More and more bridal couples are looking to cut their spending. Whether it’s purchasing affordable wedding dresses on SHEIN or throwing an intimate ceremony for friends and family, “cheap” is the new word on the wedding streets.
The latest wedding trends seem to reflect this as brides and grooms-to-be look to splurge on items and memories that are closest to their hearts (like a honeymoon for instance), and it’s all thanks to our post-pandemic world.
So, just what are these wedding trends?
The bar revamped:
Alcohol can add quite a hefty sum to your wedding budget and appears modern bridal couples are unwilling to pay the price. They’re opting out of offering guests a bar tab but are choosing to switch this with a variety of non-alcoholic beverages.
Winter weddings are a whole lot cosier as hot beverage stations are available throughout the event. From spiced rooibos to non-alcoholic sparkling wines, bridal are looking to switch things up in the best way possible.
The intimate wedding
One of the best things to come out of the pandemic is the trend of the intimate wedding. Brides and grooms are ditching the big wedding day affair in favour of smoothing smaller.
After all, this is a time to connect with loved ones and celebrate something loving and special. The guest list has gotten smaller and so have the locations, and this bodes well for couples looking to keep things simple and affordable.
Stepping outside the box
Tradition has been thrown out the window when it comes to wedding attire. Gone are the days of brides walking down the aisle in a white or wedding dress as more trends looking towards colour. Think untraditional colours such as black, red, pink – anything the bride fancies. Cosplay outfits are also fast becoming a “thing” for couples looking to indulge their adventures selves.
Supporting small businesses
Many small businesses suffered under the intense lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led many individuals, including brides and grooms, to favour small business owners – a trend we hope will continue.
Aspiring home cooks and food vendors getting on their feet are now the go-to as the new wedding trend looks to skip “traditional” wedding vendors in favour of small businesses.
Feature Image: olguinphotography
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…
Letting your family help out with all the wedding planning can be fun, exciting, and a relief. But they can often become too involved and start taking over, causing unnecessary drama and stress before the big day. It’s important to set some boundaries while still letting your loved ones know that their help is appreciated, which is why we’ve come up with simple solutions to getting everyone involved without it turning into a family takeover,
1. KEEP IT SPECIFIC
Assign your family members certain tasks to complete, making sure they keep you informed with their progress. This can be anything from making invitations to table decorations, leaving you to sort out the bigger decisions.
2. COMMUNICATION
Keep in contact with your family about your decisions and the progress of the wedding planning. This will allow them to feel like they are a part of it all, and that you value their opinion. It’s also important to speak up when you are unhappy, but approach it in a calm and gentle way.
3. COMPROMISE
If your parents are footing some of the bill, they’ll want to have a say in some of the arrangements. Welcome their ideas, but also explain your and your fiancée’s vision for your wedding before you get started.
4. GET YOUR WEDDING PLANNER INVOLVED
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with pressure from all sides, get your wedding planner to step in and act as a buffer between you and your family. This will also give them the opportunity to update everyone on the wedding progress and what plans are in place to achieve your vision.
5. OFF LIMITS
Keep certain aspects of the wedding planning decisions off limits. This doesn’t mean you can’t involve your family or keep them in the loop, but be strictly clear that it is for you to decide. This can be about your guest list, the dress, or wedding cake. To counter any protests, give your family something they are passionate about, such as the catering or wedding stationery.
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Image: Unsplash
Bow ties are a classic option that will add the finishing touch to your wedding day outfit. As dashing as they are, the sophisticated embellishment is a bit…
Valentine’s Day calls for a solid lineup of romantic movies.
Here’s a list of ten romantic movies you need on your watchlist:
1. The Notebook (2004)
No Valentine’s list is complete without it. Noah and Allie’s love story is emotional, dramatic, and impossible to watch without tissues. Big feelings, big declarations, and a reminder that some loves never fade.
2. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
A modern romantic movie that blends glamour with real emotional stakes. Between the luxury, family pressure, and cultural expectations, this is a love story about choosing yourself as much as choosing your partner.
3. Before Sunrise (1995)
Two strangers meet on a train and decide to spend the night talking instead of saying goodbye. It’s dialogue-driven, intimate, and proof that connection doesn’t need grand gestures to feel meaningful.
4. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Sharp, funny, and endlessly quotable. This rom-com balances sarcasm with sincerity, giving us one of the most memorable love stories of the late ’90s — and a soundtrack to match.
5. La La Land (2016)
A romantic movie that leans into ambition and reality. It’s visually striking, emotionally layered, and asks the tough question: what happens when love and dreams don’t line up?
6. Pretty Woman (1990)
A modern fairytale with staying power. Julia Roberts brings warmth and humour to a love story that’s playful, charming, and unapologetically iconic.
7. Dirty Dancing (1987)
Set over one unforgettable summer, this film mixes first love, rebellion, and unforgettable dance scenes. Romantic, bold, and still as satisfying decades later.
8. Notting Hill (1999)
A bookstore owner, a famous actress, and a romance that feels awkward in the best way. Funny, self-aware, and quietly heartfelt, it’s a classic for a reason.
9. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Fast-paced, ridiculous, and full of chemistry. This is a rom-com that knows exactly what it is — fun, chaotic, and perfect for a lighthearted Valentine’s watch.
10. Me Before You (2016)
A romantic movie that doesn’t play it safe. Emotional, thought-provoking, and guaranteed to leave you wrecked, it explores love, choice, and what it means to live fully.
11. Titanic (1997)
Jack and Rose. Epic, tragic, unforgettable. Enough said.
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For brides who refuse to sacrifice comfort for style, this collaboration might just be the wedding shoe moment of the year. Birkenstock has teamed up with New York-based…
Singer, businesswoman and media personality Amor Vittone is engaged. The star shared the happy news on social media on 28 January, posting a photo of her elegant engagement ring alongside the simple, heartfelt caption: “I said yes.”
The announcement was met with an outpouring of love, as fans and friends celebrated a new chapter for the multi-talented performer, who has long been a familiar and much-loved face in South African media. She is also widely known as the former wife of late Springbok rugby legend Joost van der Westhuizen
A love story that began in pretoria
Amor Vittone’s fiancé is Marius van Biljon, a businessman, radio presenter and MC. The couple first crossed paths at Captain’s Island, Van Biljon’s family restaurant in Pretoria.
Their connection began professionally when Vittone performed at the restaurant, but it didn’t end there. She later returned for a Women’s Day celebration, and it was during these encounters that something more meaningful started to take shape.
Finding love after loss
For Van Biljon, this engagement marks a deeply significant new beginning. He was previously married to Shannon van Biljon, the late Mrs Pretoria Tshwane 2023, who passed away in July 2025 following a brief illness related to early-stage kidney failure.
The couple recently spoke about their story in an interview on Jacaranda FM, offering listeners a glimpse into how their relationship grew organically.
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Feature image: Amor Vittone/Facebook
Valentine’s Day in the Cape Winelands falls at the height of summer, when harvest season brings energy to the vineyards and evenings are made for lingering over good…
Calling the family and posting on the Gram? Duh! But what else should you do after he’s popped the question?
1 CELEBRATE!
This doesn’t have to be a full-on engagement party just yet. In the days after you announce your impending nuptials, your phone will be buzzing off the hook with well-wishers hoping to see you as soon as possible and hear all about how he got down on one knee. So plan a little get-together to pop bottles with your nearest and dearest and tell them everything. Or, if you are a more low-key kind of couple, simply have a special night for two to revel in all the butterflies you’re feeling at the moment. Being engaged is a wonderful time. Enjoy it to the fullest.
2 GET YOUR RING INSURED (AND SIZED!)
The months leading up to your wedding are going to be split between days of pure joy and days of pure admin… So. Much. Admin. First up: You now have a small fortune on your finger, so be sure to protect your new asset and get it insured. Your guy should’ve been supplied with a valuation certificate upon purchase, but if not, take it to any reputable jeweller to get a value estimate. Send this to your insurance company to get it covered in case it gets lost or stolen. And while you’re at it, have it sized perfectly for your finger to make losing it less likely.
3 SET A (VAGUE) DATE
After “Let me see the ring!” and “How did he propose?”, the next most asked question you’ll get at this stage is “When’s the wedding?”. Unless you know exactly how it’s going to go down to the very last detail on a sunny day in February, you probably haven’t even thought about a date. Chat to your hubby-to-be and come up with a ‘thereabouts’ answer. Whether it’s “next summer” or “in three years’ time”, giving people some sort of timeline will ease the bombardment while also letting your guests mentally save the date.
4 DETERMINE THE TYPE OF WEDDING
Small getaway wedding or the do of the year at an exclusive wine farm? Figuring this out with your man is the best starting point of the planning to come, as it will help you determine everything from what venues to look at, to your all-important budget and guest list size.
5 GATHER INSPIRATION
Real talk time. Everyone from Chatty Cathy at the office to your mom and well-meaning-but-pushy friends are going to start pressuring you to begin planning. There’s so much to do, after all. Yes, Cathy, there is… but there’s no need to jump into contacting vendors and venues now if you don’t have the basics decided yet. You’ll cut down on a lot of wasted time if you know what you want before getting stuck in. Get on Pinterest and flip through wedding magazines. This is the fun part! Make a mood board with the images you love and you’ll soon start to see your dream day to come to life. Once you know what you want, seeking out the right vendors for you will be that much easier.
BOOK AN ENGAGEMENT SHOOT
Photographers get snapped up way in advance, so if this is a route you want to go down – book it now! Otherwise, call on your creative friends to help set up a photoshoot of the two of you on the beach, in a forest, or even at home just being yourselves. Smartphone cameras are more than enough to get some amazing shots (don’t forget the dreamy filters!).
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Written by Andrea Robertson for Summer 2019 print edition.
Feature image: Pexels