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    Liverpool’s Firmino celebrates 3rd anniversary with wife

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    While many may expect that a footballer may not be the most romantic type of guy out there, Roberto Firmino has smashed the stereotype. The Liverpool FC striker celebrated his third wedding anniversary with his wife Larissa on June 21, and shared a touching Instagram post to commemorate it.

    Alongside images from their wedding day, Firmino wrote (translated from Portuguese): “Three years of the happiest day of my life. The day that our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with songs of joy. Even in other nations it was said, “The Lord has done great things for this people.” Yes, great things the Lord has done for us, so we are happy. ” 

    “Not even in my best dreams could I imagine that God would give me such a precious and perfect FAMILY! Thank you my God is much more than I deserved. ?? With you I built my best memories and with you I want to continue for the rest of my days. Thank you for making me this man so happy, so complete! To have you is to want to be better, to want to do your best, to see things in a better way, to have the strength to fight, to believe, to win. I am IN LOVE with you❤️,” he added.

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    Larissa shared similar images to celebrate their anniversary, writing: “Ahhh if you could see through my eyes the way I see you, if you could measure or put in a tangible way the love I feel for you, you would not believe it! Happy 3 years of a lifetime together.”

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    According to the Liverpool Echo, the happy couple spent their anniversary at home, over a special dinner prepared by catering company Salt and Pepper.

    Roberto Firmino, better known as Bobby by his fans, married Larissa in June 2017, in his home town in Brazil. Judging by the photos, their wedding was spectacular.

    The pair have two daughters, Valentina and Bella.

    Image: Instagram /roberto_firmino

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    A glimpse into Saudi Arabian weddings

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    Much has changed in respect to Saudi Arabian weddings. In the past, they were more private, low-key affairs. These days things are different. Saudi Arabian weddings are splendid celebrations. They are flamboyant, glamorous, and over-the-top events.

    The wedding industry in Saudi is booming, bringing in millions every year. Luxury and extravagance are what they aim for, with 10-tier cakes, massive feasts, and supercars to transport them from point A to point B.

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    Despite the evolutions which have taken place with regards to weddings in Saudi, many of their traditional wedding practices still hold strong. These are incorporated into the new style of wedding. The traditions represent the core values of Saudi Arabian culture and are a way in which they uphold the religious and social significance of marriage.

    Shawfa 

    In the past, arranged marriages were common. With arranged marriages came the shawfa ceremony, or the unveiling ceremony. The ritual was held to allow the bride and groom to meet before their wedding.

    Shabka 

    After the traditional signing of the marriage contract (or the Nikkah) the shabka occurs. This is when the groom presents dowry to his bride, along with a ring and some other jewellery. This is usually hosted by the bride’s family, however, both sides are present and it is often considered a celebratory day.

    Makhtubayn

    The bride and groom and their respective families come together on this day to decide on the wedding date, and on other small details. The purpose of this event is to officially announce the dates and to ensure co-ordination between the families.

    Ghumra 

    The ghumra, or henna party, is a fun event for the bride and those closest to her. In the past, this was a small event but nowadays it can be compared to the Western Bachelorette party tradition.

    On the night before the wedding, the bride and her female relatives and friends gather together for food, music, and dancing. They decorate the palms of their hands and their feet with henna.

    Hiflat-Al-Zaffaf

    This is the wedding day. It is often celebrated in two different forms.

    Before the wedding dinner, all the males have a celebration on their own. There is entertainment, sword dancing, drumming rituals, and more.

    When it is time for the reception, the groom’s side and the bride’s side of the family split up. Each side has its own reception. In the local culture, it is dictated that this is the only way guests will be relaxed and have fun.

    Eventually, both sides join up – usually at the bride’s party – and they continue the wedding dinner together. This goes on to all hours of the night, and guests are served a feast.

    Image: Instagram / jen.cody

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    Raven-Symoné shocks fans with surprise marriage

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    Raven-Symoné, actress and former co-host of The View, gave her fans the sweetest surprise. She announced that she had secretly married her girlfriend, Miranda Maday in an Instagram post on June 18.

    Alongside an image of the pair in their backyard, Pearman (Symoné’s full name is Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman) wrote, “I got married to a woman who understands me from trigger to joy, from breakfast to midnight snack, from stage to home. I love you Mrs. Pearman-Maday!”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CBlPtkLD4F-/

    According to the Los Angeles Times, Pearman had teased her announcement just moments before her Instagram post, with another post showing a glass of bubbly and it read, “So something happened this week, that has changed my life FOR THE BETTER!”. It seems, however, the post has since been removed.

    Pearman also showed off their new wedding rings, in another post.

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    Maday, who is a social media manager for a company called Off The Menu, shared her own celebratory post, saying “My wife for life”.

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    It seems that their ceremony was a low-key backyard wedding. They had a few guests as can be seen in Pearman’s second Instagram post, and a pretty, petite cake. The pair wore casual outfits, and Maday rocked a veil too.

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    The loved-up couple had not been very public about their relationship prior to their wedding announcement. Pearman has generally been private about her relationships. The actress beloved for her roles in That’s So Raven and The Cosby Show first opened up about her sexuality in a tweet regarding gay marriage.

    Not letting the pandemic get them down, they seem as happy as can be in their newly-wed bliss. Congrats to the happy couple!

     

    Image: Instagram / mirandamaday

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    What to look for in a wedding venue

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    While at first you may think that choosing a wedding venue is as simple as finding the one that you consider the most beautiful, unfortunately, that is not the case. There are quite a few other things you need to take into account before you pay the deposit.

    Wedding venues are quite expensive as it stands. The last thing you’d want is to run into extra, unexpected costs because you didn’t take the time to think of all the little things that you would need out of a venue.

    Here are some things you should consider before committing to a venue:

    – The basics 

    Of course, things like availability for your preferred date should be top of mind when venue hunting. Find out about all the dates available around the time you’d like to get married.

    Other things you should look into are seating capacity, the exclusive use of the property given to you on the day (so that strangers are not lurking during your wedding reception), and the availability of accommodation on the property.

    Additionally, find out how many hours are included in a basic rental of the venue and whether they charge extra for after-hours use.

    – Saving your bank balance 

    Find out about the deposit, cancellation policy, and final payment due dates. This will help you to budget better.

    Further, you should ask the venue owner what is included in the total, so that you don’t get hit with an unexpected service charge or cleaning fees after the fact.

    – For your guests 

    If you have guests with special needs, for example, some who may require the venue to be wheelchair friendly, you should take all of those things into account.

    Make sure to also find out about the availability of a generator, on-site parking, noise restrictions, bathrooms, and other things that may affect your guests.

    – More about the venue

    It’s important to take into account what the venue provides so that you know if there are extra items you need to cater for.

    For example, if you want an outdoor ceremony, will there be facilities for sound equipment? Consider whether chairs provided for the ceremony and reception, if cutlery and crockery is provided, if the venue comes with waiters and staff, and so forth.

    Furthermore, many venues charge extra if you outsource a caterer or bring your own wine. If you’re planning on any of these, find out about kitchen charges and corkage fees. In the same breath, find out about catering options such as halal, kosher, vegan, or vegetarian.

    Venues may also not allow certain decor or items, such as candles. If you want to make use of these types of decorations, ask them about it specifically.

    Image: Unsplash

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    In Fashion

    Allure Bridals showcase Disney-inspired dress collection

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    A fairytale wedding. Many of us have dreamed of ours before! You’ve pictured the stunning setting, with your dream dress and the magical way it makes you feel. Now, Allure Bridals is making one of these possible. They have debuted their Disney-inspired wedding dress collection, and it’s everything you’d want and more.

    In February they announced that they would be teaming up with Disney to create this unique bridal collection. The Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Collection and Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Platinum collections are comprised of 16 gowns, all of which have been inspired by Disney princesses like Cinderella, Ariel, Pocahontas and more.

    Nine of the dresses from the Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Collection will be available to brides from about 81 stores across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. They will go for  $1,200 – $2,600 each.

    The remaining 7 from the Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Platinum collection will go for $3,500 – $9,500 and will be exclusive to Kleinfeld Bridal in New York and Toronto, according to ABC News. The dresses in this collection are specifically based on Belle, Jasmine, Tiana, Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, and Cinderella.

    On June 17, Allure Bridal showcased some of the dresses on Good Morning America.

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    Watch the unveiling here:

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    “Growing up, you imagined a princess gown and dreamed of the day your special someone would step into your story. Now that day has arrived, and you’re getting ready to begin your own real-life happily ever after. Start the next chapter of your life in a dress beyond your imagination – one with magic in every thread,” say Allure Bridals.

    See more of the collection here.

    Feature image: Instagram / Disney Weddings

     

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    From eternal bachelor to family man: George Clooney’s love journey

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    Despite being the recipient of multiple awards, including three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards, George Clooney’s reputation for being a bachelor is what drew the attention of many. For years he was famed for being “the eternal bachelor”, until he finally met his match: Amal Alamuddin.

    Before he was lovestruck by the human rights lawyer who he now shares twins with, Clooney saw a flurry of girlfriends come and go.

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    Many might not be aware of this, but in the early ’90s Clooney was married. His wife at the time was actress Talia Balsam.  The pair dated in the ’80s and made it official in ’89 in Las Vegas. Not long after, in 1992, they split up. According to GQ Magazine, Clooney once said that he “probably – definitely – wasn’t someone who should have been married at that point.”

    Thereafter, Clooney became a serial dater. Here are some of the women he found himself spending time with:

    – Celine Balitran: Clooney met the French law student and waitress while filming The Peacemaker. After dating for 3 years from 1996 to 1998, the pair called it quits.

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    – Lisa Snowden: Clooney had a five-year-long on-again-off-again relationship with this British model. They were together from 2000 to 2005.

    – Renee Zellweger: According to Clooney, they were together only for a short while. They are still friends now.

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    – Elisabetta Canalis: Clooney and the Italian actress were together from 2009 to 2011.

    – Stacy Keibler: Clooney remains friends with retired professional wrestler Kiebler after the two dated between 2011 and 2013.

    These are only some of the women who were reported to have had relationships with Clooney. Due to such a wide variety of relationships following one after the other, with none ending in marriage, the actor built up quite a reputation for “playing the field”.

    Clooney said more than a few times that he would never get married. According to Entertainment Tonight, Clooney, in 2014 said to Express UK that people’s fascination with his love life always shocked him. “I keep saying I’ll never get married again or have children but people just don’t want to believe me,” he said.

    Not long before he met his now-wife he was reported to have said, “I haven’t had aspirations in that way, ever. I was married in 1989. I wasn’t very good at it.” In July 2013, however, things changed when Clooney met human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.

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    They met at a dinner party in Lake Como, Italy. In October of the same year, they had their first date, where George invited Alamuddin to Abbey Road Studios in London. Things quickly progressed from there.

    They spent Christmas together, then went on a safari in Kenya, and finally in February 2014, when he was back in Los Angeles, he decided he would propose.

    He popped the question over a dinner which he made. She said yes, and that was the end of Clooney’s eternal bachelor-dom.

    The loved-up couple married in Venice in September 2014, and now six years later they are as happy as ever, with their twins Alexander and Ella.

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    Image: Instagram / classjournal

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    Princess Victoria celebrates 10th anniversary with husband

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    On Friday, June 12, Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, Daniel Westling, celebrated a decade of marriage. To mark this momentous occasion, the pair had a photoshoot at Gustav III’s pavilion.

    Shot by photographer Elisabeth Toll, the series of enchanting photos were posted to their official Instagram account. Showing off various elegant outfit changes, the images were accompanied with a caption explaining the reason for the photoshoot.

    “On Friday, the Crown Princess and Prince Daniel celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary. Ahead of the wedding day, photographer Elisabeth Toll has taken new official portrait pictures of the Crown Princess couple. The photographs are taken in Gustav III’s pavilion at Haga.”

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    Princess Victoria met her future husband in 2001 when she moved back to Sweden after completing her studies at Yale University in the United States. She had just broken up with a long-term boyfriend at the time.

    When she moved home, she tried to get settled into a new routine and as such, she joined a small gym in Stockholm. As it happened, the gym was co-founded by her now-husband, Daniel Westling.

    He then became her personal trainer, and it is reported that it took a while for their friendship to turn to love.

    They faced many challenges together, as Westling was unaccustomed to the fame that came with being with a royal and the King and Queen were unsure of whether he would be able to handle the role of being a prince. It has also been reported that the King did not want his daughter marrying a “commoner”, even though he had married one.

    The pair pushed through all the trials and tribulations and proved everyone wrong. They tied the knot in 2010 and celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this year.

    They now have two children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, and are truly living happily ever after. Their love story is one straight from the loveliest of fairytales.

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    Image: Instagram / kungahuset

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    5 unique Chinese wedding traditions

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    Western wedding ceremonies come with a number of traditions, from the presence of a ring bearer to the garter toss and even saving the top tier of the wedding cake for a year later. Similarly, different cultures across the world have their own interesting wedding traditions.

    Being aware of different cultures and their traditions helps us be more accepting of others and saves you from the embarrassment of attending a wedding of a different culture and having no clue what’s going on!

    To help you enlighten yourself, here are a few traditions and customs of Chinese weddings:

    Collecting the Bride 

    Prior to the wedding, the groom decorates the car and collects his bride in a lively procession. As the groom begins his journey to the bride, firecrackers are set off, and drums and gongs are banged. A young child often leads the procession, along with the groom. This symbolises future children for the couple.

    The procession walks with lanterns and banners and musical instruments are payed too.

    Wedding Dress 

    It is tradition for a Chinese Bride to wear a red dress, known as a ‘qipao’, and to hide her face with a red veil. Red is a symbol of happiness, good luck, and a prosperous future.

    Many brides today have both a white bridal gown and a red wedding dress.

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    The banquet 

    The banquet is a lavish affair. At the beginning of the dinner, the bride commonly changes into her traditional wedding dress. In the past, both sets of parents throw separate feasts however these days the feasts are commonly combined. The feast comes with about six courses each. The bride and groom both change clothing between the 3rd and 6th courses.

    At the banquet, guests sign their names in a book or on a scroll when they present their gifts.

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    Arriving home

    Once again, firecrackers are set off as the newly married couple arrives at their new home. A red mat is laid out so that the bride’s feet do not touch the floor as she makes her way into the house.

    Chinese Tea Ceremony 

    The couple’s families are formally introduced during the Tea Ceremony, at which they commonly drink Tsao Chün, a Chinese Tea. After everyone’s cups are empty, the couple is given a red envelope which is considered to be lucky and is filled with money and at times jewellery too.

    Tea is served by the newlyweds, as this ceremony takes place either immediately after the wedding or the next day.

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    Image: Instagram /oliviabuckleyinternational

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    Kim and Kanye’s wedding costs revealed

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    Kim Kardashian and Kanye West somehow always manage to be the talk of the town. Recently, they’ve been in the news for something as simple as a birthday wish between a wife and husband.

    Now, details of their wedding, specifically the enormous prices of vendors, the wedding dress, and more are of interest to the public. According to Hello Magazine, the pair who are now in their 6th year of marriage spent a whopping R103 402 500 ($6million) on their wedding weekend.

    No doubt it was an extravagant affair, with details to die for. The famed coupled spared no expense.

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    Taking place at a venue in Florence, Italy, they were accompanied at their wedding by 200 guests. The venue reportedly charged R5 181 854 (or £240,000). That price excluded any and all extras, such as flowers and decorations. The cake, which had 7 tiers, and took 3 people to deliver, cost  R51 871 (£2,400).

    The Wests also, of course, provided private jets for their guests, to transport them from Paris to Florence. Per jet, they dished out R972 416 (or £45,000).

    Kim’s bespoke couture dress, designed by Riccardo Tisci (the former creative director at Givenchy) cost her R3 846 615 (£178,000).  The total of her all other outfits she wore, including dresses for her hen party and for the rehearsal dinner, came to R1 231 718 ( £57,000).

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    This was not even everything. There were a number of other costs attached to the wedding which have not been detailed here, including the wedding menu, the menu at their rehearsal dinner at the Palace of Versaille, and more.

    Six years after their massive, lavish wedding, the pair seem happier than ever. They share 4 children – North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm – and are always seen supporting each other wholeheartedly.

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    In a recent post for Kanye’s birthday, Kim said “Life wouldn’t be the same without you”.

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    Image: Instagram / Kim Kardashian

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    Swedish royals share unseen photos on 5th anniversary

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    For fans of royals, never-before-seen photos are always a treat. When they’re posted for an anniversary, it’s even more special. Prince Carl Phillip and Princess Sofia of Sweden shared special unseen photos of their wedding day on their 5th anniversary, June 13.

    On their Instagram page, the pair commemorated the special day by showing candid images of their wedding day, including a kiss between the two, the chefs preparing food, and a glimpse inside the church.

    Along with the stunning images, they wrote a sweet caption.

    “Sometimes every person comes to a decisive choice; a choice that determines one’s future and is about who one is and above all, who one wants to be. And often it takes courage. Courage not to choose the easy path just because it is easy, without courage to stay on the hard road because it’s right,” they said, adding: “Today we are celebrating our five-year wedding anniversary.”

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    The pair tied the knot on June 13, 2015, at the royal chapel in Stockholm. Like most royals, their guests included family, friends, and other royals and after the ceremony, they took a carriage through the streets.

    The royals now share two children. Prince Alexander was born in 2016, a year after their marriage, and Prince Gabriel was born in 2017.

    Picture: Instagram / prinsparet

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