OUR WEDDING 2 (Yoruba Traditional Wedding)

Hi People,

How are y'all doing? I am very well thank God. The first and second quarter of this year has been wedding-filled and I am grateful to God for that.

After the court and church wedding (https://tinukejones.blogspot.com/2021/05/our-wedding.html), we started preparing for the traditional wedding. The date was already fixed but we didn't start preparations till March because we needed to rest. There was a whole lot to do. We started with sorting out clothes, we did not pick aso-ebi but there was aso-oke (headgear) available and even though it was contracted out, it was still stressful so my advice is to run away from picking aso-ebi or aso-oke. We sorted the materials for both parents and sorted out aso-ebi for the bride's friends and material for the bride's sisters but we had not sorted out the material for the bride. We went to the popular Lagos market in search of the perfect material that the bride would like. We eventually found one and that was sorted. The venue was sorted but a lot still had to be done. I looked for an event planner but I couldn’t find one so we had to move on from that.

Below are the list of items the groom's family is supposed to bring

Yoruba Traditional Wedding List (Engagement List)

42 Bitter kolas (Orogbo)

42 Tubers of yam (Isu)

42 Kolanuts (Obi abata)

42 Chilli/Alligator Peppers (Atare)

42 pieces of dried Fish (Eja Osan)

1 Dish of peppered cornmeal (Aadun)

1 Pack of Sugar

2 Baskets of Fruit (paw-paw not included)

2 Decanters filled with honey

2 Crates of canned or bottled soft drinks

2 Crates malt soft drinks

4 Cartons of bottled water

2 Cartons of non-alcoholic wine

2 Cartons of fruit juice

1 Bag of salt

1 Bag of rice

1 Umbrella

1 Keg of palm oil

1 Big suitcase containing clothes, shoes, and handbag including aso-oke fabric, 2 sets of lace with gele, and 2 sets of Ankara (This is for the bride)

Our traditional beads (iyun) Coral beads (This is for the bride)

1 Wristwatch, Earrings, and Chains (This is for the bride)

Biscuits and Sweets

Engagement rings for bride and groom

Bible

Money /Fees

Owo Ori (The Bride Price) 

Owo Ijoko Agba (Money for the elders’ consent) 

Owo Baba Gbo (Money for the bride’s father’s consent) 

Owo Iya Gbo (Money for the bride’s mother’s consent)

Owo Ikanlekun(Door knocking fee)

Owo Isiju Iyawo (Fee for unveiling the bride)

Owo Aeroplane (Bride transportation fee)

Owo Iyawo Ile (Money for the Housewives)

Owo Omo Ile (Money for the Children of the household)

Owo letter Kika (Letter reading fee)

Owo Telephone (Fee to call the bride out)

Owo Isigba (Engagement gifts unveiling fee)

Owo Alaga Ijoko (Master of Ceremonies fee)

I am going to break this into steps in case someone might need advice on wedding preparations

DRINKS

One of the server that was supposed to serve the drinks stole 1 carton of the drinks and went to hide it. Unfortunately for him, my uncle caught him and we told him to leave the premises.  I would say God favoured us. My cousin gave us 10 cartons of Maltina, Soft drinks were given to us by my aunt but we still bought more. For juice, I had to call chivita because the prices I was seeing in the market was too pricey. I called chivita and they gave me a contact to call, I called the guy, told him how many I would need and sent him the money (delivery fee not included). It was delivered to the house the next week. Water was bought somewhere near the sports centre (the place we used). We bought wines from Apongbon. I ordered cocktails and mocktails from a lady I saw on Instagram (nattyz_sweettreats) and it was really good. Some of the soft drinks were gotten from coca-cola so we requested for coca-cola chest, ice and servers. 

FOOD

We went for Amala on point, Ofada Rice, Jollof Rice, Fried Rice, Moi-Moi, Salad, Snail Pounded Yam, Chinese, Small Chops, Spaghetti, Meat, Fish, Chicken, e.t.c. The food was prepared by Funtols Foods and Confectioneries (She has been our caterer since when I was a child). The food was in excess even though I didn't get to eat.

DECORATION

We got someone that was recommended to us but to be honest, I don't know how everything flopped. We stayed at a hotel near the sports centre so it was easy for me to trek there and check if work is going on. The day before the event, they had arranged the chairs, tables and canopies so I asked when are the decorations starting and the guy said they would start in the night. I left and went back in the night and the guy said they were waiting for someone to bring somethings. The next morning, which is the day of the event, I went early and I began to ask questions but the guy said it would be done before the event starts. Okay o, so where are the centrepieces for all the tables? He said the person bringing it has switched his phone off. The stage was decorated well for the couples but so many things flopped. Is it the tables for the bride and groom's friend? so many more. If you know any good event decorator please hola or drop a comment.

SOUVENIR

This one ehn was a lot. Graters, cardholders, mugs, bowls, salt, yam flour, sugar, matches, semovita, napkins, bags, sieve, jotter, biro, calendars and so many more. My sis (not the bride) and I shared big mugs, wooden spoons, a set of wooden spoons, a soap dish, and a toothpaste holder. You can always get a lot of souvenir ideas online.

TABLES, CHAIRS AND TABLE CLOTH

The morning of the event, I went to the sports centre and I noticed the place was scanty, all the chairs were not arranged so I asked why and I got an excuse, I told them to arrange it but the tables were not enough. My sis (not the bride) and I drove to look for more chairs, tables, table cloth and canopies. We eventually found few minutes to the event and they set the place up. Even after getting more, it wasn't still enough.

MAKEUP

I got the baddest makeup artist for my sister (Check her out on IG beautypeak_makeover). She did an amazing job. She got to the hotel so early and I was shocked. She did everybody's makeup and most people did not recognize me.

To be continued in the next post.

The wedding wasn't perfect but we all had fun and enjoyed it.

JEWELRY

The original coral beads were made by motolani_beads on IG

"I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron" Isaiah 45:2.