What do you get when you cross a Miss Universe stunner and a former pro-footballer? A match made in heaven.
South African stunner Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (now Tebow) and husband Tim Tebow have had a whilwind romance. Here is where it all began.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDedH6ABV28/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The pair met through an event Tebow was hosting for his non-profit, the Tim Tebow Foundation.
“Her sister has special needs, so we invited them to Night to Shine in South Africa,” Tebow said during an interview with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. “We kind of met and started talking through that and haven’t stopped.”
Their relationship moved pretty quickly, and they confirmed their relationship in July 2018.
“She is a really special girl and I am very lucky and blessed for her coming into my life,” Tebow said in an ESPN interview. “I am usually very private with these things but I am very thankful.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7WzFpYhPRv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In January 2019 after less than a year of dating, Tim popped the question with an elaborate and sentimental proposal. Tebow had flown family members from across America and South Africa to Jacksonville, Florida to be a part of the proposal. Demi-Leigh was told they were attending a late Tebow family Christmas dinner at their family farm and was surprised when it ended in a proposal.
“Ever since I first saw you, you gave me so much hope. When I first heard your voice, you gave me so much belief. When I first met you, I knew you were the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And I will spend the rest of my life fighting for you and fighting for us,” said Tebow before going down on one knee to propose.
Tebow also flew Demi-Leigh’s favourite South African performer Matthew Mole to Florida to serenade them post-proposal. Watch their proposal here:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B7Gt6dWBy7w/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
They came to Demi-Leigh’s home country, South Africa, to tie the knot. Their pre-wedding festivities kicked off with a ‘Welcome to Africa’ cocktail dinner in the Cape winelands to introduce Tebow to South African culture. The bride wore a stunning white dress by Gert Johan-Coetzee featuring a criss-cross neckline and cut-out detail, while Tebow wore a blush-toned suit.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B7dX-CXBvbQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The following day, the couple held a stunning rehearsal dinner. They went for a sophisticated colour scheme, opting for rich purples, reds and black. Demi-Leigh stunned in a strapless wine-coloured dress with beading by Anel Botha. The couple’s weekend events are all planned by celebrity planner Zavion Khotze.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B7hHICCBeep/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The pair got married at the La Paris Estate in Franschhoek on January 20, 2020. South African celebrity wedding planner Zavion Khotze organised the day. The former Miss Universe wore an off-the-shoulder cowl-neck dress by Davids Bridal and Tim wore a tuxedo by Antar Levar.
According to PEOPLE, their ceremony lasted 30 minutes and was attended by 260 guests. The couple wrote their own vows.
The wedding blended South African and American wedding traditions, because their cultures are very important to the couple.
“We’re both very traditional,” Nel-Peters told PEOPLE. “We wanted to look back at the wedding and see that it was intimate, elegant, and traditional. We definitely wanted it to be something that we could look back on and know that nothing was dated. We want to remember this day for the rest of our lives.”
Demi-Leigh’s favourite performer, Matthew Mole, performed his original song ‘Pennsylvania’ for their first dance.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7k1Psoh7PY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B70O8Hkh-bX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Feature image: Instagram / Demi Tebow
As the pandemic continues, long-distance couples are kept apart even longer. For many, it has been at least five months since they’ve physically seen their partner. A new…
Flowers are a big part of a wedding day, whether its the bouquet or the flower arrangement, no special day would be the same without them.
For those who have a little extra love to spare for the blossoming beauties mother nature has to offer, you can also opt to add another flowery statement to your wedding through your cake.
Whether you go simple and elegant or all-out bold, a cake dressed in pretty petals is an unforgettable detail to add to your big day.
So if you’re looking for some floral inspiration here are a few cakes to dream of:
View this post on Instagram
Close up of the pressed edible flower wedding cake I made a few weeks ago ?
View this post on Instagram
Came through drippin’ #cocomelody #embracethelove #weddingcakes Cake by @tome____
View this post on Instagram
Sugar flowers on a textured buttercream finish…who’s in? #sundayshowstopper
Picture: Instagram
Dessert stands are growing in popularity among modern couples. These stands offer a variety of sweet treats for your guests to pick and choose from. A unique way…
Wedding drone photographers in Mauritius are mobilising to help do their part to reduce the massive oil spill off the coast of the island country.
On July 25, a Japanese ship crashed into a coral reef and began leaking oil into Mauritian waters from its cracked hull after it ran aground. The ship was carrying nearly 4000 tonnes of fuel, which is now threatening the island’s marine habitat and coastal ecosystem, according to Al Jazeera. It is the country’s worst ecological disaster in history.
Many residents quickly sprung to action to help, creating makeshift oil spill barriers out of fabric sacks filled with sugar cane leaves.
Wedding drone photographers have also been a massive help. Being a popular wedding and honeymoon destination, Mauritius has a big wedding industry. Many amateur drone pilots form part of the commercial drone market, and are now using their talents to assist in cleanup operations.
Mauritus does not have a Navy or Air Force, which means they could not get effective hyper-local aerial footage of the scene, reports Forbes.
Drone pilots are now filling the gap by flying their drones over the area to identify where the oil spill may be heading, thus helping co-ordinate where the team of volunteers on the ground need to focus on.
With less international business coming in due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mauritian wedding drone photographers have found a way to still use their skills and make a difference.
Feature image: Unsplash
The celebrity go-to in the engagement ring world is the emerald cut. Notable names like Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Demi Lovato all rock this cut on…
In the United States, recent uproar over former plantations hosting weddings has resulted in their removal from major wedding sites. South Africa has an equally dark past when it comes to slavery, so should you also consider your wedding venues history before booking?
Plantation weddings have been huge in the US for years. Despite being the site of slavery for hundreds of years, many love the old grand houses and large open gardens for their wedding. Ignoring the brutal history of the slavery in favour of a grand staircase in an Antebellum estate is quite a difficult pill to swallow, especially when it is likely there will be persons of colour, whose ancestors were slaves, attending or working at your wedding.
Even big wedding planning sites like Pinterest are removing the references to a plantation aesthetic from their site. According to CNN, Pinterest will limit the distribution of plantation wedding content across its platform.
In South Africa, wine farms and old historical sites are equally beloved as wedding venues for their antique and classic feel. Big open lawns, old Dutch colonial buildings and vineyards do make for pretty pictures, but it is a bit uncomfortable when you realise that “quaint” bell in the corner of your group shot was built to regulate the slaves who worked on the farms every day.
In addition, many wine farms are further tainted by the history of oppression of workers under apartheid. Unfair labour practices and cruel payment systems like the “dop” system have resulted in years of trauma, addiction and degradation of communities as a result of your wedding venue’s previous choices.
So does this mean you should strictly search for wedding venues that have not been tainted by slavery? Well that’s a bit difficult as much of South Africa, especially in the Western Cape, was built by slaves and so the history is everywhere.
Rather when choosing a location which does have a clear connection to slavery, it should be important to consider how the venue is run now, ask questions regarding their treatment of staff, consider finding out if they are contributing to initiatives to uplift the community that supports them and how they reconcile their slave and apartheid past with their current ethos.
In addition you can also consider how you can contribute to the community where you are holding your wedding, either through donations or volunteering your time. While not a solution to the thousands of years of oppression, it at least would go a way to acknowledging the past and recognising how your lovely wedding venue came to be.
Image: Unsplash