Engagement Tales and Wedding Bells

One of my very many darling cousins got married 2 weekends ago and I was oh-so honoured and privileged to be a bridesmaid at her wedding! I haven't been a bridesmaid at any weddings in the last 10 years I'm sure. The last one I remember was my Aunty's wedding ages ago and I didn't really get to be part of the fun stuff so it doesn't really count. Lol. This time though, I was "of age" enough to be included in lots of little details and planning. I was super super excited when Salewa asked me to be a bridesmaid, I remember squealing to my mum that I felt like I had just been proposed to. Yes, I like melodrama, bite me.

So 2 weekends ago I was up front and centre at the introduction and traditional wedding, for those who aren't familiar with Nigerian weddings, the introduction and traditional wedding usually happen before the white wedding and is when the two families formally meet and various wedding rites are performed according to your traditions (think Yoruba, Igbo, Hause etc.). In Yoruba traditional weddings we have an 'alaga' who acts as a sort of MC for the day. The alaga can really make or break the occasion by either being really funny and amiable or annoying and long winded, I've witnessed both. There's also a lot of dancing and collecting of monetary and other gifts for the new couple and their families. At some point the grooms family then presents a whole array of gifts for the brides family, things like yam, plantain, cows, goats... Items that I suppose traditionally show wealth. These gifts are meant to act as a bride price but these days the brides family often rejects the gifts saying that their daughter is not for sale and they give her away freely. (Hola Feminists! We are making progress!)

The colours for the bride's family on the day were Mint Green and Silver and you can see what I made with my aso-ebi below. It's not as traditional as the ones I wore for my granddad's funeral in March last year "As a Real Yoruba Girl: Aso- Oke Love" and as much as I liked my iro and bubba, this look was a lot more fun. Excuse the background of the tailors shop, it's a LONG story!

                  

My make-up and gele for the day was flawlessly executed by one of my most talented friends Eeda of Eeda's Atelier, I was super sceptical at first because she insisted on using Milk of Magnesis as a primer on my oily, sensitive skin. Yes, MILK OF MAGNESIA, the one for tummy aches. Lol. But in the end it was the best thing ever! I especially loved the lip colour she used too, not the standard red that most other people had on. Check out her blog, Eeda's Atelier, for lots of helpful tutorials and tips.

The use of milk of magnesia and of course her awesome techniques were so good that at the end of the day, approximately 9 hours later, my face still looked like this!! Under this hot and humid Lagos weather, at an engagement that took place outdoors, I was floored!!

After all the boring rites are done with it's time for the real fun to begin, the dancing! Haha. We danced, ate and drank ourselves to exhaustion on this happy Thursday evening before getting ready to prepare for "the main, the main!" on Saturday. Oh and of course I took more pictures.

My gorgeous cousin and her now husband, I love the way he's looking at her in this picture... Kinda feel like I captured a special moment <3 <3

Bridesmaids galore!

"Give her a twirl won't ya darling?"

Celfie!

On Saturday morning as a member of the bridal train I had to be awake at an unfortunate 5.30 a.m. Most of the bridesmaids stayed over which meant waking up super early so everyone could shower and get their make up done before church started at 11. Imagine a bevy of girls all rushing about doing this, that and the third, yah. It wasn't a pretty sight initially I'd admit and one of the make up artists was SLO-OOW! I don't think she got the memo about the time constraint, either that or she just felt like being a diva.

Bride getting her make-up done

Bridesmaids helping each other out

My make-up of the day. Honestly I didn't love it initially because the lips were red and I felt the eyeshadow was too much but I changed the lips to a more nudey pink and felt a bit better. I look kinda like an elf in this picture don't you think so? Lol. But it wasn't my day so I didn't mind too much, plus the bride's make-up and hair were pretty perfectly done, I thought she looked like a princess which is exactly what every girl dreams of right?

Despite the car carrying the bridal party breaking down right in front of the steps of the church (we had to be pushed into a parking space) and the super slow make up artist, it was quite a stress free morning. Church started at 11.05, just five minutes after the advertised time, I kid you not. I've NEVER been to a wedding that actually started on time, EVER. So big shoutout to the Roberts clan for making it happen. I haven't seen the official photos of the wedding yet and the bridesmaids didn't get a chance to take one together at home but we made do in the car, haha. This is the least blurry picture of most of us that were on the train, terrible isn't it? Lol. Well it holds fun memories for us.

Details of the dress

LOVE the back of it too

The gorgeous Molly, our Chief Bridesmaid

During the reception, her now husband, Tayo, and his groomsmen did a beautiful rendition of John Legend's "All of You". Super duper corny but soooo cute, it honestly melted my heart. If I were the bride I just might have been balling like a newborn, but she kept it together very nicely. I think I have a video of that somewhere, I must do.

This was definitely one of the cutest weddings I've been to in a while, ever since then I keep daydreaming about really cute things I'd like at my own wedding, something I promise, I've never ben that into. I only wish I got to the reception venue earlier so I could take pictures of the great decor for future inspiration! Ah well...

Wishing Salewa and Tayo a blessed and happy married life! Love you guys!