Guess what..... I'm a wife!!

Don't panic....... I didn’t get fed up of wedding planning, run away to Las Vegas with my fiancé and elope! Although the thought is tempting (he he). I had a traditional Nigerian Introduction and Engagement ceremony last week Saturday. A minibus filled with my fiances family travelled up the motorway from London to Birmingham to formally ask my mum and family for my hand in marriage! In Nigerian culture that now makes me officially his wife! So there you have it, although under English law we are not married, another culture/country now recognises me as his wife. How exciting! Being from a Jamaican background, I have never experienced anything like this in our culture. As far as I’m aware we don’t have any formal traditions or ceremonies that we follow for engagements or weddings. We have adopted the traditional English way of doing things. There’s nothing wrong with that but it’s nice to be able to do something that reflects my African heritage as well and this was very important for my fiancé and his Yoruba family. We weren't sure how this particular event would work as it’s usually done with two Nigerian families not a mixed culture relationship. But between the Hostess/MC (called an Alaga) and using my fiancés uncle as a translator the proceedings were successfully relayed to my family which made for a lively and entertaining ceremony for all. It wasn't a lavish affair, it was a simple family only ceremony held in a marquee in my Nan's back garden. It was perfect. It was kinda how I would have liked my wedding - really intimate and personal, with my loved ones around me. My family totally enjoyed themselves - the singing, the dancing, the laughter, the food......everything! 

It really has got everyone so excited for the big day next year!! We are still waiting for our ‘proper’ pictures and video but here are a few below:

Countdown..... 16 months to go

Image source: flickr.com

So we have a date! Whoop whoop. We are planning to do the big day in August 2013, which gives me 16 months to have my babies, get used to being a mum and plan the carnival (ahem *clears throat*).... I mean wedding. Easy! It does seem like a long way away right now but I’ve been told that time has a funny way of biting you in the butt when you get too nonchalant about things. So I haven’t rested on my laurels I’ve done as much as I can at this stage being in my condition, which by the way is basically me turning into a human size penguin that can’t stand, walk or sit for long periods of time without either getting stuck or getting serious pelvic and back pain. Fun times! I’ve written the all important to-do list which consists of no less than 68 things to complete between now and then! Woaaah!

My Twins - Praying for a miracle

I started my blog around 3 weeks ago now and everything I’ve written so far has come so naturally to me. I literally sit on the tube or train on my way to work with my iPhone and it all just pours out into my Notes app. However, this post has been the most difficult to write. I’ve started and stopped so many times. I’ve erased everything and started from scratch so I’m hoping this time around I can complete it. I guess you can say that this blog was started as a type of 'therapy' for me, to keep my mind off this situation and to keep me busy. It has worked so far but after speaking to a good friend of mine I realise that opening up about this and expressing how I’m really feeling would actually be really beneficial to me. Here goes....

My Big Fat Nigerian Wedding!

Image source: Google.com

Size doesn’t matter. How many times have we heard that phrase? It applies to so many different situations but for planning and arranging a wedding I have to disagree! The size dictates everything. The size makes a lot of decisions for you and eliminates a mass of options. The size can blow the whole budget! So here in a nutshell lies my dilemma. Or not so much a dilemma, the reality of the situation. I come from a Jamaican family, BUT my Fiancé = Nigerian, therefore, wedding = HUGE! There goes my dream of a medium sized wedding in a beautiful setting, surrounded by my nearest and dearest of maybe around 200 people, a delicious sit-down meal of African-Caribbean cuisine. You know, the type of wedding where there’s lots of attention to detail and the smaller unique things that make the day special. Instead of planning the intimate, personal wedding I dreamed of, I’m planning a wedding for 700-800 guests, majority of which I probably won’t even know (pauses to take a big sigh of exasperation!)

Model behaviour at the Mahogany Bridal Show

Wedding season is well and truly upon us. With the wonders of spring also comes the blossoming, blooming brides-to-be looking for the perfect elements to complete their special days. With a host of wedding shows and fairs popping up, there are more than enough sources of inspiration to keep me busy over the next few months. But there was one in particular that caught my eye that I had to go to. Last Sunday, I went to my first wedding fair, the Mahogany Bridal Show 2012. With my Mum, Aunty and Cousin (little fashionista in training!) in tow, we set off for a fun day out to gather ideas and meet the ‘best of the best’ African-Caribbean suppliers in London. I think that was the key for me. It was a show aimed at people that looked like me and understood my cultural background and the sorts of things a Caribbean/Nigerian wedding like mine would need. Billed as the largest African Caribbean bridal fashion show in Europe, I had really high expectations for the exhibitors, the fashion show....everything really. The show held at Holiday Inn Bloomsbury was buzzing with other brides with their family and friends, trying to work their way round the handful of exhibitors showcasing their skills and wares. But to be completely honest...

EuroMillions anyone...?

Image source: ITV Anglia

First of all, allow me to apologise for the slightly dreary image I decided to use for this post. It’s hardly one you would expect to see on a wedding blog or a mummy blog for that matter, but stick with me! There is method behind the madness! (See nicer pics when you read more).

I’m really starting to get into the swing of the wedding planning, with hours of my time trawling through wedding sites and magazines, so I’m getting a flavour for the things that I would like and those that I want to steer well clear of. It’s so easy to get carried away with all the frills, sparkles and extras that are available to make my day special, but I brought myself back down to earth for a minute to do the dreaded budget. I guess it’s a sensible place to start this journey and will help me keep my feet on the ground and less time spent with my head in the clouds. So after my reality check with my fiancé, I got back to my research with my sensible hat on and realised how damn expensive everything is going to be. The flowers, the favours, the cake, the VENUE! Oh my God, the cost of the venue! It all adds up. I mean, the possibilities are endless for the big day.