Postpone Your Wedding
The Marketing Director stood in front of her office and called out my name to come for a short discussion in her office. I immediately got up, walked into her office and sat in one of the two chairs positioned next to her side round table in her office. She then proceeded to ask. “Kwame, when is the scheduled date for your wedding with Sabina?” I replied “9th April”. Then she dropped the bombshell, “You have to postpone your wedding. It cannot come off on April 9th”. The reason was not due to illness, the death of a colleague or relative or something devastative.
Let me rewind and take you back to events leading to this
interesting directive from my Marketing Director. Can I?
My church adheres to a strict 6 months counselling session
ahead of any marriage. They had over the years stressed that they do not embark
on any emergency weddings. They still stress this fact today. I and Sabina enrolled
to be part of the counselling class in September 2010 ahead of commencement in
October of the same year to end March 2011. Our plan was to get married in
April.
When the time came to lock in the date, I discussed it with
Sabina and we agreed to have the wedding on April 9th. Interestingly
enough, Joe and Linda, who were also part of our counselling class also chose
the same date. We had created a strong bond during the sessions so it was cool
getting married on the same day. The only challenge was that we had to choose
different times to hold the wedding. The church had only wedding 3 sessions on
Saturdays. Anyone who wanted to marry outside the slated time and days had to
have their wedding at a different location. Joe and Linda picked the second session. We
intended to pick the 3rd session because the 1st session,
I felt was too early for a wedding.
I walked to Minister Joshua’s office and when I got there to
book, the slot we wanted was available. So I proceeded to book to confirm and
it was done. This was in early March of
2011. I must mention that we were more than 30 couples in the counselling
session for my batch marrying from April to June that year.
During the month, I became aware that a senior manager in my
department was about to wed a pastor in the same church. I later heard this
lady and the pastor were planning to marry in April in the same church.
Well, I was not bothered because I did not perceive any
potential clash of dates if indeed what I was hearing was correct. Some work
colleagues were excited that we were going to have two potential weddings in
the department in the coming month. My work colleagues, specifically the
marketing team were show boys and girls. We worked and played like extended
family members with a deep bond although there were seaming cracks created at
the top. Believe it or not, we all knew everyone’s boyfriend, husband,
girlfriend and children. We were that close to each other. We always loved to show up at events and
parties so they were all geared up for the double April wedding do.
One day, I was informed that there was going to be a crunch
meeting of the pastors and that an item on the agenda was a discussion on the
pastor’s prospective marriage with my work colleague. Unfortunately, although I
know what led to the meeting and why the marriage to be was on the agenda, I
will not say for now. I do not have the Yvonne Nelson kind of VIM to expose
such in writing. Maybe one day, I would but for now, let me shelve it.
After the meeting, I heard from my pastor friend that their
marriage has been approved to proceed by the highest decision-making body of
the church. It was the morning of the following day that the incident in my
first paragraph occurred. My Marketing Directed instructed me to postpone my
wedding date from 9th April to any other date in April after the 9th.
I was assured that whichever date I pick will be facilitated for me to have the
wedding in the church. I was shocked but respectful as I am and always have
been, I told my director I will speak to Sabina and then go see Minister Joshua
to get a new date.
When I called Sabina to tell her about the new development,
she was furious. I told her we had no choice but to comply because we also need
the same people at our wedding. We could not afford to have people split to
attend two weddings on the same day at different locations. Joe and Linda were
not too happy either but now for do? As we say in pidgin parlance. So all plans
had to change to 16th April.
On the day of the 9th, the department was well
represented. Whiles there I was there screaming in my head, it was supposed to
be my wedding today. I was not too happy but I had to be there. For me, I was
there for two weddings, Joe and Linda’s wedding and the wedding of the work
colleague. Joe’s wedding came through
the first wedding session after which the colleagues came second that day.
After the colleague’s wedding, one of my departmental guys
walked to me, whiles at the church compound to tell me that they will be here
again next week for my wedding to support me.
On the 16th of April, 2011, my work colleagues
including my Marketing Director came in their numbers to support and show up as
we usually do for ourselves.
That was how I was made to change my original wedding date
from the 9th of April to the 16th of April.
Wofa Ampong Kwesi writes to share his life experiences to
help you learn the lessons so you can live a better and fulfilled life.
Think positive, be positive, and stay blessed.
Email the writer at wofaampongkwesi@gmail.com
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