Weddings are fun but Wedding Planning can be tasking. You’d surely agree with me on that. There are so many things to put in place before the big day arrives. You have to get the wedding dress, ring, and cake. You also have to come up with a guest list and a venue.

Putting all this in order, especially without a professional wedding planner can become a burden. You may start wondering: “Where do I start? What should come next?” 

Well, while it is challenging, it’s not impossible. Many couples have successfully gone through the whole process. And you can too. How? Through the help of a Nigerian wedding planning checklist.

At first glance, it may appear unnecessary. But think again! A simple checklist can keep you organized and help you plan your wedding in the right order. It can ease the planning process in more ways than none.

Knowing this, we’ve put together a Nigerian wedding planning checklist that keeps your planning in order at various time frames before the big day.

Nigerian Wedding Planning Checklist

After Engagement (12 Months Away)

It is important to start your wedding prep ASAP. Delaying will only leave you with more tasks for a limited time. As a result, many couples have found it best to begin the process immediately after engagement.

Some take their time and plan out every aspect of their wedding in a year. Well, of course, you don’t need to wait that long! All you need to do is start early. So, after your engagement:

• Prepare for the family introduction.
• For the guys (grooms), start making arrangements for the bride price and engagement lists.
• Envision your wedding day. What type of wedding do you want? What is the theme of your wedding? What decor should you go for? What should your wedding menu look like? Here, you have to envision how you want your day to play out.

Once you’ve done that, you can then get started on the prep properly. In the year leading to your big day, you should:

• Choose the wedding date.
• Create your wedding budget. For some, this step comes after deciding on other aspects like your vendors. But in my opinion, your wedding budget comes first. It’s the foundation of your big day and influences every other aspect of your planning. If you’re working with a low budget, check out this article for tips to help you plan an intimate wedding with a small budget.

By setting a minimum and maximum amount, you can plan your wedding in a more disciplined manner.

• Make your guest list. With your budget in mind, set a fixed number of expected people. Here’s a tip: set that number lower than what your budget can handle. For instance, if your budget allows for a hundred guests, set eighty as your guest count. That way, if more people turn up (which is common at Nigerian weddings), you can host them without any problem.
• Research and decide on a wedding venue. Our tips for booking a Lagos wedding venue will help in this regard.
• Conduct research on wedding vendors. Remember, before you hire any vendor, check out their past reviews and portfolio to see if they’re the right ones for you.

Some of the vendors you should look out for includes your caterers, makeup artists, DJs, and of course, photographers.

• Assign the best man and bridesmaid roles.
• Ask for assistance (not mandatory). As I mentioned earlier, planning your wedding without a professional planner is possible. However, doing so alone is still stressful. So don’t hold back from asking a family or friend to lend you a hand (especially in the days leading up to the wedding).

You and your partner can also split tasks to save more time. Let’s face it – you can’t go through this daunting process alone.

9 Months Away

The clock is ticking. You’re now nine months away from your wedding. During this time, you should finalize some aspects of your planning. This includes:

• Booking your wedding vendors and venue. Decide on which vendors you’ll hire after conducting research. Finalize the deal and let them know your wedding date.
• Booking rentals (chairs, canopies, etc) if you’re going to be needing them
• Purchase your wedding ring
• Purchase your wedding dress and accessories. Our post on wedding dress designers will help you locate that perfect dress shop in Lagos.
• Guys, don’t forget to pick up your wedding suits 
• Select Groomsmen and Bridesmaid outfits
• Finalize your transportation to and from your wedding venue.
• Choose your wedding cake style
• Decide on the style of your invitation cards
• Research wedding flowers

6 Months Away

Six months left. With the big day drawing ever closer, you may start feeling pressurized. If so, relax and breathe deeply. Your list of Dos for this period is as follows:

• Decide on your family attires and make the purchase
• Purchase your ring bearer and flower girl outfits
• Make sure you finalize your guest list
• You can begin your honeymoon prep.
• You can choose to have a pre-wedding photoshoot

3 Months Away

The clock ticks further. You are now only three months away. During this time, you should:

• Ensure your wedding dress and accessories fit. If you need any alterations, get them done beforehand.
• Start giving out invitations
• Review with your vendors. Agree and finalize several details and delivery times.
• Review your wedding venue. Ensure everything is in order from the lighting to the sound system.
• Make arrangements for pre-wedding day and honeymoon accommodations.
• Choose your MC
• Review all your wedding prep details.

4 Weeks Away

One month to go. During this time, you should have rounded up all planning activities. You only need to pay attention to minor details such as:

• Picking up wedding attires if you haven’t already done so.
• Completing all necessary payments.
• Again, review with your wedding vendors.
• Finalize your makeup and hair trials
• Finalize your accommodations and transport arrangements

The Wedding Week

• Check into your hotels if you made arrangements beforehand
• Get your pedicure and manicures done.
• Arrange your wedding attire and accessories. Keep them close and ready for the big day.
• Get quality rest
• Anticipate the big day but don’t fret.

The Wedding Day

The big day has finally arrived. All your wedding planning has been for this day. So take a deep breath and eat properly. Get your hair and makeup done. And for guys, suit up. Leave for the wedding ceremony and prepare to get married!

Wrapping Up The Nigerian Wedding Planning Checklist

As the saying goes – failing to plan is planning to fail. However, planning in the wrong order doesn’t count. You need to go through the entire wedding prep step-by-step. And as seen above, a Nigerian wedding planning checklist will help you do so.

Although this checklist covers a 12-month time frame, you should follow the steps in order even if you don’t have that much time on hand.

Our wedding planning tips plus this Nigerian wedding planning checklist will surely keep you organized.

Did we miss anything? If so, feel free to send us an email at . We’d love to hear from you.