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    A wedding dress retailer in Johannesburg allegedly shut down its shop without warning, leaving many brides without the gowns they paid for in full or most of the money upfront.

    According to W24, the shop owners left a handwritten poster outside the shop saying “Due to the current economic state in our country and the rest of the world, Eurobride has not been able to recover financially to open our doors again. Regretfully we are not able to fulfill our obligations to all our clients.”

    Nerissa was one of the unfortunate brides that lost money due to the closing of the shop. She saw a special on Facebook saying that there is a 50% special that was going on at Eurobide for bridal gowns. Her wedding was supposed to be in December and in August she went for a fitting and she says that it went well.

    Speaking to W24, she explained that she paid R10 000 upfront for the dress and the full amount was R20 000. The lady at the shop asked her if she wanted to keep the dress and Nerissa thought it was easier to leave the dress at the shop so that she can come in for alterations without problems, little did she know that she was going to lose the money. She was supposed to go on her final fitting on November 16, 2020 but received an email on October 13 informing her of the closure.

    She was not the only customer who suffered this loss, many brides went on social media and spoke about this.

    The shop’s attorney Johan du Toit told Timeslive that “If our client has to meet every bride, they will honestly not get to all of them. As this is an incredibly time-consuming and expensive exercise for our client’s small team.”

    A total of 29 brides are reportedly owed R473 950 by Eurobride, and took to protesting outside the store.

     

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    A post shared by Devi Sankaree Govender (@devi_hq)

    Attorney Du Toit sent letters to several Eurobride clients who had shared their experiences on social media, she responded to the accusations and said that Eurobride has had no new income for six months, yet still the same overheads. The postponement of all weddings came at a huge expense for the comapny, and the client was forced to make difficult decisions, due to the fact that they do not satisfy the solvency and liquidity test, and it would be negligent if they continued trading.

    Pictures: Instagram/ Unsplash

    Across the world, countries are enforcing social distancing rules and regulations to protect citizens amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In Queensland, one of their rules for social distancing is currently specifying that you can have a public or private gathering of up to 40 people.

    According to a Snapchat story that is now circulating online, two friends came up with an idea to abide by the rules and still party, and it appears that they legally tied the knot so that they could party with 100 of their friends.

    Two pictures from the big day were posted on Brown Cardigan’s Facebook page, showing one attendee of the wedding who couldn’t believe they were actually witnessing a legal wedding.

    The two men held hands during the ceremony as a the officiant conducted the ceremony. What happened before and after this image remains a mystery.

    Pictures: Unsplash / Facebook

    Both Moët & Chandon champagne and the tradition of weddings have stood the test of time. Moët & Chandon has created magical moments for more than 270 years, toasting the most glamorous of royal weddings in history and delighting couples and their guests worldwide with grand gestures in the celebration of love.

    When it comes to life’s most precious memories a wedding day is one to cherish forever but as we all well know by now, 2020 has been far from a normal year. The pandemic and the resultant social-distancing policies have effectively ruled out all large-scale wedding celebrations which has been heartbreaking for many marrying couples.

    With large ceremonies unlikely to take place for the foreseeable future, couples are now seeking alternative ways to tie the proverbial knot. Indeed, many couples are already embracing the concept of ‘minimonies’ in an attempt to still experience the magic of their wedding day but in keeping with the new reality we find ourselves in.

    Which is exactly why the world’s most loved champagne brand, Moët & Chandon, is thrilled to inspire couples with their Moët Minimony experience, in conjunction with, and more importantly in support of Appointed Events, some of South Africa’s most sought-after wedding suppliers.

    “With a Moët Minimony experience our wish is to offer couples the opportunity to celebrate in style, with those they love, without having to compromise on luxury or the glamour they were hoping for. Indeed, despite the times we find ourselves living through, elevating life’s meaningful moments with elegance, glamour and generosity remains at the heart of Moët & Chandon’s promise to brides and grooms worldwide,” says Pascal Asin, Moët & Chandon Managing Director Africa and Middle East.

    Indeed, the Moët Minimony is curated to both surprise and delight guests and add Moët & Chandon’s unique touch of sparkle and glamour for every couples’ special day. Moët minis, complete with a stylish customisable neck tag, will allow the couple to add their initials and the date of their wedding, ensuring the day’s celebrations begin in personalised champagne style.

    A Moët Minimony allows couples to celebrate the magic of their wedding day but in keeping with the new reality we find ourselves in. In the spirit of generosity, couples can also custom design mini-wedding cakes and mini-bouquets – a glamorous new take on traditional wedding elements and perfect keepsakes for each guest too. The days of uneaten multi-tiered wedding cakes and carpets of flowers left on tables are well and truly over! And what better way to mark this milestone for the bride & groom than with a personalised Moët & Chandon Jeroboam for guests to sign as a glamorous guest book.

    Whether couples are tying the knot at home or at an intimate gathering, they can now celebrate knowing each and every detail has been considered.  The Moët Minimony is a dazzling way to toast to your future and the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable wedding experience.

     “I do” … but only if it’s with Moët & Chandon!

    Contact: [email protected] for further information about the customisable Moët Minimony and further information about local suppliers.

    Picture/s: supplied

    Parenthood doesn’t require DNA and some people already have children, either from a previous relationship or before marriage. When they decide to marry other people and bring their families together, they create a blended family.

    Bringing your families together and including them in your big day is a sweet way to honour them. Here are some ways to do it, and make sure no one feels neglected or left out.

    Have a unity Ceremony

    Unity ceremonies are meaningful rituals performed during your wedding to represent becoming a union and the joining of lives, families and communities. Being highly symbolic, there are multiple ways you can do this, which can be personalised to your new family. One idea is to write meaningful letters to each other and read them out during the ceremony, then put them in a jar to keep as a family symbol.

    Give them roles

    Another way you can include your blended family is by assigning them roles. From a ring bearer to a flower girl, the possibilities are endless. This is guaranteed to make them feel included in the ceremony and when you are all looking at the wedding album, they will be delighted to see themselves featured and having participated.

    Give them gift

    Gifting is one of the five universal love languages, it shows the next person that you have thought of them and value them enough to gift them. Give them the same or similar gifts to your biological kids, or get them something they have always wanted.

    Presenting something special to your new child/children is a wonderful gesture to symbolise that they are an important part of this new family.

    Include them in the planning 

    Kids love doing exciting things, to them everything is playtime and by including them in the planning process, you get the chance to bond with them. Let them participate in everything from cake tasting to licking invitation envelopes.

    Encourage them to invite a few of their best friends and their family members to the wedding so that they have familiar faces apart from you.

    Have a family dance 

    After the first dance, invite the kids to come out and join you on the dance floor to their favourite tune. It would be extra fun and special if you practiced a dance prior to the wedding. You can even give them the task of coming up with the steps to our dance routine as the kids of the family.

    Picture: Unsplash

    Your bridesmaid is usually responsible for making sure you have your bouquet and keeping a makeup bag handy. Not this bridesmaid though. She arranged an actress to come and prank the groom during the ceremony by pretending to be a pregnant lover.

    A video currently trending online shows a ‘pregnant’ woman wearing a prosthetic pregnancy vest before crashing the private ceremony. In the prank, the actress accused the groom of getting her pregnant.

     

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    The bride was shocked but she kept calm, and when the pregnant lover went into ‘labour’ she called for help.

    The actress then pulled out her fake stomach and they told the couple it was just a prank. Both bride and groom were stunned by the drama, until all of them burst into laughter.

    Now, that’s one way to have a memorable wedding.

    Picture: Unsplash

    So you’ve decided to plan your own wedding. Whether it’s something you have always wanted to do, or you and your partner thought it was another great idea to save a bit of cash, it is not an easy task. Luckily, there is no task too big for a bride-to-be.

    Planning your big day on your own is no walk in the park. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

    Prepare a budget

    Figuring out a budget is very important, this will help you decide on other things too and this will help to prevent overspending on things that are not unnecessary.

    You will figure out the venue, decor, and catering as you go along. You need to know how much you are spending and for how many people are you preparing for. This should not be your task alone, your spouse should also pitch in and help.

    Create your own vision board

    Whether you cut and paste pictures, or you make it online, you will find it very beneficial and soothing to put together a vision board of your ideas. It visualises your ideas and makes them seem realistic to achieve.

    You will be able to see your wedding day at a glance and figure out what works within your theme and what doesn’t.  It also helps with restricting things that are not in your plans.

    Stay on track

    From the get-go, you and your partner should decide on a realistic timeline and an idea about the kind of wedding you want. If you can prioritize what you want, then you will be able to make decisions faster and get the vendors you really want for the wedding.

    You will need to plan your time accordingly, you need a time frame and a breakdown of your goals. Do not decline help from people who volunteer.

    Choose the easiest and most convenient tools to help you work. Things like invoices and receipts, keep copies of contracts, track costs need to be kept very safe, look into tools like web-sharing tools such as Google Docs. That way you can access your things anywhere.

    Expect challenges

    Things can and will go wrong, and you’ll need to prepare as best you can, the best thing you can do is breathe it out and go back to the drawing board. It will most likely be your first time planning a wedding, do not punish yourself for mistakes.

    Read any contract carefully before signing 

    Before you sign on any legally binding documentation, be sure to closely review every detail, including dates, location, times, deposits, additional fees, and colours. Everything has to be in the contract because if it isn’t, or is written incorrectly, you will not be protected if it’s not executed properly.

    Take a closer look at any policy they might have. Many of them are more often than not one-sided and should anything happen, they will leave you out in the cold. Draw up your own contract and find a way to reach an agreement.

    Make it fun

    Planning a wedding can be very stressful and it will definitely take its toll on you but try and make it a fun task. Do not overthink and stress yourself, you and your partner can make it fun by delegating tasks amongst each other and turn that into a game.

    Picture: Unsplash

    Former Miss and Mr South Africa, Melinda Bam and Adriaan Bergh celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary on November 9. She took to social media and wrote him a sweet heartwarming message in honour of the occasion.

    “Life cannot be more colourful and fragrant than with you, my husband”, she wrote.

     

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    6 jaar is soos n oogwink as ek dink dat dit alles nog net soos gister voel. As ek dieper delf en elke mooiste mooi herinnering na gaan, voel dit egter asof ons al n leeftyd se avonture in die kort tydjie gehad het. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Van doodgewone aande met ongewone gesprekke, kaalvoet loop op die gras en reuke ruik met middag stappies, rond reis en die wereld verkyk, met rover speel, soene steel, huis bou, mekaar vashou, saam bid, saam droom, saam hoop, saam in dieselfde rigting loop… ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In my hoop vir wat n huwelik kon wees, oortref wat ons het elke beste opgedroomde weergawe!. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My Bul, jys ‘n Godvresende man met n eerbare & opregte hart. Jy loop oor van dankbaarheid, sagtheid & deernis vir ander. Jou Kinderlike opgewondenheid & soeke na Net die Here se wil inspireer my! Dit is maklik om jou vrou te wees, onder jou te submit & jou te eer & ondersteun as priester in ons huis, wat ons op koers hou na ons roeping met outoriteit & Godelike wysheid. . Elke dag is n avontuur wat ons saam kan aanpak & waar ons ‘n onuitputbare lewenslus in mekaar kan aanwakker! Om jou lief te he is n eer, een wat my laat glimlag & terselfde tyd my oë vol trane laat skiet van pure dankbaarheid. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Die lewe kan nie meer kleurryk en geurryk wees as saam met jou nie my man. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ek bid die Here se seën en covering opnuut oor ons en die volgende seisoene wat ons gaan betree. Mag ons lewe altyd Sy geur afgee en ons liefde vir mekaar, mense na Hom toe wys, en n baken vir ander wees. Ek en jy teen die wereld, wat n voorreg, wat n fees! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ? @adriaanbergh ? @cmeintjes ? @bondesiocouture #marriedlife #live #laugh #happiness #married #love #GodlyMarriage #TheStoryOfMarriage #covenant #bliss

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    The pair have always given us reason to believe in fairy tales. They met back in 2008  at University and Adriaan instantly knew that Melinda was the girl for him.

    He told YOU magazine that when he saw her, he told his friend that she would be his girl. He kept to his words and married her in 2014.

    Adriaan posted on his Instagram and said “Life is a song, provided you have the right partner. About 3,155,760 minutes ago I married my dream wife, Princess @melindabam. Today I can honestly say, our marriage is my very greatest blessing. It’s special to be able to say, my Wife is my best friend”

    Picture: Instagram

    You have your wedding day all figured out and you think that you have ironed out every bit of information. However, there might be things you have always wondered about, but never had the courage to ask. Or maybe you have simply never thought about it, so now is a good time to think it over.

    Here are a few questions no one ever thinks to ask before their big day.

    How do we kiss when we kiss?

    This is a big one. Remember, you will likely have your whole families, including children present at the ceremony. Understandably, you are madly in love and emotional to boot. But now is not the time to give people a sneak peek at your honeymoon.  Keep it simple and tasteful. Ideally, no tounge should be involved and let’s keep those hands from exploring, shall we?

    How does a bride use the bathroom?

    The dress-and-bathroom question is a very easy one to slip your mind because of the excitement of your beautiful wedding gown.

    A smaller or simpler wedding dress offers much more flexibility but if you choose to go big, then it might be vital that you highlight this question with your designer. Make sure you do a practice run prior to the day to figure out the most practical way of using the bathroom without having to take off the dress entirely.

    What happens to the engagement ring?

    If you and your partner decide to exchange wedding bands in addition to your engagement ring, you may prefer to keep your ring fingers “clear” for the big moment. People have different traditions and beliefs so this is really an important thing to discuss with your partner before the wedding.

    You will find that some slip it back on after the ceremony or before they meet and greet guests or head off for photographs. Others might leave it safely back home.

    How’s everyone getting to the reception?

    Transport for your guests is one of the most important things to consider when planning a wedding. Will the people you are inviting bring their own cars? Does the venue accommodate cars? Are you going to opt for the casual approach in which everyone finds their own way or bus or a string of limos? Make sure all the guests are informed about the arrangements.

    Is it okay to request that guests wear a certain colour?

    It is your wedding day and the colour of the day should be something you come up with. However, it might be unreasonable to expect guests to wear only a certain colour, style or theme. We say the best way is to let everyone wear what makes them feel comfortable. You can always show the colour scheme of the wedding on the invitation, and add a playful hint that everyone is welcome to dress up accordingly. However, make sure there is no pressure.

    What’s the backup plan?

    There are many aspects of your wedding day over which you have a lot of control. Unfortunately, there are others you absolutely do not. So, it’s important to have a backup plan in case anything changes, like a storm occurring at an outdoor wedding.

    Will you be exchanging gifts?

    Many couples exchange gifts on their wedding day and some even give gifts to the parents of their partner. It’s a good idea to have a discussion prior to the actual day about whether you want to give presents or not and what is expected.

    Picture: Unsplash

    A summer honeymoon spent by the beach is the perfect way to unwind after a stressful few months of wedding planning. However, you don’t want to overpack or spend too much on multiple outfits that will break the bank.

    We’ve got the perfect solution. Tegan Glen, a Cape Town-based photographer, created her brand Summer Glen after struggling for many years to find the perfect fitting swimsuit (like many) and took it on herself to design a swim piece that would both look sexy and support women.

    After months of research and careful consideration to several women’s swimwear concerns, the “Infinite” range was born.

    The design:

    This inventive suit features multi-way straps allowing one to style their swimsuit for any occasion. Due to the adjustable straps, the swimsuit supports A-DD cup sizes, making it even more size-inclusive.

    The high leg style avoids cutting over the hips and lengthens legs, providing a more flattering fit. Double lining in the black and triple lining in the coral creates a comfortable, supportive swimsuit and avoids any possibility of sheerness.

    Sustainability:

    A fashionable suit made with sustainability in mind, what more could you want? The swimsuit fabric is made from Repreve fabric, which is created from recycled plastic. All tags are made from recycled paper, and ribbon is used to attach tags rather than plastic.

    The brand also offers scrunchies made from fabric offcuts to avoid unnecessary waste during production.

    Online orders are couriered in mailer bags made from cornstarch. Customers can put the bags in their compost heap immediately.

    Summer Glen can be purchased directly online at https://summerglen.co.za

    Picture/s: supplied

    A man appeared to have married four brides during one ceremony in Limpopo this past weekend. In a video circulating on social media, the groom and his four brides can be seen enjoying their recent nuptials.

    The wedding is believed to have taken place in a village in Limpopo called Ga-Makgeru on November 8, 2020. In the video, the four brides and the groom are captured happily dancing into the tent packed with amused guests where the ceremony was going to be.

    Three of the brides were wearing similar dresses and one of the four stood out in a long sleeve dress.

    Polygamy is no foreign concept in most South African cultures, but it is unusual for mutiple marriages to occur on the same day. Typically, couples host seperate ceremonies over time.

    While bigamy is a punishable offence in South Africa, customary marriages operate differently. According to Home Affairs, if a male person is already in a customary marriage and wishes to enter into another customary marriage he has to, at his own cost, get a court order from a competent court which will regulate his future matrimonial property system.

    It is also possible for a male person who is already in a customary marriage to enter into a civil marriage. They should follow the normal procedure for civil marriages.

    Polygamy is legal under certain circumstances in South Africa. The circumstances include practices of various cultures and religions in South Africa. There are no religions or cultures that recognise a woman having multiple husbands, so polygamy is typically understood as one man having mutiple wives.

    Also read: What you need to know about polygamy in South Africa

    Picture: Unsplash