How to beat inflation and walk down the aisle

Gladys Juma's wedding fantasy was intimate with few guests and in a dreamy garden. She saw herself walking down a lush garden to wed the love of her life Hilary Mark, then host her guests in a luxurious hotel. 

She had imagined many flowers in the garden. But that was not to be. 

The high cost of weddings; flowers, chairs, food and hiring the venue forced her to opt for an in-church ceremony and a reception thereafter on the church grounds.

"We were looking at spending Sh620,000 for an invite-only garden wedding. We were expecting not more than 150 guests," she says.

The wedding ground fee was to cost Sh150,000, the decorations Sh135,000, and food Sh176,000. The photoshoot budget was Sh95,000, fuel at Sh40,000 and the singing band Sh30,000, in addition to other expenses like paying the officiating pastors.

"We realised that this was too expensive. I always dreamt of a garden wedding, but I had to adapt to what worked with our finances. The venue itself was very expensive before you include all the other costs; food, decorations, music... We decided to tie the knot at our home church," she says.

Why did she choose a church wedding?

"At the church, we don't pay for the venue. We ended up saving almost 60 percent of what we were to spend. The only things I needed were the flowers in the church, food and other small miscellaneous costs like the pastors' pay and adding to the food budget,’’ she says.

The reception did not cost a fortune either because it was at the same venue. They also saved Sh56,000 for decorations and they only required tables.

The only challenge they faced was the number of wedding guests.

When church doors open wide, for all, weddings take on a life of their own. People feel like it is their day as well.

"Guests might reach 300, not less than that, but the church wedding will be almost half of what we could have spent at the garden wedding," Ms Juma says laughing.

She is among a growing number of Kenyans who have been forced to reduce the number of flowers or seats, remove some food items from the menu, ask a relative to be a Master of Ceremony (MC) instead of paying for a professional one or change venues as they try to mesh fairytale ideals with real-world budgets.

Today, the high cost of living has made weddings more expensive.

What advice would Ms Juma give to couples planning a wedding?

The bride-to-be sighs.

"Those getting married in these tough economic times should lower their expectations, especially if they are relying on the committee to fund their wedding,’’ she says.

She faced failed financial pledges and insists that if any couple does not have enough money for their expected dream wedding, they should opt for a simple wedding that favours their pocket.

Comical relative or friend

Among those who are feeling the pinch as couples reduce wedding expenses are (MCs).

Brian Muchai, known by his stage name MC Togzik, used to charge a performance fee, which he declined to disclose, an extra Sh3,000 to Sh10,000 depending on the distance to the event for his transport and the couple pays for his accommodation.

However, this is not the case currently.

‘’Couples are opting to pick you up and drive you to their event to avoid the extra cost of fuel they will have to pay you. Some inquire about your service and then call later saying they found an alternative; they pick a funny family member or friend to conduct the event instead of a professional MC,’’ he says.

Some couples bargain for fewer hours.

‘’Most couples are now going for a reduced time of conducting the event to match their budget. Nowadays, I am asked to just show up at the reception for only three hours and I am paid half the price," he says laughing.

"If inflation keeps crushing wedding budgets, people will soon start having online wedding sessions with virtual attendees or more come-we-stay options."

Wedding planners

Wedding planners are also staring at reduced businesses.

Joshua Bosire-the CEO and founder of JAYB Events in Nairobi says their job has been to deliver a fairy-tale experience to couples, but the high cost of wedding items is making it hard.

Before the pandemic, he says a wedding budget of about Sh500,000 could have gotten you an A-Frame tent design setup, luxe seats, enough fresh flowers on each table, and entertainment, with an attendance of 200 people.

Now, that amount offers couples a simple standard design set-up with normal seat arrangements.

‘’Couples now have to reduce the number of guests. Sometimes they make the booking and later call in to change the number of attendees,’’ he says.

Mr Bosire cites mistakes that couples make when choosing seat layouts.

"I recently had a booking for an A-frame tent set-up that cost more than Sh1.5 million. The couple didn't have the money, they were depending on the planning committee to come up with the money. The couple later called-disappointed, to change to a normal seat design. The committee did not reach the expected contribution target," he says.

He says seat wedding designs are not as cheap as many imagine.

A standard setup with flowers seating 20 to 30 people can cost Sh300,000.

‘’We have couples who are now going to the Attorney-General to cut on the reception and food expenditure, then they just hold a small gathering at their home to celebrate their union,’’ he says.

Mr Bosire once did a small marriage celebration at a couple’s home that cost them Sh60,000, which fit their budget.

‘’We are also seeing couples requesting reduced floral centrepieces. If it’s a 40-table arrangement, then flowers are only on 20 tables. Some say, 'put a plain set up with no dressing on the table,’’ he says.

‘’Other couples opt for tents and chairs arrangement without tables. That means when they are eating, they will have to eat while holding their plates."

Designers say the cost of flowers has shot up, with some nearly married couples choosing less expensive varieties or alternative decor items.

"Flowers that used to cost Sh50 a stem now go for about Sh200. Instead of real flowers, designers are using decorative plates on tables,’’ Mr Bosire says.

As walking down the aisle becomes pricier, the event planner says their business is suffering.

"Weddings are seasonal, you don't get daily profits like a shop vendor. You can make a three-month profit with three wedding bookings, but in low season you don’t earn. During the off-peak seasons, you can get two bookings in a month, unlike the peak season where they have bookings every weekend," he says.

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