Wedding ETC, Author at Wedding ETC

In Advice

Where to register for wedding gifts in South Africa

March 5, 2020 No Comments

Although you may hope that those people attending your wedding would know you well enough to get a gift you’ll like, its better not to risk it. Your best bet at getting great gifts that you need (and actually want) is to opt for a registry.

For those of you who are registry first-timers, as most people are, there’s nothing to be intimidated by. South Africa has some great options for wedding registries, and most are user friendly too.

Here are some you may want to consider, to get the best gifts for you:

– BANKS Kitchen Boutique

BANKS was established in 1939 in District Six, Cape Town. It was started by Avraham Bank and his son Abba Bank. Today, the store has one of the widest ranges of kitchen appliances, stylish pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, glassware and more. If you’re a couple that loves cooking up a storm, this is the one for you!

Their registry process is quick and simple too. All you need to do is create an account, add the gifts you’d like to your registry and you’re good to go. For those buying you gifts, BANKS is convenient as they have the option of buying online or in store and they offer delivery as well!

If that wasn’t enough, BANKS also allows you to have a change of heart. If you’ve registered for and received a gift, but no longer want that item, you’re allowed to exchange it if you so please.

– Wrapistry

Wrapistry carries a variety of brands including Carrol Boyes, Sorbet, Le Crueset, Smeg and many more. If you’re looking for something brand specific, check here first.

– Yuppiechef

Stocking over 8 600 products from 700 of the world’s leading brand, you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for.

– Gift Tree

This online gift store is a one-stop-shop for handpicked gifts. They carry both leading brands and unique designer pieces, and you can shop from the comfort of your own home.

– Mr Price Home

For homeware at affordable prices, this one is for you. Offering decor, kitchen appliances, and items for your bedroom, bathroom and living room, you can’t go wrong with Mr Price Home. It’s a store that everyone is familiar with too!

– Bespoke

Founded in 2012, Bespoke is known for its distinctive finds and accessible luxury. This store carries a curated collection of home decor items and is perfect for those who prefer unique, hand-picked items.

– @home

@home is a popular homeware store in South Africa, and their outlets can be found all across the country. You can set your registry up online and it can be managed from there. The store also offers in-store consultations.

– Hirsch’s

Hirsch’s started as a family business. Allan Hircsh and his wife Margaret opened their appliance business in Durban in 1979. Today, it is a huge appliance and home furnishing store and has branches in KZN, Cape Town and Gauteng. They offer the option of an online registry that’ll make your life super easy!

Also read: Registry mistakes you might be making

Picture: Unsplash

In Advice

Proposal mistakes you should avoid

March 4, 2020 No Comments

You’d think it would be difficult to make a mistake with an occasion like this. It’s one of the biggest events in your life, so of course you’d ensure that nothing could go wrong.

But planning the perfect proposal can be stressful. This stress could cause you to make some silly mistakes.

To be one-hundred percent sure that things run smoothly as you pop the big question, have a look at these common mistakes you should avoid:

– Asking for too much advice

If you get too many opinions, your plan will be a bit of a mess and you’ll get confused about the right thing to do. Remember that you know your partner better than most people, which means that you know what they would like and what they wouldn’t. Trust your gut!

– Overcomplicating things

If your plan consists of too many twists and turns, there is a much larger chance that silly slip ups can be made. Keep it simple and meaningful.

Additionally, your nerves may stop you from being on top of your game. A complicated plan will only aggravate the nerves.

– Planing a public proposal without being 100% sure of the answer

If you’re a little uncertain about your partner’s answer, but you’re risking it anyway then a public proposal is probably not the best route to take. Since there is a slight chance, however small, of a negative answer you should save yourself some discomfort and plan a more intimate proposal.

– Proposing without having spoken about marriage before

You should never just assume your partner wants to get married. If you have never discussed marriage as a couple, it is a very bad idea to propose. You never know what their feelings on marriage could be.

– Hiding the ring too well

If you want your partner to stumble upon the ring, then be sure to hide it strategically. Don’t put it in a place they will never find it, it’ll ruin your plan completely.

Image: Unsplash

In Engagements

Man performs dance in surprise ice rink proposal

March 4, 2020 No Comments

A realtor, Daniel John, proposed to his girlfriend, Megan Cheng, during a community ice-skating event on Family Day in Richmond, Canada. The proposal had been well thought out and planned, being six months in the making.

The real estate company (Sutton Group Seafair Realty) that John works for have rented out an ice-rink for Family Day for the last three years. As they sat down to plan this year’s event, he devised a plan to propose to Cheng.

“I wanted to do something original for her…So about six months ago, I brought up the idea. And (the Sutton team) all said it was a great idea and I was kind of on the fence,” said John to Richmond News.

“But that’s what got it going. And then a really good reason (for it) was that all of our family and friends usually come out (to the skate)…which I know is important to her,” he added.

John noted that one of the other reasons he pushed on with this plan was that he could get some good footage and photographs, as his colleagues could hide in plain sight. Most members of the team lent a hand, ensuring that there was music, stopping the Zamboni from ruining the proposal, and convincing Cheng that she needed to be on the bench.

When the time came for the big question, John said he had never been more nervous in his life. He performed an ice-skating dance routine in his tux, then glided over to fetch Cheng from the bench. Finally, he got down on one knee and asked…and she said yes!

“She was very surprised…She was like, ‘Oh, you never lie to me, I can’t believe you pulled this off,'” said John.

The happy couple, who have been together for just over three years, have not yet set a date for the wedding.

Watch the proposal unfold here:

Image: Youtube / Richmond News

In Advice

When you shouldn’t wear your engagement ring

March 4, 2020 No Comments

Once you receive your precious engagement ring, it’s understandable that you’d never want to take it off. The ring shows your partners love, affection, and commitment to you, which makes it extremely special. For this reason, it needs to be protected!

The best way to protect your engagement ring is to know when you shouldn’t wear it. This way you won’t lose or damage it.

Here’s when to remove the bling:

– When you’re doing housework

While you’re cleaning you may knock the ring. This is more common an occurrence than you’d expect. To ensure that your ring remains unscratched and unharmed, remove it before you start cleaning.

Additionally, cleaning products like bleach and ammonia damages both the metal and the stone of your ring.

– In the shower

The scrubbing and soaking you do in the shower will take a toll on your band. It may even end up scratched.

– Working out

First off, the ring may fall off and you’ll lose it. That’s the last thing you’d want. Second, the ring could get damaged by weights you use – the pressure on the ring could bend the band and result in the stone falling out of its setting.

– During your beauty routine

Soaps, creams, perfumes and other such products all result in damage to your ring. If you keep your ring on every time you apply these products, it will build up and collect. This will result in a build up of grease and over time will result in deterioration. If the products get under the stone, it way loosen it from its setting too.

– Travelling

Travelling is tiring and keeps you busy, you could get lost in the activities and end up losing your ring.

– Cooking

This is a recipe for disaster. The oils, fats, and flours will result in long term damage to your engagement ring. In fact, cooking is one of the biggest reasons people’s rings get ruined! So ensure that you take it off when preparing that romantic meal.

Image: Unsplash

In Honeymoons

Ways to give back while on honeymoon

March 3, 2020 No Comments

When you find your partner for life, you feel like the luckiest person on earth. Getting married and going on a honeymoon only adds to these feelings of good fortune. For some, this makes them want to spread the joy and abundance.

A good way to do this is by spending your honeymoon giving back. The experience will bring you and your significant other closer together and will be a memory you’ll cherish forever. On top of that, only good can come from starting your marriage off on a charitable note.

This is actually more common than you’d expect. For couples who love to give back, an alternative to honeymooning is slowly rising in popularity. The trend has been termed ‘honeyteering’. If you’re keen to use your honeymoon to give back, here are some ways you could do it:

– Ask your hotel

When you arrive at your honeymoon destination, you can speak to the hotel staff about local non-profit organisations you can lend some of your time to. They would be able to direct you to the best places to go and the best things to do in order to ensure people and places are left better than you found them.

– Pack for a purpose

Pack for a purpose is a non-profit that helps you give back. As you pack for your holiday, you should pack some items needed by the communities you’re planning to visit. When you arrive at your destination, handing over the package is easy. Pack for a purpose would have ensured that there is a drop off spot close to your hotel.

Check their website for a list of locations and supplies needed for each destination.

– Build a home

Habit for Humanity is well-known for its volunteering programmes. You could use your honeymoon to attend one of these programmes and construct, renovate and provide disaster relief for those in need.

– Create a Honeyfund for donations

Similar to a wedding registry, couples have begun to use honeymoon registries too. You could create a registry using honeyfund, a website which allows you to organise cash-gifts, and indicate that all money will go to a specific charity.

Image: Unsplash

In Celebs

Six of the shortest celebrity marriages

March 3, 2020 No Comments

As we all know, Hollywood relationships have a reputation of being rocky. While some may be true stories of everlasting love, many have proven to be quite the opposite.

From Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries to Jennifer Lopez and Chris Judd, here are some of the shortest celebrity marriages.

Britney Spears and Jason Alexander

In 2004, the songstress wed her childhood friend after a wild night out in Las Vegas. As they say, ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’, because the pair had their nuptials annulled only 55 hours later.

Cher and Greg Allman

In 1975, Cher married the rock star, Allman. The two made it official in Las Vegas only a few days after Cher finalised her divorce from previous husband, Sonny Bono. After spending 9 days as a married couple, Cher and Allman called it quits. Apparently, Cher is the one who filed for divorce; during the nine days she discovered some of Allman’s drug and drinking issues which she decided were too much for her to handle.

Mario Lopez and Ali Landry

This marriage lasted only two weeks, and the bachelor party was the cause of the split. After they wed on April 24, 2004, Landry found some compromising photos of Lopez at his bachelor party. On making this discovery, she immediately filed for an annulment. Lopez admitted that he was unfaithful only a few days before the wedding at his bachelor party in Mexico. The pair split on May 8, 2004.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries

This is one of the most infamous short-lived marriages of all time. The popular reality TV star married Humphries, a basketball player, in 2011. The wedding was an extravagant affair, costing the couple over ten million dollars; they even aired a two-day reality TV special titled “Kim’s Fairytale Wedding”. Unfortunately, the couple called it quits only 72 days later.

Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock

While the two may seem like a great fit, unfortunately their marriage didn’t last. Anderson and Kid Rock got married in July 2006. Their wedding was exactly what you’d expect from the pair – on a yacht wearing swimsuits. In November 2006, the couple filed for divorce. The marriage lasted only 122 days.

Jennifer Lopez and Cris Judd

The Latina superstar married dancer, Cris Judd, in September 2001. They met after J-Lo hired him to appear in her “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” video. Just as quickly as they wedded, they called it off getting divorced in June 2002. This marriage lasted 218 days.

Image: Facebook / My Publicist

In News

Woman takes over cinema to propose on Leap Day

March 2, 2020 No Comments

Aneliese Rix decided to take advantage of the Leap Day this year, by following tradition and proposing to her boyfriend, Matt Philpott. She went all out, and took over a cinema in Gorleston (in Norfolk), England.

The big screen proposal took over 14 months to plan and prepare for, as Rix had prepared and filmed a special video to play on the movie screen. “I have had late nights working, when in reality I’ve been filming for the video,” she told Eastern Daily Press.

“We are a bit of a unique couple and I wanted to do something different,” she added.

On the evening of the proposal, the couple headed to the cinema. Philpott was under the assumption that they would be watching the new Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Instead, Rix’s homemade movie, titled “The Missing Thing”, played on screen.

Apparently, Philpott had no idea what was going on, until he saw his girlfriend on screen. “He didn’t twig, until I appeared on the screen, ” said Rix.

As the realisation set in, a ring bearer walked down the cinema aisle and handed a ring to Rix. She finally got down on one knee and proposed and of course he said yes!

The rest of the audience in the cinema, who happened to be about 60 of their closest friends and family, cheered and applauded. Some of them had all snuck in through the back of the cinema to surprise this lucky groom-to-be.

About the entire evening, Rix said: “It was very special with lots of tears – a very, very emotional moment – and thankfully he said yes.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9LtKShjcD2/

Congrats to the happy couple!

Image: Facebook / Aneliese Rix

In Weddings

Five wedding superstitions you may want to remember

March 2, 2020 No Comments

As time passes, superstitions surrounding weddings tend to fade away. Today, couple’s are keen to have the ‘first look photoshoot’, but in the past seeing each other before the ceremony was considered to be bad luck.

While people have become less superstitious, some beliefs still persist. If you’re one of the people who would rather be safe than sorry, then this is your chance to clue yourself up on what to avoid and what to be weary of.

– The grooms tie

It is said that if a groom’s tie is crooked as he enters the wedding ceremony, he will be unfaithful to his bride-to-be. You might want to send your bridesmaids on a tie straightening mission before the wedding, just to be safe!

– Nuns and Monks

Some have said that a curse of a barren life is in store for brides who see nuns and monks on the way to their wedding. The superstition says that the couple will forever be dependent on the charity of others. For those who are religious, this one may be a bit difficult to avoid.

– Knives as gifts

Folklore states that a knife set as a wedding gift signifies a future with a broken relationship. Even if you’re big on cooking, you may want to take that knife set off of your wedding registry!

– Ringing bells

This Irish tradition is a way to ward off those pesky evil spirits. The superstition goes that if you ring some bells before your wedding, you’ll chase away the bad and ensure that you and your partner have a harmonious life together. Some brides even add little bells to their bouquettes, to keep them ringing as they make their way down the aisle.

– A clock as a gift

In China, the people believe that receiving a clock as a wedding gift is terrible luck. The word for ‘clock’ in Mandarin also means ‘the end’. For this reason, Chinese people tend to stay away from clocks as gifts.

Image: Unsplash

In Engagements

The guilt-free gem: Lab-grown diamonds

March 2, 2020 No Comments

For those humanitarians and environmentalists out there, engagement ring shopping can be a struggle. Due to the carbon footprint – among other things – caused by diamond mining, younger people are attempting to take a step away from the traditional engagement ring. This has led to a fast growing trend – lab-grown diamond rings.

According to BBC Future, almost 70% of millennials have considered this guilt-free engagement ring alternative. An added bonus to lab-grown diamonds for your engagement ring is that they are much more affordable, meaning you won’t break the bank.

So what exactly is a lab-grown diamond?

Essentially, they are man-made diamonds. What’s interesting, however, is that while they are created in laboratories, they are chemically and physically identical to natural diamonds, and are just as hard.

There are two main methods used to grow these diamonds: The CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method and The HPHT (high pressure high temperature) method. Lightbox, a company who lab-grows diamonds describes these methods:

CVD – “Lab grown diamond seeds are loaded into a CVD reactor. Then, a mix of gasses containing carbon is added at a very low pressure. Microwaves are added to heat the gases and generate a plasma. When the temperatures climb over several thousand degrees, the gas molecules break apart and carbon atoms bond to the seeds, growing them one layer at a time,” says Lightbox.

HPHT – “This method mimics the conditions under which diamonds naturally form. Large mechanical presses are used to apply extreme pressure and high temperature to carbon in the presence of a diamond seed. The seeds act as a template for a lattice of carbon to grow layer by layer over the course of a few days,” they said.

Because of their man-made nature, they only take a few weeks to make whereas a real diamond takes billions of years to grow.

So if you’re looking to live a more eco-friendly, sustainable and conscious life then lab-grown diamonds are the way to go!

Here are some lab-grown diamond engagement rings to inspire you:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvxi-HzlGKH/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiwA1PGhFJO/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6wwQL9hKt0/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7x42eRF1K0/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9F6woGBMzO/

Image: Unsplash

In Legal & Administration

Applying for a South African marriage certificate

February 28, 2020 No Comments

The formalities of getting married are stressful for most couples, as visits to Home Affairs go. But if you have some key information about applying for a South African marriage certificate before hand, the process should be as smooth as can be.

When you enter into a marriage, the marriage officer will provide you with a handwritten marriage certificate (form BI-27) , free of charge. You’ll need to apply for an unabridged marriage certificate as soon as possible. The abridged certificate is issued on the same day that it is applied for.

While the abridged certificate contains the personal details of both you and your partner as well as the date of marriage, the unabridged certificate contains more detailed information. The latter is often required for legal reasons by the government (for when you travel, emigrate or obtain foreign passports) and financial institutions (for opening accounts etc.).

It’s best to ensure that you are in possession of an unabridged marriage certificate, it’s a better document to have and is much more useful.

If you require another copy of the abridged certificate, or want a unabridged certificate, then here’s what you need to do :

– Complete Form BI-130 in black ink

– Pay the prescribed fee (a re-issue is R75)

– Bring certified copies of you and your spouses ID’s

– Submit these to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs

– Call the Home Affairs toll-free hotline 0800 601 190 to follow up on the progress of your application for an unabridged marriage certificate.

Other things you need to know:

– If you (or your spouse) aren’t South African, the unabridged certificate will be required to register the marriage in your home country.

– If you’re overseas you can apply for a marriage certificate at any South African embassy or consulate.

– The unabridged marriage certificate takes about 6 to 8 weeks to receive after you have applied.

Image: Facebook / Department of Home Affairs