I am glad you are here! If you too are a curious freak who loves investigating for something new. You have reached the right page, by the end of the write-up you will definitely take away some knowledge and understanding about the peculiar Traditional Nigerian Weddings.
Dance is the focal ingredient of any Nigerian Wedding recipe. These folks are mad about dancing and music. The dances here last for late hours in their weddings. So, if any Nigerian Wedding Invitation Card is placed in your letter box and you are planning to attend the wedding, do carry some pills along to cure the expected leg pain and even headaches (yes, very loud music…)
The dress is again worth mentioning; you shall see the bride and the groom in a complete 4 piece outfit. Though Nigerian Weddings are very different from the weddings all over the globe, yet the brides in Nigeria share one thing in common with all other brides and girls across the world- yes it is the thirst of having more! Even those 4 piece dresses don’t assuage the bride-to-be so she carries accessories, hand fan, shoes, bags, etc., etc. Particularly- hand fans!
Moving on to the Nigerian Wedding Traditions, they have an interesting list of traditions. Mentioned below are a few of them:
First of all, a small Introduction takes place wherein the groom introduces himself to the bride’s parents. Here the groom announces his intention to marry the girl in front of the girl’s parents. The bride to be is then called up to confirm his statement. Once the girl has confirmed the statement a small interaction takes place between them and the pair is asked a few questions by the parents. Proceed to the wedding!
Now, dowry is paid by the groom to the bride’s family to symbolize that he have enough to take care of their darling daughter. The Bride’s Price is asked by her parents to check if the groom has the attitude to pay and will he be able to suffice the requirements and needs of their daughter.
But it isn’t that easy as you might consider it to be. If these folks opt to tie the knots in a Church, they have to go through a medical test and even HIY test which will ensure that they are well-matched medically as well. Going through these tests is a compulsion in Church Wedding.
On the wedding day before anything else, the groom and his friends bow (rather, I would say- lie down on the floor) in front of the elders to greet them who are pre-present in the wedding hall. This tradition is wrapped up before the arrival of the bride. The decked up lady together with her bridesmaid comes dancing into the hall. The bride’s entry dance is just for a while and once the bride has arrived, now the fun begins! A small session of “Game of Search” takes place to remark the spirit of festivity and fun. Here the bride is handed a glass of wine and she has to search for her Man who hides himself among the masses to trick the bride. Once the groom has been spotted by the bride, she hands over the glass of wine to him.
Here comes the most important one, the bride places the hat termed as Fila on the groom’s head. It symbolizes that the bride has accepted the groom as the emperor of her life and now they are legally married. Nigerian Weddings are unfinished without the Fila being placed on the groom’s head.
Now, the reason why you can see masses of family and guests in there- The Food and of course The Cake! The cake is cut and distributed along with tons of photographs and selfies.
Last but not the least, in fact, as I mentioned earlier, it is the last and the longest – Dance! The music is tailored according to the requirements of the honored guests.
I hope you found the article useful. So are you ready to tap your feet in Nigerian wedding this time?
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