Earlier this week two of my colleagues showed up at my desk and handed over a cream-coloured envelope.
An invitation to Ekow & Tess’ wedding, this coming Saturday. (Ekow works with me at EchoHouse.)
Can not believe I have cracked the nod, seeing as I have only been here for a couple of weeks!
I am busy studying the invitation when I realise my two colleagues are watching me expectantly.
But of course, I’m going!
And not only because this is “186 Days Of Yes” ( See Day#20 ), but I think I need to socialise with someone other than Charlie ( See Day#36 ).
_____________________________
Yesterday, my awesome boss Adwoa Beryl Agyekum ( See Day#9 ) had a visitor at the office.
Her fashion designer, who came to drop off a dress for her. And when I say dress, I mean DRESS.
It is an amazing creation of elegant silver, with insets of traditional Kente fabric and edged with clusters of pearls.
It is her DRESS for the wedding.
A small alarm bell went off in my head: I was planning to wear 1 x LBD* (*Long Black (no surprises there, See Day#28 ) Dress)
When I mentioned this to Beryl, she said: “It is not too late to have something made.” (!!)
_______________________________
This morning I made a beeline for Accra Mall in search of three things:
1. Something yellow, preferably a clutch (Took 3 minutes to find 1 x yellow clutch. With a Kente swallow on. 🙂
2. Shoes, other than thongs (Took another 2 minutes to find 1 x pair of black wedge heels. The one and only pair, might I add. Size 4 is not big in Accra.)
3. A wedding gift (This took *significantly* longer. Firstly because one only has Shoprite or Game to choose from. And secondly, neither of my two new bank cards, which were delivered to Ghana, was working. They needed to be “activated”. At my branch. In SA. Thank you FNB.)
What I should have been searching for are:
4. 1 x Incredible, floor-length evening gown. Preferably in lace (You will see why…)
5. 1 x Incredible Hat (You will see why…)
_______________________________
This evening, my Uber pulled up 20 minutes late (have this GMT time thing down pat. See Day#10 ) to the Reception.
(If your invite says “Reception”, you go straight to the party, no church.)
Walking down the stairs of Asylum Down, I started wondering whether the wedges were a bad idea…
When a gentleman rushed over and offered me his arm. He had been sent to escort me to my seat. (I liked it here already!)
We walked through the door… and straight into an art movie.
There was crystal, and flowers, and satin, and lace. And that was just the first woman I saw!
My escort walked me through a sea of opulence, tables filled with the most glamorous individuals, and up the stairs to a second level (the wedding has two levels!) of tables filled with more glamorous individuals.
(I was becoming more and more aware of my “funeral dress”!)
And then back down the stairs, until through the sea of opulence, again, until we find the EchoHouse table.
_________________________________
I have never seen a wedding like this before.
Each bridesmaid and groomsman pair (of which there were many) has a whole song and dance (literally), with which they make their entrance into the venue.
By the time it is the turn of the bride and groom there is so much jiving, the MC has to ask everyone to clear the aisle.
And that was just the start!
There were professional dancers, an artist who painted a portrait of the couple, an (indoor) fireworks display, a flash mob, showers of Dom Perignon and banknotes for the beautiful couple.
Please raise a glass with me to the beautiful couple. To Tessa and Ekow.
May their life together be filled with as much exuberance, joy and sparkle as this amazing night.
