Many brides go for a neutral nail look on their wedding day. We’ve had the French manicure, then we had the plain white or cream. Some even went as far as subtle pinks. Other brides who were not sold on the idea of subtle went for over-the-top glitzy nail art or bright colours. But what about the in-between? Fret not! There are loads of other options that are truly gorgeous, not too extra and far away from boring.
Picture: Instagram/Lolaliner
A ring is a symbol of your love and eternal commitment, so why not have a special one? Men’s wedding bands have a tendency to lean towards bland. However, there are so many small touches that can elevate a ring while still being understated. If you’re on the market for a wedding band, check out these unique offerings.
American Swiss
This 9ct yellow gold and sterling silver ring, coined the Johnny ring, features a bold design of heat-treated black diamonds. Perfect for the man not afraid of a little shine.
Price: R3 299
Shimansky
This 5mm half-round band features a hammered finish crafted in Palladium, creating a subtle design for understated uniqueness.
Price: upon request
Wolf Bros
This ring is made in white gold with a combination of rope and polished edges. They can be made up in 9ct or 18ct yellow gold or white gold, as well as in platinum.
Price: material dependant
Sterns
This 9ct yellow gold men’s ring, named the Midnight Magic ring, reveals a bold design of heat-treated black diamonds in a rectangular shape.
Price: R 4 289
NWJ
This ring features Silver, Gold Diamond and White Sapphire in a unique design reminiscent of ocean waves. A true statement ring for the bold groom.
Price: R5 230
Arthur Kaplan
If you’re not one for gold, this Titanium d-shape wedding band with wild olive wood inlay is the perfect blend of rugged design and modernity.
Price: R3,199.00
Image: Unsplash
Image: Instagram / Mzansi Super League
Everything is organised: Your dress, your hair and make-up. The catering and photography are all systems go and you and your spouse-to-be are super excited for the big day. There’s just one issue left to tackle: the guests. You both love your families, but they can be a handful. This cousin is angry with that aunt, and that uncle hasn’t spoken to this one’s dad in years. Hopefully, you or your partner’s family members are mature enough to behave well at the wedding for your sakes and not ruin your day. But you never know!
So how do you handle family feuds on what’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life? Here are some things to keep in mind to help you prevent the much-dreaded drama:
1. Be smart with seating arrangements
When it comes to practical things like seating, be mindful of who sits next to whom. Of course, it might not be possible to keep everyone happy, but you can at least try to arrange it in a way that arguments will be least likely to break out.
2. Never get involved in the details
Remember, if it’s not your fight, it’s not your place to intervene. You have bigger things to worry about! For you to try and get in between will waste energy and emotional resources you’re supposed to save for joyous moments. Keep out of it as far as possible. When either of the parties involved try to drag you in, just calmly but firmly say something like “I understand that it’s tough for you, and I really appreciate that you’re here for me. I will not be able to talk to him/her about this, but why don’t you join me on the dance floor? I love this song!” This way, you move the attention away from the issue and hopefully remind them that you’re all there to enjoy the wedding.
3. Try to give everyone equal attention
Again, don’t choose sides. It’s important that you show everyone you are happy for them to be there for you and that you appreciate and love them all equally. Avoid spending too much time with any particular person or table so as not to create more friction.
4. Communicate beforehand
If things are that serious and you’re worried it might actually get out of hand, it might be wise to talk to each of the parties involved separately before the wedding day. Schedule a coffee date or write them a personal email explaining that you are looking forward to spend time with them but that you also expect them to behave a certain way on the day out of respect for you. Make it clear that you want them to be comfortable, but that you can’t control everything. Ask them to consider you and your partner during the day and set their differences aside.
5. Enjoy your day – regardless
At the end of the day, you have to choose whether you will allow other people’s behaviour to upset you or not. We know this isn’t always easy, but for one day you are allowed to focus on you and your own joy. Focus on the happy moments and the well wishes, the delightful food and beautiful surroundings. This is meant to be a celebration of love and all you should really be concerned about is the fact that your partner can’t stop smiling at you.
Picture: Pexels
We’ve heard of couples being in sync, but this one takes the cake. This beautiful couple both felt it was time to get hitched, and ended up proposing to each other at the same time!
Caitlin Mullins and Annie Fox from Georgia have been together for years, and each spent weeks planning separate proposals for the other without their partner knowing. During a romantic hike to the highest peak in Georgia, Brasstown Bald, Caitlin got down on one knee to propose to her girlfriend. Little did she know, Annie had the same exact idea.
“I had absolutely no idea,” Caitlin told Metro UK. “I’d been planning the proposal for a while. I thought I was been sneaky, going out on a hike to see the sunset. I was incredibly shocked when Annie pulled out a ring too. She had no idea.”
They plan on saying ‘I do’ in 2020 at the same place they got engaged. Congrats to the happy couple!
Image: Metro UK
One of Hollywood’s favourite actresses, Emma Stone, is ending the decade an engaged woman. The Oscar-winning actress recently said yes to her Saturday Night Live (SNL) writer boyfriend, Dave McCrary.
The pair first met on set of SNL when Emma was hosting the show back in 2016. They have been together for about two years. The couple is quite private, keeping their relationship under wraps from the beginning, and have been spotted together publicly only a handful of times.
Taking to Instagram, Dave announced their engagement. Stone’s antique-style engagement ring, one of 2020s biggest ring trends, is in full view.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5q8jCvBv7O/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Congrats to the happy couple!
Image: Instagram / Dave McCrary
So many body shapes, so many dress designs. What works for one might not work for all. One dress shape we do love, is the mermaid design. You might think you need to be tall and slender to pull it off, but you don’t. If you love the style, find one that you fall in love with and go for it. Remember, a pair of heels never hurts and will complement this shape especially well.
You can glam it up or play it down, any way you like. Cream and champagne colours are very hot right now, as well as sequins and gems.
Picture: Pexels
The year of 2019 has been a wild ride. We’ve seen ‘Old Town Road’ claim the charts for far too many weeks, Game of Thrones finally came to an end (and ruined the entire show but we’re not talking about that), and a host of our favourite celebrities got engaged.
Before we usher in the new decade, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest, most exciting celebrity engagements of 2019.
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez
Back in March, the baseball star proposed to Jenny from the Block with a whopping 16-carat diamond ring estimated to cost somewhere between $1 million and $4.5 million.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Buzz2LMg92D/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom
The Pirates of the Carribbean actor proposed to his California Girl On Valentines Day, presenting her with a unique flower-shaped diamond ring.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt5gRBDHNZl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Tim Tebow and Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters
South Africa’s very own Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters captured the heart of American footballer Tim Tebow, and they got engaged in January 2019. Zavion Khotze will be planning the wedding, so you know it’s going to be stunning.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsdzW9AB3Xx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Who doesn’t love a royal wedding? Back in September, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Princess Beatrice is engaged to property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The wedding will take place in 2020.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B23uLfvn8Y3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Cassie and Alex Fine
This couple has had a whirlwind romance. They began dating in late 2018, announced that they are expecting a child in June 2019, and got engaged in August. Their engagement, however, was short lived, and they wed in an intimate ceremony on September 25, a month and one day after they got engaged.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1rHTYnJ6q9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams
The Modern Family actress and Bachelorette alum have been giving us ultimate #couplegoals ever since they got together back in 2017 through the power of social media. They became engaged in July, proving that there is indeed love after The Bachelorette.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz_tCLjlAM1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost
The traditionally private couple got engaged back in May when the Saturday Night Live writer and actor proposed to the Black Widow star with an 11-carat diamond engagement ring worth approximately $400,000.
https://www.instagram.com/p/By00y6TpVNn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma
She’ll always be Lizzie McGuire to us, but now she’s all grown up and getting married! Duff became engaged to her singer-songwriter boyfriend, Matthew Koma, in May. The pair became parents to their first child together (and Duff’s second) in October 2018.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxPrPNtAazt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger
After just a few months of dating, one of Hollywood’s favourite Chris’s popped the question to Katherine, daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. Of course, she said yes. The couple surprised us yet again by getting married in June in an intimate ceremony in Montecito, California.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsmy0gUFIt7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Image: Instagram / Jennifer Lopez
A proposal should be well planned and deliberately thought out. We’re sure you’ve imagined yours before. Who hasn’t? Perhaps you saw the movie The Wedding Singer, which led you to crave a public display. Maybe you watched Leap Year, and the proposal on the ocean-side cliff led you to consider something more private.
It’s also possible that you’re not sure if you (or your partner) would prefer a public or private proposal. Consider the pros and cons of a public proposal to help you make the final decision.
Pros:
– It will be an event to remember
The public gesture will play like a movie in your partners head for years and years to come. It will likely be one of their fondest memories.
A public proposal also makes it easier for you to catch the moment on video or in a series of photographs. Arrange for a friend or family member to secretly record everything as it happens, and make it a moment that lasts forever.
– You can get other loved ones involved
Sharing this special moment with people who care dearly about you (and your partner) can make it feel extremely special. You’ll get to celebrate your engagement with your loved ones as it happens. On top of that, you can share the planning and preparations for the proposal with everyone you’re inviting to relieve some of the pressure.
– It will be easier to spread the news
If your proposal is public, everyone you care about will either be there when it happens or will find out very soon after. You won’t have to spend a day calling everyone with the good news.
Cons:
– Might not go as planned
If you’ve been together for a long time, and you’ve spoken about marriage, then this shouldn’t be too much of a worry. However, there is always the chance that your partner says no. In public, a “no” will feel so much worse.
On a similar note, you cannot control the environment around you. You could get caught in bad weather, your big question may be drowned out by noise, and other people may try to get involved unexpectedly.
– Unnecessary pressure
You could be putting unnecessary pressure on your partner to say yes, when they aren’t sure they’re ready to. They may feel more comfortable in a private setting to ask you to discuss the proposal and the way forward, but in public they can’t really do that.
You’ll also be putting a lot of pressure on yourself. A public proposal takes a lot of organizing and co-ordinating. If you’re not good under pressure, perhaps you should go for something more manageable.
– Expenses can pile up
If you’re really going big, like writing “will you marry me” in the sky, you may have to spend quite a bit of money. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth it, because that money may be better spent on the wedding itself.
The most important thing to consider about a public proposal is what will be most comfortable for you and your significant other. If you don’t mind the attention and pressure, and the big gesture and fanfare has always been something you wanted, then go for it!
Image: Pexels
Oh, we love love! This couple completely stole our hearts. Capetonians Joey and Jane had been acquaintances for almost 10 years but nothing had come of it. In fact, Joey had actually invited her to coffee before, but she forgot to respond to his message and they never went!
Then, one day, Joey decided to go salsa dancing, and there she was. They got to chatting. Both being fitness professionals that used to work at the same gym, they had so much in common. She asked him to dance, and the rest, as they say, is history …
However, the couple faced a small problem: Jane was busy with immigration plans, adamant on relocating to the UK! Poor Joey was at his wit’s end. But with new love blooming, he managed to persuade her to stay a little while longer to see where it would lead. Knowing he had to change her mind while he had the chance, Joey took her hiking in Newlands forest to a spot they both loved to celebrate one year since they met at the dance. There he proposed and she said yes!
“Three weeks prior, I went on a two hour mission to find the exact same spot where we had our very first picnic,” Joey said on his Facebook post to the popular group #I’mstaying. He set it up with arrows pointing toward the spot and there he read Jane a story he wrote of the events of that first night they danced.
Being an interracial couple in a race-sensitive country, the two are not unaware of the challenges. “But I believe it’s up to us,” Joey said in an interview. When asked why they decided to stay in South Africa, he said that they both love the diversity and nature, and especially the kindness of South Africans.
“We are happy and feel eternally blessed,” he added. “We love Cape Town. We love South Africa.”
They plan to get started on the wedding arrangements soon.
Picture: Supplied