Honeymooners around the world are having a rough start to their newlywed lives. Various reports are coming in of couples being placed in isolation following the coronavirus outbreak.
As the global infection rate of coronavirus rises, more and more countries are taking preventative measures to help quell the spread. Travel bans and restrictions have been placed in a number of areas, including the United States and Mauritius.
Mauritius, one of the most popular honeymoon destinations, has also placed travel bans for anyone coming from South Korea or the three northern Italian provinces most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. 34 South Korean newly-weds were recently placed in isolation by authorities due to fears over the coronavirus, according to Seoul officials. One honeymooner, Park Min-kyu, wrote on social media, ” “They took our passports and put us on standby, and then said we should be isolated for 14 days without any explanation of the situation.”
The COVID-19 outbreak has already affected the wedding industry as production delays in wedding dresses mean that some brides might be without their perfect dress on their big day.
Living in South Africa, it might not be a bad idea to stock up on candles for the scheduled (and not-so-scheduled) load shedding. Lucky for us, candles are a perfect touch to any wedding and will have you prepared should a blackout hit. (We strongly advise trying to find out if there will be load shedding on your wedding day and checking with the venue and caterers whether they have generators).
Regardless of electricity, though, candles are beautiful, smell great and create a romantic atmosphere. Here’s how to make sure you have a lit wedding and incorporate these little lights into your decor:
Aneliese Rix decided to take advantage of the Leap Day this year, by following tradition and proposing to her boyfriend, Matt Philpott. She went all out, and took over a cinema in Gorleston (in Norfolk), England.
The big screen proposal took over 14 months to plan and prepare for, as Rix had prepared and filmed a special video to play on the movie screen. “I have had late nights working, when in reality I’ve been filming for the video,” she told Eastern Daily Press.
“We are a bit of a unique couple and I wanted to do something different,” she added.
On the evening of the proposal, the couple headed to the cinema. Philpott was under the assumption that they would be watching the new Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Instead, Rix’s homemade movie, titled “The Missing Thing”, played on screen.
Apparently, Philpott had no idea what was going on, until he saw his girlfriend on screen. “He didn’t twig, until I appeared on the screen, ” said Rix.
As the realisation set in, a ring bearer walked down the cinema aisle and handed a ring to Rix. She finally got down on one knee and proposed and of course he said yes!
The rest of the audience in the cinema, who happened to be about 60 of their closest friends and family, cheered and applauded. Some of them had all snuck in through the back of the cinema to surprise this lucky groom-to-be.
About the entire evening, Rix said: “It was very special with lots of tears – a very, very emotional moment – and thankfully he said yes.”
As time passes, superstitions surrounding weddings tend to fade away. Today, couple’s are keen to have the ‘first look photoshoot’, but in the past seeing each other before the ceremony was considered to be bad luck.
While people have become less superstitious, some beliefs still persist. If you’re one of the people who would rather be safe than sorry, then this is your chance to clue yourself up on what to avoid and what to be weary of.
– The grooms tie
It is said that if a groom’s tie is crooked as he enters the wedding ceremony, he will be unfaithful to his bride-to-be. You might want to send your bridesmaids on a tie straightening mission before the wedding, just to be safe!
– Nuns and Monks
Some have said that a curse of a barren life is in store for brides who see nuns and monks on the way to their wedding. The superstition says that the couple will forever be dependent on the charity of others. For those who are religious, this one may be a bit difficult to avoid.
– Knives as gifts
Folklore states that a knife set as a wedding gift signifies a future with a broken relationship. Even if you’re big on cooking, you may want to take that knife set off of your wedding registry!
– Ringing bells
This Irish tradition is a way to ward off those pesky evil spirits. The superstition goes that if you ring some bells before your wedding, you’ll chase away the bad and ensure that you and your partner have a harmonious life together. Some brides even add little bells to their bouquettes, to keep them ringing as they make their way down the aisle.
– A clock as a gift
In China, the people believe that receiving a clock as a wedding gift is terrible luck. The word for ‘clock’ in Mandarin also means ‘the end’. For this reason, Chinese people tend to stay away from clocks as gifts.
The world’s first official KFC wedding was held this past weekend in Queensland, Australia. Lucky couple Kate and Harrison Cann tied the knot in a finger-licking-good ceremony and reception entirely sponsored by the popular chicken franchise.
Back in September 2019, KFC Australia offered six soon-to-be-wed couples a chance to win a KFC themed wedding package. All they had to do is enter online and explain why they deserved the chicken feast. Kate and Harrison were the first lucky winners to have their wedding completely organised by KFC through their newly minted wedding service, beating out around 2,000 other hopeful couples for this unique opportunity.
The Cann’s, from Toowoomba in Queensland, had their first date at a KFC so it’s fitting that the couple would celebrate their big day with the famed chicken outlet.
On their big day, 150 of their nearest and dearest gathered for this momentous occasion. As part of the day, KFC gifted the couple with personalised KFC buckets, a wedding cake, photo booth, and a food truck dishing up Kentucky Fried Chicken.
“We’re over the moon to have been selected for the first-ever KFC wedding and having the Colonel present on our big day took us back to the first meal we shared together – KFC!,” Kate and Harrison told 7 News.
Meet the hot new trend in the wedding cake industry: the deckle-edge. ‘Deckle” refers to a paper-making process, in which something is left with a rough edge. The result? An unexpected twist.
While it may seem unconventional, deckle-edging can appear quite refined when done right. Add gold leaf to the tips to give it a sophisticated twist and keep the rest of the cake simple and clean to avoid overdoing the final look.
Experiencing the world with your loved-one is always a special way to spend your time. If you know a fun-loving couple who are constantly hearing the call of the wild, why not spoil them with gifts for their passion?
Today, modern couples are putting experiences over material possessions, and seeing the world is on the top of their to-do list. However, there are some items they’ll need when on their travels. Your travel-loving newlyweds will most likely be planning an epic honeymoon, and these gifts will definitely come in handy.
Weddings can be filled with many surprises, but none quite compare to a famous celebrity dropping in for a quick hello. From Tom Hanks to Emila Clarke, here are the best celebrity wedding crashers.
Snoop Dogg
In 2014 Snoop Dogg was getting out of a limo in Chicago, when a photographer of a wedding at a Hard Rock Cafe spotted him. The photographer convinced him to jump in a photo and he hung out at the reception for a while afterwards.
While visiting Georgetown University in 2016, Bradley Cooper, who attended the university, surprised a bride and groom. While they were having their wedding photos taken around the campus, Cooper jumped in on the fun and congratulated the couple.
The kindest man in the world, Tom Hanks, veered off his run in Central Park to congratulate two newlyweds. He also offered to officiate their wedding. Hanks is a serial wedding crasher, according to Insider. While filming Angels & Demons in Italy, Hanks crashed a wedding and escorted the bride to the church.
A singer spotted Jon Bon Jovi in attendance at a wedding and began singing her version of “Livin’ on a Prayer” when eventually she coaxed the legend on stage. Watch the video below.
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson surprised a same-sex couple at their wedding in Huston. The surprise performance happened shortly after the Obergefell case that legalized gay marriage in the USA.
Ed Sheeran
Who wouldn’t want Ed Sheeran to crash their wedding? Sydney-based radio show Kyle & Jackie O, who paid for the wedding after learning that the couple had to postpone their ceremony for financial reasons. The radio duo attended the wedding and brought along Ed Sheeran to sing their first dance song.
Maroon 5 crashed a number of weddings for their “Sugar” music video
In 2014, Maroon 5 took it upon themselves to crash as many weddings as possible in one day. The band were filming their music video and the result is epic. Despite some claiming some of the crashes were staged, a few wedding photographers from the ceremony spoke to USA Today confirming they weren’t all staged.
Serena Williams
Minding her own business on Miami Beach in 2014, Serena Williams was spotted by a wedding party. A friend of the bride and groom went to chat to her and she obliged to meeting the couple. She congratulated them and took pictures with the couple while sporting a gorgeous leopard print one suit.
Bill Murray was being himself when he sat in on a few pictures of a couple’s engagement. Looking totally chill and unassuming, Murray makes for a good photobomber.
Chris Hemsworth
A couple had gotten married in Byron Bay in Australia and the best man spotted the actor surfing. He approached Hemsworth and asked if he would take some photos with the couple. The bride had no idea who the actor was and even asked, “Who is this person?”.
Emilia Clarke and Nathalie Emmanuel accidentally crashed a “Game of Thrones” themed wedding
Unlike the weddings in Game of Thrones, this was a happy ending. Emila Clarke and Nathalie Emmanuel were staying at a hotel where a GoT-themed wedding was being held. Watch below to hear what happened.
The formalities of getting married are stressful for most couples, as visits to Home Affairs go. But if you have some key information about applying for a South African marriage certificate before hand, the process should be as smooth as can be.
When you enter into a marriage, the marriage officer will provide you with a handwritten marriage certificate (form BI-27) , free of charge. You’ll need to apply for an unabridged marriage certificate as soon as possible. The abridged certificate is issued on the same day that it is applied for.
While the abridged certificate contains the personal details of both you and your partner as well as the date of marriage, the unabridged certificate contains more detailed information. The latter is often required for legal reasons by the government (for when you travel, emigrate or obtain foreign passports) and financial institutions (for opening accounts etc.).
It’s best to ensure that you are in possession of an unabridged marriage certificate, it’s a better document to have and is much more useful.
If you require another copy of the abridged certificate, or want a unabridged certificate, then here’s what you need to do :
Your wedding look is one of the most important parts of your big day, and you want to look your absolute best. That’s why choosing the right look, and the right makeup artist, are so essential. Sometimes, you’re not exactly sure what you want or what would work for you. Your makeup artist should be the one to give advice, help you try out different styles and ultimately just get you.
We chatted to Rachelle Froneman, Makeup Expert and Retail Manager for Eastgate Partnered Free Standing MAC Cosmetics to get the inside scoop on how to get the best from your makeup artist, so they can make you shine.
Q: What is trending in wedding makeup in 2020?
A: Fresh face, soft and romantic colors that enhance your natural beauty. Choosing a classic look for your wedding will never go out of style.
Q: How do you help a bride decide on her wedding look?
A: I always ask the bride about her theme and style for the wedding first. Then we can create a look for her, choosing either a lip focus or an eye focus. It’s great when brides come with a reference of a makeup look they like and then we can customize it to her skin tone, eye shape and face shape.
Q: What part of doing a client’s makeup is the hardest for artists?
A: When the client is unsure of what she wants, it feels like a guessing game and can sometimes get frustrating for both the client and the artist.
Q: What do brides do that makes your job harder?
A: Telling us what to do in every aspect of the makeup application. It makes the artist feel like the bride would rather just do it themselves!
Q: What are things brides should keep in mind when hiring a makeup artist?
Cancelling at the last minute makes things really hard on everyone. Also keep in mind that you booked your artist for a specific time frame to be able to finish the makeup and asking them to also just “quickly” do the cousin’s makeup too and the aunt and three other bridesmaids for free, is not cool. Makeup is a skill that artists study and practice for years, and it would be unfair to expect the artists to do more than you pay for.
Q: What is your favorite part of doing makeup for a wedding?
The end result! Seeing everything come together and the look on the bride’s face. It really is a glow like no other.
Q: And your least favourite part? Why?
Cleaning make up brushes…it looks like a makeup explosion in your kit.
Q: Any interesting requests you have had?
Nothing funny or weird, but brides always want you to drink champagne with them and celebrate! And most times the bride wants to take you home with them to be their personal makeup artist, which is quite a compliment.
