My mother dreamt I would meet her’

Eve's Bridal Archives

BRIDE: Faith Lila Waia

GROOM: Martin S. Mwanzivi

VENUE: Nairobi Pentecostal Church, Valley Road

RECEPTION: Loreto Convent Valley Road

BUDGET: Sh550,000

GUESTS: 300

FIRST DATE

I met Faith while she was visiting our offices in October 2010 for social security member registration. As is the custom, certain documents have to be produced by the customer for purposes of registration, among them their Identification Card. A closer look at her I.D., revealed that she hailed from the region I attended high school. That information opened up a discussion and we briefly talked about the weather in the region before she left.

Later on that evening, I retrieved her number from the documents she had left, introduced myself as the guy who had served her and asked her to save my number and for a coffee date so we can continue our conversation. I did not hear a word from her for three months. I assumed that she was busy at work.

Faith: I was not ready yet for a relationship when he approached me on that day of the registration. I was just from another relationship and was in the healing process. During the three months, he would text to check up on me, but I could not reply. I was not trying to play hard to get, it was just a case of bad timing. I had also taken the time to pray to God for direction.

Soon after, I could not take the bugging texts anymore. I decided to have the coffee date, just to get him off my case. After all, what was the worst that could happen? When I met him in February 2011, there was just something different about him even in the course of our casual conversations. The coffee date turned into lunch and later dinner dates.

Martin: Later, in August, the tables turned on her. Due to the fact that I was having my final exams at the University of Nairobi where I was undertaking a degree in communication, I barely had time to spare. I remember at one point I turned down a date she offered on the last day of my exams and got her so mad, that I had to apologise.

THE PROPOSAL

Martin: In February 2012, I asked her what plans she had for her birthday since Valentine’s coincides with her birthday. When she said that she would be going straight home after work, I proposed a dinner to celebrate her birthday, to which she agreed.

As we were having our main course in the hotel which I had booked, I asked her to close her eyes so I can unveil her birthday present.

Faith: When I opened my eyes, an engagement ring was staring at me. I could not contain my tears. I called my mother to tell her the good news. But I still wonder how he got the size of my finger so perfect, yet he had never taken any measurements.

THE DRAMA

Martin: The initial wedding date was set for August 2013. We had everything booked and save for my transfer back to Nairobi. I was working in Malindi at the time and my transfer application took longer than expected to yield, so we had to postpone the wedding date. Luckily, the service providers assured us that we would still have the venues intact.

When I took Faith home to introduce her to my parents, my mother liked her at first sight. In fact, my mum described her explicitly as the woman she had seen in her dreams. That acceptance went to strengthen our bond further.

Faith: Our greatest challenge was time. We did not have adequate time to plan our wedding due to our tight working schedules. Some of our friends whom we invited to the committee never showed up. It was surprising that we got support from people we did not even invite to our committee.

WITH HINDSIGHT

Martin: We would advise couples to start planning early. Start saving early and source service providers prudently. As was our case, I pulled all the savings I had to top up the contributions from our committee and we had no outstanding wedding expenses three weeks to the wedding. We also had our venue booked a year to our wedding due to the demand of the said venues.

Faith: Attend pre-marital classes for guidance before entering into marriage. My lady colleagues took over the running of the event and the day went on so smoothly that we finished 30 minutes ahead of schedule. A clear sign that what me can do, women can do better.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Our highest moment was when we made our vows to each other as well as the evening party. After our wedding reception, we left for an evening party organised by our bridal team which sealed off our long day of happiness.

PHOTOS: Fidelis Kabunyi

WORDS: Rose Kwamboka

LAST WEEK'S PHOTOS BY: Ben and Gathoni Kiruthi