Asking for wedding gifts can be a bit awkward. It gets even more uncomfortable if you’re asking for money instead of gifts. But, perhaps you don’t want gifts at all. If you and your partner are philanthropic people, then you may be considering ways to use your wedding to give back.
Requesting charitable replacements for wedding gifts is much easier than asking for alternative wedding gifts such as money. People are likely to be on board, because who could resist such a sweet gesture!
If you’ve set your heart on asking for something charitable to make the world a better place, then consider these ideas:
– Plant some trees
This is one of the simplest ways to give back. Request that guest plant a tree in place of your gift. You can provide them with seeds or have them buy their own. Either way, its a great option.
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– Donate to a charity
Organisations such as Greater Good SA, Starfish Greathearts Foundation, Prodder, and Play Your Part are great to help you find and set up a way to use your wedding to donate to a charity. Get in contact with them and find out how you can make the world a better place with your nuptials.
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– Ask for a charity pack
Decide on a cause, for example helping the homeless or providing for a child at an orphanage. Then request that each guest bring a basket or bag filled with goods for somebody in need. You can take the packs to an organisation who will give them out to those who need them most or you can keep a few in your car and give them to somebody in need if you pass them somewhere.
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– Help a child in need
There are wonderful organisations that allow for you to easily help a child in need. Get into contact with an organisation with UNICEF and ask how you can donate to their causes. Perhaps you could get every guest to donate a small amount of money, using your wedding as a collection point.
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– Set up donation boxes
Let your guests know you will be having a clothing drive or a food drive at your wedding. Set up some boxes and collect!
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Image: Unsplash
As everyone knows, detail counts when it comes to your wedding look. The dress and hair might be the main focus but trust us, it is possible to…
Talk about a cheesy proposal! Popular restaurant chain Domino’s is giving one lucky Australian patron the chance to win a pizza-shaped engagement ring to the value of $9,000 (R133 398).
Domino’s Australia recognises that pizza is such a big part of relationships, so it makes sense this Italian treat would feature in an engagement.
“How many great love stories have started over a slice? How many awkward dates have been saved by the arrival of the pizza delivery?” Domino’s Chief Marketing Officer Allan Collins explains. “Pizza is made to be shared with the ones we love, so this year we want to honour that with something really special and help create the greatest, if not the cheesiest, proposal ever.”
The ring up for grabs is made of 18-carat yellow and white gold and features a pizza slice on top of it made out of ‘cheese’ and ‘pepperoni’ rubies.
To stand the chance to win the ring, customers must submit a 30-second video on their official contest page explaining how they would involve pizza in their proposal.
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Would you wear this ring?
Feature image: Twitter / Domino’s Australia
Ever loved something so much you made it your wedding theme? This couple did. Their love of the musical The Greatest Showman was so great, they just knew…
Celebrities are known to lead a lavish life of excess, and it’s no surprise they would splash out big bucks on their big day. For many, the focal point of a wedding is the wedding dress, which can cost quite a bit of money.
Of course, money is no issue for celebrities, with many spending millions on their dream dress. These are the most expensive celebrity wedding dresses of all time.
Grace Kelly – $65,000 (over R960 00)
Grace Kelly exemplifies class, and her wedding dress was no different. The iconic film star turned royal stunned in a long-sleeve, high-necked victorian-style gown with lace detailing for her 1956 wedding to Monaco’s Prince Rainier III. The dress, which featured hand-sewn pearls and 125-year-old lace from Brussels, reportedly retails for over R960 00.
Jessica Biel – $100,000 (R1 477 290)
Jessica Biel opted against tradition by wearing a blush-coloured gown for her 2012 wedding to Justin Timberlake. The Giambattista Valli Haute Couture number featured delicate ruffles and is estimated to be worth R1 477 290.
Victoria Beckham – $100,000 (R1 477 290)
Posh Spice never disappoints when it comes to fashion. For her 1999 wedding to David Beckham, she wore a champagne-coloured Vera Wang number complete with a 6-metre train, estimated to be worth R1 477 290. She still owns the dress and plans to pass it down to her daughter Harper.
Princess Diana – $115,000 (R1 698 883)
Princess Diana’s wedding dress has gone down in history as the most iconic gown to ever exist. The Alexander McQueen ivory taffeta gown was adorned with sequins, frilled lace and 10 000 pearls. It’s thus no surprise that it would fetch a pretty penny, with an estimated cost of R1 698 883.
Elizabeth Taylor – $187,931 (R2 776 285)
This iconic actress has said ‘I do’ a record 8 times, but her most famous one was her very first back in 1950. At the tender age of 18, the starlet married Conrad “Nicky” Hilton (great-uncle to Paris and Nicky and heir to the Hilton hotel empire) in a gorgeous princess-cut satin gown featuring pearl embroidery. In 2013, the dress went up for auction and sold for R2 776 285.
Mariah Carey – $250,000 (R3 693 225)
It was a stunningly expensive dress never-to-be-worn. Mariah Carey was set to marry billionaire businessman James Packer back in 2018 but their engagement was unfortunately called off. Fans did, however, catch a glimpse of her custom Valentino wedding dress in her music video for her song, ‘I Don’t’. The dress was worth a reported R3 693 225.
Amal Clooney – $380,000 (R5 613 702)
The beautiful human-rights lawyer tied the knot with George Clooney in a stunning Italian ceremony. She chose Oscar de la Renta to design her perfect dress, which would be the last one this iconic designer would create before his passing in 2014. The off-the-shoulder wedding dress was appliquéd with fourteen yards of Chantilly lace and was hand-embroidered with pearls and diamante stones, and reportedly retails for R5 613 702.
Kate Middleton – $434,000 (R6 411 438)
Another royal to inspire countless copycat wedding dresses, Kate Middleton’s gown is still much loved today. Created by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the Victorian-inspired dress featured lace appliqué , hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace, 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops and a two-metre long train. All of this was achieved for the price of R6 411 438.
Kim Kardashian – $500,000 (R7 386 450)
Would it be a list about excess if it didn’t include Kim Kardashian? The reality star turned businesswoman wowed the crowd in a custom Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy Haute Couture design for her 2014 wedding to Kanye West. The long-sleeved dress featured sheer paneling and cutouts, and is said to be worth R7 386 450.
Victoria Swarovski – $1 million (R14 772 900)
She may not be a household name but her surname is. Heiress to the Swarovski fortune, Victoria Swarovski, shook the world when she wed Munich-based entrepreneur Werner Mürz in an over-the-top, three-day extravaganza back in 2017. Of course, the dress was adorned with, you guessed it, Swarovski crystals. 50o 000, to be exact. The custom-made gown was designed by Michael Cinco, weighed about 45 kg and is worth more than R14 772 900.
Feature image: Instagram
With endless choices in front of you and multiple opinions getting thrown at you from all directions, wedding dress shopping can be stressful! However, it’s an experience you’ve…
Wedding invitations are a big deal! They ensure your guests have all the necessary information and they give people an idea of your theme. Essentially, the invitation is the first taste people will get of your special day. The last thing you want is to miss the mark with your first impression.
There are a lot of considerations to remember when designing your wedding invitation. Not to mention the lengthy list of etiquette rules you need to follow.
Here are some dos and don’ts of wedding invitations, to help you through the process:
Do:
– Ensure the invitations match your wedding
Wedding invitations should match your wedding theme and colour scheme. This gives guests a good idea about what to expect.
– Include directions
This added effort will be much appreciated by your guests. Never take for granted that people know the location or how to get there. Visitors from out of town will be especially grateful.
– Put the Bride’s name first
Traditionally, wedding etiquette states that you should put the bride’s name first. This is a very small way to stick with age-old customs.
– Be consistent
If you’re using formal language on your invites, keep it formal on other cards like the RSVP card or the save the date too. Similarly, stick to a colour scheme and theme.
– Add an RSVP card
This will make it easier for guests to respond to your invitation. Put all necessary information on the card, including dietary requirements or menu choices, whether they will be bringing a plus one (if you’ve allowed them one) and whether they will be attending at all.
Don’t:
– Add your wedding registry
It is considered quite rude to expect a gift for your wedding. Instead of adding the registry to your invite, include it on your bridal shower invites or on your wedding website.
– Forget to keep one for yourself
Your wedding invitation makes for a great keepsake. It’s a good idea to keep one for yourself, and perhaps have it framed.
– Send them out too late
You’ll struggle to get RSVPs and many guests won’t make it if you send the invitations out too late. People need to plan ahead so they can be available and some may need to travel long distances to get to you! Remember that everyone is busy, be considerate about that and send out the invitations no less than 2 months prior to the wedding.
– Be vague about who is invited
Put the full names of guests on the invitation. If somebody is allowed a plus one, indicate it clearly.
If you’re having a child-free wedding, be clear about it. However, it is considered more polite to indicate that the wedding is an “adults reception” rather than stating “no kids”.
– Forget important information
Names, dates, times, location. Add all of these things! If your reception is in a different location to the ceremony, indicate that. Anything that may affect the guests’ attendance is worth mentioning.
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