Exuberant Multi-Day Wedding Celebrates Faith and Nigerian Cultures, Featuring Intricate Fashion, a Boat Ceremony, and Vibrant Performances

In this article

Quick Facts:
How did you meet?
Tell us about the proposal.
Wedding Style:
Culture:
What is your favorite memory from your wedding?
What is the best advice you can give to engaged couples?
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To honor their cultures and faith, Mariam and Kenneth hosted two exuberant wedding celebrations; a church wedding and a traditional Nigerian wedding!

The first wedding honored the couple’s faith and took place at a beautiful cathedral in Newark, New Jersey. The day after, they hosted a traditional Nigerian wedding, which incorporated aspects of all three of Mariam’s Nigerian tribes throughout the ceremony and reception.

Mariam and Kenneth’s love story began when Mariam chose Kenneth’s catering company for her niece’s birthday party. They chatted at the party and Kenneth didn’t hesitate to ask Mariam out for coffee. At first, Mariam was unsure and didn’t accept, but after some time she felt that she should give him a chance, and so she reached back out to him. They immediately hit it off and have been together ever since!

After conversations about marriage, Kenneth knew Mariam wanted a traditional Nigerian proposal, known as “Knocking at the Door”, which emphasizes the joining of two families, not only the bride and groom.

We had a party in Jersey where thirty to fifty people attended and he asked my parents for my hand. My father asked me if he should accept the proposal, of course I agreed!
– Mariam

Mariam and Kenneth’s two-day wedding celebrations highlighted their faith and Mariam’s Nigerian culture while also showcasing their individual interests and personalities.

The traditional Nigerian wedding ceremony had a circus theme throughout the ceremony and reception, featuring a fire blower who accompanied the bride during her entrance via boat, acrobat performances, and vibrant traditional dances.

Their traditional American-style wedding had a romantic swan theme, with pastel-colored florals, and feathers incorporated into the decor and Mariam’s gown, ice sculptures, and a towering fairytale cake.

See the vibrant details of their multi-day wedding celebrations below!

Couple: Mariam & Kenneth
Occupations: I am a psychiatrist, my husband is a Chef, and he owns his own catering company, Chef Kenneth Clay LLC
Wedding dates: May 18th and May 19th, 2024
Wedding locations:
- May 18th, 2024: Ceremony – Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, NJ, Reception – Hilton Short Hills
- May 19th, 2024: Legacy Castle, Pompton Plains, NJ

Quick Facts:

Gifts for the wedding party: A cookout for the guys (the groom is a chef). For the bridesmaids, personalized jewelry boxes, silver Indian bracelets, and bridesmaid robes.
Gifts for one another: Love!
Ceremony entrance song: Handel’s “Eternal Source of Light Divine”, played on the harp and trumpet for the bridal party, for my entrance, the cantor sang the vocals.
First dance songs:
- May 18th: “So Amazing” by Luther Vandross, followed by “Teddy Bear” by Keith Frank
- May 19th: “Libhaliwe” by Noma Khumalo for our traditional first dance

How did you meet?

I was throwing a birthday party for my niece and needed a caterer. I went on Thumbtack and hired Kenneth as my niece’s birthday caterer. He asked me out for coffee after a site visit. I agreed initially and then turned him down after the party, but I felt I would miss out on something if I did not go out with him, so I reached out and contacted him and the rest is history.

Kenneth and Mariam had two weddings! The first was a white wedding on May 18th, which honored their Christian faith, Kennys culture and the American traditions of a father giving the bride to her groom.
– Aly Kuler (Photographer)

Tell us about the proposal.

Kenny brought up marriage in conversation, and being Nigerian, I wanted him to propose the traditional way (where two families are joining, not just the man and woman), known as the “Knocking at the Door” where he brings his family members to vouch for him and he asks for my parent’s permission. So we had a party in Jersey where thirty to fifty people attended and he asked my parents for my hand. My father asked me if he should accept the proposal, of course, I agreed!

The theme included culture, royalty, gardens, a feather theme, with feathers featured on the bride’s dress, the bridesmaids and flowers girls dresses, the menus, the decor and the cake.
– Aly Kuler (Photographer)

Mariam is a combination of three Nigerian tribes (Hausa Kanuri, Yoruba -from her father, and Igbo from her mother)…Mariam chose to first wear Hausa wedding attire, which is similar to Indian and Muslim culture, including henna and a veil.
– Aly Kuler (Photographer)

Wedding Style:

I had my wedding dress made in South Africa by designer Gert-Johan Coetzee. Once Kenny brought up talks of marriage, I reached out to him and we started designing a dress (I already had a vision of what I wanted). I went to Johannesburg, South Africa for the fitting in October. They were amazing, I sent them my measurements and pictures, and the dress fit well, I told them about changes I wanted to make. Also, I wanted a traditional wedding dress, which they made for me in March. Kenny rented a suit through stylist Harrison Crite. We originally wanted a custom-made outfit, but it was not made in time.

Different Nigerian cultures have different traditions, but Mariam and Kenny chose to combine all three of hers (Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba) to honor her background and Christian faith. She also added her own twist by having a water procession (with rowers from England!) due to her love of culture.
– Aly Kuler (Photographer)

Culture:

We had two weddings, our church wedding (May 18, 2024) and our traditional wedding (May 19th, 2024). Usually, the traditional wedding is before the church/white wedding. In the traditional wedding, the father or parents give the bride a gourd filled with palm wine, she goes to find her husband-to-be (other men try to dissuade her with money, etc). When she finds her husband-to-be, she kneels in front of him and gives him the gourd of palm wine to drink, they then go back to her parents and kneel in front of them for their blessing. Then they are married.

What is your favorite memory from your wedding?

Seeing the joy and love on people’s faces. It was amazing to see how happy and excited people were for us at every single point during the wedding.

What is the best advice you can give to engaged couples?

Start planning earlier than you think you should, so you can rest at least a week before your wedding. If you get a wedding planner, research them well (maybe ask your venue and go with who they recommend because they won’t steer you wrong). They may be pricey, but a good wedding planner is priceless! Follow your vision and don’t let people dissuade you. If you need help (which you will!), have people who will listen to you and what you want, but not too many people. ENJOY YOUR DAY!!! Make sure you enjoy every single moment, you have earned it!

Changing is a fun part of Nigerian parties; for the Igbo tradition, Mariam entered in traditional Igbo wedding attire, including her coral jewelry, bronze headpieces and her horsetail.
– Aly Kuler (Photographer)