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    In Advice

    Now trending: square wedding cakes

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    Square cakes have become a bold and modern choice at weddings in recent years as couples seek to be different on their big day. Instead of the traditional round shape, newlyweds are opting for angles and crisp lines, and we’re loving it.

    The simplicity of a square cake works well when paired with more ornate decor like marble detail or art deco-inspired shapes. You can also keep the design clean with smaller elements like watercolouring or abstract brushstrokes. Whatever you decide to do, this cake is sure to be a crowdpleaser.

    Here are a few designs to inspire you.

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    Feature image: Pixabay

     

     

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    In Guys

    Newlyweds flip coin to pick last name

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    Deciding whether or not to take your partner’s last name per tradition is a choice every couple must make after getting married. It can be a tough decision, so why not leave it up to fate? That’s exactly what this unique couple did.

    Jeff Conley and Darcy Ward from Florida, left the decision up to chance by literally flipping a coin at their wedding. They had a gold medallion personalised to read Darcy’s surname on one side and Jeff’s on another. Whichever end landed face up would be the surname they would share.

    Speaking to The Palm Beach Post Jeff said, “It’s fair. I am a graduate student in economics at Florida State and I think about fairness.”

    Darcy agreed, adding, “Being with someone who was willing to start the marriage from a creative and fair place felt like a really good first step toward an equal partnership.”

    Upon the coin toss, the medallion landed with Darcy’s surname face up, officially making them Mr and Mrs Ward.

    The couple react after the coin toss. Credit: Charlotte Fristoe

    Jeff seems to be happy with the decision, saying, “You could say I won. I was the one who received something new.”

    Feature image: Unsplash

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    In Accessories

    Bold boutonnières for the unique groom

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    Why do brides get to have all the fun? There are so many ways for grooms to bring their personality out on their big day that won’t eclipse the proceedings. Once such way is with their boutonnière. Yes, florals are classic, but they’re also expected.

    Let your personality shine through with a unique boutonnière that speaks to you and what you love most. Love Star Wars? Have a lightsaber-wielding Darth Vader hold up your florals. Dungeons and Dragons fans can use their dice as a fashion statement. You could also pay tribute to a loved one that has passed away by pinning their image to your lapel.

    Take inspiration from these crafty gents:

    Feature image: Unsplash

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    In Advice

    Farm weddings: How to fuse rural with classy

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    Having a farm wedding is a far cry from a glamorous suburban wedding in the city but we strongly believe all that glitters isn’t gold. Farm weddings aren’t just for “low budgets” and they don’t have to be boring. If you love the outdoors, getting away from the rush of everyday life and want to get back to your roots, a farm wedding is the perfect escape. In fact, it can be more beautiful and brilliant than any 5-star hotel wedding if you do it right. Here’s how.

    Let your decor complement the environment
    When choosing the decor and colour scheme, don’t go too far off with wild colours that don’t suit the style of the wedding. Remember, the environment already sets a certain tone and your decor should rather enhance it than try to overthrow it. Fall in step with the rhythm of the farm, whether it’s a wine farm, citrus farm, live stock, grain etc.

     


    Allow nature to flourish
    If there is abundant plant life or animals, don’t try to get rid of it, rather make the most of it! Vineyards, sunflower fields or sheep enclosures are all part of the surroundings and will add to the atmosphere.




    Choose a like-minded photographer
    It’s important to hire a photographer who appreciates the surroundings and gets the feel you want to convey. This will affect the lighting they use, the area they take the pictures in and what parts of the farm they choose to incorporate.




    Set an appropriate dress code
    As important as it is to merge the decor with the environment, it’s equally important to have the attire fit in too. Since you already chose the farm venue, your choice of dress will probably suit the surroundings well. Keep to neutral tones, rustic chic accessories and nature-inspired extras. It might be wise to add a dress code for guests too, to keep with the theme. Depending on your chosen feel, use words like “natural,” or “outback”. Avoid terms like “cowboy” (unless that’s what you want!) to ensure the guests look as sophisticated as you.




     

    Feature image: Unsplash

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    In Advice

    Beautiful braided bridal hairstyles

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    Short hair, long hair, straight hair, curly hair. Regardless of your hair type, a braided hairstyle will work wonders. Braids have grown in popularity over the last few years due to the romantic and boho feel they create. Whether you want an updo or a half-up, half-down style, you’ll love these braided beauties.

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    Image: Unsplash

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    In Advice

    Most popular wedding flowers of all time

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    Weddings and flowers go hand in hand. Every beautiful blossom tells a different story, complementing the bride on her big day. If you’re planning a wedding and aren’t sure which bouquet to go with, why not go with the tried and trusted florals? These are the most popular wedding flowers of all time.

    10 – Gardenia

    Gardenia’s represent purity and joy, making them fun and playful additions to your bridal bouquet. This flower’s smell is intoxicating and will add an extra sweetness on your big day.

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    9 – Sweet Peas

    With ruffled petals and a unique shape, sweat peas are romantic yet whimsical. They signify “lasting pleasure”, making this flower a very sweet and meaningful bloom to carry with you on your big day.

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    8 – Stephanotis

    This flower represented “marital happiness” in Victorian times, which makes it fitting for a bridal bouquet. A Stephanotis bouquet or boutonniere is incredibly traditional and is often favoured by the more classic couple.

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    7 – Ranunculus

    If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to roses, look no further. The rananculus is fuller, fluffier and whimsical, making it perfect for the unique bride.

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    6 – Peony

    Peonies represent love, happiness and ambition. Voluminous and romantic, this delicate flower is an expensive yet worthwhile addition to any bridal bouquet.

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    5- Hydrangeas

    This beautiful bunch makes for a perfect bouquet with its full, bushy shape. Use three stems to create a full bouquet, or simple add one or two into a bunch with other flowers to create dimension and fullness.

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    4 – Lily of the Valley

    This small, delicate bunch features bell-shaped florets, and has come to be known at the “ladder to heaven”. It’s a royal favourite, having appeared in Kate Middleton’s bridal bouquet back in 2011.

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    3 – Calla Lilies

    Also known as the arum lily, this flower offers a unique trumpet-shape that appears elegant and modern yet romantic. This flower originates in Africa and has come to represent magnificent beauty. Calla lilies are the perfect choice for a summer wedding.

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    2- Tulips

    Tulips have become popular wedding flowers for their representation of love. This flower is fresh yet elegant, perfect for the colourful bride wanting to be different. The most popular varieties are Dutch tulips, French tulips and parrot tulips.

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    1 – Roses

    Are you even surprised? Roses, the red variety to be specific, have symbolised love, passion and romance for decades. Roses are perfect for the classic bride. With over 3,000 varieties of roses to pick from, you’ll be spoilt for choice with this flower.

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    Image: Unsplash

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    In Celebs

    Hilary Duff and hubby on honeymoon in SA

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    Younger actress Hilary Duff, who recently tied the knot to Matthew Koma, shared some adorable pictures of their honeymoon in South Africa. After an intimate wedding ceremony, the pair took flight to the Kruger National Park and seem to be having a blast on their safari outings.

    “Honeymooning with my honey. Already seen the big 5 and had so many naps. Doesn’t get better than this….,” Duff posted on her Instagram.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Honeymooning with my honey. Already seen the big 5 and had so many naps. Doesn’t get better than this….

    A post shared by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff) on

    Koma also shared some snaps, checking in to the Park saying that it’s “unreal”.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    This place is unreal…

    A post shared by Matthew Koma (@matthewkoma) on

    The couple has a one-year-old daughter, Banks, and Duff shares son Luca, 7, with ex-husband Mike Comrie.

    We hope SA steals their hearts!

    Also read: Inside Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma’s front yard wedding

    Image: Instagram/Hilary Duff

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    In Celebs

    Former Miss SA elopes in New Zealand

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    Former Miss South Africa Suzette van der Merwe said ‘I do’ to businessman Mark Weston on Pink Beach, New Zealand after a lengthy five year engagement.

    Van der Merwe and Weston met six years ago on a blind date and quickly fell in love. They became engaged within a year, and finally tied the knot on December 14, 2019 in Weston’s home country. It was an intimate event, with only Weston’s father and stepmother in attendance.

    Huisgenoot‘s latest cover reveals that Van der Merwe wore a princess cut bright pink gown for their nuptials. The couple plan to have a traditional wedding on January 10 in South Africa.

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    Congrats to the happy couple!

    Image: Instagram / Suzette van der Merwe

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    In Advice

    Rehearsal Dinners: What they are and how they started

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    Rehearsal dinners are by no means compulsory and, of course, are not the main event. However, I’m sure we can all agree that they are part of the fun of wedding celebrations. In fact, they set the tone for the beginning of the festivities.

    The event commonly comes after a run-through of the wedding ceremony. While the rehearsal dinner is centred around fun, food, family and friends, it also serves some important purposes.

    Often, the rehearsal dinner is the first time that all friends and family of both the bride and groom are under one roof. Many guests will be meeting for the first time. This is important as it allows all the guests and important attendees to get to know each other; it ensures that, on the special day, everyone is getting along and comfortably able to have fun with each other.

    Another important function of the rehearsal dinner is the speeches. Most people prefer to keep the speeches on the wedding day to a minimum, with only the parents of the couple, the maid-of-honour and best-man saying a few words. Obviously, there are more people who might want to celebrate the happy couple with a word or two; maybe some friends, siblings, or other close family members. The rehearsal dinner is the time for all of these speeches. It allows for everyone to say what they want and feel as if they are a part of the wedding, without extending the duration of wedding speeches unecessarily.

    But what is the origin of the rehearsal dinner, you ask?

    Wedding historian Susan Waggoner notes that “Hundreds of years ago, attending a wedding could mean days of travel. The night before the event would find the tent, hut, castle, or manor house jammed to the rafters with friends, relatives, and emissaries, all of whom had to be fed.” Essentially, the tradition was created as a result of necessity. The couple would invite guests from far and wide and because traveling back then was not as easy as it is now, the visitors were often hungry on arrival.

    After this, however, the tradition evolved to something a bit more fantastical. The rehearsal dinner, while still serving as a mass-feeding of arriving visitors, also became an opportunity to chase evil spitits away. It was believed that if attendees of the event were loud and rumbustious then evil spirits who wanted to ruin the couple’s chances of having a happy life together would be scared away. So, the idea was to gather all the guests for a dinner before the big day, and have everyone be as noisy as possible.

    Today, the event remains useful in many ways and is sure to be a good idea.

    Image: Unsplash

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    Whimsical watercolour wedding invitations

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    It may be a simplistic finish but, wow, is it beautiful. Watercolouring adds a dreamy, gentle and playful look to anything it touches, making this art technique perfect for weddings.

    No matter the wedding, this look can easily be customised to fit any style, from boho to modern. Here are a few of our favourites to inspire you.

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    Image: Unsplash

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