Love was in the air this Valentine’s Day in Kampala as the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) took on an unexpected role—Cupid’s sidekick. In a lovely ceremony that wedded romance with official paperwork, 12 couples made their promises and put rings on each other’s fingers, turning the NIRA headquarters into a gateway to happily-ever-after. This first-ever event marked a new beginning for NIRA, which took over the mandate of registering marriages in Uganda not long ago.

The atmosphere was celebratory and jovial as the couples, dressed to impress, swarmed to formalize their love. In an ambiance of flowers and ornaments, the NIRA office was transformed into a wedding venue, proving that love can come at any place—even in an office of the government. The wedding was an equilibrium of modesty and solemnity, giving couples a budget-friendly and easy way of legitimizing their unions.

Rosemary Kisembo, NIRA Executive Director, addressed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of marriage registration. She stated that while many couples are attentive to the glitter and celebrations surrounding weddings, they do not proceed to legalize the union. “It only takes shs35,000 to register a marriage,” Kisembo continued. “There are chances that you can spend 20 years of your life with a person in marriage, and he or she gets married to another person if your marriage is not registered. It is time you asked churches and mosques if marriages you are performing there are registered with us or URSB (Uganda Registration Services Bureau).”

Kisembo called on couples to have their marriages legally registered so as not to be caught off guard. Her message was clear-cut: love is the foundation of every marriage but legal registration is the gate to obtaining that love and making it available to the law. This Valentine’s Day activity was not just romanticizing of love but reminding people of having the steps to obtain relationships.

For the couples who performed the ceremony, the day was nothing short of magical. Agide Musiina, one of the brides among many, was beaming with joy at the new wedding experience. “We selected this kind of marriage because it is not expensive, simple, but not stressful too,” she explained. Her bridegroom, Steven Woods, a British citizen, was also on cloud nine. “We definitely wanted a bit more with our families, but for me, since my family could not come with me, we opted for this kind of wedding. We just wanted to be happy at the end, and we have succeeded,” Woods said.

The NIRA wedding ceremony was a welcome relief from the conventional wedding, which can be costly and time-consuming. To the couples, the ceremony was a perfect solution—a way of celebrating their love without feeling compelled to produce a grand, elaborate wedding. The simplicity of the ceremony allowed the couples to focus on the most significant things: their bond with each other.

Valentine’s Day wedding also exhibited NIRA’s drive towards making marriage registration more convenient and accessible to Ugandans. Through conducting the event, NIRA not only celebrated love but also registered awareness of the importance of legalizing marriages. The ceremony reminded everyone that registration of marriage is not just a routine but an imperative move in protecting the rights and interests of both parties.

As the couples exchanged vows and rings, smiles, laughter, and a sense of unity filled the room. It was a testament to the power of love and the need to make it legal. For 12 couples, the day was the beginning of a new start—one that is legally recognized and protected.

The NIRA Valentine’s Day wedding ceremony was a celebration of affordability, accessibility, and simplicity more than a celebratory festive procession of love; it was a celebration of such. It showcased that love can be pertinent and does not necessarily need to be lavish. A sincere vow, a small ring, and the actual blessing is all one might need in some instances to seal a union.

NIRA’s unique Valentine’s Day celebration was a resounding success that meshed love, legality, and celebration into a single experience that touched the heartstrings of everyone who attended. To the 12 couples who said the marriage vow, “I do,” the day became a beautiful memory that love doesn’t just happen because of powerful moves but little things that turn into a lifetime. As NIRA continues to be Cupid’s wingman, more and more couples will likely follow suit, formalizing their affair in a no-frills, hassle-free, low-cost affair. As they say, after all, love is all you need—and maybe a little bit of paperwork too.