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Questions to ask before booking your caterer
In Advice

Questions to ask before booking your caterer

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Your wedding day is all about the love, but having a delicious spread of food doesn’t hurt. I mean, who can pass up a good plate?

There are so many factors that go into determining your wedding menu but before all of that, you need to settle on a specific caterer. Before making your decision, make sure you ask them these important questions.

What does your schedule look like on the date of my wedding?

Occasionally, caterers will prepare food for more than one wedding per day or weekend. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t consider them, although you need reassurance that your wedding won’t be deprived of the time and attention it deserves.

If your caterer runs a large firm with an abundance of staff, they’ll more likely have the capacity to handle multiple weddings at once. If a smaller firm has another wedding to attend to at the same time as yours and you are doubtful of whether they’ll be able to accommodate yours as well as you would like, you best look at other caterers.

How do your preset packages work?

Caterers typically offer preset packages which could involve a variety of services apart from simply whipping up your wedding meal. These range from stocking the bar and baking your wedding cake to supplying waitrons and cleaning up.

It’s crucial that you take note of what they do and don’t offer. Anything that is important to you that isn’t included in their packages will have to be sourced elsewhere. This can be rather pricey, so if your needs are vast, try getting more bank for your buck by contacting caterers who offer all-inclusive packages.

Are all menus fixed or can you design a personalised menu?

Opting for a fixed menu can make your planning process simpler and less time-consuming as there are less decisions to be made. This can be ideal if you’re planning your wedding on a tight time frame or have many other commitments besides wedding planning.

On the other hand, having a personalised menu means that your precise requirements will be catered for. This will be a major advantage if your guests (or you!) are very particular about what types of food they enjoy. It might also give you the opportunity to match your food to your wedding theme.

Can you cater for guests with special dietary requirements?

Catering for guests with special dietary requirements is often possible, but will usually be done for an added fee. If you find this fee to be too high or have a large number of guests with a specific requirement, a caterer who specialises in meeting that requirement may be a more budget-friendly alternative. In the event that you can’t find such a caterer, costs will need to be cut in other areas of your wedding in order for you to feed all of your guests.

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How to deal with an over-involved mother-in-law while wedding planning
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How to deal with an over-involved mother-in-law while wedding planning

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Yes, we know she gave birth to the love of your life but to be perfectly honest, your mother-in-law’s (MIL) antics surely do- at least sometimes- drive you up the wall. Planning your wedding, what with never-ending expenses and countless vendor appointments, can be chaotic enough without her causing drama. When she does, life can be simply too much to handle.

Like it or not, she’s about to be family so you need to learn how to handle the issues that may come up. Here is some advice.

Give her some responsibility:

It’s always nice to involve your MIL in some kind of way. If you know she’s crafty get her to make something, whether it’s wedding favours, a stationery element, a welcome board, etc. If she’s not crafty, think of something you can put her in charge of like placing the name cards on the table or checking that the minister’s on time.

Even if you know your wedding coordinator is already taking care of this, she won’t know and will still feel that she has an important task. Remember, this is a big day for her as too and most of the time she only means well. She also likes telling her friends what her involvement was on the day.

It’s also important to communicate from the start how the planning process is going to work and who is in charge of what. Communication is key at all times! Let your MIL know how you feel before a big explosion happens. Tell her that advice is always welcome, but this is your special day and she must please respect your final decisions.

This is also where a wedding coordinator becomes very handy. Tell your wedding coordinator to relay a message over to your MIL without her knowing the message comes from you.

The money issue:

If your MIL is contributing a large amount of money to your wedding, that does not mean you must stand back and let her take over. This day is 100% about you and your fiancé, and later on in life you want to look back on your photos and still be wowed by the amazing day you had. You don’t want to look back and see your MIL’s style on your best day ever.

To ensure that your wedding is a true reflection of who you and your fiancé are as a couple, you could cut your guest list in half, and have a small and simple wedding for your absolute nearest and dearest, which you can afford to pay for yourselves. Rather do this than have a wedding including things that your MIL wants, yet which you don’t want at all.

Change of plans:

If your mother-in-law goes behind your back to arrange or change plans with a wedding vendor, you need to act quickly to end this. Make sure to inform the vendor that you had no knowledge of the order and it was done behind your back, but that they can cancel the order as it’s not going through. Once again: this is where a wedding coordinator comes in handy!

To prevent this from happening again, let your MIL know that if she sees something or would like something to be at the wedding, she needs to talk to you first. The two of you can then decide together whether it will fit in at your wedding or not.

Uninvited guests:

Unfortunately, there is only so much you can do if people were formally invited to your wedding without your permission. To avoid this situation, make sure you and your fiancé are in charge of sending out the wedding invitations.

If you do find yourself in this predicament it looks worse to uninvite people, so it may be best to inform your wedding coordinator that there are going to be guests who you didn’t know were invited, and they could place these guests at a table right at the back.

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Beauty breakdown: The highs and lows of laser hair removal
In Beauty

Beauty breakdown: The highs and lows of laser hair removal

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Want to be smooth and stubble-free come wedding day? If you hate shaving and waxing then laser hair removal may just be for you.

Laser hair removal is a form of hair removal that uses advanced laser light technology to target the melanin within hair follicles. The laser light is absorbed into the root of the hair and destroys the hair cells, thus stunting regrowth.

This treatment is considered safe and effective and causes no damage to the surrounding skin. However, as with any procedure it is imperative to do your research before booking your appointments. Here are some things to consider before you make your decision.

Pros:

It is a long-lasting hair removal option

While it is not entirely permanent, laser hair removal forces your hair into a longer state of dormancy than other forms of hair removal like waxing and shaving. It essentially slows down your regrowth which means you will need to remove your hair far less frequently than normal. It also makes the hairs lighter, finer, and fewer in number and thus more easy to manage.

It is (relatively) painless

Pain tolerances differ, but many will attest to the fact that laser hair removal is not painful. It feels similar to being tickled and the only discomfort is when the laser head heats up upon occasion, but it is not unbearable at all.

It lightens discoloured/uneven skin and helps with ingrown hairs

A major draw for laser hair removal is that it is highly effective in resolving ingrown hairs, as the laser destroys the hair follicle’s ability to produce hair. It also helps to alleviate any skin discoloration often caused by ingrown hairs.

Cons:

It is costly

Out of all the hair removal options, laser hair removal is probably the most expensive. A single session can start from R350-R1000 depending on the area you are targeting. For example, the leg area or the bikini area is typically more expensive than doing your underarms. You also have to multiply the cost by 8 or 12, as that is how many sessions you will need to complete a full course.

If you do plan on getting laser hair removal, Deluxe Laser in South Africa often offers specials like four for two on all courses, so best capitalise on those to save some coin.

It takes a while to complete a full course

While results are visible as soon as the second session, customers typically require eight to 12 sessions to see the full impact. This process works best when your hairs are in the anagen hair growth cycle. However, hairs in any one area are never in this stage simultaneously therefore you need multiple treatments to catch all the hairs in this growth cycle.

Since sessions are spaced a month apart it can take about a year to complete a course. You must abstain from waxing/sugaring in between these sessions, which may be hard for those who hate shaving.

You may not be the ideal candidate

Laser hair removal is ideally suited to people with dark hair. It is less effective on people with lighter hair as the laser cannot target grey, white, red hair and is limited to lightly pigmented hair.

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Have you heard of the "management ring"?
In Weddings

Have you heard of the “management ring”?

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A new buzz word going around wedding circles is the “management ring”, if you can’t decipher what it is, we’ll just tell you: an engagement ring for men!

Gender norms are out the window and equality is in as men are joining in on the bling. Why should women only get exciting jewellery to tell the world they will soon be a Mrs (or just a married Ms)?

The term “management” doesn’t refer to any high-level oversight a woman has to do on her man. Rather it’s a fun combination of the word man and engagement.

The trend has becoming increasingly popular especially since it is a common practice among gay men, with each giving the other mean ngagement ring or going to pick out ones together. In addition, a few celebrities have been seen sporting them over the years including Michael Bublé and Ed Sheeran.

Management rings come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from clumsy-proof silicon to blinged out statement pieces.

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In Fashion

Grooms rocking sneaker style on their big day

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Comfort is key during your wedding, and what’s comfier than a pair of sneakers? Bend the rules and rock your favourite pair on your big day

Wedding sneakers are all the rage right now. You have the option of wearing them all day or styling some dress shoes for the ceremony before swapping out for your favourite sneakers to dance all night long during the reception.

For an extra special touch, you can even have your sneakers customised to match your suit. Go matchy-matchy with your partner and have ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ or ‘husband’ and ‘husband’ written on the back for an epic picture.

Check out these awesome gents rocking cool kicks:

 

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Fancy fringe wedding dresses to get the party started
In Advice

Fancy fringe wedding dresses to get the party started

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Weddings are serious events but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun! Inject some flair and personality into your wedding dress with fringe detail.

Fringe is reminiscent of the roaring 20s, a time of decadence and overconsumption. Get in the spirit and layer your gown with some fringe detail to channel your inner Daisy Buchanan. Think of how beautiful it will look as your twirl and shake on the dancefloor!

Here are dresses to inspire you to have fun with fringe:

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In Fashion

No cold shoulder here: Why we love sleeved gowns

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Although the skin-bearing styles of wedding dresses are a lasting fashion, sleeves add feminine sophistication to a demure gown.

Wedding dress sleeves were previously considered for a more conservative, cautious bride but have become a fashion statement and added accessory.

There are many reasons why someone may want to cover their shoulders. Whether you are insecure of the shape or size, it’s important that you feel truly comfortable and beautiful on your big day.

Luckily, sleeves are super trendy in the wedding world right now. Puffy and over-the-top sleeves have been revamped into a variety of styles.

The cap sleeve is short, covering just the shoulders and extending no further than the armpit. The boat neck sleeve has a wider neckline and slides just off the shoulders, highlighting the collar bone. Another favourite is the one-shoulder sleeve which ultimately speaks for itself.

When opting for a sleeved gown make sure to pick the right fabric. Lace and sheer fabric are fashion-forward, light and breathable but are also often less stretchy and forgivable, so they need to be fitted well.

 

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The length of your sleeves will also be determined by your style of dress and your preference. You can opt for a full lace sleeve or choose a style that incorporates lace fabric with hints of diamante detailing, adding a little extra sparkle.

If you’d still like to show a bit of skin, then perhaps you can choose a dress style with sleeves that also features a backless detail or a high slit.

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A specific gene could be responsible for marriage satisfaction, study finds
In News

A specific gene could be responsible for marriage satisfaction, study finds

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A new study has found that variations in a specific gene could possibly determine how successful your marriage is in the first few years of your union.

Data by researchers at the University of Arkansas published in the journal Nature Scientific Report indicates that a variation called ‘CC’ in the gene CD38 is linked with increased levels of gratitude. The University’s Anastasia Makhanova, along with her colleagues studied a group of genotyped newlyweds to explore whether this gene variation had a relationship with levels of trust, forgiveness and marriage satisfaction.

“We were interested in seeing if some of the reasons that people might have a harder time maintaining relationship satisfaction in the newlywed period is due to some potential underlying genetic predispositions,” explained Makhanova.

The research team analysed 71 couples which amount to 142 newlyweds. They collected data over the course of the first three months of their marriages and had them complete a survey every four months for three years.

Analysts then compared the survey results between those with and without the CD38 variation and found that those with the variation reported higher levels of positive perceptions around their relationship, especially when it came to trust.

“CC individuals felt more grateful for their partner, reported higher trust in their partner, were more forgiving of their partner, and were more satisfied with their marriages than were AC/AA individuals,” the study read.

They thus conclude that there may be a possible genetic link to marriage satisfaction. However, it is important to note that this does not mean that those without the variation are doomed to a loveless marriage.

Makhanova explains: “So it’s not that people who don’t have the CC genotype are doomed to have problems. It’s just that they’re more likely to have issues in some of these domains, and so those people might have to work a little bit more in those domains.”

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How to combine your bachelorette and kitchen tea
In Bridal Party

How to combine your bachelorette and kitchen tea

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Times have changed and so have traditions. It’s the year 2021 and most people have been greatly affected by the pandemic. Budgets are tight and health concerns are real. If you’re getting married but don’t feel you need to have both a bachelorette and a kitchen tea, there are several ways to combine them into one awesome bridal event.

There are loads of benefits of combining the two events into one. Weddings tend to happen in a shorter span of time between getting engaged and getting married due to ever-changing COVID-19 regulations. One bridal event will save time and energy, as well as money. It will also mean you get exposed to fewer people and environments, keeping your immediate bubble small and staying within that bubble instead of hanging out with different groups of people.

Here are some ideas of ways your bridal event can include everyone from your mom and aunt to your besties. Activities that everyone will enjoy and don’t break the bank is the way to go.

Private picnic

Picnics never get old. It’s chic, low-fuss and absolutely yummy. You can choose a theme or let the theme be the food! Gather your closest ladies and avoid the crowds by finding a private spot. You can also book a picnic from a vendor so it can be all set up in a cosy little nook when you arrive, ready to dig in.

Day by the pool

It’s summer! Sun’s out, which means bikinis and sarongs are on. Plan a fun day of leisurely lounging by the pool if you have access to one. Make cocktails together and get your dose of Vitamin D. Remember to wear adequate sunscreen, hats and seek out some shade every now and then.

Board and card games

 

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Who doesn’t love a good games night? Collect all your favourite board and card games and let your competitive side take over. You can even go as far as to place bets so there’s real incentive to win, or take it easy and just have a good laugh with your mates for the sake of it.

Cook or bake together 

 

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Food, glorious food. Whether you’re an aspiring fine-dining chef or just a plain old sweet tooth, get everyone together for a day of creating a beautiful meal, dessert or even just snacks. You can go for a cooking class or go DIY, as long as you walk away with a full belly and happy heart. Oh, and don’t forget to open a bottle of wine.

Spa day

Look, we’re not saying it’s never been done before. But honestly, who wouldn’t want to do it again (and again and again)? Book a day at your favourite spa for some serious relaxation. Plus, it will leave everyone looking and feeling refreshed and in top form for the big day!

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In Food

Delicious grazing tables you’ll want to tuck into

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Let’s be honest, food is a crucial part of your big day. After spending tons of money on a gift and an outfit, your guests will be looking forward to a delicious spread and party.

Grazing tables are super popular among modern couples. While it may seem like you just place a bunch of random snacks on a table, there is an art to the perfect grazing table.

When crafting your grazing table, remember to opt for a variety of treats to appeal to a number of tastes. Cheese and crackers, fruits, meats and nuts pair beautifully together. Throw in some fun spreads, dips and sauces as well as tons of different bread to act as a vehicle for all this deliciousness.

You can use your discretion to place your items on your table, but keep in mind you want it to look super colourful so think carefully of your placement. Add height with cake stands to create some variation and interest.

If you need inspiration, check out these stunning spreads:

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