Ghanaian Wedding

Chiana, Ghana

I consider being a photographer an "ordinary" thing. But the benefit is that many people
in this world treat me as "extra-ordinary" by means of allowing me into certain events, or "front row"
seating. I sometimes feel guilty for getting all of this special treatment, but I'm going to use
these opportunities the best I know how!

I attended part of a Ghanaian wedding one afternoon. If I remember right, it was scheduled to
start about 10:00, but the bride wasn't ready and didn't come out until 1:30 (I think if that happened in America, we would
NEVER get the guys to come to the wedding!) I arrived around 4:00 to hundreds of people crowding around
this canopy, where if you look hard enough, you can see the bride and groom sitting in the front.

But soon enough, the Pastor saw me and invited me to come up front to take pictures. So there goes my
idea of being discrete! Now I also have quite the audience watching my every move!

The bride and groom in their seats up front. It is customary for the couple not to smile at their wedding, but
it was my goal to get them to crack a small one... the bride was much easier to get than the groom!

Sitting directly behind the couple is what you could call the best man and maid of honor.
They were obviously in charge of making sure the couple's shoes were shined, clothes were straight,
hair was good, and faces were wiped down... all while the couple sat there like statues.
I'm telling you, they didn't move!

Here is just a glimpse of a small section of the people at this wedding.

The bride was obviously wearing a western style wedding dress, which I have learned
just started a few years ago. Otherwise they would wear the traditional African dress.

And of course, more dancing! (this Northern style of dance I refer to as the Chicken dance!)

The couple then has their first dance together, well, they stand next to each other and sway back and forth.
This could be considered our "Dollar dance"... guests come up and give them money, most of it
touching it to their face before putting it in the basket. After about twenty minutes I was feeling
bad for them... money was getting slammed into their forehead, pushed in their ears, etc!

Gifts are given at the wedding, first from the parents, then the guests. Here a man is
holding two chickens and a guinea fowl to give to the couple.

The couple also received three goats.

Gifts include millet, food, bowls, pans, and enough soap to last you the rest of your life.