A former priest and former nun found love with each other after leaving their respective ministeries. Over four decades later, the pair are celebrating their 45-year wedding anniversary and milestone birthdays.

Allen and Patricia Kosck met at a party that Allen’s  employer hosted. While it was not an immediate attraction, the pair grew to love one another. They were engaged for a year and a half, during which Patricia tells Fox 2 Detroit that they got all their arguing out. They hardly ever argue now.

“You learn to respect the individuality of the other person and that’s essential,” says Allen.

“No matter what I do, he always has my back. He always sticks by me. He loves me through whatever I do,” gushes Patricia.

Both Allen and Patricia celebrate milestone birthdays in July, as they turn 90 and 80 respectively. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to cancel their party, but their condo association stepped in to throw them a little celebration.

Watch their love story here:

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Feature image: Unsplash

Many think you can’t rewear a wedding dress after your wedding day, but this Dawn Winfield-Hunt begs to differ. She made the decision to rewear her wedding dress for a year to raise money for very special causes.

It all began when Winfield-Hunt was dared to wear her wedding dress while paddle-boarding.

“I was dared to wear it paddle boarding and I said OK..and I’ll wear it to Tesco too,” she tells Wedding ETC. “Someone photographed me whilst I was paddle boarding and I posted on an isle of Wight photography site to see if I could find the person and from there it spiraled.”

She has worn her dress in unique places like Buckingham Palace, while boxing and even swam in it on Boxing Day. She says people are always fascinated by her getup, and it’s a great conversation starter. She started a Facebook page called ‘The life and times of a wedding dress’ to document her dress’s journey and raise awareness for the charities she supports.

From here, she decided to put her wedding dress, named Bella, to good use and raise money for three charities: Mountbatten Cancer Trust, Friend’s of The Animals and The Food Bank. She had even planned to put on a charity wedding dress ball but with the COVID-19 pandemic, has had to change her plans.

Winfield-Hunt plans to have a little beach party in her dress to raise money, and also to say goodbye to her wedding dress.

Check out her Just Giving page if you would like to donate to the charities.

Picture/s: Dawn Winfield-Hunt / The life and times of a wedding dress

If 2020 has proven anything, it’s that anything can happen, no matter how out of the ordinary it may seem. A 35-year-old Russian influencer has proven just that after she married her ex-husband’s 20-year-old son.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCgYG3LnOE2/

Instagram influencer Marina Balmasheva announced her plans to marry Vladimir ‘Voya’ Shavyrin, the son of her ex-husband Alexey Shavyrin (40), earlier this year.

Balmasheva, who is from the western Russian region of Krasnodar Krai, resided with Alexey Shavyrin for more than a decade before they decided to go their separate ways. Their relationship ended in divorce.

Since she was with Alexey for so long, Balmasheva had a hand in raising her stepson Vladimir, and was in his life for around 13 years. Despite this, they have fallen in love.

Last week, the influencer shared a video on Instagram showing their low-key nuptials.

Translated from Russian, her caption says that the couple accepts well wishes and congratulations. She explained that they drove to the registry together, and she hadn’t even brushed her hair for the occasion. However, they ensured the wedding rings were in the car.

“There was a good mood and a little embarrassment,” she added.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCfxBg9qIrY/

The couple’s relationship has caused an uproar, as they are also expecting a child together. They announced the pregnancy in June, and on July 11 said that the baby looks like a boy in the ultrasound.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBIuHwtHmWh/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCd652JKzoW/

Many claim their relationship is immoral. The Mirror UK reported that it was a massive scandal in their homeland, and that ex-husband Alexey had caught wind of their affair while he was still married to Balmasheva.

There was uproar when Balmasheva posted a comparison photo, showing her standing next to a 7-year-old Voya next to another picture of the pair cuddled up as a couple.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_2ozglHQ_J/

Balmasheva has gained thousands of followers after going public with her relationship with Voya. The pair remain adamant that the public are behind their relationship.

Image: Instagram / @marina_balmasheva

Everyone deserves a fairytale happy ending. A bride-to-be in Boise, Idaho, had the surprise of her life when she was given just that. She even had a story written about the turn of events.

Denise Amouzougan dresses up as Princess Tiana, the main character from fairytale The Princess and The Frog, as a role she plays for her party company. On July 9, she was working at a birthday party.

As she read a book to the children, she found a hand-written letter. “Every princess needs a prince – will you be mine forever?” it read.

She turns around to find her love, Blaze Montgomery, behind her, dressed up as Prince Charming. He got down on one knee and asked her for her hand in marriage. Montgomery had even perfectly timed the proposal to line up with the water fountain in the background, which comes on every hour.

As Michael Buble played in the background,  she said yes!

All of their family and friends were present to watch the fairytale unfold.

Amouzougan’s friend Celine Daily captured it all on camera and even wrote a little story to go with it, and she shared it all on Facebook. The pair share a close friendship, as can be seen from Amouzougan’s comment on her friends post.

“Omg!???CONGRATULATIONS SIS. WE DID IT!! WERE ENGAGED AND I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER FOR US. Your the absolute best adventure buddy. So glad I have an amazing friend like you to share all this with. I LOVE YOU DEARLY!!!????,:  said Amouzougan. 

See it happen, and read the story below:

Image: Unsplash

While many lockdown regulations were eased as we entered Level 3, there are many things that are still not allowed. Despite this, citizens seem to be losing patience and are breaking rules to participate in social gatherings, including weddings.

According to a report, 25 guests who attended a wedding in KwaZulu-Natal last weekend have now tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement on Sunday [July 12], The Premier of KwaZulu Natal, Sihle Zikalala, said: “Over the last seven days, we have noted with concern the number of infections that have been reported after people have attended gatherings such as ceremonies and funerals. In most of these engagements, measures like social distancing and wearing of masks have been disregarded.”

“In the past week, we have been made aware that a sizeable group was reported to have attended a wedding last weekend. In the end, a number of people from the wedding fell sick, and 25 from the group who attended a wedding tested positive. Today, some of them are occupying COVID – 19 beds in the health care facilities.” he added.

According to the government’s Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster most gatherings are still not allowed under lockdown level 3.

“All gatherings are prohibited except for a gathering at faith-based institution, which is limited to 50 persons or less, depending on the size of the place of worship: provided that all health protocols and social distancing measures are being adhered to as provided for in directions that have been issued by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs,” they said in a statement.

This may have led to some confusion as a wedding may take place in a religious institution, and thus may technically be performed. However, some have completely disregarded the regulations and have celebrated weddings fully, with no thought towards safety precautions.

The premier reminded citizens that the virus spreads faster than gatherings. “No one is immune or can be a ‘starring’ or the invincible main actor, on COVID-19 as there is no cure,” he said.

He urged everyone to stick to the regulations, because staying safe now will result in a safer, and healthier future. “By being safe today, we can be safe and together tomorrow. Ubumnandi, or fun, never ends. It has always been there. It will be there in future, when COVID – 19 is no longer a problem. But, if we disregard precautions we may compromise our lives and those we love,” he said.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded 23 751 infections, 280 deaths and 6,021 recoveries on Saturday. The numbers are increasing rapidly by the day, and regulations must be adhered to for the safety of everyone.

Feature image: Unsplash