Ghana’s Valentine mass wedding

* The former Gold Coast gives far more meaning to February 14 as many couples, together, are joined in holy matrimony

It was a novelty wedding: a long queue of 28 couples about to be joined in holy matrimony, standing in front of a stage with a ‘Broadwaysque’ backdrop, facing a front-row audience that was the Crème de la crème of the Ghanaian society.
Without let, the hall was resounding with festivity, steeped in gospel songs and ecstatic cheers of the crowd. The sight epitomized a dream wedding. What’s more, happening in the morning of February 14, St Valentine’s Day added celestial aura to the occasion. The attending extravagance, which far outweighed the usual fun and frivolities that characterized Valentine’s Day celebration, was what made the occasion a wedding extraordinaire. To the residents of Accra, capital of Ghana, the annual Happy FM Valentine Mass Wedding is an epic event they look forward to.
This year’s occasion – the ninth edition – captivated Ghanaians who came out in their numbers. With the hall filled to capacity, the forecourt of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) Osu, the venue of the event, also brimmed with friends and families of the couples who came from near and far to witness the wedlock.