When Tunde and Bisi got married last year, they wanted it all: the grand hall, the full band, the coordinated aso-ebi. It was perfect… until the bills came in.
Their ₦10 million dream wedding left them ₦4 million in debt. By their first anniversary, they weren’t planning vacations; they were planning repayment schedules.
Here’s what they wish they’d known: marriage should start with love, not loans.
The Real Cost of “I Do”
Cowrywise’s Simplified Report (October 2025) reveals that the average Nigerian wedding costs ₦13 million, enough to buy a new car or make a down payment on a home.
Breakdown of typical spending:
- Proposal: ₦600,000 (5%)
- Traditional Wedding: ₦3.3 million (25%)
- White Wedding and Reception: ₦8.9 million (70%)
Now, let’s apply the golden rule:
You should never spend more than 10–15% of your combined annual income on a wedding. So if you and your partner earn ₦8 million per year combined, your ideal wedding budget should be around ₦1.2 million, not ₦13 million.
Reality Check Calculator
Your combined annual income: ₦__________
Your realistic budget (15%): ₦__________
Average Nigerian wedding cost: ₦13,000,000
Your gap: ₦__________
If that gap looks intimidating, don’t panic. You can still have a beautiful wedding, just a smarter one.
Three Real Weddings, Three Different Realities
₦2 Million Wedding: The Intimate Duo
Chidinma and Ife kept things small.
- Guest count: 80
- Venue: Church hall
- Buffet catering and rented outfits
- Saved ₦400k toward their ₦2M budget using Cowrywise Duo (₦44k monthly auto-deduction), then topped up with existing savings.
- No loans, no regrets, and a joint savings balance for their honeymoon.
₦7 Million Wedding: The Balanced Blend
Emeka and Chioma wanted elegance without excess.
- Guest count: 250
- Chose a weekday venue discount
- Monetised aso-ebi to fund catering
- Saved ₦1 million together with Duo (₦83k monthly automatic savings).
- Achieved a classy wedding, completely debt-free.
Pro tip: Aso-ebi monetisation means buying fabric at wholesale (e.g., ₦8k/yard) and selling to guests at retail (e.g., ₦12k/yard). The profit margin can cover 20–30% of your catering costs. Just keep your markup reasonable and communicate clearly with guests.
₦15 Million Wedding: The Grand Affair
Tolu and Busayo hosted 600 guests at a Lagos hotel.
- Premium décor, plated dining
- Family funded 40%
- Spent the rest from personal savings
- Beautiful day, but financially draining. They spent the next year rebuilding their savings plan with Cowrywise Duo.
The Cultural Elephant in the Room
Money talk before marriage can be tense, especially when family and tradition get involved. But those conversations are essential.
How to Have the Conversation
With your parents:
“Mummy, Daddy, we want to celebrate in a way that honours our family, but also leaves us financially stable. Can we discuss how to make that balance work?”
With each other:
“I love you, but I don’t want us to start our future with stress. Let’s agree on what’s affordable and meaningful.”
Honouring Tradition Without Breaking the Bank
- Negotiate bride price respectfully; most families value intention over extravagance.
- Keep traditional gifts symbolic rather than excessive.
- Reuse attire across the introduction and engagement ceremonies.
Culture should complement your love story, not complicate it.
The Smart Cut Playbook: Save Up to ₦5 Million
Cowrywise’s data shows couples can reduce wedding costs by 25–30% with deliberate choices:
- Limit guest count: Each extra 50 guests adds hundreds of thousands.
- Choose buffet catering: It reduces waste and cost.
- Rent, don’t buy: Attire and décor rentals can save up to ₦2 million.
- Pick weekday weddings: Venues and vendors charge less.
- Use community or church halls: Often half the price of event centres.
Together, these cuts could save ₦5 million; money that could seed your next investment goal.
A Smarter Way to Save: Cowrywise Duo
Every couple above had one thing in common: they planned together.
Instead of juggling contributions manually or relying on traditional ajo, they used Cowrywise Duo, a shared, automated saving plan built for partners.
| Feature | Duo | Traditional Ajo |
| Automated deductions | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Earns interest | ✅ Yes (up to 15% p.a.) | ❌ No |
| Locked until the target date | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Risk of early withdrawals |
| Accessible on the app | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| ₦500k saved over 12 months becomes | ₦537k+ | ₦500k (loses value to inflation) |
Automation removes temptation and builds trust, because every contribution counts equally.
The 12-Month Wedding Money Plan
| Month | Milestone | Financial Goal |
| 12 months before | Open a Cowrywise Duo account | Set your target and start auto-saving |
| 9 months before | Book venue and secure vendors | Save 30% of the target |
| 6 months before | Send save-the-dates | Reach 60% of the target |
| 3 months before | Finalise guest list and décor | Save 90% of the target |
| 1 month before | Confirm final payments | Celebrate reaching your goal |
Red Flags You’re Overspending
- You’re considering a loan for décor or catering
- You’ve increased your budget more than twice already
- Your emergency fund is dipping into wedding expenses
- Family pressure is driving your decisions
If any of these apply, it’s time to pause, not the wedding, just the spending.
Already Planning? Here Are 3 Quick Wins
- Negotiate vendor payment timelines: Pay closer to the date to keep earning interest.
- Combine makeup trials with pre-wedding shoots: Saves ₦50k–₦100k.
- Print half the programs you think you need: Most end up on chairs anyway.
Final Thoughts: Build a Marriage, Not a Bill
Imagine walking into your honeymoon suite knowing your bank balance is healthy.
Imagine starting your first year of marriage debt-free, already saving toward your first home.
That’s the power of planning together, and it’s within your reach.
Marriage should begin with freedom, not financial recovery.
Start your shared journey today with Cowrywise Duo, where love meets financial wisdom.
