IGBO NIGERIAN WEDDING

Last summer, Rovistella attended an African wedding in Nigeria and was delighted by the beauty, energy and warmth of the experience.

The spouses Ndubuisi (also known as Nd) and Ogechukwu (Oge) are Nigerians and live in London but decided to celebrate their wedding according to the Nigerian tradition in their native Country.

The religious ceremony took place in the Anambra State where the spouses grew up and their beloved families and friends still live.

The couple stayed in the BON hotel in Awka where the bridesmaids and pageboys joined them on the morning of their wedding day.

The bride's make up was prepared by a professional make-up artist and she had a beautiful wedding bouquet comprised of both fresh and dried African flowers.

The bride and the groom were as emotional as all the wedding guests by the time the ceremony ended!

The celebration in the church was incredibly moving, with typical African religious songs in the background, sung by the local choir.

The beauty of the wedding ceremony was complemented by the elegance of the spouses and by the vibrant colours of Africa that were the essential backdrop for the day.

All wore clothes sewn by local tailors with African silk, velvet, lace and various rich fabrics and the guests changed twice during the day: the church dress and the party dress.

After the religious celebration in the church, the reception took place in a local village where, according to Nigerian wedding tradition, the bride must look for her husband among the multitude of guests.

Everything occurs under the eyes of the Father and Mother of the bride and groom's family, while the wedding couple entertained the guests by dancing before they finally found each other among the crowd.

While the newlyweds then dance together, the family members do the 'money spray': people throw Dollars, Pounds or Naira (the local currency) in cash as a symbol of their wishes for the wealth and prosperity of the newly married couple.

A wonderful tropical climate, the vitality of African music and the stylish dresses brightened the wedding celebration in a magical way. 

The bride and the groom each carried a scepter made of African natural materials, this was to symbolise that they were the rightful sovereigns of the day as every couple should be on the wedding day!

It is an Igbo Tribe marriage custom to wear various outfits throughout the wedding day: Nd and Oge looked sophisticated and cool in whatever they wore.

All the villagers were welcome to the party which took place outdoors in the village.

Guests were offered typical local dishes and the wedding cake was prepared as a gift by the bride's younger sister.

At the end of the party, the bride and groom's family gave gifts to the guests: colorful slippers, personalised trays and diaries, African fabrics, umbrellas for the rainy season and portable fans to withstand the Nigerian heat :)

The style and design of the wedding was fabulous, colorful, exotic; colours of the day: gold, green and lilac.

The following week, the bride and groom traveled to Lagos, Nigeria's thriving capital, where the civilian wedding was performed in an intimate formal setting, before flying back to London to begin their life together as a married couple.

If you want more information on the wedding customs and traditions that she found on her travels, write to Rovistella who  must admit that she fell in love with Africa and can't wait to return there one day!