When I was much younger, whenever I heard there was a traditional wedding ceremony happening somewhere, there’s always this joy that comes with it because of the mind set that if you're present there they'd be a lot of activities and different delicacy to eat and probably take home too.
A traditional wedding ceremony is an interesting and special event, that most times brings different people together especially when the marriage is between people from different tribes or ethnic groups. In a traditional occasion what makes the difference is the several stages and ceremonial process that is carried out.
In my state, a traditional marriage is the most important and honoured type of marriage. A man and a woman cannot be seen as a couple if there was no traditional occasion done. Now before a traditional marriage is done, the groom and his families will go to the brides house with different items like kolanut, palm wine, dry gin and some other things,to let his intentions know that's the first introduction. During this first meeting, the traditional marriage date will be fixed, a list also will be given to the grooms family on the items to bring on the traditional wedding ceremony. Then the bride’s parent will travel down to the village, to inform them about the ceremony. If the date fixed for the ceremony is not favorable or if there will be an activity on that day the ceremony will be moved.
After a fixed date has been made, before the ceremony will begin a place will be decorated traditionally for the bride and the groom to sit together after some ceremonial process has been done. The bride and the groom wears the same colour of traditional cloth, but in an occasion where the groom is from a different tribes, the bride will first dress in her own traditional cloth, tying two wrappers round her waist with a traditional blouse and head-tie, with different traditional beads while the groom will dress in his traditional way wearing a transparent lace shirt tying one wrapper (judge) round his waist.
The first stage of the ceremony, the bride will introduce the groom to everyone, taking a cup of wine( in a traditional calabash cup) to him, she will kneel, drink a little from it then give to him he'll drink all and then put some money in it. After this the groom, his parents, the bride’s parent and some elders will go in a room where the 'dowry' will be paid. After this the groom and the brides goes to sit together at the place decorated for them, by now the bride will be dressed in her husband's traditional way.
While the ceremony is still on, the guest, community members and families are been entertained with different delicacy, drinks and cultural dance.
Then the cutting of the cake(in the form of any traditional item like a wine jar), both parents and elders will pray for the couples and bless their marriage.
At the end the couples will dance with their families and also take pictures, with both families, close friends and others. Now the groom can take the bride home as his wife.
That's how a traditional marriage is done in my home town. I hope you all find it interesting.