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Sultry silk wedding dresses

July 21, 2020 No Comments

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 on its own, and needs very little to take it to the next level.

Silk is a natural protein fibre produced by insect larvae to create cacoons. While many insects can produce silk, it is the fibre of the moth caterpillar that is traditionally used in textiles. The fibre is woven into the fabric we know today, and gets its shimmering appearance thanks to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre that refracts incoming light at various angles.

Silk works best for a paired down look. Opt for a simple frame like a slip or A-line gown to use the fabric to its best potential. Because of its delicate nature, it drapes beautifully so silk looks especially stunning when used to create a cowl-neck.

Here are some some dresses to show that silk can be used in a variety of ways to produce any style you want.

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Feature image: Unsplash

In Advice

Decor ideas for intimate wedding tables

July 21, 2020 No Comments

We predict micro weddings will be a massive trend for the remainder of 2020 and even 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With strict regulations on guest lists, couples will have to be much more discerning when it comes to their wedding party.

Micro weddings may seem limiting but they actually allow for so much more opportunity because your budget doesn’t have to stretch to accommodate a large guest list. With less guests, your money can truly be spent on those luxurious and special parts of a wedding that you might not have been able to afford otherwise.

Just because you’ve only got one or two tables does not mean that they have to be boring. Now is the time to go bold with design. Think of extravagant overhead installations, unique lighting and explosions of floral bouquets.

Here are a few ways to make your intimate wedding table look grand:

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Show some leg: Daring wedding dresses with slits

July 21, 2020 No Comments

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

In Advice

Best wedding-related Instagram pages to follow for inspiration

July 21, 2020 No Comments

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 in your big day, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. When planning your wedding, the fastest and easiest way to find inspiration is to consult this much-loved app. From your flowers and food to your wedding dress and seating chart, you can find unique ideas on Instagram thanks to thousands of wedding vendors from all over the world.

Instagram has a handy ‘save’ function, which allows users to bookmark posts they love. You can organise these bookmarks into separate collections, making it even easier to group your thoughts together in a cohesive way. It’s like your very own inspiration board, but online.

If you’re planning a wedding and don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up our favourite wedding-related Instagram pages from South Africa and beyond that have been giving us major #weddinggoals.

Wedding Concepts SA

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Wedding Wire

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The Wedding Bliss

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC0cQ1mJnQY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Kleinfeld Bridal

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCl7Spilyb8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Precious the Planner

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Black Bride 1998

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Zavion Kotze Events Company

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Green Wedding Shoes

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traditionalweddinginspo_za

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Here Comes the Guide

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

All that glitters: Gold wedding cakes

July 21, 2020 No Comments

If gold is good enough for royalty and Olympic winners, it’s good enough for us! We love gold for its luxurious look, it adds a special sparkle to a wedding day without being overwhelming.

Gold is a unique colour in that it pairs well with almost any other colour. It works especially well with white or black for a more classic look, but can easily stand out alongside bolder hues like pinks, reds and greens.

Whether you want large explosions of colour or finer details, gold can work in any capacity on your wedding cake. We’ve rounded up a few glamorous cakes that prove why you should go for gold.

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Feature image: Pixabay

In Advice

Ways to reuse your wedding dress

July 20, 2020 No Comments

Wedding dresses are a major part of anyone’s big day but after the wedding, they tend to end up unused and stashed away in a cupboard.

Your dress doesn’t have to just sit in a closet and collect dust. To get the most out it, here are a few ways to reuse your wedding dress and create more special memories.

Donate it

Your wedding dress holds a special meaning but more often than not, it just becomes an ornament hanging in the back of your cupboard. Donating your dress will give someone else the opportunity to feel just as beautiful and glamorous as you did on your big day.

Get crafty

Wedding dresses tend to have much more fabric than others, which can be cut and crafted in new and creative ways. You can cut the dress down and use strips of material for making various home decor items or clothing. Satin and lace work well for this. Or separate the skirt and bodice to wear as stylish separates paired with more casual items.

Dye it

Along the lines of crafting, dying your dress will instantly change its look and make it an elegant evening gown which you can wear out to events or formal functions.

Turn it into a family heirloom

If you feel sentimental and would like to keep your dress, turning it into a Christening dress or princess-style dress for your child or younger family member is a meaningful way of re-using your dress.

Play dress up

Love Halloween, or any kind of dress-up for that matter? You can get seriously creative with your wedding dress for a themed party. Think zombie bride or fairytale princess!

Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Quirky wedding themes you’ll love

July 20, 2020 No Comments

With thousands of themes to choose from, it can be difficult to decide on a wedding theme. You don’t have to choose between his favourite superhero movie and your perfect all-white wedding-themed weddings allow you to get the best of both worlds. Combine your favourite pop culture and movie references for a wedding celebration with a unique twist.

Harry Potter

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No love potions needed here. If you and your better half are low-key wizards at heart, a Harry Potter–themed wedding is perfect for you. Why not send out a love-spell invitation or thank-you cards and feast on a Sorting Hat wedding cake? Then gift your guests with Harry Potter wands as wedding favours – complete with their names on the box so it will feel just like a trip to Ollivander’s.

The Wizard Of Oz

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Follow the yellow brick road down the aisle to meet your future partner and add a pop of colour to your conventional wedding attire by opting for sparkly red shoes just like Dorothy. Your decor can be farm-inspired with checked tablecloths and straw bales as seats, or add outdoor benches and Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion photo booth props if you’d like to give your guests a fun memento to take home. Just like Dorothy had a wish, your guests can write out cute wishes on small pieces of paper for you and your loved one.

Superheroes

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With the surge in superhero flicks, you can take your love for all things Marvel or DC to new heights. Whether it’s The Hulk, Superman or Batman, you can have it all! Ask your groomsmen to don superhero-themed T-shirts beneath their suits or have your guests dress up as their favourite characters – villains welcome too. For a more subtle approach, decorate a simple wedding cake with inside layers mimicking the colours of your favourite superhero’s costume or add a cute hero couple caketopper (think Batman and Catwoman or Superman and Wonderwoman).

Sports

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Are you a die-hard sports fan? Then incorporate sports trivia on your special day with sports trophies as flower vases or your venue decorated to look like the inside of an arena (or you could just have your venue at a sports ground). Sports jerseys can be used as bridal party outfits after the formal wedding festivities are out of the way and you can keep your guests entertained with a host of sport activities that double as the perfect props for pictures.

Carnival

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Feel like a kid again and make your wedding reception a carnival complete with fun games where guests can win prizes for participating. Serve foods casually by setting up food carts with hot dogs, popcorn in cute striped bags and even candyfloss on a stick, and decorate your tables with brightly coloured paper and an assortment of colourful sweets.

Feature image: Pixabay

In Advice

How to achieve the ‘dolphin skin’ makeup look

July 20, 2020 No Comments

Dolphins are beautiful animals, but have you ever thought about their skin? It is beautifully smooth and constantly glistening.

It may sound strange, but a new makeup trend revolves around achieving this dolphin-esque finish to your skin using makeup. The trend is inspired by the popular ‘wet look’ that has been dominating for the last few years.

This look aims to turn anyone into a sun-kissed god or goddess who just stepped out of the ocean and is simply glowing.

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The dolphin skin makeup trend was coined by celebrity makeup artist Mary Philips, with clients including Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid among her top clients. She advises layering up on a number of glowy products to achieve this look.

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If you’re having a beach wedding, this makeup trend is especially fitting. While highlighter has decreased in popularity within the last year, the dolphin trend is all about using highlighter for a natural glow.

The best way to go about it is to use a glowy primer like the MAC strobe cream to work as an illuminating base underneath your foundation. You can then layer with more shine-inspiring products like a luminous foundation, the Iconic London Dew Drops as a highlighter and a cream blush like Swiitch Beauty’s Bubble Blush for a dewy finish. You want to focus on liquid and cream products to enhance the ‘wet’ look.

Don’t be shy with the highlighter! Use it everywhere, from your cheekbones and forehead to your collarbones and décolletage. Here a few short Instagram tutorials showing how to rock the look:

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Socially distanced weddings in the time of coronavirus

July 20, 2020 No Comments

Weddings as we know them are no longer, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. In some countries like South Africa, weddings are not currently allowed as they constitute as public gatherings. Other countries have slowly reopened the industry and allowed lovers to tie the knot in a safe and hygienic way.

Wedding vendors have had to get creative with their offerings to accommodate this new way of life. No longer can we kiss and hug to celebrate each other, or sit close to one another.

Taking simple precautions can make a big difference. Wedding planners must now incorporate social distancing measures into the big day to ensure the safety of all guests. If this is not done, you run the risk of spreading the virus further, which we’ve seen happen in Kwazulu-Natal and in India.

Once weddings are allowed again in South Africa, we expect to see aspects like distanced seating, custom masks for your guests, and sanitising stations at every event. Here’s how planners have been doing it around the world.

Mask on:

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Keep your distance:

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Stop, drop and sanitise:

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Let your wedding food determine the theme for your big day

July 17, 2020 No Comments

Weddings may be about romance, love and celebration, but a big part of that is food! Often times the catering can be expensive, and it’s easier to pick a 3-course meal where guests only need to select chicken or beef, but where’s the fun in that?

You can save on your budget while still treating your guests to a magnificent feast with fun food themes catered to your big day. Here are a few of our favourite ideas.

1. ITALIAN PARTY

Everyone loves pizza and pasta, plus they’re no-fuss meals with so many delicious variations to choose from. With Italian-themed cuisine you can offer your guests everything from meaty to vegetarian and gluten-free.

2. CARNIVAL FRENZY

Think dessert tables, a cotton candy machine, popcorn stand and slushies to add to the festive magic of your wedding day. And don’t forget about your hot foods with cheesy burgers, fries in a cone, hotdogs, pizza slices and all your carnival favourites that will make your guests feel like they’re kids again.

3. A TRADITIONAL TAKE

You can never go wrong with food celebrating you and your family’s traditional heritage. In South Africa, curries, bobotie, fish and chips, samp and beans and potjies are all firm favourites that show the cultural diversity we have. Treat your guests to some close-to-home meals to celebrate the coming together of families and tradition.

4. COMFORT DELIGHTS

Celebrating a rustic wedding in autumn or winter means you’ll want all the comfort foods on the table. Think homemade soups, cottage pie, lasagne, chicken enchiladas, mac ‘n cheese and malva pudding to give your guests a warm and homey experience that will leave them drooling.

5. SUMMER PICNIC

If you’re planning a summer day, take advantage of the season’s produce with fresh fruit, juice, snacks and picnic-style treats like finger sandwiches, fresh croissants, cheeses, jams and spreads. Set up blankets and pillows with baskets and bottles of bubbly for your wedding reception to let your guests indulge in the summertime magic of your day.

Feature image: Unsplash