I love the words to this song.  It is a perfect wedding ceremony song for the bride’s entrance.  It says it all.  Love it! 

“Just like the sun, lights up the earth, you light up my life the only one, I’ve ever seen with a smile so bright
and just yesterday, you came around my way
and changed my whole scenery with your astonishing beauty

ah, you coulda make a brother sing,
you ordinary thing, a supernatural being,

I know you are just brighter than the moon
Brighter than the star, I love you just the way you are.

   CHORUS
   and you are my African Queen, the girl of my dreams.
   you take me where I’ve never been
   you make my heart go ting-a-ling-a-ling, oh ahh
   you are my African Queen, the girl of my dreams
   and you remind me of a thing
   and that is the African beauty yahhh

yahh oooo you are my african queen, oh lord, oo lord hmm
out of a million you stand as one
the outstanding one
I look into your eyes, girl what I see is paradise,

yeah you captivated my soul, now everyday I want you more o o oo
How can I deny this feeling I’m feeling inside
ey oh no one can never take your place,
can never take your space,
thats a fact I cannot erase

and you, you are the one that makes me smile
make me float like a boat upon the nile.

oooo ooooo yaahhh yahhh oooo

you are my african queen and I know, oh yes I know hhn
you are my african queen and I know, see I know
See I know what I am feeling in my heart and in my soul
oh I know that it is love
And I know that this love was surely sent from up above
Cause you’re the only one I think of

you are my african queen
and I know that this means that you’re the only one that I will serve
I’ll give you my heart, my love, my body and my money
Every other thing you think of
Who could think of anything better than you
Who could think of ever hurting you

Sacrifice my all, I’ll give it all to you
cause you ar my african queen
for REAL

So black, so beautiful
I love you, I love you, I love you, munyemo, I love you, I love you, I love
you, munyemo, I love you, I love you, ooohhh yeah, my African Queen, I
love you, I love you.”

We all get caught up in the motion of planning a wedding, but when all is said and done, how do you keep your love for each other alive throughout the years to come, on your new journey together as husband and wife?

COMMUNICATION

A piece of advice that I give to my clients, during the planning phase of their wedding is to communicate with each other. Your communication with each other should continue throughout your marriage. Keep your lines of communications open. The famous phase “never go to bed angre” is a very true statement, resolve the issue at hand, talk about it. Ask each other what you would do differently if a situation like this should arise again, so you will not have disagreements over the same issue. Nip it in the butt! Do not keep things in your subconscious, talk about it, because it will just build up to become angre. What my Husband and I did, in the being of our marriage, was every couple of months we sat down and discussed what we loved about each other and also what we felt we could change. As they say “seeing and living with someone if two different thing”, you will know the big things about your husband, but it is the little things that can be a challenge for most couples, for example does he like to leave the toilet seat up, or does he put the toilet paper roll on in the opposite direction that you are accustomed to. These issues are minor things and if these things bother you I suggest you forget about it, because there will be other challenges that you will face that would require more attention and energy.

FINANCES

As you already know finances are a major cause of divorce. This is why when creating wedding budgets for my clients, I always tell them to not to go into debt for the wedding, because when the day is finish you still have a major bill to pay. You do not what to start the marriage with DEBT. Make sure that it is crystal clear as to who is responsible for what household bills and develop a household budget and stick to it. There is not much I can say about finances, all I can say is to manage it well and talk about it every few months to make sure that you both are still on track, it comes back to communication.

LAUGHTER

Laughter is so healthy, and it is important that you and your husband can laugh with each other. Actually enjoy each other’s company. Be aware of the humorous moments in each day. Watch comedies on TV and at the movies. Share funny jokes that you may of heard that day or something funny that may have happened. Create Halloween costumes as a couple, and reflect on funny moments in your past together. If you can laugh at yourselves or situations usually are stronger when issues arise.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Make sure to take time out of yourself. Whether it be reading a good book, going to the gym, or spending time with your girlfriends. Never loose yourself. Many women end up doing just that, out of the goodness of their heart and devote all their time to their family. They don’t hang out with their friends anymore, they let themselves go physically and do not take the time to spend with themselves. As women we focus on the family alone but not including yourself in the equation. Your family needs you so do not forget YOU.

This is a great idea for your bachelor or bachelorette party.  It is also a great way for you and your fiance(e) to learn about the different wines that you would like at your wedding.

What about if you are having a destination wedding in the Caribbean, i.e Jamacia, get a taste of what to expect by taking the  ESCAPE TO THE CARIBBEAN cooking class or APPLETON ESTATE lifestyle course.

Check it out at http://www.lcbo.com/learn/overview_edguide.shtml

Founded in 2010, Caribbean Matrimony, is the first Toronto based bridal blog to focus exclusively on Afro-Caribbean Weddings.

The site features experience, as well as, up and coming vendors in the wedding community.  We are dedicatd to publishing a variety of articles, and the latest trends from the Caribbean.

Planning a wedding requires a lot of planning, so here you have it your Caribbean vendors all in one spot.