FAQs: Best Wedding Months in Nigeria & Dates to Avoid
What’s the best month to get married in Nigeria?
It depends on what ‘best’ means to you, with regards to what is important to you. For most about-to-wed couples, the best wedding dates in Nigeria are during the Dry Season months of the year (October to March). However, depending on what’s important to you, below are other popular best wedding months in Nigeria, and the reasons why.
a) December: If for you, your best wedding month is when your ‘Abroad Relatives and Friends’ usually visit Nigeria, December it is.
b) End of year: If for you ‘best wedding month’ means the best month when majority of people are off from work (from end-of-year break), then December it is. The CONS here is that December is one of the most expensive times of the year to get married in Nigeria, because every December, the price of everything increases. It’s a festive month and a time when there are the most social activities take place. *If you want a low-budget wedding, avoid December dates.
c) Dry Season Months: If for you ‘best’ means when there’s no rain in Nigeria, then the Dry Season months between October to March are the best months to get married. During the raining seasons, it rains nearly every day, although less frequently during the early rainy season. In Dry Season months, you have the luxury of choosing an outdoor wedding venue or an indoor hall, while you can only use an indoor venue during the rainy season months. It’s not a pretty sight imagining you and your guests getting wet ans ruining your looks, not to talk of guests walking through muddy roads just to get to your event. A rainy day wedding or event is not cool for either the celebrant or guests.
e) During a National/ Public Holiday: For some couples, ‘best wedding date’ is during the National public holidays because they want to be sure that their important guests are off work and available to attend their wedding.
f) When there’s No Public Holidays: If for you ‘best’ means when there’s no public holidays, then avoid these dates – Independence day (October 1), Workers day (May 1), democracy day (June 12), . Some national public holidays are characterized by intense traffic jams, price increase at popular event venues and hotels – all of which could affect your venue budget, as well as the comfort of your guests moving around or affording hotel accommodation.
g) Outside the EMBER Months: The most budget-friendly (or cheapest) wedding months in Nigeria fall outside of the EMBER Months (September to December) and also fall outside of the end-of-the year and beginning-of-the-year. In Nigeria, historically, end and start of the year are the months when (historically) the cost of food, venues and nearly everything is on the rise. The EMBER months are historically the peak weddings and Festive months, and also a time when event vendors are most-booked and they raise their prices during these EMBER months. If you are planning a cheap wedding, avoid these months: EMBER months (September to December), and beginning or the year (January to February). *You also want to avoid the Rainy Season months for obvious reasons. *Therefore, the cheapest months to get married in Nigeria are between March to August.
What dates should I avoid for weddings in Nigeria?
Nigerians are very religious, it’s advised to be respectful of you/ your target guests religious events when setting your wedding date. If majority of your guest are Christians, avoid choosing a wedding date that falls within the major Christian events. Similarly, if most of your guests are Muslims, avoid fixing your wedding on dates that clash with major events of their religion.
Major Christian Events and Holidays to Avoid When Setting a Wedding Date:
- Lent season (during Christian annual 40-day Fasting period)
- Ash Wednesday
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
Major Muslim Dates and Holidays:
- Ramadan season (during Muslim fasting)
- Eid al-Fitr
Major Family Event or Bereavement Date
Aside from the major religious event dates, you should avoid setting your wedding on any major family remembrance date, especially dates around remembrance of a bereavement (such as death). You may want to ask you/ your fiancé’s family to confirm that your desired wedding date does not clash with such dates.
Another type of date to avoid is a parent’s (bride’s or groom’s, or grandparents’) wedding anniversary or major birthday that they usually celebrate. You don’t want to appear to steal their shine by fixing your own wedding on their day.
Recap and Conclusion
Deciding on a wedding date is not as easy as it sounds. Although there are 365 days in a year to choose from, picking the best wedding date is not that easy. You need to think about the right weather and season, availability of the other people involved, your budget, the amount of time required to plan it, cheaper months or days of the week and a whole lot of other stuff.
I explained how it’s important to pick a date with the least conflicts and when your most important guests and preferred venue/vendors are available. You also need to fix it when you have saved up enough money and within a timeframe that is enough to plan the wedding.
I also told you the most popular day of the week (Saturday) and also the most popular month of the year (December) to get married in Nigeria, the cost implications and how to cut down costs if you either way. I explained how a wedding date can affect the overall cost of the wedding.
If it’s fixed during the November-December rush season, that’s a time when things are more expensive in Nigeria and that causes an increase in how much you require for food and drinks, and venue budget; If you pick a Saturday at an in-demand/ high-class hotel wedding venue, that’s when their event halls are mostly booked (peak) and so they charge higher rates then.
Finally, I touched on other points as well. I hope this post helps you decide on the best wedding date. Be sure to review all the points in detail by reading the post again, and making a personal note.
There you have it on everything you need to think about when fixing a wedding date. Thanks for reading. If you like this post, I’d appreciate if you help me share it on social media.
Have you fixed your wedding date already? Let me know how you went about deciding on your wedding date. Is there any point you think I should have added? Also, share your wedding date down below and tell me why you picked that day. Anyhow, comment down below to tell me and let’s get the discussion popping!
Very comprehensive approach to wedding planning. Would love to give feedback directly please share an email
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This article is helpful. I think it’s better I have 2 or 3 people to work with me as I plan for my wedding. Thanks a lot.
I’m glad you found this article helpful, Michael.
That’s a good idea – that’s what I always advise couples to do. You need a team to plan a wedding, whether you plan it in-house or hire professional planners. I explained more on posts where I shared how to make an in-house wedding planning team and how to delegate wedding tasks.
All the best.