Your big day started with big gestures, and your bridesmaids should be included in these. Here are a few cute ways to ask those closest to you to be part of your wedding party.
In this day and age, it is quite a big ask (as bridesmaids are expected to perform a lot of duties) so asking those closest to you with a personalised gift of sorts makes their experience that much more special. No matter what you choose to gift in the bridesmaid proposal, make sure to include a letter written by yourself to each individual bridesmaid. You are asking them to give up a lot of their free time to be your bridesmaid, you can take the time to write a personal letter about why you would like them to be up there with you on your special day.
You’ve heard about the 4 C’s in diamonds, especially when choosing an engagement ring, but what do they actually mean?
The 4 C’s – cut, colour, clarity and carat – refer to the standards by which the quality of diamonds are assessed and allows one to compare diamonds.
Cut
The cut is important for the diamond’s overall beauty, as it determines how well the diamond unleashes light. This is not to be confused with the shape of the diamond. Cut refers to the diamond’s light performance (in layman’s terms, how much it sparkles). The cut will determine how the stone refracts and reflects light. A perfect stone (balanced and symmetrical) will be cut in such a way that the light that enters it will only reflect out the top of the stone, therefore making it very sparkly. A diamond that is cut too shallow or too deep will cause the light to leak out of the sides or bottom of the stone which causes a loss of shine. The sparkle of a well cut diamond can make it appear larger and you can therefore opt for a smaller carat weight. Who knew, right?!
Colour
Strangely enough, this actually refers to the lack of colour found in a diamond. The less colour, the more rate it is. Diamonds are graded on a scale of D-Z; with D (or white diamonds) being completely colourless. D-F are considered colourless and are therefore the most expensive. G-I are near colourless and slightly less expensive while J-Z have noticeable colour in the stone. Only diamond experts can actually tell the difference in anything higher than a G grading, so if budget is a consideration but you still want a white-looking diamond, a G or H grade diamond will be perfectly fine.
Clarity
Measures the imperfections found in the diamond in terms of number, size and position on a scale that ranges from imperfect to flawless. Internal imperfections are referred to as inclusions and external as blemishes. Clarity is often considered the least important of the 4 C’s due to the fact that the imperfections are often microscopic and depending on the location of the inclusions found in the stone, they can be hidden with the right ring setting.
Carat
Refers to the weight of the diamond, not the size. Two different shaped diamonds can have the same carat weight but appear slightly different in size. With a larger carat weight, the colour becomes more visible and therefore needs to be taken into consideration.
Once you understand the 4 C’s, you will need to think about which one is the most important to you when choosing your ring.
ALSO SEE: (Don’t) put a ring on it
Feature image: The Glorious Studio/Pexels
Planning your honeymoon should be exciting and stress free, so you’ll want to work within your budget to ensure you have an unforgettable time – without the dread of overspending. Here’re five honeymoon planning tips to help keep the wallet in check.
- If you’re opting to book your honeymoon through a travel agent, do so with a reputable travel agency that specialises in honeymoons.
- Airfares will play a big role in your total budget, plan ahead and try to use mileage or credit card points as payment for your airfare.
- Consider registering your honeymoon with an online honeymoon registry for your bridal shower (in lieu of that unwanted bath mat).
- Avoid travelling over major holidays when prices are at their premium.
- Go all inclusive; pay for everything up front, you will avoid overspending.
ALSO SEE: 10 Tips for your beach wedding
Feature image: Pexels
Adapted from honeymoonsandgetaways.com.
If you’re planning to propose to your partner in Cape Town, you are in luck thanks to the beautiful scenery that Cape Town is blessed with. If you want to propose out in nature there is no shortage of beautiful locations for you to do so. Whether you take a drive out to the winelands or stay within the city, you will be spoiled for choice.
Have a look at these 5 proposal spots that make use of nature to set the scene:
Cape Point
Take a drive out to Cape Point National Park to see where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, and become one with your partner.
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Lion’s Head
Hike up lion’s head and take in the magical views from the top. You will certainly feel like you are on cloud 9 up there.
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Kirstenbosch Gardens
Plan a picnic in these lush gardens and take a walk on the Boomslang tree canopy walkway for panoramic views of the gardens and mountains.
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Boulders Beach
While there are plenty of beautiful beaches in Cape Town, Boulders beach, with its colony of African penguins, offers something a little extra to make the proposal that much more special.
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Vineyards
The abundance of beautiful vineyards and accompanying restaurants makes it easy to choose just one to propose. Enjoy the delicious local wines and views of the vineyards.
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Feature image: Unsplash
Also read: Things to do in Cape Town
If the wedding invitation asks for formal attire, know that this will be an elegant affair and you should dress accordingly. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to wear a tuxedo or something to that effect, however, you do have that option to if you would like.
Men
A suit is mandatory with formal attire. Stick to a dark suit with a white shirt and tie. Pair this with dressy leather shoes and you are good to go. A tuxedo would not be inappropriate if you would like to wear one.
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Women
If you are planning on wearing a dress, it should be floor length. An evening pant suit or smart separates is also appropriate. Stick to neutral or dark tones. Heels would be the best shoe choice with this type of attire.
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Featured image: Unsplash
A semi-formal dress code is just above cocktail and below formal. The time and location of the wedding should help guide your outfit. If the wedding is in the evening, you should wear more structured clothing in darker shades, if it is in the day, wear light colours and fabrics.
Men
Wear a suit and tie or a smart blazer with a button down shirt. Pair your clothing with a smart pair of leather shoes.
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Women
Wear a smart, knee-length dress, jumpsuit, or smart pants or a pencil skirt with a nice blouse. Semi-formal outfits should be form fitting, especially for an evening wedding.
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If you’re having a seaside wedding then a nautical theme will tie in perfectly. This is ideal for a relaxed feel while still having a strong theme. Think shades of blue and beach and sea motifs.
Get inspired by these elements to include in your wedding:
Stationery
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Backdrop
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Escort cards
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Table setup
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Centrepiece
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Place setting
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Dessert
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Favours
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Feature image: Peet Mocke
Vineyards are a lovely setting for a wedding with romantic appeal. This type of venue is a breath of fresh air from your typical wedding venue and it makes for an interesting view.
Check out the pros and cons of using this type of venue for your wedding:
The location
Vineyards are lush and charming and therefore will provide a beautiful backdrop for pictures. This is assuming they haven’t harvested yet, which you will need to enquire about as some vineyards only allow weddings after harvest season. Due to the fact that vines need lots of space, the venue will be big enough to host all your guests and there will most likely be areas for both your ceremony and reception. Make sure that there is an inside venue in case the weather isn’t looking too great on your wedding day.
Since vineyards are generally out of the city, guests will either have to travel to and from the venue, or stay over somewhere nearby. Hopefully guests will be willing to make the trip and won’t leave too early. The great thing about the venue being some distance from the city is that escape from city life and the total privacy that you will have. Find out if there is a noise curfew as often vineyards have strict end times, and you don’t want to have to cut your reception short when everyone is having a good time.
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Food & drink
If you’re a wine lover, then this is the perfect venue for you as you can incorporate wine elements into your wedding theme. You also might be able to have custom wine labels made for their wine bottles which adds a touch of personalisation to your wedding. Just check that they can serve liquor other than wine as it is not everyone’s drink of choice. You might have to use the catering options provided by the vineyard but this should not be a problem as vineyards usually have great restaurants.
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The logistics
You should be able to decorate as you would like but you will also pay for all your rentals. The cost for this type of venue hire is high and so with the rental fees you could be paying a very high figure. However, the venue will most likely have wedding packages that you can choose from and depending on the type of food, drinks and decor you choose, you could get a good deal.
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If you love the sound of being surrounded by beauty and have the money to pay for this type of venue, then this could be the wedding of your dreams.
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If the wedding invitation states ‘cocktail attire’ as the dress code, it means you are expected to wear sophisticated clothing that is neither too formal nor too casual. This means that you can play with the colours and accessories you choose to wear. Oftentimes, it can be tricky to figure out what to wear. Don’t worry we’ve got you covered.
Men
Stick to wearing a dark suit with either a white or colour shirt, or a suit jacket and slacks. You can accessorise with a fun tie or pocket square in bold colours or patterns.
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Women
Anything between a knee-length dress to just shorter than an evening dress is appropriate. You can also wear a jumpsuit, dressy suit or a nice blouse with dress pants or a skirt.
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Feature image: Unsplash