In Nigeria, weddings have always been a grand affair, from the aso ebi to the multi-million-naira receptions, the wedding day was once seen as the ultimate stage for couples to display love, family pride, and financial strength, but a quiet cultural shift is taking shape, more couples are now choosing to channel their money and attention into anniversaries and vacations.
Anniversaries were once marked with a cake, a card, or a dinner at a local restaurant, but today, they are evolving into big events.
Couples now book luxury getaways, host intimate but stylish dinner parties, or even stage photo shoots to mark each year of being together.
For many, it’s not about impressing society but about rewarding themselves for surviving another year of marriage.
Take the example of Chigozie and Precious a Lagos couple who skipped throwing a lavish wedding in 2019, instead, they had a simple registry ceremony and redirected their funds into yearly anniversary trips. “We wanted something that would be for us, not for the crowd,” Chigozie explained.
Their fifth anniversary this year took them to Zanzibar, a choice they said strengthened their bond far more than a hall filled with 500 guests would have.
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are shaping this new culture, couples now post highlight reels of anniversaries in Zanzibar, Kenya, Paris, Maldives or even quiet local destinations like Obudu Cattle Ranch, Lakowe Lakes, or even Omu Resort, the visuals spark interest among friends and followers, setting new standards for how anniversaries should look.
A candle-lit dinner is nice, but a weekend in Mauritius? That’s the new benchmark.
Travel has become aspirational for young Nigerians, even with the high cost of flights, couples see it as a worthwhile investment.
Instead of pouring millions into a single wedding event, they spread the money over years of vacations, turning anniversaries into moments of adventure.
Local resorts in Lagos, Abuja, and Calabar are also benefiting, as couples who can’t fly abroad still seek an escape from daily life.
Unlike weddings, which often center on impressing guests, anniversaries and vacations focus on the couple’s shared experience, a week on an island, away from work emails and Lagos traffic, becomes a memory that strengthens the relationship.
Many believe these private celebrations create a more lasting impact than the fleeting glamour of a wedding day.
This trend reflects a deeper change in how Nigerian couples view love and marriage.
Weddings are no longer the only peak moment worth celebrating, anniversaries are now seen as proof of endurance, while vacations are investments in keeping the relationship alive.
The shift raises an interesting question: in a society that has long been defined by the spectacle of weddings, will anniversaries and vacations become the new symbol of commitment?
For many couples, the answer is already yes.
In conclusion, Nigerian couples
are rewriting the love story script, instead of one big wedding blowout, they are choosing smaller, meaningful celebrations spread across the years.
Anniversaries and vacations are no longer just extras, they are becoming the true markers of lasting commitment.