We all know how stressful planning a wedding can be, making wedding planning burnout a very real possibility. Whether you’re trying not to pull out your hair as wedding costs skyrocket or you’re obsessing over every little detail to ensure that everything goes the way you’ve pictured it, feeling overwhelmed is guaranteed to happen if you’re not careful.
Thankfully, this isn’t something new and there are endless resources to help the modern bridal couple looking to keep costs and anxiety low.
If you’re looking for a dreamy honeymoon destination, try taking a peek in your own backyard. The glittering sands of the South of France, or the azure-blue waters…
Being asked to officiate a wedding is a pretty big deal. Whether it’s your best friend, your cousin or a sibling tying the knot, being chosen to lead one of the most important moments in someone’s life is equal parts exciting, emotional and slightly terrifying.
Before you panic-Google “how to marry people”, here’s what you need to know. From legal requirements to speech tips, these are the most important tips for officiating a marriage without turning the ceremony into a rambling TED Talk.
First things first: Can anyone officiate a wedding in South Africa?
This is where things get a little tricky.
In South Africa, not just anyone can legally officiate a marriage. To legally marry a couple, you need to be an authorised marriage officer registered with the Department of Home Affairs.
This usually includes:
- Religious leaders
- Certain government officials
- Designated marriage officers
So if your friend asks you to officiate their wedding, you technically cannot legally sign the marriage documents unless you’re officially registered and authorised.
So what do couples usually do?
A lot of modern couples choose to split the legal and ceremonial parts of the wedding.
This means:
- The legal paperwork is done separately through a registered marriage officer or at Department of Home Affairs
- Then a friend or family member leads the symbolic ceremony on the wedding day itself
Honestly? Guests usually never even notice the difference. It allows couples to have a more personal, relaxed and meaningful ceremony led by someone who actually knows them.
Tips for officiating a marriage without freezing up
Get the vibe right
Before you write a single word, chat to the couple properly.
Ask them:
- Do they want funny, emotional or formal?
- Are there religious or cultural traditions involved?
- Do they want guests to laugh, cry or both?
- Are there any topics or inside jokes to avoid?
Some couples want a light-hearted ceremony with personality. Others want something more traditional and sentimental. Your job is to set the tone.
Start with a strong opening
The first few lines matter more than you think.
You do not need to sound like a movie narrator or a royal announcer. Keep it warm and natural.
Tell their story
One of the best tips for officiating a marriage is remembering that the ceremony is about the couple, not your stand-up comedy debut.
Share:
- How they met
- What makes their relationship special
- Small moments that show who they are together
- Why the people around them love them
Avoid:
- Embarrassing stories
- Ex drama
- Overly private details
- Anything that could make grandparents uncomfortable
If you’re using humour, keep it light and inclusive.
Include personal touches
This is where a friend or family member officiating can really shine.
You can include:
- Personal vows
- Readings or poems
- Cultural traditions
- A moment of silence for loved ones
- Guest participation
- A ring warming ceremony
Practice more than you think you need to
Even confident public speakers get nervous at weddings.
Read your script out loud multiple times before the day. Timing, pacing and pronunciation feel very different in your head compared to saying them aloud in front of 100 people and a crying flower girl.
A few practical tips:
- Print your speech out
- Use larger font sizes
- Speak slower than normal
- Pause after emotional moments
- Keep water nearby
- Don’t wing it completely
How long should the ceremony speech be?
Shorter is usually better.
Most wedding ceremonies sit comfortably between 15 and 30 minutes depending on:
- Vows
- Readings
- Rituals
- Religious elements
If you’re leading a non-religious ceremony, aim for meaningful rather than marathon-length.
Nobody wants to hear you speaking longer than the reception speeches.
What should you actually say during the ceremony?
Most ceremonies follow a simple structure:
- Welcome guests
- Introduce the couple’s story
- Share thoughts about marriage or love
- Move into vows
- Exchange rings
- Official declaration
- The kiss
- Final introduction of the married couple
You don’t need fancy language. You just need sincerity.
ALSO SEE: Nail your wedding speech
Feature image: Pexels
A beautiful wedding is built through thoughtful details, trusted suppliers and thorough planning. This Sunday, 24 May 2026, couples are invited to the annual Brahman Hills Bridal Expo…
There was a time when walking down the aisle in anything other than crisp ivory or bridal white would have caused a few gasps from the front row. But modern brides are rewriting the rulebook.
Why brides are choosing a non-white wedding dress
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The rise of the non-white wedding dress says a lot about where weddings are headed in general. Brides are moving away from tradition for tradition’s sake and leaning into choices that feel a bit more authentic and emotionally connected to their personalities.
For some, white simply does not feel flattering. For others, it feels too expected.
A soft sage gown may suit a nature-loving bride far more than bright white ever could. A champagne dress can feel timeless yet warmer against certain skin tones. A black wedding dress might perfectly suit a fashion-forward city celebration. And then there are brides who simply want the freedom to wear colour because they adore it.
The colours brides are loving right now
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The beauty of a colour wedding dress is that there are no limits. Some brides choose the subtlest hint of colour, while others embrace dramatic statement shades.
Popular options include:
- Soft blush pink
- Champagne and nude tones
- Dusty blue
- Sage green
- Lilac and lavender
- Floral appliqué gowns
- Ombre detailing
- Black wedding dresses
- Gold or metallic finishes
- Rich jewel tones for winter weddings
Which brides tend to choose colourful wedding dresses?
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Interestingly, colourful wedding dresses are no longer reserved for unconventional weddings only.
You will often spot non-white gowns at:
- Garden weddings
- Destination weddings
- Intimate weddings
- Art-inspired weddings
- Modern city weddings
- Second marriages
- Fashion-forward luxury weddings
- Cultural fusion celebrations
They also appeal to brides who:
- Love fashion
- Want standout wedding photos
- Feel disconnected from strict traditions
- Want a dress they may realistically rewear
- Prefer individuality over convention
And perhaps most importantly, many brides choosing non-white gowns say the dress simply feels more like them.
Nervous about going fully colourful? Start subtly
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Not every bride wants a bright pink ballgown — and that is perfectly fine.
If you love the idea of a non-white wedding dress but still want something timeless, consider:
- Champagne instead of white
- Floral embroidery over ivory
- A soft blush underlayer
- Coloured gloves or a cape
- A pastel overskirt
- Delicate blue or silver detailing
- A dramatic second reception dress
ALSO SEE: High-neck wedding dresses we love
Feature image: Unsplash
For all the energy that goes into planning the perfect wedding, the wedding morning itself is often treated like an afterthought. But ask almost any bride, photographer or…
Some proposals are beautiful. Some are emotional. And then there are the rare ones that somehow belong to everyone who witnesses them.
Aqib and Laiqah’s engagement at Maiden’s Cove in Cape Town has become one of South Africa’s most talked-about love stories. Sure, the romantic setting played a role, but it’s also because of what unfolded around them: a spontaneous, overwhelming wave of celebration from complete strangers.
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The moment was captured by photographer Bianca Asher, who later shared the full behind-the-scenes story on her blog. What was meant to be an intimate seaside proposal quickly turned into something far more unexpected, eventually gaining more than 64 000 likes on Instagram and becoming a powerful example of Ubuntu in action.
When Aqib reached out to me a few months ago to plan his proposal I don’t think either of us could have imagined how everything would unfold. We went back and forth on location ideas – with the main focus being on a beautiful backdrop and catching Laiqah’s reaction. When I arrived at Maiden’s Cove I saw a lot of tour busses and even more people, which was not in the plan of a quiet proposal shoot. Aqib and Laiqah were down the road at Plato grabbing coffees as the decoy plan to go on a walk for the proposal. I was in comms with Aqib and tentatively changing the location to somewhere quieter, but as I was waiting the crowds dispersed around the cove. When he messaged to let me know he was a few minutes out – I just asked a handful of students who were directly in my shot if they wouldn’t mind moving for a few minutes while I captured the moment. They were really excited and asked if they could watch and I said of course, just act natural. I don’t know exactly what happened but I’m assuming a few texts were sent out to other students who were there and as Aqib dropped to his knee – these huge cheers broke out behind us. It was the most incredible moment of Ubuntu and celebration between strangers.
Instead of the usual quiet anticipation that surrounds a proposal shoot, the cove erupted into cheers as Aqib dropped to one knee, turning an already emotional moment into a shared celebration between strangers, students, tourists and passersby.
I’m getting goosebumps just typing out what happened. It’s hard to explain how beautiful it is when a community comes together to celebrate strangers. I’ve been capturing proposals for years and I love being part of the best days of people’s lives – but this was something I’ll never forget. There’s nothing like the incredible spirit of South African’s coming together to celebrate joy. Everyone is asking for an invite to the wedding so it seems like we’ll need a stadium to pull this off. It would be incredible to keep this good cause going and raise funds for charities while celebrating their love. If any brands and vendors are keen to get involved – reach out in the comments or email me.
The reaction online has been just as warm as the moment itself, with South Africans embracing Aqib and Laiqah as “their” couple.
At its heart, this proposal story is a reminder of how quickly strangers can become a community when something real and joyful unfolds in front of them. And in this case, that joy happened to be two people saying yes to forever, framed by the Atlantic Ocean and a chorus of unexpected cheers.
When it comes to finding “the one” and having that movie-magic moment where your bridesmaids break into a sob after just one look of you in the perfect…