The wedding that cost nine thousand naira

The date was September 22, 2017. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon and the venue was one of our churches in Lagos. At 2:15pm, everything was set. A pastor walked straight to the altar, stood by the pulpit, prayed and then declared the wedding service opened. The charge and declaration was read by another pastor, after which I took over proceedings, including the high point of joining the man and woman as husband and wife. My wife Carol preached a very short, but instructive message. An offering was taken, during which period the couple signed the marriage register and within one hour the wedding was over.

There were twenty-one people in attendance, including ten pastors, who joined me as officiating ministers. The twenty-one people were all treated to a reception of soft drinks and snacks served on beautifully decorated tables in the church building. I was reliably informed by the wife of the resident pastor that the soft drinks and snacks cost about nine thousand naira.

I just feel like sharing this information with spinsters, bachelors, parents and all who think that huge sums of money should be spent before a wedding can be termed successful.

This is not the first time we have conducted weddings like this. Some of the brides wore wedding gowns, while the men put on their suits. In some instances, they may just put on nice clothes they have been wearing before. In an instance where the intending couple wants a crowd, we had to conduct the wedding as part of the Sunday service without a reception. Thereafter, they proceeded on their honeymoon.

But one very important fact is that, as an officiating minister, I have never attached more spiritual importance to weddings that cost millions of naira more than those that cost nine thousand Naira. For me, it is a matter of God joining them together. For me, all that matters is that ìwhom therefore God has joined together let not man put asunder.î

It is not as if the couple that wedded that Friday afternoon did not have the means. Both of them have good jobs with reputable companies. I want to stress here that those who are rich can have elaborate weddings, while those who are rich can equally have weddings on a small scale. But those who are not rich should not plan their weddings on a financial level that is higher than them. From my experience, many people want to use their weddings to make a statement of how great they are.

One of the big problems I have had over the years, as a pastor and marriage counselor, is to convince people to manage their wedding expenses in such a manner that when the wedding is over, they will not be in debt. For example, I do not see anything wrong in a lady borrowing or renting a wedding gown, if their income cannot conveniently afford one. I see no reason why intending couples should plan for a reception that is bigger than their income. But some of dem no dey hear word at all. Dem go beg, borrow and buy buy. And instead of making profit in terms of cash and gifts that come to them on their wedding day, some begin to sell their gifts to pay back debts. They, therefore, start their marriage life on a stressful foundation, because they have prepared for the wedding more than the marriage.

I hereby suggest to intending couples to plan their wedding expenses far below their means or at worst within their means. Love you.

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Email:  HYPERLINK “mailto:lovearena@holyspiritmission.org” #lovearena@holyspiritmission.org