Small, intimate weddings with less than 100 guests – such as singer Simi, OAP Toke Makinwa and actress Stephanie Okereke’s intimate celebrity weddings – are becoming common in Nigeria. The advantages of keeping a wedding small and intimate are many. By the way, did you know that having fewer wedding guests can result to a quality, personal wedding celebration and an opportunity to spend your budget on the things that matter most to you, while down-playing or skipping others, and also giving your guests the best time. In this post, I’ll show you how you to organize a classy, low-key and simple Nigerian wedding that will wow your guests.
In a previous article, I told you that there are 2 different types of small weddings – and why you need to be clear on which type you want have, in order to get your planning right. Once you know the type of small Nigerian wedding you want, follow the steps below to plan it:
#1. Set the Wedding Date
You need to have this date at the back of your mind when renting venue, shopping or hiring vendors – everything must be done and completed in good time, before this date. Most brides get stressed because of the rush when their wedding date is close by and a lot has not been done. So. it helps starting right after the marriage proposal/ engagement.
#2. Keep the Parents Informed Early
Every Nigerian parent has been looking forward to that day when they would call everyone they know to the wedding ceremony of their child – you know, they love it the-bigger-the-merrier. So, it can be hard convincing a Nigerian parent that their son/ daughter wants to have few wedding guests – why would anyone want to deprive them of the joy of sharing a family celebration with plenty, which had always been the ‘tradition’. To avoid, or reduce, protests from close families, and also ensure that they cut down their guest list, it is advised that you let both families (bride’s and groom’s) know ahead of time that you want a small intimate wedding.
#3: Keep Your Budget Small
Make a spending budget, but keep it small. Prioritize your expenses by spending the most money on the things that matter most to you, and spend the least money on other not-so-important areas – that’s how to have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of, on a small budget. For example: if your top priority is having a designer gown and you’re least concerned about bringing a music band, then you may want to splurge on the designer wedding dress and then hire a DJ instead of a band. Another example: if your top priority is having a World class wedding photographer cover your big day, and you’d rather use your father’s backyard as the wedding venue, then by all means do so. It’s all about splurging on your top priority and keeping other areas low key. Remember, it’s not appropriate to cut corners when it comes to catering for your guests.