Yes, you read that right! With only 100 thousand francs (about $200!), you can organise a super duper Cameroonian wedding. Wedding season has come and gone and some of you really wanted to get married but you just couldn’t keep up with the costs associated with the wedding ceremony. Don’t worry, I’m here to help you. 2016 is your year! All you need is cent kolo (one hundred thousand) and you are good.
I’m here to help that brother that has turned a blind eye to all the fine girls around him. He keeps saying he doesn’t want to get married now. Bro, we know you are lying. You like the fine gehs but you know say betta soup na money cook am. You are still trying to gather money to cook your marital soup. Don’t worry, I got your back!
I’m here to help that sister that has been involuntarily crowned Lord of the Rings. You’ve been wearing that ring for 5 years and it doesn’t look like the wedding is happening anytime soon. Your “fiangceh” (as my mother calls it) keeps telling you to be patient. Sisi, you are beginning to doubt if he really loves you. He loves you, ooo. He just doesn’t want to break the bank in order to wife you. Just show him this post and you will be fine.
Here is how you will achieve this:
Bride and Groom Outfits
-Okrika wedding dress from Marche Nkululou- 5000frs OR ask a friend or family member who had a wedding before to lend you their dress. Why spend a fortune on an outfit you will only wear for a few hours?
-Super cent coat sewed by Pa Joe in the quartier. Material and workmanship- 20,000frs
-Pointini shoes from hawkers in Commercial Avenue- 5,000frs
-Glittering wedding sandals from Marche Nkululou- 3000frs
-Gold coloured wedding rings from jewelry hawkers in the market- 2000 frs. The rings will fade fast but don’t worry, your love for each other will not fade along with the rings.
-X-pression brand mesh for bridal hair: 2500 frs
-Workmanship for hairstyle in saloon: 2000 frs
-Groom’s shirt from “back market”- 500frs
-Bride’s makeup: Don’t hire a Make-Up Artist. Get your “sharp” aunty to paint your face and nails for you.
-Bride’s bouquet: Get someone to harvest fresh sunflower, hibiscus flower, etc and make a nice bouquet on the wedding morning. Fresh is better than artificial.
Food and Drinks
Forget hiring a caterer! Tell your family members to make the meals for you. Let Mami Elsie cook a big pot of Jollof Rice with Bonga fish. No meat please. Bonga fish is even healthier and tastier. Give her 5000frs
Beg Aunty Doro to cook her “baddest” Ndole and Planti. Give her 10,000frs to make a huge quantity as this will be the star dish of the day.
Order Koki for 5000frs from Mami Koki in the quatier. This will give you 50 bundles of 100 frs Koki wraps or 25 bundles of the 200 frs version. This also comes with boiled plantains, bananas, cocoyams or “fambu” (sweet potatoes) That’s a lot! Tell her to put plenty dash, or else you won’t be her customer anymore. In fact threaten her about the dash and you will get a lot of Koki to feed your wedding guests.
For drinks, make 50 litres of Folere AKA Baron de Jesus. Folere, flavouring and sugar will cost 2000 frs
One crate of mimbo for the high table: 6000frs
Non-achoholic champagne to pop at the wedding: 3000frs
Boiled contri groundnuts as chewables; 3000 frs (Your grandfather will love you for this.)
Beautiful one layer cake: 5000frs
Disposable plates, cups and spoons for guests to eat in: 5000frs
Hall Rentals, Decoration etc
If your church can accommodate that, have your reception in the church hall immediately after the church wedding ceremony. If this is not possible, use a family compound for the reception. Do not rent a hall.
For decor, buy bolobolo (ballons) and beg teenagers to help you blow them. Group them together and tie all over the place. Packets of bolobolo: 1000frs
Buy tooth brushes as gifts (souvenirs) for wedding guests. Buy those that cost 100 frs each. Don’t try to customise them with your names and pictures or anything like that. You’ll get a discount for buying in bulk. Get 50 of those. Cost: 5000 frs
Meanwhile, ask a talkative uncle to act as the MC. Just make sure he doesn’t get drunk on that day or he might unleash all the family secrets!
Photography and Videography
Beg 3 people with smart phones to consistently take pictures and videos during the occasion. Thereafter, transfer the images and footage to a memory card. No need to hire a flashy camera man.
Invitations
Use word of mouth, Facebook, text messages, etc to tell your friends and family about the wedding. Don’t print invitation cards. You can successfully get the word out without them.
Miscellanous AKA Mr. Linus
10,000frs
Here is your ‘printable’ list:
Wedding gown: 5000 frs
Super cent Coat; 20,000 frs
Pointinini shoes: 5000 frs
Wedding sandals: 3000 frs
Wedding rings: 2000 frs
Bridal Mesh: 2,500 frs
Workmanship for hair:2000 frs
Groom’s shirt: 500 frs
Jollof Rice: 5000 frs
Ndole and Plantains: 10,000 frs
Koki; 5000 frs
Folere aka Baron de Jesus: 2000frs
One crate mimbo: 6000 frs
Non-alcoholic champagne: 3000 frs
Contri granut: 3000 frs
Wedding cake: 5000 frs
Disposable plates, cups and cutlery: 5000 frs
Bolobolo: 1000 frs
Gifts for guests: 5000 frs
Miscellanous/ Mr. Linus: 10, 000frs
Grand total: 100, 000 CFA Francs
In conclusion, don’t try to keep up with the recent wedding trends. Don’t try to make it the wedding of the year. Don’t try to impress anybody. Let it be moderate, decent and filled with love. Besides, planning this kind of wedding doesn’t consume much time. You won’t be running helter-skelter like a mad cow trying to get things done. You will get some beauty sleep for the day and have some money to live on after the wedding. Oh and you will have enough strength for the night action. At the end of the day, you’ll still be as married as Kate Middleton and Prince William.
Happy married life in advance!
Arrey Echi says
January 15, 2016 at 2:57 amWanderful Precious!! I gi you caffeee!!! Wow!
Your wedding is really for a day and your marriage is for a life time. No need finishing all your hard earned Cee F Aa and even go into debts. Cut ya coat according to ya material and live happily ever after. I love, love this. Humourous as always but also very practical.
http://www.joy2endure.com
Anonymous says
January 15, 2016 at 2:57 amHaha, good one there dear, interesting
rose teneng says
January 15, 2016 at 2:57 amPrecious!!!!!!!!
ok oh.anyway its not bad at all but "with the reality" show weddings I see on Facebook, I wonder who would go for this.In all, what really matters is the love and not the fanfare.you always come up with an interesting piece ..cudos.. and happy new year.
Yvonne Leina says
January 15, 2016 at 2:57 amWho could have carved it better little sis.I love this!
Eyong Delphine Ebangha says
January 15, 2016 at 2:57 amPrecious, you too much
Anonymous says
January 15, 2016 at 11:31 amHahahahaha chaiiiii Precious ah like na you. Cut many people their business just like that. But it's not feasible even to the poor man's wedding. Chaiiiii my sister
Natacha says
January 15, 2016 at 11:31 amLol it's you again! I had a friend here who's wedding was under $500 (preparation, celebration and everything). Her wedding dress was FIFTY Dollars. And she did the wedding in Cameroon. The most important thing to her was that God bless her marraige. she had it at a very simple setting. This woman no even wear makeup ok, so simple and modest wedding. She grew up in church so mostly pastors, church, family members attended. Why spend huge thousand on your wedding day which is just for one day and regret latter. Yes it is the biggest and most important day for a woman but the most important days are your marriage, marital life and home. Some people too like crowd oooo. Pastor, bride and groom, 1 to 2 witnesses correct abegi!! Lol
Ps. Excuse my gramma and typos, (sent from iPhone at work in a busy atm) lol
Precious Nkeih says
January 15, 2016 at 12:13 pmHehehehe
Precious Nkeih says
January 15, 2016 at 12:14 pmThanks big sis! You are always so supportive.
Precious Nkeih says
January 15, 2016 at 12:16 pmThanks dear. It's love that matters and not the reality show wedding.
Precious Nkeih says
January 15, 2016 at 12:17 pmThank you for reading!
Precious Nkeih says
January 15, 2016 at 12:19 pmMa sis, ma sis! You have said it all. Why spend extravagantly for a one day event? Thanks dear for always reading.
Precious Nkeih says
January 15, 2016 at 12:22 pmNata, you have a great example there oo. An inexpensive wedding is very possible. I love that woman for her simplicity. It takes a lot of simplicity for a 'bushfaller' to do that kind of wedding in Cameroon. Though I would have loved to put small 'powda' and 'penso eye'. Lol
Precious Nkeih says
January 15, 2016 at 12:24 pmIt is very feasible ooo. You don't have to invite everyone who knows your name. The first step is to avoid a large crowd. So poor people no go married? Lol
Ayandola Ayanleke says
January 15, 2016 at 3:11 pmSeriously, left to me, no too much funfare. Marriage is the koko, not the wedding.
POVERTY IS A MENTALITY
I was young, now I am old and I have come to realize that poverty indeed is a mentality
The story is told of two men, one of them worked for an insurance company and the other, a commercial driver. The commercial driver started . Continue here
http://ayandola.blogspot.com.ng/2016/01/poverty-is-mentality.html?m=1
ejoh grenville says
January 16, 2016 at 1:28 pmHmmm chai my dear,I think I can now get married;u just made everything so easy now for me and my Lolor.thanks for that
Lucy Uko says
January 17, 2016 at 6:44 pmWow! am so impress my friend beautiful Precious is a wedding planner and a great cook!!! *smiles*
http://www.wlcmwisdom.blogspot.com
Precious Nkeih says
January 18, 2016 at 5:13 pmNa so!
Precious Nkeih says
January 18, 2016 at 5:14 pmYou are welcome oo. Happy married life in advance!
Precious Nkeih says
January 18, 2016 at 5:14 pmNo be small wedding planning. Thanks my friend.
ELIZO LUMNWI says
February 26, 2016 at 2:04 pmHihihihi pre u no well. Why did you have to wait till after my wedding before posting such brilliant wedding budget? Anyway thanks all the same
You too much
I'll use this for the celebration of my Anniversary lol
Precious Nkeih says
February 26, 2016 at 2:07 pmYou can also share with friends and family with upcoming weddings. Hihihihihi
Anonymous says
April 29, 2016 at 2:38 amHahahaha good one
Precious Nkeih says
April 29, 2016 at 2:40 amThank you for reading!
Rita Tangye says
June 18, 2016 at 5:34 pmThis is so so so wonderful Anti Pre. You are indeed a good planner
Precious Nkeih says
June 18, 2016 at 5:50 pmThank you!
Ellen says
March 26, 2017 at 7:48 amPrecious this is incredibly Wow. Thank you. I really don’t regret following you on Facebook. Thumbs Up for you Mami.
Precious says
March 27, 2017 at 10:29 pmAwww thank you, Ellen! So glad to have you here.
Erisenia says
May 15, 2017 at 8:28 pmWaoooo very humorous precious, oh my God.very true why spending a huge sum of money on a single day, when they’re days ahead, once more thanks for sharing awesome piece..
Precious says
May 15, 2017 at 9:58 pmWell said, dear!
Nice to see your comment on the blog.
Deby says
May 16, 2017 at 7:27 amHahaha aunty p u try oh
Precious says
May 17, 2017 at 1:24 pm?? ah really try!
Erica says
May 16, 2017 at 10:09 amI love this it is full of practical ideas…..thanks a lot Precious…..I always say ….Y oustill have to live after the wedding
Precious says
May 17, 2017 at 1:26 pmExactly Erica!
There is life after the wedding.
Nanga says
May 17, 2017 at 2:42 am??????? Sis Precious u worry ya. I’ve laughed untilllll. Choiiiiiiiii
You sleep dream we singles them today? ?
Precious says
May 17, 2017 at 1:27 pm?????? I’m only trying to help.
emmanuela says
May 18, 2017 at 12:27 pmna big time idea,you are actually an idealist,i just asked my husband how much he spent on our court wedding,he said he bought just dress and ring,food and drink was provided by relative and nobody notice it,even meoooh
Precious says
May 18, 2017 at 1:28 pmHahaha I like that! I always say you don’t need much money to get married.
Fossoh says
January 22, 2018 at 5:16 pm…then when the money comes – have the wedding of your dreams!!!
Precious says
January 23, 2018 at 9:07 amCertainly, if it matters that much to you.