After loosing his first wife pastor Joyce six years ago, renowned televangelist Bishop Mark Kubai Kariuki got a second chance at love fell in love with, Joyce Wacera a head usher at the House of Bread church that was founded by Bishop Mark. Bishop’s marriage to Joyce was a prophecy made by Bishops friend who is also a pastor form the United States. Joyce was very anxious when she received the news and had to do a lot of praying and fasting as she prepared to take up her new role.

FASHION
Bishop Mark and his best man and long time friend Bishop Masinde wore black suits, lilac shirts and royal violet ties. Joyce got her gown from one of the bridal shops in town. She chose a glass encrusted mermaid bustier gown, white in color. She added a bolero to cover her shoulders. The couple had two sets of bridal parties, Bishops children together with their spouses who stayed with the Bishop and Joyce’s sisters and friends who were with her. Bishops two sons and son in law wore grey suits and purple and white stripped ties, his daughter and daughters in-law had eggplant purple long flowing dresses with baby yellow fascinators to complete the look.

 

WEDDING DAY
Both the church ceremony and the reception took place at the Kasarani Gymnasium. There was some worry about how the décor would be done due to the imposing size of the gymnasium but the décor lady Claris of Chique Events used her expertise and set up a lounge area at a stage where the bridal party and VIPs sat. She incorporated lighting, and drapery  matching the theme colors to drape the entrance and inside the arena. The décor lady also opted to use glass pillars for the flower garlands as opposed to the usual flower stands as the glass reflected the light, enhancing the brightness of the venue. In terms of transport the Bishop, his best man and his children rode in range rovers escorted by a convoy of other range rovers and security detail. Joyce on the other hand rode in a stretched Chrysler limousine from Royal Hometown.

GUEST LIST
Being an internationally acclaimed Bishop, there was no way he would leave his congregants out of this important day. There were two sets of guests, the VVIPS who were about 300, included fellow bishops from different churches and other close friends and family. The rest of the guests more than 5,000 comprised of congregants, various pastors and leaders in the Deliverance church. The couple had to hire five professional caterers to feed this large multitude of people.

CEREMONY
The couple had a religious ceremony and stuck to the traditional vows. The officiating pastor was Bishop William Tumising who also officiated Bishop Mark’s wedding 20 years ago to his first
wife Joyce. Bishop JB Masinde and his wife were the best couple in Bishop Mark’s first wedding, and were once again standing as the main witnesses on his second wedding.

JOYCE’S CONTACT BOOK
Photography: Versatile Photographers
Videography: G Media
Décor: Chique Events
Transport: Royal Hometown Limousine

 

My dress was beautiful in itself so I accessorized with a simple chain and earrings not to take away from my dress.

 

IN THE BEGINNING

Pam narrates… I vividly remember the dream; it was extraordinarily clairvoyant. Heavens spoke to me about it…. I had this feeling that I was to meet my husband in a few days time. I couldn’t really mark out the face in the dream. All I did was keep my faith, sounds strange? Well, not if you believe in intuition.

PLANNING

Pam and Tim decided against having a committee seeing unto the much time it would consume on discussions and deliberations. They instead settled on paying their suppliers from their savings, “we decided to share duties but also agreed whoever can  pay as the months went along could pay. Tim ended paying for most of the wedding.” The two settled on an all-inclusive package at the same venue they had made their first contact simply for sentimental reasons and the efficiency of a one-stop shop.

The maids would wear blue, with a silver heel of comfortable length. Pam bought their accessories. To save on costs, Pam and Tim purchased the materials for the invites, came up with a simple, classy and personalized design then contracted someone to make them. “A month to the wedding, we contracted a Wedding Planner who took over the last minute programming and errands so we could rest and breath easy before finally walking down the aisle.

 

  

PROPOSAL

Tim flew the ring all the way to Dubai where Pam was working at the time. He went down on one knee and proposed outside her workplace on the 1st January of 2013. The wedding plans kicked off immediately.

Tim explains… In retrospect, Pam was almost giving up on meeting someone on that particular day; it was too weeks after her dream and we were both at a friend’s wedding. Towards the end of the day, we struck a conversation as we danced away to the rays of the sinking sun. That last dance marked the beginning of our two-year courtship.

TRADITIONS

Pam and Tim had three ceremonies as required by the Embu traditions, “He first brought his close friends to my parents home for the introduction, then we had the dowry payment –ruracio-later, just before the wedding date, his parents and kinsmen visited my parents.” pay as the months went along could pay.

CEREMONY With the date saved and the traditions cleared, Tim and Pam gathered upon two hundred guests drawn from close friends and family to witness their nuptials. Both ceremony and reception took place at the Oak Place gardens in Ridgeway where they had first met during a friend’s wedding. Their menu consisted of a variety of salads, fruity deserts and an array of local cuisine. Through out the day, Embu traditional dancers in their electric dance moves and drum beats kept the guests entertained.

HONEYMOON

The couple spent their honeymoon at the Serena Dar es Salaam for the first few days before visiting the exclusive Selous Game Reserve in the South of Tanzania. ‘We were put on presidential treatment’ says Pam. ‘The safari tours at the game reserve were breath taking and we stayed in a tent where hippos and other wild animals roamed. We also learnt that it’s the only game reserve of its kind that boasts of indigenous flora, fauna plus a wide range of endangered animals”

Ceremony and Reception: Oak Place

Photos: Paul Pichaz

In the beginning…

Events Guru Chris Kirwa could not help noticing the tall slender beauty with a glow on her dimple. Her beauty literally radiated the pavilion where he was auditioning for the ‘Reach the Stars’ Beauty Pageant. “There was something about her; “I can’t really place a finger on it. But Cate was different” Marvels Kirwa during the interview. Unfortunately for him, Cate was no easy catch, it was time to put his manly instincts to the test! And just like the mythological Greece Goddess of love, Cate dissolved back into the Venetian shell she’d emerged from, and drew the curtains on the incomplete scene!

Scene two: Samantha Bridal ‘All things Bride and Beautiful’ Wedding Expo called upon Kirwa’s expertise in choreographing the Fashion show and as fortune would have it, Cate was among the auditioning models, Goes Kirwa, ‘If a man is interested in a woman, there’s no way you’ll let her slip through your fingers for a second time. I had ten days with her on the walkway of the Samantha Bridal Wedding Expo, and by the time the last designer showcased; Cate and I had just made our infant steps into a happily ever after’

Cate remembers

We had been together for six year, all along he kept dropping hints. I knew we were headed to the altar, but I didn’t have a date! Then in our sixth year, he decided it was time to take the walk. Kirwa confesses to breaking the timeless traditions of proposing on a bended knee, “She saw it coming” He retaliates “Every now and then I’d drop the hints. I wanted to be real with her from day one”Nonetheless, Cate said yes to every little hint, which culminated in a Kamba traditional engagement ceremony at her father’s home. The colorful ceremony saw the two exchange rings and cross dates for their wedding.

The plan

With years of experience in showbiz and expertise in events security, one would think Chris and Cate would have a smooth ride down the lane to matrimony. But as Chris puts it, ‘Kinyozi hajinyoi’ a Swahili saying loosely translated to a doctor not administering own treatment; “unlike in the corporate world, weddings are very emotional and detailed too, my colleagues asked Cate to watch out lest I treat the wedding as another assignment”

The couple decided against recruiting a committee, opting to call in a suppliers meeting. Unlike many grooms, he took the main role of the planner; deciding to tag his fiancée as The Client. He recounts on how treating his own wedding as an assignment would almost lead him to forget his major role as the groom! The couple celebrated their wedding at the Nairobi Royal Golf Club, ‘we chose the venue because it has an amazing façade and an intimate feel,’ says Cate. Set up embarked three days ahead of the D-day; the mega dome would host about six hundred of their guests. Chris reported on site throughout the set up red carpet walk way and a double raised podium for the altar. The guests sat on red and white upholstered chiavari chairs while the main table set up consisted of vintage white coffee tables.

 

Fashion and theme

Cate’s love for the Indian oriented fashion is evident in her daily and occasional wardrobe, and for the sake of that special touch and personal hint they both settled for the traditional Indian wedding colors; red for life and love and gold, a color of wealth and abundance. Her bridesmaids wore red and white saris, and the groomsmen matched in complimenting sherwans. While Chris looked suave and sharp in a black tuxedo over a crisp white shirt, Cate looked every inch exquisite in a pearl embroidered mermaid dress as she walked down the aisle in her father’s arms. She matched the gown with a fingertip veil, and a detachable train.Later on, both bride and groom swapped the Western Look for a more ceremonial Indian style. Cate went for a light golden shimmer in an Indian Sari, while Chris wore his sherwan complete with a red page.

 

Guest List

The party consisted of A-list names in event and media circles including Jalang’o, DNG, Muchiri of the Buzz Magazine, Big Ted-who was the Day’s Emcee, Phillip Mwaniki, Terry Mungai The founder –Ashley’s Beauty, Mbuvi of Kwata Kawaya fame, Wyre the lovechild, Carol Odero of True Love, and Dr. Catherine Masitsa of Samanthas Bridal.Their invite- only six hundred guests were housed in the marquee, while family and friends in the Diaspora followed the proceedings on e-stream.

Reception and Ceremony

The guests had an exclusive treat to Kirwa’s fun side as he danced to the jumpy beats of the popular Kikuyu song, ‘Sudu’ on the long walk to the altar Pastor Morris of JCC finally joined them in Holy Matrimony, and Big Ted took over as the event’s Mcee. Away from the Royal Nairobi Golf Club, Cate and Chris plus their bridal party took a drive to the Wilson Airport for a memorable photo session. She grabbed the moment to switch from the white pearl embedded dress and the tuxedo to a more relaxed Indian outfit; easing up on their dance back at the reception.

Rose of Primaflora did a marvelous job by placing counts of potted plants randomly between the tables, thus adding to the lush garden feel under the fairy lights.The menu consisted of Indian, Western and local fusion; from the Indian Nan to the Kalenjine fermented milk-mursik.

Honeymoon

The couple took a four day holiday at the exclusive Amani-Tiwi Resort in South Coast.Immediately after their Coastal honeymoon, Chris and Cate did a post honeymoon photo shoot with their wedding Photographer Versatile Photography, ‘It was fun, unchoreographed…a happy-go-lucky feel good shot’

 

           

Photography:Versatile Photographers

Video: Protel Studios

Venue: Nairobi Golf Club

 

 

PROPOSAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having dated online without Judy knowing how Cyrus looks like and him being abroad, Judy went ahead and planned their traditional ceremony and could only hope that Cyrus had all the qualities that she was looking for physically. The two took a gamble and won.

They celebrated their nuptials at the beautiful lawns of Botanical gardens.

The proposal:

After 1 year, Gus took Janet totally by surprise! “I was returning home from work and when I opened the door to the apartment, and found Gus on one knee I was completely surprised. He says that he was planning on waiting a little longer to have a better setting for the proposal, but he was too excited and just wanted to pop the question.” Janet recalls. But it wasn’t until four years later that they decided to get to “I was returning home from work and when I opened the door to the apartment, and found Gus on one knee I was completely surprised.”

SPECIAL TOUCH:

“Gus and I made and printed our own stationery at home i.e. wedding invitations, menu cards, programs. My wedding and engagement ring were bought at two separate jewellery stores in the US. The engagement ring is white gold and has a clear diamond, so we knew we wanted a wedding band that was white gold, but I didn’t want any jewels on the wedding ring.

WEDDING DAY:

“When I woke up I was very nervous but excited. I didn’t really eat anything for breakfast, although my cousin had cooked mandazis, tea, and sausages. But as the day went by, I started relaxing and enjoying each moment. I felt beautiful and was ready to be made one with my husband.” She smiles.

 

 

CEREMONY:

Janet and Gus exchanged their vows in a protestant wedding ceremony. “We had a garden wedding with a modern twist, so the colours were yellow and grey. We wanted a bright colour so we picked yellow. And we wanted a contrasting colour that fits very well with yellow, so we picked grey.

 

Our friends came through for us in a very honorable and memorable way, we wanted just a simple con­temporary wedding, they moved it a notch higher by bringing in their expertise in different fields; from photography to transport and planning. Key point here, embrace teamwork and appreciate a hand in aid.

 

Splashed on: The food, it’s the very reason you invite your guests! I’d rather walk on a petal-les aisle and have my guests’ leave the reception happy, after all…you invite on own accord and so should be to your ability.

Saved on: We saved on quite a number of aspects; our friends allowed us to use their cars so we didn’t have to hire while the decorator who also happens to be a close friend helped us with the planning. The venue was quite affordable, while I hired my gown from a friend-this allowed me to have my dress yet save on budget! Photography and videography was also a great discounted fa­vor from one our colleagues since we are in video production.

Top Tips: Spend as much as you can afford in a wedding…. if most vendors were to be honest, it’s hard to tell different packages (weddings) apart. List well your priorities and have the key interests at heart then set to enjoy the day.

Take things easy, it is just a celebra­tion of your life-long commitment to your love. You will find out it’s the small things that really count; like your family and your friends!

 

 

 

Venue: African Evangelistic Enterprise-Karen

Its a horsy affair as two men of God get a second chance in love.

For the true fairy tale princess wedding a horse drawn carriage is an essential. Let the Samantha Royal Victorian carriage make your next event one you will always remember with happy memories.

As seen on my dream wedding Phidilia talks of the experience “ a horse carriage is royal take it now take it 100 years from now it is still royal,for once I felt I am the princess” she says.

Even The groom and his groomsmen chose to arrive in unique style at the wedding venue.

  

The gown has to be a ballroom type silhouette. The skirt of the gown was wide and billowing enhanced by a very full petticoat. A snugly fitting bodice with this full skirt gives that air of the fairy princess.

 

The couple chose to have an evening photo shoot and this allowed them enough time to take beautiful photos making their memories of the days event.

The train extended a few feet.No princess walks into church without a long train cascading down the isle behind her.

Phedilia and Peter met at a friends funeral after which they met later coincidentally at work. She was a sales associate and he was the director with an NGO.

At first Peter saw Phedilia as a work mate but after persuasion from a friend during youth camp. Peter decided to try his luck and asked Phidelia out.

After long friendship he decided to take the next step.He made a formal proposal during a surprise party on Phidelias birthday.

It was time for the bride to pass on the luck to another single lady, tossing the bouquet moment for bride to single ladies.Moment well captured.

 

This was a second chance in love for both as her yes was great tidings to him who was given by fate a second bite at the cherry of love  as he is a widower,for her as well life was giving her a second chance from a broken relationship.

A ride of a lifetime for a princess bride.

 

 

They ended the day with an evening party with close friends and the first dance moment they had prepared for before hand.

Photography by Radek Ark

Venue Botanical Gardens

Horse carriage by Samantha Royal Victorian Carriage