If you’re living your best eco-friendly life, then a wedding venue that suits your lifestyle is a must. Although in South Africa it may be difficult to find a 100% self-sufficient, off the grid, carbon emission-free venue that also has a glam location, there are other options. Most of these options do require some flexibility, though. If you realistically want a sustainable wedding venue, you’re going to have to make it an outdoor affair.
A garden
If you or someone you know and love dearly has a gorgeous garden that can host a wedding, you’re sorted. Having a wedding in a garden gives you endless opportunities to create the setting of your dreams. Picture it: Strings and strings of solar powered fairy lights overhead, battery powered candles line the tables, in the distance, a bar serving guests drinks with paper straws, a solar-powered generator silently powering the entire event. There’s not a scrap of plastic in site and all your bins double into compost heaps. Even better? Have your wedding in the early afternoon so that you can take full advantage of all the warm and natural light. All is right with the world. Ps. we know the house which this garden belongs to may not be off the grid, but we forgive you.
A forest
Yes this may seem a bit far fetched, but think of Bella and Edward’s wedding in Breaking Dawn, just without the werewolf-vampire drama. A wedding in a forest, surrounded by nature is an authentic way to celebrate your wedding. Everyone is so set on the popular trends but don’t you want to look back on your wedding day and be glad you went a different route? Add some authenticity to your day by opting for a wildly different venue. There are a number of forest wedding venues across South Africa, where you can say “I do” to the sweet sounds of song birds overhead. Some venues may include an indoor reception area so you can still have the best of both worlds.
A farm venue
Yes technically this is a four-walled structure but not everyone wants an outdoor wedding. With a farm wedding venue, you get to enjoy the great outdoors and the great indoors. A classic, rustic mix is ensured with this style of venue. You get all the creature comforts of a traditional venue, with some wild Mother Nature thrown into the mix. Either your ceremony or reception area will be open-air with the other under a structured roof. A big body of water, manicured lawns and rose gardens make up the perfect farm venue feel.
Image: Unsplash
Today’s brides are unique, and deserve a ring to match. Rather than going for the expected diamond, modern brides are turning to alternative stones to adorn their ring…
If you lose your ring in the ocean, you most likely would be sad but accept that you’ve lost it forever, right? It seems impossible for a mere human to scour the ocean floor in search of one ring, no matter how big the diamond. But for creatures who are native to the sea, it may be a bit easier.
Annika Parkinson-Dow was swimming in Howe Sound off Bower Island in British Columbia, Canada on Friday evening, April 26. The shining bioluminescence was visible, and this led her to run her hands through the water. Little did she know that her engagement ring had fallen off in the ocean.
When she eventually realised, she was already back on dry land. Of course, she was upset. The ring was an heirloom from the 1930’s. “I was pretty sure that there was absolutely no chance [they’d find] it, a needle in the haystack. I wasn’t even sure of the exact spot that I lost it,” she said to CBC News.
Trying her luck, she asked a few divers to have a look in the ocean. They searched for an hour, but gave up as the water conditions were unfavourable.
As they decided they would call it quits, they caught sight of a baby octopus and as unbelievable as it may sound… the little octopus led the divers to the ring!
Scientists have reported that octopuses have a keen interest in shiny objects. So, it may be possible that the baby octopus found the ring and intended to keep it as part of a little collection of rocks and shells.
It would be nice to think that the octopus intentionally led the divers to the ring, knowing that’s what they were looking for. However, it’s more likely that it was a massive coincidence. Either way though, it’s an amazing story for Parkinson-Dow to tell for the rest of her life!
Image: Unsplash
The coronavirus pandemic has postponed wedding plans across the globe for the foreseeable future. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate love! Johannesburg-based couple Kyle Hyam and…
We often picture wedding jewellery as shiny rocks, ridiculously expensive gemstones and, if we’re being quite honest, diamonds to go with your ring.
Have you ever considered the gift of the sea? Pearls are no longer just for rich housewives and your granny. In fact, not only do they look gorgeously classy, they aren’t limited to jewellery. Put them in your hair, put them on your dress. Girl, put them on your cake!
You don’t have to settle for round pearls, either. Freshwater pearls have very unique shapes and if you’re not into white, pearls come in all sorts of colours.
Take a look at these:
For you:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_P63funHiz/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxoyiAjhs0n/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_GeeBEHMWw/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxFon7uAXl7/
For your dress:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_WOF9HjXle/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Nl98zhj4l/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B093rDTgmha/
For your cake:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B–4PU1D9c4/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5uY-znBqjG/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7QRyLaB74C/
Image: Unsplash
You’d assume that a bride and groom would want to be the centre of attention on their wedding day. It would be difficult for this to be the…
Clare Waight Keller, Meghan Markle’s wedding dress designer, took to Instagram to talk about her experience working with the royal. She also detailed the days as they approached the iconic ceremony.
Keller, a British stylist, fashion designer and the current Artistic director of Givenchy, was – as could be expected – over the moon to be a part of the royal wedding two years ago. After the special wedding day, she showed her excitement and gratitude on Instagram. She detailed what she did at at each moment, and gushed over the experience.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjAIZ5PjVsT/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi-aVw4jkAs/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjA1kaPjcqT/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjC85XNjQya/
Now, two years later, Keller has taken to Instagram again to share more insights on how the famous wedding dress came to be.
“Two years ago today I was in the final fittings for a very secret dress. So many emotions were running through me during those months leading up to the big day,” she wrote. “A wedding dress is one of the most exquisite and beautiful moments for a designer, but also personally as a woman artist, creator there is a lot of sensitivity that flows through the process from the knowledge and understanding of the feelings that you have as a bride.”
She said that in order to ensure that Markle’s dream dress was made a reality, she had to put herself in Markle’s shoes. “Learning to let go of my emotions and embrace the feelings of someone you are designing for brings about an incredibly beautiful relationship of trust and intimacy. Through hours of conversation, meetings together, and research, slowly all the pieces of that story came together,” she said.
According to Keller, the guiding principles given to her were “purity and simplicity”. About the design, she also said that she weaved “a narrative of nature through the 53 florals of the Commonwealth to bring the world into the journey of the ceremony and subtlety bringing the lines of Givenchy and the history of the Maison to capture the classical timeless beauty I knew she wanted to achieve”.
Keller thought the wedding was a very special day, and she was in awe. “It was obvious the significance of this occasion was more than any other, it would be a very personal ceremony with so many choices that would reflect both the bride and grooms heritage and their unique way of being incredibly inclusive, genuine and generous,” she wrote.
Image: Facebook / Mamamia