February is Black History Month in the United States and to honour African tradition, a church in Atlanta Georgia hosted a Wakanda-themed mass wedding.

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church hosts an annual mass wedding called ‘The Vow’, in which they aim to cut down the financial burdens of hosting a wedding.

“We wanted to remove the financial barriers that would burden or even deter couples from having a wedding ceremony,” explains New Birth Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant. “Marriage not only signifies a commitment between two people, but also is an outward demonstration of a commitment and bond that symbolizes God’s love for the church.”

On February 16 this year, 12 couples said ‘I do’ during the mass wedding themed “A Wedding in Wakanda”. Guests were encouraged to wear traditional African clothing to honour Black History Month.

Wakanda is the fictional African country home to Marvel’s Black Panther. Ever since the Black Panther film hit theatres, people around the world revelled in the movie’s portrayal of black superheroes and African ingenuity.

Singer Kelly Price serenaded the couples on their big day.

Feature image: Instagram / New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, Robben Island annually hosts a mass wedding on the island. This year marks the 20th time loved-up couples said ‘I do’. This year, 19 couples tied the knot, one of which was the first visually impaired couple to get married there. They also received the first marriage certificate in South Africa issued in Braille.

The keynote speaker, Minister of Home Affairs’ Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, said he was so happy to see these couples become a part of history.

Many brides, grooms and their entourages sported red and white in keeping with the Valentine’s theme. Others opted for matching traditional ethnic wear and one bride wore champagne coloured evening wear. Another couple chose to keep things casual with less formal fashion. The atmosphere was lively, the air abuzz with excitement and tangible emotion.

Take a look at the special day:

Pictures: Cape Town Etc

Best friend’s are there for each other through thick and thin. Having Adele as a best friend seems like it comes with all of that and more! The Grammy Award-winning singer officiated her bestie, Laura Dockrill’s, wedding this past Saturday (15 February) in London.

Dockrill, an author and illustrator, wedded musician Hugo White, a member of The Maccabees, at a pub called Mason’s Arms. After officiating for the happy couple, Adele provided some entertainment too. Imagine having Adele perform at your wedding! A dream come true, right?

She performed her breakout hit “Rolling in the Deep” and “Spice up your life” by the Spice Girls. Later, fellow singer Florence Welch also joined Adele on stage.

The songstress has known Dockrill for years, as they grew up together and have been friends since they were children. Adele even wrote a song for Dockrill titled “My Same”. The song can be found on her album 19.

Adele’s performance at this wedding was quite significant. She is a notoriously private person and in prefers not to be seen by the public during her day-to-day life. In fact, the singer has not performed at a big event since 2017 when she had a concert at Wembly Stadium.

Of course she knew guests would capture some video… she is Adele after all. So this must have meant a lot to her. What a great friend!

The couple looked happy as can be:

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Congrats to the happy couple!

Image: Facebook / Adele

Apparently, congratulations are long over-due for Mya, who reportedly got married in secret in December 2019. The ‘Lady Marmalade’ singer had an island wedding in Seychelles.

This news comes as a shock to many, as the 40-year-old, singer, songwriter, producer, and actress has not publicly dated anyone in years. In fact, the identity of her new spouse remains a mystery.

In the past, Mya has been linked to NFL stars DeSean Jackson and Larry Johnson and rapper The Game. However, this was merely speculation.

TMZ released exclusive photos of Mya in her wedding gown. The gown features a floor-length tulle skirt and a plunging neckline.

She stands on her own, on the beach enjoying the perfect weather, looking absolutely radiant.

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The multitalented star has not commented on her nuptials, and – if we’re going off of her history of keeping her private life private – she is unlikely to do so. Mya is known for keeping her romantic life under wraps. The fact that we’re only finding out about her marriage status two months after the ceremony is a testament to this.

This was the star’s first marriage, and by the looks of it, she had it exactly how she wanted it…in private.

Congrats to Mya and her mystery man!

Image: Facebook / Miss Mya 

Mere months after Northern Ireland officially legalised same-sex marriage, Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, from Belfast made history by becoming the first-ever lesbian couple to tie the knot in the region.

Activists in Northern Ireland have been fighting for years for same-sex marriage to be legalised in the country that has a conservative Christian majority. Despite homosexuality being decriminalised in the region in 1967 and various other parts of the UK legalising same-sex marriage over the years, the ban remained until recently. In October 2019, both abortion and same-sex marriage were legalised in Northern Ireland, leading many to celebrate their newly found freedom to make their own choices with their bodies.

Now, this deserving couple became the first same-sex pair to legally marry in Northern Ireland. The couple had their ceremony in Carrickfergus, County Antrim on February 11, 2020, also the date of their six year anniversary.

“We didn’t expect to be the first couple, it’s coincidental,” Edwards told The Guardian. “Today is our six-year anniversary so we wanted to go ahead with a civil partnership but when the bill was passed it was perfect timing and it was a complete coincidence, a happy coincidence. We couldn’t be more grateful.”

“For Northern Ireland, we need to be the face of the people to show everyone it’s OK,” adds Peoples. “We fought so long and hard for this opportunity to be seen as equal and now we are here and it’s just amazing.”

“We feel humbled that our wedding is a landmark moment for equal rights in Northern Ireland. We didn’t set out to make history – we just fell in love.”

Feature image: Instagram

Thousands of couples wed in a mass ceremony in South Korea this past weekend, despite the coronavirus outbreak that has instilled fear in many.

Members of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, also known as the Unification Church, came together to say their ‘I do’s’ at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeongin near Seoul on February 7, 2020. This mass wedding is a popular tradition for the South Korean-based church. According to Reuters, a reported 30 000 people from over 60 different countries were a part of this event, 6000 of whom were getting married for the first time and the rest were either renewing their vows or watching the spectacle.

South Korea has reported 24 cases of confirmed coronavirus. The organisers took care to ensure everyone’s safety throughout the event. Participants were screened for coronavirus symptoms, and people who had recently been to China were banned. They also gave everyone masks to wear, although not everyone decided to wear them.

Feature image: Unsplash