was returning home from work and when I opened the door to the apartment, and found Gus on one knee I was completely surprised.”

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SPECIAL TOUCH:

“Gus and I made and printed our own stationery at home i.e. wedding invitations, menu cards, programs. My wedding and engagement ring were bought at two separate jewellery stores in the US. The engagement ring is white gold and has a clear diamond, so we knew we wanted a wedding band that was white gold, but I didn’t want any jewels on the wedding ring.

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WEDDING DAY:

“When I woke up I was very nervous but excited. I didn’t really eat anything for breakfast, although my cousin had cooked mandazis, tea, and sausages. But as the day went by, I started relaxing and enjoying each moment. I felt beautiful and was ready to be made one with my husband.” She smiles.

 

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CEREMONY:

Janet and Gus exchanged their vows in a protestant wedding ceremony. “We had a garden wedding with a modern twist, so the colours were yellow and grey. We wanted a bright colour so we picked yellow. And we wanted a contrasting colour that fits very well with yellow, so we picked grey.

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Fashion:

The bride literally stumbled upon her dress! “I was actually looking for an ivory or off-white, mermaid, strapless dress, with lace. I always thought such dresses looked pretty, so it was an obvious choice for me but somehow, all the dresses that fit that description were either not within my budget or did not look that good. I live in Pennsylvania, and had actually given up on finding a gown close to where I live, so decided to put all my effort in finding bridesmaids dresses. During one of those shopping sessions, my bridesmaid and I walked into a Demetrios Brides store in New Jersey, and I decided to try on wedding gowns. After trying on 6 or so, I tried on my gown, which was nothing like what I was looking for and fell in love with it.” Janet says. the aisle. “We had known each other for 1 and a half years and even though I said yes, I thought I was still too young therefore we got hitched 4 years after getting engaged.

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GIFT REGISTRY:

“We asked our guests to give us monetary gifts, as we were going back to the states after the wedding. So we had several doubled gifts” Janet jokes.

HONEYMOON:

“Nairobi Serena Hotel gave us the honeymoon suite, which comes with champagne, a fruit basket, souvenirs, rose petals spread throughout the room, and late check in. We then went to South Coast Diani Beach for 3 days. Gus had never been to the Coast of Kenya, and I wanted to show him and have him experience the hot, deep blue Indian Ocean (water in the Atlantic Ocean is cold and brown), the white sandy beach, the Swahili culture and the history. I have a friend who owns a villa at Diani Beach, that isn’t too far from the beach, so I booked the villa directly with her, no agent involved.

ANET’S CONTACT BOOK
Flowers and decorations: Elite tents.
Church Entertainment, Patricia Kihoro Reception and evening party Entertainment, Xplode Move
Venue: Karen Country Lodge
Video and Photography: Studio Shutter speed Evening Party Venue – Mamba Village Bridesmaids’ dresses, David’s Bridal
Gown: David’s Bridal

 

Tigist And Josiah

Tigist and Josiah both have their own versions of when they first met. According to Tigist they met in 2005 at a lunch at Josiah’s cousin’s place. But Josiah swears they first met at Baraton University where Tigist was studying and his cousin introduced them.

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The couple had ten maids and ten groomsmen. The maids wore long green dresses with a pick up detail behind and beads on the bustier area. They accessorized with flower shaped diamond hair clips and brown shoes. The groomsmen wore white shirts, black suites, black shoes and green bow ties.

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TRADITIONS

“Well, the only tradition that was done was Josiah’s parents had to go all the way to Ethiopia to ask for my hand in marriage. Traditionally they should have gone home three times but my dad was kind enough to let them go only once. Also traditionally in introduced them.Josiah is never allowed to go with his boys to ask for my hand in marriage that is not accepted in the Ethiopian culture. Only elderly people go to do the asking. I didn’t get to toss the bouquet because it was raining.” Tigist says.

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PROPOSAL

“The proposal was meant to be at Habesha restaurant which is our favorite restaurant. But it did not go as I had planned,” Josiah recalls. “ We had planned to go there for lunch after church but we made a quick stop at the Nairobi hospital to see a family friend who was sick. Then we met another friend who insisted we join her for lunch at her home in Lavington. I agreed but Josiah was hesitant. We tried to persuade the lady but she could not take no for an answer. After the lunch we were heading to his cousin’s wedding rehearsal and I noticed that something was wrong with Josiah because he did not even eat. While in the car he started a break up story and I joked and told him that he was either breaking up with me for real or proposing. Then he became too serious something he isn’t. Then I was like gosh he is breaking up with me. He started removing the seat belt and said” I’m tired of dating you because I want you to be my wife will you marry me?” by that time I was in tears thinking the fool is breaking up with me! The ring had a green stone, which I always wanted. Before I said yes I was like oh gosh it’s a green ring…He went down on one knee when we got to a place where he could.” Tigist adds.

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FASHION

Tigist wanted a gown that was simple and classy with details. She started her search 6 months to the wedding. “ I did not want a gown that had a corset. Three months to the wedding, I found my gown at Jasmine brides. It was ivory, had small details on the pick-ups, long trail and a simple veil. To accessorise, I wore green shoes and a diamond flower shaped clip on my hair. The diamond was not real of course! Josiah wore a tux from Hugo Boss. My mother wore a traditional Ethiopian wear called Habesha kemis. She had it made with the colour brown and green.” Tigist says.

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CEREMONY
“We are both Seventh day Adventists so the ceremony was SDA. We personalized our vows and Josiah surprised me by singing for me before we said our vows, it was so romantic and sweet of him. That was an emotional moment for me.” Tigist recalls.

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EVE OF THE WEDDING
“It was a relaxed day which I spent with my parents and siblings. I had lunch, which had been organized by my family friends and later had tea with my inlaws
and my family The madness came later when I had to do my hair and was up and about doing I can’t remember what and the saloon closed before I had done my hair. But my hairdresser was so kind and good to me she did my hair at her house. The crazy thing I did was driving my self to my Godmothers house in Karen at midnight. I was picked from her house on the day of the wedding.” Tigist says

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SETTING THE DATES

“The dates kept changing from December 2010 to 1st of June 2011. But we settled for June 26th 2011 because we knew that all our siblings who are abroad would be available. It was important to us that they be available.” The couple says.

 

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HINDSIGHT
“Our wedding was a success because of early planning, being flexible and above all putting God first. Our greatest ideas were the lanterns, which we had imported from the UK and Indonesia. We saved on time and money by having the church venue, reception and catering from the same place. Looking back there is nothing we would have done differently!” The couple says.

after running around during the planning of the wedding. We spent our days site seeing, going to the spa, swimming. The highlight of the trip was enjoying the breeze and peace of the ocean and also the view of the tide of the ocean in the afternoons together.” The couple says.

10 Things A Resourceful Groom Must Know & Do

Traditionally the groom’s responsibility includes a short and easy list that covers the basics from planning the honeymoon, hiring the band, handling the wedding day transportation and so on. And for the groom, that is where the “Wedding Planning” responsibilities USED to end! However, as many of you are already finding out, that isn’t the end, and we have listed a few things to consider and to keep in mind to make your PRE WEDDING life a bit easier and HAPPIER. This list may not apply to everyone, but we are sure that it will keep any groom out of the doghouse and more importantly, doing these top 10 things will keep your fiancé thrilled!

From here on out in the wedding planning process you should know that:

1.Do Your Homework

Find a travel agent you trust! Make sure your flights all work and all your time lines and reservations are correct! There is nothing worse then planning to romance you new wife on an island and realize you arrive to the dock after the only boat left to take you to your hotel…ON THE IS­LAND! KNOW YOUR DESTINATION. Know where you are going and know what you land to do when you get there. Nothing worse then thinking you are going some­where that all you want to do is lay on the beach to find out the beach is too rocky to use or plan a trip to sight see and get to your hotel to find out there is nothing to see. KNOW WHAT YOU BOTH WANT. Understand before booking what you each expect out of this trip. Do

  1. Be Realistic

You should know now that sex on the wedding night is most likely not going to happen, and NO, this is NOT a “preview” to your sex life for the rest of your life. HOW­EVER, if you know this going in you can take the pressure of and plan for a late check out and enjoy a nice late morn­ing with each her. Avoid AM flights, avoid making early plans to meet anyone, ask for a late checkout and just plan on waking up late together if you have that extra time.Plan The Best HONEYMOON Ever. Here is where you have to fight the urge to be cheap and remember that this is the one time in your life that your going on a HONEYMOON and it should be spectacular. Remember Romance, Relaxation, Adventure, Paradise and Pleasure. Spend some time on honeymoons.com reading about great locations, great tips, great places and decide where you should go to have the best time ever! As the groom this becomes your task and we want to re­mind you to:

  1. Research Romance

I know you don’t need to worry about being Romantic anymore… she said YES, but your wrong. If being roman­tic does not come to you naturally, then start researching it now! If you think you wont need it on your honeymoon , your first year of marriage and the rest of your life you are dead wrong. Romance is not about money it is about thoughts and actions. If you take a little bit of time to see what is out there to help you I think you will be thrilled to find so many useful items that will be so important to creat­ing a lifetime of memories and great moments.

  1. a) Light a candle and draw her a bath.
  2. b) Leave a note for her inside her purse.
  3. c) Make her lunch for the day.
  4. d) Fix her coffee and bring it to her in bed
  1. Create Your Honeymoon Wish list Together

In order to pick a honeymoon that is important to both of you create a list that helps you understand what you both want out of this adventure and trip of a lifetime. Do you want ocean front villas, does TV matter, do you want a butler, your own private plunge pool, do you want night­life, tours, sightseeing, water sports, golf and anything else you need to know to PICK where you want to visit! The more you know about you both want the better you will be at choosing a location that will make YOU both happy

  1. Play Nice.

You need to understand how stressed your fiancé is with planning this wedding and nicknaming her bridezilla is, although funny and maybe a little true, it is hurtful.Understand that women are dreaming of their wedding day from when they are little girls, to women, this day needs to be flawless and exactly as she imagines it. help her to understand in a nice way they nobody will notice that the shade of pink is slightly off on the cake and that all the butterflies didn’t all fly away in unison when re­leased doesn’t not matter as much as the rest of your life together. keep reminding each other keep your eye on the whole not donut and that in the end you have a great time and each other.

  1. Be Involved

You need to make sure someone is planning her bridal shower. DO NOT ASSUME. (You don’t need to be in­volved, but keep an open ear to make sure someone has taken the lead and planning is underway.) Be sure to offer to help surprise her or take her to the party.

  1. Remember Romantic Gestures

We know that this may be one of the last things you want to do but research dance classes and then suggest to your new bride you both should consider taking a dance les­son or two! She will be thrilled and you will be happy on your wedding day when you are dancing in front of a huge crowd that you managed to not to tear her dress off by stepping on it with your two left feet! think about what you want to dance to and then tell her that you’re already thinking of what songs will make a great first dance and/ or even other songs you think the band or DJ should play.Plan a surprise for the reception like fireworks, special mu­sic, write her a poem and read it to her in front of your guests, a special new gift, look up love quotes and read them to her.Write special & endearing notes to your father-in-law and mother-in-law, thanking them for everything they’ve done, especially for creating the most amazing woman in the world. Have the Best Man deliver your Bride a special gift and breakfast the morning of the wedding. Bring her home flowers just because you love her so much and appreciate everything she is doing to make this the best wedding ever!

  1. Know the “No No No’s”.

You need to know that you’re not inviting your ex girl­friend to the wedding, and it is not appropriate to even ask. (OK, Mr?) You need to remember that YOUR mother is not in charge of planning the wedding! Make sure you are there to make a great BUFFER for your new bride. She is planning this big event and keep in mind that she is hear­ing thousands of demands, thoughts and opinions making her nuts. Keep anyone from ruining this wonderful time for your new ride. And NO, referring to your wife as the future anything that is ruining your life stopping your life or killing you is not funny.

  1. Register Together

Yes, we know most of you hate shopping. But you are ex­pected to go with your fiancé to register, and yes this is a big deal and yes it will take hours. What helps is to make a day of it. Plan out where you are going to avoid sales or crowds and then plan to have lunch together and en­joy getting ready to set up this new life together. Keep in mind the gifts are free so enjoy this! Register for things you would never splurge for yourself and keep an open mind.If you don’t think you need any household items, then reg­ister for something you need…YOUR HONEYMOON! this is a great way to get the trip you want and any extra can be rolled into your next trip and even the one after that! Contact Twiga tours for honeymoon registry)

  1. A Helpful Groom Is A Happy Groom

You SHOULD be happy and more importantly OFFER to be involved in the planning of your wedding. More times then none your new bride will say; “Thank you honey, but I have it all under control” but knowing you offered and knew what to do will set you far above the bar that is set by those men who never think to ask or don’t want to help. Not only should you offer help but go one step further by making a list of family, friends and co-workers you would like to invite. Stay organized by starting a spreadsheet with names, and addresses of guests. (Facebook, email & phone numbers do not count.) Help also by working out a wed­ding budget with your fiance and offer to call vendors to set up appointments. Taking this positive role in planning the wedding will most likely help your fiancé handle the stress that comes with planning such a big event.

18 Top Tips To a Perfect Wedding Reception Venue

1.There are five elements which make for a great wedding reception: guests that you really want to be there, amaz­ing ambiance, great food, heart felt speeches and fantastic music

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2.Destination weddings can be very costly, so make sure you choose a ven­ue which has good existing infrastruc­ture, such as accommodation and kitchen. This will help with the planning, logistics and cost of the big day.

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3.“ Don’t worry if you can’t afford a wedding planner, but make sure you understand all the costs involved be­fore committing to anything and don’t make emotional decisions. Only invite people that you love and who are involved in your life to your wedding,

3.Using candlelight effectively can add great ambiance to the night, but don’t think that candles can only be used on tables. Dotting plinths of candles around the room will give the space a soft romantic glow.

 

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4.Be realistic when budgeting for flowers and decor; they are two key elements when planning a wedding,”. Also keep your venue in mind – small arrangements in a large double volume room just won’t work.

5. Incorporating framed pictures of both the bride and groom’s families on the arrival drinks table/ dessert table is a brilliant way to add a personal touch and make family and friends feel part to your spe­cial day.

6.People often underestimate the amount of space that is needed for their reception spaces. Zoning the space of a basic floor plan is an ideal way to ensure that there is adequate space

7.Cocktail style wedding are very trendy at the moment. Having interactive food stations and lounge areas are also becoming increasingly popular.

8.When it comes to food, insist on a taste test. If your venue won’t do one for you, then choose another venue.

9.If you are having your wedding outside and it’s in an area that can get quite cold at night, make sure you have outdoor heating.

10.For Snacks and welcome drinks, It works well to have at least two types each of meat and vegetarian dishes, and maybe one fish op­tion. You want to make sure that the Snacks you’ve chosen fit the setting. Taste the snacks with the chef beforehand and make sure that they are easy to eat and wont mess all your guest.

12.To avoid your guests going hungry at your reception, its important to stick to a rough timing schedule

13.If you choose a buffet and have more than 75 guests make sure there are two serv­ing points . Arrange with your caterer to have less in each dish but have the dishes changed more often, to ensure the food always looks appetizing.

14.Wedding are expensive events . Even if you are on budget, stay away from a cash bar. Instead, you could offer fresh healthy juic­es . Your guests will appreciat

15.The most important ques­tion to ask your DJ when you first meet with him is if there is backup equipment and another Dj available, ( in case of) unforeseen problems on the day.Also check how many weddings the DJ has done-don’t select a DJ who has not played at least 30 weddings.It ( also) really helps if you can provide a playlist of songs you’d like to hear.

16.To get the music right for quite a mixed crowd of old and young people, try to find a middle ground: party classics or 80’s classics usually work. Also tend to bounce around be­tween genres playing two or three songs from one style and then swapping over to something else.

17.Don’t think that a Dj is your only option when it comes to music at your reception. You could have a string quarter or guitarist per­haps, but make sure you have another option so that guests don’t get bored of same sound for hours. You can even use your iPod if you’re on a budget- just make sure you put some thought and effort into the playlist.

18.To ensure you spend the maximum amount of time with your guest at your recep­tion, ask your photographer if you can do all your couple shots in the morning. That way only family pictures need to be taken after the ceremony, which will take less time. This is a good option if you have lots of overseas gust who you want to catch up with.

 

Destination wedding

Dream destination; you’ve found it, in fact it had been way before you met your fiancée!

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You always knew this is where you were going to tie the knot. For some it’s purely sentimental, “I always wanted a beach wedding” explains Nancy a bride as seen on my dream wedding married away with toes deep in the sand of the Indian Ocean. Some brides are living their fairytales by flying all the way to the South Coast for their nuptials , “it’s the need to be unique, Nairobi weddings have become so monotonous, I have been to the same venues for my friends’ wedding in the past three years. I simply cannot wed here” she concludes with such unswaying finality.

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As Marion Obura, proprietor and planner at Majestic Events concedes, “ people chose to get married away for a myriad of reasons and every destination wedding comes with its own special experience” The former Samantha Wedding Members Business graduate explains from her years of experience gained in the wedding/event management world.

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She also echoes a common sentiment by brides citing urban fatigue as one of the main reasons why most couples opt to take off and exchange vows in a less familiar location, “Naivasha, Mt Kenya and the South Coast tops the list-both for their scenic views and the unique experience they offer to both couple and guests.”

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But while most may regard destination weddings as cause for otherwise unplanned vacations and dive on heads on; Marion notes that for a planner, you must keep in mind that this is work like any other and keep it professional, “your main goal is to save your client money, time and effort or energy they would have used/incurred in your absence.”

Settling Into Happily Ever After Financially

Settling into life as a married couple takes some work. If you’re taking your husband’s last name, you must complete the name change in several places. You also have to discuss managing money as a couple and learn how to live together.

Check the Samantha organizer for the to-do list for those changing their last names: Once the name change is complete, you can now focus on managing money as a couple. “Money is often a tricky topic for new couples,” says Sam Goller, the author of “Yes, You Can… Achieve Financial Harmony.” “But it’s important to start communicating about money at the beginning of your marriage.” Goller offers the following suggestions for newlyweds working to manage their finances as a couple:

1.Determine priorities

Prior to creating a financial plan, talk about your histories with money and what’s most important to each of you when it comes to money.

2.Find missing cents

You have to understand your spending habits before you can spend money in a way that helps meet your goals. Consider keeping a spending journal to find out where your money really goes.

3.Choose a system that works for you

You may prefer to sit down each month as a couple to pay bills and develop a monthly budget. Or maybe one of you is better at handling expenses and prefers to do it alone. Find a system that works with your needs. “The key to managing money as a couple is to never stop talking,” says Goller. “With shared determination, a plan and open communication, newlyweds have the power to improve their financial position both now and well into retirement.”

4.Get Organized

If you are combining your finances, work together to create a budget that is realistic and that will work for you both.

– Don’t forget to establish an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses.

– Work together to eliminate debt – the closer you both are to being debt-free, the easier it will be to apply for a mortgage together.

– Create a dedicated and organized space where you can pay and store bills.

– Look for savings opportunities

5.Create Financial Goals

Working together to identify your financial goals, focus on both short-term plans, like buying your first home, and long-term plans, like when and where you want to retire.

Is consolidating your finances right for the two of you? Determine how your shared finances will be managed:

– Identify your short-term goals, such as buying a home or raising children.

– Start investing now to ensure maximum growth over time.

– Develop an integrated savings and investment plan for your long-term goals

– Commit to regular investing, made easy with various financial products on the market.

6.Update Your Insurance Plans

There are a number of types of insurance couples can consider at this time, including life, disability, and health insurance. Even if they both have coverage, now is a good time to review what they will need to cover their joint responsibilities.

Things to consider include:

– Reviewing beneficiary designations for insurance policies.

– Reviewing your health coverage insurance options and be sure your selections will cover relevant medical expenses (such as pre-natal care cost).

– Be sure your insurance coverage is updated to include all family members.

7.Create a Will

If you haven’t already thought about estate planning, will your spouse be provided for if something should happen to you? Establish or update your will to include your spouse.

8.Start an Education Savings Plan

If you are planning to start a family soon, you can start saving for your child’s education now. College costs are soaring but with a well thought out plan that’s in place early, your investments may have the time they need to keep up. Compare your options and choose a college savings vehicle. Commit to monthly savings. Even small monthly payments can add up over time.

Carol and Nganga

Our friends came through for us in a very honorable and memorable way, we wanted just a simple con­temporary wedding, they moved it a notch higher by bringing in their expertise in different fields; from photography to transport and planning. Key point here, embrace teamwork and appreciate a hand in aid.

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Splashed on: The food, it’s the very reason you invite your guests! I’d rather walk on a petal-les aisle and have my guests’ leave the reception happy, after all…you invite on own accord and so should be to your ability.

Saved on: We saved on quite a number of aspects; our friends allowed us to use their cars so we didn’t have to hire while the decorator who also happens to be a close friend helped us with the planning. The venue was quite affordable, while I hired my gown from a friend-this allowed me to have my dress yet save on budget! Photography and videography was also a great discounted fa­vor from one our colleagues since we are in video production.

Top Tips: Spend as much as you can afford in a wedding…. if most vendors were to be honest, it’s hard to tell different packages (weddings) apart. List well your priorities and have the key interests at heart then set to enjoy the day.

Take things easy, it is just a celebra­tion of your life-long commitment to your love. You will find out it’s the small things that really count; like your family and your friends!

 

 

 

Venue: African Evangelistic Enterprise-Karen

Religious Ceremonies

Religious ceremonies differ according to faith and can be conducted in your place of worship or your chosen ceremony venue. For details on your religious ceremony, contact your local minister as the procedures differ. Different faiths have different requirements that you should meet before you are eligible to have your ceremony at a particular religious venue.

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In the Christian faith, regular church attendance isn’t always essential but some churches insist on it. Be sure to work closely with your minister or registrar by getting their approval for anything you want to add to the service at each stage of the process. In most cases the officiate will outline the service procedure and you can decide on how to personalize your marriage ceremony for example if you want something more individual like a special reading. The length or content depends entirely on you, depending on the kind of ceremony you will have.

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Roman Catholic

The Catholic Church requires hefty marriage preparation. First, it requires both of you to be baptized and if possible one of you confirmed. When you go see the priest for the first time, he will ask to see your baptism certificates and fill a form giving details of your birth and occupation. If you are not a member, he will require a letter from your parish priest and for three consecutive Sundays, the banns, or public announcement of your intention to marry be read out in church. The marriage must then take place within three months. If you’ve been married before, your challenge is pretty daunting. Technically, it is impossible to marry in the Roman Catholic Church if your spouse is still alive. Even a civil divorce will not do the trick. You must receive an annulment of your previous marriage. The annulment procedure is complicated and intimidating, requiring a great deal of paperwork on the part of the person applying. It can cost quite a lot, too. (Note though, that a previous marriage that did not take place within the church does not require an annulment. From the church’s point of view, a civil- ceremony marriage that ends in divorce was never a marriage in the first place.) The Catholic Church will sanction a marriage between a Catholic and a non-Catholic providing all of the Church’s concerns are met and one of you is a confirmed catholic. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary, for say, a protestant person to convert to Catholicism in order to wed in a Catholic ceremony.

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If you don’t have to worry about any of this congratulations. You may move to the next step; pre-marital counseling also known as Pre-Canal. This required counseling is some of the most extensive marriage preparation work that you can undertake. What can you expect from a Pre-Canal? A lot of talking between you, your groom, and your priest about your religious convictions and important marriage issues, workshops with other engaged couples and even some compatibility quizzes. If you need to go through pre-marital counseling, contact the church soon for their scheduled meetings. Group counseling programs (where many couples meet for a series of evenings or a weekend retreat) are scheduled throughout the year.

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Bridal Arch

Over time, new ideas have developed and wedding arches have become widespread. Aside from the elegant simplicity it adds to a wedding, an arch is the grand centerpiece for a vow exchange and binding together of a bride and her groom.

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There are arches of different colours, material and sizes and the simple decorating ideas can turn one into a sight to behold.

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Contrary to belief, wedding arches are not only ideal for outdoor weddings but also indoor wedding ceremonies.

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Arches are tasteful, wondrous and fairytale like and add a sensual romantic mood to a wedding ceremony.

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There is an arch for every theme; for the rustic forest themes, one can use a metallic arch decorated with wild flowers or rustic wood draped with sheer fabric.  Whether it is an indoor ceremony or an outdoor ceremony, you can never go wrong with a wedding arch.