Category

Diy

Category

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

The practice of carrying bouquets on a wedding day dates back to ancient times. Ancient Greeks, Romans and even Egyptians believed that carrying bunches of herbs and spices would ward off any bad luck during the wedding ceremony. Flowers were used to symbolise fidelity, happiness and new beginnings.

The modern wedding bouquet emerged during the Victorian age, and has become ornamental, as those marrying use specific flowers to communicate various romantic sentiments.

Here are some wedding bouquets that are made of unusual floral choices and other add-ons:

Feathers:

Source: Pinterest

Pine cones:

Source: Pinterest

Baby’s breath:

Source: Pinterest

Lavender: 

Source: Pinterest

Paper flowers:

Source: Pinterest

Bougainvillea:

Source: Pinterest

Juniper berries:

Source: Pinterest

Rosemary:

Source: Pinterest

Cabbage:

Source: Pinterest

Eucalyptus:

Source: Pinterest

Blue hydrangea:

Source: Pinterest

Succulents:

Source: Pinterest

Picture/s: Pinterest

Inviting your friends and family to your wedding day should not be taxing on the environment. The idea of posting your wedding invites is a thing of the past (or it should be) purely based on the carbon emissions that it takes to get your invite to each individual guest. Save costs and save the planet with these eco-friendly wedding invites.

 

E-vites

Inviting your guests to your wedding by way of email is a sure-fire way to protect the planet. Not only does it eliminate the risk of the invite getting “lost in the mail” but it gives your guest an effortless response mechanism. You can detail your invite as elaborately or minimalist as you please. It also allows you to keep track of who is and isn’t able to attend. Voila, planet saved.

 

Seed paper invites

If you’re old-school and want to send physical invites, fine, but be sure to use plantable seed paper. This can be sourced online. The paper is customisable and durable. Seed paper gives back to the planet by growing new plant life, in return for your carbon emission – unless you hand-delivered the invites in an electric car, of course.

Make your own invites

Again, if you want to keep things traditional, add an eco-spin. Make your own invites using compostable or seed paper, use environmentally-friendly ink and ensure no glue, wax, glitter or plastic is used in the process. Request that your guests RSVP electronically to you over email so that nothing gets lost along the way. By doing this you’ll have a digital record of attendees that can be used to send thank-you mailers out after the wedding. A win-win.

 

Tips to remember:

– Delivering invites means carbon emissions are offset into the atmosphere.

– Glitter is a micro-plastic and is harmful to the natural world so avoid it at all costs.

– Use seeded paper for all your wedding stationery, it helps the planet and small local businesses to thrive

– An e-vite really is the most eco-friendly option available if you’re looking to keep your wedding as clean as possible.

 

Image: Unsplash

 

 

Get beauty cosmetics at new Red Dot cosmetic shop in Cape Town

Red Dot Cosmetics aims to sell affordable and quality cosmetic products to consumers in South Africa – for facehandsaccessories or any skin & body part.

The name ‘Red Dot’ originated from sale prices which are displayed in a red circle, coining the phrase that customers can now get their favorite beauty products at decent prices.

The online store assures to deliver quality products and informative content about health and beauty. Shop items from the comfort of your own home on Red dot’s 100% secured e-commerce platform.  Operating times are Monday-Friday from 9h00-18h00. For online assistance or desperate queries please email [email protected].

Makeup online: Our list of beauty cosmetics

Lipstick, blush, eye shadow, highlighters, brushes, mascara, setting spray, lip liner, eye pencil, nails, treatment and more.

Contact information:

Website: https://www.reddotcosmetics.co.za

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reddotcosmetics/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reddotcosmetics/

Visit Red Dot products to find out more about this online makeup store.

Your engagement ring is probably one of your most prized possessions. For many, their engagement ring is also their most valuable piece of jewellery. Not to mention the sentimental value!

The ring is meant to last a lifetime. If you don’t take all the the necessary steps to care for it, it might get spoiled. However, jewellery care is not exactly common knowledge. So, you may be worried about your cluelessness on the subject and the condition of your ring… No need!

Here are some tips and tricks to help you ensure that your engagement ring stays in the best condition possible:

– Have it insured ASAP 

This should be one of the first things you do when you come into possession of an engagement ring. It will allow you to wear your ring without being constantly worried about it. Most insurance will cover loss, theft and damage.

– Keep the resizing to a minimum 

Having your engagement ring readjusted too many times can cause the metal to become fragile. This will make the ring more susceptible to damage. If your hands swell because of things like pregnancy, it’s best to store the ring away until it fits again, rather than having it resized.

– Buy some ring dishes

A simple but useful tip! Keeping a few ring dishes around the house will ensure that you don’t carelessly misplace it. Whenever you remove it from your finger, pop it in the ring dish and you’ll know exactly where to find it.

– Clean your ring 

The option to take your ring to the jeweller for a cleaning is available at most stores. However, cleaning your ring at home is quite easy. Fill a small bowl with lukewarm water and add a drop of dish detergent (ensure that it is not chlorine based). Leave the ring in the water for about 10 minutes, then remove it and scrub it with a soft bristled brush. Rinse the ring and dry it with a lint-free cloth or a hair-dryer.

– Remove your ring when necessary 

Swimming, exercising and manual labour are all activities that you should remove your ring for. If you’re going to the beach, for example, it may be better to leave the ring at home.

– Refresh the metal setting 

Professions suggest that having the metal setting refreshed every few years is a good habit to get into. Your ring comes into contact with oxygen and moisture every day and this could damage the metal. Keep in mind that different metals have different lengths of durability. Ask your jeweller how often yours should be refreshed.

– Beware of chemicals

Chemicals and abrasive solutions can erode the metal setting. If you’re coming into contact with these, its best to ensure that your ring is far away.

Image: Unsplash 

A wax seal stamp is a great way to upgrade your wedding stationery with very little effort. Simply add a wax seal stamp to the envelope of your invitation and your stationery will instantly look more professional and appealing. Here’s how:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Uniqooo.com (@uniqooo_official) on

Supplies (find most at your nearest craft shop):

  • wedding envelope R87.50/100
  • small dried flowers (pick from a garden)
  • sealing wax (with wick) R27-30
  • brass seal R130-150 (or you can get a custom-made seal)

Steps:

  1. Put your invitation into the envelope of your choice and turn it over so that the side to seal is facing upwards.
  2. Place your dried flower at the base of the seal on the envelope.

  3. Light the wick of the sealing wax and rotate the stick, you will see that it will start to drip quite quickly. Keep the stick tilted towards the dried flower on your envelope. Rotate the wax and let it drip (try to move the stick around so that it drips into a circle).

  4. Once you have the wax circle on your envelope that is of a similar size to your seal, take the seal stamp and press it into the pool of wax. Once cooled, peel off and you will have your stamp!

  5. Don’t worry if the stamps don’t all look the same, it is a personal touch and your guests will love it.

TIP: Do a practice round on scrap paper before starting on your envelopes.

Disclaimer: Seal wax beads are used in the video but if you use the beads, you also need to have a melting spoon. To limit the number of supplies needed, the steps have been done using sealing wax with a wick. This way you can drip the wax directly onto your point of seal.

Feature image: Unsplash

Oh-so cute! These DIY wedding favour bags will do double duty as table activities for younger guests and takeaway bags for sweet treats.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Gift bags
Scissors
Felt
Craft glue

METHOD
1. Cut out ear shapes from the top of each bag.
2. Cut out felt ears, eyes, whiskers and noses and glue on to the bags to complete.
3. Set up a kids’ table with the pre-cut bags and felt, and let them create their own masterpieces.