Heavenly bride for Kenny

Businessman Kenny Kunene feels "blessed" after marrying Nonkululeko in a fairytale traditional ceremony in Kimberley at the weekend.

The couple started off the festivities by performing a traditional umembeso ceremony. Then it was off to a lavish reception at a convention centre in Kimberley, where the lovebirds first met four years ago.

Umembeso is a Zulu ceremony after the lobola negotiations in which the groom's family present gifts to the bride's family.

Kunene said the wedding reception, attended by 600 close friends and family, was a glitzy affair with entertainment by a number of big names, including R&B crooner Donald.

He said Nonkululeko arrived in a cream dress that was so big she had to be transported in an SUV before being flown to the ceremony in a helicopter.

"It was a combination of traditional and Western elements and was inspired by a pink dress worn by Rihanna at the 2015 Grammy awards.

"We surprised her with a helicopter. We stopped the helicopter at the entrance to the centre, a red carpet was rolled out and she walked into the centre. She was in tears. Everyone was in tears . tears of happiness."

Kunene conceded that the reception cost "a serious arm and a leg". He said that the cost was worth it when he saw his bride stepping out of the helicopter.

"I am so blessed. I am humbled by the blessing bestowed on me. She was as beautiful as an angel sent to me from God; that is why I wanted her to land from the sky," Kunene said.

The couple will not be going on honeymoon because Nonkululeko is heavily pregnant. Kunene said the two families were preparing for a white wedding, perhaps in March or April next year.