Photos from Teju babyface and Tobi Banjoko Traditional Wedding

The Traditional Engagement held yesterday, 30th August, 2012 at 10 degrees event center at Billingsway road, Oregun, Ikeja and had in attendance Teju's colleagues from the entertainment industry including RMD,  AY, Gbenga Adeyinka etc. King Sunny Ade and Sir Shina Peters were on hand to provide music churning out hit after hit from their music retinue. The couple looked beautiful in gold and midnight blue. See some photos

RMD & Gbenga Adeyinka

Comedians Gbenga Adeyinka, AY and wife, Mabel Makun

Ace Yoruba artiste, Sir Shina Peters (SSP)

Teju and his colleagues

Wedding proper to hold tomorrow Saturday the 1st September 2012. Watch this space.

More photos from Makashe Ibru and Kayode Awogboro's Paris wedding

The lavish ceremony held in Paris at Neo-Gothic Basilic Ste-Clotilde while the reception held at Pavillion d'Armenonville also in Paris

Their "first dance" as a couple

The gigantic wedding cake. An ice sculpture of a polo player and his bride sits on the cake

The beautiful bridesmaids

Groomsmen

Scented candles with the couples' initials
was part of the wedding favours

The couple

 

It's definitely wedding season.. iROKO tv boss Jason Njoku, Makashe Ibru weds

I've been away so long.. sorry guys! Missed me?

Well, its definitely wedding season

Jason Njoku of iROKO tv ties the knot with his Nollywood actress sweetheart and star of hit movie Blackberry babes, Mary Remmy last the weekend, 18th August 2012

Happy married life Jason and Mary Njoku

Makashe Ibru wed her sweetheart, Kayode Awogboro last weekend in far away Paris amidst family members and close friends

Happy married life Kayode and Makashe. May God  bless your union

Studio 53 host Eku Edewor and her twin sister were bridesmaids at the wedding

Photo-op: Makashe Ibru's engagement photos

Makashe Ibru with mum

The lovely bride

The beautiful daughter of Oskar Ibru had her traditional marriage to Kayode Awogboro on August 4, 2012.

The wedding is slated for 17th and 18th of August 2012 (a la Stephanie Okereke's style) at Eglise Saint Clotilde in Paris and reception to follow at Pavillion d'Armemnonville, Alle de Longchamp also in Paris, France.

Heard Oskar Ibru plans to fly over 500 friends and family members to Paris for the wedding.

Huh! *rick ross grunt.. We gon' be rich forever..


Make-up: as always... by Banke Meshida for BM PRO. She always delivers.

Bachelorette Party or Bridal Shower Party

A scene from a Bachelorette Party

Personally I dread bridal showers. Who has time for all those dumb games?- making a wedding dress and veil from tissue paper, asking personal questions about the bride and groom, when you could be out on the town partying, downing glass after glass of champagne and screaming your lungs out. Yes! that is what girls time out is made of and that's what goes down  at a Bachelorette party. I'm not a girly girl

But truth is not everyone is wild like that. Some people are more of home bodies than night crawlers and while you may enjoy wild nights you can't take away from the fact that bridal showers are more intimate affairs and can make you feel really special. Bridal showers usually involve family and friends and can be hosted by an aunt, a mother, or a family friend. There are lots of treats- sweets, drinks, chocolate and cake. It is a time where innocent games are played, memories are relived and the bride is showered with plenty of practical gifts with which she can start a home (don't know about Nigeria though.. people just come to eat your food, lol)

Rapper Lil Wayne walks his mum down the aisle

The Cash Money rapper cut a cute picture as he walked his mum down the aisle some months ago. Photos of the wedding was recently leaked by the official photog of the wedding.

Lil Wayne looks too cute as he walks his mum down the aisle

          

                          

                                                 Cash Money's Birdman aka Baby escorts Jacida, Lil wayne's mum 

Kolo Toure's wedding photos

Manchester City and Ivorian Defender Kolo Toure weds Chimene Akassou in Abidjan. The two have been together for 10 years and have two children. See some of the pictures

To veil or not to

Bolarin Biobaku at her traditional marriage

I remember when my family friend was getting married she had decided she didn't want to wear a veil but wanted her hair flowing with a gigantic tiara atop her head. When her mother heard this she almost had a fit. How can you not veil?, a bride must be veiled on her wedding day, Why do you want to be different? My family friend being a tomboy lashed out "Mum, I'm not everybody"

Which brings me to the question- Why do brides wear a veil?

In the old Roman Empire, it was said that the veil was meant to scare away evil spirits who might kidnap the bride before the wedding.

It was also used for arranged marriages so that the groom will not back out based on the physical features of the bride. In this type of marriage the bride is betrothed to the groom and this may have been kept secret by their parents, it is at the wedding that he would formally unveil his bride.

TV Personality Star Jones rocks a record 27 inch long veil
Hers was longer than Princess Diana's by 2 inches

In reference to biblical times, the veil was used to trick Jacob into marrying plain Leah instead of her sister Rachel.

At other times the veil came to symbolize chastity, purity and modesty. When the veil was lifted it signified that the groom was taking possession of his wife and he has a right to enter conjugal relations with her. This supports the saying "a bride was given to her husband in marriage while a man took a wife".

Today the veil has become more of an accessory. It is no longer tied to such superstitious beliefs as in times past.

It has become a beautiful fashion statement - the longer the veil, the more formal the wedding as there are varieties to choose from.

The decision to veil  is entirely yours. Whether veiled or not just be sure your rocking that aisle.

Photo-op: Bella Naija's Uche Eze with hubby Bode Pedro

Tres cute

Wishing the couple a happy married life

Exotic Honeymoon Spots in Nigeria

You do not have to break the bank to have a memorable honeymoon.

With the strains of money and resources expended in creating the perfect wedding, most couples will rather go for a low key honeymoon... remember they are just starting their life together as man and wife independently of their respective families.

If you are on a budget, going as far as Abu Dhabi or Seychelles may not be the first thing that comes to mind when there are bills to pay.

However, you can create the perfect memorable honeymoon right here in Nigeria.

There are lots of hot honeymoon spots where you can get the right mix of ambience and tranquility and enough romance to create quadruplets.




Below are some exotic honeymoon spots right here in naija





LA CAMPAGNE TROPICANA BEACH RESORT

...Garden of Eden Re-discovered! located at Akegun Town Epe

Life is a Beach.....

Funke Akindele's wedding photos

 The wedding and traditional engagement held at The Haven Center at Oba Akinjobi Way, G.R.A Ikeja  on May 26,2012 after an impromptu venue change (the wedding was slated to hold at All Seasons Plaza Agindigbi). It had in attendance top nollywood actors and celebrities.

The wedding colour was wine and silver/white

Couple

Nollywood actresses Ini edo and Genevieve Nnaji

First photos of Funke Akindele's engagement ceremony

A peep into Funke Akindele's traditional engagement ceremony

Funke Akindele looking beautiful at her traditional engagement ceremony

Bride with fellow actress Ireti Osayemi

The traditional ceremony is going on right now at the Haven Events Centre and contrary to reports the wedding ceremony holds today at the same venue.

Funke Akindele becomes Mrs Funke Almaroof at Nikkai ceremony

Funke and hubby at nikkai ceremony

Funke gets married to Alhaji Kehinde Almaroof at a Nikkai ceremony yesterday. The traditional engagement will hold on May 26th 2012.

Say "yes" to the dress

Molly Sims looks perfect in her wedding dress

I am a curvaceous UK size 14 -16. I worry about how my arms would look in my wedding dress, I have a cute pouch (It really is cute) and I have wide hips, I obsess so much about how my wedding dress will fit. Getting a dress for someone like me may pose a herculean task after all we are not all Molly Sims. The average naija girl is quite 'thick' n 'healthy'. Don't hate on us our men love us dat way.

Sometimes I wish I was a man cos all they have to do is get a suit with a nice fit, a tie, crisp shirt, belt, well polished shoes and they are good to go. No frills, no lace.

And since us 'girls' come in different shapes and sizes, we all have our body hangups.. so while we may admire Kim K's dress (allow your mind skip the 1 minute wedding, damn i'm in pain!) and dream about rocking that type of dress, our body shape or genes may tell us different.



I have tried to class the different body shapes my friends have (you guys know yourselves, lol) and use it as a yardstick to choosing a wedding dress for any body shape




You got a boyish, straight up and down shape

You should rock a dress with an empire waistline. Gowns with empire waists are usually very feminine and soft. The empire waist comes below the bust which will create a hint of a small waist while the lower part of the gown will gently flare outward to create an illusion of curves. If you have great arms and shoulders you may show it off with a strapless dress. Empire waists are also a great choice for pregnant brides.

Empire waistlines are great on boyish shapes 
and also work well for pregnant brides 

                                           

You got large boobs, a heavy top half and narrow hips

The problem is that you dont want to come off looking like Johnny Bravo on your wedding day. You still wanna show off feminine curves even if it is almost non-existent. It is wise to rock a fairytale style or ball gown wedding dress. This will help balance out your upper body by adding volume to your lower body for the perfect hourglass silhouette. For large boobs, you can soften the look by wearing a slightly plunging neckline.

     Ball gowns are great for disguising narrow hips 

                               

You are curvy with big boobs, fluffy middle and wide hips

You can create the perfect figure by accentuating your strongest points. You should invest in a structured dress like Princess dresses or a-line dresses.It should have a fitted bodice and should nip your waist while skimming over your hips thus accentuating your best assets

Isi Omiyi rocks an a-line dress with sleeves. The dress nips her in the waist, 
gently skimming over her hips while disguising her ample bosom to create a perfect silhouette 

                     

Funke Akindele - Why are beautiful young women settling?

Funke and her husband to be, Alhaji Kehinde Almaroof aka Kenny doo

A while back (last week or so) the media was awash with news of Funke Akindele's impending marriage to a businessman cum politician, Alhaji Kehinde Almaroof aka Kenny doo. It was alleged that the soon-to-be husband of Jenifa is married and has six kids from two different women. This report has been denied by her camp severally.


Kehinde claims that he was never married but had a live-in baby mama for many years. A picture has surfaced online of him and his alleged wife at their nikkai ceremony (Islamic wedding rites) to debunk this claim.

Kenny and his alleged wife at their Nikkai ceremony  

Funke Akindele as most of us know is a very popular A-list Nollywood actress. Smart, young and beautiful. She is the brain behind Jenifa, a high grossing Yoruba comedy film. She is a law grad from the University of Lagos and has so many achievements in her kitty. She is a foremost Nollywood face, a Globacom Ambassador, a screenwriter, a producer and a director. She enjoys support from her peers, the Lagos social scene and even the Lagos State Government. She has so many endorsement deals .


Long and short of it is that Funke is a young and successful woman. Gbam!


It's her personal life really!


But this brings me to the question: from Mercy Johnson to Funke Akindele to the regular chick from around the block... Why are we settling? How did marriages, even relationships move from being on our own terms to being on a man's terms. When do we get to that point that we lower our standards- a little at first, then a little more and then.... Is marriage really the be all and end all even if it means marrying just anyone... Are men really that scarce?, lol


Please share your thots.

I love hearing from you....

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is married

Mark Zuckerberg gets married to his long time girlfriend, Priscilla Chan
 at a surprise ceremony in his Calif. home

On Saturday, May 19 2012, Mark Zuckerberg married his long time girlfriend Priscilla Chan at a wedding ceremony that held in his backyard.

According to US Weekly the couple invited less than 100 friends and family members to celebrate Chan's graduation from  medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, a guest authorized to speak for the couple tells Us Weekly. What they didn't know, however, was that Facebook founder and CEO Zuckerberg, 28, and his Harvard sweetheart Chan, 27, would also be tying the knot at their Palo Alto, Calif. home.

The low-key ceremony occurred in their backyard. The couple -- who have been together nine years -- had been planning the ceremony for the past five months. Zuckerberg wore a suit and tie, and Chan wore a $4,700 embroidered Claire Pettibone dress featuring matte sequins and ivory cut-outs with a sheer back.

Zuckerberg designed a "simple ruby ring" for Chan himself; she did not see it until the wedding.
Guests ate family style from the couple's favorite local eateries, Palo Alto Sol and Fuki Sushi. For dessert, attendees ate burdick chocolate "mice," which the couple had on their first date.

It's been a banner week for the couple, as Chan graduated on Monday, the same day Zuckerberg turned 28. Four days later, Facebook went public; the move brought Zuckerberg's wealth to an astounding $19 billion.

Wedding trends for 2012

Illusion necklines
Illusion necklines are such a big hit this year. Picture a strapless wedding dress but the neckline is covered by sheer lace, that is the illusion neckline. It is beautiful, chic and really comfortable to wear. It also suits every kind of bride from slim to curvy and is timeless and elegant. The illusion neckline has become a popular fixture of weddings this year.

"Isadora" by Marchesa from the Spring 2012 Bridal Collection

Bride-  Kehinde Oniru

Beautiful and Elaborate Dessert Stands

Another wedding trend in 2012 is the elaborate dessert stand. Couples spare no expense to satisfy their guests' sweet tooth and what better time to indulge than at a wedding. There are lots of great ideas like chocolate fountain, colourful/themed cupcakes, fruit trees, decorative fruit arrangements, colourful pastries the list is endless. Elaborate dessert stands add so much colour to the wedding and makes for beautiful photography.

Dessert stands add so much beauty to a wedding reception

A Short Romantic Hollywood styled film
 a la Stephanie's wedding video that went viral. Many couples now opt for a Hollywood styled romantic short flick. The main stars are the Bride and Groom (think Mr and Mrs Smith, lol). It is usually in form of a short biography telling the story of the couple. Unlike the wedding videos that we are accustomed to that just records the events at the wedding, this type tells a story about the couple. The story is told either by the bride or the groom or a professional voice-over. Sometimes this short movie may be set in some other age e.g Medieval, Renaissance, the 70s, 80s etc .

Watch the clip of Stephanie Okereke's wedding video below

The couple have a romantic moment before the wedding

This destroys the myth of not seeing a bride before the wedding ceremony. Many couples opt to see each other before the wedding to share a romantic moment before heading to church. For the more superstitious brides there is a new technique called the 'Behind the door' technique that is really catching on. You get to share a romantic moment without seeing each other. Have a glimpse at the photo below

Couple share a romantic moment before the wedding

Vintage bride v. Modern bride

Ever looked at your parents wedding pictures and realise how diferrent their weddings were from how it is done now?  There was sheer elegance, simplicity, modesty and femininity. There was always something so chaste and ethereal about our parents' wedding pictures. Whenever I go to visit my friends and look at the wedding pictures on the wall its the same, shoulders covered, long sleeves, minimal jewelry, flowing dresses (not the skin tight ones we rock today).

 But unlike the old more emphasis is placed this days on extravagance. This days, brides are made to look all sexed up, more emphasis is on massive jewelry, make up, and many brides are on their worst behaviour on their wedding day the list goes on and on.

Looking at several wedding pictures and videos from the 70s and 80s,  I came to the conclusion that vintage brides always exuded sweet innocence. They were also very feminine and modest

Oooooh! I just had a shoegasm!

Shoegasm

Lately my eyes have been assaulted by a myriad of wonderfully sparkly shoes but no matter how beautiful a shoe looks the key is comfort.

In order to choose a shoe to rock on your wedding day some factors must be considered

Comfort

Style

Durability

Fit

It also has be classic and timeless. You don't want to wear shoes that Nicki Minaj or Lady Gaga would wear and then 20 years later your kids will look at your wedding pictures and ask "Mum, what were you thinking?" Shoes like pumps, open toe or ballet flats never go out of style.

Just recently I was at a wedding and had a complete, in fact a multiple shoegasm. The bride was rocking this sky high Christian loubotin pumps. Now I don't know how she did it cos she was in those shoes all through the darn ceremony but damn those shoes looked pretty uncomfortable. Couldn’t get a close up view but when I got home I googled it. See below

Christian Loubotin "Daffodile" bridal shoe

This shoe is covered with swarovski crystals and costs a whooping 6,395 us dollars gasp!   that is some people's entire wedding budget  ok! scratch that, it's some people's wedding budget plus, house rent and school fees for their first two kids #tongue out#

Some other bridal leg candy that have caught my eye in recent times are-

Annulia by Ivanka Trump, for those that put comfort before anything else. It's really stylish too

Annulia by Ivanka Trump

For those that love to show off some beautiful feet complete with beautifully manicured toe nails  you can rock strappy sandals

Badgley Mischka "Forrester' White wedding shoes

And to all 2012 brides it is actually okay to have a shoe fetish *wink*

so whatever your choice is make sure you are rocking some major leg candy on your big day.