Getting engaged to be married is one of the most exciting things that ever happens to you. This is especially true if the groom-to-be gets down on one knee to ask for her hand in marriage, and fantastic for both when she says “yes”.
But then comes the more difficult part because you have to decide upon a wedding date. This could be 18 months or more ahead, but it is amazing how time flies. There is so much to think about and to do in order to prepare for the big day.
Of course, wedding ceremonies vary considerably across different cultures. One has heard the expression “tying the knot”, and if it is an African wedding it happens literally. It is not known exactly where in Africa this tradition stems from, but the bride and groom have their wrists tied together with a string of decorated rope, braided grass, or even cowrie shells. The couple say their vows in front of the officiant who ties their wrists together, confirming their commitment to each other.
A Lot Of Planning To Do
If you think that 18 months is a long time away, in one sense you are right, but there is an awful lot of planning to do before that big day arrives. You have to decide on the venue for the wedding and for the reception, although in a lot of cases today they could be the same because many venues are now licenced to carry out weddings. You need to decide who to invite as guests, and who to leave out. This is particularly important if the venue can only hold a certain number of people comfortably.
Then there is the décor. You want it to be nothing short of grand and stunning, so that friends and family will talk about it for years to come. There is the décor for the room or hall itself, and then there is also the wedding table décor.
African wedding décor is traditionally colourful and exciting, but you can have a lot of fun playing about with the colours and mixing and matching them. Flowers can always play a big role in an African wedding but, of course they can be expensive. If you want to save money on the flowers, it is best to choose those which are in season here in the UK at the time of your wedding because they will cost a lot less than imported flowers.