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At Nigerian weddings, the role of the asoebi bridesmaids extends beyond simply standing alongside the bride on her big day. If you're unsure exactly what their role is, then this guide is for you!
One of the most notable parts of being a bridesmaid at a Nigerian wedding is getting to wear the asoebi
Asoebi (noun): a traditional fabric chosen by the celebrants to be sewn into an outfit and worn by her closest friends and family on the day of the wedding as a sign of unity and support.
The number of asoebi groups at a wedding is up to the celebrants and you can have as many or as few as you wish, for example one asoebi fabric for friends, one for family and another for close friends e.g., asoebi bridesmaids/groomsmen!
It is worth noting that the tradition of a 'uniform' is present in other African cultures although there may be some cultural differences, the core of the tradition is similar. However, in this blog post, we will delve into the role of the asoebi bridesmaids at a Nigerian wedding and explore the various customs and traditions associated with this practice.
1. ARE ASOEBI BRIDESMAIDS THE SAME AS BRIDESMAIDS FOR THE WHITE WEDDING?
When we think of bridesmaids we usually think of the ladies that will walk up the aisle on the day of the white wedding, but being a bridesmaids entails a lot more than that. They should consist of core friends, those that want to support the bride during the months of wedding planning as well as on the actual day itself. There are also additional considerations to take into account when selecting bridesmaids e.g., matching the number of bridesmaids to the number of groomsmen, associated costs with the role, friendship politics 👀 (if you know, you know...) etc.
The beauty of asoebi ladies is that they can serve as an extension of your bridal party
You are not restricted by the number of ladies you can choose to be a part of your asoebi crew, you can have as many as you want! A bride who wasn't able to make all her special friends and/or relatives a part of her official bridal party will be able to make them a special part of her wedding by having them as her asoebi bridesmaids instead!
2. WHAT ARE ASOEBI BRIDESMAIDS EXPECTED TO DO ON THE WEDDING DAY?
Typically, in Nigerian weddings, the bride is ushered into the main reception area by her asoebi bridesmaids as part of the grand entrance. The bridal entrance is often the highlight of these weddings, so her asoebi bridesmaids need to bring the energy and excitement to make sure that the whole experience is unforgettable for the bride. As well as bringing their A-game to the dance floor, asoebi bridesmaids may need to help with a few other tasks on the day. The asoebi makes you easily identifiable as one of the close friends of the bride so naturally on the day guests may defer to you for help. For example, as you might have seen, the bride is often sprayed with money by their guests, and the asoebi bridesmaids may need to help collect and keep the money aside for the bride.
Bonus tip! African bridal attire can be heavy so it's of no surprise that the bride might get a bit sweaty as she dances and performs other traditional duties on the day, so we definitely advise asoebi bridesmaids to ensure they have a spare fan handy to ensure they keep their bride cool and looking her best!
3. IS IT EXPENSIVE TO BE AN ASOEBI BRIDESMAID?
Being an asoebi bridesmaid will mean that you will need to purchase the chosen asoebi fabric and accessories as well as find a tailor to sew your chosen outfit. We (Simply Asoebi), always advise our brides to come to us at least six months before the wedding date as this helps those purchasing the asoebi to spread the costs between purchasing the fabric and sorting out their tailors.
If, as a bride, you are conscious of the amount your asoebi bridesmaids are spending and want to keep within a lower budget then we would advise that you opt for a cheaper fabric option (e.g, ankara) or less yards of a high quality fabric rather than going for a low quality fabric - trust us, the quality of the fabric makes a big difference on the final results!
4. CAN ASOEBI BRIDESMAIDS WEAR THE SAME FABRIC AS GUESTS?
Ultimately, this is up to the bride and there isn't a right or wrong way to do asoebi for a wedding, but in our opinion, we LOVE setting the asoebi bridesmaids apart from the rest of the guests and making them stand out...and here's why:
Setting apart your asoebi bridesmaids in a different fabric or colour adds that extra sauce and exclusivity to the asoebi, plus it also looks great in pictures (of course, their asoebi colour should still compliment the other colours on the day!). It also makes them easily identifiable to other guests which can come in handy throughout the day but most importantly it will make your asoebi bridesmaids feel extra special.
We hope you have found this read useful and if you are in the process of planning your wedding and want to incorporate asoebi into your day then please keep reading
OUR SERVICE MAY BE THE ANSWER YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR...
Whether you are sorting out the asoebi for 8 or 80+ guests, there will be logistics involved in the process which you have to take into consideration when planning your asoebi. If you don't want to burden family and friends with the task of sorting out the asoebi for your wedding and you don't have the time to do it yourself either, or simply want the whole asoebi experience to be a stress-free luxurious one then our Service is for you.
Our Service packages are set at a fixed price so it makes it easy for you to budget it into your wedding planning costs. We start with taking your vision and ideas for your asoebi and using them to source BEAUTIFUL fabric options from our network of trusted vendors.
We have access to an inventory of fabrics which are both high quality and exclusive to the UK market.
We take care of all the logistics involved for you and sort everything from sourcing fabrics right down to delivering every asoebi order to each of your guests in our breathtaking signature boxes.
Simply Asoebi is the new and modern approach to asoebi buying and selling and the perfect solution for brides who want to set their wedding apart and add a touch of luxury and exclusivity!
Secure your initial consultation with us here and find out more about our service and how we can help you execute the perfect asoebi for your wedding - stress free! .
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