Saturday, January 17, 2009

Christa & Stanley's Wedding

On December 20 my roommate, Christa, got married to a wonderful Kenyan man. Their wedding was an interesting combination of Canadian and Kenyan culture. The ceremony was very similar to ceremonies we're familiar with in North America: walking down the aisle, vows, rings, unity candle, mini-sermon, and the kiss. Differences included applauding after every person spoke, the groomsmen dancing down the aisle (very funny and sweet), and the bride and groom not holding hands during the ceremony (public displays of affection are uncommon between couples in Kenya). Probably the biggest difference was that the wedding began an hour and a half late - common in Kenya, but something Christa was NOT happy about. Her new sisters-in-law kept reminding her it was a Kenyan wedding, and she kept saying, "No, it's a Canadian wedding with Kenyans at it!" She was like many brides - a little anxious. :)

The reception followed with a Kenyan buffet (lots of starchy foods and fruit) and dancing. The bride and groom entered the reception with all the ladies singing and ushering them in.
From there, we all joined in the dancing. Although we didn't dance to YMCA or the Macarena, we definitely had a good time in a conga-style line. As is usual at receptions, there were many speeches. We cried and laughed as the parents of the bride and groom spoke, then we enjoyed some entertainment (mostly singing from famous singers Stanley knows). After cutting the cake, toasting, and receiving gifts, the reception ended, but it wasn't the end of the wedding festivities...

After the Kenyan ceremony and reception, Wendy and I were invited to attend a smaller reception for close family and friends - Canadian style. We ate a big dinner at the nicest hotel in Nairobi, heard and gave more speeches (yes, I gave a speech too), and danced a bit more (no conga-style this time). Overall, it was a beautiful day. Christa looked gorgeous. Stanley looked handsome. And everyone had a good time.

Although I miss having Christa around, I'm glad she's with Stanley. It will be neat to see how God uses them in the future.

(And yes girls, I did Christa's hair. It's tradition - even in Kenya! :)

3 comments:

  1. Kim, your nephew is super cute! I love his camo outfit!

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  2. When I read the title of this blog my first thought was, "I wonder if Kim did Christa's hair." Glad you added that bit in at the end. It looked great, BTW. =) I think I might have you do my hair up while i'm there, just for fun since it is long enough to do something with now! =)

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  3. Miss Grimes,
    Hello from Kennedy Henderson. Hope you are having a fun time in Kenya. What has been your most exciting adventure? I miss seeing you at Veritas. 5th grade is good, but not as much fun as 4th. You were my favorite teacher.

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