Igbo traditional marriage (igba nkwu)wine carrying ceremony.
The main purpose of this ceremony is solemnization , it involves the woman pointing out publicly the man she wants to get married to. During the marriage ceremony, the bride comes out the first time on her first attire to greet the people who came for the ceremony.
Sometimes she carries along with her powder to spray as she greets them with a smiling face or she could go with perfume.
She doesn’t go out alone, she is usually in the company of her unmarried sisters or friends.
After greeting, she goes back inside to appear on her second attire.
Once she comes out with her second attire, she will go to her father ( if her father is late, the eldest man In her family will stand as her father) then on her knees, her father will pour palmwine for her in a cup for her to go and search for her husband (who would be kept in the midst of people) and give him the drink and bring back the husband to him.
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Even in this outing, she will be followed by her unmarried sisters or friends or both sisters and friends who will also be on their second attire (but some of the unmarried ladies use only one attire for the two outing, it depends on how the bride wants it)
The unmarried ladies will follow her while she searches for her husband while dancing.
Some men in the audience will be distracting the bride so she could give the drink to them. It is very important for her to give the drink to her own husband and not someone else.
When she sees her husband, she kneels down, then takes a sip out of the wine before giving it to her husband who will then finish the drink.
Some put money inside the cup after they are done taking the drink. Then the girl will take the husband to the father.
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When they get to where the father is sitted, they will both kneel and return the cup to the father, then the girl’s father will bless them before they would now dance and go to the couple’s tent to seat.
The reception follows immediately ,while some schedule a future date for the party, as the igba nkwu ceremony is usually a private affair with close friends and relatives.
