Grooms to be: The Engagement List - A lengthy and perhaps expensive fun item on your to-do-list

A few weeks ago, I got to thinking about Nigerian traditional wedding traditions. I could not help but feel a sense of nostalgia as I thought about how much I've missed being back home. How much I have missed the fun and excitement surrounding the wedding ceremonies in Nigeria. Yes sometimes these ceremonies may seem extreme and over the top, however it is for the most part the general consensus that it is altogether fun times.

One thing I did also come to realize was that I was pretty clueless about some of the intricate details of the ceremony. In an effort to reconnect myself with the world of Nigerian weddings, I decided to do some reading on the internet to see how much of the tradition I could learn about online.

Here's Part 1 of our 3 part Series

The engagement ceremony in all 3 major tribes in Nigeria is an important part of the entire wedding planning process. Of particular attention on this day is the Engagement List. The engagement list is a long grocery list of items required of the groom by the bride's family. Traditionally and historically, each item on this list has a particular significance to the new marriage and as such it is important to have all items fulfilled. In addition, failure to provide items specified on your list could result in "enuf yawa" and could put a financial dent in your pocket.


Part 1: The Yoruba Engagement Wedding List

Alright brothers,drum rolls, curtains drawn and voila here's what your list could look like if you are getting hitched to one of my Yoruba sisters.

Engagement Bible		Owo Isigba(fee to open the gifts on this list (usually packaged))
Engagement Ring		Dowry
One Big Suitcase		Owo Omo Ile Okunrin(Money for all male children)
2 Different Pairs of Shoes and Bags		Owo Omo Ile Obinrin(money for all female children)
2 Head Gears (of high quality)		Iyawo Ile - (money for all wives in the family)
Gold Wrist Watch		Owo Iya Gbo(money for bride’s mother’s consent)
1 Traditional Cloth (Aso- Oke)		Owo Ijoko Agba (money for all the elders in he family)
4 Other Assorted Clothes		Owo Ijoko Iyawo(Money to bring in bride)
42 pcs Obi (Kola nut)		Owo Isiju Iyawo(money to unveil the bride)
42 pcs Orogbo(Bitter kola)		Owo Ikanlekun (Entrance fee)
42 pcs Atare (Alligator pepper)		Owo Baba Gbo (money for bride’s father’s consent)
1 Decanter of Pure Honey		Owo Phone(money for phone calls)
1 Big Dish of Aadun(peppered Corn meal)		Owo Plane (money for travel to groom’s family house)
1 Big Dish of Sugar		Reading of Letter
42 pcs Big Eja Osan (Dry fish)		Owo Alaga Ijoko(money for MC)
1 Big Dish of Salt		4 Cartons of Five Alive
42 Tubers of Big Yam		4 Crates of Can Drinks
1 Roll of Sugar		6 Bottles of Wine
1 Big Bag of Salt		2 Crates of Can Malt
Umbrella		1 Empty Decanter

                                                                       credit:namywedding.com

Sisters, please feel free to bring your beautiful selves to this once in a lifetime event as the guest of honour. Her Royal Highness. The newest Mrs to be.

There it is. All laid out for you. Please note however that this list is by no means exhaustive and depending on how your in-laws feel, amounts and items might vary. :)

So brothers, if you are by any chance planning on popping that question to your Yoruba lady, please "consider yourself oh". Don't say you weren't given the heads up on this. No matter who you are or where you are from, the list must be complete A to Z.

Since every item on your list has an underlying significance to your marriage, it is in your best interest that you leave none out. However, please feel free to add to it (e.g. The keys to that BMW she's been eyeing would be much appreciated). No worries, I'm pretty certain she will find an underlying significance for that too. :)

Dearest Arewas, if the question gets popped by your lovely sweetheart, please smile and say "YES", after all you know you've got "enuf stuffs" coming your way and the way of the Iyawo Iles.

Haha. Enjoy the Loot. :)

Ada Ada by Flavour

Had to share this wedding music video by Flavour ... Ada Ada. 

Love, love this video! The bride and her ladies looked gorgeous, plus the traditional dancers, the decor, the traditional attires were all on point. As the song says "Better soup na money kill am!...". We love Nigerian weddings :)

Enjoy!

OH MY GOSH! We love this wedding proposal :)

Oh my gosh! we loooove this wedding proposal :) You should watch it...

You know how we always go on and on about weddings, brides, and decor right? Well, wedding proposals are also high up there on our list, and we are so loving this one! I won't say very much about it so i don't spoil it for you, but its oh sooo romantic...



If you have any funny or romantic wedding proposal videos or pictures that you would love to share with us, please email us at blog@christinescreatives.com and we'll post it. 

Bless xoxoxo!!

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) inspired wedding bouquet

When Will and Kate got married in 2011, we were all awed at how simply and elegantly put-together Kate was. Her wedding dress, flowers and bridal party were not over the top. Apparently, Kate had requested that her bouquet be "unpretentious, simple and natural" which seems to be a true reflection of her personality. Kate looked graceful and poised, a testament to how secure she felt transitioning into her new role as William's wife, future mother to their kid(s) and Britain's future queen. 

Image of bouquet on left by Christine's Creatives. 
Images of Royals on right by Jens Rost

Two years later, we find that brides are still inspired by her simple and elegant style. Over the weekend, we created a Kate inspired bouquet for one of our brides, and she loved it! Among the sea of colors at her wedding, her white airy bouquet created out of 'Baby's breath' stood out as simple, elegant and unique. 'Baby's breath' is used as a symbol of purity and being pure of heart, and was definitely a great choice for our bride.

While Kate's bouquet was created with more expensive flowers, it wouldn't break the bank to create a similar bouquet for the regular bride. We love this style, and agree that there is definitely something about understated wedding bouquets that exude an airy sense of simplicity and self-security. 

Cheers!!!

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How would you pick your Bridesmaids/Maid of Honor? (PART 2)

(Photo credit: Egui_)

Based on our readership yesterday, I think it is fair to say that the issue of how to pick your bridesmaids/maid of honor is a hot button topic for a lot of brides - and rightfully so. Funny thing is I had the same discussion with a friend yesterday at lunch time. She is also a wedding planner (amongst all the other maaaaaany things she does) and is going to be the maid of honor at a wedding in 2 weeks. 

Interestingly, as we continued to chat we both agreed on the same thing - managing a bridal party with individuals who have very different temperaments is not easy - and this is not just bridesmaids specific, it also relates to groomsmen. She's had to deal with members of the bridal party coming to her to complain about each other, instead of resolving issues amongst themselves, and has also had to deal with groomsmen being too laid back and not wanting to participate in any of the planning activities. To provide some context, my friend is not Nigerian (or even African) so these issues definitely cut across cultures.
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How would you pick your Bridesmaids/Maid of Honor? (PART 1)

Bridesmaids (Photo credit: Mo_Lishomwa)

Seriously...How would you pick your Bridesmaids/Maid of Honor without causing drama? For a lot of brides, picking the ladies on their bridal train isn't quite so easy. There's family politics to consider, and there are friends who just assume they'll be on your train because you've know them since forever, or because they invited you to be on their train... yep!

Here are a few tips that may (and i stress 'may') make selecting your bridesmaids a little easier:

1. Bachelorette party - Pick bridesmaids who will make it their mission to throw you the funnest bachelorette party ever! After all, it's the last time you get to celebrate as a single woman. Do not complain that 'no one has your time or cares' if you decide to pick ladies who are too busy or just don't have a clue - that's all on you dear!
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Nigerian Weddings: Traditional Wedding Cakes

In our line of work we meet a lot of vendors - cake decorators, musicians, photographers, caterers, makeup artists etc. Some of these vendors have been in the industry for years and are professionals at their trade, while some are still honing their skills. Obviously, we always hope we meet other vendors on site whose work compliments our event decor so that the event looks beautiful, very well put-together and is an overall success! 

Cakes by Syndy's Cakes - Abuja, Nigeria  Ph:+234 802 3230253 

  
On this post we will be featuring one of our favorite vendors - Syndy's Cakes, located in Abuja, Nigeria. Syndy's cakes is a high-end cake boutique that caters to brides who are looking
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Can you spot the difference?

This a picture of a church we decorated for a wedding. Can you spot the 3 differences in these pictures?

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Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 | Monique Lhuillier Wedding Dress Collection - Spring 2014

As an event decorating and florist design shop, we typically draw our inspiration from various sources. Over the past couple of days we've been reviewing various designer wedding shows, and there are definitely a few that caught our attention - The Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 and the Monique Lhuillier Wedding Dress Collection - Spring 2014 were our top two (videos are embedded below).

Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 collection

If you are bride-to-be, and haven't yet purchased your wedding dress , you should watch the The Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring/Summer 2014 show for inspiration.

It was a spectacular show with gorgeous accessories to tie together the collection. The exquisite lace embroidered gloves, veils, and floral headpieces for the flowers girls definitely got our attention. This timeless collection featured a lot of structured wedding dresses designed with Chantilly laces, taffeta, and floral sequin. 

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A plethora of THANKS to you - our fans & customers!

Decor by Christine's Creatives

If you are one of our facebook fans, you probably noticed that we decorated a wedding over the weekend. It was a beautiful wedding, and we were honored (as we always are) to be invited to decorate the event. 

As is normal with most event decor projects, there were situations that tested our resolve to 'make it happen' (we call it the Naija effect :) ). Thankfully, with all the experience we've accumulated over the years, it was easy to be patient, proactive and creative in dealing with unforseen situations and curve balls. The icing on the cake for us, were the many compliments and thanks we got from the guests and families of the couple.

In turn, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our readers, fans and customers who have supported us over the years. Your likes, comments, emails, orders and phone calls have kept us going over the years and we truly appreciate you. Without you we wouldn't be here today, and we recognize that. Muah!

Please feel free to leave us a comment or send us an email about ways in which we can make your experience with us even better. Our customers always come first! Thanks again and we look forward to many more years of service to you. Bless.

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Ifeoma and Uyi tie the knot in Lagos

The smile on Ifeoma's face as she walked down the aisle with her dad to meet her love - Uyi was... priceless!!! 

Ifeoma and Uyi tied the knot in Lagos on June 1st, 2013. We are so happy and congratulate the both of them.  Ifeoma wore a beautiful form fitting lace wedding dress that flattered her figure and flowed gracefully as she walked down the aisle. She carried a beautiful hand-tied bouquet with multi-colored roses, and was accompanied by her bridemaids dressed in elegant orange dresses.  

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Gbemi & Yewi tie the knot in Dubai

As you all know we LOVE! LOVE!! LOVE!!! weddings, and today we could not resist writing about a story we found on another blog (http://womeninwedding.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/colorful-nigerian-wedding/). Congrats to Gbemi and Yewi's for tying the knot in April, 2013.

Gbemi & Yewi's wedding in Dubai

 What caught our attention about this wedding is the simplicity, creativity and class that you can see and feel through the pictures.  

The bride is dressed in a simple lace and satin dress, Jimmy Choo shoes and is carrying a beautiful posy bouquet. You can tell it's expensive, but not overdone... she is simply classy! 

The bridesmaids are all wearing bright colored dresses that complement each other and carrying a single rose. Absolutely no fuss, and definitely classy. We are definitely loving the this wedding already!!!
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Take Wedding Pictures that tell a Story

In this age of advanced photography and videography, there's no reason why you cannot create a story out of your wedding pictures. In addition to the regular pictures you take with friends and family after the wedding ceremony, you should also consider taking pictures that tell a funny/interesting story. Sometimes, you may be lucky to get funny wedding pictures taken without planning ahead, but a lot of times you have to take deliberate action to make it happen. The video below is a pretty cool example of how to deliberately plan with your photographer to take cool wedding pictures.

 

Finding a very creative and imaginative photographer may cost a little more in terms of time and money, but it is usually very well worth it - especially when (in the future) you have excellent quality pictures and videos that allow you to reminisce with joy on the days and events that led up to you wedding day. 

As with any other aspect of wedding planning, ensure you do your due diligence and get referals before hiring a vendor. Sometimes you may not be able to get personal referrals, but the vendor's social media presence may help you decide whether or not you would like to hire them. 

As we like to say, your event/wedding is your own production - make sure its a true reflection of you! Have fun & Cheers!! ;)

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Do traditional weddings trump white weddings? - culturally that is...

Some people are of the opinion that traditional weddings trump white weddings when it comes to its cultural depth and richness. No doubt, each type of wedding has it's place in our society. While the traditional wedding is more about the fusion of two families, the white wedding is about the creation of a new nuclear family - in the presence of God and man.



Traditional weddings are typically preceded by the families meeting for the introduction ceremony, so that elders on both sides of the families can be introduced to one another. It then progresses to the actual traditional wedding ceremony where the groom formally asks for the bride's hand in marriage. With the traditional wedding you experience a culture of respect, responsibility and love. More and more, couples are getting married inter-tribally, and the choice to fuse our cultures helps us appreciate the richness and diversity that we possess as a people. We are truly blessed as a nation!
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What type of bouquet should a bride carry?

Bouquets by Christine's Creatives Nigeria Limited

Most brides around the world choose to carry a bouquet on their wedding day. Brides typically select the style and size of their bouquet based on how elaborate or simple the wedding dress is going to be. For example, cascade styled bouquets are typically paired with wedding gowns that have a long train, while nosegay bouquets are typically matched with simple styled wedding dresses. The fan bouquet has also made a comeback and has been spotted at quite a few weddings this year. An excellent

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Nigerian Traditional Wedding Cakes

 
Nigerian traditional wedding cakes are a thing of beauty and sheer creativity. The detailed work that goes into telling a story through a Nigerian traditional cake is astonishing. 

From ankara prints, to traditional gourds, beads, clothing and even people -  Incorporating traditional cakes as part of a traditional wedding adds color, richness and depth, while also acknowledging the Nigerian culture.

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For brides with natural hair

For brides with natural hair, it is sometimes challenging to decide how to style your hair for your wedding day. While browsing, we found a few bridal hairstyles that we think may inspire you.

These natural hair bridal pictures are from Munaluchi Bride Magazine - a bridal magazine that provides inspiration for women of color. Their print publication is released twice a year, and they provide updates on their website in between issues.

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Essential tools for event planning

Essential tools for event planning... Whether you are a seasoned event planner or a bride planning her wedding, it is essential to know what tools you have available to you. There are tons of tools available to make the event planning process easier, and we will be featuring one of our favorites today - the 3D Event and Space Design Application by EVENTS clique.

3D Event designer allows you to design an event space in 2D or 3D by dragging and
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We absolutely love weddings!!!

Planning and designing weddings is quite a bit of work - but very well worth it if an event turns out the way you envisioned it.... as we like to say, "its all in the details..."

Event Decor by Christine's Creatives Nigeria Limited

Time management and vendor management are two key factors that can make the difference between a well planned event, and a not so well planned event. Which means, if you are going to be using the services of an event planner, you may want to ensure you check their references first - These days it is easy to get a sense of what kind of vendor you are hiring by checking them out on social networking sites such as facebook and twitter. 
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Shoes, shoes, shoes... Fluevogs, Allen Edmonds, Camper, Vivienne Westwood

Shoes, shoes, shoes... Fluevogs, Allen Edmonds, Camper, Vivienne Westwood, Florsheim, Charlotte Olympia... The words that come to mind when you mention these designers are uniqueness, class, style, distinction and above all... comfort.

Picking shoes for your wedding day, is typically med-high on your list of to-do's, and there are number of things to consider when selecting them: 

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