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    We all need a little help sometimes, especially when it comes to planning your wedding and everything that goes along with it. Thanks to digital apps and tools, it is now easier than ever to get the help you need and stay organised. Have a look at 10 of our favourite wedding planning apps and tools:

    1. Joy – Wedding App & Website

    Are you looking for an app that will save you time, money, and efficiently get things done? Joy wedding app and website is your one-stop-shop for a personalised wedding planning experience. You can manage guest lists and create a checklist of all the things that need to be done before your big day. In addition to the impressive features this app offers, you also have the option to create a wedding website directly from the app.

    2. Google Calendar

    Time management is often overlooked when planning an event but is an important factor in ensuring that things go as planned. With your big day fast approaching, you want to alleviate all the pressure that comes with leaving things to the last minute. With Google Calendar you can plan all your meetings and customise your reminders. This way, you never forget anything and you’re always on time.

    3. From9AM Beauty

    From9am is your one-stop online shop for all things health and beauty in South Africa.  Quality products made locally and imported are available for online purchase, this includes makeup, eye, Lip, face, hair, body and feet products catering for all types of consumers! Shop the From9am.com beauty destination for makeup brush sets, blush and powder brushes, beauty blenders, makeup bags, tweezers, foundation, eyeshadows, palettes, eye makeup, lashes, concealers, contours, highlighters, bronzers, primers, setting sprays, face, body and feet products + so much more!

    4. My Wedding Table Planner

    Seating arrangements can prove to be one of the more challenging tasks when planning a wedding. You need to consider all the family drama that comes with it and keep everyone happy at the same time. With Table Planner, you can easily add as many guests as you like and shift them around to accommodate your venue size. This way, you have a broad view of what the seating arrangement will look like in your venue. You also have the option of allowing the app to create a generic seating plan and track RSVPs.

    5. Happy Couple

    Months leading up to the wedding, you and your partner may experience an overload of stress that can lead to a build-up of tension between you two. Happy Couple is an app that promotes relationship strengthening through quizzes and friendly gaming. You and your partner will get to know each other better and reassure your compatibility for years to come.

    6. GoodBudget – Budget Planner

    Without a proper budgeting plan, your big day might leave you in a financial pickle. Goodbudget is a user-friendly app that allows you to allocate expenses for everything that you need. Once you have a budget set in place you can shift expenses around to ensure that you are not overspending in certain areas and neglecting others, maintaining a balance is key to success.

    7. A wedding registry

    This fairly new concept amongst young couples has made gift buying so much easier. Not only do you save your friends and family from spending hours in the mall looking for a suitable gift, but drawing up a registry also guarantees that you will get the gifts you want and need. Several stores offer the option of creating an online registry. Yuppiechef, Mrp Home and Woolworths also have online stores to make things easier. Your guests can visit their website, enter your registry details and shop without having to leave the comfort of their homes.

    8. Google Drive

    Planning a wedding takes an army. Instead of the constant back and forth with different vendors and planners, centralise all the information with Google drive. As things progress, you have the option of adding notes and comments to keep everyone updated.  Easily share your wedding planner folder and everyone will have access to it. Simple yet effective.

    9. Airbnb

    With so much to do before your wedding, you’ve barely given your honeymoon a second thought. But once the excitement dies down after your big day, we are almost certain that you and your partner will need some time away to rest and enjoy each other’s company. Airbnb offers unique experiences and accommodations for every type of budget and occasion. The app also allows direct contact with the host of the venue you will be staying at to ensure that your stay goes as smooth as possible.

    10. Facebook

    It might sound crazy, but Facebook has become the modern-day yellow pages. There is almost nothing you can’t find on there. From dressmakers to wedding venues, Facebook is a central place for vendors and ideas. Your friends can share recommendations with you and you can get their opinions of things as well.  Embrace the age of digital planning.

    By Aadilah Hallam

    Image: Unsplash

    Displaying your napkins in a fun and different way will instantly upgrade each table setting and won’t cost you any extra money.

    Take a look at these simple and achievable napkin displays and the impact they have on the place setting:

    Napkin ring

     

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    Pocket Fold

     

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    Tie the knot

     

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    Fanned out

     

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    The drape

     

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    Plate wrap

     

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    Feature Image: Visual Poetry

    Fruit and vegetables as decor have been trending for a while now, but a few new takes on the trend have surfaced more recently. We take a look at some wonderful ways you can incorporate food into your decor:

    Why not add beautiful kumquats, oranges or grapes into your table arrangements to give them added intrigue and beauty? It’s a wonderful addition to a bouquet as well, especially in an outdoor wedding setting.

     

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    Fruit and vegetables can also add lovely pops of colour and freshness to your table runner and are also a great way to dress a harvest table. What better way to complement your wedding venue than by featuring grapes in your decor if your wedding is located on a vineyard, citrus and stone-fruit in an orchard setting, or even tomatoes for an Italian location wedding.

     

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    A new trend we have recently come across is the statement fruit sculptures designed by Slippery Spoon Kitchen, which offer a super fun design element to a tropical-themed wedding. It’s a great way to complement any other bold colours and design ideas you may want to feature at your wedding.

     

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    Hanging dried fruit installations are a cool and unique alternative to floral installations, and provide an instant visual impact to your wedding reception. If you want to reserve some space on your tables, hang your floral or fruit decor from the ceiling.

     

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    By Elizabeth Mackenzie

    Feature image: Unsplash

    A symbol of prosperity, good fortune and fertility, rice has been a staple at weddings for decades in the form of a rice toss. Guests gather outside the venue following the wedding ceremony, awaiting the newlyweds. As the new couple exit the venue, guests shower them with rice to positively usher them into their new lives.

    If you’re not much of a grain person, there are many fun alternatives to the rice toss.

    Here are some unique alternatives to the rice toss:

    Bubbles:

    Flower petals:

    Dried lavender:

    Glow sticks:

    Streamers:

    Confetti:


     

    Sparklers:

    Sprinkles:

    Ring the Bells:

    Feathers:

    Picture: Unsplash

    A welsh bride lost 63kg for her wedding day, stunning her wedding guests with her incredible physical transformation.

    Claire Williams (44) from Wales has battled with her weight for the majority of her life.
    Speaking to Fabulous Digital, she said, “I was a chunky child and in my early 20s I was about a size 14 which was fine. But I just got bigger and bigger. Any food I could find I’d put in my mouth.”

    “I would eat a stupid amount of bread – almost a loaf a day. I’d have it with every single meal of the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, too.”

    At her heaviest, she weighed 125kg. Her weight began to negatively affect her life in many ways.

    “I was beginning to suffer with my mobility. When I got on a plane I sat in my seat the whole journey without moving once – terrified if I undid my seat belt I’d never do it up again.”

    At her heaviest she weighed 125kgs. Credit: Facebook

    When she met her now-husband Matthew in 2013, however, everything changed.

    “Matthew loved me unconditionally. He met me when I was fat and he got a lot of stick. People asked him why he was going out with a fat lass like me.”

    Matthew received lots of criticism for dating her, which is what made things truly change for her. She decided to embark on a weight-loss journey, this time sticking to it because she knew she had the full support of her partner.

    “Having such a wonderful partner who loves you unconditionally is amazing. If it wasn’t for him, I’d not be the healthy and happy woman I am today.”

    With his support, she joined a Slimming World group, a UK-based weight loss organisation. The group members quickly became family to her during her weight loss journey, so much so that she even asked her consultant to be one of her bridesmaids.

    Through this programme, Williams lost a dramatic 63kg, almost half her body weight. She now feels full of energy, and has a renewed confidence. Her weight loss also had another important effect. As she lost the weight, she discovered a prominent lump in her stomach that turned out to be a tumour. She had the non-cancerous tumour removed, and feels lucky that her weight loss helped her discover the tumour.

    “It’s shocking to think I had something that big in my stomach and I had no idea.”

    Credit: Facebook

    She confidently walked down the aisle on her wedding day, stunning guests with her transformation.

    “I did feel truly amazing on my wedding day. Walking down the aisle felt wonderful. Matthew did nothing but tell me how beautiful I was and the whole day was fantastic,” she said.

    She looked confident and happy on her wedding day. Credit: Facebook

    Picture: Facebook

    If you’re having an outdoor wedding, a great way to keep guests entertained is to have lawn games. These are especially helpful when the bride and groom go off to take their wedding photos.

    If you’d like your guests to stay off their chairs for most of the night, put the games close to the dance floor so that it’s easy for them to bounce between the two.

    Giant Jenga

     

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    Four in a Row

     

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    Miniature Golf

     

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    Limbo

     

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    Bounce Castle

     

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    Noughts and Crosses

     

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    Battleshots

     

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    Croquet

     

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    Ring Toss

    Bowling

     

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    Feature image: Unsplash

     

    Themed weddings have grown in popularity over the years. From movies to books to decades, there is no end to the possibilities. But what about holidays? The month of October is spooky season because of the popular holiday Halloween, and some Halloween fans are taking their love for this spooky holiday to the next level.

    If you’re a big Halloween fan, here is some inspiration to throw your own Halloween-themed wedding.

    Fashion:
    Black dresses go well with a Halloween wedding theme. Think black lace and tulle for an edgy yet romantic finish. Princess cuts give a traditional look, but the black fabric still makes it spooky. It’s a perfect juxtaposition for Halloween.

     

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    Decor:
    Decor truly pulls a wedding together. Make use of lots of fabric like mesh, tulle and velvet, as well as candles and dried/dead flowers to create a dark and spooky yet elegant atmosphere. Gold finishes provide an antique look perfect for Halloween. Add fake skulls and dried twigs to complete the look.

     

     

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    Cake:
    Black cakes adorned with Halloween-themed imagery work best for these kinds of weddings. Think skulls, spiderwebs and dead flowers. For an extra touch, choose a red-velvet or black velvet cake.

     

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    Photography:
    As with any wedding, you’ll want some iconic photography to preserve your memories. Props will greatly add to your images. Make use of fake skulls, face paint, pumpkins, candles, mist and smoke bombs to create a spooky atmosphere.

     

     

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    Picture: Pexels

    One of the most time-honoured traditions still in existence today is the wedding day. Traditional weddings include a host of specific customs that brides typically engage in, one of them being wearing a wedding veil.

    For centuries, lovebirds and strangers have been getting hitched and brides donned the famous headwear. Widely considered just another fashion accessory on your big day, the wedding veil actually has an interesting history.

    The history of the the wedding veil

    The wedding veil is arguably the oldest part of the wedding ensemble. There is some contention over its specific history, but most wedding historians pinpoint ancient Greeks and Romans as the first people to wear the wedding veil. According to Julie Sabatino, expert bridal stylist and founder of the The Stylish Bride, brides of this time wore the wedding veil to disguise themselves from evil spirits aiming to spoil their joy. Some accounts show that veils were red in hue to symbolise the fire of the betrothed’s commitment as well as to ward off evil spirits.

    Wedding historian Susan Waggoner speaks of the Christian symbolism of the veil, telling Brides.com that in ancient times, people “wrapped brides from head to toe to represent the delivery of a modest and untouched maiden.” These were also the days of arranged marriages, when a bride’s virginity was her most important marker. The veil thus became a way of representing modesty and purity. The veil also acted as a method of concealing the bride’s face to the groom to prevent him from getting cold feet and running away from the stranger he was about to marry.

    In Judaism biblical times, the groom would place the veil on his bride as a symbol that he was marrying her for her inner beauty.

    The 18th century saw the veil fall out of fashion as brides opted for caps, bonnets, tiaras, jewels, wreaths and other adornments. However, they came back in style when Queen Victoria donned a four yards (3,7m) by 0.75 yards (0.7m) wide veil during her wedding to Prince Albert on 10 February, 1840. Following her iconic wedding, the veil became a symbol for wealth, status and style. The length, weight and quality of the veil all spoke highly of the status of the bride. This is why royal brides traditionally wore the longest veils.

    Roger Fenton / Getty Images

    The wedding veil today

    Today, the wedding veil is largely seen as an optional accessory. Many brides opt out of wearing wedding veils. Some consider it too traditional and unnecessary, others just don’t like the look. However, it is still quite popular and is largely used as another fashionable element to your Big Day. Many celebrity brides have famously donned the wedding veil, including Ciara, Princess Diana, Kim Kardashian and Duchess Meghan Markle.

     

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    Picture: Unsplash

    Slicing the wedding cake has become a time-honoured tradition for couples. It’s the moment all eyes are on these towered treats as the newlyweds share their first dessert as a married couple.

    Of course, the traditional wedding cake will always be in style. Today, however, people are taking more risks when it comes to their wedding confectionary. From donuts to cheese wheels, there are so many alternative options to the traditional wedding cake.

    Here are some alternative wedding cake ideas:

    A cheese cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BznJKgjnW5f/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A donut cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BuT4z5nngAm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    An Oreo cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BzJoCUinWfk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A macaron cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BbCKAWvBqoq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A cannoli cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B1i9D7XHZCJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A croquembouche:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BrYADaIBFkh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A pancake cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BuoKJSahqAe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A rice-krispie cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B2t34SdFrp8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A beignet tower:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B2XCP09F_Qc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A watermelon cake:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B01V_GEBqxs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    A meringue tower:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BXhu4ZGgSaI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Themed cake pops:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUxcLiAWil/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

     

    Picture: Unsplash

    Some brides dream of the day they get to wear a wedding dress. A long train sweeping the earth as you glide down the aisle. Or maybe indulging in metres of gorgeous silk, swaying as you move and enfolding you like a cloud as you sit down. Not all brides, though. Some want all the glamour without all the fuss. No tripping over the seams or restricting your movement as you rock it out on the dance floor. This new trendy jumpsuit is all the rage, but you’ll have to squint your eyes to see it.

    Created by Spanish bridal label Pronovias, this full-length, long sleeve semi-nude suit has hand-sewn florals covering the basics. The design comprises more than 200 crystals embroidered into lace and chantilly, and it took more than 244 hours to complete.

     

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    While it might sound daring to some, we’re all for the “you do you” mantra and whatever makes you feel good, will make you look good, too.

     

    Picture: Facebook/Stellari