By by Cherisse Moe,Photo: Cassius Rochford

Copyright trinidadexpress

Red House weddings are trending among young, engaged couples. Take a casual browse on the popular social media app TikTok, you’d see blushing newlyweds sharing videos and photos of their nuptials, with the Red House in the background.

You may recall that on Valentine’s Day (February 14) 2020, soca star Machel Montano took yoga instructor Renee Butcher to be his bride. Their wedding was the first since the refurbished and restored Red House opened its doors and also the first wedding to be held there in 20 years.

A surprisingly accessible option, getting married at the iconic Red House is one way to have an intimate wedding that’s centred around love and purpose. In a world where the cost of a traditional wedding can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars, Khadija Wiltshire-Nathu and Nicolai Nathu recently proved you can have a beautiful celebration for under $100. On their special day, the couple was surrounded by just ten people, including their photographer. The ceremony was short, just ten minutes, but “incredibly meaningful”, according to Khadija.

“The atmosphere was very peaceful as it was a more professional setting. We knew we made the best choice for our lives.”

Since the Red House is the seat of Parliament, certain areas of the Abercromby Street building were restricted, and armed officers escorted the couple and their photographer to different scenic spots on the compound to get the best background for their photos.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds celebrated with family at a restaurant at Valpark Shopping Plaza, Valsayn, before trotting off to their honeymoon in Tobago.

Planning a Red House wedding, they say, was refreshingly straightforward. All the arrangements were made through the Registrar General’s Office, Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs. The venue was just $50, and the entire marriage licence process, including posting of the banns, totalled $95.

“We wanted to spend our money purposefully,” Nicolai explains, echoed by a sentiment Khadija, as they’re working on building a home.

Their decision was also financially intentional. Starting a marriage in debt was simply not an option: “Financial distress can negatively impact the union as money issues between couples lead to unhappiness and tension in the household,” he asserts.

The couple, who share a one-year-old daughter, also admits to choosing a Red House wedding to avoid the pressure of pleasing others. Family opinions didn’t deter them.

“When I told my parents, they expressed that they would have preferred a traditional church wedding so our marriage would be blessed by a pastor,” Khadija shares. “But I had made up my mind and I could not be persuaded.”

Their journey to “I do” began on a seemingly ordinary afternoon in February 2022. Khadija, a 30-year-old hairdresser from Chaguanas, was walking through Westmall car park when she noticed “a handsome young guy” struggling with a flat tyre. That man was Nicolai, a 26-year-old automotive AC technician from Diego Martin.

“I offered to help him, knowing very well I knew nothing about cars—far less, changing a flat tyre,” she says with a laugh. But that lighthearted moment sparked something deeper. Her simple offer led to a chat that lasted for seven hours. “It was 5:30 p.m. when we started and it ended at 12:30 a.m. We were so in tune with each other,” she recalls.

“We felt as though we had known each other for years. We spoke non-stop. There were no awkward moments, nor did we feel shy or ashamed. That was the beginning of our friendship.”

Nicolai quickly realised Khadija was someone special. A year later, he planned a romantic surprise to ask her to be his girlfriend.

“I had intentions to carry her to the same spot where we met,” he says. “Unfortunately, she was busy, and time did not permit; so I improvised. I pulled up to her house, and made it seem like I was having car problems. My bonnet was open. I asked her to start the car then told her to go in the trunk and bring the pliers. When she opened the trunk, she was greeted with a dozen roses and a handwritten note asking her to be my girlfriend.”

He confesses that he wasn’t always romantic, but he knew he “had to be different” with her. “I wanted to be the best me for her.”

That strong bond only deepened over time. Even the stars seemed to align for them. In February last year, when they visited Government Plaza to secure a wedding date, they were told the venue was booked for months. Then, a clerk took a phone call—someone had just cancelled—and she offered them an April 24 booking, just one week after the date they requested.

Khadija remembers the moment vividly. “How could this be possible? We were moments ago quarrelling about how long we had to wait to be attended to. If we went a moment earlier, we would have missed the call and we would not have had our heart’s desire. Looking back, we really started to fully understand the meaning of God’s timing and trusting Him.”

Today, the couple lives by the same values they began their relationship with. “We are always laughing till we are crying,” Khadija says, and Nicolai agrees: “Life is just better when you go through it with your best friend—‘daiz meh dawg’.”

Khadija’s advice to other women hoping to find Mr Right is to trust their instincts and not settle for abuse or ill treatment, while Nicolai advises men to feel confident in their decision to make a commitment.

“I want women to know that there is someone out there who is willing to love and care for them. When you do get that man that God has put in your life, always fight for him,” she asserts.

Nicolai echoes her sentiment, noting that a good marriage starts with intention and true connection. “When you’re married to your best friend, everything seems easier: you understand each other, conflicts get resolved faster, and the love is much stronger.”

Thinking of getting married at the Red House? Here’s what you need to know:

● The Registrar General does marriage ceremonies on Mondays and Thursdays only, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

● Marriage ceremonies on weekends are permitted on the first and third Saturday and fourth Sunday of every month, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. or 1 and 3 p.m.

● The maximum number of attendees for each marriage ceremony is eight (excluding the marriage officer and photographer).

● Cameras may be brought onto the parliamentary precincts for private purposes only, within the area identified for use for a marriage ceremony.

Info: https://www.ttparliament.org