Blowing fortunes on weddings

“My dress, the venue, the reception, the cake … everything was perfect to the finest detail for my wedding day,” says Nokubonga Mngese. “But sadly that day left me and my husband in debt, which later presented problems in the relationship and led to our divorce.”

“I believe that you should never base your relationship on money. However, it is a very vital part of a relationship, especially when you’re building a family. My family is broken because our wedding day left us in debt. Now I am raising my son alone.”

Lungisa Gaqa, a 28-year-old single man, says, “I don’t think getting married these days is a good idea especially for the youth.”

According to a wedding website the cost of an average wedding in South Africa currently runs between R70,000 and R80,000 for 80 to 100 guests. For many South Africans it is double that amount as they are required to have a traditional wedding as well and also pay lobola.

Nosebenzile Bumile, who has been married for eleven years, says, “So many things these days have lost value. Sex has become easy to get, so love has become difficult to find. Weddings have turned out to be about showing off … Everything has turned out to be about money, to such an extent, even our culture is compromised.”

Thandi Setokoe, a young bride, says, “Personally, I don’t think one should go broke just because of a wedding. My lobola was paid in 2011. We only had a traditional wedding. I want to plan my white wedding when I’m done with my studies. I have no idea how much my wedding was. All I had to do was show up and look pretty.”