In celebration of her four year wedding anniversary, former Miss SA and Miss World Rolene Strauss took to Instagram to share some never before seen images.
The South African beauty married partner D’Niel in 2016, and since then have welcomed their first child. The pair is currently expecting their second child.
In honour of their new milestone, Strauss shared some never-before-seen footage from her wedding. In the IGTV video, Strauss can be seen preparing for her big day, walking down the aisle, and dancing with her new husband.
“Our Wedding Highlights ?? ??,” the model captioned the video. “I’ve never shared this before… Here is 3 min worth of heartwarming memories from our Wedding Day 4 years ago ❤️”
Following the coronavirus outbreak that has reached over 22 countries throughout the world and infected thousands, a Singapore couple opted against attending their own wedding in person after returning from China just days before. Instead, they joined their guests via live stream.
Joseph Yew and Kang Ting spent a week in China’s Hunan province visiting Ting’s family for Chinese new year, and arrived back home just three days before their wedding, scheduled to be held at a hotel in central Singapore in early February. The pair had already tied the knot in China in October 2019, and this second wedding was to be a grand banquet for all those that couldn’t attend the first wedding. Many of their guests expressed concerns over attending the wedding as a result of the coronavirus threat.
Many visitors returning from China have been warned to take precautions as the disease is easily spread.
“Some of them said they were not coming,” Mr. Yew told the BBC. “We wanted to postpone the wedding but the hotel was not willing to. They said everything had been arranged and it was non-negotiable. So we felt like we had no choice but to proceed with the wedding.”
Thinking outside of the box, this couple decided to go ahead with the wedding, except they wouldn’t be there. Instead, they would live stream into the venue from a different room in the same hotel the wedding was being held. They made toasts and speeches completely over the video call.
“We thanked the guests for coming and told them to enjoy the dinner,” said Mr Yew.
While it was not the wedding they wanted, the couple were still able to enjoy it.
“We were not sad but a bit disappointed,” said Mr Yew of his wedding. “I think there were no other option so [I have] no regrets.”
Cat lovers of the world, unite! This creative bride wanted to do something different with her wedding day, so she decided to make a bold statement by having the person who caught her bouquet adopt a cat. However, this wasn’t a normal bouquet…
Karen Mormo is a cat lady, Mom to two cats already, she really wanted to pay tribute to them during her big day. She’s also not one for tradition, and wanted to put a twist on the expected. So, instead of tossing a bouquet, Mormo decided to throw a cat-shaped plush toy into the crowd. The person who caught the ‘bouquet’ would be the next person to adopt a cat!
Credit: The DodoCredit: The Dodo
“I thought it’d be a fun way to include everyone regardless of gender or marital status, and it was very ‘me’ since everyone knows I’m obsessed with cats,” Marmo told The Dodo.
Her guests were excited about the idea, and all clamoured to be the lucky one to catch the plushie. Unfortunately, the person who ended up catching it couldn’t adopt a cat.
Credit: The Dodo
“The person who caught it was my friend, Emma,” Marmo said. “She didn’t mean to catch it since she’s allergic. Guests fumbled the stuffed animal and it landed on her when she was shielding her face. I donated to my local shelter to make up for it.”
Regardless of how it ended, we love this unique twist on tradition! It’s always great to add in an element of giving back for your wedding.
If you want to give back on your wedding day, consider one of these options instead of gifts!
One of the most anticipated South African weddings of the year, the Somhale white wedding, recently broke the internet as fans excitedly awaited photos and videos. However, very few images taking us into the wedding actually appeared. Many were surprised to find that the social media-loving couple actually banned guests from bringing their phones to the wedding.
Explaining the reason behind their choice to have an ‘unplugged’ wedding, Idols SA judge Somizi Mhlongo says that he wanted their guests to live in the moment.
“So when we decided to tell our wedding guests via Invites that there will be no phones or cameras allowed beyond the venue gates I’m sure most of them had a mini heart attack thinking how they are gonna get through the day without their phone,” Somizi wrote on Instagram. “The main reasons for that was so that people can engage with each other. Can enjoy every moment with their naked eyes. But also for us as grooms to have exclusive privacy of our day until everyone can get to witness it on @showmaxonline from the 24th February 2020.
We were also very considerate towards our guests as we gifted them with @instaxsa cameras to capture special memories for themselves.”
Fans will get the chance to see the Somhale wedding in all its glory. The wedding will be broadcast in a 4-part special on Showmax, premiering on February 24.
Ever loved something so much you made it your wedding theme? This couple did. Their love of the musical The Greatest Showman was so great, they just knew they had to incorporate it into their big day.
Julia and Kurtis Moellmann from Orlando, Florida are both huge fans of the circus. So much so that the pair, both of whom work at Ripley Entertainment Inc. knew it had to be a part of their wedding
“Kurtis and I grew up loving the circus,” Julia told Business Insider. “I used to take my mother — who had recently passed away suddenly due to brain cancer — to the circus every Mother’s Day.”
“It describes our lives, our current jobs, and what we both love,” she explains their love of the circus. “When we’re not at work, we’re at a local circus or searching for oddities that might be found in a circus sideshow.”
A year before their wedding, the couple watched The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Zendaya. They fell in love with the musical, rewatching it over and over again. The film’s aesthetic matched perfectly with their personalities, so they decided to recreate it for their big day.
Their barn-like wedding venue was transformed into a circus tent with draping red and white fabrics hung from the ceiling.
Both Julia and Kurtis wore circus-inspired outfits, with Kurtis dressing like a ringleader.
Credit: Instagram / Nick and Lauren Photography
To go with the theme, carnival snacks like popcorn and snow cones were on offer, as well as food stands featuring burgers, pizza, chicken, fries, and funnel cake.
“We had freak-show posters, circus photo ops, and everyone was given a clown nose at their place setting,” Julia adds. The pair even had a miniature horse to pose with them for photos.
Their guests loved this unique take on a wedding.
Credit: Instagram / Nick and Lauren Photography
“Kurtis and I aren’t your average white dress, church wedding people, so it was a nice break for everyone overall,” Julia explains. “You can only eat so many badly cooked steaks and watch couples frolic down a church aisle so many times without falling asleep,” she said of traditional weddings.
Wedding photographers are a dime a dozen, but this one truly stands out. An official photographer to the British Royal Family, Tim Moolman has captured some famous moments. His love of wedding photography, however, has become career-defining.
Widely recognised as South Africa’s leading documentary wedding photographer, Moolman’s work is iconic. He is a rare breed of professional photographer, able to capture photographs in many different genres – and do it well. He’s a Fujifilm X-Photographer ambassador, a passionate documentary photographer, and is also known for his skateboarding photography.
The creator. Image: supplied
Surprisingly, this artist only began capturing these moments at the age of 30, and quickly fell in love with it. He learned most of his skills on-the-job while working at a photography shop that hired out photographers for various events.
Through his wedding documentary work, it is clear to see that Moolman is a craftsman that blends into the background to capture those images brides and grooms might have wished were taken during their big day. Instead of the big moments, Moolman favours those smaller, more intimate exchanges. Some of his favourite moments of a wedding are when guests are interacting with the couple, congratulating them with hugs and kisses. Behind-the-scene photography tells the story of the moment, capturing smiles and tears, the joys of those who were there and, sometimes, the sadness that goes along with it.
Credit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim Moolman
“During a wedding, hundreds of random things happen every minute. There’s joy. Tension. Anticipation. Glee. Drama. Boisterous buttons seek to escape. Little fingers trail across spotless windows. Soggy (t)issues sit in the hands of emotional aunts. I see these little moments clearly – and wedding couples miss out on them, because you can’t be everywhere. But I am.”
“This is my passion, these are my images, this is your story.”
Credit: Tim MoolmanCredit: Tim Moolman
To couples, Moolman advises that they take the time to truly enjoy the day instead of focusing on all the things that may have gone wrong.
“No event ever runs 100% according to plan and I feel it’s far more important to focus on the love and joy with friends and family instead of worrying about some minor table decoration.”
Please visit his website or his Instagram to view more of his incredible work.
For some, fitness isn’t just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. No matter the place, it’s always a good time to get some pumps in. This CrossFit loving couple truly agree with this sentiment, so much so that they decided to have a deadlift competition at their wedding reception.
Ericka and Caleb Sommer from Colorado, USA, are both devout Cross-Fitters. The pair even met at a gym that they now run together. Of course, when it came time to tie the knot, they knew they wanted to incorporate their love of fitness.
The happy couple. Credit: Adam Houseman
“We wanted the ceremony to reflect our personalities — hungry, outgoing, and a little bit crazy,” Ericka told Popsugar.
So how do you incorporate their unique personalities? Well, first, their officiant fed Ericka fried chicken during the ceremony. “He knew I’d be hungry if we stood too long in our 20-minute ceremony, so he brought me a snack.”
Mid-ceremony fried chicken snack. Credit: Adam Houseman
She must have needed that protein for their next standout moment: a choreographed first-dance featuring a mini-dodgeball game between the bride and groom. As the pièce de résistance, the pair also had a Jell-O-eating contest, an ode to their favourite activity to do together: competitive eating. Following this, the pair go head-to-head yet again, this time in a deadlifting contest.
Deadlifting contest. Credit: Adam HousemanDeadlifting contest. Credit: Adam Houseman
“No one remembers you slow dancing to an Ed Sheeran song,” she says. “People remember you deadlifting in your wedding dress and diving on the floor to go face deep in a pie pan of colors-that-stain Jell-O.”
Chest bumping away fro their first dance. Credit: Adam Houseman
The pair also drank pre-workout shots with their guests instead of alcohol.
Pre-workout shots instead of alcohol for the wedding guests. Credit: Adam Houseman
Photographer Adam Houseman perfectly captured all of these unique moments. For more of his work, please visit his website: https://www.ahpphotos.com/
Who says you can only wear a wedding dress once? This couple decided to make the bride’s wedding dress worth every cent by taking it along on their travels all over the world. The images they’ve since captured are nothing short of amazing.
Jeff and Jennifer Salvage met online and quickly fell in love. Once engaged, they decided on a destination wedding to Easter Island, and thus needed a wedding dress that could travel in a backpack. Jennifer’s dress, a Maggie Sottero gown, made the long 7 000 mile (11 265km) journey from their home in the United States to Easter Island.
Impressed by how well the dress held up, the pair then decided to take it along with them on their travels. Almost 12 years later, Jeff has taken photos of Jennifer all over the world in her iconic wedding dress.
They’ve been dogsledding in Iceland. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.Hiking in France. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.Horseback riding in the Bahamas – Holland America Cruise. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.ZERO-G Experience® in Florida. Credit: Jeff Salvage, One Woman One Dress.
Thus far, the dress has travelled 308 635 miles (496 594 km) and has been in 50 countries, including Albania, Argentina, Croatia, Germany, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.
The pair typically go on two trips a year, and continue to do so because it keeps them close. “It’s very easy for couples to grow apart,” Jeff told Business Insider. “This is one way we have a common bond and drive.”
Much-loved Cape Town radio host and tv presenter, Mishka Patel, recently tied the knot to long time partner Donovan Loesch in an intimate ceremony in Stellenbosch. Mishka, who in 2014 was a finalist for Miss SA, presented tv show Pasella and is now a radio personality at Good Hope FM, jokingly writes on her website she can’t believe she’s now a ‘wifey.’
Their wedding was stylish and lavish, but not the extravagant, over-the-top affair you might expect from an A-lister. There were only 55 guests, but Mishka said that’s exactly how she and Donovan wanted it. “They were a group of people who played a positive and significant role in our lives,” she told Sarie.
The two knew each other only six days when Donovan asked Mishka to be his girlfriend. Eight years later, they are more in love than ever! “I have a husband. How crazy Is that?” Mishka wrote on her website. “Some of you might think, after 8 years, ‘it’s about time’, but to me it feels like I met this guy, just the other day. How is this kind of love even real?”
“Walking down the aisle was not what I imagined. It was more. With my dad walking me down the aisle to get married, to become a wife, still gives me goosebumps,” she added.
In typical celeb style, Mishka wore two wedding dresses. Her first dress (worn for the ceremony) was a sleek JESUS PEIRO halter neck dress from Cathrine’s Bridal Couture. The second dress (for the reception) was a beaded strapless Casablanca dress called ‘Opal,’ also from Cathrine’s Bridal Couture.
Not one to be out done, Idols SA judge Somizi Mhlongo made sure his second wedding to husband Mohale Motaung was even more lavish than their traditional wedding of 2019. The couple, dubbed Somhale, threw an extravagant white wedding on Thursday, January 30.
The pair have been teasing details of the lavish celebration for months, and of course it was every bit as extraordinary as we would expect.
A host of celebrities were in attendance, including Minnie Dlamini-Jones, Casper Nyovest, Khanyi Mbau, DJ Zinhle, Shimza, Lerato Sengadi, Thando Thabethe, Ayanda Thabethe and Bonang Matheba. Guests were instructed to wear white and red-bottom shoes.
Right after heading former Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters wedding to Tim Tebow, celebrity planner Zavion Khotse headed this extravaganza. Their wedding flowers were imported from Colombia, Holland, Thailand, and Kenya.
According to reports, Somizi had three outfit changes, each of which were accessorised with different Christian Louboutin red-bottom shoes. Celebrity designer Gert-Johan Coetzee was at the helm of at least one of these looks.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until next month to see more details. The wedding will exclusively be broadcast in a 4-part Showmax special from February 24, 2020.
“This is the final piece of the puzzle … the final celebration of our union … it’s been an amazing journey, so many events, so many friends, so much family and so much love. Thank you all for joining in via our social media,” writes Somizi on Instagram. “I’m very happy to announce that in weeks to come, you’ll get to see the 4part special of #SomhaleUnion exclusively on @showmaxonline from 24 February”
