Category Archives: Real Weddings

Tina and Robert

“This man, my miracle, he found me, he fought for me with the wrath of a God when not even I thought that I was enough… the warmth of his heart gives me a sense of salvation… this is such a happy ever after.” These are the moving words of a poem that Tina composed and recited for her husband Robert.

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Tina & Robert

 

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HOW THEY MET
Their story began in the year 2010 when Tina was seeking an internship at the firm in which Robert was a member of staff. “I was walking out… I was going for a site visit in Naivasha and I was like damn, who is that girl at the reception? I had to go back and ask the receptionist who the girl was” narrates Robert. They say a man knows within the first five minutes of seeing or meeting a lady whether she will be his wife or not and that was evident in this case. The receptionist told Robert that she was there to inquire if there was an opening for an internship position and upon learning that, Robert was insistent to make sure the receptionist ensures that their boss offers her a position and indeed, she got it.
Robert worked up the courage to introduce himself and soon after, he asked her out on a date with no fruition. Tina was reluctant for some time, but eventually she gave in. They officially began dating in May of 2011 “22nd to be precise” Robert interrupts Tina.
THE ENGAGEMENT
Tina does not like surprises and she took it as far as wanting her husband to tell her when he would propose. “I decided to pop the question on a random day.” The groom and his friends came up with the idea of making a decoy birthday party for one of them in which Tina would be a guest. Then the surprise came when they begun ripping off their t shirts to reveal the question -will you marry me?-
THE WEDDING
“I would have never chosen anyone else to get married to. He was and still is my ideal” says an emotional Tina. Despite being up by 5 am in the morning, the bridal party was in fact late to the ceremony. Tina opted to have her cousins as bridesmaids and her best friend as the maid of honour so as to avoid having a hard time choosing her bridesmaids. The wedding setting was exquisitely breathtaking, tucked under a canopy, the white chairs complimented by the bold red flowers strung all around in a decorative pattern; it was a little heaven. The groom’s breath literally taken away to the point of tears was the icing on the cake.

The poem rang through the air and when he realized it was Tina’s voice he was listening to, the tears began to fill up his eyes blinding him. “It got to a point where I couldn’t see her because my eyes were filled with tears, so I had to make the call, it’s either I drain the tears or I don’t see my bride coming down the aisle [laughs]” says Robert. A unique twist is that Tina walked down the aisle to her own rendition of Adore You by Miley Cyrus.
The bride looked stunning in her drop waist ball gown, walking down the aisle all the while whispering -kick and pose- to help her walk gracefully in her gorgeous gown. Her bridesmaids were in little fitted ivory dresses with a sash draped on their left sides all making for a lovely ceremony.

THE RECEPTION
“We danced a lot at the entrance of the reception” Robert says. Robert and his groom’s men surprised Tina yet again with a silly, funny and adorable dance that got everyone glued and swaying to, eager to join in.
The couple agreed on 300 guests comprising only of close friends and close relatives and it was as intended. Everyone danced and made merry to the unrelenting love in the air and celebrated the couple and their new married status.
The centerpiece that completed the beautiful theme was their cake which was modeled into a construction site to represent their passion, seeing as both are civil engineers.

They were now one in soul, in spirit, in body and in mind.

 

Photography: Ben Kiruthi

Venue:Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club

Words: Anne Nduku

A Bridal Shower Made in Jozi

Experience has taught me when you are not sure where to start ‘the’ story, you start from ‘the’ beginning!

By Lilian Gaitho

Thus, it all began with a call by Samantha’s Bridal, KTN and Standard Newspaper for soon-to-be-brides to fill in coupons in the Standard Newspaper and Samantha’s Bridal Wedding Magazine and win a leisure trip to South Africa. The winning coupons were revealed during the Samantha’s Wedding Expo July 2013 and courtesy of South Africa Tourism, five lucky brides; each with two of her best girlfriends would have an all costs covered five nights stay in Johannesburg and Cape Town plus a VIP ticket to the South Africa Wedding Expo.

Fast-forward to our landing at Oliver Thambo Airport, and nothing beats the respite care offered to the group at the Hennops River Valley Mangwanani Africa Day Spa in the tranquil outskirts of Pretoria. This was just the perfect ‘welcome to Mzansi’, marked by the customary drumming and singing in Xhosa just an hour fter checking in at the equally gorgeous Maslow hotel. Both brides and friends were treated to a wholesome healing, nurturing and pampering session; kicking off with Neo Maoto, the royal African foot massage to wash away the four-hour jetlag from the Nairobi-Johannesburg flight, this was followed by a much needed Molala, which is a head, neck and shoulder massage and finally a relaxing hot stone treatment to ward tension off our backs. In true African spirit, the brides and and would be bridesmaids would not be allowed to leave the valleys without a taste of light African meals savoured to the musical beats and thumping of the antelopes gracefully dancing under star stained Southern skies; the spa set pace to what would unfold over a blissful five-day tour. And to bid fairy-thee-tour to the brides, the cheerful ladies presented gift bags of DIY massage oils, scrubs and robes. Just the stuff to say, ‘I know Mangwanani’

The music is real, live and instrumental, there’s no window for lip-synching. The Con Grazia girls waltz away in a trance to Dean Martins That’s Amore, and Elegant entertainment picks up the melodies in their balanced threesome baritone. The runway brides are not just ambassadors of brands and trends; they leave in their trail hints of opulence and grandeur that can only go with crystals and pearls; It’s the South Africa Wedding Expo, the annual event brings together globally acclaimed wedding designers and top shop stockists. Our brides did not miss out, Tess was lost for choice; stuck in a Princess Diana length-alike cathedral veil, while her favorite piece was a layered, lighter – than – air floral dress. The designer advised on a high tapering birdcage to complete the effect. Her two friends looked on speechless, unable to help the dear bride make a choice! Elsewhere, Susan, a maid of honor makes an urgent call to the florist back in Kenya, the three friends have mentally disbanded their initial set up plan for Molly’s wedding!

Still lost in the charm of six-meter tall, 2.5 ton, Mandiba statue after last night’s decadent dinner at Mandela Square- Sandton City Complex, we decide to complete the voyage with a visit to Mandela house before taking a dive of faith at the Soweto’s Orlando Towers. This could be the twin tower with the most gut-wrenching story in colonial Africa and today, Brides and Co. are bungee jumping down the hundred meters as if to swear their allegiance! Now, this is exactly one of those moments when a girlfriend’s touch of assurance comes in handy! And so bound by nuts, bolts and friendship, all girls scale up and fly down the precarious heights of Soweto. In reward of their valor, the Orlando Towers bungee team awards them with certificates of…well, hazardous adventure?
A little more shopping in the departmental malls, a few stop overs in bridal outlets. More soup and calamari (I’m beginning to miss our Tilapia!), ostrich meat for the adventurous, some wild game for the explorers, smoked salmon for the brides keeping watch over their waistline, a little wine for the stomach’s sake and dinner is done; we depart for Cape town early next morning