Twice as Nice

When Ebenezer Eduafo proposed to Micheala Bennekin beside London Bridge, the engagement set in motion a flurry of multinational revelry. With him hailing from Ghana and her from the Lowcountry, the couple quickly realized that their wedding festivities couldn’t possibly be contained to just one country. For this bride and groom, who met at Clemson University, that meant double the merriment with back-to-back bashes. First, in December 2023, they held a celebration rich in symbolism and tradition in Ashalaja, Ghana. Micheala stunned in a hand-beaded, pink corset gown that she purchased from a Ghanaian boutique; Ebenezer donned a caftan and kente cloth in coordinating hues. The festivities, set at his brother’s house, carried into the evening and continued the next day with a traditional “thanksgiving service” at church. Then in January, it was back to Charleston to exchange vows at Morris Brown AME—the home church of Micheala, who grew up on Morris Street—and dance the night away at Trident Technical College’s College Center. With only a handful of close family members and friends able to attend both events, the pair seized opportunities to blend their cultures, serving Ghanaian food at their rehearsal dinner in Charleston and sharing a video they compiled of loved ones on both sides enjoying special moments with the couple. All told, it was no small feat planning and delivering two distinct events in a year and a half across international time zones, but Ebenezer and Micheala pulled it off, thanks to expert planning support, helping hands, and their focus locked on what truly mattered: gathering their people and celebrating their love. Tackling Two Events - Channel a sense of place. A pink, champagne, and rose gold palette anchored both events. In Ghana, lush floral arrangements, abundant greenery, and gold and wooden accents nodded to the country’s rich natural resources. Later in downtown Charleston, the short jaunt from church to reception practically begged for a powder pink Cadillac Eldorado. - Divide and conquer. Planning even a single wedding can feel overwhelming, but for a bride and groom who play to their strengths, it becomes more manageable. Here, Michaela was the “ideas person” and keeper of the timeline. Ebenezer, on the other hand, organized and tracked all finances with spreadsheets. - Lean on your people. Family is central to the couple, and they didn’t hesitate to tap their network for help (especially crucial in Ghana as they planned from afar). The wedding coordinators were either family or family friends, and others close to the duo helped with everything from printing invitations to photography and emceeing. - Stay focused. There’s a lot to juggle—and pay for!—when planning two events. Streamline vendor selection and decision making with a venue that includes rentals and catering. Michaela also found cost efficiencies by designing the invitations herself and seeking affordability in personal items, like her shoes. “People don’t remember the lavish details,” she notes. “They remember the special moments.”