Weddings in Nigeria are no longer in vogue.
Gone are the days when a couple will get married at the Cathedral and have their receptions at popular hotels like Hotel Presidential, Concorde Owerri, Dannic Hotels, Zodiac Hotels, even Saint Rest Guest House.
And the weddings will be praised as one of the fantastic weddings in town.
Now, if you don't have weddings in Dubai United Arab Emirates, you have not arrived, you have not started.
The wedding costs in Dubai are very expensive, but Nigerians will engage in it.
Flight tickets, accommodations, weddings and receptions venues, before and after weddings and parties venues, bridal outfits, bridegrooms co-ordinations, the weddings guests, the weddings organisations: Everything to do with the weddings taking place in Dubai costs money; serious money.
Some people would say, "ka emebe go du ya emesia ka anuba garri."
Going into debts to have weddings in Dubai is foolish.
For Bible readers, remember the story of the ten virgins.
It's good to spend money on nice things when you can afford the nice things.
Some people would say it's because I'm not married so I'll not understand.
Maybe the some people did not consult a financial planner before getting married in Dubai.
We all know there's a financial planner and a wedding planner.
Ifeyinwa can advise you.
Contact her: ifyatuanya@yahoo.com
If your wedding budget is five hundred thousand Naira, for example, you can have a beautiful wedding in any of the states in Nigeria.
You can have a tailor make your wedding gowns.
A stylist can put your wedding trains together.
There are fantastic make - up artists living in Nigeria.
The grooms and grooms - men, there are tailors who make fantastic suits, safaris, babarigas and agbadas.
Flower arrangements: People grow flowers in their gardens. Hibiscus is quite popular.
The cakes?
Oh My God!!!!!
There are cakes makers and bakers everywhere in Nigeria.
If you can't afford tents, you use canopies.
Chairs have always being hired in Nigeria.
Drinks?
Hmmmm: Cartons and cartons and cartons and cartons of beers, Gulder, stouts, "hot drinks," Schnapps, wines made in Nigeria.
Anambra state is popular for making wines and other drinks.
You want to hire Limo for your weddings?
Then people living in less popular states in Nigeria should start thinking of how to start the Limo automobiles hiring services in their less popular states.
If you want Dubai weddings, you would have to have millions of Naira.
And you may not be able to borrow millions of Naira to have the Dubai weddings.
Because some times, it's borrowed money.
Some times, it's hard - earned cash, money saved up.
Did I forget to mention foods served at weddings?
You don't want to eat food served at weddings you can't pronounce their names and you don't like the tastes.
Foods like Escargots, Fillet Mignon, for example.
Nigerians like their garri and soups, Jollof rice, beans, yams and assorted meats, then chicken.
Then, Nigerians have what are called snacks - let's be real here.
Because Nigerian foods are filling, they fill you up, for Nigerians.
Music. Any Nigerian music artists can play at your weddings.
Or you can go older, hire a DJ. It could be a radio DJ or a club DJ or just a DJ.
Still going older, you can use your own sound systems, providing your own music.
For MC's at weddings venues, you can hire an MC you can afford their costs.
But happy weddings in Dubai.
And happy weddings in Nigeria.
