NaijaWed N More

Aso-ebi Outfit of the Week

2012-01-03T15:05:00.000-05:00

I haven't seen an ankara outfit as a jumper, EVER. But this is SO cute! Not sure where I'd where it but I'm sure I could find some place. Enjoy!!

Aso-ebi Outfit of the Week

2011-12-27T15:02:00.000-05:00

If this isn't sophisticated, I don't know what is. I love the sleeves and the dress adds the right amount of sexiness. Enjoy!

I don't know where I got this picture from, but if it's yours, let me know and I'll give you credit.

Vendor Review: AlexK Events

2011-12-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

AlexK Events

Bride's Grade: A/Groom's Grade: A-

One of the must haves of must haves on a wedding day is day of coordinator (DOC).

I know that some feel it may not be in their budget, but it was the ONE thing that gave me peace of mind on the day of the wedding. If it's not in your budget, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE (for the love of God) use someone that you trust who will do it for free.

Kim of AlexK Events was an old college friend that I found out was now planning weddings on the side and decided to have her day of coordination for my wedding.

Starting 3 months out, she was there every step of the way. We had several meetings to discuss what needed to be done on the day of and reviewed things with the venue prior to the wedding day.

The day before the wedding she helped to coordinate the wedding rehearsal and the setup of the reception.

On the day of the wedding she was extremely instrumental in keeping everything organized. Being that this was her first Nigerian wedding, I told her that things could get REALLY crazy but she kept things in order even when things went a-rye with my caterer and didn't miss a beat.

I was so grateful to her being there and keeping everything together that I don't know what I would have done without her. I would recommend her to anyone!!

Wedding Recap, Part I - Wedding Weekend

2011-12-21T22:25:00.000-05:00

And let the detailed recaps begin....

Thursday, October 6

I woke up early to head over to Kinko's to get the ceremony programs and table numbers cut to size. It was a little hectic as I had to call 3 Kinko centers before heading there because either the center didn't have an electric machine cutter or they were too busy to do the job. Thankfully, the gentleman at the Kinko's I went to was very accommodating and did everything I needed. Unfortunately, I got some VERY bad news from the caterer by finding out that I actually had no chafing (warming) dishes for the food for the wedding. Finding this out was VERY stressful just 3 days before the wedding. I'll give more detail about this situation during my review of the caterer, but moving on.

I also picked up one of my bridesmaids on Thursday. Because I thought I had all the time in the world, I actually decided to take her bridal dress shopping for the majority of the day.

*Tip: Never underestimate the amount of time you have leading up to the day of the wedding.

After going bridal dress shopping, we stopped by my mother's home to drop off her reception dress that needed to be fitted. My mother was the one who made her dress, so she just needed to fit it closer to her body before the wedding.

After a long day, we made it back to my house at close to 10p. We stayed up to around 2a to put together the 105 ceremony programs and do a few of the 40 (we had 2 copies of each table number per table) table numbers that needed to be put together.

Friday, October 7

I woke up early again so I could start working on the table numbers. I got through a few more before my bridesmaid woke up and we needed to head out and pick up one of my friends from the airport. Initially, I was suppose to take my friend bridal dress shopping as well, but my bridesmaid convinced me that there wasn't enough time to work on DIY stuff AND go bridal dress shopping, so we nixed the shopping. After picking my friend up from the airport, I stopped by a floral shop to pick up 3 dozen roses for my DIY bouquet and toss bouquet then headed home to work on more last minute stuff.

With another hand on deck, we were able to finish the table numbers, sangria drink favors, and the ceremony arch (that unfortunately didn't get used, more on that later). It was another long day to finish last minute things, but thankfully, it got done. You can see the table numbers and sangria drink favors (with cork in the top) in use at the wedding.

At around 8p, my coordinator came by to help while I headed over to my hair stylist's house to get my braids put in. She actually helped to cut the majority of the fruit that was served during the cocktail hour (THANK GOD!!!). The style of braids that I actually put in is called interlocking (some call it treebraids) which only took a couple of hours.

Saturday, October 8

This day was going to be more busy than any other day. Everything was planned so well in my head, but it didn't really work out. This was the plan:

Rent a Uhaul for all of our decorations and rentals
Deliver it to the venue
Head to the wedding party luncheon
Go back to the venue for our wedding rehearsal and reception setup by 2p

The first thing that went wrong was that the Uhaul center was actually LATE in opening the store. My husband and I got there 5 minutes before they opened and when it came time to open the doors at 10a, no one was there. I was really SHOCKED that no one was there to open the store. Saying that I was livid would be an understatement, however, I tried to restrain myself from strangling someone. Someone did eventually come, but it was 10:30a before we got the Uhaul, throwing my day off by 30 precious minutes.

Source

After we got the Uhaul, we headed to the party rental store (thankfully, it was only 5 mins away) to pick up the chafing dishes (that were ordered 3 days before the wedding), glasses, and plates to be used for the buffet during the reception. We also were able to pick up the decorations that were being stored at my house, however, we were now running late to head to the wedding party luncheon which was to begin at 11:30a. At first, I tried to push it to 12p. When it got to be 11:30a, I went ahead and cancelled the wedding party luncheon altogether as there was no way that we would be able to get the Uhaul to the venue and drive to the luncheon by 12p. I was disappointed that my plans were not working out as I thought they would but it released some of the stress of the day.

We actually ended up arriving at the venue by 12:30p to drop off the decorations and decided to go ahead and start off loading everything from the truck. My husband, the event manager, along with the best man were taking things off the truck while I was discussing things with my coordinator who was going over last minute details with the venue staff. Unfortunately, the ceremony arch that we spent SO MUCH time building was destroyed in transit. We were unable to use the arch at all, but ultimately decided to take the flowers off the arch and put them in vases for the ceremony.

I requested a few of my hostesses, as well as my bridesmaids to help with setup on that day. So, we were able to get the reception setup done in 2 - 3 hours. After we setup the reception, all the bridesmaids and a few guests were suppose to head over to the bachelorette party.

I was informed by my in-laws, as well as my parents that my husband and I were expected to appear at separate dinners that the families were having at this time (who has time for that the day before the wedding). I was quite miffed at the fact that both families decided to have separate dinners that I wasn't informed about until the last minute to appear at. You would think that either family would have tried to find out what everyone's plans were to try and coordinate. Instead, everyone wanted to plan their own thing and just expect us to show up as if we had NOTHING else to do the day before the wedding.

REALLY?!?

At the end of the day, I showed up at my parent's house for 15 minutes, in which, they weren't even ready to entertain anyone. When I showed up at my in-laws home, they actually had all the pastors of the local church along with several family members ready to pray over us. My husband and I were very thankful of all the prayers that we received that evening.

I was finally able to head over to the bachelorette party by 9p were my sister (who unfortunately wasn't in town yet due to delayed flights and didn't arrive until 10:30p) had set up my spa night. While there, I got my mani/pedi, and a massage which was SO needed. I had a GREAT time at my bachelorette spa night, talking, chit chatting, and all that jazz.

I eventually headed home at about 12:30a in preparation for one of the biggest days of my life.

Aso-ebi Outfit of the Week

2011-12-20T14:58:00.000-05:00

I think some of you may remember when I was having my reception dress debacle and I considered doing my dress in a style VERY similar to this. I'm quite happy that I chose not to (as well of those of you who voted against) do my dress in this style as this is WAY too much, even for me.

Source

Aso-ebi Outfit of the Week

2011-12-13T14:55:00.000-05:00

So, I'm not big on the pink "X" in the front but I LOVE the ruffles. And of course, I'm all about the mermaid style of dress. I've yet to get a black African outfit in my arsenal and should really make efforts to do so. Enjoy!

Source

Vendor Review: Keith Hammock Photography

2011-12-09T12:21:00.000-05:00

Keith Hammock Photography

Bride's Grade: A+/Groom's Grade: A+

This BY FAR, was the best decision my husband and I made for the wedding! After booking our venue 2 months after we got engaged, we began setting up appointments to meet with photographers.

*FYI: I researched over 300 photographers for 6 months before choosing a photographer (what can I say...I'm thorough). When I'd gotten down to 10 photographers I liked, I actually showed the websites to my husband to narrow down who we'd like to meet which became 3 photographers.

Keith was the second photographer that we'd met in the 3 that we were going to interview. Keith lives in Macon but was willing to meet us halfway for the meeting which we were so happy about. When we met with Keith, we asked him key questions, including if he'd ever photographed an African wedding in which he stated that this would be his first if we chose him. He also showed us the albums he creates and informed us of what type of equipment he uses.

We didn't feel pressured at all and he let us know that we had plenty of time to make a decision. We signed with him 2 weeks later.

We planned on having our engagement session in late spring and we actually received our CD of pictures within a week of the session. The pictures turned out phenomenal.

We looked forward to our wedding day in which 2 weeks before the wedding day, I provided him a detailed timeline of the day, as well as some must-have shots. On the day of the wedding, he came EARLY with his wife Flecia, who assisted him in taking photos. He made sure to get the photos on the list (or at least ask if I still wanted to take the photo) and seemed to be getting pictures of everything.

At the end, I received almost 1500 photos, as well as 30 retouched photos. I am more than pleased with his work and will recommend him to anyone who will hear. He went above and beyond for us and I thank him for it.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-08T22:09:00.001-05:00

Out of everyone w!ho took the quiz, only 2 people got all of the answers right.

Our giveaway winner is

RUTH!!!

I've emailed you and hope to hear from you regarding where to send your gift.

Aso-ebi Outfit of the Week

2011-12-06T14:44:00.000-05:00

Now THIS here is right up my alley. The so ever popular one shoulder with the different layers AND it's asymmetrical. Some would say this has too much going on but this would be perfect for me. Enjoy!

Source

Aso-ebi Outfit of the Week

2011-11-29T16:39:00.000-05:00

I wish outfits like this would look this good on me, but I tend to notice that I look better with form fitting outfits. Nevertheless, this is VERY cute and I might try this style anyways. Enjoy!!

Source

Giveaway Reminder!

2011-11-29T14:35:00.001-05:00

Don't forget that I have the My Wedding Giveaway going!

You have a chance to win a $25 Visa Gift Card!

Click here to access the REALLY quick quiz.

Good luck!

Wedding Quiz Giveaway

2011-11-22T17:45:00.001-05:00

So I mentioned some months ago that I didn't want to clue you into everything during the planning stages because I was going to have a giveway. Now that the wedding is over and you've seen a few aspects, here's your chance at the giveaway.

I'm going to ask a few questions that relate to my wedding and if you paid attention to the last few posts, you will have the answers for it.

*If you are viewing this through you're GoogleFeed, you must go to the website to complete the quiz*

Based on the most correct answers, a winner will be chosen. If there is a tie, the winner will be drawn at random using random.org. And one more stipulation....you must be a follower of the blog either through Facebook or Google.

The winner will receive a $25 Visa Gift Card and it must be completed by November 29, 11:59p. Good luck!!!

Real Wedding: Kelechi and Tayo

2011-11-17T13:38:00.000-05:00

When I asked what type of wedding recap followers would prefer, it was split pretty closely between a play by play of the day and a detailed interview like the real wedding features. So, I've decided to do both. I'll give a short interview like features I do for other brides and then a more detailed wedding recap.

I will say that my wedding day is more than I could ever imagine. It's been six weeks and people are still talking about certain elements that were very unique and had never been seen before. I'm glad that I could do something that was memorable and not just another wedding. The vision that I had for this wedding really came to fruition.

1. How did the two of you meet?

We actually met at a singles forum that my church was having. I was an executive officer of the singles group so, of course, I was expected to be there. Although we met there, we were casual friends for a full year before he asked me for my phone number.

2. Tell us about your proposal?

Although we discussed about marriage and I knew that he would propose, I didn't know when it would be. He took me to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Copeland's. When we walked back to the car, he asked me to open the glove compartment and lo and behold, there was a ring box. I was pretty much speechless after that as he proposed. Of course, I said YES!

3. Who planned your wedding?

Me, myself, and I. I didn't have a coordinator until 3 months before the wedding and she was helping to coordinate the day mostly as opposed to finding vendors, etc.,

4. What was the design inspiration for your wedding?

I have to say that my vision of the day changed a couple of times. Initially, I wanted something very retro based on circles (like confetti, paper lanterns, etc.,) but I came across the idea of incorporating peacock feathers in the wedding, and that became what the theme of the wedding was based on. I also wanted something very vintage, but urban like.

5. Tell us about finding your wedding dress.

I probably tried on over 100 dresses. What I envisioned was something that was a mermaid fit that had ruching, ruffles, beading, and lace. It was a tall order to find all of those things on one dress. I eventually settled on Cosmobella 7413, but when I went to order at the bridal salon, they told me they were discontinuing the color I wanted. Therefore, I ended up having it custom made to fit and it's GORGEOUS!

6. How does being a West African bride differ from being an American bride?

I think it differs because of the cultural aspects involved. I think being a West African bride is a choice more than anything. Being an American bride doesn't have any cultural aspects tied to it. I could have chosen not to embrace any of the mandatory traditions that come with my family's heritage but out of respect for my parents, I chose to complete many of the required aspects.

7. Did you do anything out of the ordinary or non-traditional?

There were several things that we did that would be considered out of the ordinary/non-traditional. We didn't have our ceremony in a church. We chose to have the ceremony and reception in the same location. The ceremony was outside in the garden and the reception was inside a historical mansion. During the ceremony, instead of doing the unity candle ceremony, we did something called the wine box ceremony.

8. Did you have a budget? Do you care to share what it was? Did you go over your budget or stay under budget?

We definitely had a budget. Without saying the exact number, our original budget was 21% less than what the average cost of wedding is in the U.S. for approximately 200 (average number of wedding guests in the U.S. is 130). Unlike most couples, we considered our rings and honeymoon to be part of our budget. When all is said and done, we went over that original budget by 16%. If I don't include our rings and honeymoon, our original budget would be 29% less than the national average and we would actually be under budget by 1%. I would attribute the overage to the original budget to last minute unforeseen details such as having to rent chafing dishes 3 days before the wedding and then underestimating the cost of chair rentals.

9. What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

The biggest thing I did to save money was doing a lot of the items myself including printing all the stationary and bringing in the decorations. Being a DIY bride isn't for everybody but I was willing to give up my time to make the wedding I wanted happen, especially since I'm highly particular. Because I'm a nerd like that, I've calculated how much I actually saved and what was spent is about 35% less than what it would have cost if I had paid to have someone else do it.

10. What was your biggest splurge?

My biggest splurge by far was the venue as it was 25% over my venue budget, but it was worth it as it was unique and different from what most people would use for a wedding.

11. What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding?

Reconcile your dream wedding with your budget. My dream wedding would have cost almost double the national average, but I definitely didn't have that kind of money. We picked what was most important to us and put the majority of money towards that.
Pick 3 - 4 things that are most important and put money towards that. Our most important items were the venue, photography/videography, and food. After that, everything is not as important, therefore, don't spend as much money on it.
Take a few minutes and think about the last wedding you attended. What do you actually remember about it? Not much, huh. Think about that when you decide to spend extra $$$ on patterned tablecloths or personalized napkins. Most guests only remember 4 things (whether it's bad or good): The food, the venue, the music, and organization.
Find ways to make it happen within your budget. Do you REALLY want chargers at each place setting? I did. I was able to find some chargers for cheap but they were the wrong color. So guess what I did, I spraypainted them the right color and cost me less than going out to buy them.
Make sure you and your fiance are a united front, especially if you're paying for your wedding. My husband and I paid for our wedding ourselves without help from our parents and many people tried to circumvent my ideas, suggestions, requirements, etc., by trying to talk to my now husband. When he informed them that what they were told is what stands, people quickly figured out that they weren't going to be able to get their way.

12. Who were your vendors?

Ceremony/Reception Venue: Callanwolde Arts Center
Photographer: Keith Hammock Photography
Videographer: D & R Films
Caterer: Taste of Africa, tasteofafrica25 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Day of Coordinator: AlexK Events
Makeup Artist: Shay Ashmon Artistry - shayashmon [at] yahoo [dot] com
DJ: The Smart DJ
Chair Rentals: Atlanta Event Rentals
Tableware Rentals: RSVP Rentals

And there it is! Very soon, I'll be doing a play by play of the day, as well as vendor reviews to help out other brides. The planning process was tedious, stressful, and created lots of anxiety for me, but now that it's over, I can definitely say it was worth it. I'm glad that I stuck to the majority of my guns for this and I hope that other West African brides can see that doing things a little different can definitely be done and still come out with a glorious day!

Wedding Video: Kelechi and Tayo

2011-11-10T12:48:00.000-05:00

So, just a few more days and I'll post pictures from the wedding. It's been difficult to pick pictures as my photographer took SO many good pictures.

Not to be outdone is my videographer, D&R Films. I looked at so many videographers (over a 100) and what he presented was the BEST! I love his work! I'll get more into my review of him later, but for now enjoy the short trailer!

*The password is drfilms1

Kelechi + Omotayo Teaser 10.09.11 from D&RFilms on Vimeo.

The Single Longest Undertaking....

2011-11-08T13:39:00.000-05:00

was all of the stationary for my wedding. All in all it actually took me a full year to get all the stationary designed and printed.

In deciding to be a DIY bride, I initially decided that I would design and print all of the stationary myself when I came across a posting on one of my favorite wedding websites, WeddingBee, about a graphic designer looking to build her portfolio and was willing to design ALL stationary for a bride.

I quickly responded to her posting and started getting several designs completed for everything paper related for the wedding which included the invitations, programs, monograms, table numbers, signs, etc., Although she designed everything, I still printed and assembled everything on my own. I actually intend on providing a full review of the service when I further discuss my vendors, but for now, here's a look at all of the items together.

Invitations:
I wanted something that wouldn't cost me an arm and leg to mail in postage, therefore, I decided to create a business letter size accordion style invitation, but I had to make sure the invitation would still be large enough to include all the information since there wouldn't be any additional inserts. Therefore, I had the invitation created on 8.5 x 14 linen cardstock then to give it a little more color, I had the edges covered with teal blue cardstock.

This is what it looked like put together and closed.

Below is a picture of the closed invitation and the belly band I created to hold the invitation together. The monogram on the belly band was created by the graphic designer and says "Kelechi and Omotayo, 10.9.2011"

The wording for the main body of the invitation was this:

Philia.Eros.Agape

An answered prayer he is to me, my greatest blessing she'll always be

And so this day we'll pledge our love, in front of family, friends, and God above
Kelechi Michelle ******
and
Omotayo Oladejo ******
Together with their parents

Request the pleasure of your company

To celebrate love, happiness, and joy of their marriage

Callanwolde Arts Center

980 Briarcliff Avenue

Atlanta, Georgia 30306

Sunday, October ninth, two thousand eleven

half past four o' clock in the afternoon prompt
Seating begins at quarter til four o'clock

Reception to immediately follow

Strictly Invitation Only

Click on picture to view larger

The left side includes our accommodations and registry information with the right side including our RSVP information and directions to the venue.

On my invitation, I got flack for one thing (which no one ever told me, but heard through the grapevine) which was that we didn't include either of our parents' names on the invitation. We opted to say "Together with our parents". I chose not to include their names mainly because my mother wasn't supportive of neither myself or my husband and according to culture, our families were already joined with the completion of the traditional wedding. My husband and I paid for the entire wedding ourselves and felt that the wedding was a representation of US, not our parents. My husband's parents were indifferent as to whether or not it was there.

Table Numbers:

To avoid having to get a bunch of different designs for a menu and reception program, I created a trifold table number where one side had the table number, the second side had the menu, and the third side had the reception program. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a picture of the third side.

Ceremony Programs:

The ceremony programs were a 6 page fan program which included the wedding party information, program for the ceremony, words to the hymn, and our wine box ceremony

There were also signs and a seating chart made, however, they didn't get to be utilized during the wedding. I'll give more on that story later.

But what do you think of all the stationary?

Répondez S'il Vous Plaît

2011-11-01T14:30:00.000-04:00

or better known as R.S.V.P.

One thing that was of MAJOR importance to mean for this wedding was enforcing the concept of R.S.V.P.

Source

For most Americans or those who have lived in the U.S. for a number of years are very aware of the concept of R.S.V.P., however, when it comes to most Nigerians (even those who are very aware of this concept) it becomes a foreign thing when requested to do so for a wedding.

I mean, is it really that hard? If this was an American wedding, Nigerian guests would have R.S.V.P'd with no problem, but because they know it's a Nigerian wedding, all of sudden, "it can't be done". Of course, the bride and groom (or the parents of) should ALWAYS know that you'll attend their events (Really? I should just assume that you have nothing else to do with your day, so you'll ALWAYS come to any event that you're invited to). In this day and age with harder economic times, you'd think others would be more considerate (but I guess it's never like that when it's not your money being spent), but I digress.

I offered my invited guests 2 different ways to be able to R.S.V.P:

Online through our wedding website
Phone through voicemail service

I offered 2 different methods because I knew that we would have guests that aren't as internet savvy as others, therefore, the option to call and leave a message was also available.

I impressed upon my mother, as well as my husband's family to inform people that the wedding was invitation only and that RSVPs were required. Of course, my and my husband's friends were the first to get their R.S.V.Ps in. I sent emails, texts, and facebook messages to every guest that I could to try my best to ensure that we would get people to do this.

And while many did, there were many that did not. The reason that I required R.S.V.P. is because I was implementing a seating chart for the reception, therefore, I would need to know who and who was not attending. By the day of the wedding, there were several people who had to wait to be seated (as opposed to being able to go right in with guests who had reserved their seats) because they forgot to R.S.V.P. As far as I know, we also had at least 5 crashers who were able to get seats due to guests who R.S.V.P'd but didn't show up (which I calculate to be at least 7 people).

This BY FAR, was the one thing that caused alot of headache and stress. However, all in all, I would do it again. What about you? As an African bride, would you implement R.S.V.P.ing at your wedding?

Wedding Video - Kemi and Grant

2011-10-28T11:35:00.000-04:00

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this video!!! The song being played throughout is the song I may use for my video trailer when it's created. Enjoy!!!

Loudbyte Cinematography Presents So Beautiful Wedding Movie Trailer from Loudbyte Cinematography on Vimeo.

Precious....My Precious

2011-10-27T11:41:00.000-04:00

While planning for my wedding, I've tried my best to make sure that I plan for my marriage.

After the ceremony, the party, the dress, the food.........all of that....what will be left is my husband to be, myself, and our marriage. We both feel we have taken the necessary steps to prepare for our marriage and one of the main things that will symbolize our marriage is our rings.

Now, my fiance and I are a little different when it comes to most things and the design of our wedding bands was no different.

There was no way that either of us were going to get a simple band nor were we going to try to get something that was over the top. With the ideas that we had in our heads, we knew we were going to have to go custom.

My fiance wanted something that really had meaning to him. One of our favorite movies is the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We have all the movies including the extended versions (call us geeks, if you want...LOL). As a semi tribute to the film, we got him his own version of "The Ring To End Them All".

We choose to get him a titanium ring as he has nickel allergies and can't wear most gold rings so all we had to do was find somewhere to get it engraved. Enter Titanium Era.

We were able to order an engravable titanium ring that would be of our choosing. Because of the association with Lord of the Rings, we were able to choose the exact font (Aelfa from Dafont) and the exact words we wanted engraved. The words he choose were Faith, Hope, Love, Friendship......in Gaelic.

In Gaelic, those same words are Creideamh Dochas Gra Cairdeas. He loves it and so do I. It's so him.

As for my ring, it was a little more intensive.

I wanted something that I could wear without my engagement ring if I felt like it. I wanted something with flourishes/swirls and yellow sapphires throughout. I knew for what I wanted that I would have to go custom as well. Enter Daniel M Jewelry. This is a husband and wife team that will design ANYTHING you want in jewelry. I had some ideas of what I wanted and they brought it to life. Each flourish is alternated with diamonds and yellow sapphires.

After I got it, I questioned whether I got too much of a ring, but the ring is SO me and am completely happy with it. Now I get to wear it full time!

What do you think? Would you go the custom route to make sure you get what you want?

Look For Less: Romona Keveza/Allure

2011-10-26T11:34:00.000-04:00

I almost missed this month's Look For Less. This month's look for less is a simple silhouette with some beading.

Not everyone needs to have beading, embroidery, straps, etc., on their dress. Sometimes, less is more.

Romona Keveza L257 (~$3500)

Allure 2500 ($1000)

David's Bridal KP3265 ($549)

If there is a Look for Less that you're interested in seeing, feel free to contact me.

Love Shoot - Dami and Niyi

2011-10-25T10:56:00.000-04:00

This couple REALLY loves each other! Enjoy!!

Photography by Collins Metu

What Type of Wedding Recaps?

2011-10-12T14:26:00.000-04:00

So, as I get back into the swing of things, I would love to know what type of recaps you would prefer to see.

I've seen some blogs do a strictly picture recap with no background information and then some bloggers do a play by play of the entire day.

I'm sure you've noticed that with some of the real weddings that I've showcased, I've given a little bit of background information about their wedding based on the view of the bride, but which would you like to see. Below is a poll that will help me decide which type of recap to give.

Olufemi (Abo) - Tishawn and Osie

2011-10-12T11:24:00.000-04:00

This girl's gele is out of this world. I wonder who did it.....Enjoy!!!

Photography by WalePhotos

If you'd like to see more photos of this traditional engagement, click here.

It's Been Almost A Month........

2011-10-11T18:23:00.000-04:00

since I posted something to my blog. Please forgive me. I never knew how much time (or lack there of) I would have when it came to the last few weeks before the wedding.

Thanks to all who have been patient cause guess what?

I'M MARRIED

Of course recaps and vendor reviews are coming, but to hold you over, here is a picture taken by a friend of mine at the wedding.

Look For Less: La Sposa/Maggie Sottero/Casablanca

2011-09-14T11:26:00.004-04:00

Recently, DollChic contacted about seeing a Look for Less for the Maggie Sottero Shaylyn. I was really sure if she meant that she wanted to see what would be the more expensive look for Maggie Sottero or what would be another dress that was less than Maggie Sottero.

Maggie Sottero was a more cost efficient line in previous years, but as of late, their dress have begun retailing for at least $1200 - $2500, which, in my eyes, isn't so cost efficient. However, it's certainly more cost efficient than a Lazaro, Vera Wang, or Priscilla of Boston gown.

So, for this particular gown, I found a more expensive version, as well as a version that is less than the Maggie Sottero. Enjoy!!!

La Sposa Sena = ~$2500

Maggie Sottero Shaylyn = ~$1,400

Casablanca 1999 = ~$850

If there's a Look for Less that you are interested in seeing, contact me.

Real Wedding Feature: John and Joy, Part II

2011-09-02T13:33:00.000-04:00

We continue with our wedding feature from yesterday of John and Joy.

6. How does being a West African bride differ from being an American bride?
It differs significantly. First of all, respect is a HUGE thing in the West African culture. My parents always told me they'd pay for my traditional engagement ceremony so I had no expectations of them paying for the white wedding. They did however get a nice chunk of the wedding guest list as is customary. My parents for the most part were quite laid back about the planning process so that really helped. Being a West African bride means knowing that you'll have LOADS of Uncles and Aunties you don't know but who are genuinely there to celebrate and wish you well. Also, from watching a lot of the American shows, I have seen where brides and their mothers argue. While it is OK to disagree, as a West African bride, I could disagree but within reason. There were no shouting matches.

7. Did you do anything out of the ordinary or non-traditional?
Instead of doing a bouquet/garter toss, we decided to go without a garter and give my bouquet to a couple in attendance who had been married the longest and we had them give us some advise on the secrets to a lasting marriage.

8. Did you have a budget? Do you care to share what it was? Did you go over your budget or stay under budget?
Yes we did have a budget. We more than doubled the budget when all was said and done but that is primarily because we did not account for other expenses relating to our Nigerian ceremony, clothes, travel expenses and our wedding bands in the original budget.

9. What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
I did the wedding programs, the flower girls baskets, the sashes, the table numbers, the menu cards, the favor boxes, the rhinestones on the buckles, the pew pomanders, the unity candles, and the signature photo frame. Saved a ton of money that way.

10. What was your biggest splurge?
Our biggest splurge was our photographer. He did a FABULOUS job!

11. What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding?
Plan ahead, don't sweat the small stuff and remember its your day! Be happy...happiness is infectious! If you're happy and dancing on the dance floor, other people will see that and want to join in.

If you'd like to have your wedding featured here on Naijawed N More, click on Submit Your Wedding or contact me.