Blue and white balloons decorate the entrance to the African Inland Church (AIC) in Shabab, while white tents are erected to mimic the church pews opposite the gate.

In the centre aisles, in the front row of the church, eight brides in white dresses with trains and veils sit next to their grooms, dressed in grey suits and light blue shirts. They wait patiently to be married by Reverend Peter Thuku, the senior pastor of the AIC church.

During the service, the couples approach the altar one by one to exchange their vows. They proceed in order, starting with the couple who have been together the longest in a come-we-stay arrangement, down to the youngest couple who are just getting married.

Eight couples tie the knot in Shabab in a colourful mass wedding held at the Nakuru AIC Church.

Photo credit: Leleti Jassor/Mtaa Wangu

The young couple look happy and nervous as they are the centre of attention. Immediately afterwards, each couple signs their marriage certificate, officially declaring their union.

Edward Kinjabe, 33, and Celestine Sitienei, 29, met in 2014 while working and studying at Kisii University. After their pre-wedding ceremony in May 2024, they planned to get married, but due to financial constraints, they opted for a mass wedding.

"As the youngest couple, we were looking for something that would work for both of us and when we heard the church announcing the mass wedding, we thought it would be a good idea to consider it," says Edward.

"At first we were very hesitant because we were younger than the other couples who were getting married. But we decided to go ahead and fulfil our dream of having a church wedding," he says.

Eight couples tie the knot in Shabab in a colourful mass wedding held at the Nakuru AIC ChurchEight couples tie the knot in Shabab in a colourful mass wedding held at the Nakuru AIC Church.

Photo credit: Leleti Jassor/Mtaa Wangu

Young people, he says, facing financial difficulties should consider mass weddings. What's really important is the companionship and how you deal with family life, not an extravagant ceremony.

"Don't spend beyond your means, cut your cloth according to your size and live within your budget," he says.

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Photo credit: Leleti Jassor/Mtaa Wangu

Mary Nzeka, who has lived with her husband, Jimmy Rodgers Nzoki, since 1990, reflects positively on their 30-year marriage.

Despite the challenges they have faced, she and her husband have persevered and found light even in dark times.

As one of the couples who have been together the longest, they decided to solemnize their marriage in the mass wedding.

We ask why now, after all these years, to which they say: "It was time we did it right and in front of God".

Mary and Jimmy, who have seven children, advise young couples to accept the responsibilities of family life. They encourage them to take up the baton and continue the legacy of strong, committed marriages and family values in their community.

AIC assistant lead pastor Rev Shepherd Motune, during an interview on September 28, 2024.

Photo credit: Leleti Jassor/Mtaa Wangu

Rev. Shepherd Motune, Assistant Lead Pastor, says that this is not the first mass wedding at AIC, it has happened twice before.

Interestingly, this wedding was the only one where the young couple were accommodated. This, he says, was to help them save on expenses instead of having their own wedding.

"In preparation for marriage, couples go through a series of counselling sessions for about three months. They are taught practical aspects of married life and strategies for building a strong family together," says Pastor Motune.

He emphasises that marriage, as God's idea, should be approached seriously and not entered into aimlessly. He encourages couples to embrace the joys and difficulties of married life, learning and relearning as they go along.

"Till death do us part," Why youth in Shabab are embracing mass weddings

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Leleti Jassor