'Stop borrowing loans to fund big weddings,' Bien advises Kenyans

Piece by: Elizabeth Ngigi
Lifestyle

Sauti Sol's lead vocalist Bien Aime Baraza wedded the love of his life, Chiki Onwukwe, in an invite-only wedding at Pallet Cafe, Lavington, last Friday.

Bien said he could not invite all his friends because it was for family and close friends. "Only those who know me as Alusa, not Bien," he said.

A few of his friends were offended for not making it to the guest list. But Bien told Word Is on Friday that it was his wedding.

"My message to those who are mad at me because they were not invited is, they should hold their weddings and don’t invite me.

I am no longer interested in attending weddings because I have attended so many of them.

It was my way of celebrating my commitment to my wife." 

Bien's parents got an opportunity to interact with Chiki's parents.

 "We had a good time with both families. My dad got the opportunity to interact with Chiki's dad. They now know each other," he said.

His advice to couples planning weddings is to cut your coat according to your cloth.

"Please don’t do a wedding to please your parents. Do it depending on the size of your pockets, how much you can afford.

A wedding is the beginning of your life. So don’t spend all your money on a wedding.

Do something small and affordable. You better spend much on your honeymoon than at the wedding."

He spent less than Sh300,000 on his wedding.

"Stop borrowing loans and money from your friends so you can hold a big wedding and go into debt.

The budget was less than Sh300,000. A good budget for artistes like me," Bien said.

The couple has not gone on a honeymoon because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"If I will go, I will choose an African country,” Bien said.