Everything to Know About a Yoruba Wedding

If you're attending a Yoruba wedding, be prepared to experience a joyous celebration filled with some of the best wedding traditions worldwide. Yoruba is a tribe hailing from Nigeria that has a rich culture with a strong respect for history. Nigerian wedding traditions for those from a Yoruba background include specific fashion choices, ceremonies and even music that is played throughout the celebrations. Whether you are planning a Yoruba traditional wedding or just attending one, it's helpful to familiarize yourself with the customs of the culture to respect the traditions. Ahead, we break down everything you need to know about Yoruba wedding traditions and what to expect if you're invited to a celebration.

Yoruba Wedding Traditions in This Story: History | Prewedding | Attire | Ceremony | Reception | Food & Drink | Postwedding

A Brief History of Yoruba Wedding Traditions

"In many African cultures, weddings are a communal affair," shares Yoruban wedding photographer Tola Ajibade based in Atlanta. "They're often viewed as two families uniting as one rather than two individuals becoming a family. In that regard, Yoruba traditions are similar to the wedding traditions of other African ethnic groups. Most of the traditions serve this purpose either implicitly or explicitly." Music and dancing are a vital part of these ceremonies, as are moments to honor both the couple and their families. According to Ajibade, the length of the celebrations varies, but they can often last several days. To make these weddings come to life, couples often find vendors who have experience in Nigerian weddings. It's possible to find vendors and Nigerian wedding planners with these backgrounds on The Knot Vendor Marketplace.

Prewedding Yoruba Traditions

Wedding proposal traditions in Yoruba culture are not too different from many Western societies. However, there is a unique prewedding celebration that occurs.

Introduction Ceremony

Since family is so vital to Yoruban culture, both sides must approve of the marriage once they meet future in-laws. "Typically, before a couple is allowed to get married, there is an introduction ceremony where key members of each family introduce themselves," Ajibade explains. "In situations where the families were already closely acquainted, it's a simple formality followed by lots of refreshments, food and dancing. However, in situations where the families are not well acquainted, special people are appointed to help introduce both celebrants to key members of each other's families."

This tradition might also kick off the wedding planning process. "Sometimes at the introduction ceremony, the families, usually the women, will discuss practical issues regarding potential wedding dates, the size and scope of the wedding ceremony, etc.," notes Ajibade. "Depending on the families, these conversations are often had privately."

Traditional Yoruba Wedding Attire

Yoruba culture has a rich history of textile weaving, embroidery and dyeing. "We use weddings as the perfect occasion to show off those traditions," Ajibade explains. "The colors are usually rich and vibrant, and they're often agreed upon by the respect of families or certain groups within each family."

These colors or patterns are something called aso-ebi (pronounced ah-sho-eh-bee). "Conceptually, aso-ebi is not unique to your people, but the word itself is a Yoruba word that means 'family garments,'" says Ajibade. "Typically, both families will each choose a fabric type or color profile that they want their guests to wear to symbolize their relationship with either the bride's or the groom's family. Sometimes, smaller groups within each family will have a unique outfit, but this sets them apart because of other relationships and affiliations." He adds, "The point of the clothing is to have an immediate visual representation of key relationships within and across families."

Photo: MythicVoice LLC

Men will usually wear a special set of traditional clothes, including a style of shirt called a buba (pronounced boo-bah) and pants called sokoto (pronounced sho-ko-to). "Especially for the celebrants, the men will also wear an agbada," says Ajibade. "The agbada is a kind of overcoat that is long and flowy. When it's fully stretched out, it kind of looks like a parachute with giant arm holes."

Photo: MythicVoice LLC

Brides will wear garments made from aso oke, which is a hand-crafted, patterned fabric. This fabric will be used to create a buba, a wrapper called an iro, a gele—a headwrap—and a sash draped across the shoulder called an ipele. She may also wear Yoruba traditional wedding beads made from coral.

Photo: MythicVoice LLC

Yoruba Wedding Ceremony Traditions

There are many beautiful parts of a Yoruba wedding ceremony that reflect the history of the culture. From unique wedding ceremony entrances to special blessings, a Yoruba wedding holds space for both fun and serious moments.

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Wedding Location

Choosing the wedding destination? That decision usually comes down to the bride's family. Ajibade says, "Typically, the traditional ceremony is held in the bride's hometown or in a location that the bride's family chooses." The bride's family usually covers the cost of the wedding celebration, while the groom's side offers the bride price and additional gifts. The Knot Budget Advisor helps couples and families determine how to establish wedding costs based on the location of the wedding.

Grand Entrances

"Almost everyone makes a grand entrance with music, singing and dancing," shares Ajibade. "Usually, both sets of parents and their well-wishers enter the venue space with music and dancing." Once parents have made their entrances, the groom and his wedding party will come in. "The venue space itself is considered to be part of the bride's home. It's generally considered improper for the groom and his groomsmen to enter the bride's home for the first time while wearing their fila (traditional hat)," Ajibade says. If they do enter wearing a fila, the emcee will have the power to give them punishments. "The punishment is typically jumping jacks, push-ups and prostrating in front of the bride's family, and often a tax or bribe to get the emcee to apologize on the groom's behalf." He adds, "It's all in good fun, really."

Photo: MythicVoice LLC

Proposal Letter

"One particularly special tradition for Yoruba people is that at the ceremony, each family presents a formal proposal letter to the other family," Ajibade says. "Once each letter has been read aloud, each family will agree that their children should be wed."

Traditional Music

Expect a day full of Nigerian wedding songs at Yoruba celebrations. "Music is a huge part of Yoruba tradition," Ajibade notes. "Some songs have been passed down in families for generations. Those songs speak of the family history and heritage." He adds, "Unfortunately, the people who know those songs by heart are starting to pass away, so they're no longer well preserved."

Ceremony Length

The wedding ceremony and reception typically last a full day. "Depending on the religious makeup of the family, there's likely to be a separate traditional ceremony and a religious ceremony," notes Ajibade. He says that sometimes, these ceremonies may take place over multiple days.

Photo: MythicVoice LLC

Yoruba Wedding Reception Traditions

Once the ceremony occurs, the reception kicks off full of food and dancing. Throughout the party, a few additional traditions occur, including these Nigerian wedding ideas.

Blessings

Throughout the reception is a time when wedding prayers and blessings often take place. "There are often a lot of prayers offered by the elders, particularly the clergy in the community, for the couple," Ajibade explains.

Bride Price

A bride price is a gift tradition that the groom's family gives to the bride's family. "Philosophically, it represents the value of a human life. Our culture believes that nothing is more sacred or valuable than a human life," Ajibade shares. "The bride price is gifted to the bride's family as recognition of how precious she is to their family and how cherished she will be in the groom's family. Portions of the bride price are shared amongst several of the bride's family members, further cementing the bond between the two families." This money dance wedding tradition is often a fun part of the evening where cash is sprayed at the couple as they dance.

Photo: MythicVoice LLC

Traditional Yoruba Wedding Food, Drinks and Desserts

At a Yoruba wedding, there are no traditional wedding foods. "To my knowledge, there aren't any foods that are uniquely reserved for weddings. It's often a matter of scale," Ajibade says. "Often, there's a mix of both Western and traditional foods, and everybody chooses what they want based on preference." Dishes like jollof rice, moi moi, plantains and spring rolls are often served. He adds, "The big thing, though, is that there's often a lot of cake."

Yoruba Postwedding Traditions

Once the wedding has taken place, there is a final tradition that takes place when the couple returns as husband and wife to their home. Ajibade adds, "I should note that many of these traditions aren't necessarily followed with the same level of stringency as in the past, but often, this was how things were done."

The Bride's Arrival at Their New Home

There is a taboo that a groom cannot be home when the bride first enters their home together. "Often, he has to go into hiding at a neighbor's house or a friend's place until he's been informed that she has settled in," Ajibade shares. "When the bride enters the groom's house for the first time, she has to make sure she enters with her right leg for good luck. Sometimes, before she enters, the elder women from the groom's family will wash her feet and pray for her."