“Til Death Do Us Part”

On Sunday, October 14^th , my friend Atsu took George and I to a wedding at his church. Typically when a Ghanaian couple gets married it can be a weekend affair. The couple has the customary or traditional ceremony in which the official marriage takes place, and then they may choose to also have a western style ceremony, which serves as the blessing of the marriage. I attended the latter of the two. I was so excited to go and make comparisons between that and an American style wedding. The ceremony included a lot of prayer and worship in the beginning, multiple offerings, the exchange of vows and then a short moment when the bride a groom danced together. The bride walked down the aisle to a Ghanaian song that wasn’t really slow (idk what it was about because it was in twi), and she walked at a regular walking pace, not step-by-step as brides do in America. She looked beautiful in her gown and her makeup was flawless. The process was interesting and somewhat informal and relaxed. The pastor was also very funny throughout the whole ceremony. When the bride and groom were exchanging vows I was so excited and happy as if I had known them my whole life (I get emotional lol). 

One thing that was different was that the groom kissed the wife on her cheek rather than her lips. Another thing was that the pastor presumed to ask if anyone had any objections to their union even though technically they were already married. After the kiss that sealed their companionship, the pastor gave a short sermon. I was lucky because the sermon was pretty much the only thing said in English besides the vows.

It focused on four ways to help maintain a healthy relationship:

1.     Never try to control your spouse

2.     Remember that your partner should also be your best friend

3.     Change the name of your spouse—Meant to serve as a symbol of your love and connection, like “Sweetie” for example

4.     Be prepared to make sacrifices in your relationship

I enjoyed the sermon and I thought each point was great advice for any couple. This Ghanaian wedding was only the second wedding that I have ever attended, the first being my eldest sister’s. It seemed very pure, and sincere. I think that sometimes people forget how serious a marriage is, as well as the bond that it signifies between a man and a woman. If it’s done it should be done right. In any case, the words “Til death do us part” represent the presence of a strong foundation and the potential to overcome any challenge.

The Bible says. “ Above all clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” –Collossians 3:14

I know every girl dreams of getting married one day and I am thankful to have witnessed such a wonderful occasion in Ghana.