Princess Beatrice of York shocked the world when she married beau Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in secret this past weekend. The pair were forced to cancel their big day scheduled for May due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and instead had an intimate celebration with 20 guests.
For her big day, Princess Beatrice honoured her grandmother, her Majesty the Queen in two ways. She customised her grandmother’s vintage Norman Hartnell dress to use as her wedding gown and she wore her grandmother’s tiara, known as the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara.
This kokoshnik-style tiara is special for the Royal family as its the very one Queen Elizabeth wore on her own wedding day to Prince Philip back in 1947. It was originally made for Queen Mary in 1919 by British jewelers Garrard and Co., and was fashioned from a diamond necklace gifted to Queen Mary on her wedding day by Queen Victoria in 1893.
A then-princess Elizabeth became the next royal to wear the tiara when she chose it as her ‘something borrowed’ for her big day in 1947. As she was getting ready for her ceremony, the diamond tiara snapped. It was rushed to the court jeweler, who was able to repair it an time for the ceremony.
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Princess Anne was the next royal to don the tiara on her big day when she married Mark Phillips in 1973. Princess Beatrice is the latest royal to wear the tiara, honouring her grandmother in the process.
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Feature image: Instagram / The Royal Family
Diamond’s are a girls best friend but gemstones are so mysterious and make an excellent choice for the alternative bride’s engagement ring. Alexandrites are unique, colour-changing gemstones that…
A wedding day is about celebrating the love between two people. It can also be an incredible opportunity to give back. Here are six ways to utilise your wedding day for the greater good.
1. Swap presents for donations
Rather than ringing up an expensive registry, ask guests to donate to a charity of your choice. This action is two-fold. A wedding registry may contain items that are financially unviable for some guests. Rather than unknowingly putting them under financial pressure, a donation allows them to dictate the amount they are able to spend. Whether it’s a local animal welfare organisation or charity, any bit goes a long way. Asking for donations rather than presents is a selfless way of giving back.
2. Go as green as you can
An eco-friendly wedding is one way to ensure you give back to Mother Nature. You can opt for a full, off-the-grid wedding or you can incorporate eco-friendly elements. Choose a venue that operates on solar power, that way you know you won’t be burning any unnecessary fossil fuels on your special day. Opt for a cruelty-free caterer, one the works in close proximity to the venue would be ideal. This ensures your wedding has a decreased carbon footprint. Serve vegan alcohol. There are a variety of vegan wines available in South Africa, along with other spirits for when the party get started. For other ways to go green, read here.
3. Before your wedding day, take the bridal party on a charitable outing
Yes the pre-wedding build up is always an eventful time. We aren’t suggesting cancelling your boozy bachelorette or bachelors. Rather, get both the parties involved for a day of doing good. Help out at a soup kitchen, work in a community garden or help out at an animal shelter for one day before the wedding. It’s a brilliant way for everyone to bond and spend some quality time together before the big day.
4. Swap favours for plants
Rather than handing out thank-you favours at the end of your wedding, send everyone home with a plant. Succulents make for excellent parting gifts. They are so easy to grow and require very little maintenance. These plants are brilliant for the environment because they don’t need that much water to survive. Succulents such as the desert rose, spekboom, jade plant, jelly bean plant, zebra plant, Echeveria ‘Raindrops’ and Aeonium haworthii ‘Tricolor’ are all examples of hassle-free plants.
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5. Ensure your vendors source locally and ethically
You’re going to be throwing a lot of money into your wedding day, make sure it lines the pockets of those who really need it rather than a massive corporate that doesn’t really need the sale. By selecting vendors who source locally and ethically, you’ll be helping to build a small business. In South Africa there are so many creative entrepreneurs who are overlooked for the larger companies. Choose your vendors wisely and take some extra time to see what else is out there.
Image: Unsplash
If you’re not one for tons of detail and over-the-top design, a silk wedding dress may just be the perfect fit. This fabric is luxurious and glamorous all…
If your legs are your greatest physical asset, show them off! A slit is incredibly flattering on a number of body shapes and dress styles as it softens a look and allows greater movement in your gown.
It’s important to consider height and placement when opting for a slit. Depending on how comfortable you are, your slit can be knee length high or extend all the way to your upper thigh. It all relates to the overall look you want.
You also have options in placing your slit on the sides, the middle or even the back of your dress. The back and front slits are typically to accomodate stiffer fabrics as it allows for more movement, while the side slits are all about drama. Placing your slit on the side puts your leg on full display. Just make sure to not veer too far off onto the side to avoid having to stick your leg out to get the full effect of the slit. Aim for creating the slit right where the dress naturally touches your legs.
If you’re unsure of how to pull of this trend, take a look at how these stunning brides have done it.
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Feature image: Unsplash
Instagram is a treasure trove of inspiration. Anything you would want to know more about can easily be found through a simple hashtag. With so many details involved…
The power of love can bring us all together. That’s exactly what happened this past weekend in Yemen as the city of Aden came together to celebrate a stranger on his wedding day, after he posted a plea for wedding guests.
Mohammed Ali Abdullah married his life partner on July 18. Prior to his big day, he took to Facebook to write an open invite to his wedding, saying he did not have that many friends.
“Hello, my name is Mohammed Ali Abdullah, or as they call me, ‘Mohammed the blind’. I’m so happy that my life has become tinted in rose, although I don’t know what that looks like, but I hear roses are beautiful. I have finally found my life partner,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
“I have few friends and wish you can all be my friends and join me in my celebrations, as I want to prove to the world that I also have the right to be happy like other normal person. I will not see you at the wedding, but I will feel your presence,” Abdullah said.
This post quickly went viral, encouraging the city of Aden to join in on the festivities. The hashtag ‘We All Are Your Friends’ began trending
A blind man in Aden got married today. Prior to his wedding, he posted this Facebook post as an open invite for anyone to come, mentioning he had only a few friends
The hashtag #ابشر_كلنا_اصحابك ( # We All Are Your Friends) was started & the whole city attended?❤️ pic.twitter.com/fXjRkmrB7w
— pedRo (@SouthYMN) July 20, 2020
It quickly became a massive affair, with local businesses and companies reaching out to offer the groom gifts and financial support for their big day.
Come wedding day, hundreds of locals took to the streets to meet and celebrate the newlyweds.