White wedding dress got stained

  A Maasai bride 

                           

Officially the white wedding dress is fast becoming a thing of the past, most couples choose to go the African route for the still very formal traditional white wedding. White weddings were introduced to the African continent during the dark ages, by the colonizers and became a norm in most if not all African countries.

However, each African country kept its traditional weddings, this brought about two or three ceremonies being held over a few days and in some cases weeks.  

During these periods many Africans adopted western cultures and traditions, of which many were quickly forgotten and not passed to the next generations, as, for the famous white weddings, it has stood on the altar for the longest.

Ethiopian Bride

A new generation of Africans was born, ones who were determined, full of self-identity black pride and self-love, the new Africans take pride in just about everything, hair skin culture, and traditions, Africans love being Africans, and being Black. This new pride came costly to industries such as hair chemicals, skin bleaching, and even the white wedding dress because it got stained! 

 Igbo bride 

An African wedding is a ball of celebration rituals food and music, far from boring, everything that is done is meaningful. To start the is a lot of ceremonies and activities that take place before the wedding ceremony is held, all these activities are accompanied by music food and dressing up, although  ceremonies and practices are still been done today a few years back many young people were abandoning ship and heading west, fully embracing the white wedding

It would be such a shame to blindside the beauty that is in African weddings, the colors, the vibrant, the prints, the fabrics, just all-round beauty. 

Here’s a list of African weddings you can do with no apology!

Masai Bride  

Everyone who knows me, knows I am obsessed with Kenya, I love all things Kenya, colors food the beautiful people. Kenya is perfect in every way. 

A Maasai bride dressing up 

Weddings in Kenya are very eventful, a Masai  bride is dressed in a million beads, from top to bottom, the headpiece is made by the mother of the bride, and each bed is symbolic, from the wealth of the groom wrapped 

around her neck, to the number of livestock her family will receive as lobola (bride price), each bead made perfectly to speak volumes. 

 The wedding ceremony only starts after the groom and male relatives pay lobola (bride price) which includes livestock, clothing, and honey, the honey represents the sweet life the groom promises to the bride's family. On the day that the lobola is paid, the bride shaves her head to symbolize the new life she is about to embark on. Then the celebrations start, all night long dancing and singing, and closing the night with a new name for the bride. The groom's family gives a new name to the bride to show how welcomed she is in the family. 

Kenya boasts of many cultures giving you a variety of choices for your perfect wedding. 

Kikuyu Weddings 

A traditional Kikuyu bride

Kikuyu wedding is a wonderful ceremony, on the wedding day the bride is brought to the venue accompanied by the groom's family with gifts, the bride also performs multiple duties like cutting his nails, washing his feet or even combing his hair. All these activities are used to demonstrate the kind of wife she will be and how the groom will be taken care of.

A Kikuyu couple at their wedding 

The days leading to the wedding day are filled with visits from the groom's family, firstly the groom and his male relatives go and make his intentions known to the bride's family, accompanied by gifts. The second visit sees the groom surrounded by a lot of females all dressed in the same traditional outfit and asked to identify his bride. 

The ceremony is a long hour of many rituals, one main one is where the groom, gives his wife goat ears, and in exchange, she also gives him goat ears, this symbolizes the promise to always hear each other out.   

Ethiopian Royalty             

                  

If you are looking for royalty, Ethiopian weddings give you that royal feel, the wedding attires are printed in beautiful African patterns, the wedding gowns are decorated with stunning prints, embroidered beads on white gold and black gowns. 

On the day of the wedding, the groom and his family go to the bride's house and present gifts, the gifts include the wedding gown and gifts, the groom and his family are welcomed by singing from the bride's family.

Ethiopian weddings are very spiritually eventful, whether Christian or Muslim. On the wedding day, the bride and groom’s grandparents, dressed in full traditional attires sit together in front of the guests, the bride and groom then walk to their grandparents and kiss the grandparent's knees, the bride and groom are then blessed by both grandparents. Most Ethiopian weddings are held at either Church or mosque.  

Yoruba Bride     

             

Nothing is as extravagant as a Nigerian wedding this one is for the bold, Nigerians are always looking to make celebrations great, weddings are over the top with the decor, the fabric the dancing and music and food. Go big or go home style. 

Yoruba weddings are so different from most African weddings because the Yoruba people do not take or collect lobola (bride price), so heads up brothers find yourself a Yoruba girl. Another interesting aspect of the Yoruba wedding is the tungba music, which is a live band performing cultural and gospel music (according to the requests of the family) the band plays throughout the event unstop. My favorite ritual performed at the prostrate, where the groom and his groomsmen lay straight on the floor in front of the bride’s father and other relatives, I love this act of respect and submission.

The Yoruba wedding holds multiple interesting little details that make this African wedding, an absolute joy.  

isiZulu Wedding 

A Zulu bride

The very famous Zulu people are my favorites, apart from the fact that I have some Zulu blood, about 0.1% to be exact. Zulu wedding is an explosion of color and beads, The bride is beautifully dressed in a short skirt made of beads boasting a variety of colors and sizes, a big red hat on her head with a fringe of small beads over her forehead, this fringe acts as a veil if you will. She also has a beautiful bead top flowing from her neck to bare breasts (or over a white vest for modern times), the beautifully decorated bride is taken to the groom’s family home, where she and her family present gifts to the groom’s family. Gift sharing in the Zulu wedding is both ways when the groom approaches the bride’s family for marriage, he presents gifts, and on the wedding day, the bride presents gifts to the groom. 

The Zulu wedding will not happen until cows and goats are slaughtered, slaughtering of livestock makes a very big part of the Zulu wedding, accompanied by music and dance. Like many African traditions, the bride demonstrates how she will care for her husband, by cutting his nails, brushing his teeth. The groom also demonstrates his capacity to care for his bride by slaughtering livestock.   

Africa has such a rich and vast culture filled with beautiful colors and meaningfulness. 

whichever route you choose to go, they are plenty of options you can choose from the list is endless the gowns are flawless and the ceremonies worth it.

Whatever you fancy, from relaxed to over the top, the is always an African wedding perfect for you

Angolan bride