#19. Serve Finger Foods to Minimize Complaining from Guests: 2-in-1 Nigerian wedding receptions can sometimes bore guests, and some tend to drag for hours (which you should avoid). Guests will complain about timings, and serving finger foods in-between program switch from trad to white wedding reception will keep guests refreshed and not-so-hungry before the real ITEM #7 (food time).
This doesn’t have to be expensive small chops like samosa and spring rolls – small-sized puff puff and buns PLUS the sliced wedding cake will do. If you want to save money by doing your own wedding finger foods/ small chops in-house, these video tutorials will help you learn how:
- How to Make Party Doughnuts from Scratch (with a recipe for 100 pieces)
- How to Make Crispy Samosa at Home (with a recipe for 100 pieces)
- How to Make Crispy Spring Rolls at Home (with a recipe for 100 pieces)
#20. Ensure Availability of Enough Toilets/ Convenience Rooms Before Settling for a Venue: Ensure that the venue you rent has an adequate number of functional toilets so that your guests don’t leave the venue looking for where to ease themselves. Read our tips on what to look for in a wedding venue, to know everything the perfect event venue should have.
- RELATED: Latest Iro and Buba Styles
- 7 Modern Idoma Bride and Groom Traditional Wedding Attire Styles
- Gorgeous Niger-Delta Traditional Wedding Attire for Couples
- Stunning Igbo Grooms Shirt and George Wrapper Cultural Attire Styles
- Latest Aso-oke Designs and Colours for Yoruba Brides and Grooms
FORMAT 2 & SAMPLE PROGRAM: Traditional Engagement in the Morning and White Wedding in the Afternoon (Program Timeline)
Most Nigerian churches fix weddings in the morning, and that makes it convenient for a couple to fix the trad engagement and all-in-one reception in the afternoon. But some couples have had it the other way – church wedding in the afternoon or early evening.
If that’s going to be the case for you and you plan to have both the white and trad wedding on the same day, then it means you should fix the traditional engagement in the morning. With that saying, your program of activities will also be similar to the one above (for a white wedding in the morning and trad’ in the afternoon) – simply switch the timings in the program checklist above.
It is also important to get the time-consuming traditional marriage rites (bride price and engagement list settlement) out of the way in advance.
Why You Should Settle The Bride Price Before The Wedding Day
When planning a 2-in-1 Nigerian wedding (with a combined traditional and white wedding reception on the same day), it is important that the entire event does not last too long. Setting the bride price and engagement list in advance is an effective way to cut down the event time. Let that one be strictly within the family members that must be there (no friends needed). You should target to have not more than twelve people there (from both the bride and groom’s family side).
- RELATED: Grooms’ Introduction and Traditional Marriage Planning Guides
- Yoruba Bride Price and Traditional Engagement Lists
- Igbo Bride Price and Engagement List
- Edo (Eshan) Traditional Engagement List
So, if you want to have both weddings on the same day, get the bride price payment settled day(s) or weeks before the wedding day or early in the morning before or during church or court wedding: Get the customary marriage rites settlement (engagement list and bride price) out of the way early, to avoid it stretching to the event time. You don’t have to invite guests to this one. It should be a low-key, intimate affair, with only close family members that need to be there (as this is not a party).
If the engagement list and bride price have not been previously settled, schedule for this to take place before the reception; while the court wedding is going on. That way, you don’t have to bore guests with what most will not be interested in – especially as engagement list and bride price settlement only require close members of both bride and groom’ s family.
So, the court wedding and engagement list/ bride price payment happen will simultaneously, with the couple and a few close friends at the court and the parents at the reception venue overseeing the trad proceedings.
Another reason to settle the bride price and list in advance is that some churches in Nigeria do not allow same-day trad and white wedding, because they want proof of bride price payment before approving the couple for a church wedding date. In that case, simply settle the bride price ahead of time (without any party) and present the proof to your church/ worship house. The reception party should be scheduled at a later date on the same day as the white wedding so that you can plan to have both receptions in one day and the same place.
Why Couples Choose to Have Both Traditional and White Wedding On Same Day (Combined Wedding Reception)
Some couples who are not sure whether having a combined wedding reception (‘for trad and white) is right for them often ask: ‘what are reasons why some people fix both their traditional and white wedding on the same day?’
The answer is simple: Due to the bad economy and lack of good jobs, many couples in Nigeria have to cut down wedding expenses. Since Nigerians typically have multiple types of wedding ceremonies, with the minimum being two types involving the ‘mandatory’ customary traditional engagement and additional court registry or religious wedding ceremony.
The usual way is to schedule each type of wedding on a separate date and also have a reception party after. A typical Nigerian wedding has hundreds of guests, and ‘the more the merrier’ is the order of the day.
These days, most couples are having to fund their weddings on their own, without the financial support of parents – unlike the good old days. The financial implication of multiple weddings and reception are not affordable for most of today’s young couples in Nigeria. Hence the need for a way to cut down costs by having all your two Nigerian weddings (traditional and white) on the same day.
While saving money is the reason why most couples choose to have their weddings this way, for others, the reason is to avoid stress. Some couples simply want to reduce wedding planning stress. Some couples feel they feel that planning one wedding alone is already stressful, and does not want to go through that a second time.
MORE WEDDING PLANNING GUIDES:
- How to Plan a Nigerian Wedding in 3 Months or Less
- Checklist for Planning a Nigerian Wedding in 6 Months
- How to Deal with Stress and Anxiety During Wedding Planning
Is a Same-Day Nigerian Traditional and White Wedding For You?
The benefits of having a combined wedding reception by fixing the same date for both the white and traditional wedding are immense for both the couple, their family members and friends. It’s a win-win for all – one wedding party means less travel stress and related cost for everyone; friends of the couple also save money from buying only one set of gifts, one set of aso-ebi. The couple saves more money in the process. That’s all on this topic. If you enjoyed reading, please help someone else see this post by sharing it on social media.
So, what do you think about doing both traditional and white wedding on the same day, and having a combined wedding reception? Is it something you think you can do or do you prefer the classic way of having each type of wedding on a separate day? Also, is there any different way that you’ve seen people scheduling the program of events for this type of 2-in-wedding Nigerian wedding? Comment below to tell me, and let’s get the discussion going.
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Good day,thank you so much for this good article.
pls is it possible to do introduction, engagement ceremony and nikah on the same day….
Yes, it is as you can see in this post above. Please read the post to the end to see sample program of events that you can use or tweak to use on your own day.
Hi,Please,my traditional and white wedding ceremony is coming up by next 3 months and no proper preparation has started,please,how do I go about it ,as we’re trying to cut down on expenses..
Hello Tammy, I know how you must be feeling – where to start from panning in a short time-span. You’re not alone. Here’s my response:
-3 Months Planning: I’ve had many brides say the same and I made a post specifically with a checklist for planning a wedding in only 3 months (click). Please use that post as your wedding to-do list. You’ll also find additional tips in there just for planning this type of wedding.
-Tips to Cut Down Expenses: I’ve written a couple of guides on different things you can do to cut down wedding expenses, including keeping the wedding small, sticking to your budget, cutting down your guest list, using a cheap type of venue, reusing some old fashion accessories (instead of buying new). I don’t want to repeat myself, so you should check the posts I did on everything about planning a small wedding to save cost.
Finally, don’t worry too much. Just start now to check things off your wedding to-do list, and everything will fall in place.
Hope that helps. Happy wedding planning!
Hi, thanks so much for your time and Nice response,. Can a pastor come to the traditional marriage day and join the couple and the couple will exchange vows with ring without going to church .
Then later can do registry. To register their marriage.then after that the traditional marriage reception start is it possible
Hi Untouchable, welcome here.
Can a Pastor come to your trad marriage location? That is possible if it’s a pastor that you know personally. In that case, you’ll have to ask that your pastor-friend first to see if they will agree.
You may also reach out to your friends or relatives who are close to Pastors. See if they can get any of their close Pastor-friends to attend your traditional wedding.
I want to do church marriage , how much does pastor collect to organize a wedding for a non member in Nigeria.
Hi Untouchable, most Churches here do not charge a fee; they usually require that the couple attend a pre-marital counselling session and then they’ll get scheduled to a wedding date. You’ll have to first contact the particular church you want to have your wedding at, or contact a few Nigerian churches and ask for their process.
Hope my response helps.
I could not find the program format for trad first then white wedding on the same day.
Hi Favour, it’s here ==> Sample Format: Trad First then White Wedding
Please ma my wedding it’s coming up this may and my husband wanted to cut down on cost cause he’s far from me an so it’s he’s family……. so I we taught of having a court wedding but the only recognized court wedding it’s in lagos court an I an my family base in ph
So we taught on having our traditional wedding by 10am then follow up our white reception were by doing it once then go to the court later to sign
But how do I combine this program please
Hello Ruth. Here’s my reply:
-Your plan is in order – that is: Traditional Wedding, followed by a Wedding Reception. That is perfect. Many couples do it that way, and choose to have only trad wedding and reception. If you need ideas on how to do your program of events, I gave a sample within the above post: FORMAT 2 & SAMPLE PROGRAM: Trad in the Morning and White Wedding in the Afternoon (Program Timeline). *NOTE that it is on page 2 (go to end of post and click NEXT to go to that page).
-The court wedding is usually a private event, and does not require a party or guests (only a few witnesses), and so it can be done at any date after your Traditional or Religious wedding. Many couples do their registry wedding much later, and that’s okay.
I think that the way you plan to combine your Trad and reception is okay.
Reply if you have further questions. Happy wedding-planning!
Can somebody do the court wedding first,before going for the traditional wedding?guide me on how to go about it,am planning for my wedding celebration,though I have paid the bride price,I don’t want to spend much,but at least I want to do something,to perfect the marriage
Hi Peter, welcome and thanks for reading.
Yes, you can do the trad before the court wedding. A friend of mine did it like that.
Hope that helps.
Hi Stella-
Thanks so much for the article, it is so helpful! I am based in the US (my family is Creole and African American) and am marrying a Yoruba (American born) man. We are trying to figure out the best way to host a two in one day/ ceremony which honors both cultures.
What do you find the most popular and most successful formats are for 2-in -1 day? We were initially leaning towards hosting this way white wedding ceremony> white wedding reception (brief)> bride/groom/family change to native attire> re-enter for traditional ceremony + reception.
Recently we found out another format traditional engagement > bride/groom/family goes back to rooms to change and prep for white wedding (4+ hours)> white wedding ceremony > reception (mixed)
I would love to know which formats you find most successful, the best experience for bride/groom/guests? Thank you so much
Hi Kristen, congrats on your upcoming wedding, and thanks for reading.
Because the traditional wedding was the only type of wedding in Nigeria, and still is legally recognized, the more popular format (when having a 2-in-1 combined wedding reception) is to start with the Traditional Wedding ceremony => have the White Wedding ceremony after => and then a combined/ mixed Reception Party.
*In the past, that was the only format that couples used. However, these days, some couples choose to have a white wedding first only if their white wedding timing and schedule was not flexible or convenient. The norm is Traditional wedding first.
By the way, in pages 2 and 3 of this post, I already shared 2 of the most popular formats, with detailed flow of events (sample program of events anyone can copy to use as-is or tweak)), we see used by Nigerian couples when planning a 2-in-1 Traditional and White wedding reception. You may want to look at that for ideas.
Hi Kristen, we have very similar situations. I am Nigerian and getting married to an African American man. We are trying to make sure we have the best of both cultures. We are yet to decide the best format, but I’m leaning towards trad first, then the white wedding. I wish I could find more information on the setup of both formats so I can make a good choice.
Hi Beth, thanks for reading, and leaving a comment.
Did you check out the sample formats/ setup I shared in the post (above)? You may not find a perfect layout or flow of events for your liking, but what couples do is to tweak any format to suit their situation. It’s easier to work with your wedding MC (Master of Ceremony) on this, when you show them a sample, tell them what you want and ask for their ideas.
–FORMAT 1 – WHITE FIRST
–FORMAT 2 – TRAD FIRST
Happy planning!
Hi, how would one address invitations to signify white and trad in same day?
Hi antonia, there’s no one-way to do it.
Most people do it by specifying listing each event and specifying the time they’re taking place (on that same day). For example:
Traditional Wedding – 7am at the Bride’s Family Residence
White Wedding – 10am at St. Peter’s Cathedral
Reception – 12pm at Sheraton Hotel
You may add by saying something like: the reception party follows immediately after the traditional wedding.
Note that some people choose to do the traditional wedding after the White wedding – there’s no right or wrong way, choose the flow that is convenient to you.
Is a must that traditional wedding must be done in the brides house,what if you want it outside not the brides,home,is it ok?
Hi Cynthia, some couples choose to have the Traditional Marriage rites in the bride’s family home, with only close family members in attendance. Then, they have the after-party of the traditional wedding at a posh location outside the bride’s home, where their friends and other guests are invited to.
Yes, it is a must (and the tradition) in most Nigerian states and villages. This rule or tradition did not start today. It’s called ‘Traditional Wedding’ for a reason, and it’s not a wedding PARTY but performance of marriage rites in the way your ancestors have always done it.
The only people that can answer your question or say whether it is okay or not to host a traditional wedding outside of the bride’s family home is the bride’s parents –
I don’t know why a groom, his parents, bride or her family would want the Traditional Wedding to hold outside the bride’s family home. In most Nigerian cultiure, it is considered that a bride is hiding something if a groom tells his parents and extended family that his traditional wedding will be hosted outside the bride’s family home.
SUMMARY: If the bride’s family agrees to your outside-bride’s-home’-location, then you win. IF not, consider splitting your traditional wedding into 2 parts – the intimate event at home with only family members invited; and the after-Party with traditional wedding vibes, for friends and other guests.
Hope that helps.
I know this post it older but its extremely helpful.
I am in the U S planning a 2 in 1 . Or a traditional American and yoruba reception.
Your example doesnt include the dining. The venue I have will be hosting the ceremony and reception.
Do you think its possible to do white ceremony , introduction , meals, toast, cut cake and re enter with yoruba dance / outfit change ? Trying to figure out how to go about doing so. Thanks
Hi Ade, thanks for the feedback.
-ON FLOW OF EVENTS: Yes, it is possible to start with the white wedding ceremony and transition to the traditional Youruba Wedding celebration events. People do that, and you too can. Feel free to design your own to suit your vibes. There’s no one-way of doing it. What I shared is the popular ways that couples do it.
Feel free to tweak my suggested flow of events to make it YOU, that’s the essence of bringing your personality into your wedding.
-ON DINING: My example does not include dining because most couples in Nigeria have a clue of what to serve their guests. Here, the wedding cuisine is usually centered around the popular wedding food in Nigeria plus some local, traditional foods. That is not an area that people struggle to plan, as the local caterers always provide guidance.
You said:
-Your venue will be hosting the ceremony and reception. My question is: should you not provide them an idea of what to serve your guests? I believe that your venue event planner/ manager expects you to do so.
Your Nigerian guests expect to eat what they expect at Nigerian weddings, and you also want to cater to your non-Nigerian guests. So, look through your guest list to determine where your majority of non-Nigerian guests are from and then sit down with your venue to let them know what YOU WANT to serve your Nigerian guests and what you want to serve your non-Nigerian guests.
MENU LIST IDEA: Most non-Nigerians love Jollof rice, which is a popular Nigerian wedding food. Coleslaw and moin-moin is also popular to be served with Jollof rice. Usually, swallows (Eba, Semo or Pounded Yam) are served at Nigerian weddings, and the popular soups are Egusi soup and Vegetable soup.
Finger foods is a staple at Nigerian weddings, and so you may also want to include the popular ones like: spring rolls, puff puff, samosa.
Finally, remember that what makes a Nigerian wedding unique, and Nigerian, are: the food, the music. I am glad that you are doing that.
All the best, and hope that helps.
Thank you for replying.
Sorry if I was confusing I was asking more of WHEN in the ceremony n wedding breakdown IS the eating. Not the kind of food . Meaning transition of attire etc would be after dining ? If that made sense. I just didnt know exactly what portion to fit in dining while merging the two.
My menu option is actually limited to venue in regards to what they serve since they do not allow outside catering and the price is per plate. Since i am incontract cannot change the place. But all will still be a good time !
Hi Ade, thanks for coming back to clarify your question.
>MENU Time – When? Here’s the usual flow: Cake cutting >Small Chops served >Dancing >Menu (Eating) time.
*The Dancing Time would be a series, and extended time, of dancing: Couple alone > Couple with Parents >Couple with Groomsmen and Bridesmaids
>Change of Attire Transition – When? The right time for Yoruba wedding couples to change into a second outfit is after the bride has worn her ring, and after the cake has been cut. On the way out for an outfit change, the couple take quick pictures before returning back to the reception venue.
*This exact question was asked by an Europe-based bride and answered in this article on Youruba Traditional Wedding Programme Flow FAQs.
You seem to have your wedding plans nailed down, and I believe that it will be a memorable and fun day for you and your families.
I hope that helps.
This article is really helpful.
Continue with the good work you’re doing and remain blessed.
Thank you, Nnenna.
Thanks so much for the write-up.
Pls can traditional engagement ceremony and reception be done in the same hall. If yes how will the traditional engagement decorations look like
Hello Elizabeth, thanks for the feedback.
I guess you meant white wedding reception.
Yes, both traditional engagement ceremony and white wedding reception ceremony can be done in the same hall. In that case, it would be best to go for a venue decoration in the middle (not very cultural and not very white-wedding-like).
Or you can just do a normal white wedding decoration so that you can use it for both. Many brides go for this option as it is does not require doing too much.
Another way is: after the traditional wedding ceremony part, you plan to have people remove the strictly-traditional decoration elements while you and your groom go have an outfit change.
Hope that helps.
Am Really Blessed via This Well Packaged Same Day Wedding and Traditional Marriage Information. Thanks for Sharing.
Indeed, you are blessed. Thanks for reading, and also for leaving a comment.
Very good article. And pls, the page to download budget calculator does not exist. I need to download it. How can that happen?
Thanks, Tomiwa. I will check that. But I’ll be putting up a new version of the calculator soon – which is more user-friendly and interactive. If your wedding is not too far away, I could leave you a comment to let you know when it’s live.
Good day, great writer,
Thank you so much for this eye opening wedding planning article.
You are inspiring.
However, you asked the reader to
“Also, check down below (method 2) for the program of events ideas when having the trad first and a white wedding later the same day”, bu article as such. Kindly state t I have searched through the website, and have not found any article as such. Kindly post it. I have learnt so much.
Hello Victor, thanks for your feedback. I’m happy to know that you find this post helpful.
It is here: combined program of event ideas
I believe the reason you did not see the sample program of events was that you did not read to the end of the post. This post runs into multiple pages and you can go to the NEXT page(s) by clicking NEXT link found at the end of the article.
Be sure to follow the NEXT-NEXT links to read all the post pages, in order to get the full benefit.
Enjoy!