As weddings continue to modernise and couples begin to care less about what their older relatives might think, new ideas for the wedding as a whole are being implemented. One of these, the gender-neutral wedding party, aims to make weddings more inclusive of everyone.
For many, the idea that the wedding party should be gendered (i.e. males have only male friends in the wedding party and females have only female friends in the wedding party), is a bit old school.
Firstly, people have friends of all genders. It seems odd to only include those who identify as the same gender as you do. Secondly, the idea that wedding parties should be gendered is exclusionary for those who do not fall into the gender binary.
By going for a gender-neutral wedding party, you can include those who you have the closest relationships with, without being held back by the idea of gender categorisation.
Anything from terminology to logistics is also easy to work around. There is no need to worry about what you will call the members of the bridal party. Is that really important? However, if you’re set on labelling them, you can go for fun alternatives like “bridesmate”, “bridesman”, “groomsmaid”, or anything that you’d like.
Have you seen our gender-neutral MATE of honour cards?
Made in collaboration with @equalitywed, they’re the perfect way to ask your friends to join your wedding party – whoever they are.
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Similarly, you might think that they still need to walk down the aisle in opposite-sex pairs. Why not have some same-sex pairs, or have them walk down the aisle individually?
Further, the gender-neutral wedding party could take some strain off of you when it comes to organising. For example, instead of finding the perfect outfit for each member of the party, you can assign them a colour and they can each go out and find something that they would be comfortable to wear.
The gender-neutral wedding party is perfect for inclusivity and makes all your loved ones feel welcome and comfortable. Who wouldn’t want that?
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The sea is a great place to be, especially on a wedding day. If you’re planning a beach wedding or just love the ocean, you can easily extend…
Grease star Olivia Newton-John has reached a milestone with husband John Easterling. The couple recently celebrated their 12-year wedding anniversary, and seem as loved up as ever.
Newton-John took to Instagram to gush over her husband. She shared a picture from their 2008 wedding and sweetly captioned it, “Seems like yesterday I married the man of my dreams in Peru on the winter solstice 12 wonderful years ago! Happy Anniversary my darling @therealamazonjohn and thank you Gregg for capturing these special moments?”
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The Grammy award-winning singer and actress met the American businessman and environmentalist at an environmental show in the 90s, although there was no romantic connection. They kept running into one another over the years and grew close when Easterling stayed at Newton-John’s guesthouse for an extended period after he got in a car accident.
When Easterling, who had never seen Grease, heard Newton-John singing at a concert they went to, he was amazed and thought she was a healer.
“All I could think was that I wanted to introduce her to other healers who work in the Amazon,” Easterling said in an interview. “So, after the show, I asked if she wanted to come to Peru and she said yes. I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m taking her to Peru, I’d better watch Grease!’”
The pair fell in love on their Peru trip. In 2008, they married atop a mountain in Peru in an Incan spiritual wedding ceremony.
Easterling is founder of the Amazon Herb Company, and even formulated a special blend of cannabis, called ‘Olivia’s Choice’ in honour of his wife. Both are cannabis advocates, and Newton-John says the herb greatly eases the pain and stress of her stage 4 breast cancer.
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Academy award-winning actress Viola Davis and her husband, actor and producer Julius Tennon celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary on June 23. She gushed about him in a touching…
Nature-lovers can infuse the beauty of the outdoors into their big day in many ways. From your decor to your dress, Mother Nature can be your most special guest.
One’s bridal hairstyle is an aspect people often forget can help in extending a wedding theme. If you’re going for a relaxed boho feel, pull it off by incorporating some flowers. The blooms you choose depend on your wedding colours and the flowers you include in your bridal bouquet.
Here are some ways to add blooming beauties to your bridal hairstyle:
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Lebanese weddings are known to be fun and energetic, with great food, spectacular venues, and lots of partying. Some say that several Lebanese wedding traditions have faded away…
Want an engagement ring that is as bright as the sun? Instead of opting for a yellow diamond, a citrine stone might just be the perfect choice.
The bright yellow or intense orange stone is a type of quartz and gets its colouring from traces of iron. The stone has been symbolic of the sun for centuries, and many associate it with health and happiness. Citrine was considered the ‘sun stone’ for years, and believed to hold sunlight and to be able to protect against snakebites, heartbreak and evil.
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Citrine’s name is believed to have a number of sources that relate to citrus in ode to its colouring, including the French word ‘citron’ which means ‘lemon’.
Natural citrine can be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia and in Madagascar, while the majority of heat-treated citrine comes from Brazil.
Many confused citrine and topaz because of their similar colourings. However, they differ in that topaz is heavier and harder with a higher refractive index than citrine.
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Citrine is the November birthstone and has good durability that makes it great for an engagement ring. It ranks a 7 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. However, it is still prone to scratching and damage, so wearers are advised to never wear two gemstones side by side. To clean it, simply use warm water, mild soap and a gentle brush.
Like a diamond, a citrine’s value is based on the Four Cs: colour, cut, clarity, and carat. The more saturated its colour, the more expensive the stone.
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