Before the “I do’s” come the infamous bachelor parties. Fuelled by movies like The Hangover, there are certainly some crazy and shocking stories out there. Here are a few stories from anonymous brides- and grooms-to-be of stag do’s that didn’t go quite as planned.
In one groom’s story, the stag do started out fairly tame, with everything fairly in order. As the party proceeded however, along came the stripper. Organised by his group of friends, the groom-to-be was unaware of who the woman was. It was only upon her arrival that he saw the stripper was his ex-girlfriend’s mother – certainly not a pleasant surprise.
In a separate story, the bachelor spent the night before the big day drinking copious amounts of alcohol. The menu included a fifth of rum, 30 beers, a bottle of whiskey, and more – followed by a head injury and a blackout. The husband-to-be only woke up just four hours before the wedding and managed to make it there just in time, an hour before the ceremony started.
Another man had been dating his fiancée for a few years. She had recently made friends with a man at work. The groom-to-be had mixed feelings about the colleague but somehow this man ended up being a groomsman. At the stag do, after a lot of alcohol, the bachelor broke down in tears and left his own party. The partygoers later found out that the suspicious co-worker was having an affair with the bride-to-be.
Hoping to be a little smarter than others, one bachelor decided to have his party a week before the wedding. He also not-so-smartly indulged in a little too much alcohol (we’re starting to see a pattern here) and fell off a deck, three floors above the ground. He attended his wedding with two broken wrists and a shaved head due to the stitches he needed above one of his ears.
A different groom-to-be decided to party it up in Vegas. He met a girl there and the two exchanged numbers, to his fiancée’s knowledge. The bride-to-be was at home with a tablet that must was linked to the bachelor’s phone, and received all the texts between the two. The wedding was called off.
So whether it’s confirming that you DON’T know the stripper, knowing your alcohol limits, trusting your gut or steering clear of high-rise venues, here are some of the crazy stag do situations you definitely want to steer clear of experiencing yourself.
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The long-awaited wedding of Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and musician Joe Jonas finally took place in June and we couldn’t help swoon over the stunning Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière wedding dress she wore.
Rumour has it the intricately detailed work of art took over 10 embroiders working for 1 050 hours on 14 metres of fabric to finally complete the immaculate creation.
Each panel of the dress was decorated with 5 400 crystal beads complimented by 50 400 white beads with a veil to match – which also took 48 hours to hand embroider.
The dress has a classic design with long sheer fitted sleeves, a thick waistband and plunging V-neckline to accentuate Sophie’s figure.
The beautiful bride paired her dress with a cascading white bouquet and a natural make up look with loose hair.
Ghesquière designed the custom wedding dress for Sophie, complete with flower-embroidered tulle and silk gazar.
A cut out back was included in the one-of-a-kind design as well as a lace-trimmed veil with minute decorative ornamental needlework.
The gorgeous couple were wed in a French chateau and a general theme of French flair was certainly present throughout the affair.
It goes without saying that Sophie’s stylish assumable was the envy of brides-to-be everywhere as she happily made her way down the isle. We can’t all afford Louis Vuitton wedding gowns but we can most certainly dream, drool and pin it on our Pinterest boards.
Pictures: Instagram
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By Yashna Balwanth
Contrary to popular belief, being environmentally and socially responsible on your wedding day is easier and possibly cheaper than you think. What could possibly be more important than protecting the Earth? Small considerations can make a world of difference – like using seasonal and local flowers flowers instead of importing them.
Being eco-friendly is fashionable, will boost your eco-consciousness levels – and perhaps even turn a few guests into eco-warriors. We’ve put together a few conscious decisions to consider to make your special day more eco-friendly and your wallet a little happier.
Disposable confetti
Every bride wants to be showered in glittery confetti. In reality, you are throwing microplastics everywhere. An eco-friendlier alternative to this is to use biodegradable confetti which are made from flower petals. Or punch out confetti circles from leaves, colour them metallic and voilà. These are materials that still look as beautiful in pictures and will do exactly the same job.
Re-use wedding attire
Being eco-friendly also means finding more than one use for certain items, this includes wedding attire. By allowing your bridal party to choose their own style of dress within your colour palette, they will wear the dress again since it is something they have chosen for themselves. The bride’s dress can also be a vintage or pre-loved garment, perhaps handed down through generations. Don’t grow too attached to your wedding gown, you can have it altered once the wedding is over into two separate pieces of a top and skirt, then mix and match it within your closet for multiple uses.
Potted vs cut flowers
Cut flowers do not have a long lifespan. Why not opt for a potted centerpiece instead? These can also double up as wedding favours for guests to take home, which help save on costs. However, if you really do want cut flowers for decor, work with a company that can have the flowers reused after the function or even donated to a hospital or community centre.
Digital stationery
Let’s be real for a second… how many of us actually save wedding invites of friends and family? This is wasted paper and a waste of money printing invitations that still need to be hand delivered to guests. Besides the digital realm keeping us in touch with one another, it has also helped with invitations and notices to guests. Wedding websites can be set up for minimal costs and can also keep track of the guests who have rsvp’d and those who have not.
Food donations
It comes as no surprise that weddings attract a lot of wastage when it comes to food. Whether guests didn’t show up, or caterers over prepared, there is always waste of perfectly good food that shouldn’t be thrown away. Perhaps leftovers can be donated to a shelter for the homeless or even handed out to a nearby children’s school. Ensure your caterers are aware of your plans to donate so the food is not thrown out unintentionally.
Picture: Pixabay
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By Mariska van Zyl
There’s no denying that planning your wedding can be exciting, overwhelming and very expensive. So establishing a budget and planing ahead is crucial. There are a few hidden costs when it comes to your wedding day, tipping vendors being one of them.
Photographers & Videographers:
It’s not necessary to tip the photographer and videographer if they own their own business as all the costs will usually be included in the contract. If you feel that they went the extra mile you can add an additional amount to the agreed price or you can send a thank you gift after the wedding.
Catering staff and Bartenders:
If your contract doesn’t include tip, you should tip 10 to 20 percent of the total catering bill. If you have an open bar, bartenders do expect to receive a tip from guests as they serve the drinks but it isn’t necessary as they’ll already receive a fixed amount from the venue.
Hair & Makeup artist:
When you hire a hair and makeup artist that owns their own business, you aren’t obligated to tip them. However, if you go to a salon you are expected to tip as you would going for a normal appointment.
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This forest ceremony area is just mind blowing at @beloftebos_wedding_venue What do you guys think?
Officiant:
While it isn’t customary to tip religious officiants, however if you want to thank them for their service, you can send them a thoughtful gift or better, make a donation to their place of worship.
Musicians and DJs:
If you are hiring an independent band or DJ, you aren’t obligated to tip, however when the band or DJ is being booked through an agency, tipping each member is standard.
Tips are meant to to be given to vendors who go above and beyond their contracted duties, so remember to have a look at the vendors’ contracts to see if any gratuity is added in the costs. If your budget is tight, there are other ways of giving “tips”. You can give your vendors excellent reviews or refer them to other friends that are getting married.
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