The wedding

I made a gingerbread loaf for Porks and Neil and was told by my husband that "this is better than my mother's" - me lying on the floor, kicking my legs, flailing my arms in the throws of a mock heart attack.  I was always lead to believe that his mother was perfect! 
Thank you Ghana!

(Whispering.... it wasn't even that nice!)

 

Gunds normally curls up next to the pillows on the bed.... 

 

We were officially invited to Kingsford and Elizabeth's wedding on Saturday in Kwame Danso! What to wear? What to wear?

The invitation was for 9am but true to "Africa time", we were advised to only arrive after 11am. 

     

So Pokey and I got dressed into our Saturday best, picked Neil up and off we went to Kwame Danso.

 

I wore my silver high heels....

 

my expensive pearls........

 

and my Porks.

 

 

 

We arrived still with plenty of time at 11.30am. There was much festivity and a happy atmosphere.  The band was playing, the congregation were singing and walking around, dancing on the dance floor and around the chairs and chatting to each other. 

 

  

Kingsford was sitting in his seat when we arrived and didn't move at all. We wondered if he and his best man had been sitting there since 9am!  His facial expression didn't change once throughout all the festivities.

 

 

The bridal canopy was surrounded by guests with the dance floor and band in front of them. 

 

The six chairs behind the canopy were for the families of the bridal couple all having arrived before the bride.
                                 


                            This little guy was loving dancing on his own before the ceremony.

 

He was probably less than 2 years old but managed to find me later in the congregation! I was surprised because they don't see many "abronys" and I thought he'd be too scared.

 

 

This smart little chap was entertaining himself outside with a bicycle that was far too big for him.

 

                                                  I told Porks that he was under-dressed.

The lavender and white theme continued with the balloons and the plastic flowers. 

                                   The bride arrived to much fanfare and hooting.
                            

                                The colour-co-ordinated bridesmaid got out, posed and waited.

 

                                                   Then she opened the door for the bride.

 

In time to the music, Kingsford walked slowly up the isle to meet Elizabeth at the entrance and then he turned around and they walked back down the red carpet to the canopy together, he still with the same facial expression.  We were convinced he was terrified!

 

 

They sat down together and the wedding ceremony began.

During the ceremony, the bridesmaid and best man randomly got up to mop the bride and groom's perspiration from their faces and they just sat there as still as statues! (Oh, so that's the bridesmaid's job, Kelly.)  It was so laid back that there was chattering from the congregation all the way through the function.  Even during the minister's deliverance, there was heckling from the crowd.  People were so relaxed, getting up and walking out and then coming back during the whole service.  Even the bride's father as well as the bridesmaid stood up and walked out during the "declaration of couple." No-one was offended and didn't even seem to notice.

 

The minister gave the whole service in one of the Ghanaian dialects interspersed with very little English, to lots of  "woop woops" and "ai ais".  I even heard a short, sharp "yaw!". The words I did hear the minister say in English were "fertiliser for a happy marriage" (Do you sell that, Roger?) and sometime later "no excuse" to much loud laughter.  He also mentioned something extremely important because he said "in capital letters" but I have no idea what that was.   The heckling got louder and I'm sure I even heard some guy shout "Prooooviiiiince!"

Her father gave her away and they said their vows, well we think they did, we couldn't hear above the noise.  Kingsford removed Elizabeth's veil, put a ring on her finger and they were husband and wife.  We know this because everyone clapped and shouted.

                                                    They sat down again but swapped places.

See what I mean about Kingsford's expression?

The couple danced and the guests walked up to them and stuck money on their foreheads.  It didn't stick (the perspiration had been wiped off, duh!) and they tried again, picking it up off the floor as it fell.  The congregation joined in with the dancing hardly moving their arms at all, just shuffling, which seems to be the Ghanaian way.  Neil suggested that it is too hot in Ghana to move any more than that!
After having learned unique Ghanaian wedding customs and with light and happy hearts, we left for home.