EfemenaXY:

Agreed.

But good organizational skills - including time consciousness are alien concepts to the average Nigerian.

I think that discussions like this can raise consciousness and initiate change

(I loved your comment on the "African fathers in school" thread. No pressure but support for the little ones )

carefreewannabe:

This is your opinion. I respect it but I think it IS very impolite to do such. Is it how guests are treated?

you are getting it wrong....did they leave the hall to eat outside ......if no...then it's no big deal eating before entering the hall for the ceremony

Its not that easy in reality.
If you have 3,000 guests and with 10 food stations, all the guests cannot eat at the same time, lets also not forget that not all guests also turn up at the same time.

In an oyibo sit down wedding with a strictly by invite 200 guests all in one hall, then its much easier to manage. Ive had relatives who have had both types of weddings and there is a big difference between the two.

Its not an easy feat to manage big weddings/events and some guests even bring their own food and drinks to serve their own guests.

carefreewannabe:

I think that discussions like this can raise consciousness and initiate change

(I loved your comment on the "African fathers in school" thread. No pressure but support for the little ones )

Awww.... thanks babes!

Gloria3389:
you are getting it wrong....did they leave the hall to eat outside ......if no...then it's no big deal eating before entering the hall for the ceremony

It doesn't make any difference to me. I was taught that guests are served first, wedding or not. Therefore, I would organize my wedding in such a way that everyone eats together before they get too hungry. I couldn't have it any other way. If it is supposed to be the happiest day in my life then I need my guests to be happy with me and hunger does not make people happy. Eating alone standing or in the car wouldn't make me happy.

EfemenaXY:

Awww.... thanks babes!

EfemenaXY:

So why didn't they serve the food earlier? Why sneak out to eat in hiding?

Its most likely that this couple ate during the break beween the chuch service and the reception

In many cases, the reception is a distance away from the church and they have to drive there, meaning that people get there at different times especially due to traffic.

The bride and groom nornally dance into the reception hall and make a grand entrance and everything has to be ready for them; the DJ, musician, photographer, videoman, MC, the bridal train and a whole other things have to be ready

Its during that wait that the couple can have a few minutes to themselves. Probably the hall that they used did not have a changing room, otherwise they would have used that to eat their food in peace.

In the meantime the guests are not starving, becasue most times there are already small chops and drinks served on the tables for the guests to nibble on before the reception starts proper and in many cases once the opening prayer has been said, the serving of food commences straight away

IMHO this might have been right after the church ceremony before the reception proper, maybe the guests are still filling in. I dont see anytin wrong in their eating then except maybe they could have closed the car door.

carefreewannabe:

It doesn't make any difference to me. I was taught that guests are served first, wedding or not. Therefore, I would organize my wedding in such a way that everyone eats together before they get too hungry. I couldn't have it any other way. If it is supposed to be the happiest day in my life then I need my guests to be happy with me and hunger does not make people happy. Eating alone standing or in the car wouldn't make me happy.

#singing#u will understand it Better by and by

I am not a big fan of weddings. I don't like being the centre of attention. I am partly an introvert so IF I EVER decide to go for the life sentence, I will marry in Vegas. No guests at all. Hubby and I will have a party for two. Problem solved.

EfemenaXY:

So why didn't they serve the food earlier? Why sneak out to eat in hiding?

no...the guests were already eating...so the couple ate in the car before the MC called them in to start the dancing stuff

chaircover:

Its most likely that this couple ate during the break beween the chuch service and the reception

In many cases, the reception is a distance away from the church and they have to drive there, meaning that people get there at different times especially due to traffic.

The bride and groom nornally dance into the reception hall and make a grand entrance and everything has to be ready for them; the DJ, musician, photographer, videoman, MC, the bridal train and a whole other things have to be ready

Its during that wait that the couple can have a few minutes to themselves. Probably the hall that they used did not have a changing room, otherwise they would have used that to eat their food in peace.

In the meantime the guests are not starving, because most times there are already small chops and drinks served on the tables for the guests to nibble on before the reception starts proper and in many cases once the opening prayer has been said, the serving of food commences straight away

I don't dispute what you say...but two things:

~ I'm a firm believer of treating people (guests included) exactly the same way I'd like to be treated. No half measures or double standards.

~ Secondly, if small chops and nibbles are already available at the reception hall, then why not eat those too with their guests? Looking at their plates, once can very clearly see the bride and groom wolfing down thick chicken thighs / drum sticks and heavy duty rice + salads. They certainly don't look like light nibbles / appetizers.

Again, like it's been mentioned earlier, it all boils down to good planning and effective organizational skills. They obviously must have hired the reception hall / venue for the entire day. So what stops them from insisting that the videoman, MC, et al all get their acts together and start the ground work earlier? If need be, then they should have hired two different sets of videomen, MCs, etc. One to cover the church and the other to cover the activities at the reception hall.

Many hands make light work.

Now take a look at those pictures again. Eating in public like that...in full view of all and sundry. Uncouth behavior it is, abeg.

Gloria3389:
no...the guests were already eating...so the couple ate in the car before the MC called them in to start the dancing stuff

So why eat away from their guests?

EfemenaXY:

So why eat away from their guests?

u don't get it...wait have u attended any wedding ceremony before

EfemenaXY: ^^ Lol!



Ah! So that's the motive then!

That's one of the motives. So people don't disappear before the end of the ceremony. while eating their food and not dropping any gift.
Some things are really not necessary. All the long speech etc. Only the cake decorator will spend 29mins describing her cake .
After the couple cut the cake, another 1hr to describe what they see when the couple were cutting the cake. Funny They will call upon about three people. Each one of them will want to talk too much. Sometimes in a very hot environment. Argh

I can't even imagine the heat eating in the car. The hot food , dragging the hard fried meat.

One love though .

EfemenaXY:

So why eat away from their guests?

They wanted to crush the bones and need no one watching their mouths

Gloria3389:
u don't get it...wait have u attended any wedding ceremony before

You're right. I don't get how eating out in middle of the streets in full glare of your guests is deemed acceptable, when your invited guests are most likely starving.

I bet there must have been little kids out there too.

This mentality of we-we...sort ourselves (and chosen few) out first whilst the others are left out is just not on, abeg.

EfemenaXY:

You're right. I don't get how eating out in middle of the streets in full glare of your guests is deemed acceptable, when your invited guests are most likely starving.

I bet there must have been little kids out there too.

This mentality of we-we...sort ourselves (and chosen few) out first whilst the others are left out is just not on, abeg.

It's the culture .
Nothing wrong preserving the culture

Chillisauce:

That's one of the motives. So people don't disappear before the end of the ceremony. while eating their food and not dropping any gift.
Some things are really not necessary. All the long speech etc. Only the cake decorator will spend 29mins describing her cake .
After the couple cut the cake, another 1hr to describe what they see when the couple were cutting the cake. Funny They will call upon about three people. Each one of them will want to talk too much. Sometimes in a very hot environment. Argh

I can't even imagine the heat eating in the car. The hot food , dragging the hard fried meat.

One love though .

Haha!

Your descriptions are wack! And yes, you are so right about the heat!

I just couldn't wait to be done with mine jare...oh memories!!

Chillisauce:
They wanted to crush the bones and need no one watching their mouths

Lol!

Then in that case, I hope na biscuit bones dem dey destroy for inside motor...

EfemenaXY:

I don't dispute what you say...but two things:

~ I'm a firm believer of treating people (guests included) exactly the same way I'd like to be treated. No half measures or double standards.

~ Secondly, if small chops and nibbles are already available at the reception hall, then why not eat those too with their guests? Looking at their plates, once can very clearly see the bride and groom wolfing down thick chicken thighs / drum sticks and heavy duty rice + salads. They certainly don't look like light nibbles / appetizers.

Again, like it's been mentioned earlier, it all boils down to good planning and effective organizational skills. They obviously must have hired the reception hall / venue for the entire day. So what stops them from insisting that the videoman, MC, et al all get their acts together and start the ground work earlier? If need be, then they should have hired two different sets of videomen, MCs, etc. One to cover the church and the other to cover the activities at the reception hall.

Many hands make light work.

Now take a look at those pictures again. Eating in public like that...in full view of all and sundry. Uncouth behavior it is, abeg.

Yes I agree it all looks good on paper, but in reality, it doesnt always work out that way and I speak from experience

We may have the best laid plans but in practice its a different thing

There was a thread here a while ago where brides were complaining about services that they received on their wedding day; in some cases DJ's not turning up and food not complete. Its not due to lack of planning on their behalf

Unsing my mums birthday party as an example, I arrived at the church few minutes late becase my make up artist/gele lady arrived late (stuck in traffic) and I had to use my mums make up artist. I deliberatrly booked 2 artists so that there wont be any delay, but the delay happened anyway.

At my neices wedding guests were eating food before the couple danced into the hall. Some guests didnt even go to the church but straight to the reception hall and they were served

Would you rather they fainted from exhaustion so they didnt look uncouth? They are only having a meal, its not as if they are having sex in the car . . .and its not as if tomorrow they will park their car at the same spot and start eating out of it.

EfemenaXY:

You're right. I don't get how eating out in middle of the streets in full glare of your guests is deemed acceptable, when your invited guests are most likely starving.

I bet there must have been little kids out there too.

This mentality of we-we...sort ourselves (and chosen few) out first whilst the others are left out is just not on, abeg.

noooo.....u are getting it all wrong ....I don't how to explain what I'm saying since you are taking it person while the couple in question are enjoying their nyt together... in fact whichever way u take it case closed

EfemenaXY:

Haha!

Your descriptions are wack! And yes, you are so right about the heat!

I just couldn't wait to be done with mine jare...oh memories!!




Lol!

Then in that case, I hope na biscuit bones dem dey destroy for inside motor...

Not only. The bone marrow too.

Gloria3389:
noooo.....u are getting it all wrong ....I don't how to explain what I'm saying since you are taking it person while the couple in question are enjoying their nyt together... in fact whichever way u take it case closed

It doesn't really matter which way I take it. @OP's the one with the beef against them, not me. I simply see where he's coming from.

Besides, ever heard the saying that a picture speaks a thousand words?

chaircover:

At my neices wedding guests were eating food before the couple danced into the hall. Some guests didnt even go to the church but straight to the reception hall and they were served

Would you rather they fainted from exhaustion so they didnt look uncouth? They are only having a meal, its not as if they are having sex in the car . . .and its not as if tomorrow they will park their car at the same spot and start eating out of it.

Sorry...missed this post of yours.

Okayyy... so I presume your niece got there by say 12noon? 1pm? How long after that, did it take to dance into the hall and find her way to the high table?

What's wrong with instructing the caterers to start serving immediately the guests at the high table are seated? Afterall, it's those at the high table who get served first, with the choicest bits of food I daresay.

From what I read of the responses on this thread so far, it does sound crazily extreme to wait till 4 or 5pm before serving food / refreshments to the guests. Why bother at all then? For something supposedly cooked early in the morning?