OUR YORUBA TRADITIONAL WEDDING PHOTOS + VIDEO - SISI & BOBO


YAY! I think I’m conquering procrastination! I said I was going to upload the wedding photos since but I never got around to doing it. Today I have overcome! LOL. In case you missed the parry, the traditional wedding was on the 17th of July…wow! I can’t believe we’ve been married almost 3 months! Time is flying by….before you know now we will be doing 50 years anniversary ehn by God’s grace. Instead of just showing you pictures I will explain a bit of how it went in case you’re not familiar with Yoruba weddings. (Ps. The video is at the bottom of the post!)  So you don't miss any of my videos click HERE to SUBSCRIBE (It's free!) You can also follow me on Instagram :D

The event is usually flamboyant, Yoruba people like to party. If you've been to any yoruba wedding ceremony you know its the same process everywhere. There's usually two Alaga's who I will liken to MC's, 1 to represent each family. One is Alaga Iduro (grooms family), and the other is Alaga Ijoko (brides family). These Alaga's negotiate and make sure the evnt flows seamlessly. They can sing, and dance very well...the funnier and well experienced an alaga is, the better. You dont want a dry wedding. Another thing...these alaga's know how to collect money trust me. They will collect almost every 5 minutes. 
GETTING READY
To be honest the night before the traditional wedding I ccouldn'tsleep because I was anxious, nervous, excited everything at once, before I slept it was almost morning. I would advice you to get some sleep, even drug yourself to sleep, I should have because I looked tired in a lot of the photos. I felt I had so many things undone! By morning, my moms friends from Warri came to my room and some were singing, dancing…excitement! The first thing I did was to look for food to eat, hungry bride-angry bride.
I love these shoes + it was on SALE!
This was for the second outfit...read to end to see what happened
My baby Tutusco


 Banke Meshida showed up, the photographers/videographers showed up and then work start. I ran in to take my bath the bride began to get ready.  I never did a trial with Banke so I didn’t know what my face was going to look like, I was pleasantly surprised when I looked in the mirror! It was her assistant that did the first makeup I had in the itsekiri outfit. While BM handled the main one :D
Now to that outfit, I’ve been asked are you itsekiri oh…I’m not but I could be. LOL. The language is similar to Yoruba and I love it. A lot of my mom’s friends are Itsekiri and I don talk say I go wear that wrapper whether I marry itsekiri or not. The lady that dressed me up was from warri…I felt like a princexx! LOL

These women are wonderful and brought life to the party!

Bobo's parents
Bobo's siblings
Ayo, Ola, Yomi, Tola ...my new family
Big lovely sis T
L-R My bro-in-Law Ola and my nicest cousin Toyin :D

My grandma and I
My younger sis Funmi and her babies, Tutusco and Riwostic
My younger sister, Shade
I love this babe
Me and my yotan and her sister
That morning was so disorganized…I honestly thought we were going to have time to take proper family portraits BUT noooo. Everyone was running helter skelter, it was raining (sobs) and we were late to the venue. How do other families do it? Chai…people were all over. No space. Noise. I’ll be better prepared for my daughters wedding…if that’s any consolation.


THE RECEPTION DECOR!
I have to give credit to the company (Tsoule) that decorated the hall. Wed Expo covered the décor, and Bobo and I’s Aso Oke + my teal jewelry. The hall looked very contemporary traditional and I was so happy with it! I also give a big shout out to Molbaks Aso Oke…I saw what I was wearing the day before ,even though there was skeptism it all look fab ! My jewelery was made by the lovely Oma, I saw it that day and I loved it. Everything blended. The cake was made by Cakesiena, I called him only a few days to the wedding and he managed to deliver, even though that weekend was his dad’s funeral. Thank you!
The lovely cake
Eru Iyawo section
Proposal letter



My family on the left, his on the right

 BOBO'S ARRIVAL 
In a Yoruba traditional wedding, the bride is the last person to arrive , the first part of the whole marriage ceremony is to meet the families and pay bride price. I don’t know how much they paid exactly but the money was given back to Bobo and I…I think that’s part of what I spent in Dubai. Chai…I chopped my bride price. 

I heard stories of when Bobo entered and I recently saw the video when he was giving moves… everyone just open mouth dey look. See the excitement on my grandma’s face? E be like say na she happy pass that day.
Bobo dancing and my grandma so excited! LOL
Bobo's mom...I'm sure she's like, "Ah, this boy..."
It is customary for the groom to arrive with his friends and prostrate before the father inlaw 3 times, receive acceptance and prayers from them, then go to his parents and prostrate to receive their own prayers. If you never exercise, don’t dare join the grooms parade because those alaga’s go take your eyes do ween! Some will ask the groom to raise hands, stand at attention and start marching. I love Yoruba weddings. You can see Bobo prostrating…oh yes, he begged to marry this bride. No shakara.
In the name of the father...
In the name of the Son...
In the name of the holy spirit!
Thereafter, the grooms family presents a proposal letter, that’s what Bobo’s mom is carrying below, well the girls are carrying it and she’s dancing behind them. This proposal letter is presented to the brides family. 

My mom receives it then shows it to the rest of the family, and then she kneels in front of her husband to collect money from him. She then brings out an acceptance letter which you can see her carrying and dancing, people come out to spray money again and then she hands it over to the inlaws. 

The proposal letter (which is in a frame) is hung on the wall in our house)…imagine if you have 8 daughters…you’ll just display a long line of proposal letters. LOL
One of the Alaga's

Bobo's parents dancing
Bobo's mom bring the proposal letter
My mom receiving it
They accepted oh! We have wife now!!!
Waiting for me....:D
 SISI'S ARRIVAL
Now that things have exchanged hands it’s time for me to come out. Na from here I sabi wetin happen. See ehn, Molbaks designed a very pretty veil with flowers to go with my aso oke, but errr…my sister forgot it at home. So when it was time for me to come in we started panicking because we need a transparent veil! The venue is too far from home to go and pick it up…miraculously we found something transparent… a piece of net used for decoration. LOL. 

Can you tell that’s not what I was supposed to use originally?
When I danced in I was sprayed some money and then I had to go first to my parents, they prayed for me, I sat on their laps and kissed them each then I was escourted to my inlaw’s seat. I knelt down there, they prayed for me, opened the veil, I sat with them and dash them kiss too. Then I proceeded to go behind them to greet my inlaws family as you can see.
With my parents
with Bobo's parents
Greeting my new inlaws
Greeting ohhh
I was later asked to go to the Eru Iyawo section, which is a small place set aside and decoragted with our photos, the items brought to pay the bride price i. e yams, fruits, drinks, jewelry etc and I was asked to pick what I like there. Traditionally the only thing you should pick there is a bible which is what I did, I danced with the bible to where Bobo was, 

I had to place his cap properly on his head as part of the traditional wedding, I swing the cap on my finger to show everybody before placing it on him. I knelt down, he prayed for his new bride and I asked him for garri money…he had to bring money from his pocket to give to me
Yomi, this is not the cap!!!
Asking for garri money
Collecting my garri money
These Alaga’s can be very mischievoious…he was told to kiss my ring, forehead, my nose, my chin, then my chest….Bobo said “ahhhh…..noooooo” he said he was satisfied with kissing the neck. LOL. If the bride is pregnant the groom will have to kiss the bump as well. Oya kiss!
Kiss the ring
Kiss the nose
Kiss the chin
Kiss the chest??? LOL Lets not do this here.
His cap finally arrived and I had to place it on
I don’t think cutting cake is part of the original tradition oh but we had a cake and we had to cut it ! It was yummy! After that my dad gave me and bobo the dowry (as is tradition, to imply that I am not being sold!) We prayed and it was dance dance dance…
returning the owo ori

Bobo and my brother dancing

Daddy spraying the money

Can you see my excited grandma? Na she happy pass
Typically I would change into another outfit but guess what again? We forgot the gele and jewelry of that outfit at home. Ha ha ha. When I told you we were disorganized you think say I dey lie? Thats the job of the CBM but when the CBM is moy younger sister and the mother of two kids, you go sempe! LOL We didn't change anymore and the world didn't end....
Whew!If you read to this part, I thank you! God bless you! Now you can enjoy the video below :)

57 comments

  1. Aww I really love how you broke down this wedding stuff, It all looks so interesting and you looked great. And I couldn’t even tell that wasn’t the right veil funny enough. Your pics look stunning

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  2. Awwwwww you looked stunning, beautiful, gbogbo awon words yen sha!!! Na wa ooo na only your mummy waka come na so the madam just fine, correct babe for days she gave them as per mother of the bride tings. You have a beautiful family. Wishing you all the best in your marriage. Hurry and do your own mini Tutusco or twins or triplets.

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  3. Enjoyed reading it and you looked beautiful! Can't tell that you were tired.

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  4. Wow! These pix are breathe taking, can't wait for my big day.
    God bless ur marriage swity.

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  5. Simple, classy and beautiful. Congrats again Sisi Yemmie.

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  6. i just cant stop laffing oo....im at work *my boss must not catch me....i scattered laff when i saw
    "yomi dis is not the cap"..... you guys looked so beautiful..God bless sisi yemyem and bobo yomyom...cheers

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  7. I love that you wore an Itsekiri outfit, so beautiful!

    www.desiringyou.blogspot.com

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  8. SisiYemmie Oloju Ede, Iyawo Elese Osun..... Ur pix dat was on My Big Nigerian Wedding Billboard has been on my bbm dp since morning(I sha love u die)... Aw'z Uncle Bobo abi daddy wa? May God Bless, Bless, Bless and Bless ur Marriage Abundantly.... Esu o ni ya yin ooooo... Love Uuuuuuuuuuuuu (No let Uncle Bobo hear oh)

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  9. Sisi!!!! I actually feel like I was there with the way you explained it. I absolutely love traditional weddings, especially the traditional rites between the families. Yoruba weddings look super fun! Congrats again Sisi, and yes oh, world did not end without the second outfit. You looked stunning!!!

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  10. WOOOOOOOOOW .. my sweetest sisi, u look lik ur mum dearie.. everitin was nice, i wish u a happy married life.. ur sista's r also beautiful... awwwww dis is lovely

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  11. sisi wen is tym fr naming ceremony invite us oooo

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  12. Beautiful pictures.... Are you Toyin Aiyedun's (Bowen University) sister?

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  13. Beautiful!
    I enjoyed reading this.. Thanks for breaking down the Yoruba engagement right for us.. Lovely read

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  14. Enjoyed reading this..... Buh u dd nt add the ekun-iyawo part. I tot its part of every yoruba traditional wedding..... God bless yur union... Twins on the way....

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  15. Very detailed Sisiyemmi.............

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  16. really lovely. God bless your union

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  17. Love your colours, you itsekiri outfits too! Bobos parents are too cute
    BeautyGeekng.com

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  18. Your wedding was so lovely and colorful and the pictures and your apt descriptions take me back to my own wedding. May God bless your marriage.

    www.wurassecrethair.blogspot.com

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  19. Awwww, very nice pictures. Congrats again.

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  20. So colorful and lovely. i like yoruba weddings cos of all the serenre lol

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  21. very nice,your wedding reminds me of mine.i had mine June 7.Why is it that most brides forget one thing or the other.a friend of mine forgot her jewellery she ought to use on her wedding gown.
    i didnot forget anything just that i wasted enuf time in the hotel for my engagement unfortunately the programme was overstreched and making the engagement looked so boring.atleast i didnot forget anything.lolz,i don marry sha

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  22. This post left me so teary-eyed. Your description reminds me of my traditional wedding also. I cried when my parents where praying for me sha....my dad also shed some..lol

    I wish you marital bliss.

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  23. Sisi, you looked so stunning!!!! I loved looking at the pictures! I especially love your excited Grandma. Aren't lovely Grandmas the best? Everything was fab!

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  24. Lovely....God will help you dear..your home shall be a role model to others

    love you..kissesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

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  25. You look Fabulous and Gorgeous all through. I pray that God bless and keep your home sisi

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  26. SisiBobo of life!Your trad wedding was fab,colour combo splendid.Your mum is a sweet babe still looking young and beautiful!Your desciption is so vivid and reminds me of the usual features of Yoruba trad wedding.Forgetting this or that and improvising.Its all good jare iyawo.Marital bliss IJN.shadeshako@yahoo.ca

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  27. sisi yemmie... did you cry at all? tears of joy??

    I got teary eyed watching your video...

    me would need a standby makeup artist o, cos na to cry tire.... congrats babes :)

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  28. Loved your trad outfits!

    Your sisters are sooo pretty!!!

    Mehn! Bobo resemble im papa as in carbon copy....

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  29. Beautiful smile and the wrapper is really nice.
    Lovely pictures and background.
    May God bless your marriage.

    All-in-All|Kraheenah

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  30. This is gorgeous!! I love and enjoyed every bit of the post. Everyone looked stunning as well, you have a beautiful family ...the beauty is genetic I must say :) Thanks for sharing this with us, may God bless you more, amen..

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  31. Awww. So beautiful...God bless your home Sissie. Kisses.. Ann

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  32. Elegant is the word to describe this..

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  33. you are so real Sisi Yemmie. God bless your home. my first time commenting.

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  34. awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, this is my first time commenting on any blog, but i couldnt help it...beautiful. I wish you all the best in your marriage

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  35. Lol i doing my trad in exactly 2 weeks. I have started packing my suitcase. I dont have the luxury of forgetting anything as is. Would rather not be stuck in aso oke.

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  36. lovely. I was ooohing and aaahhing all the way to the end. my eyes popped when i saw those itsekiri jewelry sha. but when u put them on, the entire outfit was just wow!!

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  37. You looked super stunning. I need to ask though if it's really a yoruba tradition to return the brideprice or if it's a recent development in modern yoruba society to avoid the bride being thought of as sold.

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  38. Beautiful! God bless your Union

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  39. Waoh! very interesting and lovely pictures. I love this realm

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  40. Nice one sis, I wish u happy married life and God blessing

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  41. Wow,hilarious,witty and beautiful post. I have been looking for interpretations to Yoruba weddings and you did justice to that. I will refer to this post in the nearest future.I love Yoruba weddings and I hope to get
    hitched to one. Need I say you looked absolutely gorgeous on your special day and you are gorgeous! I have never been here before for reasons I don't even knw,but you just got a new follower. You are so real and your jokes no be here at all. Do keep it up!

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  42. Question: what is the significance of the number 42 as in the number of yam tubers, kola-nuts and bitter kolas etc required for the traditional ceremony?

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  43. Wow, breathing taking with all the detailed information which it was mine. I pray when it is my time there will be enough with God's grace to have a detailed traditional wedding. Love the pix all stunning no one would even know the hitches if you didnt mention them....... First time commenting so taken away

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  44. Awwwwwn. am so happy that u av bin absolutely innovative and unique and different in ur kind of blogging - ur blogging style. I love d way u elaborated on ur wedding story and d drama and all. u r such a beautiful blogger nd thank u for thinking out of the box. This is just what we need. u should be rated the blogger of the year 2016. pls keep giving us good stuff like this and God! I felt like I was present. wishing u d best in ur marriage ...sisyemmie and boboyomyom ...love from Emete

    www.emetesmind.blogspot.com

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  45. Very colourful wedding! I absolutely love the pictures and how you talked us through it, i feel like I was there lol. I'm Igbo and I've always told my family I'll wear the iro and buba just so I can wear the veil ontop my gele during my trad, absolutely love it! And yess your grandma looked soo excited hehe. Love it! #IAmALateComer.
    It's Munastic

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  46. Congrats on your wedding, very beautiful pics and i really felt your excitement on this beautiful day.

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  47. Sisi Yemmie,you were looking so gorgeous in every outfit,I loved the last best. Both mothers are so beautiful, both side are good looking people. The way you tell the happenings,I felt as if I was there. Hope my Ghanaian traditional is as much fun. God bless your marriage forever.

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  48. This is lovely...thanks i learnt alot from this...

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  49. Glad I read this! Great pics and awesome wedding.. I learnt a lot from this. Thanks a lot for sharing and have a blissful married life!

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  50. Damn! These pictures are so so cool and the wedding was very colourful. I like this mhen. Congratulations in arrears. Yeah, I am late to this party but whatever... Hihihihihihihihihihi...

    www.estheradeniyi.com

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  51. Lovely pics and description.. I was so engrossed..infact, I forgot I was reading.thought I was at the wedding......................www.naijakul.com

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  52. My Delta sister
    Itsekiri Yoruba girl.
    Great memories.

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Your comments are like delicious grains of jollof rice to me: please feed me! Send me love mail sisi@sisiyemmie.com / Official business@sisiyemmie.com

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