This post 10 Tips on planing your Nigerian wedding Successfully first appeared on Igbocurls.com
As some of you may know, I planned my traditional wedding myself last year and everything was amazing!
So today, I’ll be sharing a few tips of my own if you plan on planing your Nigerian wedding yourself or are simply just curious to see how to do it.
1. Have a Budget.
I mean it’s the basis of everything right? Well no, not necessarily. Then why is it number 1? Let me explain. It’s important to discuss with your significant other to find out what size of wedding you want. You should be okay discussing money at this stage, ( I mean you’re getting married right?), but if you’re not, don’t fret, I am absolutely not judging you. Speak to your parents to speak to him (your fiancé or his parents to decide who needs to handle what. The earlier this is discussed, the better. There won’t be bad blood later with who spent more money and etc.
As for me, my fiancé and I didn’t have a budget and that’s not in a Gucci Mane kind of way. Rather, it was because we wanted a good wedding but we did not want to spend ridiculously. Does that make sense? I hope so.
2. Get a book!
This should be together with number one to be honest because you need to have a ‘wedding planning book’ the book that will eventually have a record of all the vendors, how much you’ve paid whom on behalf of the wedding, list of wedding guests and everything else wedding related. This is REALLY important especially if you will hand over some responsibility as your wedding date draws closer.
3. Ask questions!
My people say, onye na ju ajuju adihi efúzò. In English, anyone who asks questions will never get lost.
You need to ask questions in other to find vendors that are the best match for what YOU want. In Nigeria, the wedding business has grown so big, people are millionaires in each sector. Be it catering, wedding planning, decorating or simply making cakes, people have grown solid businesses from weddings.
In summary, there ARE LOTS OF VENDORS. So if you’re a TINY BIT uncomfortable with one, there will always be another. Always. No one is your last hope. Trust me. Just keep asking and you will get better and better recommendations.
4. You do not have to please everyone.
This is one is very important. You can see that I stressed YOU while making my previous point. Here’s why, a lot of us forget that we are not marrying just our hubby. Sure we feel we’ve met the love of our lives and we are excited for the future etc. BUT the reality is we are marrying 2 families. Your family and his family.
So be prepared for, everybody’s opinion but remember, it’s your wedding so you can make ‘some’ compromises, but your day is still yours. At least make choices you would love to remember in many years to come.
5. Pick up your phone and call, call, call.
Nigerians can be very rude even when you call their business line but that will hopefully send you a message that this is not your vendor.
On the same note, send emails. I probably emailed more than 10-15 photographers/videographers to get their rates and at the same time, I kept checking their work online and asking the people they’ve worked with how good they were before finally deciding.
Lastly,
Don’t be afraid.
6. You will be stressed.
7. You may ask yourself why you decided to do this yourself.
8. You will have I don’t care days.
9. You will have joyous days when you strike a good deal with a vendor or get a vendor you’ve always wanted.
10. LIVE IT and LOVE EVERY MOMENT
Ultimately, your day will come, and the main occasion roughly lasts 4-5hours (apart from preparation) so from one bride to another, I’ll advice you toLIVE IT and LOVE EVERY MOMENT.
If you would like me to write more on experiences I learnt from my wedding please ask your questions below!
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