Weddings

Wedding planner in Abuja for the day you have pictured

Mara Events plans white weddings, traditional ceremonies and military weddings in Abuja and across Nigeria. We handle the venue, vendors, décor and timeline, so you and your families can be present for every moment.

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  • AICCEES Official planner, 4 editions
  • 200+ events Delivered since 2020
  • Abuja & Lagos Events in both cities

Planning a Nigerian wedding, without the stress

A Nigerian wedding is rarely one event. There may be an introduction, a traditional ceremony, a church or court wedding and a reception, sometimes on different days and at different venues, with two families and hundreds of guests to look after. Every family has its own customs and its own idea of how the day should flow.

We have planned weddings and celebrations since 2020, and we build each plan around the way your families want to celebrate. That might be a white wedding with a cold-smoke first dance, a traditional ceremony with a monogrammed dance floor, or a military wedding with a sword-arch guard of honour. You get one team that keeps every vendor, payment, timeline and guest detail in one place.

We are based in Abuja and work across the city’s hotel ballrooms, event centres and marquee venues. We also plan weddings in Lagos and other cities, so families spread across Nigeria can still have one planner for the whole celebration.

Bride in a blue gele and groom in a blue agbada dancing at their traditional wedding

What we handle for your wedding

Choose the full list or just the parts you need help with.

Venue sourcing

Shortlists that fit your guest count, budget and date, with site visits and contract checks before you pay a deposit.

Budget planning

A clear budget split across venue, catering, décor and vendors, tracked as payments go out so there are no surprises.

Vendor management

Caterers, photographers, videographers, MCs, DJs and bands, cake makers and rentals: booked, briefed and kept to time.

Décor and styling

Stage design, florals, lighting, table settings and floor layout that carry your colours from the entrance to the dance floor.

Traditional ceremonies

Order of events, family protocol and programme for introductions and traditional weddings, planned with both families.

Military and protocol weddings

Guard of honour, sword-arch entrances and VIP seating worked into the programme so every moment lands on time.

Guests and seating

Invitations, RSVPs, seating plans, ushers and accreditation at the door, so the right guests sit in the right places.

Timeline and rehearsal

A minute-by-minute run-of-show shared with every vendor, and a rehearsal so the bridal train and families know their cues.

On-the-day coordination

Our team runs the schedule, vendors and guests on the day, so you are not the one taking vendor calls.

How we plan your wedding

For full planning we suggest starting 9 to 12 months out. Our 12-month wedding planning timeline shows what happens when.

Consultation

We meet you, and your families if you like, to learn the story, the guest count, the budget and the dates you have in mind.

Proposal and budget

You receive a written plan: the package, our fee, a budget split and a list of the vendors we recommend.

Planning

We book the venue and vendors, develop the design and keep you updated with regular check-ins and one shared timeline.

Final details

Vendor confirmations, the run-of-show, seating and a rehearsal in the last weeks, so nothing is left to the morning.

The wedding day

We arrive first and leave last. Our team runs set-up, timings, vendors and guests while you enjoy the day.

Wedding planning packages and prices

Three ways to work with us. Every package is quoted for your wedding after the first consultation.

Most complete

Full-service planning

From the first idea to the final thank-you. Best for large or multi-part weddings and busy schedules.

  • Concept, theme and budget plan
  • Venue sourcing and site visits
  • Every vendor booked, briefed and managed
  • Design, décor and floor layout
  • Run-of-show and rehearsals
  • Our team on site for the whole event
  • Post-event wrap-up
Ask about this package
Flexible

Hybrid planning

You've started planning or booked some vendors. We fill the gaps and pull it all together.

  • Review of your plan and budget
  • Booking the vendors you still need
  • Coordination of vendors you already have
  • Timeline and run-of-show
  • Our team on site on the day
Ask about this package
On the day

Day-of coordination

You've planned it yourself. We take over close to the date so you can enjoy it.

  • Hand-over meeting and vendor confirmations
  • Detailed run-of-show
  • Set-up supervision
  • Managing vendors, timings and guests on the day
  • Pack-down and hand-back
Ask about this package
Typical market rates in Nigeria
ItemUnitTypical range
5-star hotel venue in AbujaFull day₦2.5M to ₦6M
Catering in AbujaPer guest₦7,500 to ₦18,000
Photography and videographyPer event₦200K to ₦1.5M
MC and entertainmentPer event₦150K to ₦2M+

Ranges from our Lagos vs Abuja guide and event cost guide. Décor, aso-ebi and outfits vary too widely to give a single range.

How our fee works

Most of the cost of an event is the event itself: venue, catering, décor, sound and logistics. Our fee is separate and usually works out at 10 to 20% of the total budget, or a flat fee for day-of coordination and simpler events.

On a ₦5M event, that is about ₦500K to ₦1M. We agree the fee and what it covers in writing before we start, and we recommend setting aside another 10 to 15% as a contingency for fuel surcharges, extra catering and last-minute changes.

Weddings we have planned

Three celebrations from our portfolio, each with a very different look and feel.

Groom in army dress uniform and bride in a sequinned gown walking under a sword arch Officers holding illuminated swords along the aisle at a military wedding reception Military guard of honour lining a green-lit aisle under hanging candle lights
Military wedding

A guard of honour under candle light

Military weddings follow a strict programme. Officers in ceremonial uniform formed a sword arch for the couple’s entrance, and a guard of honour lined a green-lit aisle beneath hanging candle lights, with an illuminated-sword salute as the couple walked through.

Moments like these depend on timing between the officers, the MC, the lighting and the photographers, so the entrance happens once and is captured properly.

Tosin and Kayode dancing in blue aso-oke on their monogrammed dance floor Bride and groom in blue traditional attire celebrating with guests on the dance floor
Traditional wedding

Tosin and Kayode’s traditional wedding

Tosin and Kayode celebrated in matching royal-blue aso-oke, with a custom monogrammed dance floor bearing their names and a floral stage in white and blue.

Traditional ceremonies are full of moments for the families, from the entrance to the dances. The décor kept the couple’s colours consistent from the stage to the floor, so every photograph tells the same story.

Couple sharing their first dance in cold smoke under a gold-framed floral stage Couple kissing in cold smoke with stage sparklers and a floral backdrop behind them
White wedding reception

A cold-smoke first dance

For this reception, the first dance happened under a gold-framed floral stage, with low-lying cold smoke across the floor and stage sparklers to close the moment.

Effects like cold smoke and sparklers need the venue’s approval, safe placement and a cue sheet shared with the DJ and photographers.

“Mara Events made our wedding absolutely unforgettable. Every detail was handled from the traditional arewa decor to the reception, with so much care and precision, we didn’t have to worry about a thing.”Ruqayya, Arewa bride
See more in our gallery
FAQ

Wedding planning questions

Straight answers to the questions clients ask us most.

How much does a wedding planner cost in Abuja?

Our fee is usually 10 to 20% of your total wedding budget for full planning, or a flat fee for day-of coordination. The total cost of the wedding itself depends mostly on your guest count, venue and catering. We give you a written quote after the first consultation.

How early should we book a wedding planner?

For full planning, 9 to 12 months before the wedding gives you the widest choice of venues and vendors, especially for popular dates such as December. For day-of coordination, contact us at least six to eight weeks before.

Do you plan traditional weddings as well as white weddings?

Yes. We plan introductions, traditional ceremonies, white weddings and receptions, and many couples ask us to handle several of them as one plan with one budget.

Can we use vendors we have already booked?

Yes. Our hybrid package is built for this: we coordinate the vendors you already have and book only the ones you still need.

Do you plan weddings outside Abuja?

Yes. We plan weddings in Abuja, Lagos and other cities across Nigeria. See events in Lagos for how we plan there.

Will you be at the wedding on the day?

Yes. On every package our team is on site, running set-up, timings, vendors and guests, so you and your families can enjoy the day.

Tell us about your wedding

Share a few details and we will come back with ideas, a package recommendation and a quote.

+2349011046473 Chat on WhatsApp info@mara-events.com
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2 Your wedding
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Other ways we can help

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