Over the years, many brides have forgone the traditional white wedding gown for alternatives. Popular trends have seen black and even multi-coloured dresses. One non-white dress colour we still adore is off-white in all its lovely variations. Cream, beige, ivory and champagne are all excellent substitutes if you’re not in the mood for crisp white. Here are some dazzling off-white dresses to inspire you.
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Doctors told Chanelle Wimbish that she only had a 3% chance of ever walking again after she was hit by a speeding car in 2009. According to The Mirror, she sustained a T-6 spinal cord injury and was so severely injured that she was paralysed form the neck down with little hope of ever recovering.
However, this clinical research associate from College Park in the US, was never one to let life bring her down. “I prayed and read positive books and poems knowing that I couldn’t change what had happened but that I could learn to live my best life despite/with the injury,” she said.
When she began her rehabilitation process, her dad lived with her to help her out, but she was already living independently again by April 2010. So motivated and focussed was she, that doctors were stunned by her improvement. Eventually, she took up swimming and wheelchair racing, even trialling for the 2016 US Paralympic swim team.
Then, in 2014, she met her now-husband Brennan. When the two got engaged in 2019, Chanelle set herself the goal of walking down the aisle. When the day came, there she was, walking down the aisle toward her loved one with two crutches. “Walking down the aisle is by far the biggest achievement for me that I am so very proud of myself for the work I put in for those six months,” she said.
“No circumstance is as bad as you think it is, or as it seems. The mind is very powerful, so use it to transmit positivity in any situation to overcome.”
Image: Facebook
If you’re recently, or about to get engaged, and choosing your own ring, it’s important to know what to look for. Of course, not all engagement or wedding rings have diamonds. You can choose any stone, crystal or gem you want!
If, however, if you’re leaning towards a girl’s best friend, we share some advice from experts on how to make sure your diamond is of good quality, suits your style and band, and is the best value for its price.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has created a universally used system called the Four Cs of Diamond Quality. These categories are your go-to method for assessing your sparkly rock.
Cut
The shape of your diamond is a personal choice, and refers to the way a stone is hand- chiselled to reveal its proportions, symmetry and polish. In fact, the cut is the only way a jeweller can make a diamond unique and stand out. Cutting diamonds is a great skill, and the quality of the cut determines how the stone’s facets will interact with light and ultimately how much it sparkles. Choose a cut that catches your eye. Trends come and go, so don’t just go with the current most fashionable shape. Go for the one that shimmers its way into your heart.
Here are the most common options:
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Clarity
All diamonds bear ‘birthmarks’ – small imperfections inside the diamond, called inclusions. The number of these imperfections determine a diamond’s clarity and more flaws mean a less brilliant stone.
The GIA’s 11 point diamond clarity scale ranges from flawless to heavily included. Stones that are flawless or very slightly included are virtually perfect to the naked eye. However, diamonds with inclusions can be just as radiant, beautiful and perfect for you.
Here’s a spectrum on which you can find the clarity of your diamond:
Colour
Diamonds naturally occur in various different colours. However, in the traditional white diamond, white is highly sought after. The presence of other hues, especially yellow, lowers a white diamond’s value.
The GIA grades white diamonds on a scale of D (colourless) to Z (darkest). All D-Z diamonds are considered white, even though they contain varying degrees of colour, while coloured diamonds are graded on a separate scale. Do bear in mind that the colour of the band can also influence the stone’s appearance. If you’re going for the ‘pure’ look, choose the whitest rock you can find (budget allowing). However, don’t shy away from yellow diamonds, as they posses a beauty of their own.
Take a look at the scale for colour grading:
Carat
Most people think of carat as a stone’s size, but it actually refers to weight, with a metric carat equalling 0.2 grams. Diamonds are measured meticulously using 100 ‘points’. Very large stones are incredibly rare, as fewer than one in a million mined rough stones are large enough to produce a finished 1 carat diamond. As the weight of a stone increases, its value therefore increases exponentially, with a 3 carat stone potentially costing 9 times as much as a 1 carat equal stone.
Take a look here:
When going ring shopping, bear in mind that no one factor can determine a diamond’s value and that more expensive isn’t necessarily more you.
Source: Shiny Rock Polished
Image: Instagram/Weddingplannermontreal
Every bride deserves to have her dream wedding. Oakfield Farm Wedding Venue is renowned for slick co-ordination, and the two Bridal Expos hosted at Oakfield Farm in January and June each year continue to celebrate their uniqueness, upholding both an easy-going vibe enhanced by the exceptional quality of exhibitors; the elegant grandeur of its existence and of course the proficiency of Oakfield’s friendly staff members. Couples get to meet SA’s leading wedding specialists in the beautiful and romantic gardens of this sought after wedding venue.
Add to that, no expo is complete without great food and entertainment. Various food trucks and vendors and live entertainment will be available in the sought after gardens at the venue.
Wedding Album will be there at stall BB B54 with indulgent products and amazing competitions. Four visitors could stand a chance to win top of the range scents from Women’Secret Seduction Hampers (Rose Seduction and Gold Seduction 100ml) as well as Women’Secret EAU Hampers (3x Eau 100ml). Be sure to come pop in, as there will also be loads of free samples to try.
Seduction range:
EAU Range:
Meet over 180 Top SA Wedding Specialists, and attend a spectacular free Fashion Show at 3 pm with fun prizes to be won. This bridal event is guaranteed to leave you feeling inspired and ready to plan your perfect day!
The Oakfield Bridal Expo will be held January 25 and 26, 2020 at the Oakfield Farm. Tickets are available from Computicket beforehand or at the gate on the day.
Feature image: Supplied
Jodi and Saul went to school together, but little did they know of the brilliant love story the future held for them. And when they got married, what a celebration it was! The amazing thing about culture is that each one is so wildly unique, but so special in its own way. Their Jewish wedding was one for the books, and we take a look into the traditions and customs that made their day extra special.
They didn’t see each other for 7 days before the wedding
For a full week before the day, the bride and groom don’t see each other or have any contact at all. 15 minutes before the wedding, they saw each other for the first time. “The most stressful time of the whole wedding is the week before. And when I finally saw him, it was so emotional, and totally worth it,” Jodi said.
The bedeken: Her husband veiled her
Dating back to a story in the Bible in which a man unknowingly wed his bride’s sister after her father tricked him, the bedeken is where the husband is brought in by both his father and hers, sees his lovely bride and then covers her face with the veil. “I was so overwhelmed with emotion,” Jodi says.
She walked around her husband 7 times
During the ceremony, the bride walks around the groom seven times to symbolise seven different blessings, the foundation of their new home and starting a full and complete life together.
Her husband smashed a glass
This tradition is to remind the couple and those celebrating of the destruction of the Jewish temples, symbolising that life is fragile, and even though they are celebrating their love, everything will not always be perfect and that there are struggles. The husband gets a glass or lightbulb wrapped in a cloth and steps on it with his foot, crushing it completely.
We also asked Jodi what advice she has for brides-to-be. “The best advice I can give anyone would simply be: Don’t sweat the small stuff. On the day, you’ll realise that they really don’t matter!” She also added a practical tip, saying that it’s important to stick with your partner on the day. “We went everywhere together. If you go get drinks, go together,” she adds. “If you chat to guests, go together. That way, you’ll remember the day as being spent with him. Otherwise you may look back and feel like you didn’t even spend any time together!”
For her wedding look, Jodi wore a stunning appliqué dress with detachable sleeves by designer Elbeth Gillis. The sleeves were on for the ceremony as a gesture of propriety and taken off for the reception. “I wanted something that would make me feel comfortable, something that’s me. And it was perfect.”
Take a look at their gorgeous day here:
Also read: Getting to know the culture: Traditional Jewish weddings
All images were beautifully captured by Dearheart Photos, visit their website here: www.dearheartphotos.com
Pictures: Supplied/Dearheart
The most spectacular sites, a legacy of Mauritian lifestyle and excellent value are just some of the Beachcomber qualities.
Image: Supplied
Many couples are unsure about when to have their official wedding photoshoot. Some hold fast to the tradition of seeing each other for the first time when entering the ceremony venue and walking down the aisle. All pictures of the couple then usually follow after the ceremony and before the reception. Others love the idea of the “first look” trend where the see each other privately beforehand, and some then choose to have the entire shoot before the actual wedding.
We take a look at the pros and cons of both to help you decide which is right for you.
Before the ceremony
Pros:
-It will ease up the nerves
Your wedding day can have you feeling very nervous, especially in the moments before you head to the ceremony. If you decide to see each other beforehand, it might make you loosen up and have some fun together, before you take the final step.
-It’s a special, private moment
Because the day is very emotional for both of you, spending the moment in private together will be extra special. This way, the groom can let his guard down and expose his vulnerable side when he sees you for the first time on the day, which is more intimate than in front of a crowd.
Cons:
-It changes tradition
The longstanding tradition in Western weddings is that the bride and groom don’t see each other before the wedding, with the first time they lay eyes on each other being when the bride walks down the aisle. However, some feel like it might be time to let go of certain rituals and embrace new trends.
-It influences your timeline
If you want to incorporate the “first look” and do the photoshoot before the ceremony, you will have to keep in mind that it takes time. Your schedule might have to move up to accommodate a few extra hours.
After the ceremony
Pros:
-You get the best lighting
If you have the traditional late afternoon ceremony with an evening reception, doing the photoshoot after the ceremony will mean you get that golden hour hue. Of course, you can still split it so you do a first look before the ceremony and then do the rest of the shoot after, so you get the best of both worlds.
-You capture a different kind of moment
The groom’s expression when he sees the bride walking down the aisle might not be as private as the first look, but it can be just as special. It captures a special moment of a different kind, and the wonder in his eyes will be just as beautiful.
Cons:
-You don’t have privacy
Depending on how many guests you have, it might be nerve racking to see your partner for the first time in front of all those people. It might make you both feel slightly exposed, but then again, you might want to share the moment with the people you love.
-You don’t spend time before the ceremony
If you see each other at the ceremony for the first time, you don’t have the chance to spend some alone time together. The day will probably be busy and you won’t get to take a breath until after the whole wedding.
In the end, both ways can be wonderful and solely depends on your personal preference. There is no wrong way to do it.
Image: Instagram/Thewoodsweddings
Forget Western traditional white weddings. It’s no secret that Hindu weddings are a magical display of colour in celebration of love and union. This pair strayed from the Hindu tradition of bright red, however, to go with a soft pink and we absolutely adore it.
Amar Jandoo and Hiren Gondhia got married in Essex, UK, and their story is a fairytale.
“We met just over four years ago in a bar after seeing each other at the train station on our commute to work a number of times that same week,” Jandoo told Insider. “We got engaged in September 2018 in Cappadocia, Turkey, under hot air balloons,” she added.
Their wedding took place a year later.
“Given our wedding venue is in the middle of a deer park with lots of greenery, I wanted a subtle, pastel color that would stand out and complement the flowers and decor at the same time,” Jandoo said. “Both of our outfits were purchased from a boutique in Delhi, India, called Frontier Raas,” Jandoo said. Zohaib Ali Photography captured the stunning couple.
Image: Instagram
Removing all or some of your body hair is a personal choice, and we’re firm believers in doing whatever works for you. Many men and women do choose to wax, though, especially before the big day and long-awaited honeymoon. However, it’s not a very pleasant thought when making that waxing appointment. Often accompanied by pain, discomfort and even skin conditions like rashes or in-grown hair have made many skeptical of this procedure.
We take a look at the other options out there, which may just make things slightly easier and prevent you from getting in a sticky situation.
Sugaring
This method makes use of a sugar mixture which is applied at body temperature. That already means there is no chance of burning as is sometimes the case with wax. The sugar paste does not stick to live skin cells, only to hair and dead cells – giving the best exfoliation and leaving your skin smooth when the dry paste is removed. Although not completely painless, sugaring is considerably less painful than waxing.
Laser
Laser treatment’s biggest perk is the fact that it leads to permanent hairlessness over a long time if that’s what your goal is. However, it is quite expensive and you might still have to go for up to six treatments per year, depending on your hair growth and other factors like the quality of the laser machinery. Also, not completely pain-free, but most women say that it is definitely less painful than waxing.
Electrolysis
Different to laser treatments but working on the same basic principle, a probe emitting shortwave radio frequencies is applied to hair follicles to stop new hair from growing. This damages your hair follicles to prevent growth. Unlike laser technology, electrolysis is able to treat even blonde, white and grey hair.
Dry shave
It’s not groundbreaking, but it has proven to be an effective -and cheaper- alternative. Easy to do at home, a waterless electric shaver is quick and easy, with the bonus that it won’t cause in-grown hair like shaving does.
Image: Pexels
Back in the 1500s, European women would not be caught dead without wearing a corset as an undergarment.
According to Champagnecorsets.com, the garments gradually began to incorporate the use of a “busk,” a long, flat piece of whalebone or wood sewn into a casing on the corset in order to maintain its stiff shape. This gave wearers a tighter, smaller waistline. The front of the corset was typically covered by a “stomacher,” a stiff, V-shaped structure that was worn on the abdomen for decorative purposes.
Today, many formal dresses still make use of corsets for alignment and shape. Corset bodices can be very flattering, creating a curvy look with well-accentuated features. We love these corset-incorporating gowns:
Image: Unsplash