The Wedding

I love weddings. Apparently I’m not alone. Weddings are a big deal here, and by big I mean HUGE. They start having planning meetings with the wedding committee (who also becomes the fundraising committee) months and months before the big day. Guests are all given an itemised wedding budget which they can either choose something to pay for or contribute towards. Many of the ‘married’ couples we know here have never had a wedding as such because of the cost, but that could be a whole other post. On top of the wedding ceremony and reception (that is more western in style), there’s the introduction – which takes place at the wifes family village. This is where the husband to be pays the wifes dowry to the family - usually in cattle. Wives from some parts of Uganda can be worth up to 100 cows – that’s a good sized starter herd right there, and going for around $500 each that’s no small price to pay!

Moses, our security guard at Jordan House got married last Saturday. Riana and Jed were invited to be part of the bridal party which was fun, well Jed had a ball, Riana not so much but she still did a great job! Unfortunately my camera batteries went flat as the ceremony ended, so couldn’t get pics of the reception - even my phone was flat so couldn’t use that camera either! 

We arrived at Jordan House at the designated time, ready to pick up the bridal party and take them to the church, only to discover we were going on Africa time, so we waited another 2 hours while people continued getting ready!

ladies from the womens empowerment program getting ready at Jordan House

church members cooking up a feast for the reception

Jed helping Ibra (from Jordan House) get ready. I just love that sweet boy to bits! and Jed!

Finally time to get started and Pete heads off with our other international team members who also double as the photographer and videographer to pick up the bridal party. I fill up our van with remaining Gordons and others who want a lift to the wedding and head off. Two minutes down the road I get a call from Pastor Michael to say some more people need picking up from some place down the road. We pull up with an already full van and wait for the mystery guests to turn up for a ride. Turns out it’s more bridal party members! There’s 22 of them in total! Josiah and Drew climb over the seat into the boot, and everyone else squashes up and sits on knees. 14 or 15 climb in for the trip to church. I just love driving in Africa!

We arrive at the church an hour after the service should have started and wait another half an hour for it to start. I’m such a sop at weddings and this one was no different – as soon as the bridal party started walking down the aisle my eyes glazed over!

guests waiting outside the church

be still my beating heart, look at that boy all dressed up and clean!

Aren't the bridesmaid dresses awesome! Love that girl in white brining up the rear too!

Here comes the bride!

The ceremony was in both English and Luganda which was nice and most of it was similar to western weddings having a short message, then exchange of vows and rings. Then items. Not just one or two, but many  items!

After the ceremony the bridal party went off for  photos, while everyone else was instructed to go to Jordan House and wait for the reception. Josiah unlocked the van to get something out, then came over to tell me that when he opened the door people started climbing in! I didn’t get to count how many were grabbing a ride to Jordan House, but it was definitely even more packed than the trip there! Even as we drove off, someone in the back opened the door to let someone else jump in and hop on a knee! Josiah and Drew decided they’d be more comfortable walking!

Back at Jordan House we wait for the bridal party to arrive. There’s a couple of dance items and a couple of singing items that are repeated several times while we wait. The reception starts three hours late. I love how whenever the bride and groom had to move anywhere, they danced. I don’t think I saw them walking once! It was this tricky, only can do it if you’ve got African rythym kind of slow walk/dance. It took them fifteen minutes to walk/dance the twenty five meters from the car to the bridal table!

 Speeches, cake and gifts and another round of the items, then lunch at 8:30pm. The food was delicious – matooke (green banana), gnut sauce (sort of like a satay sauce), rice, beef and potatoes.

Apart from me and the kids accidentally sitting at the grooms parents table at the beginning of the afternoon (long story), adding our gift to those that the grooms family were giving and congratulating the head bridesmaid on her happy day (I think only the bride should be allowed to wear white), things went pretty smooth. I even mastered the art of eating rice with my hands!