Today I had the privilege of being part of an African wedding. Now before I start, I want to stress three things:
1. This is Africa … nothing happens quickly.
2. This is Africa … everything possible is accompanied by singing and dancing.
3. This was a double wedding, so multiply the above by two.
The whole church was involved in the wedding. The two couples were both financially stretched, so everyone pitched in to help, providing transport, food, and everything else that was needed. Both grooms were from Adams’ church, but both brides were from other churches, so those churches were involved too. Here at Adams’ church a Wedding Committee was responsible for making all the arrangements (I understand that is normal here.)
The service was supposed to start at 10. It got going around 11.30. After worship and prayer Elder Benson did the introductions, acknowledging every person or group of significance in the packed congregation. Then the processions started.
Each groom had two sets of attendants, who came in singing and dancing (of course!) – and by dancing, I mean the slow, shuffling back-and-forward step that is so typical of Africa. After the grooms’ attendants, the grooms were brought in. Then came the two sets of attendants for each bride.
Finally the brides came in, separately. Each bride had several flower girls, and was accompanied by both her mother and her father. All up, the processions alone took well over an hour.
I gave a brief message, there was some more worship, then both grooms were accompanied by their attendants up to the sanctuary area. Next the brides were brought by their parents and handed over to their grooms. From that point the actual ceremony was fairly similar to weddings at home.
After that everyone went out to the marquees that had been set up in the church grounds for lunch. Adams, Mary and I retreated to Adams’ office and had our lunch there before going back out for the final part of the proceedings. Lots of speeches, which of course I didn’t understand because they were in Swahili, and then yet another procession … well, actually another two processions, as each couple and their entourage came with singing and dancing into the gathering.
Finally, there was the cutting of the cakes. Each couple had several cakes, and the cutting of them was quite a production.
It was a long day, but lots of fun and an experience that I’m really glad I was able to be part of.