I woke up a day to the wedding feeling anxious about my clothe with my tailor that I have to wear for the occasion. Days before that morning I was not bothered about the clothe and I just suddenly felt I shouldn't have chosen that style, it may be too complex, she may not give me a perfect job etc (lolz.......i don't know if anybody has felt this way before or why I felt that way but I just feel it's partly because I am not really a traditional atire kind of person.).
Putting that thought aside, I set out for the day. All I had for that day was to put finishing touches to all the plans that have been set down already. My first point of call was the market. I needed to get her a gift (Courtesy me and a few friends) and then proceeded to my tailors place. After seeing my clothe and of course testing it to make sure it fits, that was all I needed to make my day. It was perfect (lol..... I wondered why I bothered in the first place and started hoboured the idea of getting more natives). Next was to visit the bride to be. So i called and she told me she was making her hair and can wait for her in the house.
Getting to her house, the first welcome was the aroma of party food (we all know how it is, I made sure to take a deep breath. Lol..... Usually I love that aroma). That aroma for me signifies celebration. Right there I remembered an argument I had with a friend over which rice was sweeter "wedding or burial". While I stuck my foot down and said wedding rice was sweeter, she said burial was sweeter. Well till now I still hold on to my believe "wedding rice"........ Lol.
Greeting the people I met outside I went inside the house to wait for her. I am no longer a guest in her house but I was still offered something to drink. Her arrival was announced by the children in the compound when they kept shouting aunty precious, aunty precious (lol). So I chorused with them when I saw her open the door aunty precious and she said onyeje (she is the only one I know who calls me by my surname and has a way of reminding me of my roots.......lol).
We spoke briefly and then she was getting ready to leave for the hotel where she was to lodge. Stepping out again the children kept saying "where are you going to", "we will miss you" etc. It sounded like she was going to a very far place, a different place and she was leaving them behind (smiles.....). And then we met another set of women before we got to the gate. She greeted them and the oldest amongst them (I presume so though) started to pray for her. She knelt down and everybody was saying amen. Watching that scene from a little distance and saying amen too was what touched me to put this write up together. I realise she can never have too much of this prayers and really she was going on a different journey. Alone without her parents and she needed as much of this prayers as possible.
While walking to the bus stop she then asked me if this is how it is (lol.... I wonder why she was asking me a single. I just laughed and said yes whether that is the right response or not). When we got to her lodge there was preparation already for her bridal shower but I had to be unavoidably absent. So she showered and walked me to the bus stop.
On the d-day while doing my make up I realised I love Yoruba weddings. Haven attended both Igbo and Yoruba weddings, I feel Yoruba weddings are more interesting. This is not to say any one is better than the other, it's just my preference. When I got to the venue, there was druming and dancing already. The engagement had started and the bride was there already so I gave her one shot before going into the hall.
The hall was well decorated and had a welcoming ambience. A few friends where there already so we greeted and chatted. Everything was in place. People everywhere, music, food, smiles and laugh on people faces, gifts, cake( I love cakes, have I said that before....lol), drinks, live band, flowers, etc. And the photographer was just awesome. He was just giving us different snapping positions eg lying down, bending, kneeling......lol. In all it was a beautiful ceremony.
One of my then coursemate said I know precious to be a very quiet person. She will just be smiling but look at how she is dancing today. I laughed and thought since it is a once in a life time event, she has to dance it all out.
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