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Classic South African desserts to include in a wedding menu

October 5, 2020 No Comments

South Africans love our sweet treats, and luckily we’ve got a host of locally-loved favourites that always feature at functions.

Modern couples are opting for a dessert table laden with a variety of dishes to tuck into instead of the singular wedding cake. This way, your guest have options that tailor to different tastes.

Those wanting a classic South African day should incorporate the iconic desserts our country has become known for. Another bonus is that all of them can be customised to be individual serving sizes, making dishing these treats up even easier.

All of these dishes have been featured in menus at top restaurants like Jonkershuis, Spek en Bone and The Blue Crane. If it’s good enough for our top chefs, it’s good enough for us!

It’s not a South African event without these treats on the dessert table:

Malva Pudding

This dessert screams nostalgia for many South Africans. This sweet pudding had a spongy texture, and is covered in a hot, creamy sauce and served with ice-cream or custard.

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Milktart/Melktert

This milk-based custard treat is one of the most iconic South African desserts. This traditional Afrikaans treat consists of a sweet pastry crust that holds a custard filling made of milk, flour, sugar and eggs. It can be baked or left to set in the fridge, then dusted with cinnamon to finish it off.

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Peppermint Crisp Tart

For a truly indulgent dish, opt for a peppermint crisp tart. This quick and easy dessert is made by layering tennis biscuits, a mixture of whipped cream and caramel and then crumbled peppermint crisp chocolate bars. Warning, it’s dangerously delicious and sweet, so its best served with coffee to cut through the sweetness.

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Koesisters / Koeksusters

There are two types of koeksisters with completely different tastes and histories, so it’s important to know which one you’re serving up.

The koesister is a Cape Malay invention, featuring a light and fluffy dough delicately spiced with cardamom, cinnamon and dried ginger. The dough is fried in a ball shape then dunked in syrup and dusted with desiccated coconut.

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A Koeksuster is the Dutch version, made by frying plaited dough and then dunking it in a sweet syrup.

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Picture: Pexels

In Advice

3 mistakes to avoid when choosing your bouquet

September 30, 2020 No Comments

Planning your wedding day is a mammoth task, and all the little things can add up to eventually leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Luckily, choosing the bouquet does not have to be. We say keep it simple. Yes, it’s important and yes, you need to put some thought into it. However, you can save yourself a lot of time and tears by avoiding these fatal errors.

1. Choosing flowers from a region far away

Don’t make things harder than they need to be. Ordering flowers from Cape Town when you’re getting married in Joburg will just turn into yet another headache. Sourcing local flowers from your region will ensure your flowers are fresher, cheaper and more environmentally friendly as you cut out the transport costs. Talk to your florist about what’s in season in your area.

2. Choosing flowers that other people like

Remember, just as with everything else on your big day, it’s still your day. Everyone who is helping you plan, be it your mother, best friend or mother-in-law, will have their own opinions. It might be well-meant, but ultimately, the flowers need to make you happy. Plants are a gift of nature that add beauty and inspire joy, and this is your chance to choose what makes you happy.

3. Having unrealistic expectations

When looking for inspiration online, you’ll get a tsunami of perfect bouquets, not a petal out of place. Most of them are styled to make you want to buy from a certain vendor. We suggest rather being open to embracing nature, which by its very essence is unique, like humans. No two lilies will look exactly the same, and some roses might bloom later than others. While choosing the plants you adore, allow for the fact that having it natural is more beautiful.

Images: Unsplash

In Advice

Simple yet elegant dresses guaranteed to wow a crowd

September 28, 2020 No Comments

Many believe a wedding dress is the most important outfit one can ever wear. It’s the attire you choose to make an eternal promise to your love, so you’ll want to look your best.

With such weight and importance attached to an outfit, it’s easy to see why people opt to go big and bold for their special day. While lace, beading and applique detail are popular finishes to make a splash, it’s not necessary and can often times be quite costly. Sometimes, the most simple design is the most effective.

For those not into dramatic detail or for the budget conscious, there are many ways to still stun in a simple gown. The focus should be on the cut and fabric of the dress to make it appear more luxurious. An off-the-shoulder gown oozes sophistication, while small stylistic choices like adding a cape or twist detailing on your waist easily elevates a look.

If you’re in need of some inspiration, you’re in luck. Here are a few of our gowns sans-lace that are anything but boring:

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Adorable ‘Just Married’ signs to announce your marriage

September 25, 2020 No Comments

It’s a time-honoured tradition to display your new relationship status on the getaway car on your big day. Passersby rejoice at the familiar sight of the ‘Just married’ sign trailing tin cans or colourful ribbons in its wake as your car heads from the ceremony to the reception.

Why limit yourself to just your car? You can announce your marriage on pretty much anything you’d like. Go as big, or as small, as you’d like, it’s your day!

Modern couples have taken to creating custom pieces they can keep forever to let the world know they’ve tied the knot. From custom leather jackets, parasols or even a neon sign to light up the night, anything goes. We love that these alternative items can be preserved for decades and act as a special tangible memory to look back on as the years go by.

Here are some traditional and trendy ideas to be inspired by:

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Planning a destination wedding in lockdown?

September 25, 2020 No Comments

International travel is back on the cards! Now that South Africa has shifted to lockdown Level 1, our borders will reopen to visitors from October 1.

With this, couples now have the option to once again host a destination wedding in another country. Of course, this comes with its own difficulties as other countries also have lockdown measures in place. Here is what to keep in mind:

Travel restrictions:

Only three airports are open for international travel in the country: OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town International Airport. There are 18 land borders open to the public, and the other 35 will remain closed. Every flight, bus, cruise and train ride carries with them a risk of further transmission. Thus, there will be strict protocols implemented to limit the risk.

While the borders are open, not every country is accessible. All travellers from the African continent and from countries outside the African continent with a low rate of infections and transmission may travel to and from South Africa, subject to them having a health clearance certificate and the directions by the relevant ministers.

In the event of the traveler’s failure to submit a certificate as proof of a negative test, the traveler will be required to quarantine at his or her own costs.

To temporarily control entry into the Republic from countries outside the African Continent, the relevant Cabinet members shall, after consultation with the Cabinet member responsible for health, determine in directions

– criteria for controlling entry into the Republic, from such countries with a high COVID -19 infection and transmission rate;

– the list of such countries with a high COVID -19 infection and transmission rate, which may, from time to time, be amended.

Countries with high infection rates will not be allowed to enter until their infections come under control.

Visa applications will reopen and long-term visas will be re-established from October 1.

Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Cool ways to heat up your hair this Spring

September 25, 2020 No Comments

Spring has sprung, so why should your hair still be stuck in winter? From a subtle trim to a dramatic colour change, we’re showing you four ways to up your hair’s cool factor this Spring.

A cut above the rest

It doesn’t take a dramatic change or a major snip to have a transformational hair moment, so before you reach for the scissors, listen up. An easy way to completely change your look without any long term commitment, is by going for some well-placed layers, or better yet, bangs. These options won’t require you to change the overall length of your hair, but will still give you some new-found movement. You could also try changing up the style of cut you’d normally get, like going for a blunt cut rather than feathered, or something leaning more towards asymmetrical. Small changes can make you feel like a brand new person, and isn’t that what spring is all about?

Pin-up girl

This Spring, it’s all about bringing retro back. Opt for slicked back hair with a few pins, slides or barrettes keeping it all together. Alternatively, wash and blow-dry hair into a smooth, voluminous ‘do, making use of some mousse, a blow-dry cream and a big barrel brush. For the curly girls, take it up a notch and really celebrate those curls by grabbing a curling cream or gel, and working it through damp hair to define curls without weighing it down.

Dive right in

Even though it’s not quite warm enough to go for ocean dips yet, we can still achieve beachy waves without needing the actual waves. Surfergirl hair is not only effortless and cool, but saves on unnecessary heat damage and mechanical wear and tear as well. Regardless of your hair texture, beachy waves is all about working with the texture you have and creating a more tousled, natural effect. Work a small amount of sea salt spray through the lengths of your clean, towel-dried hair and comb through to distribute evenly. Scrunch the hair to encourage a tousled effect, or plait hair into a few rough braids and leave to air dry.

Hot or cold

But in this case, why not both?! Science has revolutionised the beauty industry, and it isn’t stopping any time soon. So why not jump on the bandwagon and try out, not one, but two tones for your locks this Spring? Wella’s Opal-Essence range gives you one colour result with both warm and cool light reflections and a milky metallic sheen, thanks to a proprietary artificial intelligence process where unique colour desire is captured. From copper peach to silver mauve, the 5 no-depth permanent shades means the light is less absorbed, producing warm and cool hues depending on the bend of each hair.

For a completely unique colour update, visit your nearest Wella Professionals salon near you: https://linktr.ee/wellaprofessionals_sa

Feature image: Unsplash

In Advice

Snack bar ideas for your guests to enjoy

September 18, 2020 No Comments

If you’ve ever been a guest a wedding, you’ll know there’s a weird waiting period between the wedding ceremony and the reception. While the bride and groom are take photos, the guests make their way to the reception venue and hang around until the bridal party arrives.

To make this period a little more fun, why not have a snack bar for you guests to indulge in? That will take care of that slight rumble in their tummy. It also gives them the opportunity to interact with each other at the same time.

To keep the hunger at bay, delight your guests with a snack bar. Here are some cool ideas.

Movie theatre popcorn

Popcorn is easy to snack on and you can make tons of it at once. You can even offer various flavours, from caramel corn to butter and icing sugar. Make sure to offer your guests tons of toppings and sides, like Astros, mini chocolates and nuts to mix in their bags.

Sophisticated seafood

Oysters are chic and sophisticated. Have them displayed with some lemons and lime, and of course some sauce to pair. If you want to be even more extravagant, have some champagne on hand to pair them with.

Donut wall:

Donut mind if we dig into this station! Donut walls have been trending in the wedding world for years. It doubles up as a snack station and a visual attraction.

Candy station

Get your sweet on with a colourful candy station. Incorporate all your favourite sweets and throw in some sour candies for balance.

Ice cream bar

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Buy a few of your favourite ice cream lollies in bulk and keep them cold in a cooler box, or have tubs and cones ready for your guests to help themselves. This is perfect for a summer wedding, when your guests will be desperate for something to cool them down.

Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Banging decor for a beach wedding

September 18, 2020 No Comments

A beach wedding is the quintessential summer event. The sound of the waves gently lapping on the shore and the feeling of sand in between your toes is enough to soothe anyone’s senses.

With such a beautiful backdrop, there isn’t that much you need to do to dress your venue. A few tables, flowers and umbrellas for shade are all you need.

If you want to add that extra flair, there are so many fun and vibrant styling ideas that are guaranteed to wow your guests. Think chandeliers, modern arches and boho-inspired lanterns.

If you’re struggling to visualise, don’t fear. We’ve got some amazing inspiration:

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Effortlessly chic dresses to elope in

September 16, 2020 No Comments

The case for eloping strengthens with every day the COVID-19 pandemic continues. More and more couples are opting to spend their big day on a micro-scale, with only two witnesses and an officiant present.

If you were meant to marry this year and still want to go through with it despite the pandemic, the safest option is to elope. This way, only your absolute closest are present.

Considering elopements are a lot more casual, you have more options for what to wear. Shorter dresses are more appropriate if you intend to have a casual courthouse event, or even a mountaintop moment. Here are some lovely looks you can shop right now:

Holly Cowl Neck Dress from Forever New

Boho Ruffle Sleeve Gown from Princess Lola Boutique

Ruched bardot midi dress from Missguided

Off Shoulder Scalloped Lace Gown from Princess Lola

Kira Belted Linen Jumpsuit from Forever New

Lace panel scuba tiered midi dress from Missguided

Draped Bodycon Dress White from Mango

Winona Metallic Dress from Forever New

One shoulder midi dress from Missguided

Secret Garden Lace Gown from Princess Lola Boutique

Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

How to craft the perfect cheese board

September 15, 2020 No Comments

It may seem simple, but nothing pleases a crowd like a cheese board. This perfect plate laden with an assortment of cheeses, fruits, meats and spreads is an easy way to serve guests and look like you put some effort in.

However, making the perfect board requires more than just slapping some cheese on a plate and calling it a day. Here are some tips to craft the perfect cheese board.

Variety is the spice of life:

You’ll want a wide variety of cheeses to cater to different taste palettes. Give your guests options by incorporating about 3-5 difference cheeses of varying firmness and texture. A soft cheese like brie, a hard one like parmesan and a crumbly blue cheese cater to different tastes.

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Complementary bites:

It can’t all be about cheese! You need some extra treats to snack on to provide more depth and flavour. Items like meats, crackers, nuts and fruits work wonders in adding both colour and flavour to your board. You want to hit various flavour profiles, so make sure to have something sweet, salty, and crunchy on your board. Red grapes, figs and jam are perfect for some added sweetness, while cured meats give a smoky finish. Add sides of crackers and bread to act as the perfect base for your snacks.

Use condiments like mustard, chutneys, honey and pesto as binding agents and to provide some moisture.

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Pile it on:

There really is no rhyme or reason when it comes to putting your cheese board together, as placement depends on your specific items and the size of your board. In general, it helps to place the cheeses first, spreading them out evenly across the board. Next, pile on your salty snacks and then fill in the gaps with your sweet treats. Use your crackers and breads as a perimeter, and slot in jars of condiments wherever you still have space. Garnish with springs of rosemary.

It depends on you whether you want to pre-slice your cheeses. Slicing them is easier for your guests to dish, but keeping them whole preserves them for longer and looks nicer. If you are keeping them whole, remember to provide individual knifes for each cheese.

Here are some setups to inspire your own:

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Feature image: Unsplash