Friends made our wedding

When did you meet?
Grace: It was in 2009 at a friend’s graduation party. After talking to her, I realised we attended the same church, Bible Gospel Church in Kawempe and that she was one of the Sunday school teachers. I remember, planning lunch dates, buying gifts, calling and texting her towards the end of 2009 since we had become friends.

When did you start dating?
Grace: In 2011, one evening over the weekend when I asked her out. When she arrived, I told her that I loved her and proposed marriage immediately.

How did you react to his proposal?
Rebecca: I was nervous. It took me a year to respond.
Grace: She really took long to accept but that didn’t stop me from continuing to date her.

When and where was the wedding?
Grace: It was on December 1, 2012 at Bible Gospel Church Kawempe.
Why did you choose December 1, as your wedding date?
Grace: We never wanted to finish the year without our relationship being blessed.
Rebecca (interjects) of course you can’t waste time if it’s the person you really love.

What attracted you too each other?
Grace: She is beautiful with that chocolate colour.
Rebecca: He is so loving and caring I can’t compare him to anything.

Where was the reception?
Grace: At Bativa gardens on Bombo road. I decided everything by myself along with my friends’ advice. I aimed at having the best. It was the only place that would accommodate our guests.

How many guests did you invite?
Grace: They were more than 1,000 people.

Did you buy the gown?
Rebecca: I had it tailored using a design I got from the internet. It cost Shs800,000. The changing dress was Shs500,000. I had two pairs of shoes, one at Shs280,000 and another Shs500,000.

And the suit?
Grace: It cost Shs400,000 and the shirt Shs150,000. The shoes cost Shs250,000.

Did you also change?
Grace: Yes, I had a black shirt with red stripes from Sukie’s boutique on Sir Apollo Kaggwa road.

What was the most interesting moment of your wedding?
Grace: The time we were entering the reception, my wife revealed some nice dance strokes that made me wonder who taught her.
Rebecca: The prayer Grace said after the vows. He loudly asked God for twins and the whole church burst into laughter.

How many maids did you have and how did you choose them?
Rebecca: They were four. I looked at the height, size and skin complexion.

What about groomsmen?
Grace: I had four; they were my brothers and could dance to any rhythm.

How much did you spend on the wedding?
Grace: I actually don’t know, it’s my friends who made our wedding. I didn’t spend any single coin. I think they were paying back for all I have always done on their weddings.

So, did you have any debts?
Grace: No, everything was cleared. Normally relatives fail to deliver to expectations when allocated different tasks but My relatives actually did what I expected. Like the decoration, it was done by my sister at Shs3.5m and food at Shs8m by my auntie. Those who deliver fake work do it because they are under paid.

Did you have a wedding planner?
No, my friends were enough.

Any challenges during the preparations?
Grace: It was all about choosing the best for my wife. There were disagreements with the organisers and my father, since he is an Anglican and I am a Pentecostal. Then the low turn up during the wedding meetings was stressing.
Rebecca: My family who didn’t take part, I felt like I was all alone.

What then went wrong on the wedding?
Grace: Nothing, I had a very strong and willing team.
Rebecca: It would have been the seats because of the over whelming number of guests but the organising team managed it.

Did you have any fears?
Grace: My fear was whether Rebecca would agree with what I did for example, the type of cars and the reception venue plus the arrangement.
Rebecca: I just prayed that everything would go on well since I didn’t have any hand in the preparations.

Where did you go for honeymoon?
Grace: We went to Kalangala Island beach.

What was the most interesting moment while at the Island?
Grace: I enjoyed with my wife. Rebecca: It was a moment between the two of us and also the swimming and the walks around.

Did you go for premarital counselling?
Grace: Yes and I learnt the importance of communication in marriage.
Rebecca: There were things like love, care, communication and respect that have worked for me.

How have the two years of marriage been?
Grace: I am not only a husband but a father, so I have to always make sure that the family is okay and happy.
Rebecca: It has been a good experience implementing all that we had talked about during the time we were dating.