As far as I can remember, attending a wedding party was a big deal. Even as a child, I saw how my mother and her friends prepared for weddings. After buying and sewing the overpriced aso-ebi, the desire to look as gorgeous as possible at the celebration is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and the guests spare no expense to be among the best-dressed.
A Nigerian wedding is a symphony of style, with geles of different colours and designs, agbada, caps, lace corset dresses, iro and buba, shining jewellery, beautiful purses, and gorgeous high heels. The beauty of a Nigerian wedding lies not only in the bride, who rightfully takes centre stage, but also in the elaborately and gorgeously dressed guests.
This glamour is amplified at celebrity weddings, where the stakes are even higher. Everyone hopes to be featured in online blogs, similar to how print magazines like Ovation and Thisday Style showcased fashionable wedding guests in the past. Consequently, guests at celebrity weddings are extravagant and dazzling in what appears to be a wedding fashion parade. Indeed, a Nigerian wedding is a fashion lover’s paradise.
In the Western world, it’s a common rule that guests should not outdress or outshine the bride; in fact, certain colours like white or black are often avoided so as not to detract attention from her. While somewhat understandable given the bride typically wears a white gown, this rule does not exist in Nigerian culture.
Nigeria is a multicultural country, and although each ethnic group has its distinct wedding rites and traditions, flamboyant dressing is a hallmark across cultures. For example, the Efiks and Ibibios people have their beads and hair ornaments, the Igbos double wrappers and isi agu, Northern Muslims have henna and beautiful veils, and the Yorubas have aso-oke and gele.
In each culture, the bride is undoubtedly the centre of attention, but at a Nigerian wedding, the guests pull out all the stops, and we love to see their style, flair, and the interpretation of the aso-ebi fabric every single time.
