Wedding Diary: Attempting to break the almost impossible ‘Ghanaman Time’
To say Ghanaians are notorious latecomers is to say that orange is a fruit. On her wedding day, TV personality, Adwoa Konadu-Yiadom of Media General set out to be at her wedding on time? Did she succeed? Read on …
My number one objective on my wedding day was to survive and overcome that common disease majority of Ghanaians are suffering from–“Ghanaman time.” That’s arriving at events overly late.
Long before my wedding, I vowed to myself that I won’t be arriving at the church late. I said it repeatedly. I will be in church at the exact time fixed for the big day.
Bearing this in mind, my fiance, Edwin and I fixed the wedding at noon to buy all the time needed to get ready. I was so confident about it that I informed my pastor and counsellor Rev. Dzigbordzi, I will be there 12’oclock on the dot.
I remember clearly when he asked, “is it the British 12 or the Ghanaian 12?”
“Hahahhaha,” l laughed almost beating my chest and answered, “no, my 12 is my 12.” If he had doubts about it, he did say or show it, he just said “okay.”
To ensure nothing beats me to the time, I carefully selected a hotel which is only about five minutes drive to my church.
For those in Accra who know Tang Palace Hotel, they can tell that from the hotel to Kanda Post Office, on a Saturday afternoon with no traffic, is just about five minutes’ drive.
I spent the wedding eve at the hotel and made sure I had contacted everyone who had a role to play, especially the makeup artists, giving them a specific time to arrive.
Soon enough, it was morning and guess what! The make-up artists arrived almost 9 am while my dear friend and made-of-honour got in at 11 am—an hour to the wedding.
Well, I wasn’t bothered so much about my maid-of-honour since she didn’t have much to do. However, I would have loved if she were there early enough. Thank God, I wasn’t doing any bridal train!
Upon all the calls I made, every individual I had paid and was expecting to offer a particular service that morning decided to come in at their own appointed time.
The makeup started almost 9 am and soon it was 10 am and then 11 am and before I realised it was noon. OMG! She was still styling my hair. I started sweating.
Suddenly, I had a headache. I was upset from within. My Mum and my Asafo Maame were trying to make me stay calm and relaxed. But it wasn’t working. I lost the smile and the joy and most of all, that “bragging right“at the same time.
Now, every minute was that precious and the time seemed to be on a race with Usain Bolt. Finally, we had to go.
Tang Palace Hotel has this long staircase I wanted to take time and majestically walk down on it in my gown, while the camera clicks. But I was so late that it didn’t happen.
I had to manage myself in a lift to the ground floor. It was already at 1 pm. I was told the choir was done singing praises. The church started calling. “Where is she?” They asked. I was still downstairs at the hotel, frustrated, angry at everyone, including myself.
I couldn’t identify my car even though it was right in front of me, while I stood almost tearing up. The issue with my ride to the church alone is a ‘big something’ to talk about another day.
The worse part of my ordeal was that I couldn’t take as many photographs as I wanted to. Then, finally, I got to the church at about 1:25 pm. Wow!! One hour, twenty-five minutes late to my wedding. I was already tired and so disappointed. But, I still had to do what I had to do.
To be continued…
#MyWeddingDiary #BreakingTheAlmost ImpossibleGhanamanTime