The coronavirus pandemic hs changed weddings as we know them. No longer may large crowds gather to celebrate their loved ones. Couples have had to get incredibly creative to allow their big days to continue. Here are a few ways they’ve adapted.
1. Mask on:
Now that face masks are recommended for wear whenever people step outside their doors, they’ve become a normal part of ones wardrobe. It has even featured in wedding attire. This designer has taken to making haute couture bridal masks. Many newlyweds have taken to posing with their masks, and some even kiss over them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Bf1fJKHto/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
2. Coming at you live (stream)
With in-person weddings not allowed, engaged pairs determined to tie the knot have taken to livestreaming their big day. From Facebook to Zoom, technology has never brought us so close. If you’re planning a Zoom wedding of your own, here’s how to make it special.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B–EA2tqRsC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
3. Creativity is King:
Right now, there are no rules. Drive-thru weddings have grown in popularity as a quick and easy way to tie the knot. We’ve seen a couple get engaged as their ordained minister officiated from a fourth storey apartment window. One couple had their dogs pose as bridesmaids for their at-home wedding, and another had cardboard cutouts as wedding guests. One particularly inventive couple even ‘got married’ on popular game Animal Crossing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_OT4sxhB0t/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
4. Minimonies:
Many couples have already placed deposits for wedding venues, thus decide to go ahead with their big day albeit it on a much tinier scale. Those still trying to have in-person weddings have taken to ‘minimonies’, an even smaller version of microweddings where couples get hitched with a small guest list of typically under 10. The rest of their guests tune in via livestream. In these uncertain times, minimonies are a great way to still say your I do’s safely.
Feature image: Instagram/Duke Moose
Do you and your partner share a sense of wanderlust? Or maybe you’re dreaming of a destination wedding but don’t have the funds to make it happen. Fear…
As the traditional diamond engagement or wedding ring slowly loses popularity, various alternatives are being used in its place. One newbie on the scene, be it a bit uncommon, is the birthstone.
Elle reported that in 2019, Etsy named birthstone engagement rings as one of their breakout wedding trends. “On Etsy, we’ve seen 34K searches for ‘birthstone engagement rings’ in the last three months, and I predict the trend will continue to grow,” Etsy’s trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson explained at the time.
According to The Jewellery Editor, there are a few things to consider when opting for the birthstone engagement ring, which could mean that you’re walking down a path that comes with many more decisions. However, they claim that this option is becoming more and more popular.
Canadian jeweller Kat Florence, who launched her own brand of jewellery specialising in unusual gemstones and owns a store in London, told The Jewellery Editor that “a lot of people are going in that direction”, adding that “Everyone feels attracted to their birthstone, and jewellery represents who we are, so birthstones are the perfect point to begin.”
Of the things which need to be considered, one of the most important is the hardness of the stone. When selecting the birthstone as the gem for a ring, depending on your partner’s birth month, they may end up with a stone which is not durable. For example, it is not recommended that opal be used for a ring, as it is a fragile stone. We’re sure you want the ring to last a lifetime! So keep this in mind when making your final choice, and be sure to ask your jeweller about durability, hardness, and inclination to be damaged with scratches.
It is reported that any stone which ranks above 7.5 on the Moh’s Hardness scale, which measures how easily you can scratch a gem, is a good option. Those below 7.5, of course, can be used for a ring too. However, you’d have to be much more careful with your ring.
Regardless, birthstones are pretty, colourful, meaningful and trendy. If you love the idea of a ring that represents you and when you were brought into the world, then perhaps your mind is already made up.
Here is a guide to your options, including Moh’s Scale values from Gem Rock Auctions, for birthstone engagement rings:
January: Garnet (6.5 – 7.5 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CATDnAIpCNx/
February: Amythyst (6.5 – 7.5 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNbVTtgBFAW/
Also read: Stone of the Gods: Amazing amethyst rings
March: Aquamarine (7.5 – 8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9F78yWHAiC/
Also read: Amazing aquamarine engagement rings
April: Diamond (10 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAXxwFRnXmZ/
Also read: How to choose the right diamond for you
May: Emerald (7.5 – 8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAWO_5AlVcq/
Also read: Enchanting emerald engagement rings
June: Pearl (2.5 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_lMMTEloNU/
Moonstone (7.5 – 8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fiiNNhOuQ/
Alexdandrite (7.5 – 8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Hk0stFoqN/
July: Ruby (7.5 – 8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_8Ovp8lmGL/
Also read: The fiery king of gems: Romantic rubies
August: Peridot (7.5 – 8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0q58B7nAtB/
Sardonyx (7.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzkOWdeFe_F/
Spinel (7.5 – 8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwtPGb4hJ99/
September: Sapphire (9.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0AYZWDvJO/
Also read:The royal touch: Sophisticated sapphire rings
October: Opal (5.5 – 6.5 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_xuLwpFrSn/
Also read:The Queen of the gems: Opulent opals
Tourmaline (9.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAXqeKhqB35/
November: Citrine (7.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAKa5Kij-hy/
Topaz (8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAWwS5YpEPL/?utm_source=ig_embed
December: Tanzanite (6.5 – 7.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B76urEIhF8q/
Also read: Say ‘I do’ to tantalising Tanzanite
Blue zircon(7.5 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_5p9RLHA8j/
Turqouise (5.0 – 6.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_bp8whgsId/
Blue Topaz (8.0 Mohs)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BA0-R_Tutgz/
Also read: Why we wear diamond engagement rings
Image: Instagram / Fauverie
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, designers have gotten especially creative. The new trend? Haute couture bridal face masks. These fashionable designs, created by Winnie Couture, encourage brides and grooms…
Metal singer Marilyn Manson and burlesque performer Dita von Teese seemed a strange romantic pairing, but that’s exactly what drew them to each other.
Both from middle America, the two had reinvented themselves into who they wanted to be. Born Heather Sweet from Michigan, Von Teese became one of the most famous burlesque performers in the world. Brian Warner of Canton, Ohio grew up to be the world-famous controversial and iconic rocker.
After a five-year relationship, the pair tied the knot in a private ceremony at home in Los Angeles in November 2005, then exchanged vows again in a more lavish event at a friend’s castle in Ireland a week later. Their unconventional nuptials were even captured in an iconic spread for Vogue magazine.
Their nuptials went on for several days, starting with a civil ceremony at Von Teese’s Los Angeles home. This location was chosen as many of the churches they approached were apprehensive of having Manson inside their venues, according to Vogue.
Von Teese wore a simple white Moschino suit, designed by the label’s then-creative director, Rosella Jardini for the low-key event. It was Von Teese’s vision to look like “a forties bride going to the courthouse to get hitched before going off to the war” that inspired the design. Manson wore a Dior Homme jacket, a Galliano shirt, and Moschino creepers.
Their formal ceremony was much more extravagent. Held at Ireland’s gothic-style Castle Gurteen, the wedding was officiated by surrealist film director and comic book writer Alejandro Jodorowsky. Gottfried Helnwein, the owner of the castle, stood as Manson’s best man. The wedding was attended by about 60 guests, including Lisa Marie Presley and Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark.
For the nuptials, Von Teese wore a striking royal purple silk tafetta gown designed by Vivienne Westwood that featured a custom corset for her a 17-inch waist. She accessorised with a tri-corned hat designed by Stephen Jones and custom Christian Louboutin shoes the designer had created just for her. John Galliano designed Manson’s black silk taffeta tuxedo for the big day.
Of course, the reception was as unconventional as the couple. The banquet table was lined with giant centerpieces of black and crimson rose and featured gold skull-shaped candles. The waitstaff all wore Moschino tailcoats and pipers, and serenaded guests.
In the days after the wedding, guests partook in skeet shooting, archery and falconry on the castle grounds.
Unfortunately, the pair divorced a year later. During an interview with Khloe Kardashian on the Kocktails with Khloe show, she explained that getting married ruined their relationship.
Feature image: Pinterest
Beloftebos, a wedding venue in the Western Cape who made headlines in January for refusing to host a same-sex wedding ceremony on religious grounds, are now claiming that…
Movie-lovers unite! If a specific movie has a special meaning for you and your partner, why not incorporate it into your big day? The challenge here is to not be overly cheesy with the design.
It’s easy to over-theme a wedding cake, and then run the risk of hating it in the decades to come. Instead, its best to go subtle. Here are some ideas on how to incorporate your favourite franchise into your big day in a way that still looks timeless.
Star Wars:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_V07vIhqIl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_w3WoMAvMb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_xIdSiA96r/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Harry Potter:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuCX-3HHbLg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoqrDMYgT6q/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1b_GZ4nQ0M/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Disney:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9pMMlJlxkD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SVb4eHgZT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_3Ka-ujWjZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Lord of the Rings:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4JSayrlIDX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_d0UHznwLB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Feature image: Unsplash