Seat back and enjoy this story of a Warri boy Ogaga and his Nnewi bride, Ijeoma.We posted their pre wedding session last week (HERE). Now enjoy their love story and wedding photos as captured by our favorite wedding photographer, Ogheneworo Akara.
How did these two love birds meet? Ijeoma has a story to tell you.
Ijeoma: I went to meet a friend after work, who
insisted that I accompany her to a work event. I reluctantly followed
her, since she promised we would be there just for a short while . At
the event I sat quietly as I was a little bit under the weather, but I
couldn’t help noticing this “Morris Chesnut like” looking happy chap
dancing away and I thought “someone’s happy”.
Coincidentally, some
minutes later, the happy dude aka Gaga came up to me, chatted briefly
and asked for a dance. I politely turned him down because I didn’t have
“energy ” for him; I was having a headache and definitely not in a
dancing mood. Fast forward to some months later, I went to the gym to
bring sexy back lol and I saw the same guy there, but this time he just
kept staring and staring, making me feel a bit self conscious; I noticed
he was even lifting weights heavier than he could carry “lool”. He
walked over to me at some point to say hi, and being in a better mood,
we got talking. That was how we became gym buddies; we got so close to
the extent that on one occasion Gaga even followed me to the aerobics
classes where he was the only male ‘lol’.
We kept seeing regularly at
the gym and from there our friendship progressed, till one day Gaga
suggested we hangout outside the gym. At this point some of his swag and
sweet mouth had rubbed off on me and I was happy to take our friendship
outside the gym. He would always do the sweetest things, yet he would
be forming Warri boy. Three years later our friendship is waxing
stronger and I am about to get married to the love of my life and start
our journey till forever after…………….
Ogaga and Ijeoma’s wedding was fantastic. Nnewi was shut down for it
and Ogaga was ready for the long journey. I wish I knew how long it
would take I would have gotten a shoe as solid as Ogaga’s.
Ogaga brought out this shoe with pride and asked that I take pictures
of them o! I can imagine what would have happened if I did not.
So
you know the tradition of capturing the accessories of the couple
cannot be overlooked. Right? Why so? The entire planning process of a
wedding revolves around this small things here. Get one wrong and a
bride or groom will be unhappy through out the day. It therefore behoves
you to record these tiny details as a photographer because of the
energy spent getting them for the wedding.
Ogaga and Ijeoma had some fantastic details and has become very popular amongst Nigerian brides, Ijeoma had a beautiful Badgley MIschka shoe.
And we creatively lit them up to get some awesome background for this earrings and necklace.
Started getting ready almost immediately we set foot in her shop and @jojostouch was beautifying Ijeoma so much we became instantly excited at the prospect of shooting a beautiful bride.
Meanwhile, Ijeoma’s Asoebi ladies were ready long before her and taking their photographs gleefully.
So
we stepped in to help them and what a bunch of beautiful and spirited
ladies these were. Full of smiles and energy. There was no dull moment
with them at all. Thank you guys. You made taking your pictures and the
entire day easy.
Meanwhile, Ogaga was preparing fast to come take his bride.
And this “urhobo stallion” as Ijeoma calls him looked royal in his traditional dress.
When finally Jojostouch was done with Ijeoma, she blew our minds. We were caught jaws down staring at this beauty.
But we were not the only ones, her inlaws were struggling to take a photograph with her as well.
In the mean time, Ogaga had arrived to a huge chair and with his wonderfully dressed men.
and the warriors he had gotten to protect Ijeoma.
The guys!!!!
The
event began in earnest with the welcoming of the groom and his people
by the brides father and mother. Now pay attention here, because while I
have photographed a lot of Nigerian weddings everywhere and they
largely have the same storyline, these has a little twist. So for you
attempting to marry a bride from Nnewi-Ichi, please note the little
changes you will see in your traditional wedding process.
The
main course started with the bride stepping out to first show herself
and greet the family of the man who had come to take her hand in
marriage.
and she was all smiles.
You
will notice that the warriors did not for one second leave this
princess alone. Protecting her every step and ensuring none got close to
her.
You
all know how I harp on ensuring you get the right set of ladies for
your train right? Lets go over that again. It keeps you happy on this
very demanding day when the people around you are full of smiles and joy
for you and where they are intent on keeping you that way.
Ijeoma had those kind of ladies. These bunch were so sweet, there was no dull moment with them.
Before the next set of events began, we did some more photographs of our beautiful bride and wow………………………
Next
after was selling the garden eggs. An event that involves the maidens
around the bride carrying calabashes of garden eggs to the grooms family
to sell . Out of honour one was given to Ijeoma’s grand mother.
And showing off their financial process, the grooms people snapped up the rest quickly.
Meet them people who made these event tick……..
I
am sure you would have seen this a lot of times in Ibo weddings. Where the brides father hands over a cup of palm
wine to the bride to go identify and bring back her groom. Whosoever she
gives the cup to drink, is her husband. In Nnewi-Ichi, there was a
slight variation to this tradition that required Ogaga to drink this
palm wine three different times.
Ijeoma wasted no time in handing over the cup to Ogaga.
And Ogaga being an Urhobo was ready for the cups to come. Do you have some more he seems to be asking here.
Next
was the tradition of Ijeoma carrying a Jerry Can of palm wine to her
husband people to see where she was going and to know if she wanted to
actually get married to the people she saw there. because when a woman
marries a man, she marries her people as well.
Now let me tell you a small story of the Jerry Can……….
The first Jerry cans were introduced as gasoline containers by the
German military at the start of World War II.
These five-gallon cans,
also called “Jeep cans” or “blitz cans” (or, in Germany,
“Wehrmachtskanisters”) were made of steel and usually sat in the back of
vehicles as a reserve tank of gas. It’s said that Adolph Hitler
anticipated the biggest challenge to taking over Europe in WWII was fuel
supply. So Germany stocked up.
As Germany moved through Europe and North Africa, so did their
thousands of gasoline cans. These cans proved to be dependable and
durable; soon, countries all over the world were adapting them to haul
and store liquids, coining them “Jerry cans” because of their German
origin (“Jerry” was a snide name for a German WWII soldier). New water
container designs emerged but nothing could top the strength and
simplicity of the original rectangular, X-marked Jerry can.
By the 70s, the plastic Jerry hit the market. Steel Jerry cans weigh
10 pounds empty; a plastic Jerry can weighs 3.5 pounds, and is much
cheaper to manufacture. While the military uses metal cans, people all
over the world now buy fuel or water for domestic use in plastic Jerry
cans
Source:www.charitywater.org
This
task was easy! So easy that Ijeoma lifted off the Jerry can from her
head with one hand when she arrived at her destination.
Next
she had to bring back a full crate of drinks to her mother as a gift
from her husband’s people as a show of their generosity and Oops this
time the crate was full of bottles of drinks.
It was difficult but it was expedient and Ijeoma shed tears for this and it was a moment of emotions.
And she returned to her in laws with a plate of Kola nuts showing gratitude for the things they brought.
Next Ogaga took her back to her people.
And
I love this look on Ijeoma’s face. She was telling Ogaga what happened
and how they made her carry a crate of drinks on her head. Awwww!
After this, Ijeoma’s dad gave her another glass of palm wine to go give her husband.
meanwhile, on the side, Ogaga’s men were quietly dancing and celebrating him.
As
he returned with his wife to show his gratitude by inserting a token
sum of money in the glass that Ijeoma used to bring the palm wine to
him.
and the dancing intensified and escalated.
Ben was so elated he was dancing away without abandon.
The third glass of palm wine was giving to Ogaga and at all time he drained them all. Urhobo wa do!!!!
A few pictures more and we were done with the crowd.
We had to take a few more pictures of the couple though tired as they were.
and
you can see below the benefit of having these ladies around Ijeoma.
Immediately they came out and around her, Ijeoma lit up brightly. You
see what I mean right?
I had a nice time at this event. We had fun. Ogaga and Ijeoma are a fantastic host and their show of hospitality was legendary.
I can’t wait long enough to shoot their white wedding this weekend. It will be a fantastic time with this two and their crew.
We are available to shoot weddings everywhere in the world. If you
want us to tell the story of your wedding graphically, call us on
08183557625, 0802501912.
KFB wishes Ogaga and Ijeoma a happy married life!