Here are a few helpful tips, ideas or suggestions that will make your wedding run smoothly and be as memorable and exciting as you have pictured it.

Please contributions from wedding plannners and questions are welcome.

#1 - Get a notebook and take it everywhere you go. it is your little black book of ideas and to do list as well as vendor contacts and information. It is important you keep this book organised. This is achieved by dividing it into sections;

- section 1- budget and finances. Draw up a proper breakdown of your budget and try to work around it. Also note down every money spent here.

- section 2- ideas and details. fun ideas and inspirations should be noted for use in planning,

- section 3 - wedding party and vendors contact detail. It is not enough that you have them stored up in your phones, write them out.

Section 4 - vendors note. records of promises and expectations from vendors of the services to be rendered should be noted.

The bride's or groom's little black book/journal is essential, important and invaluable, especially for a do-it-yourself-bride and even for brides with planners, so get one now!

#2 - Prepare a budget - Do not go making decisions before you have figured out a realistic budget that won't jeopardize the future of your relationship by putting to much financial stress onyou in the beginning of your new life together.

Consider what you have available and what contributions you may get from family and friends, this will determine how many guests you can invite.

Make a priority list. What is most important to you, and your future groom? Music? Ceremony/Reception location, etc? Each of you should make a top 3 list of the things you want to focus your attention on first. These things should be booked/ordered before everything else if you feel you can't do without them during your wedding day.

# 3 - Share duties.. Inasmuch as you want to be in control of the planning process, sharing the tasks with your significant other, keeps everyone interested in the planning process and gets the job done faster.

#4. Open a wedding account – the simplest way to manage your wedding budget is to open a dedicated wedding account so you know exactly how much money goes in and how much comes out

#5. Negotiate with Vendors - most vendors will usually suggest cutting down on number of guests, choosing less expensive meals, and reducing other services. Basically you get less value for less money, meaning you did not negotiate the total cost but simple chose a less complicated service offer. A wedding planner can negotiate a discount on your chosen service keeping all items the same

#6. Hire a wedding planner - believe it or not, but you have to consider close to 100 things, and invest as much as 250 hours into planning a wedding. Most brides have never had an experience with wedding planning and don’t have a complete understanding of the wedding planning process, and when the wedding day arrives they find out they have never thought of some important details. A wedding planner has a detailed checklist of all things that need to be done for the wedding in their heads, and they will surely help you identify important details that you may have forgotten. Time is another issue – if you don’t have at least 12 hours a week to do the planning yourself, and twice as much time as the wedding date draws near – you need some help from the wedding professionals.

Another important benefit from the wedding planners come in a form of discounts that you will receive from prefered vendors – it will save you a lot of money and you will save big on your budget

#7 Wedding Photographer and video coverage - One's Wedding day is one of the most important days of one's life, as memories that they want to treasure forever and then pass on to their children will be created. It is then vital that you get good, high quality photos that you can enjoy forever. Most people will have a wedding book designed out of the collection of the best wedding photos. Usually the photographer will do this.
Choosing a photographer is a very important step in your wedding pictures. You want someone experienced that will do an excellent job for you. It's possible that you may be on a budget and price may be a factor as well.

There are several things you are going to want to look for, but the most important being the quality of the work. It would be great if you could find a photographer that you had seen in action, perhaps at a family member or friend's wedding as you must make your decision based on your faith in the photographer. So how do you make a decision like this?

First, look at referrals. Ask your friends or family members who did their weddings and start compiling a list. You will also need to verify that these people are still photographing. Ask everyone you can about their wedding and their wedding pictures. Most people will even let you see their wedding photos and you can check out the photographer's work.

Aside from samples from people you know, you can ask the photographer himself about his samples. You can call the photographers on your list and do an interview over the phone or make an appointment to meet in person. This is your chance to ask the photographer any questions you may have such as their experience, what training they have and what different types of photography they have studied. If you are doing an in-person interview, the photographer can show you portfolios of samples of their work. If you are doing a phone interview that ends well, you may want to go in person and see a portfolio.

When you have chosen the photographer you think you want to use, you will have to schedule several appointments.
In these meetings you will discuss price, payment schedule and possible deposits. Next you will discuss the plan for taking the wedding photography.
Many people have specific plans as to what they want pictures of (e.g. bride and father coming down the aisle, bride and groom, rings exchanging, the kiss, the bridesmaids, etc.) This is your chance to get all this written down so that the photographer is sure to get all the shots you want. Other people give their photographers a little more freedom to decide what pictures will be good to take.
Be sure to ask any questions you have about this important event. Your wedding photography is important to you so don't hesitate to be clear about what you want.

#8 Important beauty regime - Double up on your water intake for at least one month prior to the wedding to keep your skin clear and glowing.

Don't ingest excess sodium the week before the wedding. That means no salty foods and snacks. Instead, choose no-sodium everything starting at least seven days before the wedding. That include CORN FLAKES, ALL CANNED FOODS, SALAD CREAM/DRESSING, CHINESE DISHES, etc. This is because, its been proven, Sodium holds 50 times its weight in water, so you can shed few pounds the week before the wedding just by doing this.

Please dont do a facial a week before your wedding day, make it a month or at least 2 weeks before, especially if it is the first time of getting one, so there'll be plenty time to treat the breakout that may occur. Also dont change your soap, cream or skin care, two months before.

Invest in a teeth whitening therapy a month before your day, I use Pearl Drops whitening polish and i got a good result within 2weeks. Its available in some supermarkets and pharmacies in Lagos and very affordable.

Good stuff Sassy gal.

Please do get in touch we would like to have you on board- anita@myweddingnigeria.com

thanks,

debomb: Good stuff Sassy gal.

Please do get in touch we would like to have you on board- anita@myweddingnigeria.com

thanks,

Thank you.

nice thread

Sassygal

Can I marry u

The list should include contingency expense. Good job sassygal

Good job Sassy,

Other tips to consider are:

#1. The guest list: This includes number of guests expected for the wedding. The couple should make a list of the people they are expecting on their day in order to plan for seating and meal arrangements. In a country like Nigeria where it is "Mo gbo, Mo ya" i.e. some guests come for a wedding without prior invitation, extra room should be made for at least plus 50 persons to accommodate unforeseen inconvenience.

#2. Venue for the wedding, a larger number of guests means a bigger venue. With the help of a wedding planner or self help, the couple should scout for venues which can accommodate their guest size and remember car parking space.

#3. Thematic wedding which includes: aso-ebi (and Co.)or colour code, the venue decoration should/might portray the color chosen by the couple for the day. Color blocking is now in vogue, couples might want to try a mix of brighter colors though.

#4. Date of Wedding. Choosing a date isn't as easy as one thinks, because availability of family, friends, etc have to be taken into consideration, not forgetting the couple too. So a mutually agreed date/month after general consideration is important. Doesn't mean you need to consult with each and every guest before you pick a date.

#5. Meals/Refreshments. Like @sassy said, work within a budget. One tip to remember is your guest size affects practically the main areas of your wedding planning; the larger the guest size the higher the budget allocation for venue, meals, drinks, chairs & tables.

What I can think up right now. More tips to come!

M M M: Sassygal

Can I marry u

Ofcourse you can

Taking notes. Thanks sassygal

Good job peeps! More tips plsss!!!
As for me I think the MC has an important role to play in organising the events of that day, especially in time management.

BrownGold:


#3. Thematic wedding which includes: aso-ebi (and Co.)or colour code, the venue decoration should/might portray the color chosen by the couple for the day. Color blocking is now in vogue, couples might want to try a mix of brighter colors though.

Please, I need ideas on colour combinations that can be used on a wedding day (as theme). E.g. which colour will go with blue?

No Qualms:

Please, I need ideas on colour combinations that can be used on a wedding day (as theme). E.g. which colour will go with blue?

No Qualms:

Please, I need ideas on colour combinations that can be used on a wedding day (as theme). E.g. which colour will go with blue?

Your choice of wedding color is very important as all the details of the wedding; the shoes, ribbons, flowers, decor, souvenirs, neckties, cake are vehicles for color, and they work together to leave a lasting impression of your day.


One tool you can use when selecting colors is the color wheel, a traditional device used to represent the colors of the spectrum and their relationship to one another. With the color wheel, you can see how some of your favorite colors will work together. Beyond that, there are a number of things to consider like - the environment/venue of both the ceremony and the reception. If it takes place in a garden what colors will best complement green. A venue painted white allows a lot of latitude in color choice, but a reception hall with blue walls and gold patterned carpet will require a color scheme that wont compete. When using the color wheel, remember that a gentle effect is created by combining colors that lie adjacent to each other, such as green and blue,or yellow, peach, and orange. Combining dark and pale shades produces a richer effect. Colors that lie opposite one another will produce a vibrant, energizing combination.
You may also consider using different shades of a single color, varying the intensity. Finally, you can pair a color with white for an light or airy effect. Use many shades of the same color in all the items to avoid a monotonous look.

A color wheel has been attached to make it easy. Note -

1. Neighboring colors, such as orange, peach, and yellow, mix without clashing.


2. Reds and greens are opposite colors, and like most opposites, at their brightest, they look more bold than beautiful together. When the intensity of both shades are reduced, the effect is subtle and sophisticated.


3. Use the entire range of a single color, from light to dark, and pair it with a neutral for a rich palette.


4. White is the traditional wedding color. Adding one color lends a dramatic spark.

More color ideas

^ wow, sassygal. Thank you so much for taking time to respond.

I am thinking of going for different shades of blue.

No Qualms: ^ wow, sassygal. Thank you so much for taking time to respond.

I am thinking of going for different shades of blue.

Its a pleasure. The color blue in lighter hues and intensity is so cool and classy.

Give me some time to work out different combinations for you.

sassygal:

Its a pleasure. The color blue in lighter hues and intensity is so cool and classy.

Give me some time to work out different combinations for you.

Okay, thank you.

Can u also work out a colour combination for green? My fiance n I are partial to d colour. Or better still, I would appreciate it if u can give me different colour combinations so I can pick frm. D colour looks very complicated for me.

AngelEbi: Can u also work out a colour combination for green? My fiance n I are partial to d colour. Or better still, I would appreciate it if u can give me different colour combinations so I can pick frm. D colour looks very complicated for me.

Hello,

The green colour is workable. Only use white as a background colour with a mix of different shades of green, from Dark green, Mint green, Olive green to Yellow-Green combination.

For example, with white as the background for illumination and that wide-wow effect you might like the following:
1. Pink, Lemon Green, Mild Yellow combination
2. Leaf Green, Lemon green and Lavender combination
3. Green, Silver.
4. Green, White.
5. Purple, Lemon green.
6. Peach, Orange, Green,
7. e.t.c...
For any combination you decide on, moderation and soft spots should be tested. Like the table cloth could be green with center pieces of cream and orange/pink flowers in them. The aisle walk could be a green carpet instead of red. Test your thematic colours at different spots for effect. Your gazebo/couples couch's should have touches of mixed bright green colours. Moderation in types of green should be considered too, as we have various types of green.

Just my 2cents.
All the best.

No Qualms:

Please, I need ideas on colour combinations that can be used on a wedding day (as theme). E.g. which colour will go with blue?

Often times, most nigerian weddings have just two colors but i love to suggest to brides-to-be the use of multi-colors that blend well. All you need is a planner and decorator that is creative

I have combined various shades of blue that works and i hope you like one

Thanks a lot. U just saved me a lot of headache

AngelEbi: Thanks a lot. U just saved me a lot of headache

You welcome