South Africa is home to some incredibly talented organisations whose aim it is to give couples the absolute best day of their lives. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite local wedding planners to help you get a head start.
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Talent and passion are what drives this award-winning company. With world-class quality, Zavion Kotze caters to clients across the country seeking to create their perfect wedding. They most recently planned the extravagant reception of former Miss Universe, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, and American footballer Tim Tebow, so you know you’re in good hands!
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Oh Happy Day is an award-winning wedding and event planning company, run by a dynamic set of creatives. Whether you’re looking for a wedding planner in KwaZulu-Natal or beyond, they travel throughout the country from their base in Durban to make your dream day a reality.
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Precious the Planner is a luxury wedding planner & event designer. She has been internationally recognised for planning, designing, producing, and executing luxury celebrations. Her company, Precious Celebrations, is designed to offer clients personalised service through creativity and uniqueness based on individual taste and preference.
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This premier wedding service handcrafts weddings of distinction for a select and limited group of clients from across the globe. From conceptualisation and supplier selection to briefing and organisation of the day, Wedding Concepts is a full-service Wedding Planning business.
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With an entire team ready to help you achieve the wedding you’ve always wanted, Happinest puts their all into each and every event – no matter how big or small. Their bespoke wedding service offers full coordination, meaning couples can sit back and relax in the lead up to their big day.
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Across the world, bans on social gatherings are still in place to curb the spread of coronavirus. However, recently many have broken rules for their own pleasure. A…
The first thing you think when you picture a bride making her way down the aisle is “here comes the bride, all dressed in white”, right? It is probably the most popular wedding processional song out there. But did you know it wasn’t actually meant to be a wedding song, and in fact there has been lots of opposition to its use?
The song was not written with the intention of it being a wedding song. “Here Comes The Bride comes from Richard Wagner’s 1860 opera called Lohengrin. At the beginning of Act Three, the song appears. In the opera, it is sung as members of a wedding party escort the bride and groom to their bridal chambers. The story ends in tragedy, however, as the bride dies of grief after the groom is forced to leave her. Strange that a song with this history would become attached to weddings forever, right?
“Here comes the Bride”, also known as the “Bridal Chorus“, is commonly believed to have first been heard at Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise’s wedding, 162 years ago, according to Time. The princess, who was Queen Victoria’s oldest child married Frederick William IV of Prussia on Jan. 25, 1858, in the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace.
While the tune is still popular at weddings today, although slightly less common than it used to be, there has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding it.
Some members of the Roman Catholic Church, and more conservative-leaning denominations frown on the use of “Here comes the Bride” for a few reasons including: the fact that it comes from a secular body of work, the original context of the song was not that of a wedding professional, and that Wagnerian operas tend to incorporate “pagan” elements.
In addition, the composer of the song is known for his anti-Semitic views. The Jewish Virtual Library details the controversy around Wagner, and why the bridal chorus is often not used in Jewish weddings. They include the fact that Wagner was of the opinion that people of the Jewish faith lacked the ability for elegant and sophisticated musical expression.
Many are unaware of the unsavoury history of the song. It is true that many things get trivialised as time passes. However, it is always good to know the background of something before going with it.
If the Bridal Chorus feels uncomfortable now, there is always the Wedding March, which is also believed to have first been heard at Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise’s wedding. The song was also not intended for weddings, but rather was the product of composer Felix Mendelssohn’s hard work for an 1842 production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, according to Time.
In fact, these days most couples opt for popular songs on the circuit or songs which mean something special to them and are significant in their relationship.
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Modern couples have been inspired by natural greenery when planning their big day. Botanical-inspired weddings are huge in the wedding world and are much-loved for its ease and…
As we all know by now, the virtual wedding has taken the world by storm as coronavirus prevents families from joining their loved one’s ceremonies in person. While some are saddened by the fact that they must join the party via video, others are grateful that technology allows them to stay close even when they’re far away.
Lupita Nyong’o is one of those who fall into the category of being happy that the technology exists. Without it, she wouldn’t have witnessed her brother’s wedding.
The actress tuned in to her younger brother, Peter (Junior) Nyong’o’s nuptials via video this week. Lupita is in the US, and her brother is in Kenya.
Like a proud big sister, Nyong’o shared snaps from little bro’s wedding (including her setup), captioning it: “Yup, he is off the market, folks! Sharing a moment of joy in my family’s life when my sweet, gentle, loving baby brother @juniornyongo made his declaration of love to his new bride @wanjawohoro this week.”
“I still cannot believe I was not physically present, but thank God for technology! Welcome to the family, Wanja” she added.
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In a post to Instagram, Wanja Wohoro, the bride, said of their wedding: “Not the wedding we planned originally, but ultimately even more perfect and intimate than we could have ever imagined.”
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Of course, congratulations came pouring in for the pair. Those sending their love included Star Wars actor John Boyega, who commented on both Lupita and Peter’s Instagram post’s. He wrote, “Yessss brooo congrats” on Peter’s upload.
Image: Instagram / Lupita Nyong’o
The extended lockdown has wreaked havoc across various South African industries. Many wedding vendors have been left jobless as weddings are banned under current regulations. Pink Book Weddings…
Finding the perfect wedding gown is a dream come true, and whether you’re buying yours off the market or having it designed specifically for you, there are a couple of things to look for in a wedding dress, aside from it looking amazing.
While style is important, there are a number of elements to consider when choosing a gown that will greatly impact on how it looks on you. Here is what to keep in mind:
COMFORT
It is so important to ensure that you feel comfortable in your dress. You will be spending a fair amount of time in it and besides the wedding nerves, you don’t want to aggravate any stressful feelings by having a dress that is heavy, painful to wear or inconvenient on the dance floor.
For example, if you love the look of a corset but find its boning is affecting your ability to breathe, you need to have that refitted or simply opt to not have one.
SIZING
It is common for brides to order a dress in a smaller size to motivate them to lose some weight before the big day. We advise against this, as it can bring unnecessary stress and pressure. There is always room to pinch in some extra fabric at a later stage, but there is little you can do about a dress that is too small.
FABRIC
Choosing the right fabric can make all the difference – it can change the look, feel and cost of your dress. Be sure to know what fabric you want and why before deciding on your dress. Stay away from fabrics that won’t wash well, are too hot, see-through or will reveal any sweat stains.
You have to consider where you will be holding your wedding and the weather of the day. A velvet dress isn’t the best choice for a summer beach wedding, and a strapless chiffon number might leave you feeling frosty during an outdoor winter wedding in the mountains.
SEASONAL
Remember to keep the season in mind when picking your perfect gown. You may want to add sleeves if you’re having an autumn/winter wedding or opt for less fabric during a summer wedding. Whether your big day will be outdoors or not is also a factor to keep in mind when thinking about style, especially if you don’t want a low hem or long train to get dirty outside.
MOVE ON
Once you have settled on your gown, stop looking for other options. This will only cause unnecessary stress. If you’re ever feeling unsure, sneak a try-on (carefully, of course) or look at some snaps of you in the gown to remember why it’s perfect and why you love it.
Your dress should be one that captures your personality while emphasizing your best qualities, but it’s not all about the looks. Try to remember all of the smaller details about the dress that will make it perfect for you and your wedding.
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