Weddings Archives | Page 117 of 188

In Accessories

Feel pretty in pearls

February 7, 2020 No Comments

These ain’t your grandma’s pearls. Symbolic of wisdom, pearls have a calming effect and are believed to attract wealth and luck as well as offer protection. With such loaded meaning, this sea gemstone is perfect for a wedding day. Add delicate detail with some well-placed pearls, and you’ll be feeling romantic and elegant in no time.

Take some inspiration from these sophisticated stunners.

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

Should grooms wear custom-made suits?

February 7, 2020 No Comments

Wedding dresses are gushed over and are often made the centre of attention on the big day. This may leave you, as the groom, feeling as though your suit is not of much importance. Well, that’s definitely not true! You surely want to look your best on your special day.

For some, a custom-made suit is the best way to achieve that. Others, however, may be on the fence about whether a bespoke suit is worth it.

Here are some pros and cons of custom-made suits to help you decide:

Pros:

– Fit

Nothing looks better than a suit that fits you perfectly. This is particularly worthy of noting for those who don’t have a “typical” body. Off the rack suits are catered almost exclusively to the “average” body type.

– Look

Material, design, patterns, and style can all be tailored to your exact needs and wants. The look of the suit will be nothing short of what you imagined. You won’t have to settle for the generic offerings of stores.

– Attention to detail

Since your suit is being made by a tailor, you’ll get a final product that has been paid careful attention to from start to finish. As a result of this attention to detail, you’ll get the best possible quality.

Cons:

– Cost

Since you’re paying for higher quality material as well as the time and labour it takes to create the suit, you’ll be paying quite a bit more than you would for a suit off the racks. You’ll have to consider whether your budget allows for this.

– Time consuming

Bespoke suits are usually made by hand, with minimal machines involved. On top of that, you’ll have to go for a few fittings in order to ensure the suit fits you perfectly. This will take much more time than simply purchasing a suit at a store.

– May not get your money’s worth

Custom-made suits are great, and it’s always good to have one in your closest for special occasions. However, if you’re a guy who doesn’t wear suits very often, splurging on an expensive suit may not be worth your while. If it’s just going to collect dust in your closet, consider a store bought suit instead.

Image: Unsplash

In News

Couple live stream wedding due to coronavirus

February 7, 2020 No Comments

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.”

Feature image: Unsplash

In Advice

Do you really need a wedding theme?

February 7, 2020 No Comments

Some couples go all out with wedding themes, like this pair who had a Harry Potter themed wedding. Others prefer to keep the themes mellow and low-key, opting for ideas such as “rustic” or “vintage”.

Wedding themes were, in the past, one of the most important decisions to make about your wedding. These days, its really more of a personal preference; whether you have a theme is neither here nor there.

The draw towards a themed wedding, in general, is the idea of personalising an event that is quite common. For this reason, some may consider a wedding theme imperative. But, in the end, it’s not necessary.

In fact, choosing to forgo a wedding theme completely may make your life a whole lot easier. A theme limits your options with regards to food, drinks and decor. Having no theme means you can have whatever you want without worrying if it fits with the theme. This connects to the next reason why themed weddings complicate your life.

Having a theme also means you have to connect all aspects of your wedding to this theme. More often than not, this will take much more time and planning than a regular wedding and can end up costing much more money.

Guests, usually, have trouble with a themed wedding. Their outfits need more planning and they may have to purchase entirely new items just for your event. For many, this puts them off from attending the wedding at all.

Instead of going for a full on wedding theme, you could opt to centre your wedding – including food, decor and drinks – around two or three colours. This is much easier and always looks classy.

Here are some ideas:

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If you already have your heart set on a themed wedding. That’s okay too, it’s your special day and you should do as you please! Just be sure you’re ready for some extra planning. Here are some themed weddings to help you gather some inspiration:

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Image: Instagram/Halloweddings

In Advice

Wow-worthy wedding backdrops

February 6, 2020 No Comments

Photo booths have been incredibly popular over the years, but why not step it up a notch? A wedding backdrop offers a cool and unique way for your guests to take photographs on your big day.

Let’s face it, your guests want to take pictures at your wedding. They’re all dolled up, in a cool new venue and love is in the air. Give them something to marvel at with a stunning wedding backdrop. This feature adds personality and creativity to your big day. It will also look amazing in your wedding album and Instagram pictures, just saying.

From romantic to whimsical, it’s easy to personalise the backdrop to fit your couple. Here are some ideas to get you started.

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Feature image: Pexels

In Advice

How weddings have changed over the years

February 6, 2020 No Comments

Weddings come with tons of customs and traditions, the history of which is always quite interesting. Many couples are eager to incorporate age-old practices into their weddings. Over the years, however, the practices have changed and transformed.

For those who want tradition and modernity, or who would prefer to customise their wedding to be more original, perhaps insight into how wedding traditions have changed over the years will help to find a middle ground.

– Asking for permission

In years gone by, it was often considered respectful to ask a woman’s father for her hand in marriage. Today, women have much more agency and are no longer considered to be “passed on” to their husbands. Many still follow this custom as a sign of respect. However, others have completely done away with the tradition.

– Veils

Originally, the wedding veil was a way to protect the bride from evil spirits on her wedding day. In 1849, however, Queen Victoria donned a veil as fashion for the first time ever. Since then, many brides have decided to go without a veil or have replaced it with other accessories such as flower crowns.

– Not seeing each other before the ceremony

In the past, it was considered to be very bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. This tradition started at a time when arranged marriages were more common, and was a way to ensure that a groom did not have a change of heart before the ceremony.

Today, many couples have “first look” shoots. They have a private moment together before their nuptials to capture the first moment they see each other in their wedding attire.

– Receptions

Today, we have large receptions that take months of preparation and planning. We offer full meals and often have a constant flow of food and drink for our guests. Previously, a wedding reception was merely some cake and tea at the home of the brides parents.

– The classic vows

The classic wedding vows, which can be traced back to 1549, say that the bride promises to “love, honour, keep, obey, and serve” her husband to be. The last two words are often dropped, these days.

– Rice throwing

Traditionally, newly-weds were sent off from their weddings by having rice tossed at them. Today, bubbles, eco-friendly glitter, or sparklers, amongst other things are often used instead.

Image: Unsplash

In News

Bride throws plushie to decide who will adopt a cat

February 6, 2020 No Comments

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!

“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.

“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!

Feature image: Unsplash

In Celebs

Why Somhale opted for an ‘unplugged’ wedding

February 6, 2020 No Comments

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.

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Feature image: Instagram / Somizi

In Celebs

Inside Grace Kelly’s 1956 wedding of the century

February 5, 2020 No Comments

A film star turned royal, Grace Kelly is a Hollywood icon that will always be remembered for her style and class. The award-winning actress became real royalty when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco on April 19, 1956. This wedding has since gone on to inspire many brides on their own big day. Let’s take a look into this glamorous affair.

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Kelly and Rainier met at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955, and were married within a year at Monaco’s Saint Nicholas Cathedral.

The highly anticipated marriage of the A-list movie star and Prince of Monaco drew much attention from the public. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the production company Kelly worked for, broadcast the entire ceremony to 30 million viewers in Europe. There were two parts to the celebrations held on consecutive days: the civil ceremony and then the church marriage. It was a star-studded event, with old-school film icons like Cary Grant, Ava Gardner, and Gloria Swanson, as well as society notables Aristotle Onassis and Conrad Hilton in attendance among the 700 guests.

Kelly chose close friend and double Academy winning designer, Helen Rose, to create her perfect wedding dresses. For the civil ceremony, Kelly wore a pink floral embroidered suit, topped off with a Juliet cap. Her church ceremony dress was a gift from the MGM production house, as Kelly had starred in many of their films. Rose was the costume designer on four of Kelly’s films with MGM.

The Victorian-inspired gown was made of 125-year-old Brussels lace, taffeta, and thousands of hand-sewn pearls. The skirt was made of ivory faille and featured three petticoats: a smoothing petticoat, a ruffled petticoat and a foundation petticoat. Underneath the dress was the skirt support, the under bodice and the lace bodice with a slip. The gown itself was made of 100 yards (91 metres) of silk net, and the veil was 90 yards (82 metres). To keep the veil in place, Kelly opted for a Juliet cap decorated with lace, orange blossoms and seed pearls instead of a tiara. 30 seamstresses worked for 6 weeks to complete the look.

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Keeping with tradition of the time, Kelly carried a bible instead of a bridal bouquet, although it was decorated with a small bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley. The bible was a gift from MGM.

The groom wore a military uniform he designed himself.

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For their reception, guests feasted on a six-tier white wedding cake, out of which a pair of live turtledoves flew when the newlyweds cut into the cake with a sword.

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Following the wedding, the pair honeymooned with a seven-week cruise on the yacht, Deo Juvante II, a wedding gift from Onassis.

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In Advice

What to ask for instead of wedding gifts

February 5, 2020 No Comments

Asking for wedding gifts can be a bit awkward. It gets even more uncomfortable if you’re asking for money instead of gifts. But, perhaps you don’t want gifts at all. If you and your partner are philanthropic people, then you may be considering ways to use your wedding to give back.

Requesting charitable replacements for wedding gifts is much easier than asking for alternative wedding gifts such as money. People are likely to be on board, because who could resist such a sweet gesture!

If you’ve set your heart on asking for something charitable to make the world a better place, then consider these ideas:

– Plant some trees

This is one of the simplest ways to give back. Request that guest plant a tree in place of your gift. You can provide them with seeds or have them buy their own. Either way, its a great option.

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– Donate to a charity

Organisations such as Greater Good SA, Starfish Greathearts Foundation, Prodder, and Play Your Part are great to help you find and set up a way to use your wedding to donate to a charity. Get in contact with them and find out how you can make the world a better place with your nuptials.

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– Ask for a charity pack

Decide on a cause, for example helping the homeless or providing for a child at an orphanage. Then request that each guest bring a basket or bag filled with goods for somebody in need. You can take the packs to an organisation who will give them out to those who need them most or you can keep a few in your car and give them to somebody in need if you pass them somewhere.

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– Help a child in need

There are wonderful organisations that allow for you to easily help a child in need. Get into contact with an organisation with UNICEF and ask how you can donate to their causes. Perhaps you could get every guest to donate a small amount of money, using your wedding as a collection point.

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– Set up donation boxes

Let your guests know you will be having a clothing drive or a food drive at your wedding. Set up some boxes and collect!

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Image: Unsplash