Two-day Nigerian and Cameroonian Wedding Celebration

Onyi and Rodrigue celebrated their love with a beautiful two-day wedding celebration that incorporated both their Nigerian and Cameroon roots!

To celebrate their love and honor their cultures the couple dressed in traditional clothing and had a Nigerian DJ and Cameroonian DJ. Their MC helped them bring their Nigerian, Cameroon, and American guests together by explaining the processes and traditions taking place throughout the wedding celebrations.

Learn more about the couple’s love story and their two-day wedding celebration below!

Couple: Onyi & Rodrigue
Occupations: Physician / Actuary
Wedding date: 7/2/2021, 7/4/2021
Wedding location: Yonkers, NY

Quick Facts

Gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen: Bridesmaids received Asoebi Hand fans, Robes, Earrings, Necklace, key chain with the inscription “You are Jollof don’t let anybody treat you like plain white rice.”
Groomsmen: Custom cufflinks and watches with their initials
Ceremony entrance song: Beautiful Onyinye by P Square, then You Must Calculer by Prince Eyango
First dance song: Baby Duro by Teo

How did you meet?

Tinder. We matched July 2018. At the time we matched I (Onyi) had a wedding to go to in San Francisco so I ignored his message. After that, I took Tinder off my phone for a few months because I was busy with work. I downloaded the app again in October and we matched again. I was feeling it would be rude to ghost someone twice.

Tell us about the proposal

We had been dating for about 8 months, Rodrigue planned a weekend trip to Portland, Maine in May 2018. This was not the first-weekend trip so I did not think anything of it. We explored Portland, visited lighthouses, went hiking.

On Saturday night we went to a restaurant. On the way to the restaurant, there was a local ice cream shop that looked pretty popular and of course, I said we should get dessert from there later. We enjoyed an excellent surf and turf dinner and I was ready to go get ice cream. He insisted that he wanted to try “the popular dessert on the website”. He doesn’t really eat sweets so I was a bit confused.

They brought out the dessert with an accompanying plate with a tent-fold napkin. I picked up the napkin thinking there were extra forks but there was a ring. He got down on one knee and a patron at the restaurant started screaming which led to the entire restaurant going into unexpected applause. Since we met he had been saying “On ne perd pas le temps d’une femme qu’on aime. On l’epouse et on la chatouille.” I’m sure that was part of his speech, I accepted his proposal.

Culture

I am Nigerian and he is Cameroonian. Traditional marriage usually occurs in the bride’s home and we tried to simulate this as best we could. We had a Nigerian DJ on day one and a Cameroonian DJ on day two. Our guests were coming from all over the US, Nigeria, and Cameroon and we needed someone who could tie the day together and explain the process to our guests. Namo, our wedding MC, really helped to tie everything together.

What is your best memory from your wedding?

For him: Dancing with the beautiful Onyi.
For her: Getting dressed for my traditional marriage. It was me, my bridesmaids, and Ms. Veronica Ezumah. As she wrapped me in traditional fabric and markings she explained the process. It was a sight to behold.