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For Tewodros Gebru, 27, the Ethiopian
Millennium is different and more special
than past new years in that he is going to
celebrate it jumping into another chapter of
his life, marriage. It has been four months
since he decided to get married to his
22-year-old girlfriend and started
preparations. But with the 1,100 Br monthly
salary he gets working at the Addis Abeba
Health Bureau with his diploma in Computer
Science he says he found it difficult and
costly to organise the ceremony.
"I wish I had told no one and I could stop
everything now," says Tewodros when speaking
of the inflation he is facing in buying
materials for his wedding ceremony.
Tewodros has planned to spend 5,000 Br for
his wedding ceremony which includes his and
his wife's wedding ring, his suit,
traditional attire, food stuffs, which may
serve 40-60 guests in his mother's house,
and other extra expenditures. But he says
his calculation was an undershot because
everything has risen in price now compared
to two months before, when he made his
calculations. Therefore, he is forced to
push his expenditure to 8,000 Br and still
has to shift and make re-adjustments in his
budget. He says he will not procure his suit
because he has to reallocate this money to
the food stuffs.
"The price of edible oil has doubled in
three months time. The red pepper (berbere)
adds to its price every day," Tewodros
complains. "Gold, which is one of the
necessary materials for rings, has increased
by 2.50 Br to four Birr per gram (150 Br
extra for his ring choice)."
Tewodros' mother bought one foresula
(17kg) of red pepper for 700 Br some two
weeks before.
"Everything is up!" he says very angrily.
However, upon Fortune's checking at Mercato,
a foresula of red pepper is now 1,000
Br, possibly not a shock to many Ethiopians
with an eye to the coming of the Millennium
as many expect red meat sauce in every
Ethiopian house during holidays, a tradition
complementing goat, sheep and oxen meat.
Similarly, Makida Hailessilasie, another
future Millennium bride, who has booked at
the Ghion Hotel for her wedding ceremony for
70,000 Br, says that she has cancelled her
honeymoon trip to Safari Lodge in Tanzania
as the price of other goods has increased.
Trying on her engagement dress in front of
the mirror at the Melody Bridals shop while
Raleal Kefale, who is also planning and
making preparations to get married keeps on
filling the holes in whatever costs are
unforeseen. Makida says, even though the
price of some stuffs concerned her, she will
not tolerate giving up any one of her
wishes. Her family and boyfriend are pushing
for a smashing event.
While the consumer price index increases,
reaching 19pc by some estimates, it has
wreaked havoc on the daily budgets of
urbanites. The particular articles crucial
to the once-in-a-lifetime experience of
tying the knot has weighed especially heavy
in the minds of the increased numbers of
wedding hopefuls.
Tezeru Worku, deputy head of the Office of
Residents Identification and Civil Status
Documents Registration Service, who
witnessed an increase in the number of
marriages in the past three years (1997,
12,272; 1998, 13,232; and 1999, 18,864)
expects more couples to come to the Office
looking for marriage certificates as many
members of the Diaspora are expected to come
to the country beyond the normal increase of
marriage certifications requested by
customers as observed in the past years.
"There are some implications observed with
regard to the demand of marriage
certification within this month after the
closing of the 2006/07 fiscal year," Tezeru
told Fortune.
She added that necessary preparations are
underway by the Office to give better and
quick service for customers, considering the
future work pressure observed.
The many private wedding service providers
are feeling the increase in demand, but not
all are translating it to higher prices.
Rather, customers are faced with
compromising dates to get a slot in the busy
date books of the companies.
Addika Tour and Travel Plc, one of the
biggest car rental service providers, which
served 353 weddings in 2007, finds a huge
inspiration in the Millennium, as 275
weddings have already made reservations with
50pc and above down payments.
According to Solomon Zewdu, head of the
marketing and sales department at Addika,
there is a 30pc growth in demand of car
service as compared to last year at the same
time.
"However, we have reduced the rental price
of our cars as the competition from the new
entrants is getting tense, which narrowed
our profit margin," Solomon told Fortune.
A Ford Excursion limousine, the longest in
the city at 14m, used to rent for 35,000 Br
per day when first introduced in 2006. But
now, it is lowered to 25,000 Br, which is
their maximum car rental charge currently.
This could be good news for Rahel Kefale who
faces the choice of transportation as the
last of her decisions.
Emebet Fikre, owner of Melody Bridal Shop
shares the idea that there is an increase in
customers for the Millennium.
"About 18 customers have ordered vello
(bride's dress) and décor only for
September," a new experience she has never
seen as this industry is most demanded
during wedding seasons while the price of
vello depreciates despite other clothes.
Every time it is rented, it lowers its price
for the next time. But she says if the
vello is a newly ordered one, they may
charge the customers 5,000 Br and above.
According to customers, it was 3,000 Br to
3,500 Br a year before.
Tewodros, and his girlfriend appear lucky in
this regard as their marriage is to be
conducted in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
custom, which does not accept such attire in
the ceremony. The Church rather dictates a
traditional cloth be worn which has cost
them around 1,200 Br.
For people like Makida and Rahel who are
planning to have their wedding festival in
big hotels, they have to face the rise in
the price of food stuffs, which will be
included with the halls they rent.
Wabe Shebele, which used to charge 81.5 Br
per person, has raised its price to 97 Br
per person.
Most hotel officials contacted by
Fortune, however, claim that there is
not much pressure in demand of the halls for
weddings, though some commonly used venues
like Shala Hall and Park seem to host more
customers in the Millennium.
Tirffessa Mideksa, head of Shala, says the
number of customers seems to have increased
this year, though his Park has always served
many wedding ceremonies, especially during
January, February and May, wedding seasons
in Ethiopia.
According to Tirfessa, the New Year is also
becoming one of the times in which couples
choose to have their wedding ceremony.
Despite the fact that the price of the Hall
is to increase from 6,000 Br to 10,000 Br
starting from the eve of the new Millennium,
the Hall is fully booked in September and
January, while only a few days remain
unoccupied in the months in between.
Seventy couples have already paid and rented
the Hall for the coming Millennium. Tirfessa,
whose Hall has hosted 163 wedding ceremonies
in 2006/07, feels that his customers are
happy by the increase in price of the Hall
as the reason is for the provision of better
facilities to the customers, including the
replacement of furniture.
Sources from Ghion Hotel tell that the
rental price of the halls differs from one
to another according to the service the
customers want and the size of the halls
they would like to rent. The Hotel charges
125 Br per person for "Buffet" and 112 Br
per person for cocktail, while it charges
1150 Br for the park.
"The rise in the price of food stuffs seems
to push up every other price of wedding
materials," says Tewodros. He adds that the
government's involvement in the market to
adjust the price of crops needs to continue
in other food stuffs.
Tewodros is not only having a problem with
the preparation of his wedding ceremony, but
also says he has trouble in getting a rental
house where he and his girlfriend can
celebrate right after their wedding
ceremony, as they can not go back and
continue living with their family as before.
He feels that many house owners are pushing
people out who rented their house in the
expectation of better payment from people
who come to the country to celebrate the
Millennium. Some of the houses are
re-painted and waiting for someone from the
Diaspora to come and rent. He adds that the
kind of house rented for 300 Br three months
ago is now about 500 Br, but in short
supply.
Whatever the expectation and hope of the
public in the new Millennium, the reality of
prices seems to be a fact people like
Tewodros must cope with. He wanted to write
in the invitation card a statement that
tells his guests to cover their cost, but
his mother told him that she would not
appear herself in such a ceremony.
After contemplating the various price
increases, Tewodros will now hold his
ceremony in a church, paying only 400 Br for
the service of the priests.
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