Young people preparing to enter into a Holy Matrimony have been counseled by the Founder and General Overseer of Action Chapel International, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, to embrace cost effective weddings rather than extravagant ones.

His comment came while preaching to his congregation, cautioning couples against borrowing money to organize lavish weddings, which often leave them facing frustrations at home due to the intense pressure from creditors demanding repayment.

"If I were you, I would take that money that they are going to use for the wedding to do other things for the marriage itself. Just come to the office, sign the document, we bless you, you kiss one another, go home."

Duncan Williams went on to share his experience on how he got married unprepared at the age of 21 or 22.

"You could tell that this guy is confused. I was like a sheep carried to the slaughter. I had no idea of what I was doing. I had no idea of what marriage was - I was just told I should marry, so me too, I married."

He counselled, "So let me say to some of you, when you get it all right, don't do a wedding."

Meanwhile, in Bole, efforts have been made by the Chief Imam of the Bole Traditional Area, Alhaji Mohammed Iddrisu to curb the rising financial burden of lavish wedding ceremonies.

He announced a ban on extravagant Islamic weddings within his jurisdiction.

The directive, which took effect from March 5, 2025, was outlined in an official statement signed by the Chief Imam.

“I am grateful to inform your esteemed office that I, the Chief Imam (Alhaji Mohammed Iddrisu) of Bole Traditional Area, after several council meetings with the Islamic clergy, wish to put a ban on extravagant Islamic weddings within my jurisdiction which do not conform to Islamic practices, starting on Wednesday, March 5, 2025,” the statement read.

According to the Chief Imam, the decision seeks to promote modest and affordable weddings that align with Islamic teachings, ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent young people from getting married.

“This decision aims to curb deviant practices which set high wedding costs, therefore making it difficult for many youth to get married,” he stated.

Islamic weddings, much like Christian white weddings, have evolved into elaborate celebrations involving expensive receptions, multiple outfits, and high-end photography.

The move by the Chief Imam is expected to ease financial pressures on families and restore simplicity to the marriage process.

Nonetheless, weddings have evolved into a fashion statement in Ghana today, with couples practically competing with one another for the most lavish and opulent ceremonies.

This trend is often associated with huge wedding costs and items, to somewhat display the grand lifestyles of brides and grooms, or their respective families.

A report by Graphic Daily in 2018 revealed that for couples who want lavish ceremonies, anything less than GH¢90,000 means that their dream ceremony will be a mirage. This situation has landed many couples in huge bank debts as many go for loans just to fulfil their lavish wedding ceremonies.

It is against this backdrop that a young man has said that he would not spend more than GH¢1,000 on his wedding ceremony. He said, he would focus on getting only the items listed by the woman’s family, as the rest will be unnecessary to him.

“I would only spend 1k on my wedding. I would only buy the items on the wedding list provided by the girl’s family. When I do that, I know I have married the lady. Any other expenses would not be featured in my budget. If the lady wants anything extra, she must pay for it,” he explained in a viral video sighted on Twitter.

Another youth also said he would be willing to spend GH¢10,000 only for his wedding.

He said this is as a result of the country’s poor economy state. He believes there is life after a wedding, as such, it would be unwise for couples to empty their wallets for a single day's event.

“So my wedding, I am not going to exceed more than GH¢10,000, if we exceed that amount, how are we going to survive when we finally settle together. The economy is very bad and so we must be very strategic and economic on spendings for wedding. If you pressure me for a GH¢50,000 and more wedding, I would quit,” he explained.

In 2023, a couple from a French African country gained attention on social media for their low-budget wedding ceremony. The couple got many excited over their unconventional wedding photos.

In a world where the pressure to have a lavish wedding ceremony can be overwhelming, this couple proved that simple is just as beautiful.

They ditched the traditional wedding attire and opted for matching T-shirts with their own faces printed on them. How cute is that?!

And the wedding ceremony itself? Well, it was nothing short of intimate. The couple had only a handful of guests to witness the exchange of vows and that special first kiss.

Their low-budget wedding has received a lot of love online, with many applauding the couple for not giving in to societal pressure. Some even joked about how they wish they had done the same to avoid the debt that comes with expensive weddings.