Wedding ETC, Author at Wedding ETC

In Advice

Paw-some ways to involve your pets in your wedding

January 28, 2020 No Comments

We all know that pets are part of the family! Perhaps you have adopted your furry friend as a couple, or maybe you’ve had them since you were a kid. However your fur baby came into your life, it’s likely you wouldn’t want to spend your special day without them.

While you may want to dress the little guy up in a miniature suit fitted to your pet of choice and have him be the ring bearer, this may not always be possible, or comfortable for the animal. But fret not, there are other ways you can involve your pet in your wedding day.

– Have a family photoshoot

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– Include them in a squad photo

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– Let them keep you company at the altar

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– Spend some quality time with them

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– They can keep you company while you get ready

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– Represent them on your cake / in your decor

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– Let them bring you comfort and cuddles

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– Get them some comfy wedding attire (suits may be unpleasant for some animals due to heat and other things)

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– Give them a front seat in the audience

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– Use their faces for some photobooth fun

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– Let them add some humour

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Image: Unsplash

In Advice

Top 10 wedding destinations for 2020

January 28, 2020 No Comments

If you’ve been considering a destination wedding but you’re not sure where to head to then you’re in luck. Flowercard, a UK based company specialising in floral giftcards, has compiled a list of the best places to go.

Flowercard’s list, “The 2020 Destination Wedding Index” compiles data of all things wedding. They conducted a study into the best places to get married, and their methodology was quite thorough! First, they selected destinations from a variety of sources including theknot.com, junebugweddings.com, hitched.co.uk, and brides.com. They then took into consideration the best times for wedding ceremonies in each destination. Weather was included in this consideration, of course.

Another consideration they took into account included LGBTQ+ friendliness, with their information coming from ilga.org. Instagram hashtags and searches also featured in their method. Finally, with the use of Google Keyword Planner, they figured out how many monthly searches there were for each place in relation to weddings by searching “Getting married in X”.

After gathering all the information, they ranked destinations using a weighted ranking system. They broke elements down into four categories including weather, cost, LGBTQ+ and online popularity. Each factor was weighted equally.

It is important to remember that much of the data they collected was UK specific (such as monthly google searches). This means the results may have been slightly different had the research been done in other countries. Nevertheless, the information is still very useful!

Here are their top 10 destinations and their overall scores (x/100):

1. Las Vegas, Nevada, US

Score: 70.1

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2. Sydney, Australia

Score: 68.67

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3. Majorca, Spain

Score: 67.47

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4. Perth, Australia

67.45

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5. Brisbane, Australia

Score: 67.00

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6. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Score: 64.81

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7. Loire Valley, France

Score: 64.14

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8. Valencia, Spain

Score: 63.80

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9. Cannes, France

Score: 62.10

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10. Madrid, Spain

Score: 62.01

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Find their full list with all details here.

Image: Instagram / Sydney

In Weddings

Jumping the broom: Meaning and History

January 28, 2020 No Comments

If you’ve seen the 2011 comedy drama, Jumping the Broom, starring Angela Bassett and Paula Patton, you’re likely to wonder where the tradition of jumping the broom comes from. Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase before, but you never quite knew exactly what it was. Well, not to worry.

Jumping the broom is a predominantly African American tradition in which the just-wed couple hops over a broomstick while holding hands. Many American couples choose to incorporate this tradition into their wedding celebrations, often after the wedding kiss.

For some couples today, incorporating the tradition is a way to acknowledge their history and culture. In fact, ‘jumping the broom’ is widely accepted as a part of the lexicon of African American culture. In addition, the custom serves to symbolise the sweeping away of the past to clear the path for a new start.

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The broom itself can be bought at stores, already fully decorated. There are many online stores who cater to this need. Alternatively, couples have opted to decorate the broom themselves. In some cases, couples take a plain broom to the wedding ceremony and provide guests with ribbon on which to write their names. Guests are requested to tie the ribbon to the broom before the ceremony begins.

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The ceremony dates back to the 1600s and is derived from Africa. Many have claimed that it also has roots in Celtic Culture.

18th century Europeans said that Ghana was an extremely clean place and they attributed this to the fact that brooms were made locally. For whatever reason, the broom’s symbolism found itself being incorporated into the wedding ceremony. According to the African American Registry, jumping the broom “symbolised the wife’s commitment or willingness to clean the courtyard of the new home she had joined”.

As a result of slave trade, the custom made its way to America. Slave marriages were not legally recognised by slave owners. The enslaved people thus used the tradition as a symbol of the beginning of their union as it was their only option for some sort of formal marriage.

Atlanta Black Star claims that “the ceremonial jumping of the broom served was an open declaration of settling down in a marriage relationship”.

The tradition has permeated through time so extensively that the phrase “jumping the broom” is equivalent to “tying the knot” or “getting hitched”.

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Image: Instagram /peterjonathanimages

In Celebs

Emma Stone and Dave McCary’s sweet proposal story

January 27, 2020 No Comments

Emma Stone and Dave McCary are known for being quite a private couple. However, their proposal story has made its way through the grape vine and it is enough to make you swoon!

The couple got engaged in December 2019, after being together for about two years. McCary announced the engagement on Instagram.

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Now, just about a month later, a source has told Life & Style Magazine the proposal had quite a lot of sentimental meaning behind it.

The couple met on the set of Saturday Night Live (SNL), when Stone hosted the show in 2016. McCary took the actress “back to the hallway where they first locked eyes”, reports the exclusive source.

“He had rose petals scattered all over the floor, dropped to one knee and asked Emma to marry him,” they add. “Of course, she said yes. Emma’s found her dream man, and now, she’s getting her dream wedding!”

The source seems to know something about the upcoming wedding and its arrangements. We’re sure it will be filled with sentiment, just at the proposal was.

Image: Instagram / emma_stone_6

In Destination

Six haunted wedding venues to get married in

January 24, 2020 No Comments

If you or your partner are into the more scary side of life, you may be wondering how to incorporate this into your wedding. You may think it’s impossible, but it’s not. A haunted wedding venue is a perfect option to include on your special day.

It may sound strange, but the architecture is usually stunning so it adds to the ambience and it would be a cool and unusual twist.

Here are six haunted wedding venue examples:

– Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield, Ohio

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This Gothic-styled building in Ohio was formerly a correctional facility which housed more than 155 000 men. There are 215 graves outside the building and many visitors claim to have experiences with paranormal entities.

There have been reports of guests being pushed and punched, cellar doors slamming closed, shadow sightings, and voices in the corridors.

While the history of the building is troublesome, the architecture is stunning and makes for a great wedding venue.

– Ackergill Tower, Caithness, Scotland

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Ackergill Tower has been standing since the 14th century. It’s lush green grass and wide-open spaces make for a perfect wedding backdrop.

It is said that the ghost of Helen Gunn, also known as the green lady, roams the grounds of the castle. She was abducted and kept in the tower and in an attempt to escape she fell to her death.

– Hampton Court Palace, Surrey

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The palace was once home to Kind Henry VIII. You can imagine that it’s interior is extravagant and perfect for a wedding. In fact, the palace is one of the most famous historic wedding venues in the UK.

Apparently, there are quite a few ghosts roaming the halls. Ghosts include Skeletor, The Grey Lady, and two of King Henry VIII’s wives, Catherine Howard and Jane Seymour.

– Ettington Park Hotel, Stratford Upon Avon

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Ettington Park was previously the most haunted hotel in Britain. Guests have seen ghosts of a servant girl named Mary, Lady Emma, and a man who walks his dog through the library.

The venue is often chosen as a wedding venue.

– The Rose Hall Great House, Jamaica

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A wedding in a tropical paradise like Jamaica is perfect! Right? This Jamaican venue offers more than what you expect from a Caribbean Island. The wedding venue is home to the spirit of a widow named the White Witch.

In 1820, the house was owned by John Rose Palmer. He married a woman named Annee. The legend says that Annee had black magic powers which she used to murder Palmer, her next two husbands, and many lovers.

People say she still resides in Rose Hall.

– Rockwood Park & Museum, Delaware

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The venue offers indoor and outdoor spaces for your ceremony and also does catering. On top of that, paranormal investigation tours are available too! Add an extra twist, and have a paranormal investigation on the eve of your wedding.

The venue claims that you have the chance to meet “long lost family members” who still reside in the mansion.

Image: Instagram / fosteredphoto

In Advice

A wedding hashtag: What it is and how to create one

January 24, 2020 No Comments

If you’re keen on social media and love sharing your cool pictures online, then this one is for you. Wedding hashtags are getting more and more popular as time goes by. They’re a great way to get guests to be more interactive at your wedding and they’re pretty convenient too.

The wedding hashtag is simple. It’s a way to collect all the pictures from your big day. All your guests pictures can be available to you, in one place, at the click of a button. It’s a perfect organisational tool and it’s a way to share the day with your guests who couldn’t make it.

So how do you create one? It’s not very complicated at all!

There are many generators online such as Shutterfly’s Wedding Hashtag Generator, which requests that you fill in your full name, your partners full name, your nicknames, and your wedding date. With this information, it creates a wedding hashtag for you. Other online hashtag generators include those found on PastBook and Random Word Generator.

While a generator is probably the simplest way to go about the task, you may end up with something a little generic. If you want your wedding hashtag to be unique, you’ll likely have to come up with one on your own.

Thinking up your own hashtag doesn’t need to be a tedious task though. Here are a few steps to follow to ensure you come up with something great:

– Gather information

Jot down all the relevant information related to your wedding, so you know what you’re working with. Include things like your full names, the location of your wedding, the year, the venue’s name, the country or city your wedding is in and the style of your wedding. These are always a good place to start.

– Include some puns or pop-culture

Get punny with your names! If your surname is Adams, you could go for #HappilyEverAdams. If your surname is Bell, you may go for #SavedByTheBell. The options are endless.

– Review what you have

Once you have a short list of wedding hashtag options, give them a look again and compare them. Ask yourself: Is it original? Is it too long? Are the words easy to spell? Is it clear?

You want to keep it original to ensure that no other couple uses it too. If that happens, you’ll get another weddings photos in your hashtag. If it’s too long or the words are easy to misspell then you’re likely to miss some of the uploads due to many variations of your hashtag. Ensure that you capitalise each word for clarity.

– Let the guests know

Now that you’ve chosen or created your perfect hashtag, you need to let people know! Include it on the invitation, ceremony programs, menus and put up some signs at your wedding.

Here are some fun examples of wedding hashtags and how couples have spread the word about them at their weddings:

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Image: Unsplash

In Advice

Stunning vineyard wedding venues in South Africa

January 24, 2020 No Comments

South Africa has an abundance of extraordinary wedding venues to choose from. From hotels to vineyards, the country is anything but lacking.

Vineyards are some of the best venues as they can add an extra fairy-tale feel to your special day. Most have amazing indoor and outdoor facilities and come with special wedding packages. If you’re looking to go the vineyard route for your venue, you’re spoilt for choice.

Here are some of our favourite vineyard wedding venues in South Africa:

– The Conservatory, Franschhoek

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The Conservatory is surrounded by vineyards and ancient oaks. The venue is largely made of glass, which means you’ll get some great lighting if you opt for an indoor ceremony or reception. You have the option to have your festivities outside in the vineyards too.

On their website, The Conservatory says “Our philosophy is simple yet stylish, inspiring but versatile, catering to all who require a blank canvas to create a unique event that transforms a space into a true reflection of themselves.”

– Zorgvliet Wine Estate, Stellenbosch

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In the Banghoek Valley near Stellenbosch, at Zorgvliet wines, you’ll have the stunning Simonsberg Mountains as the backdrop for your wedding. The estate offers several different facilities for your special day. The Oak room is the venue for receptions, but they also have a chapel and a room for pre-reception drinks.

– Highberry Farm, Somerset West

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This relatively new venue was completed in 2018. If you’re looking for a venue that hasn’t been seen hundreds of times, then this is the one for you. Views of vineyards, dams, the surrounding mountain range and horse paddocks will be the backdrop of your special day.

The venue sits 120 people, includes a dance floor and comes with facilities including a fully equipped kitchen, a licensed bar, as well as a spacious lawn on which a marquee could be erected or canapés and live music can be held. It also contains a more intimate utility area upstairs that may be used as a chapel.

– Leipzig Country House, Worcester

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At the Leipzig Country House you’ll be sure to have your fairytale dreams come true. For your ceremony’s venue you can choose from the century-old brandy cellar overlooking the vineyards or a tranquil garden with towering oaks. The wedding reception will be held in the wine cellar which seats 130 guests.

“The endless vistas, surrounding vineyards, rolling lawns of the amphitheater and rural charm of the historic buildings provide a stunning canvas to capture lasting memories,” says the Leipzig Country House.

– Marlenique Estate, Simondium area of the Winelands district

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The venue is central to Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. It can hold 350 guests with dancing and 400 without a dance floor. With mountains and orchards as your backdrop, you’re sure to have a dreamy day.

Open air weddings on the lawns beside the fruit orchards or on their private stretch of the Berg River are an option.

– Bakenhof Winelands Venue, Wellington

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About an hour away from Cape Town, the venue is situated on a hill of a private grape farm. The incredible views are out of this world and are sure to make you day even more special than it already is.

Bakenhof says, “We focus on a unique, personalised and unhurried experience. Our philosophy is that your day is as important to us as it is to you, with our mission to exceed your expectations – be it day or night, formal or informal, summer or winter, sunshine or rain.”

Image: Instagram /Bakenhof Winelands Venue

In Wedding Cakes

The interesting origin of the wedding cake

January 24, 2020 No Comments

You probably think wedding cakes have always been about indulging in something sweet on your special day. It’s an easy assumption to make. Of course, nothing in life is that simple. The wedding cake has a centuries long history and started as a tradition that was said to ensure fertility.

In Ancient Rome, weddings would end with the bride and groom having a wheat or barley cake broken over their heads. Yes, really. This practice is said to have been to ensure prosperity and fertility in the couples future. The guests would try to secure some of these blessings for themselves by scrambling for a few crumbs which had fallen from the broken bread.

The tradition made its way to England, and was eventually altered quite a bit. In medieval England – as the English acquired more spices – the wheat and barley cake shifted to something tastier. Instead of simple bread, they would use spiced buns, scones, and cookies.

Another alteration that the English made to the tradition was to forget the breaking of the bread. The ‘confections’ were stacked into a tower as high as possible. At a wedding, the newly-wed couple would be required to kiss over the tower of treats. If they managed to kiss without toppling the tower, it was said they they were guaranteed some good fortune.

From there things took an odd turn. Instead of wedding cakes, wedding pies were more popular. Again, eating the pie was meant to ensure the couple had a happy life together. The pie also contained a ring, which single ladies would try to find. Finding the ring meant that they would be the next to get married (kind of like the bouquet toss that we do today). This may sound pleasant, but it most definitely was not. The first recorded wedding pie recipe, from 1685, contained oysters, lamb testicles, throat, and pine kernels.

Luckily, things began to change for the better from there when cakes replaced pies. As sugar became more available in England, white icing became the cake topping of choice. Queen Victoria had a wedding cake covered with white icing.

Tiered cakes took off in the 18th century. The story goes that a trainee of a baker in London fell in love with his bosses daughter. In an effort to dazzle her, and get her to love him back, he baked her an elaborate, tiered cake.

Image: Pexels

In Advice

Romantic things to do in Costa Rica

January 23, 2020 No Comments

Costa Rica offers some amazing activities to make your romantic getaway an unforgettable one. Perfect for romantic relaxation and activity filled adventures, the country will have you falling in love all over again. The rainforest country offers the best of mother nature in the form of jungles and beaches. It also offers culture, good food and much more.

Here are some suggestions for romantic things to do in Costa Rica:

– Soak in the Hot Springs

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Head to La Fortuna, a small town in Costa Rica. There you’ll find some of the most exquisite hot springs. Relax your body, mind and soul with your significant other by your side as you grab a cocktail and sink into the natural hot waters.

– Ziplining or Bungee Jumping

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For those couples who enjoy a good adrenaline rush, Costa Rica has got you covered. The Selvatura Park in Monteverde offers tree-top ziplining. You’ll see some amazing views of the heavily forested area. While you’re there you should also check out the hanging bridges!

If you want some more adrenaline then you’d be happy to know that Monteverde is also home to the highest (143m) bungee jump in Central America.

– Take a dip in one of the Waterfalls

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Go for a morning hike in the jungle and end it off with a dip in one of Costa Rica’s stunning waterfalls. There are many to choose from including Nauyaca Waterfalls, Catarata La Cangreja and the Jaco Waterfalls.

– Visit a volcano

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Since the country is known for its volcanos, it wouldn’t be right to skip this activity. The Arenal, the youngest volcano in the nation, is one of the ten most active in the world. It’s possible for you to see an eruption if you’re there at the right time.

– Sample some chocolate

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The Chocolate Forest Experience is great as it offers history, exploration, chocolate, wine, and views! What more could you ask for? The experience takes you on a tour through the area, teaches the history of cocao in the area, and, at the end of it all, gives you a professional chocolate tasting with some organic wine!

– Swim in the sea

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Costa Rica, with its coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific, has some amazing beaches. Be sure to check some of them out! Depending on where you go, there are activities such as snorkelling and surfing available too.

– Check out the local markets

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Immerse yourselves in the culture, meet some locals, and stroll the streets! Make sure you pop by some of the markets too. You’ll get everything from fresh fruit and swimwear to souvenirs.

Image: Unsplash

In Advice

Saving money on wedding flowers: tips and tricks

January 22, 2020 No Comments

Flowers have always been an important part of wedding décor, and we assume they will continue as such. From bouquets and boutonnières to centrepieces and decorations, the wedding flowers play a big role in creating an atmosphere.

The only problem is that flowers are quite pricey; they can extensively push up your expenses list. This is the opposite of the goal…right? We all want to save some money and bring that wedding expenses down as low as possible.

Here are a few ways you can save money on your wedding flowers:

– Keep it local and seasonal

Avoiding importing your flowers will save you big bucks. A local option is definitely the better choice for your budget. A similar principle applies to in-season blossoms. While you probably could find your desired out-of-season flower somewhere, it’ll be way more pricey than picking something in-season. The flowers will be fresher too!

– Go for greens

Adding some lush leaves and greenery can do wonders for your budget and your floral arrangements. They add a whimsical feel to your decor and fill up your arrangements in a stylish way, saving you from purchasing large quantities of flowers.

– Bigger blooms

This one is simple. The bigger the flower, the less you have to buy. Save yourself some cash and opt for a larger or statement bloom.

– Limit yourself to three flowers

In most cases, a florist will order the flowers in bulk, even if you don’t need too many of a specific one. If you keep the flower variations to three or less, it’ll save you some money because a bulk purchase will be necessary and none will go to waste.

– Mix and match decor elements

Add tea lights, fairy lights and candles or whatever trimming your heart desires to your venue. Opting for some different decor elements will cut your flower expenses drastically.

– Leave flowers out where you can

Perhaps you could skip the boutonnieres and corsages. While some people might want to keep them for tradition, they are not a necessity and can be replaced with alternatives if need be.

– Forget a February wedding

Valentine’s Day pushes up the price of flowers! You’re likely to pay much more than usual for whatever flower you want in February. Best avoid this month to keep the costs down.

Image: Pexels