A love born on Facebook

How did you meet and how?
Milton: I knew Rael since childhood in the early 90s, I knew her home but as time went on, she disappeared. I think they had shifted from our village.
In 2011, out of curiousity, I was chatting and looking up a number of friends and boom, I found her account to which I sent a friend request. She accepted and we started chatting. In the course, I became more curious about her because her name looked familiar. I probed further and discovered she was the girl I knew during childhood.
I reintroduced myself to her but, she could not recognise me. I reminded her about the famous people in our village and every clue there was about our village.

Rael: We met on Facebook in 2011, while I was working at Uganda Christian University Mukono (UCU). The interesting bit during our chat, he seemed to know my family and I very well. As time went by, I realised that he even knew my home area. One day, he told me that he had known me in my childhood. I also realised that I knew his father because he was a head teacher at our school.
We carried on until he requested for a meeting with me. Upon meeting, we liked each other and it’s from there that we exchanged contacts and started communicating frequently on phone.

For how long did you date?
Milton: We dated from 2011 up to 2014. I never gave her time to think about any other person other than myself because as soon as we met, we talked about marriage and we started getting to know each other.
What attracted you to each other?
Milton: She is very caring and above all, very beautiful. I love her height, it drew me closer to her. Since I knew her from childhood, I was more comfortable being with her.
Since we come from the same region, same culture, tribe and also speaking the same language, it made me love her even more, because I would not get difficulties in communication.
Rael: I was attracted by the way Milton used to speak to me; he is persuasive, sweet and soft-spoken. I couldn’t wait to live with his sweet voice forever.
Secondly, is the diastema. I love it so much in fact it also attracted me so much to him. Above all, Milton is a handsome, loving and caring man. He is also very creative, a thing he derives from his job as a graphics designer.

Where was the wedding and why?
Rael: Our wedding was at Thorncroft Chapel in Uganda Christian University Mukono. I chose it because I had worked there and I knew most of the clergy at the church whom I always wanted to bless my marriage. And the fact that we had planned for a small wedding, the the size was perfect to accommodate our guests.

And the reception?
Our reception was at Rest Gardens in Bweyogerere. We chose it because of the cool ambience and the fact that we could get fresh air.

Any interesting moments on your wedding?
Milton: The most interesting thing was seeing our two families get together, clergymen blessing our marriage, and most interesting, my beautiful Rael walking down the aisle. I enjoyed the whole church ceremony. I also liked the cake.

Rael: Generally, organising the wedding was interesting because I never thought I would pull it off. Then, the attendants at La Beauty Salon in Kireka were so nice to us, they treated me like a baby. I was also very excited about our friends and relatives who turned up for our wedding especially those that came from our village in Kapchorwa.

I was also wowed by the part of our vows when Milton said, “…I’m taking you as my lawfully wedded wife”. When I heard that, I became more contented knowing that no one would take him away from me except God.
The preaching by the Rev. Amos Kimera was so touching.

What was the main source of your funding?
Milton: It was mainly contribution from family and friends.

Were you disappointed in any way on your wedding day?
Rael: I did not like my gown. It was slightly big because the person I tasked to make it took the wrong measurements. She did not do what I expected of her, and thus delivered it two days to the function when we could barely change anything. The decorators did not do even a quarter of what was expected of them, yet we paid them a lump sum, what he promised is not what he delivered. The catering service providers did not do a good job.

Milton: Milton: First, people who did not fulfil their pledges. Someone pledged public address system and by the time we reached at the reception from church, there was no public address system at the venue. I got disorganised at that time and almost cried, because initially, I was made to believe that everything was fine. In fact I was numb throughout the function.

What did you like about your wedding?
Rael: I liked the performance of our MC who is also a gospel artiste from our region.
I also like the fact that even after arriving at the venue, without the public address system, I never allowed myself to be stressed, because after all I knew that the main function was done (Church).
Milton: I liked the fact that people gathered for our cause, drinking, eating and having fun because of us.

How was your wedding eve?
Milton: I didn’t have fun because my parents gathered to give me words of advice and I disappointed them because I was not paying attention- I was moving up and down.
Rael: I was stressed by the salon women that night because we had to go for rehearsals with the clergy, so I got tired. We slept very late and woke up very early in the morning.

Where and how did you spend the honeymoon?
Milton: We went to Lake Victoria Serena Hotel in Lweza- off Entebbe Road, a day after the wedding.

If you are given a chance to redo the wedding, what would you change?
Rael: I would change the service providers like decoration, public address system, food and may be the gown. I would change it to a one that fits properly.

Advice to those intending to wed?
Milton: Those planning to wed should plan at least a year in advance but they should not rush. They should never rely on pledges.
Rael: Never ever use a service provider that you don’t know and always consider those that your friends have recommended you to use.
Always have some savings for miscellaneous things that keep coming up. And above all, commit your wedding preparations to God.

How would you cut costs on a wedding?
Rael: Always go for what you can afford and do not copy what your friends did.