Elegant and regal, the kimono has been a long-standing tradition in Japanese culture. One of the most recognisable pieces of Japanese clothing, the kimono is traditionally worn for special occasions. And what’s more special than a wedding? The kimono has been given a modern twist as brides opt for avante garde gowns that blend tradition with contemporary edge.
Watabe Wedding, a Kyoto-based brand, has been at the forefront of this trend. Their collection, Shoen, features five strapless dresses made out of authentic, antique furisode kimonos. Each dress has its own name: The Tsurumomiji (“crane maple”), The Fujiageha (“wisteria and swallowtail butterfly”), The Ranbu (“orchid dance”), The Kanazuru (“gold crane”), and The Botangiku (“peony and chrysanthemum”).
The line is open for the public to rent on their website, and prices range from 50,000 yen (R6 519) to 150,000 yen (R19 559).
Feature image: Facebook / Watabe Wedding
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Glowing skin is always a good thing. On your wedding day you’ll want to look your best, and one of the ways to achieve that is by treating your skin. If you haven’t got a spa budget, however, there are a number of at-home face masks you can make yourself. Give yourself the gift of a glow-up without the expensive price tag by making your own all-natural treatments.
These masks are all natural and all good for your skin. Your biggest challenge will be to stop touching your face afterwards and marvelling at how smooth it feels.
Pumpkin smoothie – enhances skin elasticity and hydration
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin (frozen)
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/4 banana (frozen)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Blend all the ingredients together in a blender for one minute at high speed. This will form a paste that you can apply to your skin and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. Pat dry with a face towel and apply moisturiser.
Pumpkin is packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants that will boost your skin’s elasticity, circulation, and hydration. Almond milk will provide moisture, while the banana also helps enhance skin’s elasticity. Cinnamon acts as a natural antioxidant and has antibacterial properties.
Aloe vera mask – fights acne
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Mix the milk and sugar together until the sugar dissolves, then add the aloe vera and blend until you’re left with a paste. Apply to your face and neck and leave on for 20-30 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. Pat dry with a face towel and apply moisturiser.
Aloe vera is a wonder plant that has multiple skin benefits to ease burns, sunburns, irritation, allergies and even acne. The milk also helps to soothe skin, while sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid that aids in cell turnover.
Honey citrus mask – boosts glow
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1/4 cup of honey
Mix the orange juice and honey together until it creates a gel. Apply to your face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Remove with lukwarm water, pat dry with a face towel and apply moisturiser.
These ingredients are amazing at brightening your skin, replacing dullness with a beautiful glow.
Bonus: Brown sugar exfoliant
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 splashes of olive oil
Mix the brown sugar and olive oil together and apply to your face. Massage the misture into your skin with gentle circular motions. Rinse with lukewarm water, pat dry with a face towel and apply moisturiser.
The sugar acts as a gentle exfoliant and aids in cell turnover, while the olive oil provides moisture that will leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and supple.
Feature image: Pexels
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It definitely makes things esier when your parents and parents-in-law get along, but what if they’re a bit too close? Unfortunately, one couple learnt the bad side of this when they had to postpone their wedding after their parents ran off together.
A young couple from Gujarat, India had to postpone their wedding a month before their big day because the groom’s father and bride’s mother disappeared, and its seems they did so together. The father was reportedly last seen leaving his home in the Katargam area of Surat city, while the mother was last seen leaving her house in Navsari.
According to a relative, the father of the groom and mother of the bride once dated when they were younger. They believe that the pair must have rekindled their romance and eloped.
Well, they do say true love never dies…
Feature image: Pexels
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Many couples are unsure about when to have their official wedding photoshoot. Some hold fast to the tradition of seeing each other for the first time when entering the ceremony venue and walking down the aisle. All pictures of the couple then usually follow after the ceremony and before the reception. Others love the idea of the “first look” trend where the see each other privately beforehand, and some then choose to have the entire shoot before the actual wedding.
We take a look at the pros and cons of both to help you decide which is right for you.
Before the ceremony
Pros:
-It will ease up the nerves
Your wedding day can have you feeling very nervous, especially in the moments before you head to the ceremony. If you decide to see each other beforehand, it might make you loosen up and have some fun together, before you take the final step.
-It’s a special, private moment
Because the day is very emotional for both of you, spending the moment in private together will be extra special. This way, the groom can let his guard down and expose his vulnerable side when he sees you for the first time on the day, which is more intimate than in front of a crowd.
Cons:
-It changes tradition
The longstanding tradition in Western weddings is that the bride and groom don’t see each other before the wedding, with the first time they lay eyes on each other being when the bride walks down the aisle. However, some feel like it might be time to let go of certain rituals and embrace new trends.
-It influences your timeline
If you want to incorporate the “first look” and do the photoshoot before the ceremony, you will have to keep in mind that it takes time. Your schedule might have to move up to accommodate a few extra hours.
After the ceremony
Pros:
-You get the best lighting
If you have the traditional late afternoon ceremony with an evening reception, doing the photoshoot after the ceremony will mean you get that golden hour hue. Of course, you can still split it so you do a first look before the ceremony and then do the rest of the shoot after, so you get the best of both worlds.
-You capture a different kind of moment
The groom’s expression when he sees the bride walking down the aisle might not be as private as the first look, but it can be just as special. It captures a special moment of a different kind, and the wonder in his eyes will be just as beautiful.
Cons:
-You don’t have privacy
Depending on how many guests you have, it might be nerve racking to see your partner for the first time in front of all those people. It might make you both feel slightly exposed, but then again, you might want to share the moment with the people you love.
-You don’t spend time before the ceremony
If you see each other at the ceremony for the first time, you don’t have the chance to spend some alone time together. The day will probably be busy and you won’t get to take a breath until after the whole wedding.
In the end, both ways can be wonderful and solely depends on your personal preference. There is no wrong way to do it.
Image: Instagram/Thewoodsweddings