Love sparked by work

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD. Ivan Ssenabulya, a presenter at KFM, and Esther Birungi, a journalist at Sauti Radio became one. The lovebirds met at a work meeting and they have never looked back. They wedded at St Andrew’s and Phillip’s Church in Mukono on January 28.

How did you come to know each other?
Ivan: I met Esther about two years ago. I used to file stories at our bureau office in Mukono. I also used to make fun at office. I used to tease Esther just to hear her voice. Gladly she warmed up to me. Deep down, I felt she suited me.
Esther: One day at office during lunch time, Ivan approached me apologising for teasing me. That is two years ago. I accepted the apology and we had lunch. And because he used to speak to me softly, we became good friends.

How did you get close?
Ivan: Esther is cute but I did not know much about her. I would frequently annoy her and I would call her out of office to apologise. This gave me a chance to know her better.
Esther: He is naughty and active at work, something that drew us closer.

When did you propose to her?
Ivan: Late 2016, when I thought about her so much and felt she should be in my life forever. I called her on phone requesting her to go out with me that evening to a hotel in Mukono. We met and I put a ring on her finger, which she accepted. This was the most exciting day since I wanted her for marriage.

How did you react to his proposal?
Esther: I did not expect such a serious relationship with him since I used to consider him an unserious guy because he liked cracking jokes more than anything. His tender love and care changed my opinion of him. He also started holding conversations with less jokes while at office.

What do you like about each other?
Ivan: Esther is calm, beautiful, God-fearing, focused and loving.
Esther: Ivan is handsome, loving and more caring than anyone I had met before.

What was the most exciting moment about your wedding?
Ivan: Marching out of church, I felt very excited while marching with my beloved wife before relatives and friends something I had longed for. The turn up of my bosses and workmates was encouraging.
Esther: The presence of my relatives and friends who turned up in big numbers. I felt good that they witnessed and my dream to get married had come to pass. I also loved the music at the reception.

What was your colour theme?
Esther: Peach because it is my favourite and it is unique.

How did you raise the funds?
Ivan: I had saved some money but it was not enough so we got contributions from our families, friends and workmates. However, some failed to fulfil their pledges.

What challenged you the most during the wedding preparation?
Ivan: Some items on the budget were not fully settled. Also, the distribution of the cake was not good since some important people missed. The cake was given to people who were not on the list.
Esther: Our parents selected for us almost everything including church, reception venue and some of the music.

Who was in charge of music?
Ivan: We used Planet Sounds from Mukono. The music system was good but some of the music played did not suit us.

What was the most expensive item on the budget?
Ivan: Food was expensive and the number exceeded what we had planned for. We thought we would not exceed with 450 guests. Surprisingly, the food had ran out before everyone got served but we got more food.
Esther: Daira Hotel Mukono, where we used to hold meetings was expensive as invited people would not turn up yet we would pay before sitting.

How much did your suit cost?
Ivan: My suit was tailored by my friends at a Mukono shop at only Shs450,000.
Esther: We hired my gown at Shs400,000.

Did you have any fears on that day?
Ivan: Yes, I was worried about people not honouring my invitation to both church and reception.
Esther: I was afraid that the weather would do us in. You know we sometimes have abrupt rains.

Were you disappointed in any way?
Ivan: Yes, those who failed to contribute and never even bothered to attend meetings. I used to text, call people asking for their contribution they kept promising but they never turned. Some pledged but paid less than half of what they had promised.
Esther: People used to discourage me to the extent of advising me to pull out from the wedding. Their claim was that we are young, not financially viable and we would not have a wedding.

Did you have debts after the wedding?
Ivan: Yes, we had not cleared food and the drinks.

Where did you go for honeymoon?
Ivan: We did not go for a honeymoon but we agreed to have it in a few months to come. We are planning for it.

Were you hurt by Ivan’s decision to have honeymoon later?
Esther: No, because we agreed to have a trip at a convenient time.

How critical was premarital counselling?
Ivan: Rev David Kaggwa told us that marriage is a gift from God. He focused on love, talking with affection and with God in our amidst, nothing would ever fail.
Esther: We were told to keep our love strong and to be supportive of each other. I was told to be submissive to win favour and love.

Given a chance to wed again, what would you do?
Ivan: I would look at a better mobilisation of resources because I realised that friends and relatives make your wedding colourful.
Esther: My shopping would be done in time.