Encomium
-Dazzles in $2,800 Vera Wang dress
-Settles in $280 a night hotel
-Gets N9.5 million Prado jeep
…all the things they are hiding about the April 26 nuptials
MUSIC star, Tiwatope Savage and her manager husband, Tunji Balogun, Tee Billz, concluded their marital rites with a magical wedding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event held on Saturday, April 26, 2014, three months after their talk-of-the-town traditional marriage in Lagos.
Friends of the couple, mostly entertainers joined them in Dubai, UAE for the ceremony.
REAL REASON TIWA’S WEDDING WAS MOVED TO DUBAI
Shortly after their lavish engagement in Lagos, Tunji and Tiwa Balogun announced that their white wedding would hold in Maldives Island, an Island near the Indian Ocean. The move, according to what we heard, was shelved due to pressure from friends who preferred Dubai to the Island. Friends adviced the wedding be moved to Dubai where Nigerians are more at home and familiar with and where they could move around and shop. The belief was that Maldives Island may not provide that opportunity because of the nature of its location which is secluded.
ABOUT THE WEDDING VENUE
Tunji and Tiwa Balogun were joined as husband and wife at Armani Hotel, Dubai, UAE, the same place the reception was held. Before now, they had planned to exchange marital vows inside a luxury boat called Super Yacht Yasmin, but the floating party boat was involved in an accident a week before their wedding which was why the couple settled for Armani Hotel.
Armani Hotel is one of the world’s elegant hotels designed and developed by Giorgio Armani. The hotel has a private entrance and occupies 11 floors of Dubai’s new iconic skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa. The hotel also offers sweeping views of the city and is close to the world’s largest shopping mall in Dubai and some of the region’s most exclusive leisure and business outlets. Armani Hotel has more than 23 executive suites and many luxury rooms.
HOW GUESTS DEPARTED FOR DUBAI
The party from Nigeria, mostly entertainers, departed Nigeria for Dubai on Thursday, April 24, 2014 and by Friday, April 25, 2014 those who made it to town had settled down for the wedding in their hotel. And later that evening, they went out for the pre-wedding party.
TIWA’S $2,800 WEDDING DRESS
The white flowing Vera Wang wedding attire Tiwa Savage wore on her day cost the music star about $2,800. The dress was provided by Prive Wedding, the company owned and run by Elohor Aisien. The company also handled the wedding coordination.
THE HOTELS GUESTS USED
Tunji and Tiwa Balogun and their bridal party were lodged at Armani Hotel, a luxury hotel in the heart of Dubai UAE. Other guests occupied Sheraton, Creek Hotel and Towers located very close to the airport in Dubai.
THE COST OF ATTENDING THE WEDDING
For attending Tunji and Tiwa Balogun wedding in Dubai, UAE, guests from Nigeria would have spent minimum of N330,000. This figure covers travelling and lodging. A source who was there revealed that attendees paid for their flight, accommodation and food in their hotel. Dubai’s visa cost $200 (N35,000), the ticket is N147,000, while each traveler would be required to go with at least N10,000 in his or her pocket. Hotel reservation which had already been booked here in Nigeria for each guest cost 900 dirham (N42,300) per night and those who went spent at least three days in Dubai (N126,900).
However, it was a different story with the couple alongside their bridal party who all stayed in the Armani Hotel. A night at Armani Hotel is 1,000 dirham (N47,000) and the couple and their train occupied four rooms for a week which means they spent N1,316,000 for accommodation for the seven days they spent in Dubai.
PARTY ALL NIGHT
The wedding party went on through the night of Saturday, April 26, 2014 till Sunday morning, April 27, 2014. The couple had changed to another attire for the night party, and according to a source in attendance, Nigerian celebrities showed class in partying while DJ Exclusive handled the music section. He was also at the pre-wedding party held a day before the event proper.
WHO DID WHAT AT TIWA’S WEDDING
Elohor Aisien’s Prive Wedding Company was in charge of the overall coordination of the wedding. She did the magical décor of the reception and where the couple were joined. Tiwa’s make-up was by Joyce Jacobs, her hairdo was by Debola Falana. Tunji Balogun (Tee Billz) tuxedo was provided by Mai Atafo. The food and drink was supplied by Armani Hotel. The maid of honour was Seun Balogun, Page boy was Jayron Savage and the Little bride was Zoe Aisen.
COMPLETE GUEST LIST
Toke Makinwa, Tania Omotayo, Lola Okoye, Elohor Aisien, Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, Lilian Unachukwu, Don Jazzy, Freda Edewor, Don Jazzy, Dr. Sid and fiancé, Simi Osomo, Banky W, Seyi Shay, Tolu Oniru, Tunde Demuren, Phyno, Azuka Ogujiuba, Tracy Nwapa, Eku Edewor, Tola Odu, Funmi Victor Okigbo, Ndidi Obioha, Deola Falana, Toju Foyeh.
TOLU ONIRU, TUNDE DEMUREN TAKE LOVE TO DUBAI
Among those who graced the Tunji and Tiwa Balogun wedding in Dubai are OAP Tolu Oniru (Toolz) and Tunde Demuren. A source who saw the two at the event insists they are waxing stronger in love. Another notable couple at the event is Dr. Sid and Simi Osomo who sources revealed their wedding is in July.
DON JAZZY’S CAR GIFT TO THE COUPLE
One of the highlights of the wedding was the presentation of a new 2014 Toyota Prado jeep to the couple as their wedding gift. The new car was brought in by Mavin Records boss, Don Jazzy and the current market value of the wonderful ride is in the region of $55,990 (N9.5 million).
NOTABLE MUSIC STARS MISSING
Prominent music stars such as D’Banj, P-Square, KCee, Iyanya, Wizkid, Omawumi, Davido, Olamide, even Wande Cole, the bride’s former record label mate, were absent at the Dubai wedding. Although no reason was given, one of the artistes who didn’t want to be mentioned said he wasn’t invited.
NOLLYWOOD STARS SHUN TIWA SAVAGE’S WEDDING
Unlike previous celebrity weddings where Nollywood stars were highly represented, the couple was not lucky to have any notable face from the Nigerian movie industry. While some of them said they weren’t invited, others claimed they decided to shun the wedding for other reasons.
NO HONEYMOON FOR THE COUPLE
The newly-wed couple would not be going for honeymoon soon. Sources close to them said the bride had booked shows, which are billed to hold immediately after their wedding. So, according to the sources, they’ve decided to skip the post wedding rendezvous for paid shows.
PRIVE WEDDING BOSS, ELOHOR AISIEN APPLAUDED
Prive Wedding boss, Elohor Aisien was applauded for staging a successful celebrity wedding in Dubai. The celebrities who graced the white wedding were treated like ‘Queens’ and ‘Kings’ by the organizer of Elite Models, who was the event planner of Tiwa’s wedding.
Elohor and Tiwa Savage have been friends from London before they relocated to Nigeria. Interestingly, the singer was one of the bride’s maids at Elohor and Owen Aisien wedding in London in 2010. Now, Elohor was the event planner of Tiwa Savage’s wedding, and her daughter, Zoe Aisien was a little bride.
TIMELINE
THE most anticipated white wedding between talented singer, Tiwatope Jeminat Savage and her husband, Ibrahim Olatunji Balogun kicked off with the church service held at the Jasmine Yacht, below Pier 7 Building, behind Dubai Marina, Dubai and later moved to the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa, Boulevard Downtown, Dubai, where the colourful reception was held.
The ceremony started 6pm Dubai time (3pm Nigeria time) and guests who thronged the Arab speaking country for the vivacious singer’s fairytale wedding, started walking-in, looking gorgeous in their ceremonial attires.
The bride was the cynosure of all eyes as she entered majestically in company of her dad, Prince Olanrewaju Savage, to the pool side of the Armani Hotel. She was clad in Prive’s Vera Wang. Few minutes after, the elated groom, Olatunji Balogun also walked in, in company of his best man, R&B singer, Banky W.
It started with a church service coordinated by a white officiating minister of God, who showered prayers on the couple. Followed by poem recitation, by the bride’s record label mate, Sidney Esiri, otherwise known as Dr. Sid and Candace Coles.
Jaymiel Savage, the 7 year-old bride’s nephew was the first to sing for the couple, when he was called upon. He was later joined by other siblings to make the day a memorable one for the celebrity couple.
The bride shed tears of joy while presenting her emotion-laden poem for her husband. It was so touching that TeeBillz, as the groom is fondly called, couldn’t control his emotion, as it all showed on his face. The speech also made many guests cry.
– FOLUSO SAMUEL and RASHEED ABUBAKAR
