Nigerian Wedding Must-Haves, Do It Right!
Nigerian wedding must-haves, do it right identify the key items during wedding planning that brides must haves on their wedding day.
Today’s weddings are not just about the bride and groom; even though it’s your special day, and the reason all of your family and friends have gathered to celebrate with you.
The wedding day is also about the guests and making sure they have a wonderful time at your wedding. Here are my five Must-Haves when planning your Nigerian Wedding to make sure you and your guests have a wonderful celebration.
SPACIOUS RECEPTION HALL
Photography: Philbert Pembani
It’s very important to know your guest list and then book a spacious reception hall that will comfortably accommodate your entire guests, plus the additional surprise guest that will show up. Really!? You ask, yes! Let me explain, Nigerians love weddings, they look forward to it, and they will attend even if they failed to RVSP.
When a Nigerian couple announces their upcoming wedding within their community, everyone is happy for them and hopes for an invitation for the big day–and you will probably experience this yourself once your wedding date is public within your community.
On your wedding day, the number of your guest list will increase in size, yep, it will! Especially if you are having an open wedding.
An open wedding within the Nigerian community is a wedding where the guest list is not “By Invitation Only” or “No Children Allowed” meaning your wedding is an open wedding and your guests are free to bring a guest or two with them or bring their kid(s) to your wedding.
This is the reason to have a big, spacious hall because the final guest count is uncertain and you don’t want some of your guests standing and looking for seats while the celebration is going on, which creates chaos–you don’t want that.
FOOD & DRINKS
Photography: Mrs. J. Foods
Having delicious food is a must. As with every wedding, food is a huge part of Nigerian weddings. Food served is mostly Nigerian foods, but it’s up to the couple to serve their guests variety of foods along with some Nigerian Foods.
Food is one of the major things that guest remembers from a wedding, so you will need to make sure your caterer is knowledgeable about Nigerian foods. The foods need to be delicious and sufficient for all your guests.
When working with your caterer, it’s important to discuss the importance of having sufficient foods for your entire guest because on your wedding day, your guest list will probably exceed your expectation. Therefore, have enough food to accommodate them.
The drinks are usually open bar and not cash bar. I have never seen a cash bar in any Nigerian wedding, and I don’t recommend you be the first to do that. It appears cheap and unprepared asking your quests to pay for their drinks. Having sufficient drinks is very important for the celebration.
You will need alcohol (hot-drinks), soda and juice (soft drinks) and water, water, and more water—because when the rest of the drinks run out towards the end of your wedding, having water is very important.
Also, after all the Afro beats dancing, your guests will need water to drink to cool off before heading home. That’s why it’s important to have lots of water for your guest—especially for a summer wedding because of the hot weather.
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MUSIC/GOOD DJ
Having a good DJ is imperative and a must have! Because the DJ can either help to elevate your reception party and give your guests a fun night to remember or make it go south, which I know you don’t want. It’s important to invest in a good DJ because a good DJ makes a big difference.
A good DJ knows the best playlist of any genre (even if you didn’t get the chance to go through the music list with him/her) that appeals to Nigerian wedding guests, and the latest Afro beats to get your party popping with both the young and older on the dance floor dancing the night away.
Like any wedding, what the guest remembers the most are the food, drinks and music, and that is true for any multicultural, Nigerian theme wedding. Having all the above Nigerian wedding must-haves at your wedding, even if certain things go wrong, which can happen; your wedding reception will still pop and your guests will surely have a good time.
I wish you all the best with your planning & marriage!
