When somebody plans out their proposal idea, they usually consider all things that could go wrong. Will it be interrupted? Will there be distractions? However, one would never envision their romantic proposal going up in flames; and we don’t mean that metaphorically.
A man from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, planned to propose to his girlfriend on Tuesday, August 3. He filled a room in his flat with hundreds of tea lights, balloons, and a nice bottle of wine.
After setting up his romantic gesture, he went to pick up his girlfriend to bring her to the flat. As they returned, their flat was on fire. According to the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, the cause of the fire was the tea lights.
The Fire and Rescue Department posted a series of Tweets, talking about the incident.
THREAD: Look closely. What do you see? That’s right, hundreds of tea light candles! ?️
Want to know what happened here? We thought you did. It involves a romantic proposal that didn’t quite go to plan, and includes an important lesson around candle use.
“Last night three crews were mobilised to a flat fire in Sheffield. They dealt with it quickly, as ever, before trying to establish what caused it,” they said.
“So, a quick chat with the occupant revealed that this room had been filled with 100s of tea lights,” they said, adding “This was going to be the scene of a romantic proposal and the occupant, a chap who we shall not name, had really gone to town!”
After noting what was in the apartment and what had gone wrong, they said that the firefighters dealt with the fire quickly and nobody was injured.
Not to worry though, it’s not all doom and gloom! There is a silver lining.
“As a bonus, she said YES!” Fire and Rescue said.
However, the department noted that despite being sweet and romantic, candles can be quite dangerous. They urged that if people decide to make use of candles that they must ensure they are extinguished properly after, they are not placed near flammable items, and that they are most definitely not to be left unattended in an empty flat as you leave to fetch your girlfriend.
Glee star Jenna Ushkowitz, who played Tina Coheng-Chang on the hit show, is engaged to boyfriend of two years, David Stanley.
Ushkowitz took to Instagram to announce the engagement, sharing a photo with her new fiancè and their french bulldog, Bear. Her sparkling engagement ring is also visible in the image.
“Yes, a million times, yes,” she captioned the image.
The pair have been together since 2018, and recently celebrated their two-year anniversary on June 29.
“2 years of getting to know you, traveling, laughing. 2 years of growth, learning about each other, ourselves, our love and 2 years of creating our little family. Can’t wait for all the days, months, years to come. ?✨ Happy anniversary mi amor,” Ushkowitz wrote on Instagram.
The engagement comes after much heartbreak for the Glee cast, who tragically lost co-star Naya Rivera in July.
When news of Rivera’s death broke, a devastated Ushkowitz wrote a meaningful message to her late friend.
“There are no words and yet so many things I want to say, I don’t believe I’ll ever be able to articulate exactly what I feel but… Naya, you were a ⚡️ force and everyone who got to be around you knew it and felt the light and joy you exuded when you walked into a room. You shined on stage and screen and radiated with love behind closed doors,” she wrote.
“I was lucky enough to share so many laughs, martinis and secrets with you. I can not believe I took for granted that you’d always be here. Our friendship went in waves as life happens and we grow, so I will not look back and regret but know I love you and promise to help the legacy of your talent, humor, light and loyalty live on.
“You are so loved. You deserved the world and we will make sure Josey and your family feel that everyday. I miss you already.”
Popular clothing retailer House of CB is entering the wedding world. The British luxury womenswear label, which has been worn by celebs like Beyonce, Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez, has released their first bridal collection.
The collection, called “The Modern Bride” features 10 stunning gowns in House of CB’s signature sultry styles. The dresses all feature luxurious satin, elegant detailing and feminine silhouettes.
“Fall for the dress of your dreams with our collection of breathtaking, timeless dresses for the confident, modern bride. In true House of CB style, our Bridal Collection embraces fresh, innovative, and sophisticated details paired with show-stopping styles to make you feel confident and look beautiful on your wedding day,” says the fashion house on their website.
“For our first collection we wanted to keep our shapes clean, chic and incredibly flattering; infusing our signature waist cinching corsetry with beautiful fabrics. Our aim was to create stunning pieces for your big day that are still affordable, whether it’s walking down the aisle, the reception or engagement party we hope you find something you love and are honored to be part of your wedding.”
You’re engaged and you want to flaunt your ring all day, every day, we don’t blame you. But wearing a new and expensive piece of jewellery 24/7 takes some getting used to and there are times and places not to wear your engagement ring to keep it safe and sound.
Here are some places you might want to go ring-free:
The beach
You want to take a selfie in your stellar bikini and show off your gorgeous ring but there’s a risk of losing it in the sand or the water. Sand can also easily get into the ring setting or under your stone.
The gym
You could probably wear your ring during cardio but if you’re doing weights don’t even try it. The strong pressure of the weights could bend the band and if you have a pavé band it’s possible that the smaller stones may fall out of the setting if it takes too many knockings.
The shower
This one may be obvious but it’s easy to forget to take off your ring if you’re in a rush to shower. Shampoos, body washes, soaps, hair and beauty products all cause a residue buildup either on or under your stone which is difficult to clean. Also remember to be careful when you’re applying lotion or hair serum with your ring on.
The pool / jacuzzi
Chlorine in pool water can cause damage to your ring, and over time it will discolour the metal of your ring band.
While cleaning
Whether you’re cleaning the oven or your car or even just washing the dishes, take your ring off! If you have a coloured stone you need to be even more careful because the chemicals from the detergents can erode the finish and polish of the stone.
It’s easy to think that popular bridal fashion, including makeup, attire, accessories and more is the same everywhere. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Across the world, bridal beauty looks differ depending on where you go.
Of course, they’re all stunning. But an Indian bride, a Chinese Bride, and a European bride, for example, are all likely to look and be dressed completely differently on their big days.
That being said, you’re probably wondering how exactly bridal beauty looks on different parts of the globe. Well, wonder no longer, here are 6 different ways brides are styled from around the world:
Japan
The look Japanese brides go for will differ depending on their religion. However, modern brides often opt for a red or white kimono. Traditionally, a Japanese bride would paint her face white, but now they go for more natural makeup looks. An up-do with floral accessories are common for their hairstyles on their big day.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfQhJyYH5EN/
Djibouti
In this East African country, brides adorn the faces with gold chains. Often the nose is pierced before the wedding, and is decorated with a chain.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXS6Aw_H4U0/
Nigeria
Nigerian bridal looks differ widely within the country, as Nigeria has about 250 ethnic groups within it. For this reason, traditions differ. However, it is common for Nigerian brides to wear bright colours and to wear a head tie called a Gele.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3EUD32g8fY/
Yemen
In Yemen, brides start their beauty regimes up to five days before the wedding. Included in this is the Hammam Turkish bathing tradition. Yemeni brides wear henna on their hands and feet, and they don gold or silver jewellery and veils.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMHwwitBby7/
India
Indian brides, specifically those who are loyal to Hinduism, wear red on their wedding day. Nose rings are considered a mark of beauty and thus they are very popular for brides in India. Henna decorates the bride’s hands, and black Kajal emphasises her eyes.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDOe4NBAIJk/
Armenia
In Armenia, it is common for brides to thread the entirety of their faces before the wedding. This is to ensure a smooth looking profile on the big day. Their style is similar to that of an American bride.
One of the toughest decisions engaged couples can make while planning a wedding is their guest list. Of course, you want your closest family and friends present on your special day. However, sometimes its not possible to include everyone. If your wedding venue has imited space, you have to make the choice on who to include and who to leave out.
One couple faced this conundrum and instead of keeping their guest list small, they decided to let their guests know exactly what’s going on. In a wedding invite, the unnamed couple explains that they have had to “categorise” guests to ensure they do not surpass capacity restrictions.
“Dear friends and family, please understand that our venue is limited in the number of guests we’ll be able to accommodate for our wedding day,” the invite reads. “As much as we’d love to have each and every one of you join us on our big day, we’re forced to split our guests into groups to ensure we don’t surpass our capacity restrictions.”
Guests were separated into Groups A, B and C. Group A are the special few at the top of the list, and are asked to RSVP as soon as possible . Groups B and C must watch the couple’s wedding website to see if there are any available spaces that open up, depending on Group A’s RSVPs.
The couple also ask that guests leave their kids at home with a babysitter, and that singletons don’t bring a partner to keep the guest list as low as possible.
This ranking quickly went viral on Reddit and Facebook page when a user posted: “That’s it, I’m wedding shaming”. It sparked a fierce debate on whether the couple are right to categorise guests in this manner. Some believed it was the smart thing to do, while others thought it was rude for the couple to tell guests which group they are in, as it essentially says how important (or not) they are to the couple.
“Nope.. if I got that and found put i was in group b I would be pissed. Find a venue that can accommodate everyone you want there or don’t invite me after the fact because you then want to fill it up. No thanks,” writes on Facebook user.
What do you think? Were the coupe right, or is there a more tactful way they could have gone about it?
Lady Amelia Spencer, the daughter of Earl Spencer and niece of Princess Diana, is engaged to be married. The cousin to Prince William and Harry said ‘yes’ to her university sweetheart, Greg Mallett on July 22.
Amelia grew up in the country along with siblings Lady Eliza Spencer, Louis Spencer Viscount Althorp and Lady Kitty Spencer, who is engaged to South African-born Michael Lewis, the chairperson of Foschini Ltd.
She met Mallett at the University of Cape Town, where they were both students. They have been together for 11 years.
Mallett popped the question at the Clouds Wine & Guest Estate in Stellenbosch.
“So this was the best day of my life. 22nd of July 2020, I asked the love of my life to spend the rest of her life with me and she said YES. Couldn’t be happier and I love you with all my heart @ameliaspencer15,” wrote Mallett on Instagram.
Her father, Charles Spencer took to Twitter to express his happiness. According to Spencer, Mallett asked for his blessing before proposing.
So happy for my daughter, Amelia, engaged to her boyfriend of 11 years, Greg – it’s wonderful to hear them both so excited about their future. Sending them both love, and every good wish for their life together. I love that Greg asked my blessing before proposing. Very sweet. pic.twitter.com/MKx9UpsBJB
Songstress Demi Lovato shocked fans when she announced she recently became engaged to actor Max Ehrich. She has shared even more details of their special proposal, and we dare you not to cry…
Ehrich went down on one knee to propose to Lovato on July 22 in Malibu, California. They have both taken to Instagram to write emotional messages to one another to honour their engagement.
“When I was a little girl, my birth dad always called me his ‘little partner’ – something that might’ve sounded strange without his southern cowboy like accent. To me it made perfect sense. And today that word makes perfect sense again but today I’m officially going to be someone else’s partner,” Lovato wrote on Instagram when sharing the news of their proposal.
“@maxehrich – I knew I loved you the moment I met you. It was something I can’t describe to anyone who hasn’t experienced it firsthand but luckily you did too… I’ve never felt so unconditionally loved by someone in my life (other than my parents) flaws and all. You never pressure me to be anything other than myself. And you make me want to be the best version of myself. I’m honored to accept your hand in marriage. I love you more than a caption could express but I’m ecstatic to start a family and life with you. I love you forever my baby. My partner. Here’s to our future!!!!”
Ehrish shared the same pictures and wrote, “You are every love song, every film, every lyric, every poem, everything I could ever dream of and then some in a partner in life. Words cannot express how infinitely in love with you I am forever and always and then some. I cannot spend another second of my time here on Earth without the miracle of having you as my wife. here’s to forever baby ? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jeuejfjqjweuvu I’m so excited, you are the most beautiful inside and out in the entire world & I couldn’t be more grateful God brought us together. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH @ddlovato AND WILL FOREVER CHERISH YOUR PURE, BEAUTIFUL, INFINITE SOUL.”
Since the announcement, both Lovato and Ehrich have shared more images from their special moment, which Lovato called the best day of her life. Ehrich had her keep her eyes closed as they drove to the beach where he would propose. As he popped the question, “Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews Band was playing.
Two days after their proposal was the two-year anniversary of what Lovato calls her ‘miracle day’, marking the day doctors saved her life after she suffered from a drug overdose in 2018.
“Only two years after that terrible day, I’m engaged to the love of my life, and I can genuinely say I feel free of my demons,” she wrote on Instagram. “I never thought this feeling was possible. And it’s not because I fell in love (although that didn’t hurt), but because over the past two years, I’ve done more work on myself than I have in my entire life.”
“Long before I had an engagement ring on my finger, I had the word ‘me’ to remind myself that no matter what, I vow to love myself. You can’t fully love another without loving yourself first.”
Diamond’s are a girls best friend but gemstones are so mysterious and make an excellent choice for the alternative bride’s engagement ring.
Alexandrites are unique, colour-changing gemstones that are as mesmerising as they are beautiful. If you want a unique stone to centre your engagement ring, this gem is the perfect choice. Here’s what you need to know.
Modern June birthstone alexandrite is a rare variety of chrysoberyl. This unique gem is pleochroic, meaning its colour appears to change depending on the lighting it is in. During the day, the stone ranges from a more greenish-blue to dark yellowish-green. Candlelight makes the stone appear pink or red, because of the way the mineral absorbs light.
This phenomenon is so unique that it has been coined the ‘alexandrite effect’. Many experts consider it an emerald by day and ruby by night due to its colour shifts.
The stone was discovered in 1834 in emerald mines in Russia’s Ural Mountains. Legend states that its discovery coincided with the day Russian tsar Alexander II came of age, which is what inspired the stone’s name. It soon became the national stone of Russia during its tsarist regime as its red and green colours reflected that of old Imperial Russia.
Alexandrite scores an 8.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it quite durable. Its price depends on its colour, as the stronger shades rack up more money. Those that display both warm and cool tones are top of the line. They are still cheaper than diamonds, making them a more affordable and unique option for an engagement ring.
Wedding episodes of any TV series are often the most-watched episode. While the wedding is great, the proposal episodes are usually the most exciting because you’ve been waiting for them for multiple seasons. Here are some of the best wedding proposals we’ve seen on our screens.
Monica and Chandler (Friends)
This is a big one. Audiences had been waiting for this couple to get married. Monic’s sweet proposal by candlelight is perfectly rounded out by her best friend and boyfriend finishing her declaration of love when she gets a bit too emotional.
“You make me happier than I ever thought I could be and if you let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way,” he said.
David and Patrick (Schitt’s Creek)
David might be extra and Patrick less so but they make the perfectly couple despite the differences. Their proposal setting is not one you’d expect David to be caught dead in and that is what makes it so sweet. He’s out of his comfort zone after Patrick hurts himself and even apologises for being annoyed about the trip, and then Patrick proposes.
“And now here he is, the love of my life, standing in front of me. And this just felt like the perfect place to ask you to marry me,” said Patrick.
Cece and Schmidt (New Girl)
The couple who always seemed like they were missing each other finally got engaged after Cece returns and Schmidt realises she is in love with him. He doesn’t let a single moment pass before proposing to her with the whole loft watching. Although not filled with the usual romantic settings, this proposal is great because it calls back to an earlier episode where Schmidt has to put $5 in the “douchebag jar” for saying to Cece “girl, Imma marry you.”
Nathan and Haley (One Tree Hill)
Nathan and Haley were the couple on One Tree Hill. In retrospect their marriage was insane because they were so young and still in High School both times they did it, it was great to finally get a proposal since we didn’t see the first one. To reaffirm their relationship after all the ups and downs, Nathan re-asks Haley and she responds with their iconic saying “Always and Forever.”
“Even if I could I wouldn’t take back all the bad stuff that happened between us. Because it brought us here to this moment, this river. Marry me, Haley? Marry me again in front of all our friends and our family?”
Ben and Leslie (Parks and Recreation)
Leslie is a control freak and this even extends to the surprise proposal she gets from Ben. As he goes down on one knee in their new house, Leslie asks him to wait so she can “take in the moment”. It’s classic Leslie and the audience loves it but eventually, you just want to scream “let him do it already”.
“I’m thinking about my future. I am deeply, ridiculously in love with you. Above everything else I just — I want to be with you forever. So Leslie Knope will you —” said Ben.
Valencia and Beth (Crazy ex-girlfriend)
Although this proposal might not be as well-known as some of the others, it is one of the sweetest. Valencia expects a traditional, grandiose proposal from her girlfriend Beth but then realises those kinds of gestures aren’t necessary.
Valencia realises unlike in the heteronormative standard, she can also propose rather than waiting for it to happen to her. The moment when she does is so intimate as the two are in their tiny apartment in New York.
Piper and Alex (Orange is the new black)
If there was ever a more complicated couple on TV it would be astounding. From lovers to cellmates, these two have been through it all including massive betrayals and heartbreak. When Piper proposes to Alex most would have seen it coming, but the engagement and wedding behind bars is quintessentially their story.
“You have taught me that love hurts. You have taught me that life…it hurts. And I want to be there for you. I want us to be there for each other so that maybe it hurts a little less” said Piper.
Jim and Pam (The Office)
Alongside Monica and Chandler, this is the proposal much of the world was waiting for. This office romance turned full-on marriage switched the office fling from something sordid to romantic.
Much like the series setting itself is mundane and boring, Pam and Jim’s proposal takes place in an equally dull spot – the petrol station shop and it’s perfect. The spot is halfway between their lives in two neighbouring towns and Pam is perfectly surprised when he gets down on one knee.
“I just couldn’t wait. Pam, will you marry me?” said Jim.
Meredith and Derek (Grey’s Anatomy)
While their post-it marriage has gone down in TV history as one of the most memorable of all time, their proposal was equally as epic. This television IT couple from the 2000s frustrated us with their constant back and forth.
Finally, Derek tells Meredith he wants to spend the rest of his life with her in the hospital elevator surrounded by CT scans to mark all the important steps they’ve taken together. It’s a fantastic round-up of the series so far and the perfectly romantic height of this relationship.
“If there’s a crisis you don’t freeze, you move forward. You get the rest of us to move forward because you’ve seen worse, you’ve survived worse. And you know we’ll survive too. You say you’re all dark and twisty, it’s not a flaw. It’s a strength. It makes you who you are. I’m not gonna get down on one knee. I’m not gonna ask a question. I love you, Meredith Grey and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Derrick said.
Tali and Darren (Tali’s Wedding Diary)
Okay so this one might not be a “best” but it’s pretty great. Tali and Darren are running on the promenade in Sea Point, Cape Town. Down on the rocks, Tali is taking photos for Insta when Darren gets down on one knee. It’s classic Joburg girl vibes when she starts screaming “oh my god” over Darren’s romantic proposal and makes him repeat for a video on Insta.
While not the most romantic and more a spoof on the millennial obsession with documenting everything, it is great to see a more “realistic” if not slapstick version of a proposal on our screens.
