We’ve all seen images of the brightly coloured Nigerian weddings and it’s widely recognised that if you’re after an event filled with dancing and music, this culture does it best. But, we bet you didn’t know these other, lesser know Nigerian traditions!
Table of Contents
1. Double the Fun
Nigerian brides get double the fun, often having two weddings – a cultural wedding and a religious wedding.
2. Open Invitation
Nigerian weddings generally aren’t regulated, so everyone’s invited! This means that weddings can turn into events with hundreds and thousands of guests.
3. Get Your Shopping List Ready
In the Igbo tribes, the bride’s family give the groom a list of different items as a dowry and if he cannot get every single item, he’s no permitted to marry. This list can include some big ticket purchases like a new car, or some hard to find trinkets like the tooth of an alligator.
4. The Brighter, the Better
Nowadays, some Nigerian brides are choosing to have a western wedding with a white dress, but many girls opt instead for the traditional Igbo wedding attire which features a lace blouse, brightly patterned wrapper (a kaftan like skirts that wraps around the body), coral beads and head tie.
5. Money Everywhere
Nigerians spray money onto the bride as a gift at the wedding. As the bride dances, the guests throw large bills at her; however this custom is only performed on the female, never the groom.
6. Wait in Line
Traditionally, Nigerian men are not allowed to get married until their older brothers are, making it tough for the younger siblings if their big brother has decided to be a bachelor for life…
7. No Pain, No Gain
In the Hausa tribe, the groom has to prove his love for the bride by enduring a hundred lashes. If he takes the beating without complaint, the wedding can go ahead.
8. Drink Up
In Nigerian village weddings, there is a ritual in which the bride and groom must drink from the same cup of palm wine. The bride is given the cup and then must go from guest to guest until she finds her husband to offer him a drink as well.
9. Matching Outfits
It’s common in Nigerian weddings for the bride and grooms extended family to wear the same colour or fabric as the bridal party.
10. Mum’s Cooking
Nigerian weddings are often catered for by the bride’s mother and her friends.
Images sourced from The Nigerian Wedding Blog
