Things to Note Before Marriage

Unwana Umosen

We are all different people, with different traits and attributes. Sometimes, it could be difficult to live with others and cope with handling conflict. Building a relationship and spending your whole life with someone else takes a lot of patience and understanding. Before saying “I do”, or kneeling to ask “Will You Marry Me?”, you should be absolutely sure you’re making the right decision.

• Love Yourself: Before understanding someone else’s life and personality, you have to understand and love yourself. Your beliefs, values and what you stand for should guide you in finding the person you want to be with. It is always easier loving yourself before giving love to anyone else because if anything goes wrong, you have YOU to fall back on.

• Friendship: The first thing you must do is create a room for friendship. Make sure you’re getting married to your friend, someone you’re ready to share experiences with and someone you can laugh with. Friendship is the foundation for every great relationship and it is also very important. You need to be with someone that knows you inside and out, to know what makes you angry and your favorite snack. It will be great spending the rest of your life with your best friend, right?

• Find beauty beneath pretty: We all know the built guys attract the ladies, and a pretty face makes the men stare. Physical appearance shouldn’t be the primary reason for your feelings! When you get married, you’re going to see the ugliest parts and you will have to stick with it. Your spouse is going to fart, snore, and may look terrible while he/she is asleep. Love that person inside and out, for their personality and behaviors, and not looks.

• Be prepared to watch your partner change: In about 20 years, your partner would be overwhelmed while coping with kids, a job and having time for you. Marriages are not always rosy, building a family can be stressful. With agreements and negotiations, things will always work out for you and your partner (if you marry your friend, of course!)

• Understand your partner: Know when to stop an argument that will lead to a long fight. Know when to tease and know when to support. Understand everything about your partner. It always helps to keep a long relationship. Will your partner break up with you instantly if you have to work from another city? What kinds of activities does he/she support? Fears? Strengths? Know everything!

Has this article helped you out? Read also: Can a Long Distance Relationship Work?

What Would Your Wedding Be Without Vendors?

Unwana Umosen




These days, nobody does their cooking or anything else in-house. Every single detail in a wedding has a professional to take care of it. Take a second and think about how your wedding would be without vendors. Will it be you or your mother doing the cooking? Is your sister going to grab her tiny makeup purse to do your makeup?


1. Food vendors: Gone are the days where jollof rice, beef, and moi-moi made a great wedding menu. People will be there rushing for the amala, gbegiri, and goatmeat, simply because vendors spice things up. At a wedding, you want more than one vendor, for the traditional dishes and intercontinental. Food makes everyone happy at any event, and that’s why it must be done the best way.

2. Music: A bad DJ can mess up any wedding party, and as we all know, music brings life to any party. Some like to have a DJ or a live band, while others might have both.

3. Makeup artist: Makeup artists must attend to the bride from the early hours of the wedding morning and throughout the wedding. They are around to make sure the bride’s face is looking amazing all through, from dabbing sweat and applying more powder, they are always available.


4. Costumers: This is usually for the prim and proper­­. There are people that want to be styled from their gele, to their wedding dress, and to the after-party. Some couples even have themes for their weddings or would want some particular styles of outfits.


5. The wedding planner: Every big wedding must have a wedding planner. The smaller and lowkey weddings can get away with it, but for a wedding to stand out, it can't do without a wedding planner. They help bring the wishes of the couple to reality and interpret the bride's dreams. They also help bring every other vendor together.


6. Baker: Although nobody knows who actually gets a piece of the wedding cake apart from the family wedding, the baker needs to be professional. It adds up to the theme and craft of the wedding. People still come out to talk about the look of a wedding cake. It still happens!


7. Photographers/ Videographers: Every wedding records a memory, and those memories need to be captured and shared. Photographers and videographers a place for everyone too see what happens during the wedding.


8. Decorators: The decoration is the first thing people see. This is another thing that takes a lot of money apart from the hall and the food. From the walls to the floor, to the tables and cutleries! Decorators can make a raggedy and dry-looking place come alive.


9. Tailors: Be-spoke suits and dresses that are made to wear! These miracle workers create the best outfits for weddings and also develop styles for the couples and even anyone that needs to attend a wedding.


10. Car rentals: People always want to make an entrance with flashy cars they can’t afford. Cruising in with the limos and Rolls Royce after the church wedding. It just adds to the style and swag, and everyone loves it.

What Did You Think About Bridesmaids?

Unwana Umosen

  While picking your bridesmaids, make sure you're choosing wisely. As a selected bridesmaid, you have to be ready to make your bride happy at the end of the day. You don't want to pick someone who is uninterested in you or doesn't even want to attend your wedding. At Nigerian weddings, you also need bridesmaids to beautify your entry. Most times, it’s the “bridal train” during the reception that people wait for. While people think that’s what bridesmaids are all about, here’s a disclaimer, that it’s actually more than that.

As a bride, 

1. Keep their opinions and feelings in mind
You need all of them to agree with you. You must know if the location of your wedding is convenient for them if the time is great for them and also if they are emotionally stable to even attend your wedding. Ensure that everyone is on the same page, and there’s no bad blood between anyone because there might be chaos when trying to get things in order.



2. Plan on time
Make your wishes known to them on time. Let them know if you want a particular color of shoes for your bridesmaids to wear if you would like a specific hairstyle or a type of jewelry. It is advisable you let them know months before your wedding. This is so that they can decline if they wish, or start preparing if they are down to do as you want.


3. Remember their budgets
You can’t be making demands if you know your bridesmaids don’t have the money to do what you need to achieve. Don’t go to the best fashion designer in your city, and expect them to pay for all of it. Negotiate prices with them for everything that concerns them.


4. Provide for them
Now that they finally agreed to make it to your wedding miles away from their homes, ensure you care about their feeding and shelter. If your wedding is on a low budget, make it known, but still, cater to all of them in every way you can. It’s your responsibility to ensure they have makeup artists, all their dresses ready and everything else. Transportation to the wedding venue is also very essential. You don’t want your bridesmaids running in when your wedding party is already started.


5. Ask politely
Recently, brides share gift boxes and packages to ask their friends (or whoever) to be their bridesmaids. Yes, it’s a big deal! It’s a sign of courtesy and it is very welcoming. Someone who never dreamt of being a bridesmaid might accept just because of the way you made an approach. You need to make your request in the best way possible to get the best answers.

As a bridesmaid,

Remember to make your presence count! You can’t be a silent bridesmaid. The maid of honor/ chief bridesmaid would be in charge of the bridal shower, she needs the bridesmaids to chip in some ideas, help with some errands and make the whole process fun. You may need to add some money as well, but if you’re broke, make it known. Sometimes, the chief bridesmaid handles all the funding or the family of the bride, but always make sure you clarify.