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    Kirsten Jacobs

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    One year after their engagement, Katy Perry is giving us an inside-look into her and fiance Orlando Bloom’s celebratory party.

    In an Instagram post, Perry shared never-before-seen images from the couples engagement party. In the black-and-white images, the happy couple can be seen celebrating with their friends and family. Guests are seen wearing matching ‘OK’ hoodies to represent Orlando and Katy.

    The pair became engaged on Valentines Day 2019 when Bloom proposed to Perry with a unique, flower-shaped ring during a private helicopter flight. Bloom and Perry had previously dated from 2016-2017 but amicably split. Luckily, their love proved too great and they reunited in 2018.

    “One year ago I said yes to a life of love and evolution… and definitely never a dull moment ?”, she captioned the series of images on Instagram. Take a look at their awesome party below.

    With a party like this, we can’t wait to see their wedding!

    Feature image: Instagram / Katy Perry

    One wedding trend that won’t be going out of style is classic boho. Characterised by warm-tones and odes to nature, the boho style is perfect for the free-spirited couple. Its romantic and relaxed yet vibrant. This style can easily be brought into any element of your big day, from your wedding dress all the way to your cake.

    Get creative by incorporating colour, dried botanicals and unique shapes haphazardly into your wedding cake. The result will be nothing short of marvelous. Here are some beautifully boho treats to inspire you.

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    Feature image: Unsplash

    Everyone has that one food-obsessed friend that is constantly coming up with delightful dishes. They know the best brunch spots, are expert food-and-wine pairers and can detect flavours you haven’t even thought of. If your foodie friend is getting married, you’re in luck. Shopping for someone who has a clear passion always makes your job that much easier. Bonus: gifting newlyweds with food-related gifts is not only up their alley, it also prepares them for their new life together.

    Here are some ideas to spoil your favourite foodie on their big day:

    Humble & Mash Oil & Vinegar Pourer – R139 on YuppieChef

    Le Creuset spoon rest (25cm) – R 369  on @Home

    Jamie Oliver Pizza Stone and Serving Rack, 33cm – R549 on YuppieChef

    Spaza Madiba Dish And Bowl Cover – R179 on Faithful to Nature

    The Great South African Cookbook – R 464 on Exclusive Books

     

    André Verdier carving set – R469 on Superbalist

    Personalised Braai Master Tong Bag – R399 on Netflorist

    An interactive cooking class with The Kitchen Collective – R875 per person

    Acacia Wood Knife Block Set (6pieces) – R799 on @Home

    Yuppiechef Gift Boxes Deli Gift Box – R739 on Yuppiechef 

    Feature image: Unsplash

    They’re one of the most iconic couples to ever walk this Earth. Victoria and David Beckham, or Posh and Becks as they’re affectionately referred to, have been married for over two decades and have kept us entertained throughout. While they’ve definitely elevated their style game since then, we’ll never forget the truly memorable fashion choices they made on their big day. Let’s take a look back at their over-the-top wedding day…

    Posh and Becks said ‘I do’ on July 4, 1999 in a truly 90s way. For their big day, they settled on the Luttrellstown Castle in the outskirts of Dublin in Clonsilla. Working with wedding planner Peregrine Armstrong-Jones, the couple chose a ‘Robin Hood’ theme with a dark, rich colour scheme. Instead of flowers, Victoria opted for berries, twigs and brambles to carry in her bouquet.

    The event was dubbed the ‘celebrity wedding of the year’ and even required police presence to keep crowds away from the festivities.

    Victoria wore a strapless silk Vera Wang gown with corset detail and a 20-foot train. To top of the look, Posh donned an 18-carat gold tiara, while David went bold in an all-white suit and cravat. Their four-month-old first child Brooklyn matched his parents in a white suit of his own.

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    Surprisingly, the wedding ceremony itself was quite small. The pair only had 29 people witness their vow exchange. After the couple said their ‘I do’s”, a flag reading ‘ V. B. D.’ (for Victoria, Brooklyn and David, naturally) was raised above the castle and a dove was released.

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    Their reception was a greater affair, boasting 230 guests including Victoria’s fellow Spice Girls Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown and Melanie Chisholm, as well as Manchester United teammate Gary Neville who acted as David’s best man. During the reception, Posh and Becks, who changed into matching purple outfits, sat atop golden thrones and shared their first dance to “It Had To Be You.” They also cut into their untraditional wedding cake decorated with apples and greenery with a sword.

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    Also read: A look at Victoria Beckham’s 14 wedding rings

    Feature image: Instagram / David Beckham

    ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’. The age old Victorian era saying still holds weight today with many couples who opt to incorporate it into their big day.

    Representing the sky and the ocean, blue is symbolic of freedom, imagination, inspiration, and sensitivity. Its a gentle hue that offers calming properties. ‘Cool blue’ is also the Pantone colour of the year, and its already popping up everywhere. Stay on trend by incorporating this colour into your wedding decor. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

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    Also read: The meaning behind ‘something old, new, borrowed and blue’

    Feature image: Unsplash

    Planning your big day can easily become overwhelming. With so many moving parts, it’s easy to forget certain things. Protect yourself against these unexpected problems by doing your research and fact-checking these important details with your wedding vendors.

    – Their payment structure

    The majority of vendors will require a deposit and then the remainder of the balance in instalments. Make sure you know exactly when certain amounts are due so that you can plan your finances ahead.

    – What is included in the price

    This goes without saying, but you need to be exact on what you’ll be receiving with each service. Some venues, for example, might not include cleaning in their fee which would then be an extra expense you have to cover.

    – Whether they have liability insurance

    Liability insurance protects a company’s assets and pays for obligations such as medical costs and damage to property, giving you peace of mind should something serious go wrong.

    – If they have decor restrictions

    Your vision of floral chandeliers and (eco-friendly) glitter sparkling all over might be unattainable if your wedding venue is strict with what decor is allowed on site.

    – If they’re accessible for handicapped guests

    It’s incredibly important to cater to your wedding guests, and if any of them require wheelchair ramps, railings or any other services, your wedding venue should ideally provide them for you.

    If you may you pick your own vendors

    Some wedding venues have approved lists of vendors that can be used, so it’s important to check if you can bring in your own.

    – Their cancellation policy

    If for any reason, you need to cancel this service, it’s best to know how far in advance you have to do it to get your money (or at least some of it) back.

    – If they have on-site parking

    This one’s a biggie. If your guests are travelling far in cars, they’re going to need somewhere to park.

    – Their backup plan in the event of last-minute change

    Rain, extra guests, food shortages…Accidents happen and it’s always best to have a backup plan. Ideally, your wedding vendor has a plan in place for this last-minute occurrences.

    – Overtime fees

    Sometimes the party is too good to end. In the event of going overtime, you don’t want to be surprised with an exorbitant bill from your wedding vendors. Make sure to check their rates before the big day so that you’re prepared come wedding day.

    – Whether they cater to LGBTQI+ couples

    Many vendors are quite traditional and do not offer their services to those who belong to the LGBTQI+ community. If this does not fall in line with your beliefs, it’s best to know before you agree to work with a specific wedding vendor.

    – Ask for references!

    It’s a great idea to check in with other couples who have worked with these vendors about their experiences to get a more realistic view of the service you can expect.

    Also read: Hidden costs to consider when wedding planning

    Feature image: Pexels

    Deep blue is the colour of royalty, so it is no surprise a rich sapphire stone would centre Kate Middleton’s engagement ring. Once belonging to Princess Diana, this iconic ring caused sapphire sales to skyrocket in 2010 following the royal engagement announcement. Even before this proposal, however, sapphires have been adored and coveted for their intense colouring.

    The name of this precious gemstone comes from the Greek word ‘sappheiros’ and the Latin word ‘saphirus’, both of which translate to mean blue. Despite the name, however, sapphires come in a range of colours from blue to yellow to pink. The only colour is cannot present as is red as it would then be considered a ruby. Naturally, blue is the most coveted colour variant.

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    Sapphire is one of the four main precious gemstones, including diamonds, rubies and emeralds. While found all over the world, the highest-quality and most prestigious sapphires come from Kashmir, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Montana.

    The stone is believed to have healing properties, and is regarded as the stone of mental focus and order, inner vision and psychic awareness. Chakra theory also believes that sapphires help open one’s third eye, thus allowing wisdom and insight to enter.

    This stone is much loved by celebrities such as Princess Diana, Penelope Cruz and Elizabeth Taylor.

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    Coloured stones have been trending in the engagement world for the past few years, and sapphire makes an excellent choice because it can double up as your ‘something blue’. When picking one out, always refer to the four Cs: colour, cut, clarity and carat.

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    In today’s times, you have to be creative with your proposal. This guy decided to go over-the-top, literally, with his proposal and sent an engagement ring to space.

    Capt. Stuart Shippee of the 393rd Bomb Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, popped the big question to his girlfriend Marie Lisman in a very creative way by launching a weather balloon into space with a decoy engagement ring attached to it. Lisman thought they were sending a military challenge coin up with the balloon, but Shippee swopped it for a ring at the last moment.

    The ring travelled a far distance, reaching a height of over 90 000 feet, about three times the cruising altitude of a 747, before bursting and plummeting back to Earth. The balloon landed in a nearby cornfield and once the group found the ring, Shippee went down on one knee with the real ring. Of course, Lisman said yes!

    “When I first picked up the balloon payload, I did not see the imitation ring until I looked down and [Shippee] was on his knee,” Lisman told Military.com. “I was speechless! After the long day and difficult search for the payload I was very happy to have the ending be so special.”

    Watch the video of this amazing proposal below:

    Feature image: Youtube

    Proposals are always meaningful, and it’s great to have a photographer capture that special moment. But what if Google is your photographer? One German man was surprised to discover that his epic proposal was caught on Google Maps.

    32-year-old part-time farmer Steffen Schwarz proposed to his partner last May with a dramatic proposal that involved a public message and drones. Schwartz used a corn-planting machine to write a message into his two-hectare (five-acre) field in Huettenberg, central Germany that would be visible aerially. The message read “Will you marry me?” in German. Schwartz then had his girlfriend fly a drone over the field to read the message. Of course, she said yes.

    “At first she couldn’t see it [the proposal] because the drone wasn’t flying high enough. But when she realised, she said yes immediately,” Schwartz told German news agency DPA.

    The story would have ended there if it weren’t for Schwartz’s aunt. His relative was on Google Maps and happened to come across an image of Schwartz’s proposal!

    The couple plan to marry in June 2020, and will once again pull out their drone for some epic photography.

    Feature image: Google Maps

    Mere months after Northern Ireland officially legalised same-sex marriage, Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, from Belfast made history by becoming the first-ever lesbian couple to tie the knot in the region.

    Activists in Northern Ireland have been fighting for years for same-sex marriage to be legalised in the country that has a conservative Christian majority. Despite homosexuality being decriminalised in the region in 1967 and various other parts of the UK legalising same-sex marriage over the years, the ban remained until recently. In October 2019, both abortion and same-sex marriage were legalised in Northern Ireland, leading many to celebrate their newly found freedom to make their own choices with their bodies.

    Now, this deserving couple became the first same-sex pair to legally marry in Northern Ireland. The couple had their ceremony in Carrickfergus, County Antrim on February 11, 2020, also the date of their six year anniversary.

    “We didn’t expect to be the first couple, it’s coincidental,” Edwards told The Guardian. “Today is our six-year anniversary so we wanted to go ahead with a civil partnership but when the bill was passed it was perfect timing and it was a complete coincidence, a happy coincidence. We couldn’t be more grateful.”

    “For Northern Ireland, we need to be the face of the people to show everyone it’s OK,” adds Peoples. “We fought so long and hard for this opportunity to be seen as equal and now we are here and it’s just amazing.”

    “We feel humbled that our wedding is a landmark moment for equal rights in Northern Ireland. We didn’t set out to make history – we just fell in love.”

    Feature image: Instagram