British Bride and Groom Marry in Kenya
Tina Wylie fell in love with Kenya when she fist visited there when she was 19. Since then she has made numerous trips to the country which she now classes as her second home.
Ever since boyfriend Craig Washbrook proposed to her she has known that Kenya was the place where she wanted her dream wedding to take place.
Despite the political crisis where the country has suffered riots and ethnic attacks with 1,000 losing their lives, they travelled to Kenya to the picturesque Ngong Hills just outside of Nairobi last week to exchange their wedding vows.
Along with them went seventeen members of their families and friends. Most of them had never been to Kenya before and were slightly apprehensive regarding the reports of turmoil the country had been through during the past few weeks.
Tina in her cream coloured wedding gown arrived at her wedding in a white helicopter and was accompanied by her parents while Maasai tribesmen dressed in their red traditional robes looked on.
The wedding party have had the chance to become tourist with visits to Nairobi’s National Park the Amboselie and Maaasai Mara Game Reserve. From experiencing the thrill of a trip in a hot air balloon to the giraffe centre and elephant conservatory it has been a wonderful time for them all. All of the places they visited were by road and apart from the poor state of them, they had no complaints.
Most are from the village of North Frodingham in Yorkshire and after spending eight days have talked non stop about the beauty and tranquillity of the country and the warm and welcoming people who live there.
Honeymoon in Mombasa
Newlyweds Tina and Craig Washbrook are now enjoying their honeymoon in Mombasa and on their return to UK Tina plans to share her first-hand experience and encourage those who would love to visit the country but are too scared to do so.
“I am deeply saddened by what is happening here right now and it is a shame that people who have lived together for years can suddenly turn on each other, but the images and information we have been getting from the media back home is not balanced at all. The impression we have is that Kenya is a no-go war zone; that everything has come to a standstill - now we know this is not true," she says
Tina’s father Mike Wylie made Kenya his home 22 years ago and has been disturbed by what he views as ‘one-sided’ news reports of the events that have taken place. He has been only too happy to accommodate the guests and has been showing them around.
Tina said that “her father has been there since the unrest began and he is fine”. She went on to say “There is no way a father can pull his child from a safe country and bring him or her to a war zone accompanied by family and friends, and if he thought is was dangerous for them to visit, he could certainly have discouraged her from holding the wedding the Kenya”.
Country Stands to Lose Billions in Holiday Revenue
Hundreds of potential holidaymakers from UK have cancelled their trips after the British Government issued an advisory against traveling to Kenya and tour operators’ suspended holiday packaged.
It is anticipated that an average loss of Sh5.5 billion per month could be lost in revenue from holidaymakers in this year’s first quarter alone where 15 per cent of the national wealth is from the tourists sector.
Wedding and honeymoons have always been popular in Kenya and the many locations ranging from the classic beach wedding, balloon weddings, wild bush weddings to traditional African weddings are being chosen as more couples want their weddings to be that little bit different.
