2 key rituals done at Shebesh's wedding and their meanings [Photos]

Public Service and Gender CAS Rachel Shebesh had her traditional wedding aired on the popular Citizen TV show, The Wedding Show over the weekend.

Shebesh is married to her long time husband Frank whom she has known for 30 years.

“My husband Frank and I held our traditional wedding (Gurario) to mark the completion of marriage rites as per our culture,” Shebesh said in an Instagram post.

She thanked her family and friends for supporting and attending the ceremony at her parents home in Githunguri, Kiambu.

Public Service and Gender CAS Rachel Shebesh and her husband Frank during their traditional wedding. Photo: scmediake Pulse Live Kenya

Photos from the ceremony showed that guests went out of their way to dress to impress, donning Africa themed attires.

The traditional wedding involves the cutting of meat from the shoulder of a goat (kiande) which means that a bond has been created between the couple.

According to Kikuyu customs, this is the equivalent of exchanging vows, in a church wedding.

Public Service and Gender CAS Rachel Shebesh and her husband Frank during their traditional wedding. Photo: scmediake Pulse Live Kenya

The meat should come from the front leg of a female goat without blemish.

They also cut the ribs to signify that Shebesh had become part of her husband.

Public Service and Gender CAS Rachel Shebesh and her husband Frank during their traditional wedding. Photo: scmediake Pulse Live Kenya

During the event, Frank disclosed he met his wife when she was a student at State House Girls and he was a student at the University of Nairobi.

"We used to meet on the road every day after classes. She was attractive. Tall and slim. I would bully her on the way and tell her how pretty and beautiful she was," he recalled.

Shebesh would later move to Kianda School but one day she went to watch him play rugby at UoN.

"After I finished playing, I see this beautiful girl who has blossomed, we were excited to see each other and we started talking. From there it became wimpy dates, ice cream, those were the places to go. I used to buy her wimpy chips on Kenyatta Avenue and the rest is history," he said.

"We had a church wedding in 1997 and somewhere along the line I reverted to Islam and I thought it was the end of it, but I came to learn the hard way that this ceremony (traditional wedding) must be done," Frank added.