UK newspaper reports on lavish weddings of super-rich Nigerians in London

oge okonkwo

October 27, 2015 4:52 PM

Elohor Elizabeth Aisien and Betty Irabor in the interview agreed that London has become a wedding destination choice for super-rich elite Nigerians

Ruth Langsford meets Elizabeth Aisien, centre, who says it isn't unusual for wealthy Nigerians to spend £1m on their wedding day

Popular wedding planner Elohor Elizabeth Aisien of Prive Luxury Events and Genevieve Magazine founder, Betty Irabor recently had an exclusive interview with Eamonn and RuthLangsford - hosts of Channel 5 documentary : 'How The Other Half Lives'.

Aisien and Irabor in the interview agreed that London has become a wedding destination choice for super-rich elite Nigerians.

READ: See world's lavish weddings where brides spend up to N12M on gowns

These wealthy couples could blow a fortune on their weddings, spending up to '£100,000 on a designer wedding dress to £150,000 on alcohol and £475,000 on diamond jewellery'.

With London's biggest hotels such as The Dorchester, Landmark Hotel and Claridge's booked as wedding venues by planners for as high as £12,500 exclusive of catering and VAT, for the upper class Nigerians.

According to Aisien, Kensington Palace has become another favourite for Nigerians.

READ: Grandson of America's biggest mafia boss weds in lavish ceremony, receives $2.5M cash gifts

Champagnes are served in most of these weddings where over a thousand guests are invited. This means each guest gets a bottle of champagne. Collectively these wealthy families splash over £150,000 on booze.

Wedding guests may get to leave with gift bags worth £6,000 from these elite weddings compared to affluent weddings in Britain where guests are gifted with chocolates.

A gift bag might contain a £345 perfume, a cashmere scarf worth £350 and a £5,000 watch.

According to Daily Mail, here's what Aisien and Irabor said in the interview:

"It is not unusual to spend a million. One of the weddings I planned spent £50,000 just on flowers,

READ: Check out glam photos from Dolapo Oni and Gbite Sijuwade's white wedding

"It's a competition, people want something like "wow, she arrived by plane". The bride wants to look good and wear the best of everything."

"As a result, she said brides will pay around £100,000 for a bespoke dress by a designer like Vera Wang and £475,000 on diamond jewellery"

"The other women want to make a statement, "I wore this diamond, my diamond is bigger than yours", Elizabeth explained.

"They will spend the most money on Champagne as you have two to three thousand guests at a traditional Nigerian wedding and they will get a bottle of Champagne each."

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"This means at an average Nigerian wedding, £150,000 will be spent on booze.

And it's not just food and drink lavished on the guests. While at British weddings, attendees may get a token favour like a chocolate, at affluent Nigerian weddings, they will get a gift bag worth £6,000.

Such a bag might contain a £345 perfume, a cashmere scarf worth £350 and a £5,000 watch", Aisien said.

oge okonkwo