Bridal showers are one of the most popular pre-wedding occassions. The event is a party in honour of the bride and a step towards preparing for married life. Brides look forward to spending quality time with their closest female friends and family, and having all the important people get to know each other before the big day.
This can be a heavy weight on the shoulders of those planning the bridal shower. There are quite a few things that need to be kept in mind. We’re quite certain that you want to make the day as amazing as possible.
Here are a few tips to help you ensure that things run smoothly and turn out perfectly:
– Who hosts and pays?
Usually, bridesmaids are the ones who take control of the bridal shower. In fact, tradition (which has changed with the times) says that the brides family should not throw the shower. These days, however, the bride or grooms mother may be involved in organising too. The bride should barely be involved in the planning!
– When and where should it be?
The bridal shower can be held from about 3 months before the wedding to a few weeks before.
The venue depends on the individual circumstances. If the host has a big enough space at home then it could be held there. It could also be at a family members home, or a restaurant.
– Who is invited?
Most importantly, only people who are invited to the wedding should be considered for the bridal shower. Included in the guest list should be the bridal party, the bride and grooms mothers, female family members, and female friends. It is not necessary to invite every single woman in the brides life, just the most important ones.
– When to send out invites?
You should aim to send out the invitations about a month before the time for the latest. This ensures that guests save the date well in advance. It also ensures that guests can plan gifts and travel (if they live far away).
Extra tip: on the invitation you should include the brides name, the hosts information, date, time, location, RSVP information and registry information. Your invite sets the tone for the event, so make sure it looks good too!
– What food do I serve?
Since this is a celebration, it would be appropriate to have some cake and desserts. Finger foods such as sliders, savouries, and sandwiches are also a good addition.
Alcoholic beverages are acceptable, but make sure you keep it classy. Go with some champagne or cocktails. You can also serve tea and coffee towards the end of the event.
– Are there any traditions to follow?
It is generally not necessary to follow tradition if you don’t want to. However, some traditions include having something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue handed over to the bride. Another one that is quite popular is creating a bouquet using the ribbons from gifts and using the bouquet at the rehearsal.
Tradition also says that the shower should include various games about the bride and grooms relationship and games that are a bit embarrassing for the bride. These have mostly faded away over time.
Gift specific tips:
– How do I ask guests to come with gifts?
Most guests will know that a gift is necessary for a bridal shower. However, simply adding the registry on the invitation is an indirect way of reminding guests about gifts. The bride can also request that nobody brings gifts if she so pleases.
– Does the bride open gifts at the shower?
Another bridal shower tradition is one that suggests the bride should open all the gifts at the shower. This is not necessary at all. It could be used as an ice-breaker, but if the bride prefers to open gifts in private thats fine too!
If gifts are being opened at the shower, ensure that somebody is keeping track of who has given what. The bride will need to send thank you cards a few weeks after the shower. If she can’t remember who gave her what, that would be a disaster!
– Hostess gifts?
This one is a bonus tip for the bride. Be sure to get the hostess a gift as a token of your gratitude. Throwing a bridal shower is no small task and we’re sure you want your hostess to know that you appreciate her efforts!
Image: Pexels
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Miss Universe 2017, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, got engaged to professional football player and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow on January 9, 2019. Since then, the couple have been very secretive about the details of their wedding.
The top questions on everyone’s mind are where the wedding will be and what the dress will look like. Both questions are yet to be answered.
They have, however, shared a few small details here and there in interviews and on their social media accounts. Here is what we know so far:
– Demi is completely in control
Tebow mentioned in an interview that the planning is being done mostly by Nel-Peters. He said that all he wants is to be surrounded by the people he loves, and whatever his fiancé plans will be perfect.
– Zavion Kotze will be planning the wedding
Nel-Peters chose the highly regarded and popular Zavion Kotze to design and coordinate their wedding. Kotze launched his events company in 2010 and specialises in event management, wedding planning and floral design.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4fjGrrHEbj/
– Demi has six bridesmaids
In an interview with David’s Bridal, Demi divulged some information about the bridal party. She said that she has six bridesmaids; all of whom are women she holds dear and whom she hopes will be in her life forever. With regards to her bridesmaids she said, “I don’t think it would have been as fun without them”.
– We have an idea of their wedding dance
Tebow posted a video to his Instagram captioned, “Cha-cha slide is pretty tough”. The video shows the couple practicing the Cuban dance, with Tim sweating through his shirt. Demi posted a picture on the same day captioned, “Our first ‘first dance’ lesson”. We’re sure they’ll nail it on the big day!
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– The guest list may include some of Nel-Peters’ fellow beauty queens
Nel-Peters told Channel24 in August, that she had invited some of her pageant sisters to attend her wedding. The wedding is sure to have heads turning with both the decor and the guests.
– We will see the wedding photos
The couple took to Instagram to ask their followers for help. They wanted some suggestions on a wedding hashtag. Surely this means they’re intending to post the wedding photos for us all to marvel at.
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– A potential wedding song
In an interview with Jacaranda FM, Nel-Peters said that the Matthew Mole track, “The Wedding Song” is very special to the couple. She said that the song is being considered as a potential wedding song.
– They’re preparing for marriage, not just a wedding
Demi mentioned in an interview that she and Tebow have been reading books about marriage and attending pre-marriage counselling. This additional piece of preparation is sure to make their wedding day and life together even more special.
– The wedding should be soon
Nel-Peters has already had her bachelorette party and bridal shower. This is a sign that the wedding date may be soon.
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Image: Instagram/Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters
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Honeymoon planning is technically part of wedding planning. The honeymoon usually takes place quite close to the wedding day, and this leaves you with very little time to make last minute adjustments. That’s why you should get ahead with organising.
If the trip is not well planned, it may leave you feeling a bit unsatisfied and disappointed. We wouldn’t want you to feel that way about – what should be – one of the most exciting, love-filled getaways of your life.
To help you out, and ensure that you have the best honeymoon possible, here are some honeymoon mistakes to avoid.
– Not doing your research
This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. In order for your trip to be all you’ve ever imagined it to be, unfortunately, you can’t rely on your imagination while planning.
You need to do research on destinations, to find out whether the places you want to go are affordable and if there are any customs and practices that you should take into consideration. Researching the destination will also tell you when their peak tourist times are, if that’s something you want to avoid. It’ll also give you an idea of the weather, which will definitely affect your decision.
If you’re doing research about your hotel, make sure you’re looking at reviews and not just the hotel’s webpages. This will give you a better idea of where you’ll be staying.
– Not setting a budget
You should set a budget before you book anything. In fact, your plans should be based on the funds that you have. Decide on how much you can spend or are willing to spend on the trip as a whole. Then separate that into a budget including flights, hotels, activities, shopping and food. This way you won’t put yourselves into debt to finance your honeymoon.
Another smart move would be to put some money aside for unforeseen expenses. Anything can happen, and you wouldn’t want to be short of money in an unfamiliar place.
– Booking your tickets with your new name
If you’re taking your partners last name, you’re probably excited to start using it. We understand! While you’re most definitely free to start using it in your day-to-day, it may be better to use your previous last name when booking your flights.
Changing your name on your passport and other identification documents will be a long process, and it most likely will not be completed in time. The name on your ticket needs to match the name on your passport, or you will not be allowed to board. Additionally, airlines charge a large fee to change ticket details.
– Planning to leave immediately after the wedding
We know that traditions can be difficult to break. Leaving for your honeymoon on the night of your wedding is one of the traditions you’ll have to try extra hard to avoid.
Leaving immediately will likely have you feeling tired and more stressed than you should be. The wedding day is long. Make sure you have at least a day or two to rest before you leave.
– Forgetting to tell people you’re on your honeymoon
If you let the hotel know you’re on your honeymoon, they may give you some special treatment. Don’t miss out on fun treats and possible upgrades!
You should also ensure that the office knows you’re on your honeymoon. It would be unfortunate to be bothered by work emails and calls all day.
– Doing too much or too little
If you do too many activities, you may overspend and you may tire yourself out. But, if you do too little, you’ll regret not experiencing the place you’re visiting. Activities are what makes a trip memorable. So make sure you’re doing enough to have all the fun, but not so much that you get no down time.
– Missing out on local cuisine and attractions
You may get caught up in the “honeymoon” of it all, spending all your time getting couples massages and having a luxurious time at the hotel. Make sure that you don’t miss out on all the things that your chosen destination has to offer. Local food and tourist attractions can make your honeymoon unique and unforgettable.
Image: Pexels
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You’ve seen it, you’ve loved it, but you keep thinking: ‘Can I wear it?’ The answer is yes! Wedding gowns that come with a backlace is the epitome of elegance. The fun part is, if your dress does not come with one, but you have an open back, you can opt for a necklace with a back. That means it will be short at the front and have a backdrop hanging down your back. Here are some inspiration from different kinds of backlaces, suited for different styles.
Dainty
Pearly
Glitzy
Layered
Rustic
Pendant
Picture: Etsy.com