Nigerian wedding reception program - How to plan it?

A wedding is one of the most important steps in every person’s life. Which is why it is crucial to plan the wedding reception program beforehand. Today, we will tell you how to plan your own Nigerian wedding reception program. This way, your Naija wedding will proceed without a hitch!

Wedding Nigeria

Nigeria is known for its spectacular traditional weddings. Every Nigerian wedding is special and unlike the rest, especially if you consider all the different ethnicities that live in the country. You probably would want your traditional Nigeria wedding to be one of a kind, so it would be pointless to have a set scheme for you to follow.

But here is the thing:

When it comes to white weddings and wedding receptions, it is best to have some sort of a checklist to keep track of the things you need to do. And that is exactly what you can find in this article. Continue reading for the 15 steps to your perfect wedding reception.

Nigerian wedding reception program

Many people splurge on a wedding planner when they cannot be bothered to plan their weddings themselves. Although we think that it is not only a waste of money, but it also makes the wedding seem less personal.

Despite the fact that you need to complete fifteen steps to get to your perfect wedding reception, they are not that hard. You and your partner can achieve them even with limited help from your friends and family members. However, as this part of the wedding is the most expensive and important, you need a structured plan for things to go the way they should. And that takes us to step one.

Look for inspiration

Before you even choose the date for your wedding, you should have a more or less clear picture of how you want it to be. There are plenty Nigerian wedding websites you can turn to for inspiration, like BellaNaija, WeddingDigestNaija or NaijaGlamWedding. There, you can see pictures and videos from the real Nigerian weddings.

Alternatively, you can create your own Pinterest board, where you can pin all the things you want to see at your wedding reception. You should also write down anything that comes to your head and review it with your partner to decide what is suitable for the both of you. Then, you can move on to step two.

Choose the date of your wedding

You need to figure out when you want to have your wedding. While choosing the date, it is important to consider the weather conditions, which would influence your choice of location. We recommend planning at least half a year in advance, so that you have a wide array of places to choose from. Make sure that most (if not all) people you want to invite to the wedding would be able to come on that day.

Create a budget for your wedding reception

Set an amount of money you plan to spend on your reception. This sum should be able to cover the venue, food and drinks, invitations, entertainment and everything else that you deem necessary.

Obviously, you want your wedding day to be spectacular and memorable. Regardless, you should consider your financial position. The whole thing would not be worth it if you have no money to live on for the near future.

Decide on the amount of guests

This step is directly linked to the previous one. You can either decide on the number of guests and then plan your budget, or figure out how many people to invite based on your budget. In addition, the amount of guests will influence your next step.

Choose the venue

When you know how many people you want to invite and how much money you have, it is time to choose a place for the reception. Decide whether the reception will be indoors or outdoors. Try to choose an easily accessible place that will fit all of your guests comfortably.

Plan the wedding attire

At this step, you and your partner should decide on what to wear to your reception. Decide on the style and whether you want an outfit change or not. You can also plan your guests’ outfits. Either choose what they all are going to wear, or at least decide on the general style.

Decide on the menu

Trust us, most weddings are remembered by the food that has been served. That is why you need to carefully plan what you are going to serve and how. Will it be an open buffet or a sit-down meal? Should you stick to traditional dishes or incorporate continental meals as well? You should also take into account the dietary restrictions of your guests, so ask them beforehand.

Decide on the cake

No wedding reception is complete without a cake. It does not have to be the most elaborate or fancy cake you have ever seen. You can stick to a simple one, just make sure it is delicious. Look for cake design inspiration on the Internet or simply go to your nearest confectionery store and ask what kind of cake they can make.

Plan the decorations

Figure out what colour scheme you want and how you are going to arrange the seats. Decide if you want additional decorations to spice up the reception hall. You can talk to your venue vendor to form a clear idea on how to use the available space to the fullest.

Decide on entertainment

You do not want your guests to get bored at your reception, do you? That is why you need to plan entertainment. You can limit yourself to a DJ, who is going to play whichever music you want. Alternatively, you can hire an MC that can take the entertainment program in their own hands. Plan dance routines with your guests to make your reception more memorable.

Plan the video- and photoshoot

Find a photographer who will document the most important event of your life. You want to make sure that they capture it perfectly so that you and your guests are able to revisit this moment in the future. If you cannot afford video coverage, make sure that at least the photos are immaculate.

Contact the vendors

Planning is important, but things might fall apart when you try to bring it to life. Therefore, contact the places you are going to work with (catering, cake shop, MC or DJ, venue owners etc.) beforehand. If they require payment in advance, pay them and continue planning your big day.

Choose the coordinator for the reception

Neither you nor your partner would want to worry over the details of the reception while it is unfolding. It is best to choose a responsible person who can take over the process a few weeks prior to the event. It does not have to be a professional, you can settle on a person who you really trust.

Create wedding programs

Sit down with your partner (and your MC) and think of the schedule for your wedding reception. You can use the receptions you have been to before as examples. If you are a perfectionist, you can even have set times for each part of the reception. To make it easier for the guests to know what is coming next, print the programs along with wedding invitations and have them passed around at the entrance.

Decide on wedding souvenirs

Here we are, the last step to your perfect wedding reception. And it is actually completely optional! You can decide whether you want to give souvenirs to your guests or not. However, if you are certain in the rest of the steps, you can be sure that the guests will remember your wedding even without any souvenirs.

That is it for our reception program planning guide. With these tips, you should be able to create your own wedding reception and add something from yourself. We hope everything goes well on your big day. Have the most beautiful wedding in Nigeria!

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