Bishop Mark finds love again

By  LILIAN GAITHO

From the guest list, to the security, the decor and the food for the mammoth crowd, it was a logistical nightmare

“Bishop Mark Kariuki is wedding again…”

This must have been the greatest news in the Deliverance Church fraternity. The bishop and overseer of the Deliverance group of churches across the country wedded again in the last episode of Samantha’s Bridal  Show dubbed ‘Bishop Mark Kariuki’s Grand wedding’.

Mark lost his first wife, Pastor Joyce Wangui six years ago, and finally received a prophesy from a friend in the UK that he would marry again in 2013!

With a guest list hitting past the 5,000, he said ‘I do’ to Joyce Wacera, the head usher at one of the main churches for the last eight years.

The ceremony almost duplicated one of his popular crusades save for the healing sessions! Crowds cheered from the terraces armed with vuvuzelas and drums!

THE PLANNING

Planning is always a nightmare. In the bishop’s case, the guest question was a nightmare. So the committee led by Reverend Margaret Muchai, the national coordinator of the Deliverance Church decided to extend their invitations through the churches. They, however, printed 300 invites for VVIPs.

Having a guest list that could go past the 5,000 mark was the next issue, where in Kenya would they fit? Think of trying to squeeze about 12 average Kenyan weddings in one venue! The only option was an open ground built to hold such numbers. The bishop had settled on The Moi Sports Centre Kasarani gymnasium long before, raising the question; its architecture is not exactly designed with the pomp and glamour that comes with a wedding?

‘What area are we going to decorate or leave out?’ was the couple’s big challenge.

Again, feeding the thousands of guests almost required the five bread and two fish kind of miracle!

This called for caution when the committee was settling on the suppliers because each had to demonstrate they had the capacity and expertise.

THE SUPPLIERS

The bishop may have had a seemingly easy time when deciding on the venue, but Rev Margaret was losing sleep on the décor. The bride had given her colour scheme; eggplant purple with baby yellow and a tinge of lime green (the groom’s favourite). But that was the much she could do. The reverend recruited two flower and décor companies that would work hand in hand with the committee in transforming the terraces, the arena and the whole interior into a glittering and welcoming wedding venue.

The decorators came up with hundreds of ideas and finally settled on white backdrops, green and purple scallops to line up the edges of the arena, while the pillars would be garlanded in white and yellow roses. The tie-backs would alternate between yellow and purple.

Security had to be top notch, and a fusion of the Kenya Police, an independent security company and the church’s internal security team was assigned the task.

Then came the sensitive agenda, food — good memorable food. But how can a whole stadium possibly walk away with delicious after tastes in their buds? The committee did an excellent job of appraising the tenders and finally settled on five caterers, who would each serve about a 1,200 guests on the same menu. The 300 VVIP guests would be served by Safari Park Hotel outside catering service.

 The last detail was the seating arrangement. It was agreed that while all VVIPs would use gate four that opens to the arena adjacent to the podium, other guests would take gate two to various doors into the terraces. Each guest would then take a door labeled to access the various seating positions within the terraces.

THE CEREMONY

The bride wore a white elegant mermaid bustier gown encrusted with glass beadwork, and a bolero under her elbow length veil, while the groom matched in a charcoal black suit over a lilac shirt and purple stripped tie.

The bishop was escorted down the aisle by his three children from his first marriage, while Bishop JB Masinde of Deliverance Church Umoja, was the best man.

This was his second time to sign the groom’s matrimonial papers as he had been his key witness in his first marriage to the late Joyce.

The same officiate who had presided over his first wedding; Bishop William Tumising took the couple through their vows. It was a day to remember!