• An unidentified woman in the US is working hard to sell a vintage wedding dress she found in an abandoned old gold rush town while hiking.

    Since returning home with the dress, she claims strange things have been happening to her. The bride is now trying to sell her dress on Facebook Market place for $600 (about R8 900).

    In the Facebook advert for her dress, the bride explains that the minute she returned home with the dress, everything changed.

    “While my fiancé and I were hiking through a small town between Fairfax and Carbanado, Washington, we came across an old gold rush town that was completely abandoned,” she wrote. “Needless to say our curiosity got the best of us and we started to explore the ruins of this ghost town. In one of the rundown remnants of a small cottage we shimmied up into, I came across this dress.

    “It was so gorgeous, I froze at the sight of it. And if I’m being completely honest, it scared the crap out of me all at the same time, but something about its ethereal beauty just begged me to bring it home with me.”

    “First small things like a sock, and my closet door being open in the morning when I specifically remember closing it before bed. Then my cat’s food tray would get thrown at such velocity it would knock things off of the shelf hung on the wall it strikes. This happened relentlessly.”

    Doors would slam, lights would turn on and off, and the couple heard footsteps all over their apartment. If that wasn’t bad enough, their home also began to smell.

    “And then came the smell of rotten eggs and fire that would fill our bedroom. Night after night. Then flies started to pile up against my back windows and swarm around my front door.”

    Life began to calm down after the woman gave the dress to her future mother-in-law for cleaning and tailoring.

    “During the two months that she had the dress it was complete peace, no more tension in the room, no more arguing between me and my partner, no more objects moving or footsteps and my cat was back to her affectionate playful self,” she said.

    “She never got it dry-cleaned and begged me not to get married in this dress because of the energy surrounding it and I hadn’t even told her about what was going on at home because up until that point, I hadn’t even connected the two.”

    The bride is now keen to find a new owner for the cursed dress. However, her Facebook post did not get the reaction she was expecting. Many accused her of stealing the dress, and said she deserved to be haunted for taking something that did not belong to her.

    Others said instead of selling and making a profit off of it, she should return the dress wear she found it to hopefully break the curse.

    Picture: Unsplash

    Saint Lucia has been named as the top honeymoon destination for the 12th time by the World Travel Awards. This is also the third consecutive win for the island nation.

    It beat out other loved destinations like Jamaica, the Maldives, Mauritius, Paris, Miami Beach, Oman, Maui in Hawaii and Cartegena de Indias in Colombia.

    While virtually accepting the award, Minister Honourable Dominic Fedee said: “Saint Lucia’s internationally acclaimed status is what we strive for daily in our strategic marketing and promotion efforts.

    “The destination undoubtedly boasts of true passion in all key niches and amongst its hidden gems. It is indeed an honour for Saint Lucia to be named once again as the World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination, a sincere reflection of our culture and the people who propel the industry.”

    It seems this destination is quite popular. In addition to its winning category, Saint Lucia was also nominated as the World’s Leading Island Destination, World’s Leading Wedding Destination and World’s Most Romantic Destination 2020.

    Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It is especially popular for its lush rainforests, towering mountains, secluded coves and vibrant local communities. It is an adventure-lovers dream destination.
    Picture: Instagram / Travel Saint Lucia

    Veils are not made equal. From fabric and length to fullness and style, every aspect of your wedding veil can make or break your bridal look.

    With thousands of veils to choose from, it can easily feel like an overwhelming task. However, there are ways to refine your search. These are the key veil lengths and the looks they suit best:

    The birdcage:

    For a vintage flair, opt for the birdcage veil. This short veil often features stiff netting or mesh that covers just the forehead and top half of the face. They are usually fastened to pillbox hats or headbands.

    This veil looks best for brides wanting a more vintage, throwback look. It pairs especially well with tea-length dresses.

     

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    Fingertip length veil:

    For a more classic look, the fingertip length veil is perfect. This mid-length veil stops below the waist and is flattering on every body shape. Not too long and not too short, this veil can be dressed up or down depending on how fancy you want your look to be.

    This is truly the jack of all veils. It flatters a range of hairstyles and dresses, so you have endless options with this look. If your dress is quite embellished and dramatic, it may be best to pair it down with a more simple veil. However, a more simple silhouette can be given added drama with a full veil.

    Ballet length veil:

    One of the most popular veil looks is the ballet length. Also known as the waltz veil, it falls below your hips, anywhere between your knees and ankles.

    This look is extra feminine and romantic, and works especially well on petite brides as it won’t drown her out with fabric and make her appear smaller.

    Chapel length veil:

    Most brides traditionally opt for the chapel length veil, which drapes all the way to the floor and spreads out a few inches behind their wedding dress.

    This style is more formal and traditional, making it perfect for brides wanting a classic look.

    Cathedral length veil:

    This style is essentially the extended chapel veil. It’s usually about 30-60cm longer than a wedding dress, and often requires assistance when laying it out neatly behind you.

    Brides wanting a bit more drama but not too much fuss will love this look. It complements ballgowns especially well, adding a special fairytale spin.

     

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    The Royal veil:

    It’s clear to see how this veil got its name. Channel the drama of Princess Diana with a bold wedding veil that extends not only centimetres but meters behind your dress. Of course, you’ll need some assistants on hand to make sure it looks perfectly sleek and straight, and that no one trips on it.

    Naturally, this veil is perfectly designed to complement a dramatic ballgown.

     

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    Picture: Pexels

    We all hope for a smooth-sailing kind of wedding day, but of course, there’s always the odd chance that some drama will go down.

    You might think no one would be rude enough to show up to a wedding uninvited, but it can happen. Rather have a game plan worked out on how to handle it than get caught off guard.

    Here’s how to avoid having unwanted guests show up, and what to do if it happens.

    1. Be clear on the wedding invitations

    Firstly, make sure that you are very clear about who is invited when sending the wedding invitation. Sending one card to a family when you only intended to invite the parents, for instance, could cause a misunderstanding. The best way to avoid this is to put the names of your guests on the card, and state whether or not plus-ones and children are invited.

    Here’s an example: Instead of saying “Dear Maxwell family”, rather say “Dear Julia and John, please join us in the celebration of our wedding. We regret, we are not able to accommodate children”.

    2. Follow up on unwanted RSVPs

    Should you receive an RSVP for someone who was not directly invited, you have the full right to contact the person and politely ask them not to come. This is most likely to happen in the case of invited guests who want to bring uninvited partners. Contact the invited partner, and gently but firmly say that you really do not have space for more people than invited.

    3. Make a decision about whether to let them stay

    Once you’ve done all the invitations right, there is still a chance that someone might show up out of the blue. A long-lost cousin you have no contact with might feel wronged and shows up to confront the family, or an ex-partner tries to interfere with your new relationship.

    In cases like these, you need to decide whether you will force them to leave or let them stay and adopt a “the more the merrier”-attitude, provided there is no drama. You will probably be too caught up in your own fun and happiness to bother about the plus-one that snuck in after all. If it’s more serious than that, you should address it.

    4. Speak up

    Should the situation need sorting out, you will have to face the person and ask them to leave. It will probably be unpleasant, but it is needed. Be friendly and kind, and take your partner or a member of the bridal party with you. Take them aside in private and tell them that it’s wrong for them to be here. Here’s an example: “I’m really sorry I couldn’t invite you, but I feel that it’s better if you are not here today. Please leave the wedding, and we can talk more later.”

    5. Know who to call

    Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. If the uninvited guest for some reason refuses, you need to have backup. The person might be intoxicated, aggressive or just plain rude but you do not need that on your special day. If you have a wedding planner, call them for assistance. If not, call the venue security or the manager, and explain the situation. It might be a good idea to also save the nearest police station’s number too, just in case.

    Picture: Unsplash