SATURDAY
After a magnificent traditional ceremony, the day of the church wedding had arrived. The couple had spent the night in separate rooms in Movenpick Hotel, and by 7 am that day, all groomsmen and bridesmaids were present at the hotel and preparing themselves for the day.
***
In Room 225…
The bride and her girls were dressed up, the bridesmaids in their wine red dresses while Diamond was magnificently decked out in her white wedding gown. The photographer had taken shots of them as a group, as well as individually, and was now focusing on taking pictures of Diamond sitting on the bed, posing with her bouquet.
A knock on the door came through, and Gyamfua, who was nearest to the door, moved to open it. There stood Larissa, regally robed in a sequin lace capelet jersey sheath dress.
“Eiisshhhh! The mother of the bride is in, y’all!” Gyamfua cheered enthusiastically, provoking bigger cheers from the other bridesmaids as she entered.
“Oh Lord, Mrs. Dolphyne, you look incredible!”
“Your Ladyship, you look stunning!”
“Maa Lari, you are killing it!”
“Mrs. Dolphyne, you see why you’re my heroine? Good God Almighty!”
Larissa laughed as she walked in their midst, receiving compliment upon compliment from them. “Thank you all, my dears! You all look amazing yourselves!”
“Awww, thank you, Mrs. Dolphyne!” they collectively replied.
“Once Her Ladyship approves, it’s official, girls: we are slaying!” Selasi cheered, invoking cheers from the rest.
Larissa smiled as she moved to her daughter, who gave her the biggest smile. “Hey Maa!”
“Heyy, mini-me! Ladies, isn’t she just… the most beautiful bride you’ve ever seen?”
The bridesmaids all agreed as she took her place behind Diamond. The photographer and videographer prepared their equipment to capture the precious moment.
Her hands on Diamond’s shoulder, Larissa smiled again as she closed her eyes. All the bridesmaids did same.
“My dear Diamond… from this day, you are officially retired from all those nonsense jokes about being my rival, and thank God!”
Diamond and Serwaah’s laughs were the loudest, as the bridesmaids opened their eyes briefly and watched in amusement as mother and daughters shared a trolling moment.
Serwaah approached them, holding the tiara meant for Diamond. As they ended their little laugh, Larissa took the tiara from Serwaah and lifted it above Diamond’s head. All the ladies bowed their heads.
“Dearest God and Maker of all things seen and unseen, we thank You for this day. It is a glorious and magnificent day, and we are exceedingly grateful for the grace to be witnesses to this. Holy Father, as I stand behind my daughter, who will become a wife in a few hours, I give her the blessing of a mother! Lord, the love, joy and peace I have experienced in almost three decades with my husband, may she receive a double portion of it in the name of Jesus! Lord, may she and Edem be bound together in allllllll things! May fruitfulness be their portion! And may all that the enemy has planned in the womb of time for this marriage be aborted right now in the name of Jesus! I declare right now that this marriage is sealed till eternity! This marriage shall stand the test of time! This marriage is built on the Rock that is Christ Jesus, and as such, nothing thrown at it shall break it down. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen!”
“AMEN!” the bridesmaids replied passionately, clapping as Larissa ended her powerful prayer, placing the tiara on Diamond’s head.
Diamond looked up at her and smiled. “Thank you, Maa. That was powerful.”
“You’re welcome, baby. It’s what I must do. Alright, ladies, my husband’s waiting for me in the car. I’ll see you all in the church, alright?”
“Alright, Mrs. Dolphyne!”
“Oh, Maa, by the way,” Diamond added as Larissa made her way to the door, with a glint of mischief in her eye, “who knows, I might not retire those jokes. After all, he’s still my daddy.”
The ladies groaned and laughed as Larissa gave her that familiar blank stare. The matriarch then turned to the bridesmaids. “Ladies, please tell your friend that today’s too beautiful a day to be putting her life at risk.”
The ladies laughed at that statement.
“Oh, Your Ladyship, don’t worry,” Selasi chipped in. “Her daughters will show her how it feels in the future.”
Larissa immediately moved to embrace Selasi and held her hands. “Sweetheart, for this fact you have spoken, eh… may God put 100 million dollars in your bank account!”
“AMEN OOOOO AMEN!” Selasi screamed excitedly, inciting more laughter and cheers, even from Diamond who tried to give her a dirty look for that.
All fun and joy in the bride’s room.
***
In Room 23…
“… and in the name of Jesus, we pray, let this marriage be a fruitful one! May this marriage accomplish the will of God for its existence! May it be, that when we speak of marriages that are beautiful, marriages that are being enjoyed, marriages that glorify You, O God, this marriage will be included. Lord, may Edem and his wife be blessed! May the fruit of their womb be blessed! And may everything they touch be blessed. All this we pray in the mighty name of Jesus, with thanksgiving. Amen!”
“AMEN!” the groomsmen responded, as Jackson Amenu ended his prayer, standing in the middle of the circle they had formed, with Edem on his knees before him.
“Yes, guys, let’s get moving now! Edem, your jacket’s in the wardrobe, right?”
Edem, who had risen to his feet, nodded, his eyes indicating an overflow of emotion was imminent. He wasn’t about to shed tears because of his late father, though; the reality that this day had finally come was really starting to dawn on him.
Mawuli, who was the best man, saw his brother’s expression and quickly handed Jackson a handkerchief to give to Edem. “Bro, it’s finally happening!”
Edem nodded as he wiped the tears standing in his eyes and took a deep breath. “Yeah, it is. And I’m ready.”
“You ready ready?” Jackson enquired further.
Edem nodded. “Readier than I have ever been. Let’s go!”
***
“Yeah, Mima, you here?… Oh okay, okay… nahh, Edem is seated now, so we’re waiting for Diamond to come in… oh okay… chale, no be easy. Thank God the Movenpick people set up the place for the reception, anka double work for you… oh yeah, at least you can concentrate on enjoying well well today. Alright… oh, I’m here with the boys. Oscar, Anas, Kwame… of course, we can’t be far from the main action, chale… alright, babe, we’ll talk later. Bye.”
Hanging up, Toby looked to his right. His brothers and cousin were busily chatting among themselves, as the auditorium of Triumphant Chapel continued to fill up. From family members to old school friends to workers of Smooth Wrapz and Edem’s colleagues at the social media marketing agency, this wedding had been one hotly anticipated event, and these people were not going to miss it for anything.
About twenty minutes after Toby’s call to Shamima, Reverend Benjamin Ocran walked to the pulpit before the chairs for the couple, took up the microphone and announced, “Halleluyah, people of God. The bride is in. Shall we please be on our feet, as she makes her way here.”
As everyone stood to their feet, the organist began playing the bridal chorus, as the bridal train and the groomsmen made their way down the aisle, forming a guard of honour as the congregation waited for the main person to show up.
That procession come to an end, the organist began a beautiful rendition of ‘I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’. And from the doorway appeared the most beautiful sight of the day.
Daniel Dolphyne, dressed in an all-white kaftan, with his daughter Diamond by his side.
Arm in arm as they walked down the aisle.
Everyone had their phones out, taking photos and videos as they sought to capture a beautiful moment. Daniel gently walked with his daughter down the aisle, eyes fixed on the man he was to give her away to.
As they arrived at the end of the aisle, Edem met them, a gentle smile on his face. Daniel smiled back, then gently offered Diamond’s hand to him. He took it and proceeded to the front of the altar with his wife.
The beautiful ceremony had finally begun.
***
“I, Edem Anyo Sedudzi, in the presence of the Almighty God, and in the presence of all our family, friends and witnesses, with joy and in love, take you, Diamond Maakua Dolphyne, to be my wife, to be the mother of my children, and the companion of my days. I promise to fully share my life with you, through days of happiness or sadness, abundance or want. I pledge to you my unfailing love for as long as we both shall live. In the name of Jesus, amen!”
The church erupted with cheers as Edem repeated the vows given to him. Now it was Diamond’s turn.
“I, Diamond Maakua Dolphyne, in the presence of the Almighty God, and in the presence of all our family, friends and witnesses with joy and in love, take you, Edem Anyo Sedudzi, to be my husband, to be the father of my children, and the companion of my days. I promise to fully share my life with you, through days of happiness or sadness, abundance or want. I pledge to you my unfailing love for as long as we both shall live. In the name of Jesus, amen!”
More cheers as she completed hers.
“Best man, shall we have the rings now?” Reverend Ocran asked Mawuli, who obediently took out the ring box and handed it over to the pastor.
“Thank you very much. These rings are in a circular form, a symbol of the never-ending love the two of you have promised to each other. May I remind you both that love only endures as we grow together in Christ’s love. Now, Edem, take her ring, place it on her finger, and repeat after me…”
“I give you this ring, as a sign of my love, and with all that I have, I honor you and take you for my wife. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!”
As Edem, then Diamond, placed the rings on each other’s fingers while reciting the vows after Rev. Ocran, everyone in the church continued to jubilate.
As they completed that stage of the ceremony, they went down on their knees before Reverend Ocran, as he and all pastors present surrounded them and prayed passionately for them, backed by the prayers of the congregation.
Completing that aspect of the ceremony, once the couple stood to their feet, Reverend Ocran announced.
“As Edem Anyo Sedudzi and Diamond Maakua Dolphyne have exchanged promises of mutual love and have professed before God and before those of us gathered here that they will live together as understanding, mature persons bound together in holy matrimony, in God’s sight for the rest of their lives no matter what, I now declare that they are husband and wife, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!”
If the cheers before hadn’t been loud enough, they certainly were now. The proclamation that Edem and Diamond were now one flesh: that was what they had waited to hear, and a simple hand clap definitely wouldn’t cut it.
As the cheers and shouts of joy died down, Rev. Ocran spoke to Edem. “So Edem, we’ve reached one of the favourite parts of a wedding. Abi you know dada?”
Edem laughed and nodded as the cheers began again.
“Good. So… roll up the veil. Confirm that this is indeed your wife. And then, do what is necessary.”
Shouts of agreement emanated from the congregation.
“And please ooo, when I say do what is necessary, I mean what is necessary. So no shy hugs and tins. Proper action. You hear?”
The young adults enjoyed this admonishment from the pastor of the house, and their vocal agreement indicated that.
Edem duly began to gently lift the veil, taking his time as he did so. Once the veil was taken off, there stood his gloriously beautiful wife.
Diamond Sedudzi.
He leaned in and kissed her passionately.
And in that moment, nothing else mattered. The zealous cheers from family and friends was to be expected, and of course, well appreciated. But for the couple, in that moment as they locked lips, only one thing mattered.
This was it. They were husband and wife.
Mr. and Mrs. Sedudzi.
It is settled! Edem and Diamond are Mr and Mrs now!! Man, this has been fabulous, hasn’t it? Now let’s get to the reception…
