Hotel weddings are popular venues for a reason. Hotels are generally beautifully decorated and have the facilities to cater for weddings. It is essentially a one-stop shop, making it one of the most convenient venues to choose from. Of course, as with any wedding venue, there are some limitations.
Take a look at the pros and cons of this venue type to see if it would work for you:
The location
The beauty of this venue is that you can have both your ceremony and reception in one place. Hotel venues are usually already pretty and elegant and so you will not have to do much decorating.
However, if you would like to decorate, you might be limited in terms of what you are allowed to do in the space. You will also have to accept the fact that this venue means that your wedding will have a standard ballroom look and you might not be able to have much personalisation.
If you do decide to have your wedding in a hotel, they will most likely book rooms for the bridal party and groomsmen to get ready in. Guests that have travelled for the wedding will be able to stay in the hotel and won’t have to worry about transport to and from the venue, plus, the hotel might even give a group booking rate.
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The facilities
Hotels will have plenty of parking space, bathrooms and the ability to house a lot of people with ease. There will be built-in sound systems for all audio requirements. The staff are experienced in dealing with lots of people at large events which will keep things running smoothly. You won’t have to rent any furniture or cutlery or crockery as they will have more than enough for your event.
But then again, this leaves little room to personalise your wedding. if you want your wedding to be unique, you might feel constrained by the limited options of this kind of venue.
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The logistics
While the convenience of hotel weddings is appealing, it also means that you might be limited by hotel rules. Since the venue is in a working hotel, your wedding might have a time limit as the noise might bother other guests. You could potentially have to use the hotel bar for drinks and their catering service instead of being able to choose your own.
Another negative is that hotel weddings are generally quite expensive. Even if the hotel offers wedding packages, these might limit you even further in choosing your own photographer or videographer as you might have to use the ones that come with the package.
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While you might save on rental costs with a hotel wedding, the venue alone could be quite costly. You also run the risk of being bound by vendors approved by the hotel. at the end of the day, however, it will probably save you a lot of time and stress when you’re planning the wedding if your heart isn’t already set on specific vendors.
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Bouquets have come to be the classic accessory for bridesmaids to carry as they walk down the aisle. A bride in Plant City, Florida, however, decided on something…
There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a new perfume, only to find the scent will last a whole of five seconds before it fades into the wind. We give you a few simple ways to help make your fragrance last longer and stronger, especially for your big day.
A clean slate
Timing is everything, so spraying on your perfume after a hot shower and a layer of moisturiser is the best way to lock in that scent. After a shower, your pores are clean and skin is moist, making it more susceptible to hold onto the fragrance.
Layered levels
To achieve the maximum scent profile of your favourite perfume, try layering the same scent with its matching body wash and body cream. The products work in harmony to last as long as possible and also reach areas you wouldn’t normally spray your perfume on. For that added punch, lightly mist your hair at the nape of your neck with the scent as well.
Pulse points
These points on our bodies are where blood flows closest to the surface, i.e. behind the ears, along your neck, your inner wrists and behind the elbows and knees. It is always preferred to target these areas with the scent as the skin is thinnest here and they emit natural heat from your body. This heat helps the perfume scent to evolve as the day progresses and works with your natural body scent.
Dab, don’t rub
When spraying perfume onto your skin, always dab instead of rubbing it into your skin, or better yet, just leave it. While the pulse points release heat, rubbing those points together (like your wrists) has the potential to break the perfume’s molecular structure.
The perfect distance
As obvious as it sounds to spray more perfume if you want a stronger scent pay-off, try to not overspray your perfume in one particular area. However, in that same breath, don’t spray into the air and completely miss it landing where it should. The ideal should be the perfume bottle at an angle, half an arm’s length away from your body so that it can settle evenly onto your skin.
Store away from light & heat
Lastly, always keep your perfumes away from direct sunlight and intense heat or humidity. The light and heat break down the perfume itself which causes it to fade faster than usual. One would hate to spend thousands of rands on a beautiful perfume that won’t even last you the month if it’s already broken down.
By Yashna Balwanth
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Celebrities, they’re just like us. Or are they? While some of us (A.K.A, the plebeians) spend months and years saving up for an engagement ring, the lucky minority…
As fashion trends evolve, so do wedding gowns. One that has been relived many times and has experienced a resurgence since Meghan Markle stepped out in one on her wedding day is the halter neck. This design has a very elegant look to it, and we love the different ways you can play around with it.
Romantic
This lovely look is feminine and soft, with a dash of sparkle.
Low-cut
If you prefer a more sultry look, this sexy neckline plunges down but comes together at the top for a finished look.
Applique
Patterns are eye candy. These designs sewn onto transparent netting gives the image of the dress gently caressing the skin.
X-shape
If you want to flaunt some shoulder, rock this design.
Image: Pexels
Choosing your bridesmaids can be tough. It comes with all kinds of complications like having to choose between friends, having the friend you chose be unavailable for the…
This might not be something men think about a lot, but the fact is, your groomsmen give just as much time, energy and money towards your wedding as any loyal bridesmaid. The least you can do is say thank you, and show them that you really appreciate them sharing your journey to the altar with you. Depending on your budget, you can go big or small.
Of course, men are notoriously difficult to give gifts to. Here are some cool ideas to help you out:
Personalized beer case
We love this wooden case, and carving their name on it adds a personal touch.
Braai kit
You can’t go wrong with this one. Always handy!
Travel mug
For all the campers, travellers and always-on-the-go dudes.
Bluetooth speaker
With a small speaker that’s easy to carry, your boys will always be the life of the party.
Liqueuer
Not only is liqueur super classy, it actually tastes better than you think!
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