Africa is a huge continent and African wedding customs can vary considerably according to the nation, region, religion, and ethnic group of the couple. Many African weddings are Muslim, especially in North Africa, and so a lot of the customs may be similar to Indian weddings, deriving, as they do, from Islam.
West African customs may differ, and they cover Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone among others. Many customs differ according to tribe, so for instance, the Igbo will share the Kola nut at the wedding ceremony and then keep a small piece of it in their home to remind them of their commitment to each other. Yoruba weddings feature a traditional ritual called Tasting of the Elements.
Many West African weddings feature aso ebi which involves a ceremonial cloth that the bridesmaids, sisters, and cousins of the bride, together with close friends, will all wear to demonstrate their closeness to each other.
In East Africa, many people are Swahili and will practice Islam, and the wedding ceremonies feature a henna party for the bride and her friends, when she will be painted with henna decorations in the same way as an Indian wedding. Ethiopian Orthodox is another religion and similar to Greek Orthodox and Catholic, and the wedding will always take place in a church.
Further south are the Zulu, and they have a ceremony known as Umabo, although most couples will also have a white wedding, westernised ceremony, on a separate day.
Decor Which Will Stun
Whatever sort of African wedding you are having, a key part of it is African wedding decor, and at Kenza creations we can produce décor for both the ceremony and the reception which will stun your guests. Your wedding day is the one that you will want to remember for the rest of your life for all the right reasons, and you will want your family and friends to still be talking about it many years later.
Of course, another major feature is your wedding table decor for the reception. There are almost endless possibilities for this, and it depends whether you want the table overflowing with flowers and colour, or perhaps you might want a less “busy” look and keep to a simple colour scheme.
Of course, as at any wedding, unless you happen to be rich, you will want to keep to a budget, but at Kenza Creations that is no problem. You will be amazed at what we can achieve on a small budget.