Kirsten Jacobs, Author at Wedding ETC

In Bridal Shower

Relaxing bachelorette party ideas for the chilled bride

December 1, 2025 No Comments

Not one for the club scene? That’s perfectly acceptable. With all the stress of wedding planning, a nice relaxing weekend with your best girls is a great way to calm your nerves.

Low-key brides wanting to do something a little different to the traditional bachelorette rager can opt for more serene experiences designed to soothe those frazzled nerves and get you ready for your big day. Here are a few fun activities to consider.

Spa Day:

Who doesn’t love a spa day? A fresh set of nails, a massage and a facial can do wonders, especially when you’re feeling tense from wedding planning.

You can arrange for a group spa day at a local beauty salon or wellness centre, or you could even have them come to you. Allow your guests to pick from an assortment of treatments, and throw in some delicious light snacks and infused water to complete the vibe.

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Yoga:

Feeling tense? Maybe you need to work out those muscles! Yoga is a great way to ease stress and get your body moving in a low impact workout that will leave you feeling calm.

You can have a yoga instructor come to you to host a yoga class, complete with breathing exercises, and guided meditation. If you want to add a unique element, you could even try goat yoga!

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Staycation:

Live the life of luxury without even leaving your city. There are so many incredibly Airbnb listings across South Africa, allowing people to book out entire villas overlooking mesmerising views.

All your guests can pool together to book a place with enough space for everyone in a central area. You can spend the weekend chilling poolside, cooking up meals with your besties, and bonding.

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Wine tasting:

Wine tasting is a national sport in the Western Cape. With so many wineries to choose from, locals are truly spoilt for choice.

For a safe experience, we suggest taking a trip on the Franschhoek wine tram, a hop-on-hop-off service connecting you to six wine estates in the Franschhoek Valley.

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Yacht life:

What’s more luxurious than lounging on a luxury yacht? Spend the day cruising away with 360° views and sunshine warming you up.

You don’t need a specific destination, a local cruise is perfect. Most boats are equipped with sound systems so you can DJ the day while you work on your tan, and menu and bar options are typically available as well.

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ALSO SEE: Nadia Jaftha announces her engagement

Nadia Jaftha announces her engagement

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In Accessories

Sweet inscriptions to have engraved in your ring

November 25, 2025 No Comments

Having your ring engraved is an excellent way to personalise your engagement ring. It allows couples to write sweet messages of devotion to one another, and keep it close to their hearts.

But what do you inscribe on such an important piece of jewellery? Considering you will (hopefully) wear your ring forever, you’ll want something meaningful to look back on.

You don’t have that much space on a ring, so a shorter phrase is ideal. Here are some cute words to have permanently written on your ring.

Dates and symbols

Your wedding date
The date you met
Your initials
Co-ordinates to where you first met

Words and phrases

I Love You
Always and forever
Until eternity
Never to part
Perfect fit
Finders keepers
Je t’aime
Better together
Till death
I do

ALSO SEE: Buying vs. Hiring Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Costs & Considerations

Buying vs. Hiring Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Costs & Considerations

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In Advice

How to pull off the ‘Natural glam’ makeup look

July 10, 2022 No Comments

‘Natural’ and ‘glam’ are two words that are seemingly opposites, yet an entire makeup style is dedicated to bringing these two styles together. This makeup style is perfect for the bride wanting a touch of glamour without feeling like they are wearing too much makeup.

It is typically characterised by a soft brown blown-out smokey eye and false lashes, paired with a natural skin finish. A bold, full brow helps to frame the face.

The key is to opt for a dewy-finish foundation with medium coverage and keep the skin makeup light. Don’t go crazy with the undereye concealer and use bronzer instead of contour for a softer finish. Use your perfect nude lipstick to complete the look. Top it with a gloss to look extra sweet.

Here are some tutorials to help you pull it off:

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In Advice

Honeymoon destinations inspired by TV shows

May 17, 2022 No Comments

It’s time to ring in your recent nuptials with a heavenly honeymoon. If you’re a super-fan of a particular show, why not make your getaway an extra special trip by visiting their filming locations? Even if you haven’t seen these shows, these destinations promise memorable moments with your love.

Dubrovnik, Croatia – Game of Thrones

While many Croatian cities doubled up as filming locations for the popular HBO series, Game of Thrones, none are more famous than Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik’s old town is home to the show’s Kings Landing, capital of the mythical Seven Kingdoms. There are multiple locations throughout old town that will be immediately recognisable to GOT fans. Most famously, Queen Cersei did her walk of shame right here at the Jesuit Staircase. Scenes were also filmed on the City Walls and the West Harbour, at the entrance of the old town, where the battle of Blackwater Bay was shot.

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Niagara Falls, Canada – The Office

Considering The Office is one of the most loved TV shows of all time, this is one destination many would be thrilled at. Fan favourites Jim and Pam famously got married under the falls. After growing incredibly stressed, Jim and Pam ditch their wedding plans the day of, instead hopping aboard a ferry and getting hitched in a private ceremony officiated by the ship’s captain.

Retrace their steps by taking a ferry to the falls and visit the Hornblower. Don’t forget to end the evening with a moonlit stroll along the brightly illuminated Falls.

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Paris – Sex and the City

You’ll need little encouragement to visit the city of love and lights, but we’ll give you one anyway. Sex and the City, the iconic early-2000s show detailing the lives of four New York women, is much-loved by fans. While Carrie and the girls call New York home, she found herself glamorously living in Paris in the final season. Channel your inner Carrie and Big with a romantic trip to Paris. Make sure to stop off at the Plaza Athénée where she stayed, and take a romantic stroll on Le Pont Des Arts, the Lovers Bridge, where Carrie and Big famously reunited.

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New York – Gossip Girl / Friends

The Big Apple is full of filming locations open to the public. Fan-favourite Gossip Girl had every viewer wishing they could live in the upper West Side. For most of us, our closest bet to living their glamorous lives is by is visiting the filming locations. From the Palace Hotel where it-girl Serena Van der Woodsen lived to the steps of the Met where the girls of Constance would congregate, you will love living it up in New York. Xoxo, Gossip Girl.

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California – American Horror Story

Take a trip to California for a spooky spin on your honeymoon. Los Angeles is home to an incredibly famous, and incredibly eerie, house. The Alfred Rosenheim Mansion, or Murder House as American Horror Story (AHS) fans know it, is actually a popular filming location, having appeared in Spider-Man and Seabiscuit. Other notable filming locations you can visit include Cecil Hotel, which appeared in season 5, and Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana, home to Briarcliff Asylum in Season Two.

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England – Downton Abbey & The Crown

Fans or Downton Abbey and The Crown will have a royal time in England. Travellers can visit central filming location, Highclere Castle, which viewers will know as Downton manor, as well as a host of other beautiful buildings featured on the show.

Lovers of the British Monarchy-centred show, The Crown, can visit Lancaster House in Westminster, which serves as the filming location for Buckingham Palace’s recreated State Rooms. Or, if you want, you can visit the real place itself and pop down to Buckingham Palace to bask in royalty.

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In Advice

How to plan your outfit when attending a wedding

May 16, 2022 No Comments

With the constant evolution of wedding themes, trends and styles, picking an appropriate and stylish wedding outfit can seem like a challenging task. But with more modern traditions coming into place, there are plenty of options for the perfect wedding guest attire.

Before you pull an outfit out of your closet, there are a few key things to consider.

Embrace the season

Whether it’s spring, summer, winter or autumn, match your outfit to the season. Florals are beautiful for spring, while bright colours are better suited to summer, and darker shades for winter. Of course, you’ll want to layer up and wear thicker fabrics if attending a winter wedding, whereas light, flowy fabrics are ideal for a hot summer event.

Location, location, location:

Stiletto heels are not ideal for a beach wedding and a casual summer dress will seem out of place at a grand hotel. The location of the wedding will let you know the type of vibe you can go for. Remember, a chilled backyard party is very different from a glamorous estate so choose wisely.

Follow the dress code:

The easiest way to know what to wear to a wedding is to follow the dress code. From casual or semi-formal to black tie, this stipulation will give you clear guidelines on the type of outfit you may choose. It’s important to follow the bridal couple’s wishes, so make sure to stick to their plan to fit into the environment.

Prioritise comfort:

There’s nothing worse than finding blisters all over your feet at the end of the evening from your uncomfortable shoes, or constantly having to rearrange your dress so that it doesn’t slip down/up/off! Before you decide on an outfit, make sure you can walk, dance, sit and be comfortable in your outfit.

Do not wear white:

White is reserved for the bride on her big day. Unless it’s been stipulated in the wedding invitation that the dress code is white, this colour is out of bounds for anyone not tying the knot. Close shades like cream are also frowned upon.

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In Advice

Unique honeymoon stays in South Africa

May 8, 2022 No Comments

A honeymoon is already a romantic trip, but why not make it even more special with an unusual destination? Standard hotel rooms and airbnbs are are fun but they’re also a little bit predictable.

South Africa has a few weird and wonderful locations that you can call ‘home’ for a few days while celebrating your newly wedded bliss. Here are a few of our favourites.

Old Mac Daddy

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Just an hour out of Cape Town and set amongst the apple orchards, Old Mac Daddy offers open spaces, mountain paths, a lakeside beach and plenty of outdoor activities. Part caravan park, part designer farm lodge – this little hotel is truly unique.

They have a sleek collection of 12 themed vintage Airstream Trailer Suites, each uniquely designed by some of Cape Town’s top artists and designers.

Visit the website HERE.

Rovos Rail

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Since its establishment in 1989, Rovos Rail has earned an international reputation for its truly world-class travel experiences. In a series of bespoke train journeys lasting from 48 hours to 15 days, Rovos Rail links some of the continent’s greatest destinations with a variety of off-train excursions.

The vintage carriage offers 3 suite types: Royal, Deluxe and Pullman. The suites accommodate one or two passengers with the option of double or twin beds. All have en-suites with shower, toilet, basin and bath (Royal only), tea facilities, safes, air conditioning, linen and amenities and are serviced daily.

Visit the website HERE.

Kagga Kamma Cave Suites

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Go back into nature and live like our forefathers, albeit it in a much more luxurious way. Kagga Kamma in the Swartruggens region of the Cederberg Mountains offers ten unique man-made ‘Cave’ Suites that were skilfully constructed to integrate with the natural Sandstone formations.

The facade of the ‘Cave’ Suites are man-made, while the back interior wall is natural sandstone. Each ‘Cave’ Suite has a small terrace with a view and is simply furnished with comfort in mind. Each ‘Cave’ is equipped with a double bed, air-conditioner, and coffee/tea making facilities, en-suite bathroom, bathrobes, hairdryer and complimentary toiletries.

Visit their website HERE.

Speekhout treehouse, Eastern Cape

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Live out your childhood fantasies by staying in a real-life treehouse. Speekhout offer an adult wooden treehouse built in the boughs of an ancient sprawling red Karee tree (Rhus Lancea). The dwelling is enveloped by the branches of a living tree, with lush vegetation and bush as a private garden
It is free-standing and away from other guest accommodation on the farm, also making it naturally private.

Equipped as a self-catering getaway with gas and electricity, the Tree House also has a newly installed enclosed fireplace making cold karoo winter nights warm inside. There is an outdoor braai area for starry summer nights and mountain views alike.

Visit their website HERE.

Houseboat Myrtle, Knysna Lagoon

Spend the day floating over the Knysna lagoon on the Houseboat Myrtle, a totally self-contained wooden cottage on the water. Myrtle is one of the original Knysna houseboats and has a lovely wood finish inside. With its two decks, it’s perfect for lazy days floating on the lagoon. From the deck, you can enjoy views of the lagoon, the quays and the Knysna Heads, catch fish or just relax…

The boat is moored in a permanent location, yet turns with the changing tides or winds, giving you the variety of the 360 Degrees views of Knysna from both decks. You can even lay in bed and watch as the boat turns and changes your bed view.

Visit their website HERE.

Picture: Instagram / Old Mac Daddy

In Accessories

Wedding veils that will wow a crowd

February 24, 2022 No Comments

A wedding is a time-honoured occasion featuring unique traditions that have been around for decades and even centuries. One such tradition is the bridal veil.

Brides have worn veils for a number of symbolic and religious reasons. From warding off evil spirits in ancient Greece to displaying a woman’s virtue in Christianity, the veil has become a traditional wedding garment over the centuries.

However, in today’s world, wearing a veil is entirely optional. If you do decide to wear one and have a flair for the dramatic, why not go for a bold veil? Deck out your veil in pearls, crystals, lace, flowers, and more to give it a unique edge. Go long and voluminous for extra oomph.

If you need some inspiration, look no further. Here are some fantastic veils you’ll fall in love with:

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In Advice

Shining a spotlight on South Africa’s most beautiful wedding venues

March 17, 2021 No Comments

There is no end to South Africa’s beauty. The country is blessed with stunning natural scenery from coast and mountains to the bustling city and relaxing Cape Winelands.

If you’re on the market for your dream venue, look no further. We’ve compiled some of our favourite locations across the country that will be the perfect backdrop to your big day

Blaauklippen

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Down to earth with a rich history and winemaking tradition, Blaauwklippen is one of the oldest wine farms in Stellenbosch. Pick from the Manor House Lawn, Manor House Terrace, the Greenhouse and The Cathedral for your big day.