Langley Castle in Northumberland is hundreds of years old. By it’s age alone we know that it’s faced many a struggle. Presently, the castle serves as a hotel and wedding venue and thus is facing a new challenge: COVID-19 and social distancing weddings.
In response to the crisis, and their need to keep the wedding industry alive (for their own good too, of course), the castle’s management have come up with a creative solution. In fact, the solution is said to be a first in the UK.
Already known for many other “firsts” such as being the first wedding venue in the country to offer civil marriages and being the first in the UK to offer Game of Thrones style weddings, they are now the first to offer “Bubble Weddings” as a social distancing solution.
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The Bubble wedding gives you a “castle to yourself” experience. According to Chronicle Live the offering is customised to your liking and is created to be intimate, being only for couples and their absolute nearest and dearest. This allows for the wedding to follow social distancing rules.
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There are two packages and they both adhere to the guidelines set by the Government.
The first package is a Bubble with Bubbles day for 10 people. Included in this package is a marriage at the castle, canapes, drinks, buffets and use of all nine bedrooms, costing £4,500.
The second package, called ‘Key to the Castle, is for 18 people. The guests are allowed to lockdown and run the castle. This will cost £6,500.
There is also an option for the couple to come alone and get married there.
In times like these, creative and out-of -the-box solutions are exactly what we need! Hopefully, others in the wedding industry will follow suit and introduce new ways around the COVID-19 challenge.
Image: Facebook / Langley Castle Weddings
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A new policy is in the works at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) that will bring changes to marriage laws in South Africa.
The DHA, during a presentation to parliament, argued that the existing policies which deal with marriages are not rooted in consitutional values such as nondiscrimination and equality.
According to Business Tech, the DHA said that while there have been many changes since 1994, there are still many flaws in the existing legislation. “For instance, the current legislation does not regulate some religious marriages such as the Hindu, Muslim and other customary marriages that are practised in some African or royal families,” they said.
They acknowlegded that due to the diversity in this country, it would be very difficult to draw up laws which regulate every existing cultural marriage. However, they have begun a process of creating a marriage policy which they hope will “lay a policy foundation for drafting a new single or omnibus legislation.”
Business Tech reported some of the key changes which will be instituted by the policy:
- The new Marriage Act will enable South Africans of different sexual orientation, religious and cultural persuasions to conclude legal marriages;
- The introduction of strict rules around the age of marriage (including the alignment of age of majority in the marriage legislation to the Children’s Act);
- It will align the marriage, matrimonial property and divorce legislation to address matrimonial property and intestate succession matters in the event of the marriage dissolution;
- It will allow for equitable treatment and respect for religious and customary beliefs in line with Section 15 of the Constitution.
- It will deal with the solemnisation and registration of marriages that involve foreign nationals;
- It will deal with the solemnisation and registration of customary marriages that involve non-citizens especially cross-border communities or citizens of our neighbouring countries.
The DHA said that the new policy is to be gazetted in the 2020/21 financial year, for the purpose of consultation from the public. Thereafter, it will be submitted to cabinet by the end of March 2021, in order to be approved.
Image: Unsplash
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The world recently celebrated Mother’s Day and former First Lady Hillary Clinton delighted Instagram followers with a very special picture.
Taken at her and former US president Bill Clinton’s daughter Chelsey’s 2010 wedding to Marc Mezvinsky, the stunning picture shows three generations with Hillary, her late mother Dorothy Howell Rodham and Chelsey. The picture was captioned “Happy Mother’s Day to these two mothers dearest to my heart. ”
The bride stole the limelight in her Vera Wang dress, while Hillary wore a magical pink ombré gown from Oscar de la Renta.
Image: Instagram
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Many couples are no longer willing to wait for the nationwide lockdown to come to a close to have their wedding. Most are now opting for a livestream wedding, which allows their guests to attend their nuptials while safely social distancing.
If you’re one of those who are in love and eager to get your married life started, then perhaps you’re leaning towards a Zoom ceremony. But since this is one of the most common wedding trends these days, you’ll likely want to do something to ensure that yours stands out from the rest.
Here are some ways to make your livestream wedding special:
Invite everyone
Since you no longer have to be held back by the finances that comes with inviting people, you’re now able to invite absolutely everyone. The more the merrier! You’ll feel extra special once you see how many people turn out for your special day.
Have everyone dress for the occassion
This includes you. Everyone should be in their very best attire (no sweats allowed!). After all, it’s one of the most important days of your life. If everyone gets dressed up, it’ll truly feel like a celebration.
Don’t skip the toasts
Your best man, maid of honour, and whoever else was going to give a toast should all still do so. Many people have slacked on the formalities on Zoom weddings, so to take it up a notch from the rest keep as much from the original plan as possible.
Decorate
Create a pretty backdrop for your wedding. Light some candles, play some music, add some fairy lights, do as much as you can!
Consider all platforms
Some couples who have used Zoom found that the free version only allows for 40 minutes before it times out. If you don’t want a forced intermission, consider paying for the full version or using a different platform.
Also read: The legality of Zoom weddings in SA
Image: Twitter / Tyler Thompson