The Importance Of Wedding Anniversary Celebrations

Nearly 23 years ago, I eloped with the man of my dreams, tying the knot wearing jeans and a black turtleneck in a tiny attorney’s office in Antigua, Guatemala. During our first 10 years of marriage, we never failed to celebrate our anniversary in a splashy manner — befitting of a young couple very much in love. I remember once my husband gave me a package of six ballroom dance lessons — a staggeringly romantic gesture from a man who, once released from the awkward rituals of dating, seemed determined never to set foot near a dance floor again.

But, after a lovely 10th anniversary party, the reality of three children and two full-time jobs and home renovation and extended family issues started to encroach on our couple time and I began to believe that simply being able to count on this man was worth its weight in anniversary chocolates any day of the week.

As our marriage matured, I assumed we’d always be together and that people who have to celebrate occasions like anniversaries and Valentine’s Day are really pretty pathetic. Shouldn’t couples be kind to each other every day of the year? Well, of course they should — in theory. But now I think I was wrong.

Over a few glasses of wine, I’ve told girlfriends that, somewhere along the way, the passionate kiss I used to plant on my husband’s lips when he walked in the door from work morphed into a peck on the check that eventually morphed into — on some days — an inability to even look up from my email inbox. As I’ve watched several of my friends’ marriages end in divorce, I know for certain how potent a force — and how dangerous — complacency can be in a relationship.

And so these days I believe celebrating one’s anniversary must never be overlooked, as it reinforces the fact that your marriage is a priority. An anniversary celebration also allows you to pull back from your daily grind and relive a moment that changed your life forever. My mother always used to say that anyone can pull out all the stops on their wedding day. But when a couple makes it to 10 or 20 or 60 years of marriage, well, now that’s something that really needs celebrating.

We asked our Facebook fans whether they still celebrate their anniversary — and we were rewarded with an earful.

“Being married a long time is a source of pride in today’s world of high divorce rates,” said Susan Speetzen. “Of course being married 30+ years call for a bigger celebration than the first few years.”

And here are the ways in which our fans celebrate. Have your own ideas? Let us know in comments.

1) “We will be married 45 years in March and we celebrate every year in some fashion. Some years bigger than others but always with our children and grandchildren. This year we are going to have a large family portrait done!” said Chrisenda Smith.

2) “We use it as a ‘free pass’ for doing something special or purchasing something to spoil ourselves to honor another year properly — and to add to our memories. Depends on the year but we sometimes get the kids together for a cruise, a trip to Hawaii, or we purchase some item we’re both in love with. We do some kind of joyous thing together that celebrates our ‘us’ and marriage together,” said Anna Gregerson.

3) “We do dinner, movie, share memories and sometimes we even watch our wedding video,” said Nancy Brovelli Mercurio.

4) “We go to a great restaurant, just the two of us. We make a plan to purchase something that we’ll both enjoy,” said Denice Loritsch.

5) “It depends on what’s going on that day but it’s always celebrated, but maybe not with a night out or gifts. One day my husband never forgets and always celebrates in some way is the date we met. Nineteen years later, we always remember that day!” said Terri Tuscano Stokes.

6) “We just celebrated 32 years and why not? We’re still deeply in love and look forward to our special day every year. Sometimes we celebrate with a dinner/movie date or a day sightseeing someplace we haven’t been. Sometimes we go away for a weekend. We’re always looking for new ways to celebrate our long-lasting marriage,” said Kate Burt.

7) “We take a cruise,” said Rachel Cracken Herbig.

8) “On Dec. 19 it will be 45 wonderful years. We usually go eat at a good Chinese restaurant. My husband is retired with chemical depression and we just enjoy thanking God for what he has done for him. He doesn’t like to get out so we will probably eat and get back to our side-by-side recliners. Sometimes we talk to each other without ever saying a word. God gave me the best,” said Lois Daniel Skipworth.

9) “We always make a point to celebrate... next month is 31! Marriage is hard work, and celebrating all you do to stay in love and happy is very important. We often plan a vacation around our anniversary but at least dinner and a nice time to be together and talk about us. We don’t normally buy gifts, but instead buy a memory,” said Laureen Lund.

10) “We always go out to a nice dinner, just the two of us, and talk about the best parts of the last year and what we hope to do and look forward to in the next year,” said Rachel Jacobson.

Written by Shelley

BREAKING:22 Terrorist Training Camps Identified In The US…

                    
According to some very shocking new reports, there are at least 22 active terror cells inside the United States. You read that right. And the information comes straight from an FBI map.
Jamaat ul-Furqa is the Islamic fundamentalist organization believed to be running the camp. The group has relationships to Al-Qaeda as well as the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organizations.

“In order to live in these camps, you must pledge to support a Pakistani Cleric on the International Wanted List,” reports Mad World News. “As early as 2012, the media confirmed 19 Jihad camps on Untied States soil.”
According to reports, the FBI states that “their hands are tied in monitoring their activities, despite a training video that is years old, possible murders, and proof of illegal activities.”
If that is true, Homeland Security has known about these camps for years. The Obama administration has allegedly refused to classify the parent organizations of the camps as terrorist organizations. However, the cells have already been involved in several serious crimes, with suspected involvements in at least 10 murders.
What do you think? Does Obama need to step up and start protecting our country?

Source: ww.americannews.com

9 Things to remember before marrying a polish woman

                                   
There are an awful lot of guys out there in Poland (and elsewhere) with Polish girlfriends. It’s not always an easy thing, I know and I feel your pain. This is the definitive list of ‘things to remember’ …at least until I think of the next definitive list.

1 Her name
Bear with me, I’m not being (completely) flippant. About 90 percent of all women in Poland are named Magda, Ola, Anna, Dorota, or Kasia. That’s it. This can be confusing. If you can’t remember your Polish girlfriend’s first name ask her what her second name is. Everybody has a second name here. Unfortunately it’s usually just one of the above, but you might get lucky and come across a Jadwiga (if you’ll pardon the expression).
2. Women’s Day
This is one of approximately 74 occasions during the year when you are required to give a Polish girlfriend flowers. Flower-selling is an immensely profitable and stable business in Poland. There are flower sellers everywhere and, until recently, they were about the only businesses that stayed open on a Sunday. Women’s Day? It’s in April some time; look it up. I’m not even mentioning Valentine’s Day; that’s so obvious that you entirely deserve to lose a testicle if you forget it in Poland.
3. She is a princess
Polish girls are brought up in the tradition of old-fashioned chivalry and deference to the ‘weaker sex.’ That means YOU carry the bags, open the door, mend things, make tea in the morning, escort her to the bus stop etc. When a little exasperated by this I often point out to my girlfriend that she’s being a ‘bit of a princess’ to which she usually smiles and flutters her eyelids in complete ignorance of the negative connotations of the phrase in British and American English. Oh well.
4. Walking is impossible
Part of the chivalry thing mentioned above is the expectation that whenever you are walking somewhere together she should have her arm looped through yours. Down narrow and crowded streets this makes progress painfully slow. It’s sweet, and I kind of like it sometimes, but it would be nice to walk through crowded areas in single file sometimes instead of having to go through ridiculous sideways-shuffling maneuvers, every five feet.
5. You are furniture
While trying to relax and watch a film in which hundreds of Russian troops are hosed down by panzers she will use you as a pillow / footstool / nose-scratching device. This is also kind of sweet and nice, but it can make it hard to concentrate on the body count.
6. She has a mother…
…who regards you with more than a hint of suspicion. Polish mothers of that generation are convinced that foreigners are godless, feckless, untrustworthy imps sent by satan to steal their daughters and carry them off to London / Dublin / Des Moines. In other words, they are remarkably well informed. You have two choices; get your act together and behave like a decent human being or avoid the mother like the plague. Neither is painless.
7. Your food is not your own
It’s a well known fact amongst men that women mysteriously become ravenously hungry only when you happen to have a large plate of long-anticipated chips in front of you. However, the effect does seem to be particularly pronounced among Polish women, who claim to eat almost nothing. Always, and I mean ALWAYS, order or cook more than you can possibly eat because your stick-thin Polish girlfriend will inevitably develop the appetite of a blue whale the moment her anxiously selected ‘small salad’ arrives.
8. You can kiss other women
She has female friends and it’s perfectly acceptable, in fact encouraged, for you to kiss all of them up to three times every time you see them. Exactly where you put your hands while you are doing this is a issue I have yet to resolve successfully. Still, it’s an up side.
9. She’s smarter than you are
The Polish education system is a marvel and good education is respected above almost everything else here. Chances are that your Polish girlfriend not only speaks English, German, and Russian (how many languages do you speak) but also has a pretty good grasp of a lot of things that you slept through at school. You’re only hope is to pretend that such things ‘aren’t considered important in Western culture’ and shrug until she buys it.

Written by Shelley Emling
 Shelley Emling is the Senior 50 Editor at The Huffington Post. Previously she has worked as a foreign correspondent for the Cox Newspaper chain both in Europe and in Latin America. She's also the author of four books including a biography of Marie Curie. Shelley can be reached at shelley.emling@huffingtonpost.com.

6 Things To Know Before Marrying An Igbo Girl

                                        
Greetings to reaaders of this blog. I hear you have found a lovely woman you wish to spend the rest of your life with. I hear she is Igbo.  Congratulations. Before you go ahead, however, please permit me to say a few things concerning marrying an Igbo woman. I know unsolicited advice is as unwanted as armpit boils, but do spare me a second or two; this is important. See, I know you think the bride price you’ve been told to pay and the long list of traditional marriage items are your biggest issues…trust me, they are nothing compared with what you will face after the ceremonies have been completed and every member of her village has gone home with his/her share of the booty for which you mortgaged your father’s properties.
Now, take note of the following, dear friend:

1. Forget Authority: If you were marrying a Yoruba woman, she would have come to your house with her mother’s voice ringing in her ears that a husband’s house is a place where life’s lessons are learnt. It’s a different story for the Igbo woman. She comes from a long line of ‘unruly’ people who traditionally have no concept of a central authority figure.  Prepare to be stared down eyeball to eyeball in an argument. Prepare to be laughed at when you attempt to assert yourself as the ‘man of the house.’ When she’s done laughing, she’ll measure you, up and down with her left, and sneer: ‘Hian! See this one o; who do you think you’re talking to?’ She’ll clap and shake her head, then she’ll add something in Igbo and then saunter away, wriggling her backside.  It isn’t for nothing that the legendary Aba Womens’ Riot happened in…ABA.

2. Prepare to be Called Names: No, I am not referring to endearing (more like puke-inducing, actually) names like Baby, Darling, or Nkem. I’m talking about names that qualify your lineage and ethnicity in terms that are not exactly complimentary. If you are Yoruba, you and your people will be Ndi ofe mmanu (something about too much oil in your soup and fried things in your life); If you are a Northerner, you and your people will be Ndi beribe (something about possessing a mumu gene). Find solace in the fact that if you are truly Yoruba, you ‘know’ that Igbo people use kick to wake their mothers up from the mat in the morning.

3. Say Goodbye to your Waistline: Your waistline will increase in proportion to the years you spend with an Igbo woman who knows the well-beaten path to her mother’s kitchen. Gone are your days of adding stew to ewedu and okro, or eating egusi soup that was blended with tomatoes. Tufiakwa! The introduction of Ofe Akwu, Nsala, Oha, Onugbu, Ofe Owerri and Oporoko will ensure that when you sit, you fill up the chair. That’s what is called a man, a DIMGBA! Not one that looks like something some hungry wind blew in.  When the husband of an Igbo woman stands, people must see that a man is standing. Size matters. Don’t be deceived by the looks of people like Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and that six-pack nonsense; he’s not a proper Igbo man. Look more at people like his elder brother Ugo or imagine Noble Igwe a few years after marriage; now, those are real Igbo men!  Size matters to an Igbo woman.

4. Be Aware of the Oriaku Syndrome: You have not heard of the Oriaku Syndrome? Don’t worry, I will tell you. You see, when you marry an Igbo woman, you work for her. Your glory comes from seeing her shine. When she steps out, people must SEE your money on her body. If your wife looks like the dried fish she uses in cooking your soup, you are not a man! If she’s dressed like something that was sent to Lagos along with discarded wares, you have failed in your duties! The Oriaku Syndrome posits that your wife is the chopper of your money, simple. Don’t take this to mean that you are her provider and therefore she isn’t independent. When the Igbo man was planting yam, the Igbo woman was planting and harvesting cocoyam, and as every Igbo household can testify, the cocoyam is more useful than yam. Yam is only the king crop because the Igbo society, like others, is phallocentric. Don’t get it twisted.

5. Beware of the Illuminati: Do not marry any Igbo woman that is the first daughter of her father. All first daughters in Igboland are members of the real Illuminati. They sometimes call it by another name: Umuada. They are the most powerful group in Igboland and can do and undo. No one uses small spoon to measure their food. If you marry one and misbehave and she reports you, you are doomed. Even when you don’t marry one, you are still doomed if your wife ever reports you to them. They may decide that all the first daughters from her village will come and live in your house for a month. You may wish to consider suicide if that ever happens to you. It is the Igbo woman who has forgotten the path to her father’s house that suffers in a man’s house when she has the Umuada waiting.

6. The Catholic Church Intervention: When an Igbo woman is tired of you and your nonsense, she’ll simply pack her bag and return to her father’s house. If you do not run after her and collect your bride price back from her father, whatever child she bears anywhere she goes will bear your name. Yes, I’m serious. This is why there are no bastards in Igboland. But thank God for the Catholic Church, this doesn’t happen often. The average Igbo woman is Catholic and the Catholic Church has issues with divorce. Be smart: if you’re going to marry an Igbo woman, marry one who is a Catholic; it reduces her chances of leaving you by about 50%.
You may wish to ask why none of the above is often the case when an Igbo woman marries an Igbo man… well, I don’t know. Perhaps the Igbo man knows how to be ‘oga’ over the Igbo woman and has refused to share the secret with aliens.
Anyways, is your couch free for the night? Surely there’s no way I’m going home to that woman tonight after all this…

Written by Chris Ihidero

Why Are You Getting Married?

                                
You are reading this article because you are either getting married shortly, already married or even hoping to get married. I watched the movie “why did I get married?” and to be honest, it provoked me to evaluating my own reasons for entering marriage. I got married in my early twenties and at the time I thought I was totally in love.  In those days there were no engagement rings. You were just told that his family was coming to see yours. This was enough for you to understand that this was a proposal.  So truth be told, we never really sat down to speak about the marriage. It was just assumed that our relationship was mature enough and we graduated into marriage after dating for five years. So why is this question important? It sets the foundation and tone for your marriage.  

You are getting married because this is what is expected.

You are not so young anymore or maybe you feel that you have met your perfect partner. And you just feel ready for marriage. Or maybe your friends and family have been waiting for that big day. Thing is, after the wonderful wedding, you start a life together with this person. And guess what, it’s for keeps. Haiya. For real. There is no exit clause. This means that what everyone expected of you is no longer relevant.

It is now down to the two of you. A lot of things will change but you have vowed to stick together…. Remember the part of your vows where you say ‘for good times or bad’. Do you have any clue what that means? This is where I ask you to evaluate, are you getting married for people or are you willing to stick by this person till death do you part? The bible says in Ecclesiastes 5:2 “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God”. Maybe you have already taken this vow like I did without much thought. It’s okay. Take the time to examine your heart.

 

For me, this is what was expected as my friends were all getting married at the time and our parents were waiting with bated breath.  I had no clue what marriage was about and how foundations play into the marriage. I brought enough baggage into the marriage to fill a house. He brought baggage too but maybe I brought more…. Not sure. Anyway, the baggage we had made it difficult to maneuver this marriage as everywhere we turned, there was a box of insecurity, a suitcase of bitterness, a sack of low self-esteem and many other forms of baggage. Truth be told, we all walk in with some sort of baggage.  

You believe your spouse will complete you. 

I found out the hard way that no human being can give you a sense of purpose or completeness. This can only come from God. Of course when you are getting married, you genuinely believe in your heart that you will complete each other. If anything the Bible says that the two shall become one. This is true. The only problem is many of us don’t have a good understanding of what God is really talking about here.  At the time the scriptures talk about oneness, the fall had not taken place. Adam and Eve were both living in perfect harmony at the Garden of Eden. In fact, Adam had just laid eyes on Eve and was totally blown away by this beauty. We all know the story. The problem is, after the fall, mankind adopted ungodly qualities that fight that godly oneness. Man is incapable of  manifesting the perfect oneness. Mankind was defiled. Thank God for the arrival of Christ. Through the cross we can now begin a journey back to the perfect love and unity once experienced in Eden. Only when Christ completes a couple, can that couple be complete as God intended and become one. Even here, remember it is a journey. So brethren, please don’t expect your partner to complete you. It is an unfair expectation. You are not able to complete your spouse either as you have flaws. Only a perfect person can complete your imperfections. Now, don’t get me wrong, we do complement each other. Only remember, sometimes the very thing that has attracted us to our spouse is the very thing that will later annoy us. 

You need companionship. 

Companionship is a good reason. None the less one must ask themselves, do I really enjoy your company? Am I a good companion? What with children and all? Who becomes the priority? I say this because many women once they have children are not able to be good companions to their spouses. On the other hand, after a while the men also get bored and also make terrible companions. You may be friends now. How long will your friendship last? Are you willing to be friends even when you have no money and one person is taking care of the family? Are you the kind of companion with a check list of how many things you do in the marriage versus what your spouse does? As you can probably tell by now, companionship is not easy. Sure it is nice to always have a nice warm bed especially with July around the corner but the truth of the matter is companionship is also an investment. Kind of like a savings account. You can only get out what you deposited. The more you save and with the right investment company, the better the returns. Some married people are better companions to their co-workers, extended family members or friends and are lukewarm or cold to their spouses. They then spend time complaining about their spouses.  If you want your spouse to be a good companion, you must work on being a good companion too. 

 

To start a family

You want to get married or are already married and your motivation was and is to start a family. God did tell man to multiply and fill the earth so there is nothing wrong. The only issue is that of late, we are seeing more and more issues of infertility in equal measure between men and women. What does this mean for you? Is this a deal breaker? Are your vows pegged to some fine print that states that without children this marriage is nullified?

It is important to evaluate this beforehand as there is an expectation by society to procreate. While children are definitely a blessing, they don’t come easy to all couples. How far will you be willing to go with fertility treatments? Some couples must engage the services of a surrogate mother to carry the pregnancy as the wife is incapable of carrying a baby due to health issues. Others have a low sperm count and therefore fertilization must take place outside the womb. Others choose to adopt and move on. Whatever the case, you must examine how you feel about this to avoid miscommunication and problems in the event that conception does not take place.  

 

Finally….

There are many reasons for marriage and I cannot write all of them down. One thing I have learnt is that I must work on my relationship with God as that makes me a better spouse. Why? When you spend time with God, you tend to do things His way which by the way goes against everything the world tells you and this means you become a positive influence in your home and are a joy to be around. So if you are planning to get married or are already married, I applaud you and wish you all the best. Put God first and you will be amazed as you see the devil coil in defeat as Jesus hands over victory to you.   I do want to say that though most of us start off with no clue, if you really work on your marriage, this is a very rewarding institution as you grow old together with your beloved. God has blessed my husband and I and through it all, Jesus has seen us through for the past twenty three years. He can do the same for you and even more. 

 

Written by Wanjiru Bachia (Korry) 

Wanjiru Bachia (Korry) is the founder of The Eden Bride
The Eden Bride seeks to help couples getting married and even those already in the marriage institution have a firm foundation so they can grow old together in matrimonial bliss.

She can be reached through korrys@gmail.com

 

10 steps to perfect wedding make-up

I am an Award winning bridal make-up artist so my experience here counts.I give you my10 top tips for making sure you look picture perfect on your big day.

1. Picking the perfect make-up artist

If you know someone who looked fabulous on their wedding day - ask them who their make-up artist was! Personal recommendations are always the best. Very often your wedding venue will have a list of mua's that they recommend or you can search online. If you love natural pretty make-up, avoid a mua that has a portfolio full of dark smokey eyes and bright lips. If you find someone who is available, arrange a trial and make sure you take lots of images of looks that you love from magazines and online.

2. DIY wedding make-up

If you are confident in applying your own make-up (and you know wedding day nerves won't get the better of you), you can opt to apply your wedding day make-up. Remember though, wedding make-up is different to applying regular make-up - it has to last all day and look photographically perfect in daylight as well as indoors. Book a lesson with a pro mua or you can always book a tutorial on a make-up counter - I recommend using a store such as Space NK, as they sell different brands and you can cherry pick the best of each brand, rather than buying it all from one cosmetics counter.

3. Choosing your make-up look

If your wedding dress is soft, romantic and pretty, a heavy smoky sexy make-up is not going to compliment your dress. Even if you LOVE this style of make-up, you will need to soften it slightly so that it works with the gown. Again, the same applies to your hair - if you choose a soft, boho, loose  hair design, you will need to keep the make-up pretty and dewy, so that everything works 'together' rather than clashing. Look through bridal magazines (Brides Magazine is the best)  and online for inspiration - you can get great ideas not only from bridal magazines, but also from red carpet images - the hair and make-up on the red carpet is always stunning!

4. It's not just about the make-up, begin with the right skincare

Don't think you can apply just 'any old' moisturiser before your make-up - if it is too thick and greasy, your make-up will 'slide off' within hours. Unless your skin is very, very dry, opt for a light, oil free moisturiser that will keep your skin hydrated and will create the perfect base for your make-up. A small amount of eye cream is fine if needed, along with lip balm too.

5. Primer is a must

If you think primers are just an extra product to get you to part with your £s - think again. The right primer will not only help your make-up look perfect for longer, it will also help smooth over fine lines and wrinkles and open pores. There are many to choose from though - as with your skincare, look for one that is suited to your own skin type. Apply all over your face (a small amount is sufficient) after skincare, before foundation.

6. Your foundation the most important part of your wedding make-up

The main reason brides-to-be say they book me for their wedding day is because they love the way I make the skin look so natural. It's all down to the correct foundation and how you apply it. Get it right and everything else will look amazing - get it wrong and it is the biggest mistake you will make. Invest in a good foundation (you do get what you pay for) and remember, it's not just about getting the right colour, it is also about getting the right formulation. Get samples from counters, take them home and wear them in daylight, all day (until evening) until you find the one for you. And my top tip - apply in THIN layers, starting from the middle of the face and blend outwards using a foundation brush.

7. Apply concealer AFTER foundation, not before

Concealers are naturally thicker in consistency than foundations (as they are designed to cover imperfections, whereas foundation is just to even the skin tone/ complexion), so to keep your skin looking as natural as possible, you want to use as little concealer as possible. If you apply your concealer first, you will rub most of it away anyway when you apply your foundation, whereas if you even out your skin tone first with foundation, you will then need less concealer. And remember, you may need to buy 2 concealers as the concealer you would buy to cover blemishes will be too dry to use under the eyes, so make sure the concealer you have is suited to the areas you need to cover.

8. Go easy on the powder

Yes, you need to use powder to set your make-up and make sure that your skin doesn't look greasy in your photos. However, if you are too heavy handed with powder, your skin will look drier, older and cakey. Avoid using a massive powder brush - opt for more of a blusher sized brush and lightly dust your t-zone, your eyelids (to avoid eyeshadow creasing) and with the tiny amount left on the brush, dust over the rest of your face.

9. Avoid 'sparkly' products 

Stay clear of any eyeshadows/ face powders/ highlighters with a lot of sparkle as they will 'bounce' off  flash photography. You can opt for products with a little shimmer - this looks more sophisticated and just apply these products in small amounts, using your fingers and blend well.

10. Go for the bridal glow

Get the cover girl glow I create for my brides by using cream blushers - applied to the apple of the cheeks and blended upwards and outwards towards the hairline, it creates the most flattering modern look on the cheeks compared to powder blushers which can sometimes look flat. If you have oily skin, don't think you have to miss out on this gorgeous look on your wedding day - there are amazing silicone based waterproof liquid cheek stains which will give you the same effect.

Written by Sarah Brock
 www.sarahbmakeup.co.uk

 Quoted “as the UK's leading bridal makeup artist” by Conde Nast BRIDES Magazine and 'the go-to makeup artist for award winning bridal makeup' by British VOGUE, Sarah Brock is a beauty writer and expert and she has been creating the most exquisite makeup looks for brides for years and her skills are highly sought after for weddings nationally and internationally. She has been selected by top Beauty Editors, Journalists, celebrities (Peter Andre/ Gary Lucy and 50 Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan), society brides and wedding industry experts to be the makeup artist for their wedding day and has collaborated with the biggest names in bridal fashion (Jenny Packham, Sassi Holford, Philippa Lepley, Stewart Parvin and Suzanne Neville to name a few) creating the makeup looks for their stunning campaigns.

Getting married to a kenyan?Here are Kenyan wedding tradition tips.

If you are getting married to a kenyan,there are so maany things you need to know about the kenyan traditions on marriage.There are those traditions which tie weddings around the world together; such as tossing the bouquet, cutting the cake and exchange of rings. But there are some traditions which are unique to this part of the world and they are what makes a wedding truly Kenyan. Here are our favourite ones

                              1. Walkway Shukas and Women Singing on Morning of The Wedding

 On the morning of the wedding, brides around the world will probably wake up to the sound of birds chirping. But if you are a bride in Kenya you will probably hear the delightful sound of women singing.

                                                    2. Traditional Gifts Giving:

 These gifts are different from the rest in that they are traditional and they will most probably not be on your wedding registry. According to tradition these gifts are given by the groom’s parents to the couple. They include a kiondo (woven basket), a shuka, a pot and sometimes a spear and shield for the groom.

                                                         3. Couple’s Welcome Dance:

 You know you are at a Kenyan wedding when you hear the honking of cars to announce the entry of the couple at the reception.

Once the couple alights from the car, the women continue to sing and dance as they usher them into the reception. The joy and cheer is undeniable.

                                                   4. Giving Cake to Parents:   

 Cake is a part of pretty much every wedding. But for weddings in Kenya, aside from the cake to be served to everyone, the couple also gives a cake to their parents and another to their in-laws.

                                        

                                             5. Putting the Certificate in Blazer or Socks:

You have both signed the certificate and your witnesses have signed it too! Now where to keep it…the groom’s blazer or socks, of course! At least as far as weddings in Kenya go. 

We have barely scratched the surface when it comes to Kenyan wedding traditions, but these are our favourites. We would like to know what other Kenyan wedding traditions you know of and which ones you like most.

                      

Source: www.kenyaweddings.co.ke         

Nigerian Wedding Customs

Although marriage traditions may vary from rural to urban areas, weddings in Nigeria often follow several common customs. Formal meetings between the couple's families, the offer of a dowry and an engagement ceremony are all traditional events prior to a wedding ceremony. While dating and selecting your own spouse occurs in urban areas, arranged marriages are frequent in Nigeria.

Introduction Ceremony: Prior to an engagement, the families of the bride and the groom become acquainted through a formal ceremony. The groom's family usually travels to the home of the bride's family and presents a letter requesting the woman's hand in marriage. Traditional dances and the offer of a dowry are part of the process to persuade the bride's family to accept the letter. This ceremony often occurs only a few days before the wedding. 

Engagement Ceremony:The evening before the wedding day, the groom's family visits the bride's family again. This visit is to hear the response to the letter that was presented during the introduction ceremony. If a positive response is given, both families are formally introduced to the guests. Friends and family celebrate the engagement with food and drink. Often the groom's family provides traditional foods such as palm, yam, sugar and drinks as well as offering the bride's family a suitcase packed with traditional clothing, bags, shoes and jewelry. The officiating elder, the person who transferred the messages between the couple's families, drinks from a cup of palm wine and may also invite the bride and the groom to share the drink. When the ceremony has ended, the bride remains at her father's house to prepare for the wedding ceremony. 

Wedding Day:Depending upon the local custom, the bride's elders may help her to bathe and prepare for the wedding. In a traditional Nigerian wedding, the bride usually wears imported Indian fabrics as well as a decorative coral-beaded headpiece, ankle bracelets and necklaces. The bride's hands and feet may be decorated with intricate henna designs. When she is ready, the father of the bride accompanies her to the church. After the ceremony, there is a party that frequently lasts late into the night. Live bands may perform traditional music while everyone enjoys a meal and dancing. After the party, the bride returns to her father's home to change out of her wedding attire. Her new husband arrives with his family to claim his bride and the couple departs to begin their new life together. 

Written by Betsy Bender