It began in college

Who: Lora Cheruiyot and Steve Khisa

When: November 20, 2010

Where: Christ the King Cathedral, Bungoma and Nzoia Sugar Company Guest House Grounds

Guests: 530

Budget: Sh810,000

Dating

Steve: We met at Moi University in Eldoret where we were both Tourism Management students. We dated for six years.

The proposal

S: I had saved quite a bit of money for this event. I wanted it to be perfect.

I hired a cottage at a beach hotel in Watamu on the outskirts of Malindi and after a sumptuous candle-lit Italian dinner, it was time to pop the question. I went on the traditional bended knee, and just when she thought I’d remove the ring from my pocket, I had a young girl on tour in Kenya do the onus. She said yes.

The cake-cutting moment seemed to take all their concentration.

The women, dressed to the nines escort Lora on the day she joined their circle.

Getting the girl

S: I had to make three visits to Lora’s home in Kericho; first, with my brothers and uncle to request her parents’ consent.

After they approved, we went back after a while with my dad and a party from my rural home to pay the dowry and to invite them to our home.

Her parents then visited Bungoma after which we went back to Kericho for the pre-wedding party conducted under Kipsigis culture.

The wedding

S: We had the wedding in Bungoma because, transportation of relatives and friends from upcountry to the Coast, where we live, would have been costly. We would also have needed to provide accommodation.

The bit that took the biggest chunk of our budget was the reception. Overall, we can say the most overrated thing in weddings is the cake cutting ceremony.

It was a challenge synchronising our planning, which sometimes required our physical presence despite the distance between Malindi and Bungoma. Cultural differences between the two communities were also a bit of a test.

Wedding advice

S: Never rely on friends for transport. And if one can afford it, they should hire a professional wedding planner.

Our suppliers

S: Nzoia Sugar Company guesthouse provided the food, our outfits were from Enkarasha, Nairobi, cake was from Mayfair Confectionaries, Kisumu and tents, chairs and decor from Events Solutions, Kisumu.