Although the skin-bearing styles of wedding dresses are a lasting fashion, sleeves add feminine sophistication to a demure gown.
Wedding dress sleeves were previously considered for a more conservative, cautious bride but have become a fashion statement and added accessory.
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There are many reasons why someone may want to cover their shoulders. Whether you are insecure of the shape or size, it’s important that you feel truly comfortable and beautiful on your big day.
Luckily, sleeves are super trendy in the wedding world right now. Puffy and over-the-top sleeves have been revamped into a variety of styles.
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The cap sleeve is short, covering just the shoulders and extending no further than the armpit. The boat neck sleeve has a wider neckline and slides just off the shoulders, highlighting the collar bone. Another favourite is the one-shoulder sleeve which ultimately speaks for itself.
When opting for a sleeved gown make sure to pick the right fabric. Lace and sheer fabric are fashion-forward, light and breathable but are also often less stretchy and forgivable, so they need to be fitted well.
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The length of your sleeves will also be determined by your style of dress and your preference. You can opt for a full lace sleeve or choose a style that incorporates lace fabric with hints of diamante detailing, adding a little extra sparkle.
If you’d still like to show a bit of skin, then perhaps you can choose a dress style with sleeves that also features a backless detail or a high slit.
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Every year of marriage is one worthy of celebration, but the ones that land on multiples of five are always extra special. Every year that passes takes your marriage to a new level and holds new significance, with a particular symbol to represent it.
Traditionally, the 15th year of marriage is symbolised by crystal to represent beauty and investment. Highly revered and quite costly, crystal is an extravagant item reserved for the finer pieces in life.
There are many examples of crystals like diamonds, salt, quartz, and various gemstones. This makes the gifting process so much easier, as you have more variety.
Here are some crystal gift ideas to stick to tradition:
Nachtmann Lead-Free Crystal Harlekin Glass Vase – R990 from YuppieChef
Bohemia Crystal – Empery Candlestick – R699 from Makro
Shift Smoky Quartz Crystal Elixir Water Bottle – R1090 from Faithful to Nature
Spiegelau Lead-Free Crystal Style White Wine Glasses, Set of 4 – R499 from Yuppiechef
Brillante Whisky Decanter – R549 on Kitchenique
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Money, and how people spend it, is often a major cause of tension in couples. Before you walk down the aisle, it’s important to make sure you and your partner are on the same page when it comes to what you plan on doing with your money.
While we hate to rain on anyone’s wedding parade, it’s important to not get so carried away that you forget to stay within your financial means or forget to make responsible preparations for your financial future together. Before taking the big step, here’s what you should consider.
Know your options
First things first: you need to know the type of marriage as well as the type of matrimonial property regimes you can enter into, as each one has its own financial repercussions. Marriage in community of property means everything you own and owe that you each had before the marriage becomes jointly owned. This is the default contract in South Africa.
Marriage out of community of property means that your assets and liabilities are kept separately and is drawn up as an antenuptial contract.
Check out this breakdown to help you decide which contract is right for you.
Have a pre-wedding money convo
It’s crucial to know your partner’s credit profile, especially if you plan on getting married in community of property. Knowing each other’s credit history will also give you some insight into each other’s financial behaviour. Be honest from the outset about debts and current financial responsibilities, such as child maintenance or assistance for parents or siblings. This way, neither partner will be shocked with unforeseen expenses after you tie the knot.
Think about a joint account
If you and your partner are comfortable sharing everything, a joint bank account is a convenient way to manage your day-to-day spending and saving. If one of you is less financially responsible, make the decision that the person who is good at handling finances will take care of the household budget instead.
Plan, plan, plan
Your wedding is only the beginning of your married life, so commit to saving and creating wealth from the start. Set up a meeting with a financial advisor to help you draw up a plan suited for your life goals and needs, and ensure you meet with them yearly to stay on track.
Budget – every month
Sit down together on a monthly basis to check on your financial behaviour and spending. Not only is this good practice but will alert you to any potential shortfalls that you can tackle as soon as they come up.
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With the wealth of jaw-droppingly beautiful blooms available, choosing the correct ones for your big day can be a challenge. Of course, you’d want your wedding flowers to look spectacular, but have you thought about what they actually mean?
Thinking about the special messages attached to your flowers when you select them will allow them to serve a greater purpose than simply ornamenting your venue. So, we’ve decoded the meanings of five well-loved bridal blossoms to help make your big day even more meaningful.
Roses
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Aah, the oh-so-pretty rose. It’s rare to come across a wedding venue that hasn’t been decorated with at least a few of these sweetly scented flowers, and understandably so.
The rose has been a symbol of love since the beginning of time: the birth of Venus was marked with white roses and the text of the Medieval poem, ‘The Romance of the Rose’, lured the suitor to a rose garden.
The flower represents the phases of romantic bonds, from the initial butterflies that you feel in your tummy to the twilight years of unwinding on the porch at sunset. Add it to your bouquet as a reminder of everlasting love.
Lavender
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With its healing qualities and intense, euphoric aroma, lavender has the power to transform your wedding into an occasion of restoration and refreshment.
During bygone eras, young ladies would slide lavender sachets between the garments of their bridal trousseau and just beneath their corsets, to infuse their clothing with its scent.
Follow in their footsteps by sewing a few stems to the lining of your dress or mixing them with an assortment of other blooms in your wedding bouquet. For the ultimate experience of revival, spritz on lavender perfume just before taking your first steps down the aisle.
Daffodil
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Just as the uplifting daffodil signals the end of winter and the start of spring, so too can it signal your new beginning as a wife.
Dubbed ‘Butter and Eggs’ by the Victorians as a nod to its vivid hues, it’s reminiscent of carefree childhood days and is the ideal bloom to help you create a relaxed, joyous ambiance.
It’s said to be a simplistic and natural flower, which will perfectly blend into the decor of a minimalistic, farm-themed wedding.
Ranunculi
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This flower, consisting of layers of pretty petals, was historically given to women to let them know how alluring they were.
Persian legend has it that a prince was transformed into ranunculi after singing to an enchanting nymph that he fell in love with. Whether your groom is musically gifted or not, a bunch of ranunculus from him is a foolproof sign that you’ve bewitched him with your beauty.
It’s no wonder that this flower has made its way into many a wedding tablescape. Decorate your venue to look just as beguiling as you do by using them to fashion trendy table runners.
Lily of the Valley
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Lily of the Valley is a flower of celebration, consisting of tiny bell-shaped buds surrounded by a collection of vibrant, green foliage.
On the British holiday of Whit Monday, families and friends came together to have a ‘lily picnic’ where they picked several lilies before indulging in tasty fare and dancing to jolly ol’ tunes.
Copy their festive rituals or for a more romantic take, follow the French custom of exchanging Lily of the Valley with your love: he can add a sprig to your bouquet while you pin him with a boutonniere made with the bloom.
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