The reverend skipped the kissing of the bride part

Apollo and Stella Mukwana’s wedding cake cost Shs1million

What you need to know:

COUNTRY WEDDING . 34-year-old Apollo Mukhwana and 29-year-old Stellah Shakira Nekesa, walked down the aisle on July 20, 2014, at St Andrews Cathedral Mbale. They shared their wedding experience with Denis Mukungu

When and how did you meet?
Apollo: We met in 2012 at a house party in Kampala. I had not planned to be at the party. I had gone to attend a workshop so my cousin picked me from my hotel with his girlfriend. We didn’t talk at the party but I said hello to her as we were leaving. She was a friend to my cousin’s girlfriend so I asked about her.
Stellah: I met Apollo at a friend’s party. It was a birthday party for the brother of my friend’s boyfriend. That is where I saw him.

What attracted you to each other?
Apollo: Her character. She is open-minded, caring (she cared to serve me at the party), she is interesting, jolly and her smile is what drew me to her.
Stellah: There was nothing because I was in love with someone else, so I took him as friend at that time and we became very good friends. But later, we began dating.

For how long did you date?
Apollo: We dated for a year and a half, I think.

When he proposed, how did you react to his proposal?
Stellah: At the end of 2011, my friends and I made prayer requests on what we wanted. I wanted to be a housewife, so when he proposed I told him not to joke and he told me he was not joking. He said that he was also looking for a wife. This was a confirmation of my prayer request. I was excited and shocked at the same time, when he proposed.

Who brought the idea of wedding?
Apollo: I think we all wanted it. On the moral aspect it’s something I have always desired to have a holy matrimony. For others I didn’t work but with her things just happened and I think she also wanted it.

When and where was the wedding?
Apollo: It was on July 20, 2014, at St Andrews Cathedral, Mbale.

What was the most memorable part of your wedding?
Apollo: Exchanging of the vows was memorable for me.
Stellah: Seeing my mum, my family and friends very happy in church was memorable. I had never seen the church so full at the weddings I have attended and also when I received the ring, it was so exciting.

Did you have any expectations during the wedding?
Stellah : I was waiting for the reverend to say you may kiss the bride but it didn’t happen and I had told my friends I was going to kiss him for one hour. I did not know that Anglicans don’t kiss in church yet I see other people kiss.

What was your theme colour?
Apollo: The theme colour was all white, and basically African.

What do you think went wrong at the wedding?
Apollo: Much as there were mishaps, I would not love to acknowledge. To me, it is not an issue. The important thing is that the day happened.
Stellah: The cars that were supposed to take us to church came late and we arrived late at church.

Who was your maid of honour and why?
Stellah: Vanessa Suzan Akello. She is my childhood friend. She has always been there for me in good and bad times.

What challenges did you face while preparing for the wedding?
Apollo: At the time we were planning for the wedding, I was changing jobs. I was moving to a new company that we were to build, that meant even funds were minimal. But the challenges were not so many.
Stellah: Leaving Kampala to go and attend wedding meetings in Mbale and going back to Kampala to attend meetings there as well yet I had a baby, was so challenging.

Did you have a wedding planner?
Apollo: No. We organised the wedding ourselves with the assistance of friends.

How much did your suit cost?
Apollo: I had a basic suit because we had a simple wedding. All things were basic.

How much did your gown cost?
Stellah: I hired the gown at Shs900,000 for six hours.

How much did the wedding cost?
Apollo: It cost about Shs15 million.

Where did you go for your honeymoon and what was the most interesting thing?
Apollo: We were at Mbale Resort Hotel for our honeymoon. Having quality time for two, and being with your partner for life was most interesting.

Stellah: He had my time; something I had always yearned for, just me and him with no work stress and no phone calls.

Did you go for premarital counseling and how helpful was it?
Apollo: We did not get time for it. She was in Kampala and I was in Mbale.

Given an opportunity to redo your wedding, what would you do differently?
Apollo: I think there is nothing I would change. Maybe I would throw the stag party which I didn’t have. To me, exchanging the vows is the most important.
Stellah: The decorations. I would actually change everything. But one thing I would not change, are his looks.

What advice do you give to people who intend to wed?
Apollo: Its starts from the heart. Trust God and have no fear. Cut the coat according to the size of your cloth.
Stellah: If they are not ready, let them not go into that and it’s not all about the money. They should also stop saying, “if Stellah had ice cream at her wedding, I also want that.” They should be God-fearing. It is God that enables us to do things.

How can one cut costs for his wedding?
Apollo: Know what you want. Don’t let people think for you. Go for what you can afford and manage your own wedding even if you have a planner because at the end of the day, the bills and costs come back to you.

Photography
Photography for the Mukwanas’ wedding was done by Mwena Digital Photo Studio.

Cars
The cars in the wedding entourage arrive at Mbale Resort Hotel where the wedding reception was held.

Details
Groom: Apollo Mukhwana , 34 years, is the manager of Gold Radio 95.8fm in Mbale.
Bride: Stellah Shakira Nekesa, 29 years is a designer. She manages Stellah School of beauty in Mbale.
Celebrant: Rev. Patrick Situma
Church: St Andrews Cathedral
Reception: Mbale Resort Hotel