Both sides hire professional speakers to speak on their behalf. As guests we are greeted and checked to make sure we do not have more guests than we are allowed or another fine will be issued. The groom is ‘hiding’ in the middle as one of the guests. After much conversation it is clear that we are here to find a young lady, but they need to know who is asking. Different aunties, brothers and friends come out and dance to see if one of them is who we are looking for. Then a special auntie comes out with a few others and proceeds to ‘find’ the groom. This is all done very ceremoniously with plenty of banter and lots of dancing. Our groom-to-be is found and brought to the front row with his best man. The bride-to-be is then brought with many other girls and they all do some more dancing (clearly this function is my favorite type of thing as you all know). Once it is clear that we have the correct groom and bride we are on to the next phase. The groom then needs to make sure he will be allowed to take his new bride and his entourage leaves in order to bring in the many gifts he has purchased for the bride’s family. A live chicken, live cow, live goat, couches, many crates of soda, cooking oil, sacks of rice, posho, beans, a side of beef, vegetables, pineapples etc. The list goes on and on as the ladies bring things in on their heads in baskets and the men bring in the heavier things. (By the way many couples never marry because they can’t afford this whole whoop-dee-do. It’s extremely important to impress the in-laws and ‘earn’ the girl.)