People these days are getting more and more creative with wedding venues—in a barn, by the beach, on a boat! Anything goes. And lately, destination weddings have become a trend. “Destination weddings create an intimate space, and for the right number of guests, because not everyone can make time, or even afford, to travel half way across the world or country for a wedding. So I know that those that would come would be the right people,” says Fabrice Mukwiye. Mukwiye believes that it is an important event for the couple and so the place should be able to reflect that. Mark such a day with a unique theme, because the memories that will be made will last a lifetime. He says that although our culture doesn’t align with such a decision, couples should be able to have the freedom to make such choices. Claude (not real name) who lives in South Africa, says that one of the advantages of a destination wedding is the reduction of costs, especially if the couple can’t afford a big wedding. Claude believes that a wedding will influence the marriage, and so the place that brings those people together is important too. He notes that wedding destinations come with an intimate atmosphere, in Africa it is something one doesn’t witness at weddings, it is always overcrowded; which leads to other negative outcomes like stolen property and chaos. And so, he believes that a wedding destination offers the chance to control whatever situations may occur. “My girlfriend and I love the thrill of travelling and so we want our wedding to be held at the destination of our choice,” says Jordan Murangwa, a gospel musician and student at Kigali Independent University (ULK). He notes that home is a place we are all used to, but away from home becomes a thrilling experience to enjoy and discover. Murangwa wants his wedding day to be filled with joy, and to provide a comfortable space for the guests and his wife to be. “Honestly, the idea of a wedding destination is to reduce the number of attendees and the budget itself.” Melissa Kamikazi, a resident of Kanombe, says that one’s wedding day has to be spectacular, and there is no better way to do it than a getaway together with the people she calls family. “When the place is foreign to you, it is even more appealing. And most destinations offer discounts and provide better services,” says Kamikazi. She believes that this is a once in a lifetime moment, worth whatever decision needs to be made. According to Robert Muhire, a visual artist based in Kigali, the digital art industry has experienced a boost due to the use of technical materials which are now easier to find and easy to learn in their manuals, which wasn’t the case a few years ago. “Among the reasons digital art is on the rise, it is easy to learn. It doesn’t require you to go to school, you can learn through YouTube videos. In digital art, there are a lot of benefits, for example it is easier to correct colours and mix them, but difficult with traditional art. That’s why many artists prefer digital art over traditional art,” he says. However, Tuyishime highlights that even though digital art is on the rise, there is still a long way to go. He says a lot still needs to be done for the digital art scene to keep rising. “Many people still don’t value digital art as much as traditional art. We still need to raise awareness as many people still don’t know how digital art works, and with that there are still stereotypes that digital art is just for lazy people, therefore, doesn’t deserve the same pay as traditional artwork,” he says. Iradukunda also shares that the artists are benefiting from digital art as they make a living from it, adding that there is hope that the digital art industry will keep on improving with time. “When you see talent that is graduating at Nyundo School of Arts and Music, there is hope that the digital art scene will keep on experiencing growth in the future,” he says. Tuyishime says that most of the digital art pieces are used in children’s books, for advertisement, educational aid and many other purposes. Adding that it is the main reason for him to consider digital art as an important tool for the creative industry, while looking forward to its continuous growth in the future.
