The Fulani dress styles are very beautiful and well-recognized, just like the Hausa royal attires. The Fulani culture itself is a well-known diverse and rich one. The Fulani are a member of a pastoral and nomadic people of mixed African and Mediterranean ancestry with their unique Fulani dress styles. They are known to be migrants, always, mostly moving from one place to another.
The Fulani cultural attire is what is referred to as ‘Mudukare’ which is worn by the women. It is a sleeveless crop top worn with a wrapper, while the Fulani men usually put on a long sleeveless shirt, with shorts or some long trousers. The men put on a conical hat called a ‘Noppire’. The shirts the men wear have a particular pattern; the shirts have a geometric design and they are usually embroidered.
The Fulani dress styles consist of mostly cotton or sometimes they are made of leather. Both the men and women for the most part are known for their physical attractiveness. The pointed noses and long hair for the women and full hair for the men.
History of Dress Styles
Fulanis are also called ‘Peul’ in French or referred to as ‘Fulbe’. They are known to mostly practice Islam as their religion and are now scattered throughout many areas of West Africa. The Fulani mode of dressing depends on the region they come from and they are distinct from the Hausa tribe.
Some wear the typical white or black cotton material thread embroidered with red, green, and blue mostly in some parts of African countries like; Nigeria, Niger, and also Cameroon.
Whereas, in Central Guinea, the men are said to wear hats with colorful embroidery as their Fulani dress attire. Another mode of dressing comes from the Fulbe Wodabaabe; they are known for putting on long flowing embroidered robes or decorated robes which are said to be very colorful.
After listing the above, it is now a known fact that there are different regions with their different Fulani dress styles. Mostly when a child is born, the child is marked, given a tribal mark on his or her face, or, arms, or any part of their body.
Fulani Attire for Males
1. The Fulani dress attire for males consists of a sleeveless shirt with shorts that go below the knee, also known as three-quarter shorts.
2. They mostly have their hats which are multi-colored or plain, which is known as ‘Noppire’, and a stick that is usually held across their shoulders with their hands hanging over the stick.
Recently, Fulanis are associated with Hausas which are kind of overlapping the Fulani attire. It should be a known fact that Fulanis are different from Hausas and their attires differ as well.
After coming down to West Africa, the Fulanis embraced the Hausa culture but they still hold their culture and heritage in high regard.
Fulani Attire for Females
This is called the ‘Madukare’. As we are aware of how females love to adorn themselves almost everywhere, it is no different for the Fulbe ladies too.
They love to adorn their skin, the hand, arm, feet, and legs with henna, decorate their hair, and put on bangles, necklaces, and also earrings. The Fulani dress styles for females differs from the region and in West Africa; in Nigeria, the attire is a sleeveless crop top worn over a wrapper. It is embroidered with a red, blue, and green thread on white or black cotton. Though a lot of things are being modernized, some are made of blue cotton, dark blue to be precise.
Fulanis are known for their exquisite beauty, with their pointed noses and long, soft hair, both the males and females are mostly known for their long slender figures.
1. The female Fulanis decorate their hair with cowrie shells and beads.
2. Fulani women also adorn themselves with bracelets that are thick and which some may have engravings on them/
3. The female Fulani dress attire is put together with gold earrings, which are mostly twisted and referred to as ‘Dibi’
4. Also, they wear their Fulani dress attire with necklaces which are also handmade necklaces known as ‘Caaka’.
5. They usually adorn themselves with amulets known as ‘Lohol’.
6. The Fulani women love to wear beads around their waist.
Bottom line, they love jewelry and are known to always adorn their heads, hands, nose, ears, and waist. If you are to come across a Fulani lady and get the chance of marrying her, you will be one lucky man. The same goes for the females getting married to Fulani men.
Fulani Traditional Wedding Attire
The importance of a wedding is known to all. On this blissful occasion, both the bride and the groom all want to look their best by dressing and adorning themselves. The groom wears a sleeveless shirt with embroidery that differentiates him from the rest, with his shorts and his ‘Noppire’ hat. The women on the other hand wear their crop sleeveless tops which have recently been made longer to cover up the stomach.
The bride’s hair is adorned with big braids or any other known Fulani hairstyles and beads, silver coins, or cowrie shells. The bride’s hands, feet, and legs are designed with henna.
The bride wears gold bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. The bride’s waist is also adorned with beautiful beads. Also among the adornment is beautifying the bride’s forehead with beads.
The bride is expected to have a decorated calabash that is covered with a little colorful beaded bag to go along with her attire in one of the spectacular Fulani dress styles you can find.
Conclusion
Writing about the spectacular Fulani culture can absolutely fill up a lot of blank pages with new interesting facts about the beauty of the culture and the radiance that comes with it, especially the Fulani dress styles.
FAQs
What is the name of the Fulani men’s hat?
Noppire.
What is the covering of the calabash called?
Fai Fai
Are Fulanis Hausa people?
Fulanis are not Hausa people; they are a tribe with a beautiful culture. Coming down to the north and mixing up with the Hausa people led to the confusion that a Hausa person is also a Fulani person.
What do Fulbe people speak?
They speak Fulfulde.
Do Fulanis have a particular origin?
They are known to be nomads. They mostly come from the Middle East and North Africa, which they later spread all around West Africa.
The Hausa language is the predominant language in the northern part of Nigeria, with a significant population of indigenous speakers in the Niger Republic, Ghana, Cameroon, Sudan as well as other African countries.
Hausa ladies are no doubt beautiful, soft-spoken and elegant. If you have been active on social media for the past few years, sights and sounds from the glamorous weddings of Hausa ladies are enough to make you wish to have one as a wife. Well, if you are curious and would like to know how to get married to a Hausa lady, you are at the right place. But before you start thinking of the numbers and colors of kaftan to sew, it is important for you to know these steps that I will share with you. Now, let’s go straight into it!
How to Get Married to a Hausa Lady
With a large percentage of Hausa people practicing the religion of Islam, marriage in Hausaland shares an intricate relationship with that of Islam. This involves laws that disallow any unnecessary communication and physical contact completely between prospective spouses until they become officially pronounced as husband and wife.
That being said, what will you do when you finally see the Hausa lady that captures your heart?
Formal Introduction
The first thing you need to do after seeing the lady of your dreams is to do a little background check, after which you will send your relatives or other respected members of the society to meet her parents, inform them of your intention and seek permission to initiate communication between you two. The lady will then be called upon by her parents – usually the mother – and be asked whether she loves you. If she does, then the proposal will be accepted and investigations regarding you and your family will begin almost immediately. Some families will only accept your proposal if they are satisfied with the results of the background check they have conducted. While a lot of youths now skip this step and go straight to letting the lady know of their intentions, it still remains the ideal.
Now that you have been accepted as a prospective son-in-law, you will be formally allowed to go see their daughter from time to time and discuss future plans. Don’t forget to be going along with gifts though — ladies love gifts.
After fixing a date for the wedding, this is where your savings will play a part. You will start buying Kayan Lefe. This includes a set of boxes containing jewelry, cosmetics, shoes, bags, undies, and any other clothing material that your future wife will use in your house after marriage. These items are bought based on the list that the lady will provide; you sure wouldn’t want to spend your money buying things that she won’t need. The quantity and quality of items depend on your financial status and that of the lady’s family, so you should be mindful of the family you are planning to marry from.
After seeking permission to start seeing their daughter, some female members of your family are to meet with the lady’s family to present them with gifts. The gifts can be in form of a box containing clothes, jewelry, shoes, bags, and even some cash, depending on your financial strength.
Gaisuwan Iyaye
A little later after being accepted as a prospective in-law, what comes next is to officially go and greet your in-laws-to-be. Here, you will go well-dressed along with your siblings, close friends, or relatives to greet the parents of your future bride as well as their close relatives and friends. You might want to carry some cash with you and give it out after every greeting.
Fixing of Wedding Date (Sa Rana)
As you start getting along with your future wife, you will be expected to start making more moves towards making it official. This is where kayan sa rana comes in; these are items your family will present to the lady’s family so as to fix a date for the wedding. The two families will negotiate and finally agree on a date that will be most convenient for both sides, nevertheless, the lady’s family usually has the upper hand in making the decision. Kayan sa rana usually includes packs or cartons of sweets, chewing gums and kolanut, and some money. For a Fulani lady, you will need to add some bags of salt too.
Shelter and Kayan Daki
Providing shelter is your sole responsibility as the prospective husband. If you cannot build a house, you should rent or get a comfortable apartment before the marriage. While getting the apartment is your responsibility, the lady usually will furnish the house with furniture, kitchen items, etc. Notwithstanding, there is nothing wrong with you doing it by yourself, especially if her family will find it difficult to do it. After all, you are interested in knowing how to get married to a Hausa lady and you want her to leave her parents’ house and move to yours.
Pre Wedding Events
Several pre-wedding events are sometimes held. While events like Kamu, Kunshi/Sa Lalle, and the likes have been practiced for quite a while in Hausaland, many events, earlier unknown to Hausas have been borrowed from other cultures. This includes bridal shower, mother’s eve, Arabian night, and lots more. So, depending on the family you are marrying from, you could end up with a wedding without a single pre- or post-wedding event, or one with several.
Delegated female members of your family will take the kayan lefe you have bought to the lady’s family. This is usually done about a week before the wedding. The lady’s family will prepare a small feast that day, and your delegates will be given some tips, known as tukwuici.
Jere
A few days to the wedding, female members of both families will go to the house you have prepared for your bride and arrange the kayan daki brought by her family, and the lefe brought by you.
Kayan Gara
These are food items that the lady’s family will bring to you usually in large quantities. It is either brought during the jere, along with the amarya after the Wedding Fatiha or after the wedding celebrations. If you have spent all your savings and even borrowed additional money to meet up with the marriage expenses, this will help you to recover for a while, before you continue with your responsibility of providing food for the family.
Sadaki (Dowry)
Unlike in some foreign cultures e.g. in India, where the bride’s family is obliged to give out the bride alongside the bride price, it is not the same in Hausaland. Here, the man is expected to give this obligatory gift to his prospective wife, or at least make a promise to pay it at a later time if he cannot afford it at the moment. This is an expression of the man’s desire to marry her and shoulder her responsibilities. It can be as little as agreed by the prospective couples or as much as they can afford, without however going to the extremes. Nevertheless, if the lady is of Fulani origin, you might be expected to give some cows as dowry or a mixture of cash and cows. It is advised that you consult people from the same community as your prospective wife, to know the range of amount in cash or its equivalence in-kind usually given there.
Daurin Aure
This is the day you have been waiting for. The Wedding Fatiha is officiated by Islamic scholars or other respected members of the society. The lady’s guardian, ‘waliyyi’ will formally announce to have given out his daughter in marriage to you, and your representative, ‘wakili’ will accept her on your behalf in the presence of witnesses. This is done to involve elders in the union, so that whenever the couples are facing a problem, they will be able to intervene and provide solutions. The amount of dowry paid before or on this day is also announced to the hearing of those present.
Conveyance of the Bride (Kai Amarya)
After the Wedding Fatiha, and all other events that will follow, the next thing is to convey the bride (amarya) to her new home. This is the time when most brides cry, not because they are not happy getting married, but because of how sad it is to finally leave the home they’ve known all their lives, for a completely new one. The bride is escorted by her friends and close relatives to the new house, and sometimes one or two might spend the night in the house.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to get married to a Hausa lady, we hope you will take the necessary steps and invite us to your wedding soon. Do you have more to tell us about Hausa weddings or how it differs with your tribe’s, please do tell us about it in the comments section below. We are eager to hear from you!
FAQs
How do Hausa people marry?
This starts from seeking permission from the parents, followed by some pre-wedding rites and events, and officially concluded during the Wedding Fatiha with representatives from both families and witnesses.
How long will it take to marry a Hausa lady?
This depends on several factors, including financial readiness and parents from both sides being satisfied with their prospective in-law.
Can I marry a Hausa lady in four weeks?
Yes, you can. For some families, the whole wedding process can be concluded in much less time.
How much is Hausa Bride Price?
There is no fixed amount for bride price in Hausa land. It can be as low or as high as the two families agree on. However, moderation is advised, so, always consult with people from the same community ad your prospective wife.
Is Hausa wedding expensive?
This depends on the family you are marrying from. You will definitely spend a lot if you are planning to marry someone from a rich family, but overall, Hausa weddings aren’t expensive.
Can a non-Hausa man marry a Hausa lady?
Yes. A significant example is the marriage of Idris Ajimobi, son of Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, and Fatima Ganduje, daughter of Kano State governor.
Not everyone wants a big wedding and certainly, not everyone has the financial means for that kind of wedding. As a result, small simple weddings are a go-to. In this article, I will be taking you through how to go about a simple wedding ideas for a small wedding
A small wedding or a micro wedding in all definitions focuses on the guests which are usually 50 or lesser than that. When you go further to 100, that’s a medium wedding, and largely carries more than 100.
Why Small Weddings?
There are plenty of reasons to have a small wedding. Here’s a list for you:
You get to keep the budget on the low and more friendly.
Less budget means more focus on the bigger picture like a wedding dress, cakes, dinner, house, rent, family, kids, etc.
You get to spend more individual time with your friends, family, and loved ones – like one-on-one time, isn’t that amazing?
You create memories individually with them that linger on even after the wedding.
With simple weddings, you end up in a stress-free and relaxed environment. Isn’t that rewarding?
“Less is more” because, with this, you get to socialize and have intimacy with your guests and make memories to always remember. While this already sounds interesting, read on to see more about micro weddings and how to go about them.
Ideas for a Simple Wedding
1. Send Handwritten Invitation Cards
First things first, our guests and invite, right? Since you already have the intention of having a small wedding, instead of printing cards why not write and customize them? It’s much easier, faster, fun, and budget freaking friendly.
Look out for lovely white cards or thick white paper to write your name, spouse’s, the date of the wedding, etc. It can’t be that hard or you can simply place a call to them or send a message about the big day.
2. Limit Who You Invite
Now that you’ve decided on handwritten cards, it’s time to make that list. When it comes to weddings, this is the highlight of it all, well apart from item 7, yeah. They make the event memorable, fun, exciting, and beautiful. But there’s a twist to this,
You don’t have to invite anyone and everyone to your simple wedding.
Yes, it’s a memorable day for you and your spouse. It’s a reason but remember, it’s a small wedding. The lesser they are, the merrier the event and of course, less budget.
3. Be Selective About Friends
“The less the merrier” remember? Be selective and strategize about the friends you want to send invitation cards to. Make sure they are the ones you want there and want to make memories with.
With this, you’re being thoughtful and in a way, you’re sending apologies to them. They will definitely understand you, relax.
4. Be Strict About Plus Ones (+1)
You thought I’d skip this one? No, no. Plus Ones are definitely those people that make your wedding congested and food not to go round. To top it all, they weren’t invited and you definitely don’t know them.
Imagine you planned item 7 for 40 people and your guest comes with 20 +1’s, where will you get item 7 to go round your guests and their guests? You’ll have to spend more to satisfy them or order more food to go round and that is not how you planned your budget, is it?
So, before sending out invitations, make sure you know your guests. If they are married, better you believe they will be coming with their spouse so add them to the list. When sending to others, be strict about it and tell your guests to understand and bear with you. Remember to check your parent list too, they will be inviting the whole state to the event. Check-in and check out, okay?
5. Choose the Wedding Venue with a Strict Guest Capacity
A bouncer? Security? Yeah, you get my point. Trust me, people have two coconut heads and even after your strictness on +1, some will still do what they want to. I mean, you can’t beat them, can you?
Pick a venue with strict rules on capacity and also have bouncers and security who check your guest in only after showing a legit invitation to them. As you do this, you take the pressure off yourself. I mean, you don’t have to worry about item 7 not going round. Or somebody you don’t know contesting the whole place. You also have less stress and a more relaxed atmosphere.
6.Opt for a Virtual Ceremony
Another tip that makes the list of simple wedding ideas for a small wedding is by embracing technology. I mean technology makes everything easy nowadays, doesn’t it? This idea here encourages you to have a loved one virtually attend your wedding. There are some guests whose presence means the world to you but due to one or two, will not be able to make it. That’s okay; this is why it’s a good idea to have a video call with them.
Simply encourage them or accept the idea for a Zoom video call. With this, they get to see you exchange vows, dance, merry, cut out the cake, eat, and play games and you get to keep your guest list small. Isn’t that the whole idea, yes?
7. Ditch the Wedding Party
Okay, I had to add this before I proceed to the main event of the day. Have it in mind that if you want this, you have to cut out on other things. Yeah, we all love to party (some of us, I know I do) but if you want a small wedding, you have to say No to this party.
Planning on having an after-party call for extra refreshments and of course, a messy house to clean up once they leave. So instead of this, have a prolonged reception with your guests and enjoy every moment with them.
8. Choose an Indoor Wedding Reception
This idea narrows down to considering using the backyard of your house or family house as the venue for the wedding. With family and friends around, it’d be easier and less budget for you as you get them to help. They could help with decorations and the setting up of the place.
With this, you have more time to talk and bond, also to plan how the event will take place. Another plus is that you have your parents around and this is meaningful in all languages.
9. Choose an Outdoor Venue and Reception
With fewer people on the guest list, you might just be considering a restaurant as the perfect place for the wedding venue. Calm down, don’t have that look or say “How can my wedding reception be at a restaurant?” It’s actually not a bad idea if you refurnish the place with the right linens, fabrics, and decorations.
With a restaurant, the furniture is already in the right place. All you need do is discuss with your spouse the bold colours you’ll want to use and the menu you’ll want to include.
Another option here is a “destination wedding” People tend to do this and it is quite small as only wanted guests will be there. If you’re able to, by all means, then go ahead.
10. Consider a Long Table Set Up
A long reception table is a fun way to have everyone making eye contact, feeling welcomed and included in every conversation. This setup makes even friends feel like family too on this beautiful day of your life.
11. Consider a U-Table Set-Up
A boring long table, am I right? How about a U-table setup? Get innovative and add tables to give you the U shape. This makes it merrier and helps in enhancing conversation amongst guests.
Be sure to decorate the tables, lay fabrics, linens on the table to give it a welcome touch. This makes the guest feel at home and connected too.
12. Get Creative with Decorations and Seating Arrangements
With small simple weddings come innovations and cracking of the head to come up with something elegant and beautiful. Planning a simple wedding involves seating arrangements with eye-catching decorations.
Consider using a large table or U-table like mentioned above. Lay linens, fabrics, or satin on them to give them a unique touch. Proceed to fill the spaces with flowers, glasses, lights, candles in the glasses, plants, cutleries, and napkins.
Use white curtains to give it a touch of warmth, ambience, and comfort. This also serves as a barrier from the sun.
13. Consider Hanging Some Decorations
Go big or go home, huh? You should consider lifting the flowers, flower pot, plants, or lights for added intimacy and ambience. A small wedding gives you ideas and opportunities to go big or go home. Try everything you think you can and be sure to come up with an elegant decoration.
14. Make Provision for Table Reservations
With fewer guests comes comfort, trust me. Place name cards on your guest table for them to recognize their allocated space and make them feel at home. With a few lists, you can make this or simply buy them. I recommend handwriting them the same way we did with the invitation cards.
Get crafty and personalize their names with calligraphy for each card. Make them feel special by adding a heart or even adding their pet name or nickname on the card.
15. Make Sure Cutleries Go Round
With tables come cutleries, don’t forget that. On every table and chair, place a set of cutleries (fork, spoon, and knife) and glassware (wine and water) or simply place table water.
Design each place beautifully and wonderful to honour your guest and give each chair space to enable them to eat comfortably. This also prevents them from hitting their elbows against each other.
16. Create Your Own Menu and Timeline of the Event
Have a structured timeline for your wedding so as not to forget what you really want to do on this auspicious day.
Incorporate tasty dishes into the menu or side dishes for the special guests. A good timeline will keep your guests glued and entertained. Don’t forget to tell them about your love story and of course how you guys met.
This is surely one of the simple wedding ideas for a small wedding worth noting.
17. Create An Ambiance Lounge Area
I mean, you can’t keep your guests sitting face to face with each other all day. How about you create a lounge area for them to relax and rest their backs?
You can create a lounge area with cushions, pillows, and throw pillows (I mean, throw = fun). With this, you give them room to interact more and also to relax. You can make fruit punch, cocktail, or smoothies to serve in wine glasses while the guest catches up and maybe, matchmaking. *wink*
18. Hire a Budget Friendly Entertainment
A good timeline could keep your guests entertained but if you’re able to, consider hiring a live band for extra entertainment. Yeah, we’re on a small wedding if you can’t afford one, let it be.
If you’re able to, hire one that is budget-friendly to you and your spouse. You might even be lucky to get one as a gift from your friends. Or an artiste may come to surprise you because your friend put the word out there about your wedding and how much you admire the said artiste.
19. Have a Friend Help out With the Pictures
I mean, what’s a wedding without pictures? Am I right? You deserve those pictures, okay. They are those memories you look back to and remember how heartfelt it was for you. You might just be lucky to have a friend who is a photographer and wouldn’t mind capturing every moment. If you’re not, invest in one for a couple of hours to capture intimate moments with friends, families, and loved ones.
With fewer guests on your side, you get to create the most intimate atmosphere with them. A photographer or your friend should help to capture the laughter, the joy, the cheers, and dance of course. These are moments to treasure the most of the day and after.
Don’t forget pre-wedding shoots cause I mean, we the guests have to post. Am I right?
20. Find a Friend who Can Take Both Pictures and Videos
One of the simple wedding ideas for a small wedding is considering video coverage. I mean, after photography comes videography at weddings. Have your photographer make a video or videos of your memorable day. If you were lucky to have a friend who helped in photography but can’t do videography, how about sending them out? With this, you’re sticking to a budget and killing two birds with a stone.
Have them make clips of happy moments, dancing moments, eating moments, clinging of glasses, joy, and laughter. Everything!
21. Have a Small Cake
With a simple wedding, you need fewer layers of cake. You are also opportune to add brownies or cookies as dessert for your guests.
All you need do is communicate with your baker about your idea, the number of people you’re inviting and be on a budget with them. Be sure to enjoy this at the lounge area with your friends and family.
22. Your Menu Should be Limited
This is also one of the simple wedding ideas for a small wedding. Instead of paying a caterer, there are two options for you here:
Create your own menu
Get an online food vendor
Both options will work well. Or simply Call Mama, it’s an emergency. Trust me, in this situation, it’s best to run to them. They will definitely do something as their quota for this auspicious day or Hello Friends!
23. Have Your Bridesmaid and Groomsmen be On Board
I completely forgot this but here you go! Everyone has to be involved, including them. Be open to them about your ideas and also listen to theirs. Do you want a grand entrance, an elegant one or a street one? Do you want blue or red or red and green? Bundle up and bond with them about these issues and plan something simple and classy.
24. Choose Second-Hand Wedding Outfits
Sigh, I didn’t skip this because I swear I almost did. I mean, WHAT, It’s FASHION! This speaks volumes. Well, there are tons of bridal styles online and if you want yours made, be sure to plan this ahead of time, say months. This is to avoid getting disappointed, I mean, some fashion designers do not keep to their words.
But, how about embracing something new? Rent! People rent out bridal dresses, suits, gowns, and ties, I mean everything. They are called “second hand” but they are still of quality, class, and style.
You can choose to rent the gown and suits while you buy other accessories like shoes, jewelry, and bags. With this being done, you’re cutting down on expenses and having that small wedding you want.
25. Go for Cheaper Hair, Nails, and Makeup
Ladies! Ladies! With this, you don’t have to plan much as you can book a makeup artist a day before the wedding. And if you’re lucky, your friend might just be one and make all your dreams looks be a reality. Or your chosen artiste could be running a promo or a discount and you’re it!
Find artistes that match your desired look and the same thing applies to your nails, hair, or matching veil to complete your glamorous look like a bride.
26. Don’t Go Beyond Your Budget
If you’re like me, you must have had a mental picture of all these ideas listed above. If you did that, now is the time to set a budget for all these ideas.
Feel free to discard any you don’t find a need to, I mean it’s your day and everything should go as you want it. Just be sure to work with that budget you fix and don’t go overboard with it. Remember to check out what you feel is not needed or wanted and is not important.
As you have seen, setting a budget is surely one of the simple wedding ideas for a small wedding worth putting into consideration.
27. Whatever Happens, Don’t Change your Wedding Date!
What’s next after that budget? This is next! After planning all you’ll do and not do, now is the time to pick a date. Be sure to pick a date when everything you’ve planned is ready.
Do not rush into it when you’ve not fully planned out everything. You don’t want to ruin this day with last-minute calls for decorations or a photographer. Take your time to check out what is most needed and what isn’t.
28. Choose an Affordable Destination for Honeymoon
I decided to write this as last because it’s not really important if you can’t afford it. But, with simple weddings, you can go all out on your honeymoon. Maybe a destination honeymoon if you’re able to. This gives room for not just body, mind, and soul intimacy but intimacy with the world, people, and nature.
Remember, there is no rush here. You can choose to delay to save some more or simply put the money you have into other things like savings, car, family, rent, etc.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned simple wedding ideas for a small wedding are all important. Simple weddings give room for creativity and togetherness with friends and family. Your wedding is the biggest event you’ll ever put together by yourself. If you’re on a budget and without a wedding planner, there’s a lot you have to do and with that said, I hope I met your every thought and answered your every idea. If I did not, feel free to let us know and drop your suggestions in the comments section.
Are you tasked with planning a bridal shower for your friend or sister and you’re looking for ideas? If yes, then this article is for you. Since bridal showers are becoming increasingly popular in arewa weddings nowadays, the bride would want it to be different and stand out. It is typically a gathering of the bride’s close friends and family (usually girls) where they can eat, play games, have fun, and give wedding gifts to the bride.
Planning a shower could be a lot of work and would need you to consider all the guests invited and try to make it fun for everyone. On that note, we’ve got you covered. I have compiled for you, 10 awesome bridal shower ideas that will surely bang!
Bridal Shower Ideas
1. Fancy Pants
Feeling fancy? You can go all out and have a dramatic, full-blown event with a hall, catering and everything extra.
If you don’t mind spending a lot of bucks on the shower, you can organize a bridal shower fit for a queen. You could make it even fancier by making it a black-tie occasion. I know for sure girls always want an excuse to look extra, then this is a perfect one where they can go all out but still look classy and chic. The groom and his friends could also make an appearance looking all suave in their suit and ties.
Dressing up all fancy doesn’t have to mean the shower has to be all seriousness. There are lots of fun things you could do like playing games and dancing. Of course, there has to be food and maybe cake. You can also top it off with a photo booth or station with an adorable photo card.
2. Outdoor Party
Maybe you wouldn’t want the shower to be overly dramatic. Then, you have an easy peasy solution. You can opt for a bridal shower idea that won’t have you thinking too much about the bill. Having an outdoor party in a backyard will definitely spare you the cost of renting a space. Decorating won’t also be a problem since it is outdoors.
Introducing dainty floral arrangements would do good to the space since it’s already outdoors. If you’d like a dress code also, it could be really casual like just anything with flowers or jeans and a coloured shirt.
You can organize some outdoor games that will appeal to everyone at the shower, including the bride of course. There could be music and of course food because any gathering is incomplete without food. It could be finger foods and drinks or even some party Jollof that would have the guests reminiscing for days.
Personally, I don’t think you could go wrong with an outdoor gathering since it could be fit for guests of any age.
3. How about a Girls Night In?
It could be a last-minute plan to have a bridal shower, or you’d just want to surprise the bride. It could even be because you have little to spare in the wedding budget for a bridal shower.
Don’t you miss having sleepovers with your friends when you were little? When all you did all night was just eat and talk about who has a crush on who and end it with a scary movie. Good times right? Having a sleepover-type shower would basically cost little to nothing since it’s just the bride and her girls sleeping in and having fun. Also, if thinking of a dress code is bringing you some headache, all everyone has to show up in is their pyjamas of course.
You can also have fun and games and bust some moves with the bride as you send her off. It would definitely be fun even if some of the invites are meeting each other for the very first time. I’m so sure with all the fun everyone will be having, it will be a night to remember!
4. Day Out With the Girls
Another good one of many bridal shower ideas is taking your girl out. What better way to celebrate the last few days of not being married than a day out with the bride’s closest friends and cousins? For this though, it would be wiser to not have a large number of people around.
You all could have a fun day shopping for everything and anything, then have brunch at a cafe, hang out at a beach, and end it with a movie at the cinema. It’s definitely always more fun to watch a movie at the cinema with friends giggling at almost every scene and making fun of the actors (just make sure not to get kicked out) Lolz.
If none of the above bridal shower ideas really spoke to you, then maybe this next one is for you.
5. A Themed Party
Maybe you want to stand out even more. Then you can introduce a theme to the party. It could be a 90’s classic theme or something from a movie or book or even a festival. I’m sure it would be a lot of fun figuring out what to wear to match the theme. But it could be difficult if the theme is really complicated like something otherworldly.
You would also want something that everyone on the invite list would relate to and would want to be a part of.
6. Why Not Go Cultural?
Sometimes, it’s just better to stick with our more traditional customs. For example in the typical Hausa wedding, there is the “sa lalle” event. It directly translates to “putting henna”. This is self-describing as the whole occasion is the adornment of the bride with henna designs on her palms, the back of her hands and feet to make her more beautiful. It’s strictly for ladies and they also get themselves adorned with the lalle.
Of course, the bride’s lalle would have to look way more elaborate than anyone else’s because it’s her day. It’s usually done a day or two before the actual wedding (Daurin Aure). This is surely one of the bridal shower ideas you may need.
7. Destination Bridal Shower
This one is definitely for you if you don’t mind the cost of having a very good time. Why not have a weekend getaway with the bride and her close girls for a whole weekend of showering the bride with fun and presents? A really good place would be a game reserve, or maybe a different city with amazing sights to see just for a good time.
Just imagine, travelling with your friends and just going all out with the fun and everything. It would definitely be packed full of adventure and exploring places, foods, and more.
Of course, your parents are going to have to be okay with letting a bunch of girls travel. You’ll have to get a chaperone or someone your parents can be comfortable with if they’re in charge.
8. A Virtual Shower
This is one of the bridal shower ideas you may need. Doesn’t sound like fun right?
You can make it fun for real. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been certain restrictions in movement or gatherings. This could be a difficult one to tackle if you really want to hold a bridal shower.
Worry no more. An easy way to hold a bridal shower is via an online video conference call from the comfort of your home. It can also solve the problem of some of the bride’s really close friends being in places far away. Thanks to platforms like Zoom, you can easily hold a shower with lots of people in attendance. You can have a few fun online games or have the bride open her presents if you send them to her prior to the shower.
If you can make it a lot of fun and have everyone keeping up, I’m sure it’s really something to consider.
9. An Abaya Affair
What do you think of borrowing from another culture? Abayas are classy and very comfortable clothes women wear and are said to originally be a form of Arabian women’s items of clothing. Everyone could just throw on a pretty abaya and come around for some sweets and tea. You can add some dark colours to the space you’re using and some Arab features, carpets, and music (if you don’t mind it) and just have a good time.
Last but not the least fun bridal shower idea we have is … drumroll, please…
10.A DIY Shower
Of course, a do-it-yourself activity may not be a typical bridal shower thing to do, but if the whole point is to celebrate the bride and have some fun, then what’s the harm in trying?
I once attended a DIY-type shower for one of my friends. The bride was a total foodie and loved getting dolled up. Because of that, we started by baking some chocolate chip cookies by ourselves following a recipe online. It was so much fun and when it was done, it didn’t taste too terrible. Lolz
After the cookies, we went on ahead to make our faces up following YouTube tutorials (they make it look so easy but it’s not). I picked a smoky eye makeup tutorial and tried so hard not to look like a raccoon but failed. Sadly.
Besides that, we had so much fun and put on some music and danced around like there was no tomorrow before calling it a day.
Conclusion
Likewise, you can try anything you think will be loads of fun in throwing a one-of-a-kind bridal shower. Just make sure it’s an amazing and doable bridal shower idea and your job is done.
It is obvious that people are different because we are a product of our mindset, likes, family, environment and so on. We tend to behave or give priority to things depending on who we are. How a relationship and marriage is, also depends on that. And again, we all want to be with our soulmates eventually, don’t we? In order to ensure ahappy relationship or marriage, you need to look out for the below-mentioned signs that you found your soulmate.
Let’s go right into them!
Signs to Look Out for to Ascertain If You’ve Found Your Soulmate or Not
1. You Share Almost the Same Likes and Dislikes
One of the signs that you found your soulmate is when you have almost the same likes and dislikes. You should put it at the back of your mind that it’s not possible for you to find someone having exactly the same likes and dislikes as you, but make sure they have the majority of your likes, most especially what you know you can’t compromise on.
Check if they like doing the things that you love to do during your leisure time. More so, check if they have the same passion for something that means so much to you. Ascertain whether or not they are good to go on this aspect.
You found your soulmate if they have the greater percentage of your likes and dislikes. If not, most especially on the most important ones to you, you haven’t. I advise you to search elsewhere.
2. You Have a Compatible Genotype
Genotype is one of the tests that every couple intending to settle down should undergo or take. Ascertain whether or not if you guys are compatible by taking the test. If the result turns out to be AA + AA, you are good to go, AA + AS, good to go, and AA + SS, good to go as well. However, if it turns out to be AS + AS, it’s a disaster, AS + SS is an atomic bomb, while SS + SS is a weapon of mass destruction.
So, if the result comes out in your favour, you have found your soulmate in that aspect, nevertheless, if it isn’t, you haven’t.
The result of this test is very paramount because it will affect the children you both are going to have. In general, if you are AA, you can marry any person with any other genotype, but if you are AS or SS, make sure you look for someone with AA to settle down with, else, the possibility of giving birth to children with sickle cell is very high.
You wouldn’t want that, would you?
3. You Have the Same Idea of a Family
The idea of what a family is differs from one person to another. To some, a family is one with a husband and wife with many children while it’s the one with fewer children to some. Others may see it as one comprising of just a husband and wife without any children.
Regardless of how people see it, ensure that the person you intend to settle down with has the same idea of a family like you. I beg you not to compromise on this in order to avoid a lot of ugliness later.
Congratulations if you’ve found your kind of person in this regard. This is surely one of the signs that you found your soulmate.
4. They Are as Religious/Social as You
This is another very important sign to look out for if you want to know whether or not you have found your soulmate. Check out if they are as religious as you or as social as you’re. If they are, you’ve found your soulmate, and you haven’t if otherwise.
As a religious person, you will love to have a family that your religion’s ethics and rules are the ones governing the affairs of your family and nothing else. And as a social person, you would love to be spontaneous; the traditional or western ways of life will be your choice of how you want your family to be. You wouldn’t want something else, would you?
I pray the one you will find or already are with is your type.
5. Their Family’s Ethics Are Just like Yours
The kind of family one is brought up in has a great influence on the kind of person they turn out to be, mostly. Whatever is obtainable in your family is what you see as normal and any other way is abnormal. This is because each and every family have their ethics and the way they do things.
For instance, in most northern family settings, strangers are not allowed into houses without any permission. Even with permission, you can’t just barge into the house without any prior notice that you will. In some other families, you are free to come in and go out of a house as you please.
Regardless of how your family is, as long as that’s exactly what you want, ensure you find someone with the same type of family. If you find that kind of person, you know they are your soulmate in this aspect, and not if otherwise.
6. If You Happen to See a Friend in Them
Your partner is someone who is expected to be your friend. Relationships that began with friendship tends to last longer than those that didn’t. If they are your friend, they will tend to understand you more; you can also laugh, play, and crack jokes together – do a lot of fun things together. Life is too short so why don’t we just enjoy it while it lasts?
If you don’t’ find a friend in them, all those listed cool stuff cannot be achievable. The house is going to be so boring. Trust me.
Ensure they are your friend and not just your partner. This is undoubtedly one of the signs that you found your soulmate.
7. When They Are Very Caring
The heart tends to love the person that cares for it. Your partner is caring to you if they care and support you in whatever positive thing that you do. This behaviour is aimed at reducing your distress or problems and supporting you in coping with your efforts in situations of either threat or challenge. It also entails them preserving and protecting your wellbeing regardless of whether they are accompanied by care and concern or not.
In marriages, there are lots of ups and downs – misunderstandings and fights, happy moments and miserable ones. If they are caring, they will make you feel more valuable and loved in happy moments and less miserable in moments of distress.
Therefore, if your partner is caring enough, then you have found your soulmate. If it’s otherwise, I advise you to quit the relationship.
8. They Always Put You First
We all have lots of things to do which are very important. Well, the idea of how ‘important’ something is to one differ from one person to another depending on how they see it. Regardless, however busy they are, they must try and create time for you and just you. You should also be at the top of their preference list. This excludes situations where they need to put you behind some things.
For instance, they have this promotion examination in their workplace and you need them close to you because you are somewhat ill or lonely. Or say, they have school fees to pay or house rent and you need to buy an item of clothing for pleasure or whatever reason it is. Of course, those problems surpass yours.
In general, you should always be put first in whatever that is obviously less important than you. If they always put on one complaint or other to avoid you, you haven’t found your soulmate yet. However, if they always put you first, my dear, you have found your soulmate.
9. They Appreciate Your Every Little Effort
Everyone needs to be shown gratitude whenever they do something good. Your partner should always appreciate your every effort however little it may be. For instance, when you stock her store with foods stuff, buy her fancy clothes, or even pay her bills – even though it’s kind of your responsibility, she should be grateful and show appreciation towards that effort. And as a lady, when you make up for him, dress and smell nice, buy him gifts on occasions of relevance to him, he should thank you enough too.
This is surely one of the signs that you found your soulmate.
Conclusion
Soulmates are trucks of joy. They are the best things that can ever happen to anyone. If you’ve been with one before, or know someone who is with their soulmate, you surely will testify to this assertion.
I advise before you embark on any relationship or marriage, ensure you look out for the above-mentioned signs that you have found your soulmate. As I said, you can’t find someone exactly like you, nowhere in the world does that kind of person exist. However, ensure they have the majority of the mentioned attributes.
Kindly tell us what you feel about this and also tells us other signs one can tell that they have found their soulmate in the comments section below. Thank you.
