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    How to cover up acne on your big day

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    On your big day, the last thing you want to wake up to is a bright red zit on your face. Acne happens to the best of us, and, like taxes, are unavoidable.

    From stress to environmental factors and not removing your makeup,  there are many things that can lead to a breakout. Even getting a facial could cause your skin to react negatively as it purges all the bad toxins, which is why experts recommend getting one day before your big day.

    If you do have a breakout on your big day, fear not. There are tried and tested methods to cover up these uninvited guests so that the focus is all on you.

    Spot treatment

    Before covering your breakout up, make sure you’ve treated it to kill off the bacteria. Going in with some tea tree oil on a Q-tip is great to clean the area.

    Less is more

    It may seem like the best thing to do is cover your skin up with a full coverage foundation, but this will just end up looking cakey and highlighting the texture in your skin. Instead, go in with a luminous, light to medium weight foundation. Remember to pounce the product into your skin using a beauty sponge to remove some excess product. This will create a light and even base layer to build on when you go in with your next products.

    Concealer saves the day

    Concealer will be your best friend. Spot conceal your breakouts using a small face brush, making sure to lightly tap over the concealer and then blend the edges to feather it out. Tapping motions around the edges is best here. You can also go in with your foundation brush afterward and use the excess product on the brush to help blend the concealer in even further.

    If the breakout is quite red and inflamed, go in with a thin layer of a green-toned concealer first then layer the skin-coloured concealer over it. The green will cancel out the red tones.

    Remember to set your concealer by going over spots with a setting powder.

    Take out texture

    If you have a particularly bumpy breakout that stands out on your face, another step is to go in with a full coverage powder foundation, like the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, and push the product onto the skin surrounding the breakout. This will build a more even layer that will make the breakout bump appear less severe.

    Here are some amazing tutorials to help guide your way:

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    How to get a marriage certificate in South Africa
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    How to get a marriage certificate in South Africa

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    When you tie the knot, you enter into a legally binding agreement. With all the paperwork required, it’s important to do things right the first time to avoid any further legal issues.

    All marriages in South Africa must be registered at the Department of Home Affairs. There are three types of marriages that are recognised under South African law: civil marriages, customary marriages and civil unions. Each one has different paperwork requirements, so couples need to know which one they plan to enter into.

    If you are planning on having a civil marriage, you must:

    – ensure that you are legally allowed to marry

    – understand the legal consequences of a marriage, particularly that marriages in South Africa are automatically in community of property, unless a valid ante-nuptial contract has been entered into before the marriage, and

    – make sure that your marriage will comply with all the legal requirements for a valid marriage

    Should you be unsure of any of these, legal counsel should be sought before the marriage is entered into.

    On the day of the marriage, a couple must present the following documents to the person officiating at the wedding:

    – Identity documents(for each person getting married)

    – If a foreign national is marrying a South African citizen, they should both present their valid passports as well as well as a completed BI-31 Form (Declaration for the Purpose of Marriage, Letter of no impediment)

    – If the wedding is for a minor (a person under the age of 18 years), the written consent of both parents/ legal guardian or the Commissioner of Child Welfare or a judge should be submitted on Form DHA-32 as well. If the minors getting married are under the ages of 18 for boys or 15 for girls, the written consent from the Minister of Home Affairs will also be required

    – If any of the persons getting married are divorced, then the final decree of divorce should be furnished

    – If any of the persons getting married are widowed, the deceased spouse’s death certificate must be submitted.

    Marriage certificates

    Two witnesses and the marriage officer must sign the marriage register after the solemnisation of a marriage. Then the marriage officer must issue the parties with a handwritten marriage certificate (BI-27) free of charge.

    The marriage officer must then submit the marriage register to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs, where the marriage details will be recorded in the National Population Register (NPR).

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    Everyday items you can repurpose for a unique wedding seating chart

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    Weddings are special days, and it’s natural one would want it to be absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, perfect can be quite expensive.

    With all the moving parts of a wedding, it’s easy to go over budget. It’s important to get creative and think of ways to limit your spending while still delivering an epic day.

    One way to do that is to use the things around you. Items like chopping boards, leaves, wine bottles and mismatched photo frames are easily accessible as we’re likely to already have them in our homes. You could even ask close friends and family to donate a few items to increase your supply.

    Here are a few ordinary items that can be given new life and act as a truly unique wedding seating chart:

     

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    How couples really feel about marrying during the pandemic
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    How couples really feel about marrying during the pandemic

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    Shopping, meetings, and social events have all moved online since the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Even weddings have changed. Couples that had planned to have big ceremonies to celebrate their big day were forced to downsize or put the ceremony on hold until the pandemic subsides.

    Upon seeing different reactions and frustration from social media, a study was conducted to understand how couples really feel about marrying during the lockdown.

    One poll on behalf of custom menswear brand INDOCHINO found that 48% of people planning a wedding would rather shrink their guest list than postpone it. A survey was sent out to 2000 people and based on responses, and it revelaed that 22% considered holding a virtual wedding instead of postponing.

    The World Economic Forum (WEF) also did research on how couples around the world dealing with the sudden changes in the world and how that will affect their plans.

    Most weddings have been canceled or postponed in the UK, with the country under lockdown restrictions limiting gatherings.

    For some couples in India, the usual throng of wedding guests has been replaced by an audience of mobile phones and tablets streaming live wedding ceremonies to distant family and relatives.

    In South Africa, couples were posting their small ceremonies on social media, for a country that is known for big celebrations, this was interestingly welcomed in a positive light.

    Drive through nuptials,  virtual ceremonies, and only having few people attend the ceremony might be the new normal for the longest time.

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    Carnival-themed wedding decor ideas for a fun-filled evening

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    A night at the carnival is guaranteed to be a memorable experience, filled with tons of colours, delicious food and exciting rides. Capture the spirit with a carnival-themed wedding. From your decor to your outfit and food, there are so many ways to bring the fun.

    A canival theme is all about being over the top. Go big with a variety of colours and textures, they don’t even have to complement each other.

    Of course, you need to have food stands offering sweet treats. From popcorn and donuts to lemonade and hot dogs, you could incorporate any of your favourite foods.

    Here are some festive ways to fill up your space:

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    Wine and dine: How to use alcohol as wedding decor

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    Who doesn’t enjoy a good glass of wine? From gin to beer, champagne to whiskey, alcohol is a mainstay at any wedding.

    Beyond just drinking it, why not incorporate alcohol into your decor? Bottles can be used in in a variety of ways for  many purposes. Use empty bottles as a DIY seating chart, or pour some glasses of champagne to use as an escort card.

    Here are a few boozy ideas to inspire you:

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    Here are ideas of what you can consider to a virtual wedding.
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    What to consider when attending a virtual wedding

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    When the president announced a complete lockdown in March, everything was shut down, plans were on hold and people had to make do with the “new normal”.

    Couples that had planned to get married had to think of alternative ways to tie the knot as the different levels of lockdown were introduced.

    Like everything else, weddings were also starting to be virtual. That did/does not give wedding guests the reason or right to look sloppy, as it is still an important day, and pictures will be most likely taken too.

    Here are some different options for what you can wear to a virtual wedding.

    What to wear

    Attending a virtual wedding will naturally feel relaxed because you are in the comfort of your own house, but this does not give you the right to not dress up. You don’t have to wear a floor-length gown or a tuxedo and dancing shoes, but please don’t wear an oversized sleeping t-shirt with undone hair. Most people associate Zoom meetings with working from home, but a virtual wedding is not the place to wear your office attire.

    Dress up. Chances are that the couple has a theme, so honour that. Otherwise, a dressy blouse, a dress with some detail at the top, or a button-down shirt and tie will work. Make sure that your hair is neat and tidy as well.

    Set the scene

    Mind your background. Make sure it’s well lit so that your face can be seen clearly in the live stream.

    Create a wedding feel in your home, you don’t have to go all out and decorate but avoid the bedroom to attend the wedding. Look for a location with lots of natural light and try to face the light source. Make sure you’re fully visible to other guests. Make sure you tidy up your space a bit!

    Be on time

    On the day of the wedding, make sure you set up and you are early to avoid technical difficulties. Mute yourself quickly after signing in so you don’t delay the start of the ceremony. The couple should not have to stress about timekeeping.

    Gifts are still important

    Monitory gifts are convenient for virtual weddings. You can send gifts prior to the wedding so they can be part of the ceremony. There is still a wedding registry for a reason.

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    Yellow wedding cakes to bring cheer to your big day

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    What colour is more summery than yellow? Symbolic of the cheerful sun, yellow is a happy colour that signifies better days.

    If you’re planning a summer wedding, we suggest injecting vibrant colour into your festivities. Yellow can be an intimidating colour but it doesn’t need to be.

    Whether you want to go full out or subtle, there are many ways to incorporate this shade into your wedding day. Go bold by fully coating your cake in yellow icing, or use small touches like sunflowers or detail work to bring life to your dessert. The finish will be absolutely stunning and will make you feel like you’re eating happiness.

    Here are a few cakes to inspire you:

     

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    Spooktacular Halloween-themed wedding cakes
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    Spook-tacular Halloween-themed wedding cakes

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    It’s the most spooky season of the year. Being Halloween month, October is filled with freaks and frights, making it a horror-lover’s dream.

    For those that are big fans of the holiday, why not incorporate it into your wedding day? From decor to your dress and cake, anything can be given a creepy twist.

    Halloween-themed wedding cakes are easy to pull off, but it depends on how far you want to go with it. You could go subtle and use classic Halloween colours like black and red, or edge it up even further with skulls, bats, webs or other weird and wonderful decor pieces.

    Here are a few ideas to inspire you:

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    Should you have a live band or a DJ at your wedding?
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    Should you have a live band or a DJ at your wedding?

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    Music is one of the important parts of your wedding reception, because people come together on the dance floor. It’s the music that truly has the power to make or break the wedding reception so choosing what should be played at your wedding is a big decision to make.

    At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference and costs, so here’s a look at the pros and cons of a live wedding band or DJ.

    A live band 

    In South Africa, a live band at a private function like a wedding costs roughly R 12 000 to R30 000. Prices vary based on your location and other factors, like the size of the band.

    Pros

    – Live song requests – people and the couple can ask the band to play their favourite songs

    – It is more personal than a DJ

    – It appeals to younger and older guests

    – You and your guests will experience the pleasure of a live performance

    Cons

    – The big disadvantage of hiring a band is that they tend to be a tad expensive

    – Bands also take up more space than a DJ

    – The travelling cost and accommodation might be your responsibility if the band is not local

    – A band might have one genre of music throughout

    A DJ 

    Private function DJs can cost anywhere between R6500 to R12 000, while celebrity DJ prices range from R20 000 to R45 000. Plenty of couples hire a wedding DJ and prefer the diversity of music over a live band.

    Pros

    – A DJ can play different genres of music to appeal to a larger crowd

    – They don’t require much space to set up

    – They are usually local unless you want a celeb DJ

    Cons

    – Your wedding reception lives and dies depending on the DJ

    – Since DJ equipment is usually a bit more “techy” it comes with a lot of wires – and sometimes it can look a little messy

    – The equipment could crash and that would be the end of music and the vibe it brings

    Some people prefer to have both, a DJ and a live band, to cater to everyone. The band is usually reserved for the romantic first dance. If this is the kind of vibe you want, then you should look into the cost of it all.

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