We had lived in Cameroon exactly seven months when we were invited to our first wedding.  And we've lost count of how many weddings we have attended since then.  In fact we could not possibly attend all the weddings we are invited to.

By virtue of being our first Cameroonian wedding, it stands out in our memories.  It was held in the pastor's home.  Silly us, we arrived on time, along with all the other Western guests.  We got to watch people scurrying around, setting up extra chairs for all the anticipated guests, putting up simple decorations, finishing cooking food for the wedding feast, and practicing the special music.  A number of weddings later we finally figured out that it's much better to arrive 45 minutes to an hour late.  It wasn't easy giving up our Western mind set.  But we finally got there.

Some years ago we were invited to a village wedding.  Technically, it was the paying of the bride price.  But for the young couple, that was all they were going to do.  Their first child was already on the way, and the bride's father insisted on receiving the bride price.  The civil ceremony was not necessary.  And since nobody knew the Lord, they didn't even think of the "church blessing" part of a Cameroonian wedding.  When we arrived at the bride's parent's house, the festivities were already underway.  It took us awhile to figure out who was getting married and who were the guests.  We felt overdressed wearing our Sunday cloths.  We were there for three hours.  All we observed was various people dancing, and everyone, dancers and non-dancers alike, rapidly getting drunk.  There was no ceremony of any description.  And if a bride price was paid, it happened behind our backs.  Finally we felt we could slip away without offending anyone.

But all other weddings have been Christian in nature and a time of joyful celebration.   

Last Saturday's wedding  was beautiful.  We didn't know the bride and groom, but in the culture, that didn't matter.  A close friend of the bride invited us to attend as her guest.  We've long since learned that this is a normal part of the culture.  And the young couple themselves are overjoyed to have white people at their wedding.  It is thought that to shake hands with a white during your wedding brings you a special blessing.  This explains why we are invited to so many weddings.