The Gusaba: Leave the glitter for the bride

NOBODY wants to attend a wedding only to find that they are wearing the same outfit as someone else. The urge to go back home and change sets in and it takes a very strong person to resist it. When it comes to traditional weddings (Gusaba), chances are that you will show up wearing the same Umushanana another lady is wearing because very many women hire Imishanana for weddings. In a country like Rwanda where weddings are common, it’s kind of hard to own enough Imishanana for each occasion and no one wants to be seen in the same Umushanana twice. However, showing up in a Mushanana with so much glitter that it could blind everyone around with the objective to ‘stand out’ is not advisable. Why? Anything that will make the bride look dull is considered a little too much. How is that your problem? It’s not – but the biggest rule at any wedding is ‘never outshine the bride’. You’ll look a little out of place. Sure, you have that expensive material in your closet but save it for a day when there is no one to outshine - like your own Gusaba! Given the fact that the glittering Imishanana are a trend with brides, when hiring the outfit for a Gusaba, avoid glitter. Fredric Ndagijimana, the owner of Magasin Le Glaieul Ltd in Remera, is a common place that has Imishanana for hire. “Some people decide to hire the glittering Umushanana because they want to shine and probably be noticed at the ceremony that they were wearing an expensive Umushanana. I usually advise my clients to leave the glittering Umushanana to the brides,” Ndagijimana says. Hiring bridesmaid Imishanana ranges from Rwf 10,000 to Rwf 50,000 while others go for Rwf 3,000to Rwf 15,000. “The prices depend on the fabric of the Imishanana as well as the colour,” Ndagijimana explains.