Back in the 1500s, European women would not be caught dead without wearing a corset as an undergarment.
According to Champagnecorsets.com, the garments gradually began to incorporate the use of a “busk,” a long, flat piece of whalebone or wood sewn into a casing on the corset in order to maintain its stiff shape. This gave wearers a tighter, smaller waistline. The front of the corset was typically covered by a “stomacher,” a stiff, V-shaped structure that was worn on the abdomen for decorative purposes.
Today, many formal dresses still make use of corsets for alignment and shape. Corset bodices can be very flattering, creating a curvy look with well-accentuated features. We love these corset-incorporating gowns:
On your wedding day, you want to look and feel your best. However, getting here requires work that often starts months before your big day. Here are some tips to make sure you are looking and feeling your best come wedding day.
Develop a consistent skincare routine and STICK TO IT!
Hopefully you already have one in place, but it is important to have a skincare routine designed for your particular skin. Maybe you have oily skin, dry skin, or sensitive skin. Maybe you have discolouration, rosacea or fine lines. Regardless, there are many products created to cater for a multitude of skin types and concerns. Now, developing a skincare routine is not easy. It’s mainly just trial-and-error.
While Koreans are famed for their 12-step routines, many dermatologists recommend a simpler skincare routine with three key steps: cleanse, tone, moisturise. Another thing dermatologists agree on is that SPF is the most important skincare product everyone should be using. Sunscreen protects your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Many skincare and makeup products contain SPF, which makes it that much easier and leaves you with no excuse not to use it.
Facials:
Treat your skin to a facial with your regular aesthetician every month in the lead up to your wedding. When meeting your aesthetician, highlight what you want to focus on with the facials. It’s also important to speak up about your skin type. If you’ve got sensitive skin, your aesthetician has to be very careful about the types of products they use, and it’s the same for dry and oily skin.
Importantly, make sure not to get a new facial the day before your wedding. Your skin might react weirdly and leave you with a nasty pimple on your big day. Leave yourself a couple of days for your skin to calm down and really reflect the benefits.
Exfoliate:
Get rid of those pesky dried skin cells with a weekly exfoliant that will leave your skin silky smooth. Exfoliants help your skin appear brighter and glowing, which is always a good thing. Be careful when choosing your exfoliant, as some can be too harsh on your skin.
Importantly, over-exfoliating can leave your skin dry, flaky and irritated, so best avoid using this product more than three times a week. Usage will change depending on the strength of your exfoliator.
Manage your stress
I know it’s hard, but this one’s important. With all the wedding planning and small moving parts to keep track of, your skin and body is likely to show your internal stress. You need to keep stress at bay so that it doesn’t show up in your skin through a breakout. A host of other conditions like exzema and psoriasis can be worsened through stress.
Consider sharing the load and delegating jobs to your bridal party to help out so that you don’t carry all the stress of event planning. If you have an event planner, that’s even better! It’s also a great idea to participate in some stress-relieving activities like yoga, painting or reading.
Bridal showers are a way for all the women in the bride’s life to come together, get to know each other, and celebrate the bride-to-be. Games at a bridal party keeps things light and ensure that there are no awkward silences.
Another reason to offer games at a bridal shower is to prevent the occasion from centering around gift-receiving. A common problem, however, is that the old-school, traditional bridal shower games are a bit played out.
Here are five fun bridal shower games we know you’ll want to try:
1. The Gossip Game
The bride and the host team up to write a light-hearted, gossipy question about each attendee on little pieces of paper, fold them up, and put them in a bowl. Questions can include things like “who was Sarah’s first kiss?” or “When last has the bride’s mom bought lingerie?”.
As the guests come in, have them take a question out of the bowl. They then have to play detective, and in the process mingle and get to know each other to find out the answer to the question.
The rules are that they are not allowed to ask the question directly and there should be a set time limit of about 30 minutes to investigate.
2. Achieve the Look
This one is simple and it’s relevant. The bride probably knows exactly what she wants her bridal make-up to look like. But it’s always good to have some options… right?
Print out multiple copies of a photo of the bride with no makeup. Each player should receive a copy of the photo and a cheap set of makeup. Have them fill in the brides makeup on the photo.
For an added twist, you could blindfold the players too. This is sure to have you cry-laughing at the end results.
3. Creating Cocktails
Provide guests with various cocktail ingredients, set a time limit, and have them create a signature drink for the bride. Let the bride be the judge of the competition.
This one is sure to have everyone feeling merry, and the bride will have her own signature mixture to remember her bridal party by!
4. Dream Date
Each guest should write down her dream celebrity date. On the other side of the page, they should write their nightmare date.
The bride should draw each one, one at a time, and as a group the guests should try to figure out which card belongs to who. To make it trickier, have the guests guess which side is the dream date and which is the nightmare.
5. Cold feet
Fill a bucket with ice and place toy rings at the bottom. Each player needs to retrieve as many rings as possible in 1 minute…with their toes!
You’ve surely heard the phrase “tie the knot” many times in reference to marriage. The saying is quite common globally. In fact, “tie the knot” is so common a phrase that nobody really questions what knots really have to do with marriage at all.
Many claim that the expression’s etymology is unknown and that the theories that do exist are not rooted in facts. That being said, there is one theory that stands out and is very commonly cited as the true genesis of the saying.
The theory suggests that the phrase “tying the knot” comes from a centuries old wedding tradition called the “handfasting ceremony”. Handfasting is an ancient Celtic practice that can be traced back to the medieval era (the 5th to the 15th century).
Essentially, a couple who was to be engaged would have their hands tied together with cloth effectively binding them together and making them one. The handfasting’s purpose was to strengthen the bond between the couple before the official wedding. The ceremony would take place “a year and a day” before the official marriage, where a second handfasting would take place.
Some have understood the practice as a betrothal or an engagement ceremony while others have conceptualised it as a “trial period”. Those who prefer the “trial period” version argue that the second handfasting would only take place if the couple got along in the “year and a day” since their first handfasting.
While the Celtics of Scotland are often touted as the originators of the practice, the ancient Mayans and the Hindu Vedic community have also been linked to similar ceremonies.
In fact, tied knots are symbolic of marriages and love in many cultures and places. In the Roman times, a bride would wear a belt tied in a “Hercules knot”. The knot was said to indicate the binding character of the marriage oath.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3HgPHOHkW8/
In England, France and Denmark, the “True-love’s knot” represents love and fidelity. Ribbons tied in a true-love’s knot were distributed as party favours at weddings or, in France specifically, were tied around the arm.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHajsNMDfvl/
In the Philipines, a rope is placed on the shoulders of the couple to show fidelity and in Hindi weddings a part of the bride’s outfit is tied to her groom’s scarf to represent an everlasting bond.
The handfasting ceremony has not disappeared over time. According to BBC, “before 1939 handfastings which took place in lieu of a church wedding were legally recognised as weddings resulting in marriage”. Today, in Scotland, handfastings are purely ceremonial but they may take place on the same day, or even at the same time as the official nuptials.
The practice is by no-means limited to people of Scottish descent, anyone is free to have a handfasting ceremony. So if you’re looking for something interesting and unusual to incorporate into your special day, why not consider a symbolic handfasting ceremony? You could even hold on to the resulting knot as a keepsake from your wedding day!
Grooms these days have endless options when it comes to wedding attire. Even the most extra groom can voice his wildest dream-suit, we bet it’s out there. Depending on hubby-to-be’s personality, the dress code and the theme and colour scheme of the wedding, colourful suits can be stunning and shine bright to make your wedding day extra memorable.
Remember, certain patterns pair well with certain colours and we recommend wearing a plain tie with a printed suit, and vice versa.
The bold bride does not shy away from a statement look. Go big with dramatic shoulder detail that commands attention. Modern brides are taking more risks with their fashion, and it pays off.
We’ve seen celebrities like Hilary Duff, Princess Eugenie and Caroline Kennedy bring the attention upwards with stunning shoulder detail, so you’ll be following in some iconic footsteps with this trend. With so many ways to add flair to bridal fashion, you’ll be overwhelmed with choice. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
The turn of the century has seen some exciting new trends emerge, with one of the biggest in bridal makeup being the “barely there” makeup look. But trust us, as simple as it looks, it’s not so easy to get it just right. The most important thing to remember is that less is more and you want to look radiant, not weighed down by make-up. Let your natural beauty shine through with a ‘no makeup’ makeup look.
If you’re doing your own makeup for the big day, or even just want to keep this look going on your honeymoon, we’re here to help. Choose neutral colours that are right for your skin tone and avoid over-application. The aim is not to see the makeup, rather the effect thereof.
Check out these step by step tutorials on how to nail this airy look.
-For darker skin tones:
-For lighter skin tones:
Remember, these are just guidelines and each bride might feel comfortable with something different. Play around with makeup to see what makes you feel the most beautiful. And most importantly, have fun!
We’ve been anticipating the wedding of our very own Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and American footballer Tim Tebow ever since they first announced their engagement over a year ago, and it finally looks like it’s time for them to walk down the aisle.
Both Nel-Peters and Tebow have shared Instagram posts that suggest their wedding is very close. Nel-Peters has been in South Africa for a week already and has been spending time with friends while staying at the Palace of the Lost City – Sun City Resort.
Tebow recently shared an image to Instagram asking his followers, “Where am I headed y’all? ??”, prompting people to speculate that the couple will be getting married in South Africa this weekend. Netwerk24 predicts that the wedding will take place in Stellenbosch.
Eldest Jo-bro Kevin Jonas and his wife Danielle have reached a massive milestone. The couple celebrated a decade of marriage at the end of 2019 and recently shared images from their anniversary party.
While their anniversary was back in December 19, 2019, Danielle recently took to Instagram to share images from their celebratory party that included an elaborate miniaturised version of their original wedding cake. Of course, their two daughters and the entire Jonas clan were also in attendance.
Back in December, Kevin shared a sweet message to honour his wife of 10 years. He wrote, “It is traditional for a husband to forget the anniversary of his marriage and how many years he’s been married. As you can tell today, that is not the case here. I remember the date we met may 23rd. The date we got engaged July 2nd, And of course the date we were married December 19th. I remember these not because I’m good with numbers. (I’m a musician, after all.) I remember them because they are the three most important days of my life. I guess not counting my birthday, since if I wasn’t born, I never would have met Dani. My wife of ten years. My best friend of twelve years. The love of my life.”
“I can not explain how amazing it is to look back on our journey together and to see how much we have grown together! You help me see my true potential in all things. You make me better, stronger, and show me what love is every day. So what I will say to my best friend, mother of my children, and forever love. This is just the beginning, we haven’t even started our journey and I can not wait for the next 10 and then the next. I love you to the moon and back.”
Danielle reciprocated with a loved-up post of her own.
“I’m finally sitting down after yesterday. It was a day full of so much love! Kevin Happy 10 YEAR Anniversary,” she captioned the image. “You’re the most incredible man, amazing husband and father. I have watched you mature in the best of ways. You are everything I wanted in a man. You work so hard, you are strong, wise and loving. We have faced so many challenges in life good and bad but through those times we got even closer. That’s how I know that our love will be forever. I still can’t believe that I can call you mine. So thank you for all you do and all you are. These ten years have been the most amazing adventure and I can honestly say I love you more know then I ever thought I could ever love someone and i’m going to continue to remind you of it in every way I can every chance I get. ? Love you ?
It’s your big day, and you’ll want to be the star of the show. Obviously. We show you how to achieve a flawless face, whatever your style, with the newest from red dot cosmetics.
FIRST OFF, YOUR FOUNDATION
RED DOT introduces the Mix & Fix Colour Drops which you can use in a variety of fun ways. Use the ‘Green’ option to reduce and hide any redness, and the ‘Dark’ option if your spray-tan is golden, but your face is still pale. Simply add a drop to your liquid foundation or creamy concealer and mix until the desired shade is reached. Add more if necessary.
NEXT UP, WINDOWS TO THE SOUL
Make sure your lashes get maximum volume without looking clumpy. Start off with a base coat of Fake It! Lash Primer in Grey which will fill, lift and help separate the lashes, while nourishing and protecting each one. Finish up with a few swipes of Catchy Eyes Waterproof Mascara to add gorgeous curves and a cat-eye definition that won’t smudge or weigh lashes down.
ARE YOU A RED LIP KINDA LADY?
You’ll no doubt want to take that along with you on the day. Rock a red that won’t budge, slip or fade. The Ultimate Lipliner – With A Twist in The Red will get you started with a perfectly primed, matte surface and rich colour payoff, lasting for up to 6 hours come rain or Champagne. Finish the lip off with a layer of Velvet Touch Lipstick – Matt in the same shade (The Red) for a creamy and flawless finish, ensuring your lippie lasts the entire night.
