Oh what pain! What shame! What embarrassment! The church is full of guests! Service had proceeded to the point where the ring was needed for joining, only for the couple to discover to every one’s chagrin that ring were left behind at home! Should the service be put on hold? It was impossible to keep the whole congregation waiting while someone dashed home to get the rings. Or should service continue without a token of joining? This was Ade and Adaobi’s dilemma during their wedding ceremony.

The above scenario could have been avoided if there had been organized plan. Failing to plan indeed meant planning to fail. When I observed the stress with which some were organized, and witnessed some embarrassing occurrence too, I was motivated to write these wedding preparation guidelines. The guidelines span from the need for premarital counseling, having a complete tradition statutory and church wedding, to all the basic preparation, the honeymoon and concluding with likely first night shockers. The basic necessities concerning the physical, financial, psychological and spiritual aspects of wedding preparation are discussed here. You can make necessary adjustments to suit your particular situation.

It is important to know the customs and traditions of the people from where to intend to get married, to assist you in fulfilling the necessary obligations. While some cultures place great emphasis on traditional marriage, others do not. In Africa for example, the traditional marriage is highly esteemed. A woman who performs the “white wedding” without fulfilling the traditional aspect is deemed to have sold out herself cheaply before her family and her in-laws. The man is seen as just co-habiting with her because no bride price has been paid.

For this reason; this book discusses briefly the traditional aspect of marriage. For the Christian, the dowry must be paid before proceeding to the ‘white’ wedding or church wedding. Though the focus here is on church wedding, the basic principles laid down will serve as a guide to plan any type of wedding. It is very simple and practical guide which is easy to follow. I pray that you will find this suggestion useful. I wish you all the best as you get ready to start a new family.

This book is not only for those getting ready for their wedding but also for counselors, teachers, pastors, the youth and for all who have an interest in this topic. It also serves as a resource materials.

Going through this book will make you feel like someone walking through a fruit garden. It is cool, shady and full of delightful scents. Just pick any fruit of your choice and relish it. I pray that you will be not only refreshed, be nourished too! God bless you as you use this to prepare yourself or others for entry into the Garden of Eden.

 

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