Kirsten Jacobs, Author at Wedding ETC

In Accessories

Domino’s unveils R130k pizza engagement ring

February 5, 2020 No Comments

Talk about a cheesy proposal! Popular restaurant chain Domino’s is giving one lucky Australian patron the chance to win a pizza-shaped engagement ring to the value of $9,000 (R133 398).

Domino’s Australia recognises that pizza is such a big part of relationships, so it makes sense this Italian treat would feature in an engagement.

“How many great love stories have started over a slice? How many awkward dates have been saved by the arrival of the pizza delivery?” Domino’s Chief Marketing Officer Allan Collins explains. “Pizza is made to be shared with the ones we love, so this year we want to honour that with something really special and help create the greatest, if not the cheesiest, proposal ever.”

The ring up for grabs is made of 18-carat yellow and white gold and features a pizza slice on top of it made out of ‘cheese’ and ‘pepperoni’ rubies.

To stand the chance to win the ring, customers must submit a 30-second video on their official contest page explaining how they would involve pizza in their proposal.

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Would you wear this ring?

Feature image: Twitter / Domino’s Australia

In Decor

A magical Greatest Showman-themed wedding

February 5, 2020 No Comments

Ever loved something so much you made it your wedding theme? This couple did. Their love of the musical The Greatest Showman was so great, they just knew they had to incorporate it into their big day.

Julia and Kurtis Moellmann from Orlando, Florida are both huge fans of the circus. So much so that the pair, both of whom work at Ripley Entertainment Inc. knew it had to be a part of their wedding

“Kurtis and I grew up loving the circus,” Julia told Business Insider. “I used to take my mother — who had recently passed away suddenly due to brain cancer — to the circus every Mother’s Day.”

“It describes our lives, our current jobs, and what we both love,” she explains their love of the circus. “When we’re not at work, we’re at a local circus or searching for oddities that might be found in a circus sideshow.”

A year before their wedding, the couple watched The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Zendaya. They fell in love with the musical, rewatching it over and over again. The film’s aesthetic matched perfectly with their personalities, so they decided to recreate it for their big day.

Their barn-like wedding venue was transformed into a circus tent with draping red and white fabrics hung from the ceiling.

Both Julia and Kurtis wore circus-inspired outfits, with Kurtis dressing like a ringleader.

Credit: Instagram / Nick and Lauren Photography

To go with the theme, carnival snacks like popcorn and snow cones were on offer, as well as food stands featuring burgers, pizza, chicken, fries, and funnel cake.

“We had freak-show posters, circus photo ops, and everyone was given a clown nose at their place setting,” Julia adds. The pair even had a miniature horse to pose with them for photos.

Their guests loved this unique take on a wedding.

“Kurtis and I aren’t your average white dress, church wedding people, so it was a nice break for everyone overall,” Julia explains. “You can only eat so many badly cooked steaks and watch couples frolic down a church aisle so many times without falling asleep,” she said of traditional weddings.

Check out more of their work on their website.

Feature image: Unsplash

In Accessories

Bridal hats to have you brimming with confidence

February 4, 2020 No Comments

Accessories finish off your look, so why not go bold with a bridal hat? Bridal hats are definitely having a moment. From the runway to the royal family, we’ve seen this trend be rocked to perfection.

These hats are typically worn pre- or post reception, the best time to truly experiment and have fun with your look. Bridal hats are perfect for summer weddings to shield your face from the sun and hopefully protect your makeup from melting.

Beyond this, bridal hats can be effortlessly chic and classy. Regardless of your wedding theme, theres a style for you. A simple and clean wide-brimmed hat will give you old-school glamour, while a straw-hat adorned with flowers will scream boho luxe.

Take some inspiration from these fashion-forward brides:

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Feature image: Unsplash

In Celebs

The most expensive celebrity wedding dresses

February 4, 2020 No Comments

Celebrities are known to lead a lavish life of excess, and it’s no surprise they would splash out big bucks on their big day. For many, the focal point of a wedding is the wedding dress, which can cost quite a bit of money.

Of course, money is no issue for celebrities, with many spending millions on their dream dress. These are the most expensive celebrity wedding dresses of all time.

Grace Kelly – $65,000 (over R960 00)

Grace Kelly exemplifies class, and her wedding dress was no different. The iconic film star turned royal stunned in a long-sleeve, high-necked victorian-style gown with lace detailing for her 1956 wedding to Monaco’s Prince Rainier III. The dress, which featured hand-sewn pearls and 125-year-old lace from Brussels, reportedly retails for over R960 00.

Jessica Biel – $100,000 (R1 477 290)

Jessica Biel opted against tradition by wearing a blush-coloured gown for her 2012 wedding to Justin Timberlake. The Giambattista Valli Haute Couture number featured delicate ruffles and is estimated to be worth R1 477 290.

Victoria Beckham – $100,000 (R1 477 290)

Posh Spice never disappoints when it comes to fashion. For her 1999 wedding to David Beckham, she wore a champagne-coloured Vera Wang number complete with a 6-metre train, estimated to be worth R1 477 290. She still owns the dress and plans to pass it down to her daughter Harper.

Princess Diana – $115,000 (R1 698 883)

Princess Diana’s wedding dress has gone down in history as the most iconic gown to ever exist. The Alexander McQueen ivory taffeta gown was adorned with sequins, frilled lace and 10 000 pearls. It’s thus no surprise that it would fetch a pretty penny, with an estimated cost of R1 698 883.

Elizabeth Taylor – $187,931 (R2 776 285)

This iconic actress has said ‘I do’ a record 8 times, but her most famous one was her very first back in 1950. At the tender age of 18, the starlet married Conrad “Nicky” Hilton (great-uncle to Paris and Nicky and heir to the Hilton hotel empire) in a gorgeous princess-cut satin gown featuring pearl embroidery. In 2013, the dress went up for auction and sold for R2 776 285.

Mariah Carey – $250,000 (R3 693 225)

It was a stunningly expensive dress never-to-be-worn. Mariah Carey was set to marry billionaire businessman James Packer back in 2018 but their engagement was unfortunately called off. Fans did, however, catch a glimpse of her custom Valentino wedding dress in her music video for her song, ‘I Don’t’. The dress was worth a reported R3 693 225.

Amal Clooney – $380,000 (R5 613 702)

The beautiful human-rights lawyer tied the knot with George Clooney in a stunning Italian ceremony. She chose Oscar de la Renta to design her perfect dress, which would be the last one this iconic designer would create before his passing in 2014. The off-the-shoulder wedding dress was appliquéd with fourteen yards of Chantilly lace and was hand-embroidered with pearls and diamante stones, and reportedly retails for R5 613 702.

Kate Middleton – $434,000 (R6 411 438)

Another royal to inspire countless copycat wedding dresses, Kate Middleton’s gown is still much loved today. Created by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the Victorian-inspired dress featured lace appliqué , hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace, 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops and a two-metre long train. All of this was achieved for the price of R6 411 438.

Kim Kardashian – $500,000 (R7 386 450)

Would it be a list about excess if it didn’t include Kim Kardashian? The reality star turned businesswoman wowed the crowd in a custom Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy Haute Couture design for her 2014 wedding to Kanye West. The long-sleeved dress featured sheer paneling and cutouts, and is said to be worth R7 386 450.

Victoria Swarovski – $1 million (R14 772 900)

She may not be a household name but her surname is. Heiress to the Swarovski fortune, Victoria Swarovski, shook the world when she wed Munich-based entrepreneur Werner Mürz in an over-the-top, three-day extravaganza back in 2017. Of course, the dress was adorned with, you guessed it, Swarovski crystals. 50o 000, to be exact. The custom-made gown was designed by Michael Cinco, weighed about 45 kg and is worth more than R14 772 900.

Feature image: Instagram

In Advice

Tim Moolman: Not your average wedding photographer

February 4, 2020 No Comments

Wedding photographers are a dime a dozen, but this one truly stands out. An official photographer to the British Royal Family, Tim Moolman has captured some famous moments. His love of wedding photography, however, has become career-defining.

Widely recognised as South Africa’s leading documentary wedding photographer, Moolman’s work is iconic. He is a rare breed of professional photographer, able to capture photographs in many different genres – and do it well. He’s a Fujifilm X-Photographer ambassador, a passionate documentary photographer, and is also known for his skateboarding photography.

Surprisingly, this artist only began capturing these moments at the age of 30, and quickly fell in love with it. He learned most of his skills on-the-job while working at a photography shop that hired out photographers for various events.

Through his wedding documentary work, it is clear to see that Moolman is a craftsman that blends into the background to capture those images brides and grooms might have wished were taken during their big day. Instead of the big moments, Moolman favours those smaller, more intimate exchanges. Some of his favourite moments of a wedding are when guests are interacting with the couple, congratulating them with hugs and kisses. Behind-the-scene photography tells the story of the moment, capturing smiles and tears, the joys of those who were there and, sometimes, the sadness that goes along with it.

“During a wedding, hundreds of random things happen every minute. There’s joy. Tension. Anticipation. Glee. Drama. Boisterous buttons seek to escape. Little fingers trail across spotless windows. Soggy (t)issues sit in the hands of emotional aunts. I see these little moments clearly – and wedding couples miss out on them, because you can’t be everywhere. But I am.”

“This is my passion, these are my images, this is your story.”

To couples, Moolman advises that they take the time to truly enjoy the day instead of focusing on all the things that may have gone wrong.

“No event ever runs 100% according to plan and I feel it’s far more important to focus on the love and joy with friends and family instead of worrying about some minor table decoration.”

Please visit his website or his Instagram to view more of his incredible work.

Feature image: supplied

In Celebs

Demi-Leigh and Tim Tebow honeymoon in the Maldives

February 4, 2020 No Comments

After a stunning and sophisticated Franschhoek wedding, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and Tim Tebow are unwinding with a relaxing honeymoon in the Maldives.

The pair seem to be really enjoying married life, and are sharing images from their romantic getaway with their followers. They are staying at the Soneva Jani hotel in the Maldives, taking in the beautiful views and stunning sunsets.

“Here’s to endless sunsets with you ❤️,” the former Miss Universe captions an image of the two as she kisses him on the cheek.

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Take a look at their romantic rendezvous below:

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Take a page from Dem-Leigh and Tim by planning your own island getaway! Here are the best island honeymoon destinations

Feature image: Instagram / Demi-Leigh Nel Peters

In News

Fried chicken, jelly and deadlifts: Inside a CrossFit wedding

February 3, 2020 No Comments

For some, fitness isn’t just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. No matter the place, it’s always a good time to get some pumps in. This CrossFit loving couple truly agree with this sentiment, so much so that they decided to have a deadlift competition at their wedding reception.

Ericka and Caleb Sommer from Colorado, USA, are both devout Cross-Fitters. The pair even met at a gym that they now run together. Of course, when it came time to tie the knot, they knew they wanted to incorporate their love of fitness.

“We wanted the ceremony to reflect our personalities — hungry, outgoing, and a little bit crazy,” Ericka told Popsugar.

So how do you incorporate their unique personalities? Well, first, their officiant fed Ericka fried chicken during the ceremony. “He knew I’d be hungry if we stood too long in our 20-minute ceremony, so he brought me a snack.”

Mid-ceremony fried chicken snack. Credit: Adam Houseman

She must have needed that protein for their next standout moment: a choreographed first-dance featuring a mini-dodgeball game between the bride and groom. As the pièce de résistance, the pair also had a Jell-O-eating contest, an ode to their favourite activity to do together: competitive eating. Following this, the pair go head-to-head yet again, this time in a deadlifting contest.

Deadlifting contest. Credit: Adam Houseman

“No one remembers you slow dancing to an Ed Sheeran song,” she says. “People remember you deadlifting in your wedding dress and diving on the floor to go face deep in a pie pan of colors-that-stain Jell-O.”

Chest bumping away fro their first dance. Credit: Adam Houseman

The pair also drank pre-workout shots with their guests instead of alcohol.

Pre-workout shots instead of alcohol for the wedding guests. Credit: Adam Houseman

Photographer Adam Houseman perfectly captured all of these unique moments. For more of his work, please visit his website: https://www.ahpphotos.com/

Feature image: Instagram / Ericka Sommer

In Destination

The tale of the travelling wedding dress

February 3, 2020 No Comments

Who says you can only wear a wedding dress once? This couple decided to make the bride’s wedding dress worth every cent by taking it along on their travels all over the world. The images they’ve since captured are nothing short of amazing.

Jeff and Jennifer Salvage met online and quickly fell in love. Once engaged, they decided on a destination wedding to Easter Island, and thus needed a wedding dress that could travel in a backpack. Jennifer’s dress, a Maggie Sottero gown, made the long 7 000 mile (11 265km) journey from their home in the United States to Easter Island.

Impressed by how well the dress held up, the pair then decided to take it along with them on their travels. Almost 12 years later, Jeff has taken photos of Jennifer all over the world in her iconic wedding dress.

They’ve been dogsledding in Iceland. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.

Hiking in France. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.

Horseback riding in the Bahamas – Holland America Cruise. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.

ZERO-G Experience® in Florida. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.

Thus far, the dress has travelled 308 635 miles (496 594 km) and has been in 50 countries, including Albania, Argentina, Croatia, Germany, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.

The pair typically go on two trips a year, and continue to do so because it keeps them close. “It’s very easy for couples to grow apart,” Jeff told Business Insider. “This is one way we have a common bond and drive.”

To see more images, visit their website: www.onewomanonedress.com

Feature image: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress

In Advice

Go green with these nature-inspired wedding cakes

February 3, 2020 No Comments

As couples turn more and more to natural finishes for their big day, plants are being given more and more power. Fresh, earthy greens are springing to perfection in wedding decor, from wedding bouquets to floral centrepieces. But what about your wedding cake?

As cake decorations, flowers are expected. So why not consider using leaves? They’re stunning, easy to gather and will add a fresh finish to your cake.

Here are some ideas to inspire you:

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Feature image: Unsplash

In Announcements

Model Jourdan Dunn announces engagement

February 3, 2020 No Comments

We’re only one month into 2020, and we have yet another celebrity engagement! Model Jourdan Dunn took to Instagram to announce her engagement to rap artist and streetwear label owner Dion “Sincere” Hamilton.

The model shared a playful picture covering her eyes and letting her new bling take centre stage. She captioned the image, “Jourdan Dunn Hamilton ……. has a nice ring to it! ????”

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Andrew Brown, WP Diamonds CEO, estimated the ring to be worth £22,000 (R432, 965)

“The ring on Jourdan Dunn’s engagement finger looks to be a 2ct oval with a large halo and diamond band. A nice colour clarity combination of G VS would retail for around £22,000.”

The pair began dating in 2019. Dunn is notoriously private about her relationship with Hamilton, and the only picture the couple have together covers Hamilton’s face.

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Congrats to the happy couple!

Feature image: Instagram /