{"id":24268,"date":"2025-07-09T12:03:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T09:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/?p=24268"},"modified":"2025-07-18T18:49:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T15:49:36","slug":"he-came-for-church-left-with-a-bride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/?p=24268","title":{"rendered":"He came for church, left with a bride"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Ben Wanambwa and Grace Nambuya first met in early 2022 during a Sunday morning service at a church in Mbale City in eastern Uganda. Ben had travelled from his workplace to visit his elder brother and decided to attend the service with him. That is where he first laid eyes on Grace, smartly dressed in a simple red dress and singing in the church choir.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat day, I met a woman who took my heart forever,\u201d Ben recalls. \u201cHer presentation was impressive, and I later learnt she was a dedicated member of the choir.\u201d
\nAfter the service, Ben asked his brother to help him connect with Grace. A brief introduction led to an exchange of phone numbers, and soon after, they went on their first date.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talked like we had known each other for years,\u201d Grace says. \u201cHis respect, calmness, and love for God immediately caught my attention.\u201d
\nFrom that first date, the two became emotionally inseparable, even when they were apart physically.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kept in touch every day; morning, afternoon, and night,\u201d Grace shares. \u201cThrough WhatsApp, direct calls, and texts. The communication was constant, and it helped us build a strong foundation.\u201d
\nTheir friendship soon blossomed into courtship.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bond grew stronger with every date,\u201d Ben says. \u201cWe discovered we shared the same faith, marriage values, and character.\u201d
\nGrace describes their year of courtship as peaceful, lovely, and exciting.
\n\u201cWe had fun with no regrets. Everything aligned, our dreams, goals, and how we envisioned marriage,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The proposal
\nIn 2023, Ben planned a simple but intimate proposal. He invited Grace to a quiet hotel in Mbale City, with two close friends as witnesses.
\n\u201cIt was a surprise to her, but when I asked, she did not hesitate,\u201d Ben recalls. \u201cShe said yes right away, and that moment changed everything.\u201d
\nGrace adds, \u201cIt was not extravagant, but it was meaningful. I felt calm and sure that this was the right man for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Introduction and wedding preparations
\nThe couple held a pre-visit on September 9, 2023, in Mbale, where both families agreed to combine the traditional kwanjula with the church wedding, guided by their shared Christian values.
\n\u201cThe agreement was that only a few elders would handle the official introduction rites, and the rest of the celebrations would happen during the wedding,\u201d Ben explains.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On November 4, 2023, the elders delivered the bride price and negotiated the required items, clearing the way for full-scale wedding preparations.
\nTo ease the pressure of budgeting and logistics, the couple hired an event planner.
\n\u201cPlanning a wedding is not easy,\u201d Grace says. \u201cBetween mobilising funds, attending counselling sessions, and preparing spiritually, the support we got from our planner and families was heaven-sent.\u201d
\nThey exchanged vows on December 2, 2023, at St Andrew\u2019s Cathedral, Mbale, in a ceremony officiated by Rev Canon Alice Wataka. The reception followed in the church hall, with more than 500 guests in attendance.<\/p>\n

Memorable moments
\nGrace says she will never forget the joy of their wedding day.
\n\u201cI was overwhelmed with joy. The support and love I felt that day were beyond what I imagined. It was a deeply fulfilling moment.\u201d
\nBen fondly remembers the pre-visit.
\n\u201cThe welcome I received from her family was incredible. It was my first time visiting them, and they showed me so much love.\u201d
\nGrace adds, \u201cWhen the elders delivered the bride price, I felt a burden lifted; it was peaceful and simple.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marriage counselling and lessons learnt
\nThe couple says their counselling sessions taught them key lessons: trust, patience, and the importance of privacy.
\n\u201cNot everything needs to be discussed with outsiders,\u201d Grace notes. \u201cSome things are sacred between husband and wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Challenges
\nDespite smooth planning, they encountered a single hiccup. The church service was scheduled for 2pm due to multiple weddings on the same day.
\n\u201cThat affected our photography and reception,\u201d Ben says. \u201cSome guests left early, which was disappointing, but overall, everything else went well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advice
\nBen\u2019s message to men: \u201cIt is very possible to marry the woman of your dreams, but it takes commitment and a strong support system. Surround yourself with people who will uplift you.\u201d
\nGrace\u2019s message to women: \u201cWait on God and cultivate inner character. \u2018Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.\u2019 (Proverbs 31:30) Build your inner beauty. That\u2019s what sustains a marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Quick notes
\n\u2022Bride: Grace Nambuya
\n\u2022Groom: Ben Wanambwa
\n\u2022Church: St Andrew\u2019s Cathedral, Mbale
\n\u2022Reception: St Andrew\u2019s Cathedral Church Hall
\n\u2022Guests: 500+
\n\u2022Celebrant: Rev Canon Alice Wataka
\n\u2022Budget: Shs20 million (approx.)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Ben Wanambwa and Grace Nambuya first met in early 2022 during a Sunday morning service at a church in Mbale City in eastern Uganda. Ben had travelled from his workplace to visit his elder brother and decided to attend the service with him. That is where he first laid eyes on Grace, smartly dressed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":24269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"source_name":"","source_url":"","via_name":"","via_url":"","override_template":"0","override":[{"template":"1","single_blog_custom":"","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"0","show_post_related":"1","show_inline_post_related":"0"}],"override_image_size":"0","image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post":"0","trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post":"0","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","sponsored_post_name":"","sponsored_post_url":"","sponsored_post_logo_enable":"0","sponsored_post_logo":"","sponsored_post_desc":"","disable_ad":"0"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"","hide":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[524],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[1801],"class_list":["post-24268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-stories"],"authors":[{"term_id":1801,"user_id":20,"is_guest":0,"slug":"olivier-mukaaya","display_name":"Olivier Mukaaya","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f1ec522ac4369136b1ad5f3e805b802d792a4b68acc01965397c17ebc01bc96b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_category":"","first_name":"Olivier","last_name":"Mukaaya","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24268"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24272,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24268\/revisions\/24272"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24268"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mywedding.co.ug\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fppma_author&post=24268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}