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Published: July 10th 2010
Today we went to Helena's sister's wedding. Helena is Pastor Moses' wife. This will be the first of two weddings we will be attending during our stay here . It was absolutely incredible. Gave me some ideas for mine. Mostly ideas that Jeff won't like much.
The wedding started 3 hours late due to the rain, and people were still trickling in during the service. It was vibrant, loud and extravagant in every positive sense of the word. The church was whitewashed cement with a tin roof, wooden pews, and decorated in white balloons, ribbons and maroon crepe. We sat towards the middle feeling slightly awkward. Loud pulsing music, kettle drums, regular drums, a gourd instrument with beads like a maracca (sp?) along with a singer got the crowd going (dancing in the aisles/clapping and singing). After about 20 minutes of this a car honked three times outside and the band prepared for the brides arrival. The Bride and Bridesmaids came dancing down the aisle to the beat of the music to the clapping of all in attendance. Bride, groom, ringbearer, and flower girl all had oufits made out of the same incredibly ornate silver, white, scalloped fabric. I tried to find a picture online that I could link too (Im having trouble loading my own pictures to the web) but could come up with nothing similar. I kept thinking of the opening scene in Coming to America when the the woman is presented to Eddie Murphy, that fabric but in white. The bridesmaid and groomsmen wore a red patterned fabric, and bride, bridesmaid and flower girl were wearing matching Nigerian Headties out of silver fabric... Nigerian Head Ties: http://www.myweku.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/gele1.jpg (as you can see there are many many different styles, fabric stands straight up due to tons of starch). We marveled that they didnt fade despite the humidity.
Moses was called to sit with the rest of the clergy, and then was invited (on the spot) to do the vows for the couple. He took it in stride and did a great job. I was impressed with the daring of those attending to take pictures, random attendees (not just the photographer) went to great lengths to get as close to the bride and groom to get pictures. After the ceremony we headed to the reception. We had fried chicken, spareribs, a sweet bread, potato salad, miniature tea-like sandwiches and a potato dish with ham and peas. The cake was incredible. it looked like three african huts which chocolate slices for the roof and was ornately iced around the sides. Multiple cake toppers of brides and grooms stood outside the entrance to the huts. We spoke with the DJ who ended up being a really popular radio personality and also met with the only other American at the wedding who is working for an NGO nearby.
All in all it was a fantastic day!
Ill continue to try to load pictures.
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Buddie
non-member comment
Hi
Em, Ry, Papa and I read about the wedding. Sounds like a unique experience. Papa says he has never seen anything like that even in Hamilton, Ohio Miss you already. Love you.