There’s a new wedding destination for Gauteng brides and grooms to add to their wedding venue list. Emerald Resort & Casino are upping the ante by ensuring that you have the perfect wedding venue and allowing you to bring your Big Day to life.
“Emerald is the ultimate destination where the vision of your dream wedding will be brought to life.We can customize your wedding with the traditions of your heritage and cater for a small intimate affair or create your fairy-tale wedding of up to1500 guests, all without leaving our complex. We are only 45 min from Johannesburg International Airport, on a private estate on the lush banks of the Vaal River”, says Tanuja Gangabishun, Marketing Executive at Emerald Resort and Casino.
A 3 000 square meter Arena at Emerald offers the bridal couples a unique opportunity to host large weddings using round tables, while Kilimanjaro has a warm ambience for groups of up to 160 guests.
The Game Park Lapa is captivating and offers a gorgeous outdoor option, weather permitting. The other enchanting venue for an outdoor wedding is the Outdoor Chapel which can be set up in many different ways, catering for small or large groups.
The venues are versatile and the setting offers beautiful locations for dramatic and spectacular photographs right there on complex. Booking this premiere wedding destination means that the wedding party can enjoy all the before and after events on one complex. There is no need to travel to enjoy a bachelor party of bridal shower, or entertain the guests. The complex offers a wide variety of venues and entertainment.
Complementing the selection of venues, Emerald offers several accommodation options to suit every taste and every budget, from 3-star, 4-star and 5-star offerings. There are a wide variety of activities available on the complex to keep everyone entertained while the bride is pampered and treated like the queen she is.
Enjoy game drives, visit the Aquadome with its heated pools, or take a relaxing river cruise. The bride can even plan a magical floating wedding on the Vaal River with Emerald Resort and Casino.
“Weddings can be very complex and stressful for the happy couple, which is why we have put together several packages with a specialist in the industry, Farzana Mayet rom Panache International. It is a rare opportunity to be able to work with a professional like Farzana,” says Tanuja Gangabishun, Marketing Executive at Emerald Resort and Casino.
Tailor-made packages are available which can include arrangements for the bridal shower and bachelor party at Emerald, Mehndi night function, and the wedding day with an array of Halaal food and catering, entertainment, photographer and videographer etc.
Optional extras such as a Mehndi artist, Qawali singer, and make-up artist and wedding cakes can also be included.
Allow the team to tailor a wedding experience to meet your requirements.
Eeny meeny miney mo, if you want to propose, where’s the best place to go? Cape Town Tourism surveyed people on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to find the best places in Cape Town to pop the question. They also collected responses from users ofThe Perfect Proposal, wedding and proposal planners, and the most common answer was… The V&A Waterfront, followed closely by Table Mountain.
If there was anywhere in the world where love could blossom against a truly beautiful backdrop, it is the city of Cape Town. According to the online dating platform WeLoveDates.com, the Mother City ranked 21st among the most romantic cities in the world and was the second most romantic city on the continent after Marrakech.
With a plethora of landmarks that are perfectly suited for amorous encounters, it is easy to see how Cape Town can stir the cockles of one’s heart.
CEO of Cape Town Tourism Enver Duminy says, “It’s hard to think of a better city to find the freedom to declare your undying love in. Whether you are atop Table Mountain or on the beach, you won’t struggle to find the perfect venue to propose. Afterwards, you can mark the occasion at any one of the city’s world-class restaurants.”
Other popular Capetonian spots where lovers plighted their troth included: Hout Bay, the airport, Kirstenbosch Gardens, Signal Hill, Franschhoek, Boulders, the Aquila Nature Reserve and the Strand.
Here are sweet proposal stories from some of the city’s most special spots to bend the knee:
Kirstenbosch Gardens
Sometimes proposals are an intimate affair involving a small group of people or even just the couple getting engaged. Other times however, you’ve got to go big. Instagram’s @gemini_gerard went for the second option.
“I proposed to my wife at Kirstenbosch gardens after watching The Notebook at the @thegalileo. Before the screening I had arranged for them to play a personal video once the movie had finished. The video chronicled our journey over the last six years. Once it finished, I took her by the hand and led her to the front of the screen.
There, in front of 600+ people, I got down on one knee and asked if she would do me the honour of spending the rest of her life with me. She said yes which is when the last part of the surprise happened. I had hidden her friends and family in the back so when she said yes, they all jumped out.”
Kirstenbosch Gardens / Instagram
V&A Waterfront
Masego and Letlotlo came to Cape Town on holiday. Masego had wanted to pop the question to her partner of 10 years for a long time and this holiday was the perfect moment. She wanted something different, like an art studio or gallery. A place where they could paint and create.
With the help of The Perfect Proposal, they arranged a private session at the Art Jamming studio in the Waterfront. The studio designed and created a “marry me” sign, which was used as the grand gesture in the proposal. On arrival, the couple entered, and went into the “splash” room where an easel with a yellow and black art piece was waiting for them. Letlotlo was told to start peeling the flaps, which eventually revealed letters spelling out ‘marry me’?
She said yes.
Signal Hill
Not all proposals go according to plan but that doesn’t make them any less perfect as Janine Naicker explains:
“My proposal happened at Signal Hill. It didn’t go according to my husband’s plan – at all. Firstly, it was so full that we couldn’t find parking, so we had to park along the side. He then invited me to get out of the car to look at the view with him. My response – ‘It’s too windy!’ (It really was).
“After a few failed attempts, he got back into the car and pulled out a box with two cupcakes that he had gotten for us. He handed it to me and asked me to pass him one. When I opened the box, there was a ring placed in the icing of one of the cupcakes. I was speechless and turned to him, he then said ‘Janine Hendricks, will you marry me?’
lina.the.explorer / Instagram
Table Mountain
Instagram user @bestnomadsever’s husband proposed on top of South Africa’s most famous mountain.
“We hiked up hoping to catch the sunrise at the same spot as our first date (which was a hike up the mountain). We made it and then, just as the sun was rising, he got on bended knee and proposed to me. It was so perfect and romantic. Next month, we will be together 5 years.”
The Strand
Bianca Engelbrecht’s story goes like this:
“Our first date was at the Strand Beach. We agreed on the beach because it was convenient for both of us. It was amazing. We just sat on a bench listening to the waves crashing in the background and spoke for hours about everything and anything. Fast forward a few years. We had planned a night out with some friends. Little did I know what was about to happen.
“He pulled me aside and told me he wanted to take a quick detour and that we would meet up with our friends later. He explained that he just wanted a moment alone without the kids, which I thought was so sweet. So we went to the beach, to the exact bench we had had our first date on. We started talking, just as we had all those years ago and then he went down on one knee. I honestly couldn’t believe what was happening, but it was the most romantic thing ever. Afterwards, we met up with our friends and boy did we have a story to tell them. We’ve been married for a year now.”
jeanine_thehappyblog/ Instagram
Sidebar: ‘Secret’ spots to pop the big Q:
Here’s a list of some of Cape Town’s lesser-known locations that are perfect for proposals:
Majik Forest (Door de Kraal, Cape Town): Secreted in the northern suburbs, with soft green grass, trees, ducks, a dam and a mountain bike trail in the forest section, this pet-friendly park is the perfect place to propose to your significant other with your furry friend present.
Lichtenstein Castle (Hout Bay):The privately owned castle, located in Hout Bay, can be visited by appointment only. It’s the perfect place to propose in a fairy-tale setting.
Woodstock streets: Urban adventurers will find a perfect proposal setting amidst the gorgeous, gritty surrounds of Woodstock’s world-famous street art.
Tintswalo Atlantic (Hout Bay): Rumour has it a penguin gives its mate a pebble when courting. Pop your person a pebble on Tintswalo’s secluded stretch of beach, below Chapman’s Peak Drive.
Dias Beach (Cape Point): Wild and whimsical, this hidden coast offers unparalleled sea views. It’s the ideal backdrop for ‘I do’.
Secret Rock (Bantry Bay): Perched at the top of Nettleton Drive is a secret rock where many a couple has come for some special moments alone…
Some will consider former Japanese Princess Mako and her ‘peasant’ husband Kei Komuro the stuff of fairy tales. Upper echelon circles have considered it dishonourable. Either way, for those who may have thought that the kind of love worth sacrificing everything for is dead, it’s a story worth knowing.
The daughter of the Japanese emperor’s kin has made headlines for breaking the shackles of royal tradition in the name of not only love but also her independence – being the first female Japanese royal to do so.
Four years ago, the former princess and her college sweetheart, a non-royal, brought a real-life fairy tale into the world’s gaze. Many swooned over the kind of love so powerful it would cause Mako to willingly take on the harsh consequences of marrying a commoner. As the BBC writes, their smiles won over a country.
But the consequences were brutal as those within Mako’s social class frowned upon the former Princess’s decision. It would mean losing her royal status, forfeiting millions, and facing intense scrutiny at the sacrifice of her mental health – for years.
But to Mako, Kei Komuro was the sun, famously mentioning that his smile was as warm as the burning star.
The couple had met at a meeting of students planning to go abroad in 2012 and had become close as university students over five years, even when studying in different countries. Mako’s university journey was also largely her first symbol of abandoning tradition as it marked her leaving the traditional institution of study for royal Japanese family members.
While it may have seemed as though Mako was taking all the heat for a story films will no doubt be made about, Komuro too had signed up for mass public scrutiny. As VICE reports, intense questioning regarding whether Kumuro would cause Mako to struggle financially in the future came about in the past after an alleged money dispute to do with the young lawyer’s mother and her former fiance.
However, despite it all, the young lovers have stood by each other through and through and tied the knot yesterday, October 26.
In a highly anticipated live TV appearance, the former princess defended her marriage decision expressing that:
“Kei is irreplaceable for me,” she said. “For us, marriage is a necessary choice to live while cherishing our hearts.”
Mr Komuro also made vows to his love, stating the words that will be quoted by hopeless romantics all over the world:
“I want to spend the only life I have with the one I love.”
Inspiration is not hard to come by; you just need to know where to look. Social media plays a huge role in wedding planning these days, and while many brides-to-be turn to Pinterest for that much-needed inspiration, Instagram is a great resource too.
Here are a few of our favourite Instagram accounts that are serving looks and some serious inspo.
A forest filled with inspiration
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTuJ700qtOB/
Beautifully organic wedding and lifestyle inspiration we can’t get enough of
https://www.instagram.com/p/BszGUydFszp/
Inspiration straight from an event planner
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSBO9dvgRyV/
A global collaboration of wedding inspiration
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIloRbpg2RN/
A splash of colour
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMkRz21lN_s/
Inspiration and resources that are sure to celebrate love
Weddings and stress go together like All Gold tomato sauce and slap chips – it’s the perfect combination.
The infamous Bridezilla always seems to be a tiny disaster away, but one bride appears to have taken the stereotype to its extreme.
A Reddit usershared a less than flattering story of a bride and groom on their wedding day.
According to a Reddit user, her friend was in desperate need of a photographer as they were on a tight budget – and we all know how expensive weddings can be.
While she was more than happy to help her friend out, the user did admit that snapping adorable dogs pics was actually her forte, opting to charge $250 (R3 600) for 10-hours of work.
The day started great.
“On the day of, I’m driving around following the bride as she goes from appointment to appointment before the ceremony, taking photos along the way. I shoot the ceremony itself, and during the reception I’m shooting speeches and people mingling,” says the photographer, adding that she started around 11:00 and was due to finish around 19:30.
“Around 5pm, food is being served, and I was told I cannot stop to eat because I need to be the photographer; in fact, they didn’t save me a spot at any table. I’m getting tired and at this point kinda regretting doing this for next to nothing,” says the photographer.
That wasn’t the end though. She told the groom that she needed to take a 20-minute break in order to grab something to eat and drink as she didn’t have any more water in her water bottle.
The breaking point? The photographer was told by the groom that she needed to either be a photographer or leave without pay.
“With the heat, being hungry, being generally annoyed at the circumstances, I asked if he was sure, and he said yes, so I deleted all the photos I took in front of him and took off saying I’m not his photographer anymore,” says the photographer who is now wondering if she acted too harshly.
“If I was to be paid $250, honestly at that point, I would have paid $250 just for a glass of cold water and somewhere to sit for 5 min,” says the photographer.
Many users came to the photographer’s defence, stating that “if you’re going to be there all day, then they absolutely should be fed. Plus, it just seems like the polite thing to do,” stated one user.
It’s been a weird 18-months. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all needed to adjust our lifestyles – sanitise, wear masks, social distance – it’s been an interesting adventure. The pandemic has also spawned a host of trends as various industries learn to pivot and adapt to the “new normal”.
Our new reality has been pretty tough on the wedding industry, with thousands of couples watching their wedding date come and go without saying “I do.” However, grabbing a huge slice of wedding cake and sulking is the last thing couples are doing, birthing a new kind of pre-nuptial ceremony.
There’s plenty that goes into planning a wedding. From choosing your dream venue to the perfect date, many couples are choosing not to compromise on the details of their dream day despite working within the confines of the pandemic.
The pretend wedding, or predding, has been an intimate substitute for wedding celebrations, honouring would-be wedding dates. There might be no signing of a marriage license, but it’s a great way to celebrate love with friends and family.
The hashtag #pretendwedding has been making the rounds on social media, a trend that’s still going strong despite the easing of lockdown restrictions.
A casual setting and dress code, and no strict itinerary makes this new trend a welcome distraction from the stress of wedding planning. Here are a few of our favourite “preddings” online.
The name ‘Red Dot’ originated from sale prices which are displayed in a red circle, coining the phrase that customers can now get their favorite beauty products at decent prices.
The online store assures to deliver quality products and informative content about health and beauty. Shop items from the comfort of your own home on Red dot’s 100% secured e-commerce platform. Operating times are Monday-Friday from 9h00-18h00. For online assistance or desperate queries please email [email protected].
Makeup online: Our list of beauty cosmetics
Lipstick, blush, eye shadow, highlighters, brushes, mascara, setting spray, lip liner, eye pencil, nails, treatment and more.
When people crash your wedding, it’s usually quite unexpected, and unexpected is never good on your wedding day. In fact, having wedding crashers can turn into a wedding day crisis; it is generally a dreaded occurrence. Nobody really wants their wedding to be crashed. Unless, of course, its being crashed by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Danny DeVito.
Bride, Kristine, and groom, Will, were enjoying their lovely (but normal) wedding reception in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The next thing they knew, their wedding was being crashed by Johnson and DeVito. The duo surprised the couple and their guests, not only by making an impromptu appearance, but also by performing a rendition of Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable”.
Johnson and DeVito were in Mexico doing publicity for their movie, Jumanji: The Next Level. While the co-stars relaxed after a long week of press, they heard a wedding party going on. They then decided to crash the wedding.
‘The Rock’ posted a video to his Instagram, showing how it all went down.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B5QZOE_Ftm7/
In his caption, ‘The Rock’ said, “I’ve never crashed a wedding, but with DeVito this was truly UNFORGETTABLE”.
He also made sure to congratulate the happy couple on their nuptials and on their beautiful family, calling them the “Brady Bunch”. Instagram users in the comment section were excited to see that this is what the duo had been up to and expressed themselves accordingly. @akbvalancius said “I would die” and @bslater9 said it was one of the best things he ever got to see in person. They also received many comments from multiple Instagrammers enquiring about whether the duo would be available to crash their respective weddings.
While this is not how a normal wedding crashing would go down, we think the couple and their guests were quite happy with the visit from their unexpected guests. Who wouldn’t be?! Having Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Danny DeVito crash your wedding is a once in a lifetime experience.
Your long list of wedding planning to-do’s is slowly but surely shortening. The next item on your list happens to be flowers. The problem: there are so many choices and not enough time to give them all some consideration. On top of that, you’re not sure if you know enough about flowers to make a good choice.
Not to worry. Have a look at this list of wedding flower trends for 2020, to make your decisions and planning a little easier.
Bouquet Trends:
– Big and Bright
https://www.instagram.com/p/B429pi7A-DK/
Larger, brighter flowers are popping up more and more at weddings. Big flowers can make your bouquet look much fuller for less money. In addition to this, the bouquet becomes a statement in itself because it catches the eye and stands out. The bright colours do well to create excitement and bring out a more playful feeling, lightening the mood of the venue instantly.
– Unstructured and untamed
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3JoDvwn8I6/
For a push towards a more natural and lush look for wedding flowers, a trend seems to be growing around variety. Bouquets are looking less and less uniform, as if they have been effortlessly thrown together with not much consideration to having a pattern or multiples of the same flower. Many who have gone for this trend have added some greenery, dried grass, or foilage for a more boho feel.
– Blushes and bleached
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1cIqb0hdDd/
If you want something more understated or minimalistic, then this wedding flower trend is for you. The classic blush pink and white used at weddings can be upgraded and updated by adding some bleached tones and bleached foilage into the mix.
Decor trends:
– Arches/Moongates
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3247xThIrS/
A decorated arch, under which you say your vows, makes for beautiful photograph opportunities. The arch draws the attention of the attendees to the right place and ensures that the couple has all eyes on them.
– Flowers down the aisle
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba9O3FUHdUQ/
Create a whimsical, fairytale feel by lining the aisle with flowers. This simple addition will do wonders for the ambience at your wedding.
Bonus Trend:
– Locally Sourced
This is one of the best wedding flower trends we’ve seen so far! Brides and grooms are opting for the more environmentally friendly option of locally sourced floral arrangements. Not only is this trend eco-friendly, but it is good for your budget too.
Writing wedding vows can be a daunting task. It can be overwhelming to attempt to sum up all the things that you want to say to your partner. The vows, which at the end of it only add up to a few minutes of talking, are a summary of the love you have for your partner, the promises you are making to them, and the hopes and dreams you have for your future together.
What makes this more difficult for many, is that it has to be done not only in front of your partner but also in front of all your guests.
We’ve compiled a list of tips to ensure that you’re writing the best wedding vows you can.
Things to say in your vows
– First, mention your own name and your partner’s name. There are probably many people in the audience staring at you; this could take away some of the intimacy of your vows. Emphasise the intimacy by adding something like, “I, Harry, take you, Sally.”
– Second, add some anecdotes and personal stories. The guests will enjoy listening to this, and your partner will enjoy the trip down memory lane.
– Third, make sure you’re saying meaningful things. Cute and funny stories will only get you so far. Say things that also show how serious you are about this commitment.
– This final one should be a no-brainer, but we know that the stress of vow writing can cause some forgetfulness so we’ll mention it just incase. Always say “I love you”.
Writing tips
– Do not, we repeat, do NOT write them at the last minute.
– Read through some samples of vows before you start writing. This may help you to work out what your tone should be and could give you some inspiration.
– Actually write your vows down. “I will remember them”, never works out.
– Cut out clichés and things that might embarrass your partner.
– Make sure your vows are not too long. Your audience may get fidgety.
– Get somebody to proofread it. An outside opinion always ensures improvements.
-Preparation tips
– Practice your vows. Say them out loud. Say them in the mirror. You’ll be nervous on the big day and the practice will ensure you’re familiar with what you want to say.
– Carry a written or typed copy of your vows with you. If you do end up stumbling on your words, this will be a great help.
– With all of these tips in mind, remember to also get creative and take into account the finer details and context of your relationship like Jimmy Gisondi, who wrote a set of vows not only for his bride, Kelsea, but also for his new step-daughter, Olivia.
In his separate vows to Olivia, he said “I promise to never treat you [like] anything less than my own child”. This thoughtful additional set of vows brought the crowd to tears.
Last but not least, don’t forget to add your personality. Your partner-to-be loves you for who you are, so staying true to yourself will make the vows unforgettable for them.
