Letting your family help out with all the wedding planning can be fun, exciting, and a relief. But they can often become too involved and start taking over, causing unnecessary drama and stress before the big day. It’s important to set some boundaries while still letting your loved ones know that their help is appreciated, which is why we’ve come up with simple solutions to getting everyone involved without it turning into a family takeover,
1. KEEP IT SPECIFIC
Assign your family members certain tasks to complete, making sure they keep you informed with their progress. This can be anything from making invitations to table decorations, leaving you to sort out the bigger decisions.
2. COMMUNICATION
Keep in contact with your family about your decisions and the progress of the wedding planning. This will allow them to feel like they are a part of it all, and that you value their opinion. It’s also important to speak up when you are unhappy, but approach it in a calm and gentle way.
3. COMPROMISE
If your parents are footing some of the bill, they’ll want to have a say in some of the arrangements. Welcome their ideas, but also explain your and your fiancée’s vision for your wedding before you get started.
4. GET YOUR WEDDING PLANNER INVOLVED
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with pressure from all sides, get your wedding planner to step in and act as a buffer between you and your family. This will also give them the opportunity to update everyone on the wedding progress and what plans are in place to achieve your vision.
5. OFF LIMITS
Keep certain aspects of the wedding planning decisions off limits. This doesn’t mean you can’t involve your family or keep them in the loop, but be strictly clear that it is for you to decide. This can be about your guest list, the dress, or wedding cake. To counter any protests, give your family something they are passionate about, such as the catering or wedding stationery.
Image: Unsplash
Step into the jungle for a style transformation of eye-catching colours, feathers, exaggerated skirts and fringes, and deluxe detailing, perfect for a tropical wedding. Dress, Elbeth Gillis; earrings and…
Romantic, symbolic and a key part of any wedding, take your time when you are choosing wedding flowers and consider these 4 important factors.
1. THE FLORAL FORECAST
The time of year you choose to wed will play a role in your flower selection, but keeping an eye on the trends is equally important. According to Tangerine Moolman from Pink Energy Floral Design in Joburg, brides are taking their cue from nature, opting for more foliage. ‘A big trend on the rise is the use of lush greenery and plants, combined with either neutral colours or bright pops of colour.’
Josie van Aswegen from Fabulous Flowers in Cape Town agrees. ‘Brides are now opting for more ethereal arrangements in soft colours that create a botanical look, which is particularly beautiful for summer weddings,’ she says.
And don’t be afraid to buck tradition. While pastels and brighter colours have always been go-tos, there is a refreshing move towards cooler colours, with shades of blue making an impact – a great choice for seaside celebrations.
2. ARRANGED!
Once you have decided on your flowers for the day, pay attention to the design. Centrepieces are no longer the primary focus, with brides opting for more low-key table arrangements in favour of lavish bouquets.
Speaking of bouquets: Don’t think that yours needs to match the rest of the flowers on the day. In fact, bouquets are very personal and should reflect the spirit of the bride, says Josie. ‘The bride should carry the bouquet that she wants to carry on the day – without having to worry too much about the theme, as this can be worked into the bridesmaids’ bouquets.’
Tangerine agrees that the bride’s bouquet should be special, but cautions against making it too different. ‘While the bridal bouquet needs to stand out, it shouldn’t look like it belongs to another wedding,’ she says. An easy way to differentiate your bouquet from the rest of the flowers is in design, not necessarily colour.
If you want to make a statement with your bouquet, keep the floral arrangements and centrepieces at the ceremony and reception simpler. For those whose flowers are a big part of the decor, opt for understated, smaller bouquets or single stems.
3. BLOOMS ON A BUDGET
Choosing flowers that are in season is always a cost-saving solution. ‘Flowers that come in a great variety of colours and are available year-round include chrysanthemums, carnations, gerbera daisies, spray roses (usually smaller than a standard rose) and standard roses (not speciality roses),’ says Tangerine.
If you have your heart set on more exotic (and therefore more expensive) blooms, you can still stick to your budget with smart design choices. For instance, opt for bigger flowers such as orchids as opposed to peonies – it will take fewer of them to fill your space.
With greenery being a popular trend, consider incorporating more of it into your centrepieces and even bridal bouquet.
As a pocket-friendly centrepiece idea, Josie suggests using fewer stems in glass bottles interspersed with an abundance of greenery.
4. WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
As with most things wedding-related, it’s best to order more flowers so that you don’t come up short on the day. You may find yourself with an abundance of blooms left over, but they needn’t go to waste. ‘A nice idea is to put stickers underneath certain guests’ seats, and anyone with a sticker gets to take home a bunch of flowers,’ suggests Josie.
And bridesmaids’ bouquets are often forgotten about and left at the venue, so Tangerine recommends having a few vases placed near the head table where the bridesmaids can leave their bouquets, and hopefully remember to take them at the end of the evening. Find a way to make sure the flowers will be enjoyed the next day.
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Make your big day a fun and festive affair with exciting and thoughtful quirky wedding ideas perfect for a beautiful summer’s day!
1. A FLOWER WALL
A flower wall can create a stunning fixture for your guests to take photographs. Make sure to use bright summer blooms to suit your theme.
2. OUTDOOR GAMES
Let your guests bring out their inner child with fun outdoor games during the wedding reception. See our favourites here.
3. DRINK INFUSIONS
There’s nothing like fresh fruit infusions to quench your thirst under the hot sun. Set up a station with fresh and summery drink infusions where guests can fill up a glass every now and then.
4. FESTIVAL VIBES
Go full carnival for your big day with mini rides, food stalls and games your guests can take part in.
5. LANTERNS
Decorate the interior or exterior of your venue with paper lanterns for a stunning whimsical effect. You can even give your guests wish lanterns and send them off altogether in a beautiful display.
6. PICNIC TIME
If you plan on having an outdoor wedding, set up picnic blankets and pillows for guests to relax on the lawns.
7. BONFIRE BRAAI
Following the picnic theme, light a bonfire or braai as the evening gets cooler for your loved ones to socialise around, marshmallows included!
8. SCENTED CANDLES
Decorate your tables with scented candles with fragrant floral scents that act as both a sweet display and keep the bugs away.
9. ICE CREAM STATION
Spoil your guests with yummy frozen scoops of ice cream at an ice cream station to keep cool during your big day.
10. FIREWORKS
Celebrate your nuptials with an extravagant display of fireworks over your venue that will both enchant and excite your guests.
Images: Pinterest
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No matter your haircut, length or texture, these wedding hair trends are just for you. Check out some of our favourites for this season.
1. TIE THE KNOT
Take notes from stitch and knot techniques, and incorporate them into low ponytails and buns. Leanne Marshall, Marchesa and Mila Schön all included knot detailing in their runway looks, proving that this trend can be super-chic for any bride who wants an understated yet striking style. As an added bonus, should your knot start coming undone during the evening, you can let it loose and have perfectly wavy strands for a more relaxed look.
2. SLEEK AND CHIC
Best suited for brides with poker-straight strands or a shorter cut. Pull your hair back into a low ponytail, or opt for a sleek and shiny topknot that will stay in place, no matter how much fun you have. Be sure to tame any flyaways or baby hairs with a couple of drops of an anti-frizz serum or oil. Alternatively, show off your attention-worthy earrings with a middle parting and tucked-away strands for an uber-cool approach, as seen at Sachin & Babi.
3. BRAID OF HONOUR
Probably the biggest hair trend at the moment! Usually thought of as a more free-spirited Bohemian style, braids are being incorporated into bridal hairdos in new ways, proving to be perfectly sophisticated. For the bride seeking a classic style with a hint of romanticism and whimsy, any kind of braid can be altered to fit your personal style. Try a Dutch or milkmaid plait with wispy pieces for a Boho take, or sleek miniature braids neatly tucked away for a contemporary look.
4. A NEW WAVE
Curls will always be a winner, whether they are soft, beachy waves or mega-bouncy Hollywood twirls. This can be tricky if your hair is super-straight, so if you wish to go curly on your big day, rather opt for waves and add a tiara or birdcage veil for a cool-girl effect. If you have naturally curly hair, embrace it with a volumising mousse and a frizz-tamer to smooth flyaways.
5. UPDATED UPSTYLING
Gone are the days of an updo being confined to a little nest on top of your head with hundreds of pins holding your hair in place. The modest style gets reinvented with modern details to embrace a bride’s natural texture, adding tiaras, flowers or headpieces, as seen at Lela Rose, Theia and Mark Zunino. Whether you prefer your hair slightly dishevelled and tousled, or slick and neat, the classic chignon can offer the answer.