Nigerian wedding traditions would leave a long lasting impression on everyone. Nigerian wedding traditions incorporate many old wedding rituals.
With the passage of time many contemporary rituals have been accepted by Nigerians.Nigerian wedding traditions respect their customs and rituals very much. Generally the customs and the tradition vary from one region to the other.
In some parts of Nigeria there is an engagement ceremony. This is usually held on the evening before the wedding day. Engagement ceremony is a time of festivity and fun. Friends and relatives drink colas and eat nuts. During the ceremony, the officiating elder sips a cup of palm wine and can invite the bride and the groom to do the same. The officiating officer is generally the speaker who transfers messages between two families. After the engagement ceremony the bride goes to her father’s house to make preparations for the final day. The groom’s family pays a bride price consisting of traditional clothes, shoe, bags and jewelry.
In traditional Nigerian Weddings, brides generally wear imported Indian fabrics. These include decorative coral-beaded headpiece, necklaces coral-beaded ankle bracelets and necklaces. On the wedding day the bride and the groom go to the church. The bride is generally accompanied by her father. On the night of the wedding there is a grand party. After the party the bride returns back to her father’s place and waits for the groom. The groom together with his family come to the bride’s house and claims her. After that the bride and the groom goes back to the groom’s house.
Traditional music and food are inseparable part of Nigerian Wedding Traditions. On the wedding day there are often live band performances. People sing and dance and enjoy all throughout the night. In some areas of Nigeria, beautiful henna designs are done of the hands and the feet of the bride. In many places the elders of the family helps to bathe her before the wedding day.
In present days Nigerian weddings shows clear marks of western influences. Both the bride and the groom go to the church and exchange vows. Many young couples prefer marrying in this way.
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