Weddings Archives | Page 183 of 190

In Decor

Look book: A modern art themed wedding

May 22, 2018 No Comments

Inspired by artists from Kandinsky to Mondrian, give your food, tableware and stationery an expressive update. Take inspiration from our modern art themed wedding shoot today.

Menu and name tag, both Secret Diary; plates stylist’s own; red-wine glass, Sauvignon Blanc glass (set of 2) and Pinot Noir glass (set of 2), all Wine Essentials; white-and-gold cutlery to hire, Check My China; napkin, Mr Price Home

Malva pudding with naartjie jelly, chocolate caramel sauce and a caramelised red cardamom sugar crisp, Cakes by Wade

Save the date, invitation and name tag, all Secret Diary

Table number, Secret Diary

Orange pound cake with chocolate filling, Cakes by Wade

Sign, Secret Diary; favour box, @home

Mobile stylist’s own; chairs to hire, Urban Tonic; candles each, Sobeit Studio; candle-holders, Indigenous; menu and name tags, all Secret Diary; white-and-gold cutlery to hire, Check My China; napkins, Mr Price Home; plates stylist’s own; red-wine glass, Sauvignon Blanc glass (set of 2) and Pinot Noir glass (set of 2), all Wine Essentials

Styling: Francoise Jeanne de Villiers
Photography: Andreas Eiselen
*Products subject to availability

In Planning

5 ways to include your furbabies on your wedding day

May 17, 2018 No Comments

Nowadays, pets have become one of the most important parts of everyday life, so much so that they have even become a part of bigger life events, such as weddings. If you’re planning your big day and would love to have your furbabies join the party, here are a few adorable ways that you can include your pet.

FLOWER GIRL

Adorn your furchild with ribbon, dog jersey, tutu or even a flower crown and let them lead the way as you walk down the aisle.

RING BEARER

Give your pet the honour of bringing you the rings, which can be placed securely in a basket or on a ribbon around your their neck. If your pet isn’t well-behaved enough to walk straight down the aisle themselves, ask a family member or friend to assist by walking your furchild to you and your soon-to-be spouse.

THEMED SAVE-THE-DATES

Surprise your future guests with DIY save-the-dates including a photograph of your pet/s that will have them ‘aw-ing’ at the cuteness

VIDEOGRAPHER

Want to get a unique view of your big day? Strap a GoPro camera to your pet’s back and allow them to wander around your wedding venue and amongst your guests. You can look back at it after your big day and share some laughs at what your pet got up to! Ask your official videographer to include the footage in your wedding video.

FAMILY PORTRAIT

If you just want a simple reminder that your pets shared in your day, ask your photographer to take some shots of you and your pets during your shoot time. You can even dress them up in little suits, bow ties, tutus or flower arrangements to have them fit with the theme!

Having your pets join you in celebrating your big day is definitely an exciting time, but also remember to be aware of your pet’s personality and behaviour to ensure that they are not overwhelmed or mistreated at the event. If you can, assign a pet-nanny for the day to make sure they are comforted, fed, watered and not getting up to mischief.

Header image: instagram.com

In Decor

How to fold a linen napkin into a bow tie

May 15, 2018 No Comments

If you don’t already know how, we’re teaching you how to fold a linen napkin this week. With minimal effort and maximum style, these bow ties make for perfect modern table decor.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Square napkins
Napkin rings

STEP 1

Iron out a square napkin.

STEP 2

Fold the napkin in half once from opposite corners. Turn it so the longest side is at the top and the point faces down.

STEP 3

Fold up the bottom point about 2–3 cm.

STEP 4

Fold over the top towards the point twice.

STEP 5

Turn the bottom half up and over the top, then turn the napkin over.

STEP 6

Fold the napkin at the two diagonal folds in the middle then fold in each end. Make sure that the folded section lies parallel to the diagonal fold line.

STEP 7

Pinch the napkin into a rough bow shape with your fingers and slide it into a napkin ring. Neaten, then repeat with the rest of your napkins.

In Fashion

How to recycle your wedding dress and decor

May 8, 2018 No Comments

Your wedding day is a joyous occasion, but all your leftover decor items can take up tons of space if left to collect dust in your home. And throwing them away is no good either. Take a look at some of our tips on how to recycle all your beautiful items to ensure they don’t go to waste.

1. MAKE A SCRAPBOOK

Keep all your wedding memories together by crafting a scrapbook filled with a copy of each stationery item, pressed flowers and any other decor items you can flatten and add in. Plus all your favourite wedding photos and any other bits and pieces you want to keep close.

2. THE WEDDING DRESS

If you aren’t too keen on keeping your dress in the back of your cupboard, you can sell it as a second-hand garment, or donate it to a charity. But rememeber to keep a piece of the fabric to add to your scrapbook!

3. THE FLOWERS

If you’re stuck with bunches of flowers from the wedding arrangements, gift them to your loved ones as thank yous, or liven up a hospital or old age home by creating beautiful bunches to donate.

4. THE STATIONERY

Leftover stationery items such as coloured paper, ribbon and other decor features can be sent to underprivileged schools and used for arts and craft classes. You can also use them in your scrapbook or hand them over to friends who are avid scrapbookers. If you are going to throw them away, make sure you are recycling them.

5. THE DECOR

Any wedding decorations such as fairy lights, ornaments, etc can always be put to good use, whether for special occasions or even just to brighten up your home. Alternatively, if you really don’t want to keep the items, you can always market them on various Facebook groups or local second-hand stores.

Image credit: Instagram

In Accessories

Take inspiration from Indian bridal styles

May 2, 2018 No Comments

We’re taking things to the east with some Indian bridal inspo! Feast your eyes on these gorgeously detailed outfits from some of our favourite international designers.

1. Sabyasachi Mukherjee

2. Vasansi Jaipur

3. Tarun Tahiliani

4. Manish Malhotra

Images: instagram.com

In Do's And Don'ts

The pros and cons of hiring a wedding planner

April 26, 2018 No Comments

It seems like an easy option to hire a professional to take care of all the stressful wedding planning while you sit back and supervise, but is it really worth it? There a quite a few advantages and disadvantages to hiring a wedding planner, so we’re here to help you navigate what will be best for you.

THE PROS

1. Your wedding will have the magical touch of an expert giving it that extra flair for beauty and glamour.

2. Planners often know the local market, and already have a contact list of reliable vendors lining up to make your big day amazing. It may be more challenging to do this on your own without prior knowledge or contacts.

3. Everything down to the last detail will be taken care of, with your input of course. This is a big help when you are short on time.

THE CONS

1. Wedding planners’ services can be extremely costly, and if you choose to go for a cheaper option, you may just end up sacrificing quality as well.

2. You won’t be in full control. This can be especially difficult to handle when you have a certain vision in mind, but try to remember that the wedding planner also wants you to have the perfect day.

3. The experience of planning a wedding is a special one, and to allow someone else to take charge can often leave you feeling distanced and uninvolved in the process. This can be disappointing, especially if you feel that your day lacks a personal touch.

Ultimately the choice to (or not to) hire a wedding planner is all yours. If you feel that you may be keen to use a wedding planner for your special day, book consultations with well-known and reliable agencies. But if it’s not for you, try to get others involved in helping you make your dream a reality, as it can become quite overwhelming to do everything yourself.

Image credit: @parisalacarte (Instagram)

In Engagements

DIY floral seating chart

April 24, 2018 No Comments

Enchant your guests with a floral seating chart that’s in full bloom! Just be sure to let your stationer know your plan, so that they can create the design accordingly.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Floral design of your choice
Cardboard
Scissors
Paper punch
Ribbon
Floral fabric
Large polystyrene board
Flat-head pins

STEP 1

Choose a floral design and create seating cards with the table number on the front and guests’ names on the back. Print these on cardboard and cut them out.

STEP 2

Punch a hole in the top of each card.

STEP 3

Thread a piece of ribbon through, knotting it at the back. Make sure every piece of ribbon is a different length.

STEP 4

Pin the fabric on to the polystyrene board, ensuring it is stretched taut. You’ll use this as the backboard.Hang each numbered card over the front of the floral board. Pin the ribbon in place at the back.

In Advice

Wedding traditions to leave behind

April 12, 2018 No Comments

Picture this. It’s your big day in a few months time and you feel completely torn between whether you want to stick to tradition or scrap it all and reinvent a whole new wedding style. Not to worry, we’re breaking down the standard options to provide alternatives to wedding traditions to leave behind and give a variety of options and creative ways to celebrate with your loved ones.

THE WHITE DRESS

While regarded as a symbol of purity, the traditional white wedding dress only became popular after Queen Victoria opposed the norm by wearing a white lace and satin gown for her wedding with Prince Albert in 1840. It is still a popular option for many brides today, but definitely has room for change. If you want to be daring and different, opt for colours like red, black or gold. Pastels of blue, pink, cream and grey have also become stunning options that break tradition.

Image: @gracephilipsbridal

THE BOUQUET

Some believe that bridal bouquets were used to mask the stench of the brides, who only showered once or twice a year before running water was a norm. But brides would also carry herbs and spices to protect themselves from evil spirits. While it may seem odd to walk down the aisle empty-handed, there are plenty alternatives to holding a bunch of flowers. Make a glamorous entrance carrying a matching clutch purse, or be unique with themed balloons or coloured ribbon. Having an outdoor wedding? Carry a stunning custom umbrella to match your dress.

Image: @philipjamesphotography

GIVEN AWAY

A standard norm for weddings is for the bride to be walked down the aisle by her father to be ‘given away’ to her future husband. In older times, this was a symbol of transferring ownership of the bride from her current family to her new family. While still a common practice, modern times have seen brides walk down the aisle alone, with both parents, or a close loved one.

Image: @event.life.entertainment

BRIDESMAIDS

Way back in the day, bridesmaids would dress similarly to the bride to confuse evil spirits and anyone trying to harm the bride. Nowadays, they are a group of women hand-picked by the bride-to-be to offer support and perform certain bridal duties. Even if you aren’t too keen on this tradition, it’s a great idea to have a group of close friends by your side to offer support assistance in planning your big day, and their outfits can be unique too!

Image: @ranch_505

BOUQUET & GARTER TOSS

This interesting tradition began (supposedly) as a way to distract the wedding guests while the happy couple engaged in the consummation of their marriage. Strange, right? Nowadays the throwing of the bouquet and garter are meant to bring luck and love to whoever catches them. While this can be a fun treat, it can also be slightly embarrassing for all the singletons taking part. Wedding games that include everyone are fun and creative. Have the bride and groom participate in a ‘How Much Do You Know About Your S/O’ for some light-hearted entertainment during the evening.

Image: @sofiakatherinephotography

Traditions are always changing, as do their meanings in our lives. Whether you choose to follow tradition or not, it shouldn’t be an issue for your big day. Whatever a practice means to you, it should only be a part of your day because you want it to be. Don’t feel pressured to follow the norms if you don’t agree with them or value them in your own life. Your wedding day is all about you and the celebration of love!

Header image: @lovemydress
Photography: instagram.com

In Engagements

Taking a look at gender-free fashion inspo

April 11, 2018 No Comments

It’s 2018, and we’re moving into a time where people and fashion are letting go of the norms and setting new trends by unapologetically being themselves. Whether you completely reject gender stereotypes or don’t prescribe to the binary, we’re here to provide you with some gender-free fashion inspo for your wedding wardrobe.

Take a look at some of our favourite androgynous fashion choices this season.

1. @floridaelago

You can never go wrong with a classic suit and chic prints.

2. @houseofandrogyne

All-black is always a winner.

3. @afro.andro

Mix up touches of femininity and masculinity for a balanced look that will leave everyone gushing.

4. @dancingwiththem

Be unique and incorporate alternative and modern styles for your big day.

5. @dancingwiththem

Statement pieces paired with classic styles elevate your wardrobe in amazing ways.

Header image: @nicotortorella
Photography: instagram.com

In Beauty

Last minute tips to get rid of pimples before your wedding day

April 9, 2018 No Comments

You’re getting married and you feel on top of the world. The last thing you need is to glance in the mirror to find an unappealing spot staring back at you. It creates immediately panic! But don’t despair, we’ve got some last minute tips to get rid of pimples before your big day.

1. HOT WATER

Take a clean towel and immerse it in hot water. Then place it directly over your pimple. This immediately opens up your pores, allowing a mild cleanser to do a proper job immediately afterwards. Wait 30 minutes, and you should see a massive difference.

2. ICE CUBES

Take an ice cube and place it on your pimple for 5-10 minutes. Once the time is up, you will notice that the swelling and redness has been reduced. If you are still unhappy with the results the next day, a good concealer and foundation will get the job done once the swelling is taken care of.

3. TOOTHPASTE

Another age-old trick is applying toothpaste to the affected area. Take a pea-sized amount and apply it over a pimple. Leave it on overnight and wash your face with cold water the next morning.

4. GARLIC

Garlic (a natural antibiotic) will get rid of pesky spots overnight. Grab a clove and make slits in it to release the juice. Rub it all over your pimple and the surrounding area, and voila!

Photography: pinterest.com