Last weekend I went to my first ever wedding here in Tanzania. I had no idea what to expect but was really looking forward to experiencing whatever I would experience. The assistant operations manager for our office (a Tanzanian man named Eliud) married his childhood sweetheart to whom he had been secretly engaged for 10 years. And no, this is not your typical Tanzanian engagement story. They were secretly engaged as teenagers but waited ten years to get married, until Eliud had a job and money to provide well for her.
The wedding was supposed to begin around 3pm but typically began when everyone arrived. The four bridesmaids danced their way up the aisle in pink satin followed by the bride and her maid of honour, both in white, although the bride's dress was much fancier, similar to a North American style wedding gown. The ceremony wasn't as long as I thought it might be and included songs from a very enthusiastic, dancing choir, a man with some type of animal tail that he waved around constantly, a sermon from one of my colleagues, and lots of liturgy as they were married in a Lutheran church.
The reception was held at a hotel nearby. Two things that stood out to me about the reception were its interactive nature and the dancing. When I have attended wedding receptions in Canada, I usually found my seat and stay seated during the program if I was a guest. However at this reception the guests were repeatedly called up out of our seats. First we had to toast with the bride and groom which meant everyone in a line filing past the wedding party with their drink in hand. Then there was the gift giving which began with all the different family members being called up, one group at a time, to give their gift. First his parents, then his sisters, then his brothers, then his aunts, then his uncles and you get the picture. Next came her family and then us as his co-workers and the rest of the guests.
Throughout this whole time, no one walked up front to give their gift or toast the bride and groom. Everyone danced. Every time any group was called to the front music was played and everyone danced their way up front. Sometimes other people joined in just for fun.
Finally at 11 at night, the food was served, and then the real party began.
Although definitely different from any other wedding I've attended, it was a lot of fun and a real privilege to be a part of Eliud's wedding.
