Glam wedding: We found love in Isiolo

FIRST DATE

Bruno: I was working as a freelance journalist in Isiolo when I met Sylvia in the course of work. The first thing I noticed was her calm demeanor and how very well behaved she was; the qualities a man would want in a wife. At the time, I suppressed the feelings I had for her, for I was in another relationship.

Sylvia: That was in 2008. I was undertaking my three-month internship in Isiolo, after which I returned to Mombasa to clear my Diploma in Mass Communication. I was too focused in my studies that I hardly noticed he had taken interest in me. After clearing school, I went back to Nairobi.

Bruno: Later in 2011, after the other relationship went sour, I remembered Sylvia and looked for the contacts with the intention of calling her and tracking her down in Nairobi. Then before I could call her, I coincidentally bumped into her on Accra road in Nairobi. I wasted no time declaring my intentions of starting this journey to making her my wife, a request she casually shrugged off.

Sylvia: I explained that I felt I was not ready to be in a relationship as I was just getting my footing at work. We nevertheless agreed that we could be friends. He was however persistent always calling and texting to check up on me and finally, I decided it would not hurt to give him a chance. It was on one of his usual monthly trips to Nairobi that we made our relationship official.

THE PROPOSAL

Bruno: One day I sent her a text message that read; ‘will you marry me?’

Sylvia: I did not respond to the text because the first thought that crossed my mind was that he must have been joking, so I brushed it off. Then in 2014, about six months after the text message which I had forgotten about, he called me saying he was in Nairobi. He asked that we meet and that he had something for me. On that day, he came with the ring and officially asked me to be his wife. I was frightened, shocked, happy. I was just overwhelmed with emotion. We started planning the wedding immediately after.

THE DRAMA

Bruno: We had slotted our wedding date for January 30, 2016, until Sylvia lost her aunt in November following a tragic road accident and we had to put it on hold to give the family time to grieve and heal.

Sylvia: At the same time, I was undertaking my undergraduate studies which I was due to complete in April, so I requested Bruno that he gives me time to complete my studies before we could set a new date.

Bruno: Having gone through this planning before, many people did not take me serious. Some were too harsh with their words while most were very judgmental.

On the wedding day, the ceremony which was to start at 10am was delayed by three and a half hours due to unavoidable circumstances.