How I really spent my wedding night

IT’S the climax to months of planning — the wedding night; the first night together as man and wife. Legally, a marriage is valid after it is consummated, and if romance novels are to be believed, that validation should happen on the wedding night, when your prince will give you the time of your life.

But in fact, reports have shown that approximately 25 per cent of couples don’t consummate their unions on their wedding night, simply because they’re too tired from the planning and celebrations. The fact of the matter is, according to the readers below, the wedding-day-after is actually when the magic happens.

Jheanelle Myrie, 32:

My husband spent the entire night helping me undo my hair which was tightly done and causing me to have a migraine. When he was through I really wanted to consummate the marriage because we had dated for four years before and waited until marriage, but I was too tired, was having a migraine, and felt too sick to do anything.

Huck Henry, 33:

My wedding night was perfect. We did our research and knew most couples were too exhausted to consummate the marriage. So we made sure to save some energy at the reception. On returning to the room we had a long bubble bath and made sure our marriage was ‘legit’ the same night.

Mary-Ann Green, 44:

It was a sad night. We slept in separate rooms. We had a disagreement at the reception because the planner had left a few guests off the list and the hotel didn’t prepare for them. Anyway, we held it together and smiled, but on our journey back to the room he kept saying, “I told you something was wrong, but no, you had to have your way, you’re just spoilt.” Up to this day I can’t believe my husband did that, practically reprimanded me on our wedding night. I mean, do it after the honeymoon!

Joshua Wright, 50:

My wife and I spent the night watching TV and opening a few gifts and cards that we got. We also used the time to read the notes people placed in the signing book and count the signatures on our portrait that was at the front of the church.

Ricardo Johnson, 25:

I’m young and so is my wife. We made our youth get the best of us. We danced till our knees gave way and drank a whole lot, basically got wasted. When we got back to the room we were so drunk that we got halfway, but by the time I started to undress she was sleeping, so I just showered and slept beside her. The next evening was when the marriage was finally consummated.

Sheri-Ann Campbell, 35:

We played cards the entire night and ate ice cream. We were so tired and it seemed as if we both had a bout of insomnia, so we just relaxed, did something fun, and called it a night. Once we were rested and got up the next day, let’s say we enjoyed our honeymoon.

–KIMBERLEY HIBBERT