To have a fairy tale wedding comes at no mean cost, from elaborate décor to the wedding rings to the bride’s gown. For African-American weddings, catering and reception are essential to the whole wedding ceremony.
Would you participate in a mass wedding if the wedding expenses were being handled by someone else?
Well, a metro Atlanta Church had a Wakanda-themed mass wedding for 12 couples on February 16 that was inspired by the Marvel movie, ‘Black Panther.’
The interesting twist that makes this wedding at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church unique was the fact that the couples were literally guests at their own wedding.
The all-expense wedding was at no cost to the couples, WSB TV reports.
New Birth Senior Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant said he wants weddings to be more about the couple’s commitment to each other than themselves.
“We wanted to remove the financial barriers that would burden or even deter couples from having a wedding ceremony,” said 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.”
The church made sure to infuse the Black History Month festivities into the mass wedding that was themed “A Wedding in Wakanda.”
To make the theme resonate well, the church encouraged the couples to wear African inspired garments.
However, most of the women chose to wear a traditional white wedding gown. “We want couples participating in this year’s event to be equipped with the biblical principles to have a healthy and fruitful union,” Bryant said.
Helping the parishioners lessen their financial burden has been Bryant’s mission since he joined the church in 2018.