Wedding in the Rich Ranch Valley

Mother of the Bride

There has been a sense of great excitement hanging in the air all over the valley for the past week. Little bits of conversation here and a great deal of speculation there and so I have kept this news until I have the photos to share with you.

Father of the Bride

Living on a farm is pretty harsh. Working the lands and seeing that your crops are good. Planning your year and your finances which can blow up in a day with a hail storm or a fire is very daunting but we soon learned that this is all part of the enjoyment of living in this pristine environment. You live very close to your neighbours and know where they are and what they are doing because when the disasters come we all pitch in and help each other.

Talk about good team building exercises, just come and see what happens when a veld fire starts. Help comes from far and wide because you never know when you are going to be the one that needs help.

Groom (Centre)

So as we share in the disasters, so too we share in the celebrations. And celebrations it was this weekend.

The excitement that was hanging in the air was for the Ndebele Wedding on the neighbouring farm . On Friday it was a case of hair being braided and clothes ironed to perfection. Everyone had a spring in the step and all the chores where quickly done. With that done, the staff disappeared and an hour or so later set off to this great occasion. We have not had a wedding in the valley for five years now so you can imagine how important this was.

The Bride

Loads of food is supplied for family and friends and special blankets and coats are given to  important members of the family. “Lobola” is paid by the husband for his bride.in the form of cattle. You actually have to be a wealthy man to get married

. Lobolo or Lobola in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele;  is sometimes translated as bride price) is a traditional Southern African custom whereby the man pays the family of his fiancée for her hand in marriage (Compare with the European dowry). The custom is aimed at bringing the two families together, fostering mutual respect, and indicating that the man is capable of supporting his wife financially and emotionally. custom where the woman brings assets

Traditionally the lobola payment was in cattle as cattle were the primary source of wealth in African society. However, most modern urban couples have switched to using cash. The process of lobola negotiations can be long and complex, and involves many members from both the bride's and the groom's extended families. Often, to dispel any tensions between the families, a bottle of brandy is placed on the table. This is usually not drunk; it is simply a gesture to welcome the guest family and make everyone feel more relaxed (it is known as mvulamlomo, which is Xhosa for 'mouth opener' i.e. price for opening your mouth {to speak})to express the purpose of your visit.

Enjoy our photos