Weddings Archives | Page 140 of 206

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.

Feature image: Instagram

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

In Accessories

Trending: Dramatic bridal earrings

February 5, 2020 No Comments

As everyone knows, detail counts when it comes to your wedding look. The dress and hair might be the main focus but trust us, it is possible to ruin a whole look with something as simple as jewellery. So, since we’ve come full circle and and are now back to the roaring 20s, we take some inspiration from a bygone era for dramatic yet feminine earrings that will complete the look to perfection.

Think bold, heavy, and dark, but always sophisticated and sleek. Stay away from cheap or imitation earrings as this could give a “fake” look you don’t want. Here, take the time to carefully consider the earrings that will match your style and give you rocker flair without overpowering the rest of your outfit.

Image: Pexels

In Decor

A magical Greatest Showman-themed wedding

February 5, 2020 No Comments

Ever loved something so much you made it your wedding theme? This couple did. Their love of the musical The Greatest Showman was so great, they just knew they had to incorporate it into their big day.

Julia and Kurtis Moellmann from Orlando, Florida are both huge fans of the circus. So much so that the pair, both of whom work at Ripley Entertainment Inc. knew it had to be a part of their wedding

“Kurtis and I grew up loving the circus,” Julia told Business Insider. “I used to take my mother — who had recently passed away suddenly due to brain cancer — to the circus every Mother’s Day.”

“It describes our lives, our current jobs, and what we both love,” she explains their love of the circus. “When we’re not at work, we’re at a local circus or searching for oddities that might be found in a circus sideshow.”

A year before their wedding, the couple watched The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Zendaya. They fell in love with the musical, rewatching it over and over again. The film’s aesthetic matched perfectly with their personalities, so they decided to recreate it for their big day.

Their barn-like wedding venue was transformed into a circus tent with draping red and white fabrics hung from the ceiling.

Both Julia and Kurtis wore circus-inspired outfits, with Kurtis dressing like a ringleader.

Credit: Instagram / Nick and Lauren Photography

To go with the theme, carnival snacks like popcorn and snow cones were on offer, as well as food stands featuring burgers, pizza, chicken, fries, and funnel cake.

“We had freak-show posters, circus photo ops, and everyone was given a clown nose at their place setting,” Julia adds. The pair even had a miniature horse to pose with them for photos.

Their guests loved this unique take on a wedding.

“Kurtis and I aren’t your average white dress, church wedding people, so it was a nice break for everyone overall,” Julia explains. “You can only eat so many badly cooked steaks and watch couples frolic down a church aisle so many times without falling asleep,” she said of traditional weddings.

Check out more of their work on their website.

Feature image: Unsplash

In Accessories

Bridal hats to have you brimming with confidence

February 4, 2020 No Comments

Accessories finish off your look, so why not go bold with a bridal hat? Bridal hats are definitely having a moment. From the runway to the royal family, we’ve seen this trend be rocked to perfection.

These hats are typically worn pre- or post reception, the best time to truly experiment and have fun with your look. Bridal hats are perfect for summer weddings to shield your face from the sun and hopefully protect your makeup from melting.

Beyond this, bridal hats can be effortlessly chic and classy. Regardless of your wedding theme, theres a style for you. A simple and clean wide-brimmed hat will give you old-school glamour, while a straw-hat adorned with flowers will scream boho luxe.

Take some inspiration from these fashion-forward brides:

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In Celebs

The most expensive celebrity wedding dresses

February 4, 2020 No Comments

Celebrities are known to lead a lavish life of excess, and it’s no surprise they would splash out big bucks on their big day. For many, the focal point of a wedding is the wedding dress, which can cost quite a bit of money.

Of course, money is no issue for celebrities, with many spending millions on their dream dress. These are the most expensive celebrity wedding dresses of all time.

Grace Kelly – $65,000 (over R960 00)

Grace Kelly exemplifies class, and her wedding dress was no different. The iconic film star turned royal stunned in a long-sleeve, high-necked victorian-style gown with lace detailing for her 1956 wedding to Monaco’s Prince Rainier III. The dress, which featured hand-sewn pearls and 125-year-old lace from Brussels, reportedly retails for over R960 00.

Jessica Biel – $100,000 (R1 477 290)

Jessica Biel opted against tradition by wearing a blush-coloured gown for her 2012 wedding to Justin Timberlake. The Giambattista Valli Haute Couture number featured delicate ruffles and is estimated to be worth R1 477 290.

Victoria Beckham – $100,000 (R1 477 290)

Posh Spice never disappoints when it comes to fashion. For her 1999 wedding to David Beckham, she wore a champagne-coloured Vera Wang number complete with a 6-metre train, estimated to be worth R1 477 290. She still owns the dress and plans to pass it down to her daughter Harper.

Princess Diana – $115,000 (R1 698 883)

Princess Diana’s wedding dress has gone down in history as the most iconic gown to ever exist. The Alexander McQueen ivory taffeta gown was adorned with sequins, frilled lace and 10 000 pearls. It’s thus no surprise that it would fetch a pretty penny, with an estimated cost of R1 698 883.

Elizabeth Taylor – $187,931 (R2 776 285)

This iconic actress has said ‘I do’ a record 8 times, but her most famous one was her very first back in 1950. At the tender age of 18, the starlet married Conrad “Nicky” Hilton (great-uncle to Paris and Nicky and heir to the Hilton hotel empire) in a gorgeous princess-cut satin gown featuring pearl embroidery. In 2013, the dress went up for auction and sold for R2 776 285.

Mariah Carey – $250,000 (R3 693 225)

It was a stunningly expensive dress never-to-be-worn. Mariah Carey was set to marry billionaire businessman James Packer back in 2018 but their engagement was unfortunately called off. Fans did, however, catch a glimpse of her custom Valentino wedding dress in her music video for her song, ‘I Don’t’. The dress was worth a reported R3 693 225.

Amal Clooney – $380,000 (R5 613 702)

The beautiful human-rights lawyer tied the knot with George Clooney in a stunning Italian ceremony. She chose Oscar de la Renta to design her perfect dress, which would be the last one this iconic designer would create before his passing in 2014. The off-the-shoulder wedding dress was appliquéd with fourteen yards of Chantilly lace and was hand-embroidered with pearls and diamante stones, and reportedly retails for R5 613 702.

Kate Middleton – $434,000 (R6 411 438)

Another royal to inspire countless copycat wedding dresses, Kate Middleton’s gown is still much loved today. Created by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the Victorian-inspired dress featured lace appliqué , hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace, 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops and a two-metre long train. All of this was achieved for the price of R6 411 438.

Kim Kardashian – $500,000 (R7 386 450)

Would it be a list about excess if it didn’t include Kim Kardashian? The reality star turned businesswoman wowed the crowd in a custom Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy Haute Couture design for her 2014 wedding to Kanye West. The long-sleeved dress featured sheer paneling and cutouts, and is said to be worth R7 386 450.

Victoria Swarovski – $1 million (R14 772 900)

She may not be a household name but her surname is. Heiress to the Swarovski fortune, Victoria Swarovski, shook the world when she wed Munich-based entrepreneur Werner Mürz in an over-the-top, three-day extravaganza back in 2017. Of course, the dress was adorned with, you guessed it, Swarovski crystals. 50o 000, to be exact. The custom-made gown was designed by Michael Cinco, weighed about 45 kg and is worth more than R14 772 900.

Feature image: Instagram