A WEDDING IN GHANA

A beautiful young Ghanian woman, a former missionary in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission, asked the mission president to perform her wedding. It was held in a chapel and included opening and closing prayers, congregational singing, a talk by the bishop, and, of course, a traditional wedding ceremony. LDS tradition ended there.

The bride's shoulders were not quite covered. The train from her dress must have been at least twelve feet long and was constantly rearranged and adjusted by her maid of honor, who also continually fussed with the bride's hair and dress, even during prayers. The best man was equally as attentive to the groom, constantly wiping the perspiration from the groom's face, neck and head, and during the prayers as well. Interspersed in all of this was the constant running back and forth and whispered instructions of the wedding planner.

As the mission president took the stand to perform the wedding,the cameras came out and people rushed forward to get good shots. When President told the groom he could kiss the bride, hollering and catcalls began from the congregation. It was quite entertaining if not traditional.

The couple were married in the Accra temple the next day but,as is the practice here in the Church, had to be married civily first. Neither the Church nor the tribes accept the other's ceremony. Tradition is that the groom must deliver a dowry (a "bride's price" determined by the family), upon payment of which the family allows the couple to go off together. With that they are officially married in the eyes of the family and the tribe. There are no papers involved, no legal verification of the union. Because families so often determine a "bride's price" which is beyond the means of the groom to pay, couples often just move in together without benefit of marriage. Thus, there are many unmarried couples living here with children and some in polygamous relationships. The Church requires that traditional marriages and unmarried relationships be "regularized", meaning made legal by a civil ceremon. Actually, not even a ceremony is required in these cases. A simple signing of papers with witnesses will do. The couple then has two weeks to be sealed in the temple. Otherwise they must wait a year.

That's all for now.

Love you much,
Dad