₦airaland Forum

inioluwajoe:
hi dolls
by the grace of God am also a 2016 bride to be. Bea and are planning a low budget wedding for 300k. would appreciate your contributions on how to make our special day beautiful without spending above our budget. thanks y'all

That would depend on a number of factors.
1. the head count you're looking at.
2. Location
3. Items to be covered by the budget.
Add me up on 7f6fadcf and let's see how we can be of service.

diva90:
I don't recommend offers like this to any couple that have money. If you have money, invest in quality because it's a once in a life time wedding. You can only imagine the quality of services that will be offered to you at such a budget. The cost of all these on a regular day at an average Lagos/abuja wedding of 350-400 guests is nothing less than 3 million. If you decide to have 500k wedding, you already know it's Fanta, Coke and zobo that your guests will be drinking.

Well said, ma'am. An ideal wedding with standard services in Lagos will be in the N3m range. Some even cost more.

However, with the partnership we've got with various vendors who are willing to provide outstanding service at reduced costs, we've been able to put together this offer.

We assure all our clients of highly professional services for the price we're offering. No "zobo" weddings here. Lol.

SAMBARRY:
Instead of ushers can't you use your younger siblings and their friends as ushers same with your wife's younger siblings and their friends from church or school .money for ushering has gone.just pay for their outfit and hairdo

Unfortunately, the problem with enlisting family members or friends for such services is that everyone gets caught up in their own engagements on the wedding day. They've also got their own friends and such whom they'd want to dedicate prime attention to, and as a result, many other guests get neglected. But a neutral service provider such as an usher will devote their time and attention towards ensuring that all guests are attended to without being unnecessarily distracted.

ogawisdom:
Work out a wedding budget on 500k n below or close this thread

We r in recession pls learn to cut cost, by d way 250 guests don do

500k for all the listed services for 350 guests? I'm afraid that won't do, good sir. My vendors are also of the N300-to-the-dollar economy. And they've also got costs to cover to produce quality service in said economy.

zed7:
No wedding venue cost included? No suit and bridal gown? I will throw all those in and still have change from the 900k.

Really? I'd be glad to know your break down.

agarawu23:
You call 900k budget?
I guess the 350 guest will feed the couples after the event

With the quotes you'd ordinarily get from various vendors on the aforementioned items, it's actually quite a steal.

This 2016, have your ideal wedding for just N900,000!

The package includes:
1. Venue Decoration
2. Food (local and continental dishes)
3. Drinks (soft drinks, water, juice and malt/beer, wine)
4. D.J
5. Photography (Soft copies, picture book and frame)
6. Small chops and cocktails
7. Three-tier wedding cake of your design plus cutouts
8. M.C
9. Ushers (5)
10. Waiters (15)
11. Wedding coordinators (2)
12. Souvenirs for your guests
13. Makeup
14. Bridal bouquet and accessories


Contact April Bridal Concierge on BBm 7F6FADCF or email aprilconcierge.ng@gmail.com

This 2016, have your ideal wedding for just N900,000!

The package includes:
1. Venue Decoration
2. Food (local and continental dishes)
3. Drinks (soft drinks, water, juice and malt/beer)
4. D.J
5. Photography (Soft copies, picture book and frame)
6. Small chops and cocktails
7. Three-tier wedding cake of your design plus cutouts
8. M.C
9. Ushers (5)
10. Waiters (15)
11. Wedding coordinators (2)
12. Souvenirs for your guests
13. Makeup
14. Bridal bouquet


Contact April Bridal Concierge on BBm 7F6FADCF

This 2016, have your ideal wedding for just N900,000!

The package includes:
1. Venue Decoration
2. Food (local and continental dishes)
3. Drinks (soft drinks, water, juice and malt/beer)
4. D.J
5. Photography (Soft copies, picture book and frame)
6. Small chops and cocktails
7. Three-tier wedding cake of your design plus cutouts
8. M.C
9. Ushers (5)
10. Waiters (15)
11. Wedding coordinators (2)
12. Souvenirs for your guests
13. Makeup
14. Bridal bouquet

Contact April Bridal Concierge on BBm 7F6FADCF

For your bridal bouquets, add me on bbm 7f6fadcf. Delivery anywhere in Nigeria.
We've got roses, orchids, calla lillies, tulips, baby's breath etc all in a wide range of colors.

Luyeanka:

Lol. you better believe it. and call today.

For your weddings, birthdays and other events holding between now and October, treat your guests to shawarma for JUST N350 each.

Beef shawarma with vegetables and smoked sausage.

Cocktails: Chapman, pina colada, sunset. for just N200 each.

Minimum of 100 guests. Available for events in Lagos and surrounding cities.

Call today.
08026929460.
Bbm 5308d67c.

For your weddings, birthdays and other events holding between now and October, treat your guests to shawarma for JUST N350 each.

Beef shawarma with vegetables and smoked sausage.

Cocktails: Chapman, pina colada, sunset. for just N200 each.

Minimum of 100 guests. Available for events in Lagos and surrounding cities.

Call today.
08026929460
Bbm 5308d67c.

For your weddings, birthdays and other events holding between now and October, treat your guests to shawarma for JUST N350 each.

Beef shawarma with vegetables and smoked sausage.

Cocktails: Chapman, pina colada, sunset. for just N200 each.

Minimum of 100 guests. Available for events in Lagos and surrounding cities.

Call today.
08026929460
Bbm 5308d67c.

The crest, also known as the coat of arms, is a wonderful way to add a personal touch to your wedding, as well a create an air of grandeur and luxury without breaking the bank.

Crests can be printed on your wedding stationery such as the invitations, programs, menu cards, paper bags, place cards as well as souvenirs such as notebooks and calendars etc.
Or they can be incorporated into the dance floor, the aisle runner or the entryway to give you a regal atmosphere.

The crest may even be used in home decor; printed out and framed to be hung on a wall in your home.

Traditionally, a crest has the following components.

1. The mantle
This appears at the very top of the crest. It can take the form of a crown or other symbol of royalty. Some even have flowers or flourishes.

2. The Shield.
The shield sits at the very heart of crest. For a wedding, it contains a monogram or logo made up of the initials of the bride and groom. The initial of the surname can also be included.

3. The Supporters.
These are figures that stand on either side of the shield "supporting" it so to speak. Animals, fishes or birds with different symbolisms are usually used. Eg the lion, the bear, the stag, the horse, the unicorn, the swan, the dolphin, the eagle, the wolf and a number of others.

4. The labels.
These contain the names of the couple as well as the wedding date. In addition, a motto may be incorporated. The motto can be a bible quote, a love quote or any other lettering admonishing you on the reason you started this journey together and why you should stick with it till the end.

So there you have it, folks. How to create your very own royal wedding crest.

The crest, also known as the coat of arms, is a wonderful way to add a personal touch to your wedding, as well a create an air of grandeur and luxury without breaking the bank.

Crests can be printed on your wedding stationery such as the invitations, programs, menu cards, paper bags, place cards as well as souvenirs such as notebooks and calendars etc.
Or they can be incorporated into the dance floor, the aisle runner or the entryway to give you a regal atmosphere.

The crest may even be used in home decor; printed out and framed to be hung on a wall in your home.

Traditionally, a crest has the following components.

1. The mantle
This appears at the very top of the crest. It can take the form of a crown or other symbol of royalty. Some even have flowers or flourishes.

2. The Shield.
The shield sits at the very heart of crest. For a wedding, it contains a monogram or logo made up of the initials of the bride and groom. The initial of the surname can also be included.

3. The Supporters.
These are figures that stand on either side of the shield "supporting" it so to speak. Animals, fishes or birds with different symbolisms are usually used. Eg the lion, the bear, the stag, the horse, the unicorn, the swan, the dolphin, the eagle, the wolf and a number of others.

4. The labels.
These contain the names of the couple as well as the wedding date. In addition, a motto may be incorporated. The motto can be a bible quote, a love quote or any other lettering admonishing you on the reason you started this journey together and why you should stick with it till the end.

So there you have it, folks. How to create your very own royal wedding crest.

dechandel:
I met him while holidaying in Monaco, he drove past him in a hot Bentley and it was Love at first sight with the fast ride , it was all like a dream when the ride stopped and this Hot niccur stepped out and gave me a kiss on the hands, at that moment, i knew he was the one!!
We got married in Paris the next week without any Pre-Nup agreement whatsoever!!
Life has been so far so good





I read too many stupid Harelequin romance novels!!
Time to grab my Grisham novels and think right!!

Lol. almost had me there.

IamLEGEND1:
Yeah, until u meet a ritualist wey go komot ur head.

My good sir. Evil people abound everywhere; online as well as offline. one doesn't have to discredit social media in its entirety just cos of a few misadventures.

It's great to see that social media is capable of contributing so positively.

Every couple has a love story peculiar to them. And sometimes, it begins in the most unexpected of ways; a chance meeting at an office party or bumping into a stranger at the mall.

However they begin, love stories can be incredibly beautiful.

So let's hear yours.

How did you meet your partner?

DUTIES OF A BRIDAL CONCIERGE.


A bridal concierge helps a bride perform
many wedding tasks in the months
leading up to the wedding day and even
after.


1. INTRODUCTION/ FAMILY MEET-AND-
GREET
* Arrange for bride’s outfits, makeup,
hair, nails
* Help send out notices to invited guests
* Arrange for the photographer, etc
* Arrange for catering, etc
* Make arrangements for music
* Help purchase and gift-wrap gifts to
groom’s family
* Help with setup, decoration and
cleanup of venue
* Coordination of vendors
* Help pick out and deliver asoebi (if any)
* Wait on the couple and be available to
run errands
* Act as hostess to attend to invited
guests
* Wait on bride’s parents and be
available to run errands


2. PRE WEDDING
* Discuss design, budget, timeline,
logistics
* Arrange/host a bridal shower
* Pick out wedding dress, shoes, etc
* Pick out second/getaway outfit
* Pick out bridesmaid’s dresses, shoes,
etc
* Assist with shopping and other pre-
wedding tasks
* Attend makeover/spa sessions with
bride
* Select and coordinate wedding
vendors
* Intermediary between bride and
groom/parents/parents-in-law
* Intermediary between bride and
vendors/service providers
* Make hotel bookings for bride and
bridal party
* Make hotel bookings for out-of-town-
guests
* Make transport arrangements for out-
of-town-guests
* Make necessary payments on behalf of
the bride
* Arrange transportation for bride and
bridal party to hotel
* Record wedding gifts at showers and
pre-wedding parties
* Secure wedding gifts and gift money
* Coordinate appointments for
bridesmaids dress fittings
* Keep in contact with all the
bridesmaids concerning schedules
and activities
* Attend all pre-wedding activities with
the bride
* Attend bride's fitting appointments
* Shop for souvenirs
* Arrange branding and distribution of
souvenirs
* Procure and distribute asoebi
* Address wedding invitations and
deliver them
* Send out invitation SMSs
* Arrange for and attend all pre-wedding
photo sessions with couple
* Run any other wedding errands the
bride needs to have done


3. TRADITIONAL WEDDING
* Help in picking out couple’s attire,
shoes, beads, accessories etc
* Help in picking out and purchasing
asoebi
* Deliver aso ebi
to guests
* Help the groom's family purchase the items on the bride price list as well as gift-wrap and deliver them to the Trad wedding venue.
* Hand out souvenirs
* Purchase and gift-wrap return gifts
from bride’s family
* Run wedding errands as required
* Act as provisional hostess to attend to
couple’s personal guests
* Have the ABC Emergency Kit on hand
for emergencies


4. WEDDING
* Assist the bride with pre-wedding
errands and activities
* Deliver breakfast to the bride and
bridal party (we’ve actually cooked
dinner and wedding morning
breakfast on a couple of occasions....
true story!)
* Help the bride and bridal party get
ready
* Help with any last minute problems
that may occur on the wedding day to
spare the bride
* Responsible for the bride’s bouquet
and other accessories during the ceremony
* Receive and secure wedding gifts and
gift money
* Help transport gifts after reception
* Help with any changes that may
happen at the reception
* Make sure bride& bridal party get
served meals during the ceremony
* Wait on the bride, groom and wedding
party to ensure that they are properly
taken care of during the ceremony
* Help the bride with addressing
envelopes and recording wedding gifts
* Make sure the bride looks perfect for all
the pictures
* Coordination of vendors
* Act as provisional hostess to attend to
couple’s personal guests
* Help the bride change into getaway
clothes
* Have the ABC Emergency Kit on hand
for emergencies


5. POST WEDDING
* Pack the bride's gown, veil and
accessories and take to the cleaners
or the bride's mother
* Help return any items (rental pieces,
tuxedos etc.)
* Deliver any thank you notes or gifts the
bride and groom require to be
delivered
* Ensure that couple’s apartment is in
order in preparation for their arrival
from honeymoon

Think of your bridal assistant as your own personal assistant or secretary for every wedding related matter. A bridal assistant will not just plan your wedding for you, she'll also run all the necessary errands required in preparation for the wedding. For example:
1. Help you purchase and deliver your wedding gown and accessories (bags, shoes, bouquet, hair accessories, etc.)
2. Help organise your bridesmaids outfits and accessories and deliver it to them (whether you're purchasing or sewing)
3. Plan and organize your bridal shower and bachelor's eve.
4. Help with the purchase and delivery of wedding invitations.
5. Help in sending out bulk sms invitations.
6. Help your groom and his groomsmen in purchasing their outfits and delivering it to them.
7. Help you purchase your asoebi in bulk and deliver it to your guests. You don't need to spend money hiring an asoebi planner.
8. Help purchase your souvenirs, have them branded and delivered to you. And help hand them out to your guests.
9. Run errands to the printer/publisher for ceremony programs, reception programs and every other printing work that needs to be done.
10. Help your groom to purchase the bride price items and engagement letter and also gift-wrap them. You don't need to hire an "eru iyawo" decorator again. Also, we'll help you purchase the "return" gifts to be offered to the groom's family and also to gift-wrap them.
11. Run errands for you and your parents in many ways.
* for instance if you want to pick up out of town guests and you've got nobody else available to do the job
* if you need someone to purchase food and drink items to entertain guests.
* help secure hotel accomodation for out of town guests.
12. Purchase your traditional wedding outfits and deliver them to you.
13. Purchase your outfits for your pre-wedding photoshoots.
14. Secure all the wedding vendors (food, drinks, desserts, photography, music, decoration, videography, waiters, ushers etc) and have regular discussions with them to ensure that they are up to speed on your tastes and desires before the wedding. Also we'll coordinate them on the wedding day and ensure that the wedding timeline is followed to the letter.
15. On the wedding day, you can trust your bridal assistant to receive your gift money and items from your guests and keep them secure and have them delivered to your home.
16. Oversee all activities to ensure that everything is properly taken care of.
Whatever other errands you can think of as a bride or which your groom and parents need to run, we've got you covered.

Think of your bridal assistant as your own personal assistant or secretary for every wedding related matter. A bridal assistant will not just plan your wedding for you, she'll also run all the necessary errands required in preparation for the wedding. For example:
1. Help you purchase and deliver your wedding gown and accessories (bags, shoes, bouquet, hair accessories, etc.)
2. Help organise your bridesmaids outfits and accessories and deliver it to them (whether you're purchasing or sewing)
3. Plan and organize your bridal shower and bachelor's eve.
4. Help with the purchase and delivery of wedding invitations.
5. Help in sending out bulk sms invitations.
6. Help your groom and his groomsmen in purchasing their outfits and delivering it to them.
7. Help you purchase your asoebi in bulk and deliver it to your guests. You don't need to spend money hiring an asoebi planner.
8. Help purchase your souvenirs, have them branded and delivered to you. And help hand them out to your guests.
9. Run errands to the printer/publisher for ceremony programs, reception programs and every other printing work that needs to be done.
10. Help your groom to purchase the bride price items and engagement letter and also gift-wrap them. You don't need to hire an "eru iyawo" decorator again. Also, we'll help you purchase the "return" gifts to be offered to the groom's family and also to gift-wrap them.
11. Run errands for you and your parents in many ways.
* for instance if you want to pick up out of town guests and you've got nobody else available to do the job
* if you need someone to purchase food and drink items to entertain guests.
* help secure hotel accomodation for out of town guests.
12. Purchase your traditional wedding outfits and deliver them to you.
13. Purchase your outfits for your pre-wedding photoshoots.
14. Secure all the wedding vendors (food, drinks, desserts, photography, music, decoration, videography, waiters, ushers etc) and have regular discussions with them to ensure that they are up to speed on your tastes and desires before the wedding. Also we'll coordinate them on the wedding day and ensure that the wedding timeline is followed to the letter.
15. On the wedding day, you can trust your bridal assistant to receive your gift money and items from your guests and keep them secure and have them delivered to your home.
16. Oversee all activities to ensure that everything is properly taken care of.
Whatever other errands you can think of as a bride or which your groom and parents need to run, we've got you covered.

Good morning, all.

My outfit is organising events this November/December and we need a new team of caterers.

The menus will include:

LOCAL DISHES
1. Amala with ewedu and gbegiri
2. Semo with egusi/efo riro
3. Wheat with egusi/efo riro
4. Pounded yam with egusi/ efo riro
5. Yam pottage
6. Ewa agonyin with plantain
7. Ofada rice with sauce.


CONTINENTAL/ORIENTAL DISHES
1. Fried rice with salad, moinmoin and beef/chicken
2. Jollof rice with salad, moinmoin and beef/chicken
3. Chinese rice with beef/chicken.
4. Coconut rice with beef/chicken


GRILLS, SMALL CHOPS AND COCKTAILS.
1. Plate of small chops (different combinations)
2. Chicken and chips
3. Fish and chips
4. Asun and chips
5. Shawarma
6. Cocktail drinks
7. Whole cow bbq
8. Whole ram bbq


Please if you're a caterer and you offer any of/all these dishes on your menu, email your quotations on these dishes to aprilconcierge.ng@gmail.com

Quotations should include:
1. Price per head for all the dishes.
2. Service charges (if applicable)
3. Name of your catering outfit as well as your location
4. Pictures of your past jobs.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Have a great day.

TWO WEEKS TO GO.
* Make any final payments
* Check in with all your vendors.
* Check in with the hotel and transport
persons.
* Delegate wedding tasks.
Decide who'll be in charge of what on the
trad wedding day, the white wedding
ceremony and at the reception. Inform
them as necessary.
* Determine the final headcount and
communicate to your caterer(s).
* Go for your last dress and ring fitting.
ONE WEEK TO GO!
* Break into your wedding shoes.
Wear them around for about 20 minutes
everyday. This will enable you get used to
wearing them for all those hours and
hours on your wedding day.
* Have one last meeting with all your
vendors and people you've assigned
wedding duties to. Be clear on exactly
what you want.
* Have a massage, manicure, pedicure or
other pampering treatment.
* Nourish your body properly. You don't
want any unexpected bloating or weight
loss! Drink plenty of water.
* Relax. Let go of all your worries. You're
almost there!
48 HOURS TO THE WEDDING
* Take time off to get plenty of sleep.
* Pray for success and a hitch-free event.
* Have fun with each other as a couple,
family, your bridal party and friends.
* Pack your suitcases for your wedding
day and honeymoon.
* Also pack emergency items. Needle and
thread, sanitary pads, medication for
headache, stomach-ache and menstrual
cramps, etc. We have a comprehensive list
on emergency kit items in another article
here on Nairaland and on our blog.
* Relax some more!
WEDDING DAY!
* Get married
* Have fun at your reception!
* Dance and be merry.
* Live happily ever after.
THE END.

1 - 2 MONTHS
* Start purchasing eru iyawo and return
gifts.
The groom and his family should use this
period to start securing items on the bride
price list. Also the bride's family should
start purchasing their own exchange gifts.
If you'll require gift-wrapping them,
determine who'll be in charge of that. Also
use this period to decide on who'll be in
charge of transporting the items to the
venue and setting them up there.
* Check in with your guests to ascertain
who'll be attending. This'll enable you give
a final head count to your caterers.
* Keep checking in with all your vendors.
Keep them abreast of any changes that
may occur.
* Have a meeting with the bridal party for
final dress fittings.
* Reconfirm times with your makeup artist
and hairstylist.
* Make payments to vendors as necessary.
* Consult with the venue management to
determine arrival and clear-up times of
vendors. Communicate with your vendors
as necessary.
* Have your bridal shower!
This is usually hosted by the bridesmaids
and close friends. You may choose to have
a family affair with your groom and his
folks in attendance.
* Start your wedding countdown!
Have fun counting down to your big day.
Pray with your groom for guidance, love,
trust and harmony as you both prepare
for this huge journey. Relax and have fun.
Be thankful and grateful for how far
you've come. Anticipate the life ahead.

2 - 4 MONTHS
* Start your skin treatment sessions.
Many brides neglect this until the very last
minute and expect miracles with the
makeup on the wedding day. Makeup
artists can find this very frustrating. Start
treating your skin and preparing it for the
big day. Watch what you eat and drink
also (this helps overall health and
wellbeing and not just your skin).
* Take your pre-wedding shots.
Visit your photographer for pre-wedding
shots. Choice locations for couples include
beaches, parks and gardens. You may
decide on a theme e.g old-school, nautical,
"village" setting, baking and cooking,
football or and any other kind of sport,
victorian or elizabethan era. Or just wear
matching polo tops. Lol.
* Schedule hair and makeup trials.
Visit your artists to try on different looks
and determine which one you would like
to wear for the trad wedding and the
white wedding.
* Order your souvenirs and other gifts.
Decide what you would like to give your
guests. You may choose a separate kind of
gift for those who purchase aso ebi and
another kind for those who don't. Also
decide what you want to give the bridal
party. Make necessary purchases and send
them to your printer for branding.
* Choose your music and inform your DJ or
band of your choice.
* Meet with your photographer and
videographer.
Give them instructions on the kinds of
shots and angles you would like.
* Meet with your caterers.
Discuss more about the menu and the
timeline for service.
* Meet with your decorator.
Make sure that they understand what you
have in mind for your wedding theme.
* Purchase your undergarments, lingerie
*wink*, and other accessories you've not
purchased prior.
* Finalize the order of ceremony and
reception.
* Proof-read the final draft and send to the
printer.
* Go for dress fittings with your groom
and bridal party.
* Send out the formal invitations.

4 - 6 MONTHS
* Make your wedding announcements.
Send out pre-notice of your wedding to
your guests so they can save the date
pending when you send them the official
invitations.
* Determine and Purchase your oufits,
bridal party's outfits, rings and
accessories.
Now is the time to decide on your gown,
bridesmaids' dresses, groom's suit/tux,
groomsmen's suits/tux, oufits for the little
bride, ring bearer, shoes etc.
Decide whether you want to buy them
ready-made or you want them custom-
sewn for you. Also decide on the design
and colors.
For the trad wedding, this is also the time
to view samples of your aso-oke or lace
and decide on colors and design. Buying
the in advance gives you and your
dressmaker room for fittings where
necessary before the wedding (the
wedding planning period is a roller
coaster period, couples have been known
to lose/gain weight dramatically during
this time).
Also use this period to determine what
kinds of accessories you want. This
includes your veil, hair pieces, hand fan,
purse, beads, boutonneire, corsages,
shoes and every other thing the couple
and bridal party need to look good. It's
also important to start shopping for rings
at this time. Determine where you want to
buy them, the materials you want them
made of, the designs, etc.
* Decide on Aso-ebi.
Choose the design and colors of aso-ebi in
advance. This gives you time to order them
in the quantities you desire without the
disappointment of there not being
enough in stock.
The kind of aso-ebi you'll chose depends
on the caliber of your guests. Also
determine what price you want to set your
aso-ebi at. One means through which
couples raise funds is through the sale of
aso-ebi so you also want to start selling as
early as possible because of this.
Determine if you want to hire a consultant
or you want to assign the duty to a family
member or close friend.
* Reserve hotel rooms and transportation.
Many of your guests will obviously be
coming in from out of town. This is the
period to decide what kind of
accomodation you would like for them
and secure it accordingly. Transportation
for guests to the ceremony and reception
needs also to be secured at this time.
* Select and purchase your wedding
invitations.
Consult with printers to determine the
designs and quantities. Once you've made
your choice, have them printed and sent
out to your guests.
* Meet with the officiants and start
composing the Day-of timeline.
You will need to determine the wedding
timeline for the ceremony and the
reception. Different religious institutions
have their own codexes for wedding
ceremonies. Consult with your officiants to
know how the ceremony is run in your
church or mosque. This will enable you
determine what will be printed in your
programs. Also, use this period to consult
with the Officiant for the trad wedding
and the MC for the reception.
Once your consultations are done, you can
decide on how to print the wedding
programs.
* Make final bookings for the other
vendors. This includes your cateres, your
decorator, your makeup artist,
photographer and others.
* Arrange transportation.
Decide on what kind of vehicles will
convey you and your bridal party to the
venues and secure them as necessary.
* Select and order your cakes.
No we didn't forget. Lol. What's a wedding
without a cake?
By now, you may have decided exactly
how you want your cakes to look. The one
for the trad wedding and the one for the
white wedding. By tradition, a white
wedding cake has four layers; the bottom
layer for guests, the third layer for the
bride's family, the second layer for the
groom's family and the top layer for the
couple. These days the number of layers
varies according to preference. Plus, many
bakers give free cut-out pieces to be
distributed to guests. For the trad
wedding cake, there are a wide variety of
designs to choose from. Consult with your
baker(s) to discuss the designs, sizes and
pricing. Make necessary payments.
* Start planning your honeymoon.
Decide on where you want to spend your
honeymoon. Start making the necessary
arrangements towards it.

Are you planning your own wedding and
need guidelines on how to put things in
order in preparation for your big day? Try
this timeline we put together.
6 MONTHS AND ABOVE.
* Start a wedding folder.
This is the time for you to start collecting
pictures for a variety of ideas on decor,
dress, color scheme, bridesmaids dresses,
cake, makeup etc. The internet has a
plethora of resource on various wedding
elements.
Your folder can be an actual folder or a
virtual folder on your phone, or facebook
page. Or you can create a wedding board
on pinterest.com to pin different ideas
from websites.
* Determine your budget.
Decide what your budget will be. Having
an idea of exactly how much you want to
spend helps you stay disciplined along the
way. Sure you can make provisions for
inflation and unforeseen expenses but try
as much as you can not to stray too much
from your predetermined budget.
* Decide the ratio of budget-sharing.
This is also the time to decide who
contributes what towards all wedding-
spending. In Nigeria, a wedding is a huge
Family Affair. Therefore both sets of
parents, the couple, siblings, extended
family members are all key people in this
step. The important thing is
communication, harmony and
understanding amongst concerned
parties.
* Start the guest list.
Begin putting together the list of people
you would like to have at your wedding.
This can be determined by your budget or
just by your taste. Some people love small,
intimate ceremonies whilst others love to
go all out. Keep in mind that catering for
guests is one item that'll take a HUGE
chunk of your budget so you might want
to determine your guest list based on that.
Another item that'll eat into your budget is
the size and kind of wedding venue. If
you're on a budget, yet want a large guest
list, you may want to consider using a
school field or school hall rather than an
events centre. The former is cheaper.
* Reserve your wedding dates and venues
for both the ceremony and the reception.
One thing that determines wedding dates
in Nigeria is the availability of the venue.
So once you decide what period you
would like to get married in, the very first
step is to secure a venue on your prefered
date! Put into consideration that the venue
for the ceremony shouldn't be very far
from that for the reception. Otherwise
your guests (especially those who don't
have cars) will just head straight for the
reception and skip the beauty of the
ceremony.
* Book the Officiants
This is also the time to book the ceremony
officiants. Your pastor, iman and other
personnel who will be in charge of the
ceremony will need advance notice of their
duties.
Also, for the Traditional wedding, you'll
need to start picking out your Alaga and
other necessary officiants.
* Pick your wedding party.
Now is the time to determine who will be
on the bridal train. Your bridesmaids,
groomsmen, etc will require ample notice
of their duties for a number of reasons.
For one, it has to be decided whether your
wedding date will fit into their schedule.
Also they will need advance notice of
expenses for their outfits to give them
enough time to start saving (lol).
* Hire a wedding planner.
This period is the time to engage the
services of a professional who'll help
organize the vendors. Even if you don't
want a planner, you might still need a
wedding day coordinator to oversee the
smooth running of things.
* Start researching your vendors.
This includes your caterers, decorator,
photographer, videographer, bands, djs,
makeup artist, dressmakers, etc. Get
samples of their works and designs to
help your decisions on whom to choose.
* Start hiring/booking!
You can't start soon enough. Many
vendors require months of notice. You
may decide to use more than one vendor
for each service. For example, a good rule
of thumb is to hire separate caterers for
ethnic meals and another one for
continental/oriental meals. Try not to
cluster too many contracts on one caterer.
This ensures that you don't get
disappointed in many ways. Also you may
need one photographer for the bride and
family and another one for the groom and
family. You may decide to use different
decorators for the ceremony, trad
wedding and reception. Or use just one
and save money. You'll usually need just
one videographer, dj, band, makeup artist,
MC, etc.
* Schedule meetings with your vendors.
This is the time to start discussing menu,
theme for the decoration, music to be
played, makeup look, and othe elements.
Your budget will be your primary guide.
Your tastes and preferences should also
help you. We will write a separate article
on what to discuss with your vendors and
what kinds of questions to ask them. We'll
also write about what kinds of
instructions to give them look out for that
article soon.

Forward your details to me at aprilconcierge.ng@gmail.com and let's see what we can work out for you.

Cheers.

Hi.
Please send an email to aprilconcierge.ng@gmail.com
and we'll give you a full price list with pictures.

We'll also give you a list of other services that come with the package.

Thanks and congrats in advance.