CAPE TOWN - A Cape Town couple who had to cancel their wedding due to the recently imposed travel restrictions, is donating the wedding cake and catering to disadvantaged couples who are getting married on the same day.
A photographer, sound system as well as flowers and a make-up artist are among the generous donations.
The couple, who met and fell in love, in 2009 had planned their wedding day for December 16.
They initially had to cancel their wedding plans in 2014 after a family member fell ill.
Not wanting to be named, the bride said: “My fiancé came home in August, and returned to work a week before the country was put back on the red list.
“When the news broke, we knew that we had to cancel our wedding plans again, as he and a few relatives won't be able to attend.
“Our biggest concern was not the cancellation of the wedding, but the service providers losing an income.
“It’s been a challenging two years for people working in the wedding and hospitality industry, lots of couples rescheduled their weddings.
“Many had smaller ceremonies and just did it themselves.
“I could not get myself to contribute to their loss by asking for a refund.”
The couple said they were looking for couples who could not afford their dream wedding due to financial difficulties.
“We are only considering couples who are getting married on the December 16, in Cape Town.
“We decided to donate to different people instead of just one couple, and while we are Muslim it’s open to people of all faiths.
“Whose comfort with halaal food,” they said.
The couple said they will additionally donate everything they have ordered for their Nikkah branch to different organisations to have Christmas parties, and to old age homes and orphanages.
"For millions of South Africans this is the season of added expenses, scraping together something for Christmas Day, then dealing with the financial worries of January.
“So many South Africans won’t have anything to eat on Christmas Day, we hope our Nikkah (Muslim marriage ceremony) donations will contribute to creating a Christmas spirit."
The couple can be contacted directly by email at: [email protected]
Cape Times