Very few things can be as stressful as planning your wedding in Nigeria. From deciding what to wear, the hall to use for reception to catering for guests, planning weddings can be very exhausting.
BusinessDay polled a number of service providers in the wedding industry to get you the average rates so you can draw up your budget stress-free.
Bride’s wear
There cannot be a wedding without a wedding gown. A pristine white, flowery pink, silvery gold and even black gown- whichever colour or style, the bride’s dress is usually the talk of a wedding.
BusinessDay finding across several online platforms and interaction with experts in the line of business suggests an average of N350, 000 for purchasing a wedding gown while rental costs around N120, 000.
The cost of a wedding dress depends on the brand the bride has preference for and can even cost millions. Since the dress would not be complete without a shoe, the bride should set aside about N100, 000 extra.
Groom’s wear
You should not hesitate to spend your hard-earned naira on a wedding day you will remember. Of course, the groom’s suit and shoes are among the things that have to be absolutely right.
You can get quality suits for your wedding on e-commerce platforms like Jumia and Konga or big boutiques. It is important to know that prices of men’s suits depend on brand and quality.
For instance, High-Quality-Black Tuxedo Men’s suit ranges N250, 000 to N450, 000, a sales director who works in a notable boutique in Lagos confirmed to our correspondent.
He, the sales director, revealed to our correspondents that men’s formal shoes for wedding include Mario Fagni Hand Weaved Calf Leathered shoes, which hovers N215, 000. The groom may also consider buying Maurices Crocodile Skin Shoe (Black) between N250, 000 and N280, 000 depending on the grade.
Photography
Before the wedding comes the pre-wedding and nothing says “ I am getting married” better than high quality pre-wedding pictures on your social media handles with captions like “together_forever”, “#Sam&Sammie2019”, etc.
A Lagos-based wedding photographer told our correspondent that the rise of the social-media age and smartphone adoption means many couples can share beautiful moments with friends and families all over the world.
Whether to eternalise the moment or join the bandwagon, photography has become a sine qua non in many wedding plans.
The average price for wedding photography (Pre-wedding, Traditional and White) ranges from N250, 000- N450, 000 for Photobook, although the deal might include 2 frames. The photographer says the deal one gets “depends on the location and the concept to be used,”
Damola (pseudo) an Abuja-based photographer however says it is usually subject to negotiation as newer studios might agree for N200,000 while more established ones could demand up to N500, 000.
Photo and Video packages start from N350, 000 and can cost as much as N1 million.
Hall for Wedding Reception
Choosing the right wedding venue is very important if you desire a memorable and stunning wedding ceremony.
The wedding venue is one of the largest expenses, if not the largest. You naturally need to find a venue that fits into your budget.
The cost of renting a hall for reception is basically determined by the number of guests, location and time.
Information gathered by our correspondents revealed that the cost of renting expansive halls in top-notch hotels in Lagos averages between N12 million and N20 million.
Aso-Oke
Nigerian weddings are a colourful affair and quite literally. Aso oke which means “top cloth” in the English language is traditional wear and the first set of clothes the couple would emerge in as they step out in style, matching each other’s apparel from head to toe.
The traditional wear denotes cloth of high status and is a wedding essential for many Nigerian couples getting married.
Given the demand for top quality, a set which is for the couple could go for N150,000-N200,000, depending on the location of retailer.
Master-of-Ceremony (MC)
Planning a wedding takes time and requires numerous considerations. A professional Master of Ceremony is important for wedding as they are experienced in using commanding and strong voice to catch the attention of guests.
According to our correspondent, the cost of engaging M&Cs for high-class wedding ranges between N500,000 to N2 million.
Bridal Makeover
Looking good is good business and it gets better on one’s wedding day. Many small and medium enterprises have emerged in the last decade on account of the lucrative nature of the makeover industry in Nigeria.
A make-up artist in Lagos says she helps brides look their best on their wedding as a side job and sometimes get more demand than she can handle.
The average cost of a bridal makeover service varies depending on location and what theme the wedding would be based on, our correspondents say.
N80, 000 – N120, 000 is the range most of the surveyed service providers offered. The fees would cover both the introduction and the wedding although if the bridal train is to be catered to, the fee would increase by N10, 000-N20, 000 with each additional person.
Wedding Caterers
Either you are having a wedding celebration or any events, one thing is certain, great food makes wedding memorable. As the saying goes, tasty foods don’t come cheap.
A senior chef who works with a Lagos-based food company that specializes in catering for indoor and outdoor events told our correspondent that cost of hiring caterers for wedding events ranges between N3 million – N5 million, depending on the number of guests and varieties of dishes among others.
Cake
Cutting the cake has its own special place on every wedding program. The cake designer is usually give audience to explain the philosophy behind the design, what each colour means and what materials have been delicately blended to create the edible masterpiece.
A decent wedding cake, say 3-tier, can sell from N70, 000 up to N180, 000- of course with more tiers and layers.
Whether Vanilla, Velvet or Chocolate- to mention a few, everyone sure looks to see a wedding cake.
Disc Jockey (DJ)
If you want to have a glamorous wedding reception, you should know that one of the essentials is making sure you have music playing for your guests.
The dance floor ought to be filled with joyous and heart-felt memories. Don’t forget that your first dance as couples is the most important.
The cost of hiring a DJ ranges between N500, 000 to N1.5 million, as confirmed to our correspondents, determined basically by the package involved.
One of the contacted DJs told our correspondent that his services comes with attractive packages such as back-up system, back-up DJ in case of emergency, clean radio-edited songs, powerful sound systems suitable for over 1, 000 quests and music during cocktail hour, dinner and dancing.
Rings
Wedding rings many say are symbols of eternal love. If the couple wed in a church it might be a necessity as the minister would require exchange of rings to symbolize ‘’ becoming one’’
BusinessDay checked across some online Jewelry stores in Lagos and estimates N150, 000 minimum if the desire is to balance quality and affordability. Since rings are usually made of precious metals and stones, there is no limit to how much it could cost.
It is noteworthy to state that event planners can help intending couples actually plan a wedding from start to finish. However, their charges depend on a lot of factors including location of the wedding, social class and couples’ preference among others.
