WEDDING
PREPARATION CHECKLIST
This checklist is tailored to Nigerian weddings. We’ve
attempted to prepare a comprehensive checklist of things to do before a
Nigerian-flavored wedding in the U.S. Before you even start going through the
checklist, be sure to determine your budget, which will be determined in large
part by the number of people you plan to invite. Also, we understand the
traditional wedding and the wedding ceremony are both important occasions,
however, for convenience; we refer to the traditional wedding as such and to the
so-called white wedding as the “Wedding.”
SCHEDULE OF PREPARATIONS
In preparing this schedule, we researched some schedules on
other websites, compiled and streamlined them to suit a Nigerian wedding. We
really liked the one on this website: http://weddings.about.com/blchecklist1.htm
and have included some of their tips. We’ve highlighted things that are
specific to a Nigerian wedding.
10 to 12 Months Before The Wedding
•
Book the wedding hall (fix time, officiant)
•
Book time for rehearsal in the wedding hall 1 or
2 days before the wedding
•
Book Reception Hall: consider a place close to
the wedding hall
•
Choose someone to decorate the hall
•
Book hall for the traditional wedding: (A good
number of people do this wedding within their residences)
•
Choose your wedding colors. Remember wedding
colors for
o
Bride’s side for traditional wedding;
o
Groom’s side for traditional wedding; and for the white wedding.
• Inform Your Wedding Party: You don’t need to know every detail of
what your bridesmaids and groomsmen will wear at this point, but you do need to
ask them this early so they can plan for the expense. Be honest in giving them
a sense of what it might cost. Consider either asking on the phone or sending
out an e-mail or letter that really expresses why you think they are perfect
for the position.
• Guests List: Prepare a guest list and from our experience, expect at
least 100 more people to show up (unless you state unequivocally that the
wedding is “strictly by invitation” and “no kids are allowed.”
• Choose a Caterer: you need to do this early because Nigerian wedding
caterers can typically handle only one wedding per day because of how they are
staffed. If you really want a particular caterer, you may want to book before
that one is taken.
• Choose a DJ/Live Band for Reception: same issues as with the caterer.
8 To 10 Months
Before The Wedding
• Aso-ebi (aka anko): Determine
if you’d like your friends to wear similar outfits during your wedding. If you choose to do this at your wedding,
here are some tips:
o Choose one of your friends that
you trust to handle things from start to finish to coordinate this for you.
This could be a really detailed part of the wedding and there are usually lots
of questions, so have someone else take care of it.
o Determine the material, head
tie etc
o Ask the coordinator to
determine how many people are interested in buying (some people ask only
certain people to buy and others open it up to all their friends. It’s all up
to you. Remember, though, that some people get really offended if they are not
asked and others may feel burdened if they are.)
o Your friends typically will pay
for the clothes. If you want something really expensive, though, you may want
to consider paying for part of it.
• Buy your wedding dress (and
purse, veil, shoes). Make sure the dress meets the dress code of the
organization (church/mosque) in which the service will take place - this is
very important as you dont want to end up with an expensive dress you cant wear
because you did not follow simple rules regarding sleeves, dress color etc.
• Order Bridesmaids dresses
• Book DJ for your wedding ceremony
• Book Photographer
• Book Videographer
• Order wedding cake
• Reserve hotel rooms for out of town guests
• Honeymoon
6 To 8 Months
Before The Wedding
• Reserve rental equipment (if you’ll be needing any for the
traditional wedding)
• Book hair dresser
• Book someone to do your head tie and make up (your mum and aunties
are not necessarily the best people to tie your head tie for you. Look out for
people who do a good job and consider paying someone if needed. It’s an Art and
not everyone knows how to do it)
• Arrange for help with dressing up in traditional outfits. If you’re
Efik, for example, and want to have the pins on your hair, you really must find
someone way in advance who will be available that day to do this.
• Create your wedding website (if you plan to have one)
• Register for gifts (not widely practised in Nigeria yet, but you can consider it if you have open
minded friends and family)
• Arrange transportation (to wedding ceremony and from wedding ceremony
hall to reception). If not booking limos, confirm whose cars you’ll be using
and who’ll be driving. We strongly suggest booking a reputable car rental
service. Nigerian weddings tend to be all-weekend long affairs and people get
tired and stressed. It might be worth the expense to get a car rental service.
* 1 car for bridesmaids and bride
* 1 car for groom and groomsmen
• Order programs
• Order invitations
• Purchase and rent groom and groomsmen’s outfit
• Purchase wedding rings
4 to 6 Months Before the Wedding
• Choose M.C. for traditional wedding and reception
• Give a list of important shots to your wedding photographer
• Discuss your menu with your caterer
• Meet with your officiant to discuss the service
• Write your vows (if there is an option to)
• Send out Wedding Invitations
• Meet with your hairstylist and/or make up stylist to experiment with
styles and colors
• If your religous institution requires it, make blood test
appointments
• Complete name change documents (if changing names)
• Send wedding announcements to local newspapers
2 to 4 Months Before the Wedding
• Go over your checklist and make sure you are on target.
• Do anything you’ve not done yet
• Apply for a marriage license
Month of the Wedding
• Have a final fitting for your gown (you should have a bridesmaid
there to learn how to bustle your train and fasten and buttons)
• Check in with your bridesmaids and groomsmen:
* make sure they have all their outfits,
* confirm when they are arriving,
* patiently answer any last minute questions
• Check in with your vendors: confirm arrival and delivery times
• Make sure you have your wedding program
1 to 2 Weeks Before the Wedding
• Arrange seating plan (most Nigerian weddings just let people sit
wherever they want. You might want to leave things that way)
• Let your caterer know the final number of attendees (if known)
• Prepare your toasts for the reception (and rehearsal dinner if having
one)
• Break in wedding shoes (by wearing them around the house on the same
kind of floor you’d have in the wedding)
• Pick up your dress (make sure it fits)
• Determine decorations for cars
• Practice your dance moves for the wedding(s).
• “Spray Money:” You will dance and it is a given that
people will “spray” you. Put a trusted friend or family member in charge of
picking up the money and keeping it for you. This amount can be quite
substantial and people do it intending for you to get the money and appreciate
it. Don’t let little children or plain thieves pick the money for themselves
(that said, don’t go after anyone who picks up your money for himself).
• Communicate with the traditional wedding MC and other
important guests about your expected order of events for the traditional
wedding. This is not so important for yoruba and igbo weddings as many of those
occur in the states and everyone pretty much knows what’s supposed to happen.
For other cultures or if the bride and groom are from different parts of
Nigeria or if one of them is not Nigerian, consider preparing an informal
program and informing the MC and parents, and close uncles and aunts on both
sides of how you plan for things to go. If not, your igbo uncle may just ask
the bride when she’ll be presenting the groom the palm wine at what you
intended to be a yoruba styled event.
Pu together by Winifred Oye of KweenDeplanna Events...
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