The guest number doubled than earlier planned for

How did you meet?
Justine: I met him at church but we were only being connected by church. Later on, he came to my birthday party, I don’t even know who invited him but that is how we started linking up.
Erick: I started noticing her while at church, she had all the qualities of the woman I dreamt of, I first made friends with one of her friends who later on tipped me about her birthday. I made it a point to attend and I made sure I was very smart and I bought her a nice gift alongside flowers.

When did you get close?
Justine: It took me two years to officially accept him but he became my close friend because he was always there for me.
Erick: I was trying my level best to win over her heart but she was not a piece of cake.

What attracted you to each other?
Erick: Justine is beautiful, prayerful and kind, for all my life that is the ideal woman that I was looking for.
Justine: Erick is hardworking, sincere, caring and above all God-fearing.

Did he propose to you?
Justine: Yes, he did propose to me though I took quite long to accept his proposal. One day, he found me with friends; he knelt and asked me to marry him. I did not accept right away because I wanted to be sure he meant it.

How did you feel?
Justine: At first, I was uncertain because I did not believe his seriousness, but finally when I accepted I felt happy because a wedding is something special in a woman’s life.

For how long did you date?
Erick: Two years.

Then, how did you start talking marriage?
Erick: I thought it wise to visit Justine’s parents such that I could be recognised among her relatives and it is then that we started our introduction meetings.

When did you come up with a wedding date?
Justine: January 2015, we wanted to legalise our relationship because we did not want to be in a relationship that was not blessed by God.

Who was the maid of honour?
Justine: Sylivia Nabakoza Ngombya, she is my confidant.

Who was your best man?
Erick: Dennis Tweyongyere was my best man because he is my friend and understanding.

What was your budget?
Justine: Shs20m.

How did you raise the money?
Erick: I had some money that I had saved for my wedding however, my friends, family and workmates played a big role towards raising funds too.

Where did you shop for the rings?
Justine: At Lifestyle Jewellery Shop at Satellite in Mukono.

Anything in particular you looked out for?
Erick: We looked for simple but beautiful rings. What are they made of? Mine is silver but Justine chose yellow gold.

How much did your suit cost?
Erick: I bought it at Shs 200,000 from Elegant Garments Premier Centre, Nabugabo Road in Kampala.

Did you involve a wedding planner?
Erick: Yes, my pastor’s wife, Mummy Margaret Lwandasa was my wedding planner, I’m grateful because she did a wonderful job.

What were you doing on your wedding eve?
Justine: I was in salon midmorning, I went for church rehearsals and later on I went to my home village in Lugazi where I spent the night
Erick: I was so busy. I first went to town to pick some stuff that was to be used during the wedding, I went shopping and I went to church for rehearsal, I had to go for a haircut.

Were you disappointed in any way?
Justine: Yes, the salon lady changed her mind at the last minute. I had to look for an alternative right away. Also, I could not see my mother while exchanging vows. My brother who follows me was the only family member I saw.

What did you enjoy the most?
Erick: The food was good, the decoration was on point and a big number of people, including the High court judge, to me that was a big honour.
Justine: When I saw my mother, I felt relieved because I knew my people were witnessing my marriage.

What would you redo given a chance to rewed?
Erick: The hotel where we had our honeymoon, I did not like their services.
Justine: I would change the person whom we contracted to do our wedding cards, he did us a disservice. He made for us poor quality cards and yet he charged us highly.

Where did you buy the bridal attire?
Justine: I hired my wedding gown from some shop in Luzira. Viola, a designer from Nabuti made the bridesmaids’ dresses at Shs150,000 each.

Where did you have the church function?
Erick: Mt Lebanon Christian Centre Cathedral in Mukono.

What went through your mind during the ceremony?
Justine: I was imagining a new life where everyone refers to us as husband and wife.
Erick: A lot was running in my mind. I was a bit anxious on whether all our guests would be catered for because I could see they were so many as compared to those I had invited.

Did you go for premarital counselling?
Justine: Yes, I learnt a lot of things such as being faithful, prayerful and responsible.
Erick: Always communicate with my partner in case of any grievances.

What are some of the challenges you encountered?
Erick: It was mainly finances; it was not easy to raise the funds. Another challenge was, we had budgeted for 400 guests and more than 700 turned up.

What is your advice to those planning to wed?
Erick: People should not rely only on friends and family to contribute to their wedding budget, they can disappoint at the last minute.
Justine: It is all about finding a partner whom you will be able to stay with amidst all the challenges. Look for someone you will trust.

THE DETAILS

officiator
The couple was wedded by Bishop Samuel Lwandasa of Mt Lebanon Christian Centre in Mukono.

attire
The men opted for white and black with a hint of lemon green bow ties. White stands for purity while the lime green is romantic.

help her
As the couple took photos, the bride was tired of wearing heels. Her man had to come in handy and pick the burden.

colour theme

We opted for yellow and green, Christine did the selection because men are not that interested in picking colours. She chose the two colours because they are vibrant and stand out in any setting.

food

The couple admits that it was very costly to pay a service provider for food. They say that things worsened when the number of uests almost doubled those that they had invited.

serve the guests

The day can never feel special until the chief guests mix and mingle. The bride and groom make the guests feel at home when they serve cake to them in person. This creates a special feeling too.