Your dream has finally come true: you are getting married! Besides posting your engagement pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, the next step is to plan the wedding. Of course there are so many things to do when planning a wedding (especially if you are having a typical Nigerian wedding) and a lot of it entail shopping. Unfortunately, not every couple can afford a wedding planner and so they have to visit the market, shops and boutiques themselves.
If you are in Lagos and you are faced with the looming stress of ‘wedding shopping’, don’t worry, Jumia travel shares 4 tips for surviving wedding shopping to help you scale through without much ado.
Have a budget, make a list and stick to it
The key to success with any kind of shopping is having a clear list of what you want to buy and sticking to a budget. What are the essentials for your wedding, make a long list with subtitles and for each item, include an estimate for how much you can afford to spend on that item. Going shopping without an idea of what exactly you want to purchase and how much you can spend on each item makes you spend carelessly and find yourself broke even before you have completed your shopping.
Try the local markets
You probably want a designer wedding dress and one-in-a-million shoes for your wedding. While it is okay to want the best for your ceremony, it is important you remain as shrewd as possible when acquiring them. The go-to for such designer items are usually high-end shops and boutique around certain parts of the city and even online, but the truth is that the original versions of these designer fashions items can also be found at local markets and at much cheaper prices than you would find them in the high-end shops. True, you may find it much more hectic walking round Balogun market than strolling along Victoria Island, but in the end, you get the same quality and for a cheaper price.
Delegate with caution
When planning a wedding, you find that the list of things to do seem endless and usually, you resort to delegating some chores to friends and relatives. While delegating will bring a measure of relief, it may lead to an even bigger problem if the person a task is delegated to, fails to meet up with your expectations. For instance, the fabrics the person buys for your Asoebi turns out to be a slightly different colour from your wedding colours. Basically, it is important you try to be involved in every aspect of the planning and in areas you feel you must delegate, do so with caution.
Take your time, start early
Most people leave their wedding planning till about a few months or even weeks to the wedding and this usually leaves them feeling rushed. They end up making a lot of mistakes and they feel unfulfilled on their wedding day. Unless you plan to elope or have a private wedding with only family, it is important you start planning your wedding at least 6 months before the date. This ensures you have the wedding you always dreamed off in the end.
Nkem Ndem is a PR Associate at Jumia Travel.
