Example story · Lagos
Ada & Tobi
An Igbo and Yoruba love story told in ivory and gold, with a church service at noon, four hundred and fifty guests and a first dance to highlife.
Ada and Tobi met at a friend's thirtieth in Yaba and were engaged eighteen months later on a quiet beach in Lekki. They came to us fourteen months before the date with a guest list that started at three hundred and grew, as Nigerian guest lists do, to four hundred and fifty.
The brief was simple to say and hard to do: a wedding that honoured Ada's family from Enugu and Tobi's from Abeokuta, without a single moment where either side felt like guests at someone else's party. We built the day around shared moments, with both mothers walking in together and a combined family introduction before the first course.
"We wanted both families to feel the day was theirs. Ever and Ivy made room for everyone, and somehow still made it feel like ours."
The palette came from Ada's grandmother's coral beads, softened into blush, ivory and antique gold. Florals were mostly roses and baby's breath, with garlands of greenery running down the high table. The cake, four tiers of vanilla and red velvet, was cut to a talking drum.
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The day
How it unfolded
- 11:30amGuests seated at church
- 12:00pmService and vows
- 2:00pmPhotos on the church steps
- 4:00pmReception doors open
- 5:15pmCouple's grand entrance
- 7:30pmCake, toasts and first dance
- 10:45pmSend off with sparklers
The team
Vendors behind the day
- Venue
- A ballroom in Victoria Island
- Flowers
- Petal and Pine Florals
- Cake
- Butterleaf Cakes
- Band
- The Palmwine Set
- Photography
- Kola Light Studio
- Planning and design
- Ever and Ivy Weddings
All vendor names are invented for this demo.
Planner's notes
What we would tell you
Every wedding teaches us something. These are the questions couples asked us most while planning a day like Ada and Tobi's.
How long did this wedding take to plan?
Twelve to fourteen months for the full plan, with the most intense work in the final eight weeks.
What was the biggest challenge?
Balancing two families' traditions without making the programme too long. We kept the reception to five hours of programme.
Could this work on a smaller budget?
Yes. The same feeling can come from fewer guests, seasonal flowers and a single venue for ceremony and reception.
