In love continents apart

INTERVIEW: THORN MULLI

PHOTOS:  KIBE GITONGA

BRIDE: Sheila Wanjiru Mwadime

GROOM: Amos Gona Mwadime

NUMBER OF GUESTS: 500

VENUE: High ridge Gardens (in Ridgeways) 

Eve Bridal: How did you two meet? 

Sheila: I met Amos through a former colleague who was dating his twin brother.

Eve Bridal: What attracted you to each other?

Sheila: Amos has strong values and it comes out in his level of integrity and how he treats others. He is also thoughtful and makes me feel special.

Amos: Apart from her beauty and wonderful smile, this was a woman who was real and who knew what she wanted in life. She is kind and genuine and made it easy for me to be open with her.

Eve Bridal: How long did you two date before marriage?

Sheila: About six months. We spent a lot of time together within that short period and got to know each other. I joke about it sometimes with Amos and say we were ‘boys’ because we would hangout and just have fun.

Amos: Our dating was our courtship period. I had already decided that this was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. During this period I got to know and understand who Sheila was.

Eve Bridal: How did he propose?

Sheila: He proposed officially on my birthday in 2011. My birthday present was a beautiful engagement ring. I was so thrilled.

Amos: I had already made my intention known to Sheila before I left for Canada but I felt that somehow I had to make it official with an engagement ring. Our mutual friend who introduced us helped me out on this. During her birthday, I called her from Canada and proposed.

Eve Bridal: How was meeting each of your parents like?

Sheila: My dad being a retired Major General could intimidate any guy but not Amos. As such, he gained a lot of respect from my parents and myself.

Amos: The day I introduced Sheila to my parents was interesting. She prepared a delicious meal that we all enjoyed as they got to know her.

Eve Bridal: Where did you get your gown and maid’s outfits?

Sheila: I had all the outfits tailored locally though the groom got his suit from Toronto, Canada.

Eve Bridal: What was the most challenging part of planning?

Sheila: Getting the outfits done was problematic as the vendor gave us such a hard time. In fact, my gown was ready the night before the wedding. That caused plenty of sleepless nights and weight loss. Although the results were good, I wish I had just shipped in a gown or gotten a reputable company to work on the outfits.

Amos: The fact that I was not physically in Kenya during the wedding planning was indeed challenging. But with the help of my family and friends, they made it less challenging for me. Sheila, especially, did so much during this process that I am truly and forever proud of her.

Eve Bridal: What part did you love most about the planning process and the wedding?

Sheila: I loved the teamwork. When it comes to the wedding my favourite part was the dancing. At some point the heels just had to come off.

Amos: Seeing the smile and happiness on my bride’s face plus the approval and satisfaction from both our parents was just amazing.

Eve Bridal: You live in different continents at the moment, tell us how you cope with the distance.

Sheila: Thank God for technology because it is not snail mail anymore compared to the past. You can text, call at cheaper rates, email, chat, Skype, whatsapp; the list is endless. It is still quite challenging nonetheless. Anticipating this before we said our vows, we made a pact to each other to fight on no matter how tough things are.

Amos: Communication is a key aspect of keeping a relationship alive. Once you have talked and promised each other about committing to one another, there is no turning back. Despite the long distance challenges we have faced, our bond and love has continued to endure all obstacles. God truly meant us to be together.