My Brother's wedding celebration

A weekend to remember🤭

Hi everyone and welcome to my page
This past weekend was one for the books, and I just had to share it with you all. It wasn’t just an ordinary weekend, it was the weekend of my brother’s wedding, and I had the most amazing time celebrating love, family, and culture.
From the traditional ceremony to the white wedding, and every moment was filled with excitement, laughter, and pure joy.

So, grab a snack and settle in, because I’m about to take you on a journey through one of the most unforgettable weekends of my life.

The Traditional Marriage Ceremony
In our culture, marriage isn’t just about the white wedding. There’s a deeply rooted traditional aspect that must happen first. That’s where the celebration really begins.

We all traveled in the week leading to the wedding, and the traditional marriage ceremony was held on Thursday. This part of the wedding is mostly focused on the bride and her family, and it involves performing specific rites and customs that signify that the groom is officially taking a wife.

Before the day, the groom and his family had gone to collect “the bride price list” from the bride’s family, to make preparation for the ceremony. This list contains everything that must be provided before the bride can be traditionally married.
It includes items like goats, drinks, specific kinds of food, clothing materials, and sometimes even cash. It’s always exciting and a stressful to make sure everything on that list is complete.
A very important part of our traditional wedding is the food. Not just any food, but a specific kind of beans, mixed with black beneceed, red oil, and salt.
This isn’t the regular beans you would cook on a weekday, it’s special and rare and every family has their expectations.
Some families might ask for 5 basins of it, others 7 or even 12. It all depends on the family and their customs.
For this bride’s family, the items were clearly stated, and everything was provided successfully.

Once the traditional food is presented and accepted, it’s a sign that the marriage rites have been completed. (If not, the marriage won't be complete) but in this case, everything was provided
We danced, sang, and celebrated late into the evening.
The culture, it's sound and all was a beautiful display of heritage and unity.

After the traditional celebration, we all shifted gears quickly, because Saturday was the white wedding, and there was still a lot to do

Preparations were stressful but fun. We divided tasks among ourselves to make things easier. Some people were in charge of fetching water, others handled cooking, cleaning, or shopping for food items in the market.
Everyone had something to do, and the energy was so positive because we all wanted the day to be perfect.

The bride and groom were also finalizing their outfits, getting photographers ready, and making sure the church and reception venues were set. It was hectic, but it brought everyone together, and that’s the beauty of family events.

Saturday came, and the excitement in the air was clear
The church was decorated beautifully, and everyone looked stunning.

The groom wore a stylish coffee-colored suit, while the bride looked beautiful in her white gown. Their outfits matched beautifully with the bridal train,
the bridesmaids in coffee brown dresses and the groomsmen in matching suits.

Many family members, including myself, wore gold, while others wore their own traditional or chosen outfits.
Everyone was looking beautiful in their own way

As we got to the church, guests were already arriving, and the atmosphere was buzzing. The ceremony began, and everything went smoothly. Vows were exchanged, prayers were said, the marriage certificate was signed, and before we knew it, the couple was officially husband and wife.
The church was filled with smiles, applause, and a few happy tears.

But the celebration didn’t end there, the reception was next.
The reception was something else entirely. It was the real party, full of dancing, food, joy, and unforgettable moments.

As we arrived at the venue, we were welcomed by beautiful decorations.
The color scheme flowed from the wedding gold, brown, and white accents, with beautiful table settings. Music was already playing, and the DJ did not disappoint. From cultural tunes to trending party songs, the dance floor was alive throughout the event.

Guests were seated comfortably, and soon the Master of Ceremony (MC) got things started. He had everyone laughing with his jokes and kept the program moving smoothly. The couple danced in, surrounded by their bridal train, and the energy was giving.
Everyone got up to dance, spray money, and cheer them on. It was beautiful to watch the joy in their eyes as they danced their first dance as a married couple.

Then came the food and drinks, One of the memorable part of a Nigerian wedding.
There was a wide variety of meals, Jollof rice, fried rice, swallow with different kinds of soups.
Drinks flowed freely, from soft drinks and juices to wine. I sha no get food, I was pained🤧😂

After the meal, there was the cutting of cake.
Speeches were given by close friends and family members, sharing heartfelt messages about the couple.
I especially enjoyed hearing stories from their journey and the well-wishes everyone gave them.

Looking back, I can honestly say this weekend was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Being part of my brother’s wedding was not just a family duty, it was a chance to witness love, unity, and tradition all wrapped up in a few beautiful days.

Weddings are truly special, and when they reflect your culture and bring your loved ones together, they become something even greater. I feel blessed to have shared this moment with my family and friends, and I’m already looking forward to the next big celebration.