BRIDE: Lois Kanini Wambua
GROOM: John Mukera Ndung'u
GUESTS: 400
DATE: October 25, 2014
VENUE:Thomas Barnardo House
PHOTO SHOOT: Ngong' House
BUDGET: SH700,000
FIRST DATE
John: We joined the same firm on the same day of 2010, and were placed on the same team for training.
Lois was a very active student during the training and as such, the trainer took it upon himself to give out her number to the entire class just in case any of us needed to consult further.
So I picked the number and texted her that I was her official ‘stalker in chief’. During lunch break, with the help of a friend, she called the number trying to figure out who her stalker was. It was fun just watching her try look for the person who would pick the call. Once I could take it no more, I called her back and revealed myself. That was the beginning of our friendship.
Over the months, we would chat often. I would align my shift to hers so that I spend time talking to her.
Lois: Then in 2011, after feeling we had been friends for too long, I asked him to define the relationship. He asked that I give him a grace period of about two weeks since he takes time before he makes major decisions.
THE PROPOSAL
John: For starters, I did not know where people buy rings, but when I got that sorted, we took a random road trip out of town in December 2012, which landed us at Sawela Lodge, Naivasha. We had lunch and as we were leaving the hotel, along the driveway, I stopped the car feigning a puncture, which prompted her to get out.
Lois: I tried to see, which tyre had a puncture but I just could not. Then he insisted that he was going to look for help in changing the ‘punctured’ tyre as he did not want to get dirty. That, and the fact that I was two months pregnant got me really agitated. I had even resorted to changing the tyre myself, if that was what it took to get us out of that deserted drive way.
In the midst of the anger and confusion, he went on one knee and proposed. I thought he was joking since earlier on over lunch, he had proposed only to fish out a key ring asking ‘Mama Truphena, will you marry me?’ – Truphena happens to be a student nurse character in one of those books we read as kids that he fell in love with.
THE DRAMA
Lois: I had never thought of having a wedding until he suggested it. It was then that we started the planning. My father being very protective of me, was not about to marry me off that easily. However, when he saw John, he kind of settled into the marriage idea since he had met him before.
John: Our chama, in which I was the treasurer and Lois the secretary, had bought land from Lois’ dad earlier, so we had become well acquainted in the process. When it got to the traditional ceremonies, I should have done my background research on her culture, for the number of ceremonies got a bit frustrating at one point.
After the traditional ceremonies came the wedding planning. Among our prayer items was that my mum would live to walk me down the aisle as she was quite ill, but that was not to be as she passed on two months to the wedding. But Lois came up with this brilliant idea of our daughter, who is named after my mum, walking me down the aisle.
Lois: As we planned, one of the groomsmen bailed out a fortnight to the wedding. On the day of the wedding, the ushers decided to come home and give me a ‘proper send off’ leaving the venue of the wedding unattended and causing some confusion.
WITH HINDSIGHT
John: I learnt that the two of you should take charge of your wedding planning not delegating everything to friends and the committee, a big committee with too many meetings is unnecessary since you have different persons attending every meeting and you get stuck discussing same stuff in several meetings.
Lois: Assemble a power team that will take charge of your big day and plan early.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Lois: Leaving the house with my mum and dad. It dawned on me that this was it.
John: Lois walking down the aisle, the vows and seeing the joyous faces of friends and relatives cheer on as we were declared husband and wife.
PHOTOS: KATZ PHOTOGRAPHY
WORDS: ROSE KWAMBOKA