The All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi has held its first mass wedding ceremony after 100 years.
On Saturday 20 couples tied the knot at the church.
The 100 years of no mass wedding at the church was broken from 9am as couples and guests trooped into the church to witness the exchange of vows.
Among those tying the knot, was a couple that has lived together for the past 30 years.
The youngest couple in the mass wedding had dated for six years before finally deciding to wed according to Nairobi News.
For 69-year old Wainaina Kung’u, he said he was literally dragged to walk down the aisle. He said his wife, Tess Kung’u has over the years talked about a wedding but he has always been disinterested.
“To be honest, my wife has been fighting it all these years. And I have always said that we don’t have enough money. I was dragged into this literally. Screaming and kicking,” he remarked cheerfully as quoted by Nairobi News.
They have been together for the last 22 years.
For the Claire Otieno, she has been singing the “wedding song” for the past 19 years they have been together.
Josephine Kivuti, a mother of three and has lived with her husband Salesio Kivuti for the last 33 years is now a happy woman.
She said she will become an active member of ACK’s Mother’s Union now that she has a ring on her finger.
“We’ve been trying to organize and getting a chance has been hard because sometimes everybody is very busy,” she said.
Her husband gave in to the wedding idea after teasing by his friends.
“Through that teasing, he felt enough is enough. We also want to show a good example to our children. Marriage through church has more blessing.
“I’m happy; though nothing much is changing. We’re not a new couple. What will change is now we have a certificate; it’s official. So if he wants to go and get another one… you know, you can be left any time because you’re not married.”
The couples said a mass wedding is cheap compared to a private wedding.
Rev Canon Sammy Wainaina, the provost of the cathedral said mass weddings are not common because couples say “I do” in unison.
But in yesterday’s event, each couple was given a chance to say “I do” individually and thereafter said it in unison.
By Pharis Kinyua: He’s an online journalist and an author for Jamhuri News