Inviting your friends and family to your wedding day should not be taxing on the environment. The idea of posting your wedding invites is a thing of the past (or it should be) purely based on the carbon emissions that it takes to get your invite to each individual guest. Save costs and save the planet with these eco-friendly wedding invites.
E-vites
Inviting your guests to your wedding by way of email is a sure-fire way to protect the planet. Not only does it eliminate the risk of the invite getting “lost in the mail” but it gives your guest an effortless response mechanism. You can detail your invite as elaborately or minimalist as you please. It also allows you to keep track of who is and isn’t able to attend. Voila, planet saved.
Seed paper invites
If you’re old-school and want to send physical invites, fine, but be sure to use plantable seed paper. This can be sourced online. The paper is customisable and durable. Seed paper gives back to the planet by growing new plant life, in return for your carbon emission – unless you hand-delivered the invites in an electric car, of course.
Make your own invites
Again, if you want to keep things traditional, add an eco-spin. Make your own invites using compostable or seed paper, use environmentally-friendly ink and ensure no glue, wax, glitter or plastic is used in the process. Request that your guests RSVP electronically to you over email so that nothing gets lost along the way. By doing this you’ll have a digital record of attendees that can be used to send thank-you mailers out after the wedding. A win-win.
Tips to remember:
– Delivering invites means carbon emissions are offset into the atmosphere.
– Glitter is a micro-plastic and is harmful to the natural world so avoid it at all costs.
– Use seeded paper for all your wedding stationery, it helps the planet and small local businesses to thrive
– An e-vite really is the most eco-friendly option available if you’re looking to keep your wedding as clean as possible.
Image: Unsplash
Living in South Africa, it might not be a bad idea to stock up on candles for the scheduled (and not-so-scheduled) load shedding. Lucky for us, candles are…
As time passes, superstitions surrounding weddings tend to fade away. Today, couple’s are keen to have the ‘first look photoshoot’, but in the past seeing each other before the ceremony was considered to be bad luck.
While people have become less superstitious, some beliefs still persist. If you’re one of the people who would rather be safe than sorry, then this is your chance to clue yourself up on what to avoid and what to be weary of.
– The grooms tie
It is said that if a groom’s tie is crooked as he enters the wedding ceremony, he will be unfaithful to his bride-to-be. You might want to send your bridesmaids on a tie straightening mission before the wedding, just to be safe!
– Nuns and Monks
Some have said that a curse of a barren life is in store for brides who see nuns and monks on the way to their wedding. The superstition says that the couple will forever be dependent on the charity of others. For those who are religious, this one may be a bit difficult to avoid.
– Knives as gifts
Folklore states that a knife set as a wedding gift signifies a future with a broken relationship. Even if you’re big on cooking, you may want to take that knife set off of your wedding registry!
– Ringing bells
This Irish tradition is a way to ward off those pesky evil spirits. The superstition goes that if you ring some bells before your wedding, you’ll chase away the bad and ensure that you and your partner have a harmonious life together. Some brides even add little bells to their bouquettes, to keep them ringing as they make their way down the aisle.
– A clock as a gift
In China, the people believe that receiving a clock as a wedding gift is terrible luck. The word for ‘clock’ in Mandarin also means ‘the end’. For this reason, Chinese people tend to stay away from clocks as gifts.
Image: Unsplash
The world’s first official KFC wedding was held this past weekend in Queensland, Australia. Lucky couple Kate and Harrison Cann tied the knot in a finger-licking-good ceremony and…
Meet the hot new trend in the wedding cake industry: the deckle-edge. ‘Deckle” refers to a paper-making process, in which something is left with a rough edge. The result? An unexpected twist.
While it may seem unconventional, deckle-edging can appear quite refined when done right. Add gold leaf to the tips to give it a sophisticated twist and keep the rest of the cake simple and clean to avoid overdoing the final look.
Here are some sweet treats to inspire you:
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Feature image: Unsplash
Experiencing the world with your loved-one is always a special way to spend your time. If you know a fun-loving couple who are constantly hearing the call of the…
The formalities of getting married are stressful for most couples, as visits to Home Affairs go. But if you have some key information about applying for a South African marriage certificate before hand, the process should be as smooth as can be.
When you enter into a marriage, the marriage officer will provide you with a handwritten marriage certificate (form BI-27) , free of charge. You’ll need to apply for an unabridged marriage certificate as soon as possible. The abridged certificate is issued on the same day that it is applied for.
While the abridged certificate contains the personal details of both you and your partner as well as the date of marriage, the unabridged certificate contains more detailed information. The latter is often required for legal reasons by the government (for when you travel, emigrate or obtain foreign passports) and financial institutions (for opening accounts etc.).
It’s best to ensure that you are in possession of an unabridged marriage certificate, it’s a better document to have and is much more useful.
If you require another copy of the abridged certificate, or want a unabridged certificate, then here’s what you need to do :
– Complete Form BI-130 in black ink
– Pay the prescribed fee (a re-issue is R75)
– Bring certified copies of you and your spouses ID’s
– Submit these to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs
– Call the Home Affairs toll-free hotline 0800 601 190 to follow up on the progress of your application for an unabridged marriage certificate.
Other things you need to know:
– If you (or your spouse) aren’t South African, the unabridged certificate will be required to register the marriage in your home country.
– If you’re overseas you can apply for a marriage certificate at any South African embassy or consulate.
– The unabridged marriage certificate takes about 6 to 8 weeks to receive after you have applied.
Image: Facebook / Department of Home Affairs