So many people reading this blog have known our family for a long, long time, and some of you might just be hearing about us for the first time. Our nuclear family is made up of Ian and me, our firstborn, Spencer, and his younger sister, Chloe. Spencer is married to Jane and they have a sweet 8-month-old baby boy named Beck. Chloe is getting married to Asad.
As is true with most things “Maxwell”, we don’t do things the “easy” way typically, and one of our many family slogans is that “Maxwell’s do hard”. Well, Chloe and Asad’s upcoming nuptials will encompass both of those thoughts.
I thought you might want a peak under the tent 😀
Chloe and Asad met at University in Canada. Asad is from Dubai and his family is from Pakistan. Spencer and family live in Michigan, and of course, we live in Eswatini, Africa.
On October 30th some of Chloe and Asad’s University friends will arrive from Canada, family will arrive from Dubai and we have a few friends joining the party. We will have a weekend of dining on a delicious African braai, swimming, getting to know our children, African safari, and then the big wedding day.
The wedding will take place on November 2nd at the amphitheater on Project Canaan at 10AM EST. Our amazing film crew will be going live on my Facebook page! So you are all welcome to join the wedding! Most of our children will attend and 12 of them are in the wedding party. The ceremony will be followed by a reception at our Litsemba Guest House and then a dance party with the older kids up at O2, including a few surprises that we will be sure to post on Facebook. Mack.bakes is flying in to make the cake and cupcakes for the children and it will be a blast. After the dance party we will go to our new boma down at the Swazi Ekhaya (homestead) for dinner and dancing under the stars.
And if that isn’t enough, the next day 40+ of us fly to Dubai to continue the party week! Wednesday there is a bridal henna followed by bachelor and bachlorette parties. Friday is the traditional Mhendi (can you say par-tay?) and a traditional “white wedding” on Saturday evening.
This is being called a “fusion wedding” and I think you can see why.
We could not be happier for Chloe and Asad and are thoroughly looking forward to getting to spend more time with their huge family.
Nothing is easy here, but getting visas for South Africa and Eswatini might be one of the more complicated things. Here are the passport countries that people are coming from for the wedding: India, Pakistan, Goa, UAE, England, Australia, Canada, and the US. I know that all of the hassles and hoops that will be jumped through will be well worth it.
Ian and I have had the joy of spending the last few weeks with Spencer, Jane and Beck, and what fun that has been! We are incredibly blessed and we know it. I am eternally grateful that we said “yes” to the calling on our lives. Without that “yes”, none of the above would be happening.
Remember to join us on my Facebook page on November 2nd at 10 EST!
Janine